I can't train Knights Hospitaller

**blackmarket** · 10-05-2005, 18:06

Hello,

I'm not new to game but always played muslim factions or factions that can't crusade so far.

I've started a campaign as the Sicilians and it's the year 1155.
On Malta I've build Fort, Keep, Church, Chapter House and "trained" a crusade wich I sent to the target province but I can't Knights Hopspitaller on Malta or other crusader units in any ohter of my provinces.

I tried the same starting another campaign in late period but it's the same here. BTW - I play medieval xl 2.0.

Is it at all possible to train crusader units in a certain province or do these units just join a crusade if it has started or passes through provinces (maybe I missunderstood the basics of crusading

)?

Can anyone advise me how to train Knights Hospitaller please?

Thx for help!

blackmarket

**BAD** · 10-05-2005, 18:21

As soon as you drop the crusade icon over a province it can crusade to it becomes locked as a crusade to that province. Troops will appear that turn, depending on various factors (not exactly sure which, but I know Zeal and piety will probably have something to do with it). These will include the various Knightly Orders, Order Foot Troops and maybe Fanatics. You can also drop troops into the crusade to help out the initial units you get and when passing throuch provinces, depending on its religion, zeal and troops present some will join your crusade. Over time troops will also leave your crusade. Hope that helps.

PS - Leave the crusade stationary for one turn when you first set it a target. then it will aquire troops from that province also. It misses that opportunity on the turn it is created. Then go crusading to your destination asap, traveling through as many high zeal and same religion (as you) provinces of course.

PPS - Remember to move troops out of a province that a crusade is going yo move into that you DONT want to join the crusade. Also don't put your ruler in the crusade.

**Templar Knight** · 10-05-2005, 18:39

Hello Black Market

You cannot train any Crusading units such as Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller. They only appear once you launch a Crusade. If the Crusade is successful then you will be able to use them as you see fit.

They will appear in your crusading army.

**Yukon Cornelius** · 10-05-2005, 18:58

Originally Posted by BAD

PS - Leave the crusade stationary for one turn when you first set it a target. then it will aquire troops from that province also. It misses that opportunity on the turn it is created.

Bad! *thwaps with rolled newspaper*

If you leave it there for one turn it'll quite likely lose some of the unique crusade troops it may have generated. If you want troops from the starting province you can simply drag and drop units onto the crusade to add them to it. If you do that you won't waste the first turn. You'll also get to control which troops from the starting province join the crusade and which don't. It's a win-win situation.

For added fun, if you start a crusade targeted at an adjacent province you can both target it and send it to attack in the same turn if you simply drag and drop troops into it. Using a series of short-distance crusades against an enemy faction can be much more effective than a single long-distance crusade to [insert desired province here], especially if you've built up a proper navy to transport crusades in one turn (as opposed to the [insert large turn number here] overland distances).

**BAD** · 10-05-2005, 20:43

Originally Posted by Yukon Cornelius

Bad! *thwaps with rolled newspaper*

If you leave it there for one turn it'll quite likely lose some of the unique crusade troops it may have generated. If you want troops from the starting province you can simply drag and drop units onto the crusade to add them to it. If you do that you won't waste the first turn. You'll also get to control which troops from the starting province join the crusade and which don't. It's a win-win situation.

Thanks for the thwap. BUT. When I have zero troops in the province where the crusade started (because I moved them all out the turn before hand), if I leave it there for one turn I acquire troops "magically" (out of the aether if you will) from the province, for free. NOT from troops I have built. This far outweighs the 1-2 troops I lose from each of the unique usits I get. Try it sometime.

**yesdachi** · 10-05-2005, 21:14

You only get crusader units via the launching of a crusade. I am not sure if there is a structure to what requirements get you what troops but I know zeal is a factor. I have gotten 2 to 4 units from all fanatics to all knights.

**Geezer57** · 10-05-2005, 23:27

Originally Posted by Yukon Cornelius

Bad! *thwaps with rolled newspaper*

If you leave it there for one turn it'll quite likely lose some of the unique crusade troops it may have generated.

This sort of loss may be pretty common, but it doesn't always happen. I left a Crusade sitting in its start province for over ten years before it started losing troops. Every year before that the darn thing just kept getting bigger. Of course it helped that the province zeal there was 100%, and the General I put in charge of the stack had max zeal too.

Crusade gains and/or losses during overland travel are heavily dependent on province zeal. That's why many players "pave" the way for their Crusades with Inquisitors in the travel path. They get to "hoover" more units from the factions they're travelling through.

**blackmarket** · 10-06-2005, 00:29

first of all - Many thanks for all the answers!

As I assumend I misunderstood the basic rules of crusading. I thought I could train the crusader units just like any other common unit once I've started a crusade and sent it to the target province.
Mea maxima culpa

I took a look in the techtree this night and it said Knights Hospitaler will only appear (or join a crusade) in the high period. Can anyone confirm this?

One more question: I've read about not putting the king or heirs into the crusader army because it would cause much trouble - but why?

blackmarket

P.S.: great forum! respects!

**EatYerGreens** · 10-06-2005, 00:38

Originally Posted by Geezer57

This sort of loss may be pretty common, but it doesn't always happen. I left a Crusade sitting in its start province for over ten years before it started losing troops. Every year before that the darn thing just kept getting bigger. Of course it helped that the province zeal there was 100%, and the General I put in charge of the stack had max zeal too.

This is verrry interesting news. Well, it is to me, anyway.

I think blackmarket was hoping that launching his crusade from Malta would generate Hospitaller Knights and I'd be interested to find out if he got increasing numbers of them by leaving it there for a few years before setting off.

I can't do any testing myself, at the moment, as the Pope declared war on me in my latest campaign, then wouldn't accept ceasefire. I have a marker trained but he refuses to permit me to launch any crusades, at anywhere!

The only one I've launched in this campaign was a short hop (2 moves) against the excommed English. I only got One unit of Teutonic Knights, two of Teutonic Sergeants and ZERO fanatics at the start (but the Pope charged me nothing, so only to be expected). However, it did pick up a couple of full units of mounted crossbows, from out of nowhere, after its first move. Certainly not 'absorbed' from my normal stacks, I hasten to add. For the record, the province lacked the facilities to create that unit type, so there's no link there either.

Users who bought the bargain-bucket edition really have been sold short, it seems, in that they don't even get the tech tree chart (I gather it's downloadable from somewhere), without which it isn't made clear that some units are only obtainable via crusade launch. Direct mention of one of these, in Malta's unit bonus description is something of a teaser.

**blackmarket** · 10-06-2005, 00:56

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

I think blackmarket was hoping that launching his crusade from Malta would generate Hospitaller Knights and I'd be interested to find out if he got increasing numbers of them by leaving it there for a few years before setting off.

I'll give it a try and will report soon.
I got 3 units of Order Foot Soldiers and 2 units of Fanatics in the first year after sending the crusade (these units where not trained by me - so they joined the crusade).

blackmarket

**Geezer57** · 10-06-2005, 02:41

Originally Posted by blackmarket

One more question: I've read about not putting the king or heirs into the crusader army because it would cause much trouble - but why?

P.S.: great forum! respects!

The main reason you don't put your King in a Crusade is that it can cut his influence off from his kingdom, which can lower loyalty/happiness and can trigger rebellions and civil wars.
The reason heirs shouldn't be put in Crusades is basically the same, only less likely: the King could die of old age or illness while the heir was off Crusading, then the new King would find himself stuck a'Crusading. Who would be ruling the realm - not the rightful ruler, now?

Yep, it is a great forum - enjoy!

**Weebeast** · 10-06-2005, 11:23

I'm just wondering, if a ruler is in the crusade, will he gain anything(ridiculous amount of influence, etc) if he succeeds?

I think making them available to build on daily basis isn't 'historically incorrect' as any invasions can be considered as crusade.

**Geezer57** · 10-06-2005, 13:01

Originally Posted by Weebeast

I'm just wondering, if a ruler is in the crusade, will he gain anything(ridiculous amount of influence, etc) if he succeeds?

A sucessful Crusade gains the faction ruler +1 influence, IIRC, regardless of if he's in it or not.

**VikingHorde** · 10-06-2005, 14:01

In the XL mod (both 2.0 and 2.1), only the Order factions can train teutonic knights, Knights Hospitaller ect., but you can get them by making a crusade. What units you get in a crusade is pretty random, so sometimes you get Knights Hospitaller, sometimes only order footsoldiers and fanatics.