Dear Gang:

Greetings from Canada!! I hope this finds you and yours well. As for me, I could complain...yadda, yadda, yadda.

I'm sending up a flare here in hopes that I can find some help with play as England. My two main problems are these: 1) Rebels 2)The Pope and his idiotic Crusades. 3)Effective use of my Princess.

The final straw with the Rebels came last night when they deliberately sailed in and sank the ship that was supposed to take Patrick McDougall, the Scots diplomat, home. The last time I saw him, he was still standing waiting for another ship. I'm also finding that trying to conduct a decent naval battle with these knaves is nigh onto impossible.

Secondly, I don't think the Holy Father, in all his finite wisdom, knows how hard it is trying to get to the targeted site of his Crusades. I've tried to comply twice this past week only to be sunk by Egyptian rebels and have tons of people standing in my way once I had gotten to Venice. Is there a polite way to tell the Holy Father to shove his Crusades where the sun doesn't shine?

Last, but not least, I'd like to learn how to best to employ my Princess. Do I allow her to conduct face to face negotiations with other Princess whilst she strolls about the countryside? So far, I've found her of little use and usually wind up marrying her off and let my male diplomat do all the negotiations.

Since I'm a rookie at this game, I'm looking for some kind soul to explain to me what is meant by "map information"? What is meant by this and what am I offering other countries when I do offer them this? So far, all I'm asking for is trading rights and alliance.

Is there something I'm missing here?

In closing, I do apologize for being so long winded, but I do need help to make myself a better liege!!!

Live long and prosper, take care and thank you kindly!!!

Sincerely yours always,

Indy.