Crusades

[Doomsayer19]

I've been playing MTW for a little over a month now and have never gone on a crusade, and I am just wanting to know what are the advantages and disadvantages of it? I know that it puts you in the pope's good books but I find that Im always being attacked and really cant afford to be sending a whole army on a crusade just to be getting on his holiness's good side, do you get money troops or anything useful at all?

[Sean]

Hey mate

Have u been on a crusade because ive been playing and It asked me to go on a crusade n i was like eh where do i go on a crusade lol

[ChaosLord]

I think you need an 8 unit army to join a crusade, then just doubleclick the general or merc hiring button to bring up the info window, and there will be a button in the bottom left. Once you join the crusade you get access to cheap "Crusaders" like Pilgrims, Religious Fanatics, Crusader Sergeants/Knights/etc... Its pretty easy to build an army of these cheap mercs on the way to the holy land. For reward you get experience given to all units in the crusading army, and like 1-2k florins usually as well as a boost in Papal relations. Of course, if its your army that conquers the target you can also sack the city. Most of the holy land cities will net you 10k+ on a sack, so a crusade can be a profitable venture.

One other thing to note is that during the crusade, you don't have to pay any of the crusading armies units upkeep costs. So with some good management, crusades are a boon to your economy.

[joe4iz]

Most of the time, I will send most of my generals on a Crusade. If they are over 50, they can sit it out. The additional piety and command stars are worth it by themselves.

I also conquer other cities on the way, so that helps to pay for the expense of sending an army. Most of the time, I try to use my own units so I can "repair" them afterward.

[Goatboy]

Well, I used a crusade(s) on Jerusalem to spread my empire. For the first one I had 3 generals in my starting army, so immidietelly after the crusade I conquered Cagliari and Ajacio, as well as Tunis (so you can keep expending). I sold Jerusalem, 'cause you can't hold it for too long, I think, and it doesn't pay well. Also, after you sell it, the faction that owns it will lose it in few turns to rebels or Egyptians.

I used the secon crusade (the one that I asked for myself) to conquer Nycosia, and wanted to take rhodes, but, since it's Venetian I decide not to, 'cause they are my neighbours, and they're very strong. After the secon conquer of Jerusalim I gave it to the pope, so he could reconcil me (I was excommunicated).


There...

[Andrei]

I've been playing MTW for a little over a month now and have never gone on a crusade, and I am just wanting to know what are the advantages and disadvantages of it? I know that it puts you in the pope's good books but I find that Im always being attacked and really cant afford to be sending a whole army on a crusade just to be getting on his holiness's good side, do you get money troops or anything useful at all?

Well you get movement bonus, and i think the units don't have upkeep until the end of the crusade...and garnisoning a crusader army in a town will not get attacked by a catholic faction that is not excommunicated...or if they attack they get auto excommunication ...and then you can conquer them with the same crusader army they attacked earlier.

[PrestigeX]

Usually its a good idea to wait until you are a bit more secure and settled before going on a crusade. Crusades will be called early in the game, but at that time you don't really want to send out a big army because likely you're at war with a neighbor.
I found overall that I prefer using Jihads as muslim factions, because its a lot easier to get one.. As a muslim faction you can never be Excommunicated..And i like the idea of having a mass of Ghazi's to just chop down militias.
especially because whats the point of taking over Antioch or acre or some other place when more than likely it will have Riots and problems and you'll probably end with a civil revolt after a few turns, or surrounded by the muslims. I usually like to wait until i am more powerful on my home frontier- and have aspiration to actually take over all the cities of the holy-land (gaza, jerusalem, acre, adana, & Antioch)...
plus i don't like to sack when i conquer, because i find it overall makes me income more depandant.