Worst off path Crusade ever!

**VeroImperatoreDiRoma** · 12-04-2005, 00:44

I`m slowly advancing with the trade lanes etc. off topic a little but I notice I attack enemy`s ships and they speed off sometimes without combat,is it to do with your fleet`s speed? Or just something your enemy can do?

**Weebeast** · 12-04-2005, 01:44

off topic a little but I notice I attack enemy`s ships and they speed off sometimes without combat,is it to do with your fleet`s speed? Or just something your enemy can do?

I don't know for sure but I guess they speed away or move the ship. There's no way to find it out but you basically "run away" if you move your ship. You never know whether the AI is attacking you or not unti one of the ships sink. I guess a ship can "escape" from battle if it has better speed otherwise why would the ships have speed level?

**Ludens** · 12-04-2005, 16:03

Originally Posted by Weebeast

I don't know for sure but I guess they speed away or move the ship. There's no way to find it out but you basically "run away" if you move your ship. You never know whether the AI is attacking you or not unti one of the ships sink. I guess a ship can "escape" from battle if it has better speed otherwise why would the ships have speed level?

If one fleet attacks another that is ordered to move to another sea area (which happens often because the A.I. appears to know when you order an attack on his fleets), it depends on the relative speed of the fleets if there is a battle. The speed of a fleet is that of its slowest ship and if the speeds are equal, there is a 50% chance that the escaping fleet is caught. However, you can order multiple stacks to attacks an enemy fleet, and if one succeeds in caching them, the following fleets will also get them. So it can be worthwile to seperate a fast but weak ship from a fleet and ordering it to make a first attack, and next (in the same turn) ordering the rest of the fleet to attack. Your fast ship will probably be defeated, but the second, stronger fleet can catch up and kill the escaping enemy fleet.

Originally Posted by Lars Jorgensun

It depends on the province. Faction capitals (ie Byzantium or Egypt) will usally get looted by a crusade. Most other provinces don't have to worry about the plunderers.

Actually, it is determined by the religion of the province. A crusade in a predominatly Catholic province will cause parts of the garison to desert (depending on the zeal), a crusade in a predominantly Mulsim or Orthodox province will loot the province. This aplies off course only when the faction that owns the province has given permission for the crusade to pass. If they haven't, the crusade will fight an ordinary battle.

**Weebeast** · 12-05-2005, 07:54

If one fleet attacks another that is ordered to move to another sea area (which happens often because the A.I. appears to know when you order an attack on his fleets), it depends on the relative speed of the fleets if there is a battle. The speed of a fleet is that of its slowest ship and if the speeds are equal, there is a 50% chance that the escaping fleet is caught. However, you can order multiple stacks to attacks an enemy fleet, and if one succeeds in caching them, the following fleets will also get them. So it can be worthwile to seperate a fast but weak ship from a fleet and ordering it to make a first attack, and next (in the same turn) ordering the rest of the fleet to attack. Your fast ship will probably be defeated, but the second, stronger fleet can catch up and kill the escaping enemy fleet.

Cheers for that detail man. I'm not gonna stack my ships anymore so that the slowest ship doesn't put down the fast ones. Plus, I always thought that if I win a land battle I'll also win the naval battle regardless the ships' strength lol.

**The Darkhorn** · 12-05-2005, 15:18

Originally Posted by Weebeast

Cheers for that detail man. I'm not gonna stack my ships anymore so that the slowest ship doesn't put down the fast ones. Plus, I always thought that if I win a land battle I'll also win the naval battle regardless the ships' strength lol.

One thing about seperating ships though. One on One they tend to lose 70% to the Italian and Sicilian alliance breakers. Any other ships DON'T seem to be able to help it in that situation. The AI attacks your "stack," in this case of one ship. It would be better to keep them all together when at peace and just sitting there. It may even discourage these notorious trade route disrupting attacks anyway. The AI's not likely to attack your stack of 2 barques and a caravel with his firegalley, but he will laugh and sink your stack of one of your barques while your other two ships watch, cheer, and drink beer.

**Microwavegerbil** · 12-05-2005, 17:17

Yeah, definitely keep them stacked up when not trying to chase down a fast ship. I can't ever seem to win one on one, regardless of how much higher my ship's command is. The absolute worst thing about naval battles, though, is having your superior ships, with superior numbers, and a superior leader, all get whooped by an inferior force without sinking a single galley.

**VeroImperatoreDiRoma** · 12-05-2005, 21:32

Cheers for the info once again! In general do you attack ships belonging to factions you are at war with at every opportunity? Or is it best to show a bit of naval might then ease off (as long as they aren`t attacking you)

**Ludens** · 12-06-2005, 14:06

Originally Posted by The Darkhorn

One thing about seperating ships though. One on One they tend to lose 70% to the Italian and Sicilian alliance breakers. Any other ships DON'T seem to be able to help it in that situation. The AI attacks your "stack," in this case of one ship. It would be better to keep them all together when at peace and just sitting there. It may even discourage these notorious trade route disrupting attacks anyway. The AI's not likely to attack your stack of 2 barques and a caravel with his firegalley, but he will laugh and sink your stack of one of your barques while your other two ships watch, cheer, and drink beer.

Absolutely! Naval fights are just between two fleets and one-ship fleets are considered irresistable by the A.I. Only separate a single fast ship if you want to catch a small enemy fleet that is most likely going to flee when you attack with the big stack.

When in Naval war, I always try to clear the sealanes of opposing fleets as fast as possible, but land war has the priority. BTW, several players say that succes in sea battles is inversely related to succes on dry land, so sending a unit of peasants on a suicide attack just before a decisive sea battle is a good way of ensuring success. I have never tried this, though.

**The Darkhorn** · 12-16-2005, 16:05

Originally Posted by Ludens

Absolutely! Naval fights are just between two fleets and one-ship fleets are considered irresistable by the A.I. Only separate a single fast ship if you want to catch a small enemy fleet that is most likely going to flee when you attack with the big stack.

When in Naval war, I always try to clear the sealanes of opposing fleets as fast as possible, but land war has the priority. BTW, several players say that succes in sea battles is inversely related to succes on dry land, so sending a unit of peasants on a suicide attack just before a decisive sea battle is a good way of ensuring success. I have never tried this, though.

I find if I keep 2-3 ships in every zone with a a couple of larger ones to augment storm losses, I avoid the backstabbing naval attacks.