The Spanish campaign(s)

**Tony Furze** · 06-08-2006, 17:19

Chez (I prefer Chez)
Thanks,and more thanks. This is what I need. Im up to my eyeballs in MTW guides and I ve read them all at least once. Im really really really bad at translating words to practice.

My dealing with the French Crusade was purely intuitive-"Don t let them use any of your troops,"said the small voice,"then you ll get Portugal".

In one of the other campaigns I bribed both Portugal and Valencia (theCid). It worked quite well, and the bribes were affordable.

The 2x2 ships I remembered from your advice-keep two in each region.

May give it another go tonight or try another faction for a break.

Very best wishes and thanks again.
TF

**tigger_on_vrb** · 06-08-2006, 19:03

Good advice from CheziScrotus XVI, but I'd like to add my own opinion about Portugal. Heres my strategy and it has served me well:

Take all of the Iberian penisula which is rebel except Portugal and without declaring war on anyone I always bribe El Cid. Meanwhile build up an army and ports+ships where possible. Have a bishop in each province of Iberia and maybe the first 2 provinces in north Africa.
The Alomohads will get restless with the teritories they have and will want war, but in my experience the AI will always take rebel provinces before war with the player. This means eventually they will attack Portugal. This is not easy to do for the computer because of the army there and the fact they will get solid christian uprisings. Once they have worn themselves out and reduced there forces sufficiently THEN you attack. The perfect time to do this is when you have seen a large rebellion in Portugal and you invade the Province directly below your holdings (name anyone?). Between you and the rebels you shouls wipe out most of their forces. If you time the attack well the Alomohads will have very few forces left to challenge you.

After taking out the Alomohads I wipe out Aragorn in 2 turns (so you dont get excommunicated) and then go for Egypt. Jinettes, feudal sgts, archers and a few feudal MAA are an awsome desert force.

**jadast** · 06-09-2006, 02:06

I bribe Navarre and Valencia then attack Aragon. Ships I build out of Valencia not Leon because I want troops being produced in there due to the iron advantage. By this time Portugal and the Almohads are usually fighting. I try to take advantage of them both at this time to lock up the remaining provinces. Moving to Africa at this point and driving through to Tunisia. This will give you 3 provinces that can become big money producers. In the 3 African provinces and Aragon I build up all the mines and farming improvements.

By this time England or France should be fighting someone - hopefully themselves. If so I try to poach Toulouse or Aguitaine from whichever appears weakest.

At this point I crusade. Typically Serbia first. It is close enough to support if I am pumping out ships and is close to the Greece and Constantinople just in case I get a chanch to grab either. Crusades are then launched to Pomerania, Prussia, and Lithuania. My target here is Lithuania to get turcopoles.

From here I settle into a war or attrition with who ever is in my way in Europe. I try to knock out as many Catholics as possible as soon as possible. This policy does at least 3 things for me: 1)keeps the Pope out of my business, 2) it keeps foriegn crusades from soaking up my troops, 3) gives me non Catholics to crusade against.

Love to crusade and get those Knights of Santiago!

**Tony Furze** · 06-09-2006, 07:30

I did try the HRE but my heart wasn t in it and it was tooooo different from what I d been doing.

So Im on Spain again-a little more optimistic.
I ve reached 1119 (year) and 17505 florins.

Taken the whole of Iberian Peninsula including Portugal and Aragon which was full of Royal Knights but I whipped them. This time I bribed the garrison in Cordoba (al Mohads) and used the army to get the province.

Im building ships from Leon.I ve left whats left of the al Mohads in Cyrenecia...

Crusaded twice:for Granada and some rebels (592 strong) in Tunisia.
Thanks for all the help.TF

**Matty** · 06-09-2006, 13:23

And make sure you allocate the governorships to your men with the highest acumen - this makes a huge difference in the early game.

EDIT: I turtle for a while and let one province rebel, providing me with an opportunity to both train up generals and gain cash from their forfeit lands.
Don't crusade the holy land until you have a fleet linking your lands and can go directly there - I was forced to fight both Byzantines and a HRE crusade and the influence hit when it failed nearly sent me into civil war...

**Tony Furze** · 06-10-2006, 06:43

Thanks again.
A few more questions:
Mattys point-if you remove the governorship from one general and give it to another does that have dire consequences? (eg mercenary revenge etc)

jadast s point-if you "poach" what sort of long term conseqences does that have ? Here you mention in relation to England and France.

I ve reached over 100 000 fls rising each turn. A sea chain all round the Med and the North Sea. (Took ages to build and I ve reached 1186.)
Also just Crusaded into Greece, held by the Egyptians.
TF

**tigger_on_vrb** · 06-10-2006, 09:19

AFAIK the general goes back to the loyalty he had before you gave him the title. I've never had a problem with a rebellion because of stripping a title. If you are worried about any general / ex general and his loyalty keep him in the stack containing your king and he cant rebel - only the stack leader can rebel so only his loyalty rating is relevant.
Remember this near the start of the game too - if you train a new unit with 1 command star in a region where no units have any he will be the stack leader (even above a governor). If this guy also has very low loyalty then move him into the stack of one of your generals or the king. This is useful to help reduce civil wars!

**King Kurt** · 06-12-2006, 10:40

Originally Posted by Tony Furze

I ve reached over 100 000 fls rising each turn. A sea chain all round the Med and the North Sea. (Took ages to build and I ve reached 1186.)
Also just Crusaded into Greece, held by the Egyptians.
TF

Tony - from a personal point of view, I would say you have too much money!! Build some inns, get some mercanaries, bribe some provinces, build up a load of buildings. I have often felt that in MTW you build up to a critical mass and then you become difficult to stop. I like mercs and use them to build a force quickly for a task - a new invasion or supporting an area under threat. Also I like to use them to provide troop types I can't build - for example in my recent Irish campaign I brought any merc bows I saw as you can't build them as the Irish. Also buy any good cav you see - always useful.
I always try to keep some money in the bank but top priority is spending.