Well just an update on how its going:-



As you can see I am comfortably holding of the Catholics in Spain, (have well guarded Shipping lanes), have an uneasy alliance with the Egyptians. Alos mamged to bribe some rebels in Lesser Armenia, to get them V2 Armenian Heavies =D. And am starting the muslim influence in Scotland (holding that with a prince and Viking Mercs and some Crusader remnants (LOL). But yeah the Byzantines pretty much got owned by the Eggies same as the Turks the French got wiped by the English and HRE the others are just kinda holding there own. The pope re-emerged and the whole of italy changes from Egyptian to papal in the blink of an eye atm. O_O

I played on a few years and the mongols appeared basically carving a wedge down to Lesser Armenia (which I am now Jihading too =D) and up to Novgorod and Volhynia. The HRE had a civil which they seemed to have settled and the French re-emerged due to this. Egypt looks like it's in trouble against the Italians and the Horde. Italians are in Greece now, never seen that. O_o Oh yeah and Aragon has been my vassal guard faction against the Catholics since the begininng of the game. Good little catholics they are.

It's a great game atm (having said that I've never played as the Almo#s before), I'll give some specifics on how maybe to increase the playability after playing a few more factions. But atm I would say maybe give the French a little more cash in the beginning not much but a little more, maybe like 1000 extra. The Egyptians a little less maybe also 1000 less.

PS - Oh yeah I'm playing GA mode Hard btw. ;)