Help needed. France in high era

[afrit]

I have successfully played France in the early era but I keep getting stomped when I start it on high. I have started 2 campaigns (on hard) and each time I got attacked by the HRE AND england.

First time around I was playing defensively, counting on high income from Flanders, Antioch and Tripoli. I was actually running a surplus!. Then I got attacked by HRE in Toulouse. I dragged the siege long enough and then managed to take Lorraine and Burgundy from them. But then England invaded Ile De France and I could not dislodge them. And then Egypt sunk my fleet in Outremer and now I had a third war on my hands : . It was not looking good and I decided to restart.

Second time around, I tried for early alliance with England and HRE in the hope of keeping one of them off my back. No such luck. Both refused. I also built inns in Normandy and Champagne and hired every merc I could get my hands on. I was ready to attack the English in Anjou, but then the HRE again invaded Toulouse. This forced me to divert forces east. Still I declared war on England and beat them out of Anjou and Brittany. Problem is I took so many losses in Anjou that I do not have enough power to finish them off in Aquitaine.

I am going to try again later tonight. I am thinking of either a defensive strategy where I will abandon Toulouse to the Germans (they'll get excommed for it and then other nations may take them out for me) and concentrate on repulsing English attacks in a defensive battle. Or a blitzing strategy where I throw everything at England early on and hope to knock them out of Europe in the first 3-4 turns and then return to fight the (inevitable) attack by the Germans.

Any recommendations? Anyone has a winning strategy for France on high? (specifically on VI and hard setting).

Thanks

afrit