Though it's strange, after modding the game you will understand. For the heck of it, I tried it out once because I got sick-and-tired of my Crusader-generals taking up half their lives just trying to get to the Holy Land by sea. Though your generals age less, it comes at a price. By the time I reached 1200, most of the factions were loaded with florins and had already maxed out their tech. It certainly didn't make the game more enjoyable, it made it frustrating and I reverted the game soon after. Not to mention that it would take around 600 turns to get gun powder. Putting it simply, CA knows what it's doing, for the most part .