Inquisitors and zeal

[Brandy Blue]

I've been using inquisitors to raise zeal to improve my crusades. I notice they tend to go haywire at about 50% zeal and cause an inquisition/zeal drop. But I have seen posts suggesting that inquisitors can get much more zeal than 50% before going off the deep end. Any suggestions how I can get more zeal?

[Ironside]

A busy inquisitor don't burn the population. So if you put some zero-star general on trial you can get 100% zeal. You only need to use one inquisitor for the trial, but if he fails, then the rest will burn the population, while if all target the same general nothing will happen if they fail.

[BAD]

You can also make an inquisitor try a general on an island without a port. They obviously can't get there and just stay in the province they are in rasing the zeal (without burning the population). Obviously works better when you control the province so you make sure the port never gets built. Good idea for those forgetful rulers out there who pass over what those 10 or so inquisitors are doing for a couple of turns. . .

Other method that Ironside mentions above though helps gain stars for the inquisitors. As long as you remember. ;p

[Knight of the Rose]

You can also make an inquisitor try a general on an island without a port.

I can just imagine the high ranking church official sitting in a tavern on the docks, year after year, trying to buy a ticket to Rhodes. Ships come into the harbor, ships depart for many destinations. He cannot understand why none of them will take him to that well-known nest of heretics. His presence in the tavern impresses the locals, however, and as he continues to get free wine (nobody dares to charge him), their zeal continues to grow unimpeeded. Beautiful!

KotR

[Caliburn]

Cardinals are much safer for producing zeal, and of course the Governator's zeal has an effect. I usually find Inquisitors a bit too fiddly for that task, so I just sic my Clergymen Hordes for the task.

Usually way too many agents on my map, though, but they make conquest so much easier. Priest Wave is doubly as important as military might, and much cheaper.

And it's a sneaky strategy, even better than assassins. And no amount of assassins can counter a well developed Priest Wave attack!

[Ironside]

Cardinals are much safer for producing zeal, and of course the Governator's zeal has an effect. I usually find Inquisitors a bit too fiddly for that task, so I just sic my Clergymen Hordes for the task.

Usually way too many agents on my map, though, but they make conquest so much easier. Priest Wave is doubly as important as military might, and much cheaper.

And it's a sneaky strategy, even better than assassins. And no amount of assassins can counter a well developed Priest Wave attack!

Cardinals don't affect zeal in unmodded MTW.

[Caliburn]

Oo, you're right. Their stats in crusadersunit show that they only have an effect on how fast the population is converted, which means they're about 2,5 times more effective than a bishop.

But still, I've used them for upping the zeal in several campaigns; is it just a coincidence that the zeal of the provinces where I've posted a few cardinals has been boosted to 80-90 %?

There might be other factors to it, of course, but maybe their "religious bonus" still has some positive effects on zeal in 100 % Catholic provinces?

Well, maybe it's just a coincidence, maybe the Chapter house has an effect or something. Pious governors cannot explain it all. Any ideas?

[Ironside]

Oo, you're right. Their stats in crusadersunit show that they only have an effect on how fast the population is converted, which means they're about 2,5 times more effective than a bishop.

But still, I've used them for upping the zeal in several campaigns; is it just a coincidence that the zeal of the provinces where I've posted a few cardinals has been boosted to 80-90 %?

There might be other factors to it, of course, but maybe their "religious bonus" still has some positive effects on zeal in 100 % Catholic provinces?

Well, maybe it's just a coincidence, maybe the Chapter house has an effect or something. Pious governors cannot explain it all. Any ideas?

The zeal is quite complicated as there's a bunch of other factors affecting zeal that afaik are hardcoded (but I'm not a serious modder).

I guess you can try and see if the zeal will be affected by cardinals in a 0% zeal province (late middle east for example). They shouldn't be affected by other zeal effects during that time, and can be pulled up to 100% by inquisitors.