The Pope

[HopAlongBunny]

The same dodge that worked in MTW should work for M2TW; declare war on 2 belligerents => Pope issues a "Cease and Desist" for 1 => you are free to attack the other.
The priest offensive in the Middle-east is always worthwhile. You stack the college, play nice with the Pope and lay the foundation for future expansion; what's not to love about this strat?

[Myth]

The mass prists makes sense from a historical pov, i don't see it as gamey. However, in M2 the pope can issue multiple cease orders simultaneously.

[Gregoshi]

I've built about a half dozen churches and my crusade just landed at Antioch (not taken the city yet) and suddenly I'm the Pope's #1 best buddy in the whole wide world. After taking Antioch, now I'm not sure what to do with it. Is it possible to sustain and build upon this conquest so far from home? Or will it eventually be crushed by Muslim factions? My king is the only general in the army. I don't want him dying there as I could use him back home but I also don't want to leave the province under AI control and the army under the command of a captain. Will the Pope get upset with me if I withdraw without a fight? The Pope certainly adds a finesse requirement to your wars.

[HopAlongBunny]

Depends on your game plan.
If your army is large enough you could play "wrecking crew"; pillage and burn you way through the rich well developed cities => go home with the filthy lucre to finance whatever it is you want to do.
Annex an island => Cyprus or Rhodes make an nice base if either is (or can be made) available; can get you into hostilities with nations that consider those provinces "home turf".
Keep Antioch and launch another crusade asap; assign a prince so you can farm nice traits and get your king home; crusades and battle can really groom nice rulers, and if you get lucky you might farm some nice "relics".

[jackfruitguy69]

make a full stack army equal to the number of cities your enemy has...
park them on ready mode outside.
siege the cities.
relations with pope will drop.
gift the pope some money.
relations should be improved.
end the turn.
relations with pope should drop again on the start of new turn.
the sieges should be ready.
gift pope money again.
relations will rise.
take all their cities in one turn=only occupy or sack do not exterminate.
relations will drop again.
now gift pope money.
relations rise again


i did this with poland playing HRE and scotland playing english

[easytarget]

Jack,

I'm starting to think all your suggestions are gamey.

[jackfruitguy69]

lool