New to Medieval 2, have a few questions

[Bartholemew-Varath]

First, and this goes for RTW as well, everyone says get all the trade rights you can, but what good are trade rights with far off nations? I never actually see trade being done with them in my trade summmary?

I dont think you make any trade with a country you are not connected to by roads or a port, so you might need to capture one of the trade hubs, like the two islands next to Italy, or Rhodes etc.

My merchants dont seem to last long, other merchants immediatly move in for the take over, anyone else experience this? How do I prevent it?

Usually, upgrading your merchants hall, or getting experience from the very start may improve your merchants, otherwise running away is a very good tactic

How do you tell if a nation has been excommunicated? I was thinking If there cities are open for calling a crusade they must have been excommunicated?

Im not sure about this, but im sure that if you go onto the menu with the diplomacy on it, there should be a pope thing too, hover your mouse icon over a faction with a papal favour of 0, 1 or 2, and it should say 'this faction has been excommunicated from the...'It will say something after this too, so be aware.

My cavalry don't seem to charge with the force they used to in RTW, almost like they just walk up and start melee combat instead of charging. Do i need cavalry w/lance or something, it was easier RTW.

Try charging from a great distance, if you use wedge formation this might help, but its risky. Also, units with lances against other cavalry is a definate no.no. They dont kill a single unit, they just get stuck to them until they withdraw their lances.

I captured a thieves guild but have no idea what it really does. Should i build spies from the city its in, or do i get better spies from all my cities, or does it not even effect my spies!?

I think they make improved assassins or spies or something??? Sorry but i havent played M2TW in a while, addicted to RTW at the moment. I think they improve the agents skill or something along those lines.

In RTW you upgraded cities by upgrading your palace. In this game it appears that to upgrade your city by upgrading your wall, is this correct?

Yes, upgrading a cities walls makes new buildings available to be built and also upgrades the city overall

Thank you for anyone that can help with these questions, its most appreciated. Also anyone have a mod to recommend, I'd like to check one of these out soon![/QUOTE]

Never played any of them, but i might suggest Broken Crescent, Stainless Steel, and Land to Conquer.

This is all i can remember, it might not be right, but i dont think its wrong,

later