Papal Inconsistencies?

**bamff** · 10-30-2006, 05:27

A curious thing I note in my current campaign (English - Early - Hard).

In the one turn I get an excom warning from old mate Popey for being a naughty Catholic king attacking another Catholic faction - and at the same time he hands over 1,000 florins for me being such a good Catholic king!

Is he knocking back some of the communal wine here or what?

Another "Papal Issue" - is the Pope more inclined to ally with some factions than he is with others? I noted in my last campaign (Sicily), he seemed determined to be my ally no matter what, but he appears to be not even remotely interested in standing at my side in this campaign....

**Martok** · 10-30-2006, 08:09

Originally Posted by bamff

Another "Papal Issue" - is the Pope more inclined to ally with some factions than he is with others? I noted in my last campaign (Sicily), he seemed determined to be my ally no matter what, but he appears to be not even remotely interested in standing at my side in this campaign....

In short, I've found that the answer to your question is generally "yes". He does in fact have a tendency to ally with certain factions and not with others. Now *why* this is precisely, I have no idea; but in my campaigns, the Pope is fairly consistent with whom he considers to be his friends.

Originally Posted by bamff

Is he knocking back some of the communal wine here or what?

I think you've hit the nail on head, my friend. It's long been my theory that he's just an eccentric old coot, and who knows why he does anything?

**Geezer57** · 10-31-2006, 00:56

Originally Posted by bamff

In the one turn I get an excom warning from old mate Popey for being a naughty Catholic king attacking another Catholic faction - and at the same time he hands over 1,000 florins for me being such a good Catholic king!

Is he knocking back some of the communal wine here or what?

The chest of gold was already on its way, loaded in a slow-moving, heavily-guarded wagon. The excom was issued later, and came via solo courier working for the Pony Express. They arrived simultaneously only by coincidence. Remember, it's not nice to mock "Il Papa".

**bamff** · 10-31-2006, 02:30

Thanks for that - love an explanation in "game tense"...

Another query for you learned gentlemen - in this campaign I am currently at the year 1111....in turn 1 I successfully invaded Flanders....and got no papal warning.....next I took Toulouse....no papal warning....a couple of turns later Brittany fell.....and now I get my warning.

So the question is - why no warnings until now? I suppose I could just assume that the messengers relaying news of my attacks to Rome were successfully intercepted....or was our Holy Father simply demonstrating his benevolence and patience here ???

**Kavhan Isbul** · 10-31-2006, 02:34

You only get a warning if you are twice the size of the catholic faction you are attacking - therefore you will never get warned when attacking a larger faction (such as the HRE, they are the usual victim) or a faction roughly your size. Of course any attack on the Pope will get you instantly excommunicated, even if he is twice your size.

**bamff** · 10-31-2006, 02:38

Thanks for that - makes perfect sense now (I guess I never attacked fellow Catholic factions until I had built up some size before).

Gee it would open some early opportunities for the Danes, wouldn't it? Everyone is bigger than them to start with!

**Martok** · 10-31-2006, 03:10

Originally Posted by bamff

Thanks for that - makes perfect sense now (I guess I never attacked fellow Catholic factions until I had built up some size before).

Gee it would open some early opportunities for the Danes, wouldn't it? Everyone is bigger than them to start with!

Indeed. It's one of the numerous reasons why the Danes are so much fun to play--they can attack whoever they wish without fear of rousing the Pope's wrath.