AI Crusades - No Desertion?!

[Nebuchadnezzar]

And if you kill the general of the crusading army, they always turn to regular(non-crusading) troops.

One of the problems with Vh is insta-generals that the AI gets.
Captains in enemy lands magically turn into general lead armies and just as you organized a small force to deal with them the AI decides tha captain should be a general which recruits all the mercs in the area so you have to retreat and organize a new larger force.

also assassinating a general that returns turn after turn until eventually he has enough piety and command that assassination is no longer an option. Same for crusading armies, insta-crusaders.

You invest so much in near useless assassins (unless you reload) and all for nothing because of ridiculous AI bonuses.

[sapi]

I've never had troubles with killing a general in battle not destroying the army, but have seen assassination fail.

Similarly, i've seen armies desert, but not because of me blocking them, but rather excommunication. A 20-unit french army on my border went to a 1 general stack thanks to problems with the papacy in my byz campaign