The reson why i like to play as the Frank

[Lord Melvish]

I just love to play as one of the 2 frank nations in the game. The reason why? they are quite challenging. My favorite of the 2 is France. They have few teritories that dont connect together at start (early, hight and even in late). Plus the discount on Chivalric Knight enable me to build massive knight army cheaply.

My standart strategy France (early) is this:
1)build a spear workshop in Paris and start building up to 8-12 unit of spear, 4-6 sh-bow and mayby 2-4 urban militia
2)don't forget to rise tax cuz you gotta pay those soldier
3) build watchtower, inn, and 20% crop. I dont bother building anything else at this point.
4)I try to ally myself to the Aragonese, if they don't accept expect to be attacted in Toulouse when the rampage start. Also most of the time the Pole will try to aly with me. If they do not comme looking for me,I send them a princess to offer an alliance myself.
5)When i'm ready i have 2 prince mature to back my divisions and at least 20 unit.
6) I start by taking Normandy and Anjou then going for Aquitaine. DONT LEAVE FLANDER UNDEFENDED at all time It prevent the English to send back-up to Normandy and it is a good place to trap the english king in a sway of spear and kill him, sending the english facticon into non-existance.
7)If the Aragonese is stupid enought to attack you in Toulouse take the opportunity to crush them, the Spinard will thank you for this.
8)I hire mercenery to back my army with viking, catapult and kapaphrotoi they are a must have early on.
9)I burn to the ground all non-wanted building to provide extra cash
10)Refit and Rearm and proceed to invade Loraine, Bungundry and Provence. Usually HRE stack up those distric with peasant and urban militia, so with good merc it easy to roll over them. This will crumble the HRE and make them a picnick for Poland. Poland will usually be very gratefull for this and it will be easy to mary my impotent princes to their princess to make my noble linenage powerfull (6-7stars)
11)Stop the war and tech up, develop trade and agriculture and prepare crusade to boost up your influence.

I take me like 30-40 turn to achieve this.
my 2 cents

[Kekvit Irae]

Whenever I'm not playing the English or experimenting with new factions, I solely play the French. Their affinity for the Chivalric Knights is far too sweet to pass up. And who said they were underdogs? ^_^

[Longasc]

I just started fighting the Golden Horde as the HRE, and for the first time in my Medieval:TW career, the Pope and myself are in perfect agreement.

Is this a good sign? I alway won when he was against me, hehe...

No, I think it is a sign of GOD that my holy crusade is righteous and I will bring those mongols the blessings of modern firearms technology, they tend to fall off their horses in awe usually, and tend to stay down on ground very very long while their spirits are seeking the way to heaven.

The only thing the Pope does not know: I am not catholic...

[el_slapper]

France being strong but surrounded, everything is decided in the first 15 years or so. The slightest mistake does doomm you, but a nice-led series of conquest makes you unbeatable.