Timbuktu

[Darth Nihilus]

Started a new campaign as the Sicilians and I'm loving it. Only wish I wasn't at work as i type this so I could go play it. Anyway, my goal is to take all of North Africa and I have most of it. I tried to get to Timbuktu, but the Sahara is impassable, so i bought it off of the Moors. I also can't access the province to the west of it (I think I need the map to open up for that). Anyway, other than buying it, how would one get it other than buying it (I have only played 50 turns into the campaign though)? Can you build roads (although I highly doubt it)? My only guess is that you ship an army down to the side of Africa, but you need the Americas to open up for the map to be revealed that far.

I wanted Timbuktu to get the gold down there, only to get there and realize Moorish merchants were earning almost 800 florins per turn on gold resources. Glad I went down there now

[Quillan]

There is one path through it, I found it when I sent a merchant there for the same reason. It runs north/south from roughly where the city of Timbuktu is located. You can skirt the wastes to the west into that rebel province, but I couldn't get all the way to where the village is located. The village doesn't even show on the map normally, so I think you're right. I don't think it's accessible until the map expands allowing you to go to the new world.

[Franconicus]

Just follow the signs

[Tora]

There is one path through it, I found it when I sent a merchant there for the same reason. It runs north/south from roughly where the city of Timbuktu is located. You can skirt the wastes to the west into that rebel province, but I couldn't get all the way to where the village is located. The village doesn't even show on the map normally, so I think you're right. I don't think it's accessible until the map expands allowing you to go to the new world.

The province/village is called Arguin, the blackness on the map clears as you advance - this is 1150AD - but the going is excruciatingly slow.Going west from Timbuktu, start going northwest as you near the coast. It's reachable from Marrakesh by ship but again very slow going. Am about to besiege it - occupants 6 mixed rebel units - but my vanguard captain has just been bought off

[Sheogorath]

Aye, taking Timbuktu by force can be a challenge, since you need to be able to expend a pretty large amount of units and a general or two. However, taking Arguin gives you a good place to launch to the New World from if you arent playing as Spain/Portugal. The problem is that those provinces are mostly pagan/Muslim, so holding them can be hard.

Not to mention you will most likely never see those generals again, since crossing the desert and the mountains takes about 20 turns >_>