Ghazette Challenge: Crusader States notes

[Ramses II CP]

Starting off I absolutely had to siege Gaza on the first turn, and beat back their sally. I must've played this sally at least fifteen times, trying to retain as many troops as I could. In the end I used King Roger up, but kept over half my force intact. Then I smashed the rest of Egypt, while building up the defenses around Antioch and throwing off Turkish sieges. Just as I had expanded to the point where I was thinking about taking Cyprus, the Byzantine emperor landed next to Alexandria and had to be beaten back. After that, I sent a pair of generals and some men west, towards Naples, ducking and dodging and 'forward retreating' my way past the Byzantine navies.

Arriving in Italy my forces discovered that Palermo couldn't be taken, even though it was barely held, because of a bug. Naples fell easily, and I thought about sacking Rome for coin, but decided it wasn't necessary. Now I was just waiting for Antioch and Jerusalem to grow enough for cathedrals.

In the time it took them to get ready I sacked Turkey and Byzantium's major cities for money, and tried everything I could think of to get Palermo into my hands. In the end I had to pay 75k florins and a city for a ceasefire with Byz, then 55k florins the next turn to buy Palermo from them. I wouldn't want to continue the campaign from here because I sold every structure in my empire (Except the two cathedrals) to fund the buyout of Palermo.

It's an excellent campaign. If you haven't tried it, what are you waiting for?

[TinCow]

I urge more people to try the Gahzette Challenge. I think it's a great idea for interesting and unusual gameplay, but we simply won't keep making them if there isn't more participation.