Out of character thread IV

[OverKnight]

I have PMed Warluster with the save:

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1184-4.zip

There's not much left to do in the year except this battle. I might do some housecleaning or double check one or two things once I get the save back, but we should have 1186 start soon after.

[TevashSzat]

I hope that the House of Swabia doesn't get hit with that much reprecussions. Do you think that we will be able to retain any cities that will be taken from the French or will they be returned diplomatically?

[OverKnight]

I don't know. . .it depends on whether the Kaiser decides to assign any territories taken to Swabia. It also depends on any action taken by the Diet such as edicts. Personally I'm surprised that there are no Swabians that angry with their Duke, he has cost their house much clout. Hell, when I went rogue, most of the electors from my house were calling for my head.

As Chancellor I'm trying to stay nuetral, though I did move your avatar to meet up with Leopold. Wouldn't want the mutiny to spread.

[Ignoramus]

If this is exciting anyone, then perhaps you might like to check out Magna Carta?

[TevashSzat]

Well, IC I am supporting the Duke so I guess shouldn't I be fighting beside him?

[OverKnight]

Oh dear, I forgot to mention those Teutonic Knights travelling with Friedrich are under strict orders to have him go to Leopold.

By the time you reach Ulrich his adventure will most likely be over. The southeastern front could use another avatar anyway.

[OverKnight]

at TC

Sweet, not as dramatic as a stabbing, but a good job none the less.

It's comforting to know Bavaria has a goon squad.

[TevashSzat]

Well I personally think that my avatar along with his 29 bodyguards are more than enough of a match against a single unit of teutonic knights.

[FactionHeir]

Are you trying to imitate my moves Xdeathfire? :p

As for the French matter, Hans is not really a staunch supporter of Hümmel and doesn't have to fear anything from him, but at the same time needs at least some House support, so not much to voice at the moment ICly

[OverKnight]

@Warluster, I have the battle report, but could you upload the save in a zip or rar format please? The latest save is still the one I uploaded.

@FH, Good idea about finding the Papal diplomat. I'll look around, with FOW on, and see if I can find him. If anyone has spotted him, I'd appreciate a hint. I'm not looking forward to scrolling around the map looking for one sprite.

[FactionHeir]

He's outside Riga.

Also, new version of KOTRfix is out. A lot of extra changes as opposed to 1.21. Also several spelling fixes that I missed the first time around.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/KOTRfix122a.rar

Please make sure you do use all the files (except the readme) in your installation. Reason is I added a missing level to the MerchantsGuildMember trait which CA somehow missed to add (Merchant's Guild Journeyman)

[Stuperman]

I'm a bit torn, Gerhard is SUPER loyal, so if the Chancellor tells him to distract the french at Marseille he probably would. BUT that would be supporting the Swabians who (in Gerhard's head at least) are traitors, worse than any outside threat, generally hates thier guts with a passion. And if he had is way he'd go fight thier HA. So he's stuck in a situation where in order fight what he sees as the enemy, he'd have to become the enemy (disloyal).

Maybe I'll write my first story about it.

just for clarification, that's gerhard's personality, I personally don't really care, it makes the game a bit more intereasting.

[FactionHeir]

If you mouse over the loyalty descriptions from 0 to 10, you notice that the more loyal subjects will obey an order even if it goes against what they believe in. So basically you would do what the chancellor (or your Duke, depending on who you are loyal to) says. Of course whether you follow what the game describes is up to you.

[OverKnight]

Stuperman, keep in mind that there are many ways to distract the French.

Killing a lot of them would certainly distract them. . .

We'll see how this turns out.

[Warluster]

I have uploaded the save, just in case you didn't see.

[OverKnight]

Yes, I got it, thank you. I've already played a bit into 1186.

I'm about to have the Crusaders officially take the cross. I'm also awaiting word from Ignoramus on what he wishes to do at Rheims.

[Ituralde]

Sweet deal with the Crusades!

As econ21 I was under the impression that only one army could become a Crusade. With two Crusading armies this Crusade of ours is really going to kick a**!

[OverKnight]

Ignoramus, could you clear some PM space please, I want to send you your pre-battle info.

Here's the save anyway.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1186-1.zip

Edit: There's been some updates in my report since I first posted it:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...&postcount=111

[AussieGiant]

As always I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass but the Crusader army is starting to look a little cavalry heavy and that is a little unbalanced in my view.

It's already too easy to win every engagement we have without have some of our armies becoming cavalry centric.

Any thoughts?

[OverKnight]

It's mostly cav centric due to the amount of avatars in the mix. Remember that Hans and the two units of mailed knights were unplanned additions to the Crusade. I wouldn't worry about it. We can also recruit more infantry if needed.

We're probably going to have some nasty fights before actually getting to Jerusalem, so I don't mind having the extra.

[FactionHeir]

Also the crusade edicts lay out that standard army composition does not apply to crusading armies.

[TinCow]

Yep, and cavalry is far less useful than infantry in taking cities, which will be a major task in coming turns.

Keep in mind as well that we will be reduced to only 3 generals in the East relatively soon. Dietrich will kick the bucket any day now and Mandorf won't be far behind. It's actually kind of good that Ulrich is going East, as military options will be limited with only 3 commanders there.

[TevashSzat]

So with Ulrich going east, I am the duke of swabia? The diet had someone say something about that but it wasn't clear to me

[OverKnight]

Ulrich resigned as Duke and took the Cross. I'm not sure, but I think the Kaiser has to appoint the next Duke. At least that's how Ulrich became Duke. When Dietrich and Otto became Dukes by marriage, the Kaiser, GH at the time, confirmed both of them.

It's an interesting question, if a position is vacated by resignation rather than death, can the person pick his sucessor? We've never encountered this before, the Ducal positions were already vacant, Bavaria or Franconia, or the previous occupant was promoted, Swabia.

[AussieGiant]

Thanks for replies guy's. The explanations are understood.

Regarding Ulrich's resignation. Loosely based on history the eldest son would be able to lay claim to the title with the Kaiser and Chancellor in a position to ratify or make a few other options open.

Does Ulrich have a son? Sorry but the genealogy of all the families is not my strong suit.

[OverKnight]

Ulrich has a son and a daughter I believe. But neither of them has reached 16 yet.

It's frustrating, I want to send some priests with Ulrich, but agents nerf Crusader movement AFAIK. Is there a workaround for this?

So I have to send reinforcements and priests on seperate fleets until the Crusade is over if I want take advantage of the extra movement.

[Northnovas]

I think there is an underage character. You can designate an heir but since there are the 2 distinctions of blood or not I think it would the Kaiser's decision on who would fill the vacancy. The person can suggest a replacement but it would be the Kaiser's choice.

[econ21]

Regarding agent slowing down crusades:

There is a solution to this:

Select the crusader army with the agent in and press 'Cntrl A' on your keyboard - this should give you back your full movement points. Well, it worked for me.

This also works with fleets - it seems to be a throwback to RTW, where fleet movement was reduced by embarking units that had used up most of their movement points, meaning the fleet couldn't move far. Cntrl A on the fleet and hey presto, your fleet movement points are back to full (but this did stop you being able to disembark your troops in the same movement).

Let me know if it works (if it does I'll put it in the Citadel FAQ).

[AussieGiant]

Quick question.

How do you change the turns to years on the main screen.

I'm still playing my first long campaign with the English and I suddenly realised it was about turn 180 odd and I only had 17 provinces. I shafted myself because I lost track of time. I'm much better in years than turns it seems.

[Stuperman]

so was the swabian 'rebellion' put down that fast? and where does that leave the SHA? I was looking foreward a bit to some more heated exchanges at the diet. meh, anyone know how many provinces we have right now?