hello, I've been visiting a while and just wanted to get a couple of things off my chest. why do castles take so long to build? first of all, 4 years to build a wooden fort? and then a further 3 to build a motte and bailey making for 7 years? whats worse is that it takes 4 years, then 8, then 12, then 20, ie a total of 44 years to build a fortress The Krak of the Knights (described as the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the whole world) was built as a stronghold for the crusaders in the Holy Land and was built in half this time although continued to be developed afterwards. The way crusaders work in this game mean it is almost impossible to recreate this feat without a good deal of luck, as you need to occupy the province for over 40 years without ever losing it. And I realise one castle probably represents a network of them taking longer the build (although they could be built simultaneously anyway if the need was great enough) but in that case why are seiges over so quickly? (the above castle was designed to support 1000 men for 5 years under seige, and that was just one castle in a region that was fortified with several other castles almost as large). In MTW a fortress can last about 1 or 2 years when filled to capacity.
Also why when two factions crusade against a province and one reaches it first, the other feels the need to go and ask the first to hand the province over peacefully (meaning they can then ransom the 'captured' army) or attack them? Crusaders (at least those trying to retake the Holy Land) worked together eg The Knights Templar gave the above castle into the care of the Knights Hospitaller and worked together to defend it from the Muslims.
Considering that this game was originally going to focus mainly on the Crusaders these complications seem a little unfortunate.
Other than that, great game, is lots of fun and largely is historically accurate as can be. I just want a big castle I spent years building to be a real obstacle instead of just something that collapses after a couple of years under seige, during which time the enemy would have to keep a large army in the province anyway to stop a loyalist revolt. You'd think you could give the beseiged army a chance to escape with their lives providing they hand the castle over intact if there is no chance of being rescued too, as happened innumerable times throughout history (or if you were the beseiged you could offer the castle for the lives of your men).
Also, has anyone ever had one of the famous kings/emperors that you can play in the mini-campaigns in the main single player? I got the German Barbarossa guy (with the crazy red hair and green background) once leading my empire and since then I've been trying to organise heirs so that I get King Richard the Lionheart or at least someone with his portrait leading my crusades in the 1190s

hehe, ok thats it