HRE in high

**drone** · 02-11-2014, 17:21

Looks like a good start, it's always fun when the French self-destruct!

**ferdi** · 02-11-2014, 18:30

you need a good navy against England and Italy and protect your land.
lokking for new images.

**LordK9** · 02-12-2014, 01:47

Easy against Italy and those crappy gallies but rather hard against the English. they'll have cogs in no time. I don't mind the French so much - really like it when the English self destruct.

**Gilrandir** · 02-12-2014, 08:16

The Italians started the war - but only naval. Most of my allies fell away. Still after supressing rebels in Champaign I'm mustering my armies to get at Italians hammer and tongs.

**Gilrandir** · 02-12-2014, 16:54

It is 1235. I attacked Italians and captured Milan and Genoa. In fact I fought not a single battle against them - they always withdrew the reason being too slim garrisons in all their core provinces. Apparently the Doge got carried away by the image of a ramified empire he might have ruled. But you gotta have some troops along my borders if you start a war against me! Of course, I got excommed but it lasted only a couple of years. Then the Holy See was vacated through the death of the presiding genius and now I'm as faithful as I may be. In the war I received unexpected help from my allies - the Aragonese attacked Italians in Toulouse and the Pope - in Venice and Tuscany. Italians repulsed the Aragonese (lost a battle,were beseiged and then pop goes the loyalist revolt). But the Pope keeps the abovementioned provinces which does not make me happy at all. I had thought of capturing affluent Venice myself (and iron-rich Tuscany as well) and shortening the border. Well, that must wait for some lucky chance.
Drone, if you are interested: the Danish "did something"! They captured Sweden, but completely disregarding Denmark lost it to rebels and the Italians jumped at the opportunity and now their Doge has it as a permanent residence. So for the Danish "doing something" does not seem a good option. I'm not really satisfied with this development as my enemies have one more province to attack me from, but they stay there quiet in the castle after some rebellions and if they advance on Saxony it is going to be across a bridge anyway.
Meanwhile I'm still impecunious and grudge every florin I have to spend on other things then recruiting troops. All my ships (2 of them) were sunk by the Italians and I dare not produce more until I (hopefully) stop the war with them (I'm working on it).
The Pope wants me to and I'm willing to listen to him while I deal with the English. I advanced into Anjou and Brittany and the result of it will be known only in my next post.

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**drone** · 02-12-2014, 17:08

Originally Posted by Gilrandir

Drone, if you are interested: the Danish "did something"! They captured Sweden, but completely disregarding Denmark lost it to rebels and the Italians jumped at the opportunity and now their Doge has it as a permanent residence. So for the Danish "doing something" does not seem a good option. I'm not really satisfied with this development as my enemies have one more province to attack me from, but they stay there quiet in the castle after some rebellions and if they advance on Saxony it is going to be across a bridge anyway.

That could work to your advantage. It allows you to take Denmark without alienating your allies, and if the port was destroyed when the Italians came through, you can now capture the Doge for a good cash ransom if you are quick about it.

**LordK9** · 02-13-2014, 04:09

Why that hypocritical Pope! Excommunicates you for defending yourself while he attacks them :) (but, that's a different thread). Those naval attacks only hurt, though - often destroys an economy. Sometimes, I just don't know. In my current game, I was at war with the Hungarians for years and didn't even know it. In that same game, the Danes conquered all of Scandinavia, England, Ireland, Spain, and much of western continental Europe (so it can, albeit rarely, happen :)) ). How are the English behaving? No navy left and your troops committed south might make for a tempting event.

**Gilrandir** · 02-13-2014, 17:18

Well, Drone, it was a great ransom idea of yours, but unfortunately the port in Denmark wasn't destroyed. And I promised the Pope not to hurt Italians anyway. But I'd like to relate a curious sequence of events.
Year 1. I ploy-attack Italian-held Toulouse and get an excom warning.
Year 2. I advance into the English Anjou and Brittany.
Year 3. The Pope sends me 1000 florins.
Year 4. The Pope excoms Italians.
I can picture a conversation between me and the Pope.
Innocent III (with a scowl): "Don't you touch those poor Italian lads!!!"
Emperor Otto V (grudgingly): "All right. But (eagerly) may I spank the English?
Innocent III (genially): "That's a good Cristia... I mean that's a good boy. Here's something to make your campaign as smooth as might be (hands the Emperor a small but heavy pouch)."
Emperor Otto V: "Fine. But you must promise me I will get at those Italians some day".
Innocent III: "We'll see, we'll see. (reaches for the quill, dips it into ink and starts writing whispering under his breath) My dear Doge... (turning aside to the Emperor) Otto man, how do you spell 'excommunication'?"
But, jokes aside, can you attack an excommed faction after the Pope warned you not to while it still wasn't excommed?
As for the English, LordK9, they behaved themselves. They pretended to put up some resistance but succumbed and instead of focusing on their internal problems launched an anti-Almo crusade! After that I captured Wessex and the crusade dissolved but the English have a sizeable army in Navarra now.
I'm inclined to get a truce with the Italians and start producing ships keeping the English at bay beyond the Thames.