I'm currently playing HRE expert in Early, slightly modded, gave everyone but myself 50000 starting capital to improve quality of opposing troops and improve overall performance.
(I thought about lowering trade income and upping agriculture income to let the AI benefit from this, but I couldn't find the stats that quickly and I wanted to play, not to spend my time modding. Gonna download the XL mod one day, but need a broadband connection for that..)
anyhow, I am improving infrastructure throughout the empire: building forts, keeps, mines, agriculture, ports for trade and a bit of troops: spearmen, archers and slav warriors (I'm aiming for the Swabian swordsmen, but I gather I need castle fore that, Swabia is 4 years into building a keep). I quicly build an Inn in Tyrolia and contracted a byz infantry and two units of arabian swordsmen. With them and my own spearmen/Urban militia/archer armies I attacked Italy, taking Venice and Milan. It was a split decision really, thought I could use the rich Italian provinces and hold of my other neighbours. Thing is, the Pope is complaining as usual, so I better end it quick, which is hard for sardinia and corsica are still Italian and I don't have a navy yet. Worse problem, as allways, the danish stack is growing every turn. I have a lot of spearmen and a few vikings in saxony, and an archer unit, but I will need at least a king or heir with full complement to lead the gang in case of an attack and more archers. And still I fear the outcome (well, fear, in a matter of speaking off course). Don't have a lookout tower yet, what does a usual early danish stack consist of? A zillion heirs? Vikings? Huscarles?
And from the stories I hear here, they will attack won't they?
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