The last campaign I had in MTW was probably my best, in terms of battles, alliances, trade, everything.
The last 50 years really got jumping. To start, I play almost exclusively the Byz. Sometimes Russians, but mostly Byz. It was about 1345 and I had consolidated the entire mideast, parts of eastern europe, and all provinces around the black sea (that took a while due to fanatical mongols). To the South, the entire North Coast of Africa was under new and better management (at least I thought so). All island provinces were under Byzantine rule, I controlled the Mediterranean.
Peace was strenous at best, but it was there. Both the HRE and the Spanish had control over most of western Europe. The Hungarians were left with very little, but served as a buffer between our nations. England was left with the British Isles (except for Ireland which acted as my Command for the Northern Armada). With Marco Polo's exciting discoveries, trade was up considerably.
A ceae fire was in effect with Spain and the HRE was consdiered an ally. The Hungarians and the Russians provided princesses for my gerneals and princes. And the Danish, were well, they always had a ton of princesses. The Papal States and I had an uneasy truce, knowing that it would be broken.
When the first Crusade started, by the HRE, we met in Serbia, where 4,000 of their finest troops fell to 1,500 of my best. Luring them into a sense of false security, they were soon demoralized when a large rock came flying from one my trebuchets and killed their general (one hell of a lucky shot). After the Crusade was stopped, another one started, this time with the Spanish. Again against overwhelming odds, this time in Croatia, they were soundly defeated. For the next 25 years, this was the pattern. With all attention of the Spanish towards their Eastern Front, I moved in from Morocoo and quickly and decisively took over the Iberian Peninsula.
After seeing this occur, the Hungarians joined in the fight, they too learned what it meant to attack the Byzantine Army. Within five years, they were decimated, not one living hungarian left, and I had an outlet to the Baltic Sea. With potential enemies to the East, I decided to use my Eastern Army of about 8,000 troops to attack from Khazar and once and for all deal with the Mongols. In this case, I left 1,500 to defend Khazar, hoping to bait the Mongols into atacking with their 4,000. I looped the other armies to the North and waited. Within a year, they took the bait and attacked. Given an optimum choice of terrain, with a road leading between two hills, I rained arrow after arrow after arrow upon the army moving towards my main one. this was followed up with a hailstorm of boulders crashing into their army. Soundly defeated, they retreated and within ten years were no more. The Russians, seeing this occuring made the mistake of leaving Finland. They too found out what it was like to cross the Byz. With my eastern front totally under control, I turned my attention west.
By this time, riots and civil disobediance was a regular occurance for my enemies. The HRE were constantly battling rebels as were the Spanish. I waited out the turmoil and would make a quick strike, devastating a province, move back. More often than not, the people of the province were loyal to thier new rulers, even without any buildings or the presence of an army.
My armada's than began the systematic destruction of any sea going vessel that did not fly the Byz. Flag. This led to more rebellions with the Spanish, and soon, my armies marched from the Iberian Peninsula and destroyed what was left. The HRE clung stubbornly to the belief that they could take any provinces without fear of repercussion. Having a massice navy in the oceans, I was able to move my Western Army to attack from Sweden, I took them on and they were lost.
During this time the Papal States, seeing what was occuring decided to take action, first by attacking my navies. That did not turn out well for them. With only the English left to destroy (the Danes were done in by the HRE) I turend my focus on the Papal States. With them out of the picture, a feeble attempt at a truce was made by the English. Knowing that no such peace could ever exist, I move in for the kill. By 1398 I conquered all of Europe.
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