Which factions (emphasis on the plural!) do you actually play on a regular basis?

[CenturyGamer]

Hmm, i sometimes play Burgundians in late period (i modded the late period file to include them :D) who make for an interesting play since they have a completely generic unit roster and i gave them Burgundy province, an awful starting position next to the enterprising Swiss who usually take Burgundy quickly in my tests since the Burgundians can't stop the overpowered swiss pikes.
I normally play as the English or French in early period though, since i modded the French and English to have historically correct territory, so now the whole of west and south france (toulouse, provence, brittany, anjou) and flanders are rebels as they were in real history, so now early game it just seems to be a rush of sorts by aragon, france, england and italy to grab as much of the "french" rebel provinces as possible. It is quite neat to be france since it is somewhat more challenging than before to avoid being annexed by prospecting neighbours like england and HRE who try to grab territory while france is in it's weakest hour. Interesting stuff really because it makes me do things quicker than before in vanilla.

[Vantek]

Turks are the only one. Very technical reason: I love the muslim setting but especially the music (!!!) and they are the only muslim faction that is difficult! Egyptians and Almohads are unbearably easy to play... I guess I could make myself private rules to make things more difficult... Hmm... Egyptians not allowed to attack other muslim factions?? Hmm... Actually that's a pretty good idea! Thanks for making this thread and giving me that idea! :D

[Knight of the Rose]

The last couple of campaign starts I've been wanting to play a muslim faction again, but as Vantek said

they are the only muslim faction that is difficult! Egyptians and Almohads are unbearably easy to play...

So I took the French, no comparison, but fun.

House rules such as only building so and so troops could work, but lately I've been contemplating deiberately trying to invoke civil wars all the time might prove a new challenge. But what I really wanted was a lot of crusades sent my way, wave after wave of fanatical cristians to fend off. How do I do that?



/KotR

[Vantek]

Hmm... I guess the best way is to pick a lot of fights with all Catholic nations... But how? I don't know if AI reacts to their ships being attacked all the time, but you could try to set naval superiority as your goal and crank out ships like crazy, then one by one sink everyone's fleets. Maybe they get pissed at you and make a ton of crusades.

I'm actually just now having a really enjoyable campaign as English in High XL Hard, where to make things more interesting I made it a house rule to be pious, never be the initiator of agression against another catholic nation, and on the other hand attempt to crusade a lot and especially respond to pope's calls. My empire is very strange, consisting of the West coast of Europe from Normandy to Castille as well as North Africa up to Egypt (controlled by Crus). I'm cranking out ships from 6-7 provinces nonstop.

I have to say though that in XL everyone builds so many ships!! So it could be truly challenging to navally take on the entire world as Eggy...

[jadast]

Once I figured out how to use Jinette's I fell in love with Spain.

[Kamakazi]

Id have to say i like the byzantines and the sicilians

byz- love their units totally..... Great cavalry and great foot units fun on the blitz and good on the defense

sic- wuts not to love? interesting starting position and once you get a toe hold somewhere in the mainland without bein simple and taking the boot you got it made.

[sharpshooter]

Like most it seems, I love the Turks, who are my favourite.

The Hungarians are also a favourite - especially in High. It's an absolutely brilliant position with loads of extra troop types, tons of resources, and mouth-watering adjoining rebel areas. Am I the only one who voted for them?

Other favourites are Byz for the units Early/High, Aragonese for the difficulty any period, and HRE for the tank effect any period.

Sometimes the English, Polish and Russians. Rarely Almos, Egyptians and Sicilians. Rarer still the Spanish, who I find too easy after the initial Almo battles.

What I like with the Turks is the loose battle order with fast hybrid units - pushing up a flank in a sickle shape with Turcoman Horse leading, then Turcoman Foot, Muwahid Inf, Ghazis, Futtawas and the Saracen Inf and heavy cavalry as the shaft of the sickle. I use the Scorpion formation with them a lot too. Later, of course, the Janissaries ...

The Hungarians. I love the Hungarians. Early is good, but High is a great starting point. Firstly, all the extra units besides all tlhe regular Feudal/Chivalric ones. Horse Archers, Mounted XBows, Szekely, the strong HA ... and Bulgarian Brigands. Not to mention Jobbagy are muscular javelin men from every fort. Easy access to the Steppes for SHC and SC. Slav Warriors - such a list available to them.

Hungarians in high are just about unbeatable. Usually you can send an army to Moldavia, Bulgaria, and then Constantinople in the first half dozen turns. Attack first and then bribe when the rebel general has lost his title and is besieged. He gets reasonable then. Don't slow down - everywhere at 102% loyalty. You should get the Master Bowyer in Bulgaria and the Swordsmith's Guild and Brothel at Constantinople intact. Start the Master Swordsmith there immediately and make some spies and ships while you wait for Valour 1 CMAA. Then do +1 Halberdiers, if you want, in between a bit of armouring.

While the first army is going the Moldavia to Constantinople route, build a second and take Serbia. Italy will probably take Greece, and you have to watch out for Sicilian convoy attacks on Serbia, but these can be bluffed away. Wallachia is the last rebel area to take.

I use the one fort one defender technique in Moldavia against the Horde and it's not failed me. I've never lost it for good. At worst there is an easily defensible bridge from Moldavia to Bulgaria to stop the Horde, but if they have Moldavia they can also attack Wallachia and Carpathia. I build ships in Croatia and Moldavia - as many and as fast as I can. Usually Constantinople makes the first couple.

Then take Austria from the HRE.

Hungary in High allows a long satisfying build after the first blitzkreig. You can nibble away at the HRE, which produces an epic battle in Swabia once a few decades of Papal injunctions work their way through. Next thing you're producing Swiss Halberdiers, as if you needed more troop types. Meanwhile you can choose to go after the Horde, the Byzzies and Turks, or into Poland if they've been foolish enough to break the alliance.

On balance, I'd say the Hungarians in High have the best start position in the game. Really, if you haven't done the Hungarians on High I highly recommend it.

End of plug.

:)

[sharpshooter]

@ KoTR

For lots of crusades - play the Turks and assassinate catholic bishops. Once you've got Constantinople and Bulgaria the Hungarians send them, and sometimes the Sicilians. The English, French and Germans always do ahead of their crusades. Continuous bishop assassination = continuous hatred from the Pope = continuous calls for crusades. No one will ally with you, but you'll get lots of action.

[Oh, I think bishop assassination is the main factor the Pope gets so discomforted about the Almos and Egyptians at the start of many campaigns]