Medieval: Total War XL

Yesterday I installed the mod and I must say it looks very interesting.
I have an offer and a request for Viking Horde.

Offer: for the non-english versions of the game, it is necessary some manipulation of the Loc files. After my own experience in modding I copied the necessary files or copied and pasted the new parts of the files, but some translations are still required. Are you interested in having a Loc\Spanish folder for a new version release? I can do it and send to you the files.

Request: I have seen that you prepared some new Unit Icons. Could I use some of them for my own mod? I am mainly interested in muslim foot units and I saw an Arab Heavy Infantry. Are there more new units of this type?

In any case, great work. ~:wave:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Despot of the English

Something else too to think about for the English: Household Archer. From the Osprey book this is interesting: The household archer was considered an elite, Warwick the Kingmaker once commenting that they were worth two ordinary archers - even English ones. The apex of this class were the King's "Yeomen of the Crown" who, according to the household regulations of Edward IV (the Black Book), were to be "... most semely persons, clenely, and strongest archers" and were selected by being " chosen and tryed out of every lordes house in Ynglond."

So you could have Household Archers who are upgraded Longbowmen and an even better class being the Yeomen of the Crown who would be the best longbowmen, picked from the retinues of the King's lords.

---

Sounds good, I'll write the unit/units down to add them later.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Monkwarrior

Yesterday I installed the mod and I must say it looks very interesting.
I have an offer and a request for Viking Horde.

Offer: for the non-english versions of the game, it is necessary some manipulation of the Loc files. After my own experience in modding I copied the necessary files or copied and pasted the new parts of the files, but some translations are still required. Are you interested in having a Loc\Spanish folder for a new version release? I can do it and send to you the files.

Request: I have seen that you prepared some new Unit Icons. Could I use some of them for my own mod? I am mainly interested in muslim foot units and I saw an Arab Heavy Infantry. Are there more new units of this type?

In any case, great work.

---

Spanish version, that would be perfect! I have not finished all files yet, still need to add the last units with desciptions. Once I have finished the files, I'll send them to you and Teutonic.
Feel free to use the Icons. There are no more muslim units yet, but i'm working on some. They will proberly be finished sometime next weekend.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VikingHorde

Sounds good, I'll write the unit/units down to add them later.

---

I'll see if there aren't any more units I can dig out for other factions too :jumping: .

One suggestion that could add a bit of flavour to the game - In the late period in Greece you could replace the rebel garrison wih about 6 units of armoured almughavars (also rebel) to represent the Catalan Grand Company which conquered and held Athens and the surrouding areas for a number of years (I think 1321 to 1388). It would also add an incentive to bribe the garrison, to acquire units you could otherwise not get (In the early period I usually do the same with El Cid in Valencia, try and get an emissary there before the comps kill him off). Of course, you would have to use them carefully, as you could not replace them! As their leader, Roger de Flor was murdered some time before, it would not require a new rebel hero or anything.

I was doing some more random searching and came across several more units that could be added to the Volga Bulgarians. They are mostly tribal units, but the Volga Bulgarians were also quite skilled at iron work, so you could add an armoured bowman type unit (call it Volgan bowman or something) with a very poor melee but good defense/armour. Most of the Bulgarians in the Volga Bulgarian army served as bowmen. This will also help them a bit against the horde to survive missile duels a bit better. The uits listed below are accurate with regards to their names, however I have not been able to find much information on how they were equipped. Instead I have just given them roles to fill gaps in the Volga Bulgarian army, but you can make them into whatever you want really. Some appear as having more generic roles, such as Kursybays with holding the line and Kazanchies with decisive blows.

Bashkorts - the Bashkorts were a semi-nomadic tribe living in and around central asia. Due to the various invaions of Tartars and Turkomens some tribes left to find more secure homes within the borders of established states, including the Volga Bulgarians and the Itil Bulgarians, in return for military assistance.

As the Volga Bulgarians lack any form of armour piercing units, I think it would be a good idea to make the Bashkorts armed with Javelins. They should be fast, to represent their nomadic wandering nature, but have a poor defense and attack, and be quite cheap to build. Basically they are only good at throwing Javelins. So maybe give them 8 javelins instead of the usual 4. The addition of this unit should help the Volgans when facing armoured units (like Mongol Heavy Cavalry). In most battles they suffered fairly high casualties as well, so a more direct role rather than sitting back and shooting bows would be appropriate

Kazanchis - OK I dont really know if the Kazanchis were the name of the military unit or of a tribe of people, but they were mainly used for flanking actions and dealing the decise blow rather than holding the line. They were definately infantry though, so maybe they could be some kind of sword armed troop, or alternatively armed with armour piercing weapons. They were also fairly well armoured.

Kursybays - Fairly positive that they were actual military units, rather than a tribe of people, as the translated history i am reading from some Volga Bulgarian guy who lived in the early 1200's stated that they nearly mutinied until their pay was increased. In most battles they were used for holding the line, and so I guess would be spearmen. They were also used in fairly large numbers. They were fairly capable, but offen suffered high casualties, so should be less armoured than the Kazanchis and with maybe 1 attack and 2 defense, but with a high morale value.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VikingHorde

Spanish version, that would be perfect! I have not finished all files yet, still need to add the last units with desciptions. Once I have finished the files, I'll send them to you and Teutonic.

---

I am waiting for those files and I'll try to do my best.
When do you hope to release the final version?
~:wave:

I've been thinking more about the build requirements and stats:

Household Archers.

Build Requirements: Master Bowyer.
Not sure about the stats yet but I think they should have more armour and defence than a normal longbow unit. Maybe something like: Charge 1 Attack 3 Defence 0 Armour 2 Morale 4. Disciplined and elite.

Yeomen of the Crown.

Build Requirements: Master Bowyer and Baronial Court?
Effectively these are the best of the Household Archers. Stats: Charge 2 Attack 3 Defence 2 Armour 2 Morale 4. Disciplined and elite.

Both units for Late I think, certainly the Yeomen should be.

Well Viking Horde, I gave your XL mod the time and effort I believed it would take to thoroughly evaluate it, and I admit, at first I was expecting a BKB SuperMod-Lite, but you have overcome even my expectations, and made something that I could never imagine, a mod that pales in significance in every aspect to BKBs mod.

Firstly, I am sick and tired of all these people congratulating you on your units. I have looked through the mod, and I can see you have added around 30 or so. A nice number, but desperately smaller than BKB’s. So far, around 50 or so units have been released in early and high, and if what I believe is true, a lot more are on the way and a total of around 100 will have been made, sort of makes it feel like a vastly inferior number doesn’t it? In addition, I am disappointed by the variety of your units. Many feature identical shields, but with different patterns on. I can see you have made between 5 and 10 shields, which is a credible effort, but when you look at BKB’s you can see that for every unit, if space permits in the BIF folders, a new shield and/or weapon has been created. This makes every unit different in aspects, and induces a larger feeling of variety in my opinion.
I know you can counter these criticisms with the claim that “this is only a BETA, all will be dealt with in the final release”, and it is a valid argument, however, not long ago, you said to me that compared to BKB’s mod, yours would be better because there would be no BETA releases, only the final, I now see that this is a promise which has fallen through, as are the claims that you would make a superior mod than BKB.

I am also sick and tired of people congratulating you on making the best mod ever. Anyone who says this is one of two groups of people, arse kissers or blind/deaf/dumb. How anyone can see the XL mod as being superior to BKB’s is beyond me. That is why I felt like saying this. Hardly anyone can find a bad word to say about your mod, and I thought it was time to bring you back to earth. Your modding skills, though good are not on par with BKB’s, but with time, they will improve, but I stand by my original argument I put towards you a month or so back, what was the point??

People can take this anyway they want, however, I know that there are people out there who agree with me, but have not got the confidence to stand up and say what they feel. It is about time people open there mouth’s and speak, I remember the criticism BKB got off users when his mod first came out, and still now it is rare to see arse kissing on scale with the users playing this mod.

If this post is deleted, then I will post it again, I have done nothing but give honest, and imo helpful criticism. Why are we only permitted to give good feedback, free speech is a thing people have fought for, and I am using it now.
DUKE DICK aka THE MINGIN SMEGMA

When playing your mod, i noticed that the venetians did not have any exclusive units. I have started an italian mod and so i have a few suggestions, for the venetians and genoese. You should have gendarme in both as gendarme were actually the name for a heavy cavlary mercenary from italy. They were part of conditorri. Also the genoese and pisans in italy were famous for their crossbowmen, for example many geneose crossbowmen had fought as mercenaries during the hundred year war. So i think you should have genoese crossbowmen, or maybe you could give crossbowmen units form genoa a bonus. I found a unit list made by angelenessuno for the two crowns mod. I hope it will give you some ideas for new units for the venetians.

MERCENARIES and venetian units

-''San Marco knight order''
San Marco order was composite by the Venetian Nobility
it was an elite unit of knight armoured with the best italian and german armours design,it was a mounted heavy troop well trained and equiped
(DJ i think that you can use them like royal knight .....Venice was a republic so there weren't the royal knight)

-''LANZE SPEZZATE''(heavy mounted man at arm)
Generalli the new permanently employed Horseman was know as a ''Lanze Spezzate'' or ''broken lance'' and stemmed from the fact that many of the first had either deserted from ''Condottieri''company or came from those whose leader had died : they were common in most italian Armies
They were heavy Men-at-arms that continued to use old cavalry tactics consisting of repeated frontal charges
-''Cavalleggeri'' (light mounted man at arm )
an heavy cavalry but the horses hadn't their armour

-North Italian Light cavalrymen ''CAVALLERIA LEGGERA''
Venetians and Italians cavalry were divided into light and heavy units,throught the main difference seem to have been
in the uses of otherwise of horse-armour
In the fiftheenth century italians light cavalrymen were quite heavily armoured by early standards
They charged the enemy with their lances ,after in the middle of battle they used their swords.
The primarily heavy cavalry tactics consisting of repeated frontal charges while the light cavalry must manouvre and charge the enemy in the flanks so
the light cavalry operated after the charge of the heavily mounted units

-''Heavy mounted Man-At arms''
they continued to use old fashioned cavalry tactics consisting of repeated frontal charges by relatively small formations. The italian man-at-arms were heavily armoured respect their 14th century counterparts .
They were equiped with italian armours that were famous for their design,unlike the best german armours,with their almost barbaric abundance of decoraytions the 15th century italian armor were strict and functionals as a modern warplane .

-''ARSENALOTTI''ELITE (doge's guard)
The Elite of Venetian infantry were drawn from the ranks of ''Arsenalotti'' They provided guards from the doge's palace and other governament buildings ,acting as a police force and even a fire-brigade,as well as furnishing detachments of well-equiped infantry


-''STRADIOTTOI''
Stradiotti were always lightly armoured or even unarmored ,they were recluited in the southen and eastenmost part of the venetian empire,maybe from Dalmatia and Istria ,it was a light skirmisher cavalry.
They fought primally with light spears,swords and Asian composited bow.
Their fighting style was very similar to light spanish cavalry who fought a' la jineta in Moorish style.
The stradiotti had shown their skill in counter-raiding,forming advance and rear guard ,harassing the foe in naval landing.
In Combat the stradiotti operated in a manner identical to their bizantine predecessors and muslim-turkish enemies :ropeating charging and withdrawing ,them couterattacking a foe who had become disourganised.


-''SFAKIOTY ''infantry Archers
They were recluited in the Venetian province of Crete,They fought for Venice but they were generally a source of rebels,brigands and pirates.We can have some doubt about their loyality specially because Crete vas famous for his Anti-Venetian Feeling
it was a light equiped gneraly unarmored archers that fought with normal bows .

-''ZAGADARI''
It was a heavy cavalry unit... generally mercenaries that came from Cristian European territory...the great part was recluited from german.

-''Mounted crossbowman''
They were included in a lot of european army but They played a mor significative role in italian armies.it operated as a skirmisher unit in open order avoiding frontal assoult

-''Mounted archibuisers''
Mounted archibuisers rarely used their weapons from horseback but were becoming popular as bodyguards.
Only at and of 15th century they begin to operate like skirmisher and counter-raiding units.The Famous Condottiery Jovanni of Black bard Had in is mercenaries army these units that operated specially in night raids
against enemy infantry units .These units of mounted archibuiser in jovanni army wore black armour so during night attacks the enemy had some problem to see and distinguish them

-''TARGHIERI''or (Pavise crossbowman)
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-''ROTULARII'' (an italian sword- and Buckler)
The italians sword -and bucker foot soldiers were a light fast and quick assault infantry distinguished by small round shield.Lightly equiped and trained for offensive fighting
This new type of unit is borned after the decline of the old urban militias in response to warfare in the broad flat lombard plain with its pachworks of river and canals

-''FOOT MAN AT ARM''
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-''CROSSBOWMAN''
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-''ARCHIBUISER''
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-''Heavy Infantry with lances''
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-''Italian Light Cavalry''

The role of light infantry was vital in those siege that dominated italian renaissance warfare .They were light armoured ,generally they used a large wooden shield that became charactheristic of italy's infantry. Their primarily arms were pole-weapons like spears
In Italy there was the tendency to use only a lef harnees worn on the vulnerable left leg ,wich was normally advanced foward when fighting in ranks.
The light italian infantry tradition is something similar to the english longbowmen ,or swiss pikeman tradition .
All infantry were trained to act in close co-operation with friendly cavalry and to attack enemy horsemen rathen than foot soldiers.
They would also engage the enemy in relatively open order avoiding frontal assault but moving fast and attempting to hit the enemy flanks
-''RONCOLIERI'' (billman)
The characteristic italian ''Roncone'' a version of the english bill provied inadeguate against the latest full plates cavalry .During Middle of 15th century they were still used but they were gradually replaced by the heavier swiss-style halberders
-''Archers''
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-''Militia''
-common units-

-''PROVISIONATI''
Garrison units were naturally the first such permanent troops and were know as ''Provvisionati'' from their regular wage or ''provvisione''.
The great part of provisionati were infantry generally heavy equiped.
Like ''Lanze Spezzate'' cavalry units Provvisionati were common in most italians army

ABROUD MERCENARIES:

-Swiss pikeman
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-german pikeman
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

-german hands gunner
-nothing to say they were common in all europe-

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Duke Dick

Well Viking Horde, I gave your XL mod the time and effort I believed it would take to thoroughly evaluate it, and I admit, at first I was expecting a BKB SuperMod-Lite, but you have overcome even my expectations, and made something that I could never imagine, a mod that pales in significance in every aspect to BKBs mod.

Firstly, I am sick and tired of all these people congratulating you on your units. I have looked through the mod, and I can see you have added around 30 or so. A nice number, but desperately smaller than BKB’s. So far, around 50 or so units have been released in early and high, and if what I believe is true, a lot more are on the way and a total of around 100 will have been made, sort of makes it feel like a vastly inferior number doesn’t it? In addition, I am disappointed by the variety of your units. Many feature identical shields, but with different patterns on. I can see you have made between 5 and 10 shields, which is a credible effort, but when you look at BKB’s you can see that for every unit, if space permits in the BIF folders, a new shield and/or weapon has been created. This makes every unit different in aspects, and induces a larger feeling of variety in my opinion.
I know you can counter these criticisms with the claim that “this is only a BETA, all will be dealt with in the final release”, and it is a valid argument, however, not long ago, you said to me that compared to BKB’s mod, yours would be better because there would be no BETA releases, only the final, I now see that this is a promise which has fallen through, as are the claims that you would make a superior mod than BKB.

---

The reson I have made a beta was, that I was running out of unit ideas for my mod. I have gotten a lot of feedback sens I released the beta, something that will make my mod a better one, than if I didn't make the beta. Im not going to say anything about the standards of other mods, becouse it's not up to me. I have a lot of Ideas on gameplay that I want to test, one of them is the trade, another is unit stats and last AI setup. Im not going to add as meny units as BKB, becouse theres a problem with it. Not all units will have dead body's, something I don't like. That makes the limit 256, a limit I will use!. I have never sayed that my mod is better, but I know that my 1.2 version is finished product and better than a my beta in terms of gameplay, becouse no errors. Thats allso why it says BETA. There will be a lot more shields comming up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Duke Dick

I am also sick and tired of people congratulating you on making the best mod ever. Anyone who says this is one of two groups of people, arse kissers or blind/deaf/dumb. How anyone can see the XL mod as being superior to BKB’s is beyond me. That is why I felt like saying this. Hardly anyone can find a bad word to say about your mod, and I thought it was time to bring you back to earth. Your modding skills, though good are not on par with BKB’s, but with time, they will improve, but I stand by my original argument I put towards you a month or so back, what was the point??

People can take this anyway they want, however, I know that there are people out there who agree with me, but have not got the confidence to stand up and say what they feel. It is about time people open there mouth’s and speak, I remember the criticism BKB got off users when his mod first came out, and still now it is rare to see arse kissing on scale with the users playing this mod.

If this post is deleted, then I will post it again, I have done nothing but give honest, and imo helpful criticism. Why are we only permitted to give good feedback, free speech is a thing people have fought for, and I am using it now. DUKE DICK

---

People know it's a beta and I have gotten bug replys as well. If a person only get kicked in the face and never any good replys, why continue making the mod. All people needs feedbacks in order to continue the work in the late hours. I got a fulltime job as a Lawyer, so my time is limited. I don't mind if you reply, but I only need replys that makes the mod better. I don't wan't a holy war.
I don't have a "I am a star" problem and my modding skills vs. BKB are not something that I wish to comment. I have learned a lot the last 5 mounths from "old school modders" at the forum and it has been great. I don't know if my mod will be superior to BKB, but I don't care. Im modding becouse it's fun and that's it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by saundersag

When playing your mod, i noticed that the venetians did not have any exclusive units. I have started an italian mod and so i have a few suggestions, for the venetians and genoese. You should have gendarme in both as gendarme were actually the name for a heavy cavlary mercenary from italy. They were part of conditorri. Also the genoese and pisans in italy were famous for their crossbowmen, for example many geneose crossbowmen had fought as mercenaries during the hundred year war. So i think you should have genoese crossbowmen, or maybe you could give crossbowmen units form genoa a bonus. I found a unit list made by angelenessuno for the two crowns mod. I hope it will give you some ideas for new units for the venetians.

---

Thanks for the reply. I will look at the list and see what I can use. Some of them are proberly after late period, but i will look into it.

I think I have enogth units now, so I just need to add them to the game. There are less than 20 unitspaces to be used, so im going to make a lot of grathics this weekend. Thanks for all of help guys! I hope the mod will live up to the amount of work done to find the units. All ideas on how to make the mod better is still wellcome.

EDIT: I have some ideas for some new building, stone works (can't remember the right english word), windmill/watermill (don't know if it's to early). Stone could be a new resource.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VikingHorde

I think I have enogth units now, so I just need to add them to the game. There are less than 20 unitspaces to be used, so im going to make a lot of grathics this weekend. Thanks for all of help guys! I hope the mod will live up to the amount of work done to find the units. All ideas on how to make the mod better is still wellcome.

---

I'll have a look at some Hospitaller units ~:) .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VikingHorde

I have some ideas for some new building, stone works (can't remember the right english word), windmill/watermill (don't know if it's to early). Stone could be a new resource.

---

A Stone Quarry perhaps? How would these new buildings work and how would they benefit the player?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Despot of the English

I'll have a look at some Hospitaller units ~:) .

A Stone Quarry perhaps? How would these new buildings work and how would they benefit the player?

---

They could give trade and income like salt/silver/gold mines

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Monkwarrior

I am waiting for those files and I'll try to do my best.
When do you hope to release the final version?
~:wave:

---

I hope to release it late august. Im taking my time with unit graphics soo that they will look cool. I allso hope to solve the desciption problem soon, becouse Beetlio made some very good desciptions.

I really like the idea of the banks VikingHorde :2thumbsup: . How about adding one or two more bank buildings so that the structures bring in even more money? After all they are banks :phonecall: .

I could add a grand banker master banker (or something like that).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Despot of the English

I really like the idea of the banks VikingHorde :2thumbsup: . How about adding one or two more bank buildings so that the structures bring in even more money? After all they are banks :phonecall: .

---

A good mod I enjoyed playing it and the balance between the factions was great.

Think you should remove Switzerland and maybe Pereyaslavl to make room for a split of Greece, or maybe some other province. Either way I think that those two provinces can be of better use somewhere else on the map.

Also the tradable goods in Antioch is a bit strange, how come it has changed?

That'd be a good idea: splitting Greece up and at the expense of a minor eastern European province perhaps?

yeah I think maybe joining Pereyaslav with Kiev or Lesser Khazar would be a good idea - Greece is definately too big, maybe could be split into Thessaly and Thrace or something like that. I think Switzerland needs to stay though, we have to get those Swiss Pikemen somehow

You can't get rid of Switzerland! :scastle:

Ah, bleh.. Forgot those Swiss units, Pereyaslav then. ~:cheers:

I could remove Pereyaslav and add a new greek province.

Just been playing as the cumans, pretty fun, its tough when the horde comes around though! Maybe to help them you could also give them the Bashkorts (from the Volga-Bulgarians) if you add that unit - the javelins will really help. I also feel that the Cumans and the Volga Bulgarians could use a higher GA point count, as they lose their homelands pretty early in the high period and only have conquest to help them out. You could make it so they gain somewhere in the region of 10-15 points per count, like the Sicilians in Early and High before they lose their homelands in late. This would give them a nice stock of points they can sit on and still have a chance to win the game.

Just been thinking, removing pereyaslev could cause some problems with the GA, might be better to keep it, there is a GA goal (not homelands or conquest) the Russians have which is to hold provinces against the Mongls, Pereyaslev being one of them. If it was removed, the that could cause some freezes or something, I dont know, it might do nothing, but then again it might not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Armchair Athlete

Just been thinking, removing pereyaslev could cause some problems with the GA, might be better to keep it, there is a GA goal (not homelands or conquest) the Russians have which is to hold provinces against the Mongls, Pereyaslev being one of them. If it was removed, the that could cause some freezes or something, I dont know, it might do nothing, but then again it might not.

---

You are proberly right about the GA, so I have to make some tests before editing the map.

Lombard Cavarly/ Italian Mercenaries (Italian and Mercenaries from Inn)
Jewish Fanatics (Any Jewish Faction)
Armenian Heavy Infanry (Armenia)
Korean Archers (Mercenaries)
Chininse Royal Guard (Mercenaries)
London Miltia (English)

I'm Thracian just under the name Achilles.

Just been playing a game as the Burgundians (Late/GA), pretty fun at the moment, conquered Provence, Savoy, Switzerland and Toulouse, engaged in a full on war with the French at the moment, just some more suggestions though.

Perhaps you could make it so that every faction has at least one province able to build assassins at the start of the high/late period, its too damn annoying when the AI send Inquisitors up to burn all your generals and you have to wait several years for the infrastructure to be built before you can train assassins. This is especially important with smaller factions.

With Milan and Tuscany, I feel that in High and Late periods they can be given to someone else. At around about the start of the high period was Barbarossas campaign against the Italian City States led by Milan, so to reflect that Milan and Tuscany can be divided between Genoa and Venice. In the Late period the italian states were well out of grasp of the HRE. Perhaps Venice can recieve Milan, as they often made alliances with Milan against Genoa, and Genoa can receive Tuscany, as they were most active in that region having several territorial holdings and allied cities. I tried experimenting with having them rebel, but the Pope snaps them up VERY quickly, unifies the Italian Penninsular and goes on to re-create the Roman Empire :charge:
Possibly in Early the same thing could happen, as it makes the Holy Roman Empire goal the germans have much easier becuase they already own two of the starting provinces. On a somewhat related note it would be nice if the HRE recieved more garrison troops so they last more than 30 turns against the French. I dont know if it is possible to give the HR Emperor more starting influence as well, say 6 or so, this will help prevent early civil wars and collapses.

It has been an ongoing debate since the release of MTW regarding the stability of HRE. Now, historically HRE was in turmoil most of its time so an occasion civil war is historically correct. The main problem is, not only with HRE, the AI´s ability to prioritize or the lack of it.
In every darn game I´ve played HRE collapses and looses core states to the rebs, gets divided, holding northern and southern provs and just sits there without even attempting to regain lost homelands????! This is amazingly stupid. Then to add to the AI´s stupidity HRE always declare mulitple wars and gets x-commed. Upping the kings influence, give them good stats and reduce rebellious tendencies in HRE´s homelands is the only way to go. And now, with XL, Bohemia is added, which makes the division/ collapse a 100% guarantee.
Other things that´s bugging me a lot is that France always pushes east into HRE rather than making the more obvious choice, declare war on England kick them out. I´ve played the English so many times since they are one of my favs, and I´ve never got into a war with France. I even leave only 100 men in each french prov to lure them but nothing happens. It´s the same thing with the Spanish always aiming for France rather than unifying the Iberian penninsula. The Eggys are keen on the Balkans almost like it were their homelands etc etc.
Now, VH has taken away valour in some provs like Wessex, Portucale, Denmark and that really improved the AI´s ability to make some sound investments in infrastructure, tech upgrades and unit quality. I only whish that the AI would "think" like a whole complete faction when it makes moves for them rather than fragment everything down to province level.

One thing that I have noticed is that the Byzantines seem to have a high influence 'base', when their rulers reach age they nearly always have at least 6 influence, regrdless of how high or low the previous ruler's influence was. i have only ever seen a Byzantine civil war once. Conversely, the HRE (and the Egyptians, Almohads and Italians) seem to have a low influence base, when I play and my 9 influence king dies the new one is nearly always only about 5 or 6. I dont know if it is possible to give the HRE a high influence base like the Byzantines enjoy, this should help them out immensly. Its a shame there is no feature in MTW like the AI attaching value to certain provinces (like homelands or something) and trying at all costs to keep them or capture them. Hopefully they will have it in RTW.

@Achilles
Thank for the unit ideas, i'll write them down for later use.

@Armchair Athlete and PseRamesses
There is a problem with the HRE that needs to be corrected. Maybe more units will solve the problem or making the HRE's Italian provinces rebel (or even give them to genoa and venice).