Why ?

[Marcus Tullius Cicero]

Why can't we play the Welsh, Irish or the kingdom of Jerusalem ?
Say, wy not introduce Flanders etc, must be interesting

[D. Afonso Henriques]

I'll try to answer tough I don't have exactly official answers, I did read the answers through the threads.
They don't allow playing the Irish or Wesh because:
1. They didn't hade enough historical significance in the medieval world (this is not an opinion of mine, its just what is said);
2. There is no room for them, because more important faction already exist and because there is a limit of faction to the game (why I don't really know);
I don't really know why you can't play the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

[Sandouras]

Medieval 2 expansion will once again focus on England. There will be a campaign about factions and their wrestle for control over the isles.

The kingdom of jerusalem simply cant be playable cause the player does crusades to conquer the holy lands and claim them for himself and the Pope.

Also, it strikes me that Activision pushes Byzantium over for English and other Western European factions in historical battles and the upcoming expansion campaigns. Even though decadent, Byzantium was a formidable force and it should get the attention it was denied in Medieval 1, where it would suit the time more.
Byzantium wasnt just the superpower of its time and the true descendant of the Roman Empire, but also the protector of Europe against every muslim and other threat. For instance the Arabs were stopped by the Byzantines in the east and by the French in Poitiers. Byzantium deserves better than that.

[Vazul's Ghost]

Byzantium wasnt just the superpower of its time and the true descendant of the Roman Empire, but also the protector of Europe against every muslim and other threat. For instance the Arabs were stopped by the Byzantines in the east and by the French in Poitiers. Byzantium deserves better than that.

Amen to that! How CA could have the... audacity almost... to leave out manzikert and include hastings escapes me.

[Sandouras]

And you know, not just Matzikert, maybe there were other battles worth our notice. Just as important or glorious in size and tactics.

I know CA are british, but they focus too much on England. Since we have William Wallace and Hastings in MTW1, they shouldnt have it again in 2. Ok hastings was important, but the rest of the world is left in the sidelines. They should have included more battles and giving us more to download via internet from time to time.

One last thing conserning Byz: Byz had arbalests, naptha throwers and some sort of gunpowder handguns at the end of their time. And while we had those in the first MTW, none is to be found here.
Also, since Byzantium was a considerable force, one can imagine that if they had repelled the Turks, they would have progressed to full gunpowder warfare. Since they had the best professional army of their time, i wonder what they would do in proper gunpowder ages. I am curious.
I am not saying give them the best units, but giving them some good ones would be realistic. Thats just for realism, fanboyism and giving some variety to the byzantines, cause i personally own easily every army on the map with Vardariotai and Kataphraktoi. Well..... except the Mongols... and.....em.....Tim....I HATE THOSE GUYS!!!!

[AnthoniusII]

As i wrote to another thread batlle of majiqert was NOT the critical one for east roman empire...The batlle that determed the asia minor fate was the one outside Philadelfeia in 1072 between the legual emperor and the ones who betrayed him a year earlyer in the batlle of Majiqert...After the emperor's defeat the next dynasty MANAGED to lose almost 50% of the empire in just 10 years 1072-1081.So if we have to play a starting batlle for byz. empire the batlle i mentioned would be a realistic one.As a sagestion the rebel army could have 3 generals and their bodyguard,6 turkopoles,1 varangian guard,2 latinikon cavalry and 4 byz.infantry.The emperor's army 2 generals,4 seljuk cav.archers,2 armenian heavy cav.and 3 spear militia...I think it would be a real chalenge to change the empire's future because if the emperor wins the seljuk turks will have to keep the pact they had with him...If he loses the turks have no problem to invate...That was what realy hapened....

[Sandouras]

they would have invaded anyway.
Too bad Medieval 2 doesnt have civil wars. I really enjoyed the challenge in MTW1

[King Orko]

I'll try to answer tough I don't have exactly official answers, I did read the answers through the threads.
They don't allow playing the Irish or Wesh because:
1. They didn't hade enough historical significance in the medieval world (this is not an opinion of mine, its just what is said);
2. There is no room for them, because more important faction already exist and because there is a limit of faction to the game (why I don't really know);
I don't really know why you can't play the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

I think you can't play as the kingdom of Jerusalem because the game starts in 1071 and kingdom of Jerusalem was formed in 1097

[Sandouras]

No, that isnt the reason. Its because that way, jerusalem is in Arab hands and as a westerner you do crusades to take it back. So everyone can have it for his own. Notice how most Crusades target Jerusalem, Antioch and Constantinople?
If there was a state, you wouldnt be able to do that, and hell, even if you control it, how on earth are you going to survive when you start the game with one city? They did because they were a huge coalition army.

[King Orko]

how on earth are you going to survive when you start the game with one city? .

I managed to turn the russians into a large and prosperous country with only one region, and remember it is a new mod so you have more regions, and remember that you can conquer places as well

[Milovan]

I managed to turn the russians into a large and prosperous country with only one region, and remember it is a new mod so you have more regions, and remember that you can conquer places as well

Plenty of factions in vanilla start with one settlement, but they're surrounded by rebels, so they can expand. Look at the map for this mod. How on earth would you survive with one region when completely surrounded by a mighty state such as Egypt? To expand, you'd have to go to war with them. To wage war with them, you need an army that won't get annihilated. To get that, you need money. To get money, you need to expand... It's a vicious cycle. No matter how you look at it, you'd be toast...

[King Orko]

Plenty of factions in vanilla start with one settlement, but they're surrounded by rebels, so they can expand. Look at the map for this mod. How on earth would you survive with one region when completely surrounded by a mighty state such as Egypt? To expand, you'd have to go to war with them. To wage war with them, you need an army that won't get annihilated. To get that, you need money. To get money, you need to expand... It's a vicious cycle. No matter how you look at it, you'd be toast...

Look at the map. in reality the kingdom of jerusalem ruled 4-5 game regions. it is enough for starting

[Marcus Furius Camillus]

A good question because the counts of Flanders an the Dukes of Brabant were NOT insignificant. They lend their lands from both the French king and the German Emperor. they were both border territories, and were therefore semi - independent.

Without them, history won't be the same.they played a leading role in some of the most important battles of history like the Battle of Bouvines ( 1214 ), The Battle Of The Golden Spurs ( 1302 ) and the Battle of Woeringen.

( more info WIKIPEDIA ! )

My opinion : divide Flanders ( or modify the map historicly correct ) AND ADD THEM !

[Marcus Furius Camillus]

O, yes, this is not a add-this-nation-because-I-live-there-and-its-important-to-me question ( see mr. Sarcasm's sayings on that Romainian factions - part )
I just think they would be an enrichment to a REALISTIC ma


Note : the Flemish archers played a important role in the one history - changing battle : The battle of Hastings !

[Anarzius]

...

[johhny-turbo]

2. There is no room for them, because more important faction already exist and because there is a limit of faction to the game (why I don't really know);

Well in RTW I know that empty faction slots still take up memory even when not used. I would imagine it's the same in M2TW