Total War Newsblast - RELIGION in MII TW

[DukeofSerbia]

SEGA announced how religion will work in MII TW. There are also five high quality screenshots.

There are sections about priests, heresy, Pope, Crusades and Jihads.

http://www.sega.com/newsblast/tw0107/

[Woad Warrior]

What is that holy wagon thing in the last screenshot? The second unit card from last.

[SpencerH]

What is that holy wagon thing in the last screenshot? The second unit card from last.

It's kinda an "Arc of the Covenant" weapon that fires lightning like in the movie Indiana Jones.

[Leet Eriksson]

A jihad can now be used offensively!

So whats stopping players from turning a factions major production hubs into a muslim city and then announcing a jihad there?

What is that holy wagon thing in the last screenshot? The second unit card from last.

Those wagons increase morale for the entire army apparently. And not just the units closer to the general.

[Lord Ovaat]

It's kinda an "Arc of the Covenant" weapon that fires lightning like in the movie Indiana Jones.

I really, really, really, really hope you're joking. You are joking, right? Please say your're joking, even if you're not. Maybe it just inspires the troops? Maybe it's an ambulance? Yeah, that's what it is. An ambulance. ...........Right?

[CBR]

What is that holy wagon thing in the last screenshot? The second unit card from last.

Seems to be a crusader version of the Italian Carroccio but with a cross instead of a city's banner. Most likely increases army morale.


CBR

[edyzmedieval]

I can't wait to see cannon elephants.

Nothing new about religion. We already knew it.

[cutepuppy]

Seems to be a crusader version of the Italian Carroccio but with a cross instead of a city's banner. Most likely increases army morale.


CBR

exactly my thought. There are some references to crusader armies using a wagon with a large cross placed on it. (notably the battle of Hattin)

[B-Wing]

I got the impression from that info that crusades will no longer be declared by actual factions. Rather, the Pope calls for one on a certain target and all Catholic factions then have the choice to join by creating their own crusader armies and sending them off. Whoever gets there first takes the province. This is a bit different from MTW, where factions were there ones who initiated a crusade. Assumably, declining the Pope's call to arms will result in a lowered standing with him.

[ChewieTobbacca]

What are the factions in game with relations to the pope as seen from that standing one?

[TB666]

What are the factions in game with relations to the pope as seen from that standing one?

I see France, England, Poland, HRE, Denmark, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Venice, Milan and Scotland.
There is one faction symbol I don't know, the one in between Venice and Milan.

Edit, Oh wait it is Sicily.

[econ21]

The picture of the English crusader army in the Holy Land is interesting - I wonder how it got there when England has only 3 provinces and has little knowledge of other areas (no sign of an overland trail to the Holy Land)? Maybe it's just a "cheat" shot, not in-game.

[Little Legioner]

What about other religions? Orthodox, Muslim? We see only Catholic religion in reviews or interviews. Pope is a important figure of medieval age i agree that but he was not everything.

Nizari or Hashashins were a great danger for Seljuk Empire also they killed one of the grandest vizier of Islamic realm. Nizam ul Mulk ( Order of the State ) They were not ordinary assasins or with a popular title "terrorists". They had a unique blasphemous religional ideology. And plus Shia and Sunni conflict cause many battles and triggered many political conflicts. Ottomans and Safavid Persians fought for a century. There were a Caliph in Bagdad until Mongols kill him. At the end Sultan Selim captured the title of the Caliph from Egypt Mamluks. I may continue but thats enough.

I'm trying to say Christian and Muslim realm of medieval ages reflects many common points as well as differences.

[poo_for_brains]

An increased movement rate for crusader armies is mentioned: this may have something to do with it, although i myself couldn't explain how.

[Darth Nihilus]

I like the idea that crusades in this MTW2 will actually be more of a real event. It always bugged me how in the original crusades would be called every other turn by factions on the map. One thing that I am wondering is regarding who doesn't reach the crusade objective first. For instance, if I'm Scotland and I am one of seven factions that join the crusade and I'm almost there but another faction accomplishes the objective, what then? Does my large crusade army disband, or do I suddenly have a huge army sitting potentially in the lands of some random faction? If the army disbands, that would probably make the most sense to me, but if it doesn't then that could potentially cause problems such as having some huge army of yours, or another faction's sitting in their allies land.

[poo_for_brains]

Well...if you have ehough influence with the Pope you can get him to call another one somewhere nearby, otherwise, I reckon that all the religious troops you have accumulated will start to drift away (like in MTW1 when you went into a province with low zeal)

[Zalmoxis]

What about the Orthodox religion (since I plan on playing as the Byzantines)? All you know is that you'll have priests and churches, but nothing else that is useful, cutting the interesting part out of the religion feature.

[Myrddraal]

I didn't think that Othodox countries ever had 'official' holy war... What else can be included which isn't standard?

I think the crusades system looks good, and jihads can still only be called against populations with high muslim population levels which means once-muslim provinces (good) or provinces which have had tons of religious characters stirring trouble (which I don't have a problem with)

I would like to know what happens to left over crusader armies though...

[DukeofSerbia]

From third part of text about Crusades:

The faction that captures the target the first will gain considerable prestige and wealth, as well as significantly boosting its standing with the Pope.

“Good old” Senate is coming back as Pope. Three Roman families are replaced with 12 (Roman) Catholic factions and Senate’s missions are replaced with Crusades.


And it seems that there will be the new religious character. This is from part about religion:

Religion can be affected by religious characters such as priests, heretics, inquisitors and witches, religious institutions like churches and even natural drifting.

Witches?!


In section about priests I found this:

Over time priests build up their levels of piety. Eventually, senior Catholic priests can be recognized by the Pope and get elected to the Collage of Cardinals.

So, there will be not any more bishops for Roman Catholic factions. Senior priest becomes Cardinal. Does anybody knows can be Roman Catholic priest promoted to be bishop. In Orthodox Churches only monk can become bishop.
And why there is no higher hierarchy of Orthodox Church (from original MTW)?

[screwtype]

There appears to be an awful lot of artillery in this game. I sure hope the AI isn't going to be building scads of the stuff, this is after all supposed to be the Medieval period not frickin' World War II.

[Furious Mental]

I am wondering how religious troops will be recruited. Perhaps in a similar way to mercenaries.

[Leet Eriksson]

I am wondering how religious troops will be recruited. Perhaps in a similar way to mercenaries.

If CA will use the Medieval method in the first game, then they will automatically join for free, and as you move your crusade more join in more zealous areas.

[Crusader Invasion]

SEGA announced how religion will work in MII TW. There are also five high quality screenshots.

There are sections about priests, heresy, Pope, Crusades and Jihads.

http://www.sega.com/newsblast/tw0107/

This is the Newsletter that came out last week.

[Csargo]

I like the Papal standings thing pretty cool.

[Myrddraal]

Priests can become bishops in the Catholic church, and eventually a priest may be pope.

I hope they include bishops as a level of priest between priest and cardinal, and I hope they include different levels for all the religions.

I like the papal elections. Though I don't know how historical it is, it adds a new area of politics to be explored, and adds weight to what the Pope asks. There are real benefits this time round, if you can influence the pope, you can ask him for favours. Sounds good.


EDIT: Did anyone else notice the farms? Infinately better than those strange photos they had in rome

[Kourutsu]

Wow. They really got detailed with religion this time; can't wait to run my cardinal and the assassinate all the other candidates.

Three more months. Just three more months!

[DukeofSerbia]

Priests can become bishops in the Catholic church, and eventually a priest may be pope.

Thanks for answer.

I hope they include bishops as a level of priest between priest and cardinal, and I hope they include different levels for all the religions.

It was better in original MTW as bihops are more influental than priests.

EDIT: Did anyone else notice the farms? Infinately better than those strange photos they had in rome

It occurs in several screenshots before this one. Especially in Egypt.

[poo_for_brains]

It was better in original MTW as bihops are more influental than priests.

I disagree. I reckon it adds a nice role-playing aspect to build up your guy from a humble priest, to a bishop, to the Pope by eliminating heretics, preaching to heathens etc.

[Silver Rusher]

It's kinda an "Arc of the Covenant" weapon that fires lightning like in the movie Indiana Jones.

Lightning? I thought it shot flaming elephants with cannons on their backs.

[Vladimir]

Lightning? I thought it shot flaming elephants with cannons on their backs.

No no. Not only would the flames ignite the gunpowder but Elephants shouldn't be available to Catholic factions.