On m/m

The first move I did as England was to take my army out of Caen and bring back to england (Always keep a big navy around your seas both for transport and thwarting disembarkements) to aid the invasion of scotland. I managed to get an alliance and trade rights off the french and it's still lasting around turn 30 (though i had to cancel a few times) along with my castle-now-city, Caen). Anyway, I took York immediatly and started making a few units in nottingham. I then took most of my units in london (just left William there) and headed for wales. dont worry too much if you get bankrupt as I soon paid off my debts by bringing in 10k a turn thanks to some heavy taxation in london .

Anyway I took Caernarvon (appologies for spelling) and converted it into a city. Taxed it. rebelled. took it again thanks to some mercs and the army from france. managed to get alliances with milan,venice (they declared war on each other at one point. choose milan. they'll help you against the french by taking half of their settlements) and the papal states.

After taking Caenarvon for myself, the scottish decided that it was there turn to expand. they took all their garrison of edinbrough and attacked york. took the troops i had been training in nottingham and destroyed their army. Pope wanted a ceasefire. This is why you must respect the pope during early period : the penalty was only "your relations will be seriously deminished" instead of "your going to get slaughtered by a crusading army and i'm going to enjoy it". I know its painful having to lick his butt constantly but its worth it once you get to assasinate him every turn and in the end "exterminate" the papal states (hopefully).

Anyway i took my Caernarvon heroes and trashed the scots. With a high garrison, i decided to tax edinbrough big time to make a compensation for all those units (i disbanded alot of them once the people loved me). Then I turned towards Dublin and Iverness with my other armies. Once i had all of GB, i only left Nottingham as a castle. The rest are making big money. I also have so many alliances the UN would be shivering. Caen has (despite myself not really caring about it) become a money-making city and is being untouched. I suggest you focus on getting big alliances with spain, HRE and milan as they will probably aid you against the french if your not as lucky as i was. But definatly enforce power in UK first IMO, you will lose far too many valuable soldiers, alliances and crosses with the pope and France generally tend to expand but then wither away as Spain and Milan take arms against them


But now I've basically got UK and one settlement outside it at turn 30 and making enough money to build up a suitable but not invincibile army so i have a choice:

Either head for Iberia : the portuguese have been fairly annoying. they've been blockading ports, attacking my ally, spain, and took rennes (that settlement west of Caen) under my noses when i was about to attack it. (the french and spanish didnt like this so they both seiged it despite being at war with each other ( a glitch that doesnt happen too often). the spanish got it in the end).
Though taking on Iberia might mean war with spain, a close ally of mine whowill help someday against the french

OR Head for the french? I dont think my armies are ready yet. The french have too many expanded territories and I want their wars with Spain, Milan and suprisingly, Venice to end so i can take them out swiftly and silently.

OR go west and get at the danish. this might seem the most "logical" solution. the danish are hated by everyone (including the pope) and are doing exactly the same thing as portugal (replace rennes by amsterdam and Spain by HRE it is exactly the same thing). Also, (I might be wrong here) I find the english army quite effective against the danish heavy troops who are slow and easy to pick out wth missile units.


Its a dilemma i need sorting so can anyone convince me which is the best? thanks in advance.

PS: for the crusades problem, either just ignore the pope and give him a grand or the finger (depending if you like him or not). Or just build up an army in advance and get it as close to the holy land or wherever the crusade is as possible. It shouldnt be you main priority unless its a territory near by or a excommunicated faction's capital. I joined a crusade against Granada (moorish castle) and basically took it and sold it to the papal states for a few grand. Although the portuguese (who were excomunicated because of their vile yet cowardice blockading of my ports) decided on attacking it (probably thought i was still there and took it, great peice of business)