One point I overlooked both in this post and in my present campaign was the importance of chapter houses and the early Crusade. Before, the crusades were for me a mid-game at the earliest technique to expand my already decent empire toward the levant.

Now, as France, I regret being unprepared as an Italian Crusade sucks up my troops on the way to Cordoba. To make matters worse Spain has been excomunicated! Oh well, maybe I'll pick up a province or two in the wake of the Crusade.

It looks like, for me at least, the patch will require changes in both tactical and strategic thinking.

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He moves, you move first.