Cardinals... Zeal... What?

I noticed there was a unit in my unit browser that i had never bothered to look at before, it was the cardinal. His description says that he preaches in catholic provinces and increases zeal. Now i don't know what the hell zeal is or what it does, but i figure that if there is a recruitable unit who's only purpose is to increase zeal in catholic provinces (i'm playing as France) then more zeal must be good.

So i begin recruiting cardinals and sitting one down in every province to do their thing. I notice Aquitane has 61% zeal before i recruit the cardinal. I forget about the cardinals for 10 or so years and just leave them there preaching and whatnot, then remember that i actually have them and should check to see how they're doing.

Aquitane's zeal went down by 10%, and every other province stayed the same as before. So basically i've 3 questions, if anybody would be so kind as to enlighten me since my game didn't come with a manual because ancient best-sellers that you get from a bargain bin for $4.99 never do. And the questions are:

#1. What is zeal?
#2. What benefits does higher zeal give as opposed to lower zeal?
#4. Why aren't my cardinals doing their job?
#5. Will those people from the TV show "Lost" ever get rescued?

1&2: Zeal affects how many troops join a crusade, or leave it. High zeal(60% or higher) will generally result in a good number joining. Low zeal(40% or lower) will cause more troops to desert.

3(umm, 4?): Cardinals only convert people to catholicism. To raise zeal, you'll need inquisitors. However, make sure to keep tabs on them. If you see that they are "inquisitioning an individual", without your orders, make sure to pick them up and drop them again so they'll stop. Otherwise, they'll go on a mass witch-hunt, burning hundreds, perhaps thousands, of peasants, and resulting in a very considerable drop in zeal.

5: Dunno, don't care.~;p

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Cardinals are great to convert infidels to the true faith. So that they might rebel and call the servants of the true church to rescue them from their pagan oppressors.

Especially those with fewer stars are prone to being assassinated (you don't see spies and assassins on the map unless they're yours, so won't know when to be stricken). Therefore, have them travel around the infidel lands and save people.

Also, against enemies' religious agents, it's good to have a few at home to counterbalance, until your assassins do their job.

Use your Inquisitors and Grand Inquisitors to increase zeal in neighbouring provinces so that when you pass your crusade through them you'll be able to drain more enemy troops enable more friendly troops to voluntarily join your holy war. Use them also to burn enemy generals, princes, kings, even the Pope himself on stake.
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God (hehe) I hate Inquisitors. I can without bragging say that removing them (and of course the GI) from my game is the smartest thing I've ever done to my MTW.

Cardinals are nice though. They're like more efficient Bishops, but that's that. I hardly ever use any agents other than the occassional Emissary, so I know next to nothing about their full potential.

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Spies stir unrest in enemy provinces. They can also reveal the secret vices of generals, friend and foe alike. Assassins assassinate. ~:)

Unless the Watchtower > Border Fort sequence doesn't suffice, you can use spies for counter-spying in your own provinces as well.

I can't find Ludens' agent guide. :help:
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https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...?t=54932:book:

Does anyone use spies regularly? I tried it a few times, but the kept getting caught by border forts. if you leave a spy in a province, do they risk getting caught each turn? If it's already in a province, does it have another chance of getting caught if you use it to find out a generals traits?

How good are they at starting rebellions? Do they cause a static drop in loyalty in a province or do they slowly cause more and more unhappyness?

France is kicking arse in my current (and first) XL game. I don't have the strength to come after them but I wouldn't mind trying to get a couple of their provinces to rebel so I can grab a foothold in their territory to strike from when the opportunity presents.

random XL question - I'm playing as the Scotts, they can build Royal Knights but not feudal or Chivalric? Also, I just conquered Aragon almost fully intact but can't build Spanish Jinettes there?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Heidrek

random XL question - I'm playing as the Scotts, they can build Royal Knights but not feudal or Chivalric? Also, I just conquered Aragon almost fully intact but can't build Spanish Jinettes there?

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You've got to get the MTW guide by frogbeastegg. Most of the explanation you needed is in there, especially the unit's requirement (building, country, time period etc.).

I think only Arragon/Spanish/Portuguese can build Jinettes. Not sure about Feudal but Chivalric need to be High/Late period. Also, Knights need a bit more requirement (horse/armorer) than Royal Knights.

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Spam an enemy province without watchtower/border fort with your spies and watch. :yes: Often the AI won't build counterspying facilities. If it does, then it's a gamble for your agents to get caught or not. Instead of spreading your spies, focus on a single province and use the spamming method. Assume it's building a spying network out there. ~;)
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