England

[Myth]

Hmm I'm not sure on the stats of SG vs Retinue Archers, haven't been playing M2TW for that long. However, on England's start:

I've found out that it is indeed more beneficial to just play with some historical accuracy in to account. Don't go slaughtering your Catholic neighbors right off the bat - this isn't RTW. I started by sending my diplomat on turn #1 to the French princess, selling Alliance/Trade/Map info/Marriage for Map info/1900 Florins. That's the best deal she'd accept at this point.

I married my own princess to the HRE faction heir. I got alliances with the Danes, Spanish, Milanese, Venetians, Polish and Hungarians. The Pope was overjoyed, naturally i got one with him as well. I got tons of money after all these alliances (the more nations you have as allies the more expensive your furhter alliances become).

At turn #9 i had taken Bordeaux and only given up Dublin and Iverness to the Scotts (let them develop the cities for a while, i have no alliance with them and wea are already at very bad relations due to my stream of spies coming from York). I can't wait for them to declare war, get excommunicated so i can march on to Edinburgh. Anyway, at turn 9 the Pope was singing Beyonce's "Crazy in love" any time he saw my diplomat. It was time - we (I) called for a most holy Crusade on Cordoba.

Well a bit prematurely as i lost Bordeaux to revolt (it seems it's not Cahtolic enough at the start) when i removed my general, but i'll just retake it later. I was the only one who bothered joining this crusade, and i went straight for the target (in retrospect i think it wiser to take out the other moorish town along the way). Naturally there was no real resistence to be had.

My general, who i have bread as a good commander and a chiv leader, got both Templar and Hospitalier retinues, and the other usual benefits for winning a Crusade, which i liked a lot. I decided to keep Cordoba, as it's a good launchpad for my invasion of Africa. And i will be invading Africa soon, since every Catholic nation is palying nice now that i'm the big peacekeeper and defender of the faith of the Western world.

Well except for Scotland, but I have my mind made up for them - I'm not leaving any liabilites at my back before i march towards the Holy Lands.