Campaigns to teach tactics

[Ash]

All this said, going all offensive without propping up your infrastructure is going to get you into one of several scenarios: a) rapid growth which will likely make you more enemies, force you to fight more rebellions, get you excommed and not leave you with the capital you need to grow and win if you fail your bid on world domination by 1150, which is possible, but I have never done it. b) 1205 rolls around and you don't get all the improvements you need to make full use of the two new units that should make up the cornerstone of English military supremecy. Together the longbowmen and billmen built in bonus provinces are so lethal that they have no weakness when fielded against a like sized force.

You are correct.

I do have problems teching up in time for 1205.

And yes, my tactics won't work on expert probably. Then again I'm not 1337 enough for expert, plus I really dislike the fact that enemy troops recieve a bonus to morale.

In my current game however I got 'lucky' and got a lot of nations attacking me from the start. I was at war with 3 nations and got excomminicated by 1100.
Yet I eventually persevered (because the war was fought in France which didn't have much there to begin with - England was safe and teching up), and I only grew stronger from it.
Everything went real fast and around 1160 I had France, western-HRE, British Isles and Spain.
I'm making 10000 gp with only minimal trade (the AI sinks ships regardless if I place them far from my holdings - I know this from experience - so I don't bother). I'm teching up like mad to make it in time for Billmen, Feudal Knights and Longbowmen. I think I'm going to succeed at that.

The biggest battle I had was with the HRE. I occupied Bourgondy when they sallied forth (reinforced from neighbouring provinces). HRE outnumbered me 2:1, they had many spearmen, UM and peasants.
Yet I beat them using archers, hobbies and a few spearmen and RKs. Hobbies were the key of my succes, flanking the spearmen and causing downright terror to crap morale units.

So aggressive tactics can work and you can have all the toys in time as well.