Small is beautiful - and potentially fatal

[gunslinger]

IMHO the two keys to the game are #1 massive naval superiority and #2 small borders. My decesion to attack a province usually depends on whether I can move my whole front forward to minimize the number of border provinces I have. In my current French campaign, my European border goes North to South: Friesland, Franconia, Swabia, Burgundy, Provence. Since I have Naval superiority I don't have to defend anything West of there, including the entire Iberian Penninsula. This saves drastically on upkeep costs. Because the pope is in Genoa with about five stacks, and I don't want to make him an enemy, I can't really expand any further into Europe without recruiting several more defensive armies. Instead I went across N. Africa and I'm currently crusading in the Holy land.

[Adrian II]

My decesion to attack a province usually depends on whether I can move my whole front forward to minimize the number of border provinces I have.

Yup, there are several of these strategic lines on the campaign map. There is the Pyrenees, useful if you want to hold Iberia c.q. defend against the dominant Iberian power. Another one would be Lithuania + Kiev, a line that is useful for keeping the Mongols at bay.

The central European line you mention has the advantage of minimum numbers of borders + possession of iron-holding Franconia.

@ gaijinalways, good to hear everything went smoothly. Your description suggested that Almohads were ready to devour you, hence my prediction that you would have a tough time. I agree with your small is beautiful approach. Those oversized nonsense empires are boring..

[Martok]

There's one other modest benefit from being small: You're generally much more successful in obtaining marriages to other factions' princesses.

[Adrian II]

There's one other modest benefit from being small: You're generally much more successful in obtaining marriages to other factions' princesses.

I see. So being small makes you popular with the chicks?

[Martok]

I see. So being small makes you popular with the chicks?

LOL!

Er--I mean, bad Adrian!

[gaijinalways]

I also like keeping my number of borders down, so not expanding too quickly is key. I also like to troop rush the AI as I notice if you let the AI overrun provinces, they often get complacent and overstretched, and when you have built up enough troops, you romp.

Side note; Adrian, I used you tips actually, so I am awarding that victory to you. The Alomonds were tough, but they couldn't crack me, and once I squashed their navy (and most of the Byz's fleet) it was easy sailing. I found the BYz to be overated once I had more than mere vikings!