New hints ???????????????

[caravel]

Jxrc,

See attached. Go to your MTW installation directory and rename "CRUSADERS_UNIT_PROD11.TXT" to "CRUSADERS_UNIT_PROD11.BAK". Unzip the file into your MTW directory. Fire up the game and start a new campaign. Let me know if there are any problems.

Changes:

1) Desert Archers only trainable by Egyptian and Almohad in all provinces.
2) Turcoman Foot now only require 1st level bowyer.
3) Vanilla Horse Archers no longer trainable by Turks.
4) Peasants and Muslim Peasants now rebel faction only.

Starting units are unchanged. Factions still start with peasants and Turks still have some Horse Archers.

[Jxrc]

Jxrc,

See attached. Go to your MTW installation directory and rename "CRUSADERS_UNIT_PROD11.TXT" to "CRUSADERS_UNIT_PROD11.BAK". Unzip the file into your MTW directory. Fire up the game and start a new campaign. Let me know if there are any problems.

Changes:

1) Desert Archers only trainable by Egyptian and Almohad in all provinces.
2) Turcoman Foot now only require 1st level bowyer.
3) Vanilla Horse Archers no longer trainable by Turks.
4) Peasants and Muslim Peasants now rebel faction only.

Starting units are unchanged. Factions still start with peasants and Turks still have some Horse Archers.

Sounds great to me. Many thanks.
I understand from your post that it will not kick in for new campaigns.
Small question can still finish old campaigns (with the old settings) once it is installed or does it create some kind of conflict (IIRC there was something that prevented me from palying before_VI campaigns once VI was installed so I have become careful).
Tanks again.
Best regards

[caravel]

I would first finish the campaign you're on and then install the files and start a new campaign - just to be sure.

[Jxrc]

I would first finish the campaign you're on and then install the files and start a new campaign - just to be sure.

OK will do. Might take a few week-ends before I give it a go.

I am in the middle of an Italian campaign in which I have been quite lucky so far. Had my homeland, taken Crete, Rhode and Cyprus from the byz with crusades. Sicilians managed to get a revolt in Malta that I then took from the rebels. They had no better idea than to attack Rome while I still had a crusade marker in Venice ... They got excommed. Crusades launched, sucked papal troops on the way. Arrived in Rome where I took an awful beating against three units of RK, two FS and two MS (a but overconfident I did everything wrong - got my spears stuck against the FS and MS - flanked with my FMA and MS who themselves got flanked by RK coming out of some woods - mass rout and all ... well done ). Next turn I came back with more units and a better general and the Sicilians retreated. Then I took Naples (retreat again). Finally launched a crusade to Sicily (even though the Sicilian king had died they remained excommunicated for some reason ). I won with huge losses (almost all the knights hospitaller accumulated in five crusades were lost in the process ). Sicilian king died without heir and the castle was occupied by the remnants of his army turned rebel ... The next turn, they tried to break the siege (very weird move they had almost nothing - battled won with just archers without loosing a single men ...) Unfortunately, two peasants managed to escape. Thought I was up for a long siege but I received the message according to which the rebels had agreed to hand over the province peacefully ... Weird again ...Then the Hungarian attacked Venice but cancelled their attack immediately. I attacked with all I had in Naples and Sicily and took Croatia from them without a fight. Next turn they tried to take Venice again and reclaim Croatia but took two beating instead (something has to be done to stop them producing jobbagys, it's just to easy if you have a few horses and bows) so that both their best general are weak attacker and good runners. That's when I had to leave Want to finish this ASAP and can't wait for the week-end (only worry is those 8-star byz general in Serbia but their army is just made of crap units so it should be all right). Pope stuck in the papal states with basic troops (just hope that some idiot will not launch a sea invasion ...), HRE has huge stacks of UM and peasants north but nothing serious. The only think that could annoy me at this stage are the crusades that will be launched by other faction and will want cross my land and suck my troops ....

After that short digression ... Well many thanks again

[caravel]

It sounds like an interesting campaign. The Italians are always a good challenge due to their positioning on the map. The Sicilians and Hungarians will always be breathing down your kneck, but in many campaigns where I've been hard at it fending them off, the French and HRE have stabbed me in the back as well. Then if you're really unlucky you either get excommunicated or the Papacy invade... personally I like those kinds of campaigns - plenty of battles and surviving against the odds.

[Jxrc]

The Sicilians and Hungarians will always be breathing down your kneck, but in many campaigns where I've been hard at it fending them off, the French and HRE have stabbed me in the back as well.

In the case at hand, I have only two allies in the nearby provinces, the Pope and the HRE that is already at war with the Hungarian (all my other allies abandoned me when the Hungarian attacked). They only have three provinces left (Tyrol, Burgundy and Switzerland) and are trying to regain control of Austria for the Hungarian. The former other HRE holding are now owned by the French and Polish (don't know the exact repartition). The French send me emissaries every two turns so I might be tempted to switch side and take Burgundy and Tyrol (I already have Provence) before the French do (the AI apparently loves to build a chapter house in Burgundy). Then I will only have to take Austria from the Hungarian when the papal warning expires to get Venice and Milan out of harm's way. If other catholic factions leave me alone, it will be time to send crusade from Malta to get the bonus for knights hospitaller (I bet that the first two crusades I launch will be made of Order foot soldiers just to mess with me but whatever ...). I nevertheless have to restrain myself otherwise the campaign might be basically over before the GH appears.

[caravel]

The French send me emissaries every two turns so I might be tempted to switch side and take Burgundy and Tyrol (I already have Provence) before the French do (the AI apparently loves to build a chapter house in Burgundy).

Could be worthwhile. Don't accept their offers yet, but check if you have heirs that need marrying and if the French have available princesses.

I nevertheless have to restrain myself otherwise the campaign might be basically over before the GH appears

Spoken like a true master.