I never had a problem with the Pope until now

[Budwise]

I posted yesterday how I wished to get my buttkicked.

I posted yesterday how easy it is to play the Italians.

I posted before how I didn't understand how to use Horse Archers and I am not an Calvery player.

I have always complained that I have never played against the Uber Pope before and begged for a SaveGame file where I could go up against one.

UNTIL NOW!!!!!!

I decided to start over again and play as Italians and this time, I decided to get my trade network, ally with all neighbors up and TECH HARD (I have to use all caps because to tech as fast as I can to prepare for a mass Chiv/Goth Knights in all my provs when the clock changes, I must now have NOTHING to defend with because I don't have the required buildings for FMAA or FS.)

Well, the Uber Pope (Me and my damn mouth) decided that I was the antichrist and decided that he needed to get medieval on my arse (don't need another warning) His first attack was the poorly defended Venice and I had to garrison for a half a turn and strike back with EVERYTHING I HAVE right after I hit END TURN.

To make a long story short, I beat him off of Europe and raised his land. Because I just wanted to turtle, I left his land alone and retreated back to what I already owned to continue building.

THEN, UBER POPE came back with more troops than the horde, and where did he strike with the mass of his troops, VENICE. I had to learn to use Mounted Crossbowmen REAL FAST to win because I was outnumbered 3-1 and if it wasn't for the Mercs (I love that province next to Rome for Mercs, you get so many) it would have been ENDGAME for me. I guess what also helped is that he thought he could take on Sicily who at the time was pretty big and they took the blunt of the assault for one of the three providences that the Uber Pope attacked.

Once again I rid the world of this Hitler Blitzkrieging Pope and he comes back, AGAIN. THis time, I figured this would happen so I put ALL my HARD TECH to the side and at least built some Swordshops for the FMAA. I now realise that I have to let him live. MY tactic is that I would MERC HARD in Sweden (I took ONLY Sweden in this campaign to cut down on the ship upkeep cost) and that other provience that I said before. I didn't attack Uber Pope with them though, I kept them as a deversion against an attack. I let the Uber Pope take over Sicily completely so I don't have to deal with them assaulting my ships later (See, I pay attention to other post.) and just wait knowing that the upkeep is KILLING his treasury. I gave it 15 years MASS Mercing and building crappy units to take him over but this time, I will let him rot in Sicily with just enough troops to hang himself.

This sucks though because I now have to protect the very menace that messed with me SO HARD this game. If he dies again, I know I will be hit harder again and without Sicily being the Red Headed Stupid Stepchild to lift a hand. But what sucks about this strategy is I BURN'T TO THE GROUND ALL OF THE UBER POPES buildings. So I Have to start over with nothing there. I guess I will just let it AUTO CONSTRUCT there and see what I get.

THE VERY STUPID THING THAT I DID WAS -------- I haven't built A SINGLE Italian Light Infantry yet nor do I have the capability to do so at this time. But I tell you what, I am very close to be able to have Chiv Knights in 50 years.

I guess if I learn't anything from this is that Horse Archers classes can be VERY useful but they are so hard to use at the beginning of the battle. I guess I will keep them around and try to get better at them. I see how they can change the tide of the battle.

[Roark]

Does anyone know if the Papacy's demeanor actually changes to "aggressive" after a re-emergence?

It sure sounds like it...

[ajaxfetish]

In connection to your other post about playing to lose, and considering your personal favorite playing style, maybe you could start a game in which you limit yourself to fighting with nothing but horse archers? Either you'll have a big handicap to work against, or you'll master a unit type you haven't really taken advantage of yet.

[Budwise]

In connection to your other post about playing to lose, and considering your personal favorite playing style, maybe you could start a game in which you limit yourself to fighting with nothing but horse archers? Either you'll have a big handicap to work against, or you'll master a unit type you haven't really taken advantage of yet.

I'm kinda doing that now. I am only using Knight Units such as Chivs and Feutals right now. I will disembark if I go against heavy spears but I am trying to break my dependancy on infantry only front line. Yes, I am expected to lose a lot but thats not really the point.

[Budwise]

Oh, just in case someone actually read my current game. Here is an update

The year is 1208 and I just BARELY made it to build Chiv Knights in one provience and the next year, another one was up and running. Uber Pope is so drained of money that his national debt rivals the United States and hes stuck in Sicily. The Sicilians are in random areas around the map and have some serious armies but no visible homeland that I guess they could call home. They are pretty much scattered.

THE GERMANS THOUGH are doing absolutely great. They own all of Britian and France and if they didn't have 4 times more ships than I, I would take them head on. I will move my ships to one spot later to save them just so I can take Germany down in about 20 turns. I want an Uber Army to combat them. The game says that they are higher tech wise than me but I don't see how.

[antisocialmunky]

The Pope's a fun guy ain't he? If you've conquered most of the world, you should see how many reemergences of the pope you can fight off and see how they get.

[Budwise]

The Pope's a fun guy ain't he? If you've conquered most of the world, you should see how many reemergences of the pope you can fight off and see how they get.

Yeah, I just love him. I think I will do that after Germany is gone but right now, Germany and I are tag teaming Spain. I really should post a screenshot. Egypt and the Turks are equally big taking each other over Byzantines lost land.

Germany is like Germany in WW2 + England. AND I MUST BE MUSOLINI

[Budwise]

I decided to take on the germans before I had Naval Superiority. BIG MISTAKE

After 30 years of war, I have beaten the biggest faction in Western Europe besides me all the way to Britain. At that point, I was quickly attacked by Poland which wouldn't have been a big deal if SPAIN would just leave me the hell alone. I conquer all of spain just to have one province rebel and BOOM, Spanish are back with an armada of advance troops. I mean I am outnumbered at least 4 to 1 and I hold them back with DECISIVE VICTORY AFTER DECISIVE VICTORY. I got Excommed and my whole land just wants to rebel but I fight them off. I do something really stupid and I kill off the pope just to relieve some stress off of the rebellions and UBERPOPE come back 3 years later with more troops than the horde - IN FOUR PROVIDENCES.

I said screw it and slashed and burn't everything he landed on except for Venace and the other provience that I can hold in Italy. To make a long story short, I BEAT THE HELL OUT OF HIM in my two provinces that I wanted to hold with my Dismounted Chiv Knights. SO, now I am Excommed, moneys getting low and my front line is DECIMATED on all fronts. If Egypt wasn't attacking the Horde and Poland, I would be so screwed its not even funny.

Chiv Knights may be awesome but even heros die quickly when outnumbered 4 to 1.

Oh, England came back at Tuscany and they have a stack. WHAT IS UP WITH THE REEMERGING FACTIONS WITH THE UBER ARMIES. Even Hitler couldn't find all of these troops for the Battle of the Bulge. This game is fun but I don't need a Reemerging faction every 5 turns. I'm not even that big, I would say I own maybe 25% of map and Egypt is bigger than me.

[EatYerGreens]

- IN FOUR PROVIDENCES.

I said screw it and slashed and burn't everything he landed on except for Venace and the other provience that I can hold in Italy. To make a long story short, I BEAT THE HELL OUT OF HIM in my two provinces

Ahhh, so you DO know how to spell 'province' then? You've been baiting us to correct you all this time?

Actually, that's three different spellings you used in as many sentences. Can you please pick one of them and stick to it?

[antisocialmunky]

Sounds liek a fun game, I'll give you an e-cookie if you win.

[Budwise]

Ahhh, so you DO know how to spell 'province' then? You've been baiting us to correct you all this time?

Actually, that's three different spellings you used in as many sentences. Can you please pick one of them and stick to it?

I post at like 3 am, give me a break. From now on, I will just spell Territory, better?

[Pericles]

Budwise:

Sounds like you are having a great game. There are always ways to make for a challenging game.

BTW, if you want an even tougher game:

After you have selected the faction you want to play, give ALL other factions 500,000 to 1,000,000 florins.

This way only you have to worry about building up an income; the AI doesn't have to worry about it. Imagine playing against that UBER Pope who will never go bankrupt...

I have been spanked badly by the AI in several games...

Cheers!

[AntiochusIII]

Nah. That kind of challenge isn't fun. The AI will bribe the hell out of everything and eventually stood in their massive armies and debts from all that upkeep that would make the American National debts look like a simple dime to pay off.

[Budwise]

Budwise:

Sounds like you are having a great game. There are always ways to make for a challenging game.

BTW, if you want an even tougher game:

After you have selected the faction you want to play, give ALL other factions 500,000 to 1,000,000 florins.

This way only you have to worry about building up an income; the AI doesn't have to worry about it. Imagine playing against that UBER Pope who will never go bankrupt...

I have been spanked badly by the AI in several games...

Cheers!

I might just give the pope all of that money. Nothing gets my game more excited than going up against a Zealous Dictator. Sweet, thanks for the idea.

[Budwise]

I'm going to play a few different games for a while but I suspect sometime this week I will finish the game, one way or the other, by next week.

I just don't want to get MTW burn't out again.

[Pericles]

Nah. That kind of challenge isn't fun. The AI will bribe the hell out of everything and eventually stood in their massive armies and debts from all that upkeep that would make the American National debts look like a simple dime to pay off.

I always play this way - makes the AI a real challenge and bribing has never been an issue...

As I mentioned previously, the AI has spanked me on more than one occassion...

With all those funds, the AI, whether land-locked or on the ocean, never has to worry about cash flow and it builds and upgrades to its heart content...

That's what makes MTW so versatile - play it the way you like to play it...

Cheers!

[Pericles]

I might just give the pope all of that money. Nothing gets my game more excited than going up against a Zealous Dictator. Sweet, thanks for the idea.

Budwise:

I always play MTW by giving all other factions more florins. It makes for a very challenging game. Only you will have to worry about cash flow...

Believe me, you will have your hands full...

Cheers!

[Pericles]

Also, if you go into the campaign files located in the following directory:

C:\Program Files\Total War\Medieval - Total War\campmap\startpos

You can change the aggressiveness of all the factions - ie make them ALL expansionist...

Cheers!