Crusade Recruitment: Before or After Papal Support?

**ArtistofWarfare** · 01-31-2008, 01:16

Hey guys-

Once again, quick question. I did a forum search and had my memory jogged regarding the specifics of crusades, however, I'm still left with one important question:

Once a chapter house is built and I attempt to build a crusade, do I build an army to start the crusade BEFORE or AFTER I have actually set up the crusade, picked a target destination for it, and gotten the Pope's support?

To be clear- For example: I'm Italy. Build chapter house in Venice. Do I start building an army that I want to use as a crusading army NOW, or do I set up the destination, get the pope's support, and THEN begin training units towards it?

I'm not sure whether once I have gotten the pope's support the crusading army is expected to begin moving towards it's destination immediately, or only then begin recruiting a starting army to begin moving toward the destination.

Thanks

**ArtistofWarfare** · 01-31-2008, 02:45

Gentlemen...

I have had other topics where I specifically stated that there was no rush on the answer. Unfortunately, this is not one of those topics.

The clicking of my next turn is dependent upon this information...

Certainly don't mean to be pushy...at all. I apologize if it comes across that way, but I know we've all been in this information starved situation before.

I require logistical support please!!

**bamff** · 01-31-2008, 03:02

Hi ArtistofWarfare

To start the crusade, you need to

1. Build your crusade

2. When you have a crusade marker, place it on your target destination. Pope will then either give you the green light or tell you to hold your crusading horses.

3. You may then add troops to your crusade at any point while your advancing crusade and the troop stack are in one of your provinces.

So, if there are particular units that you wish to have in your crusade, such as Italian Light Infantry for example, I would think that it does not hurt to have them being built at the same time, ready to move to the "launch province" to join your crusade when it is good to go.

Also bear in mind the other old "crusade cheat" - you can hire a bunch of mercenaries and have them join your crusade. They won't cost you anything while they are safely wrapped up in the religious fervour that is a crusade.

I'm not sure if that exactly answers your query, but hopefully it is at least slightly helpful....

**Roark** · 01-31-2008, 03:07

You should build units (eg: siege engines, specialist troops) to accompany your crusade so that they are in the originating province and ready to rock BEFORE you launch the crusade (launch = select a target province).

Don't have them sitting there doing nothing for too long prior to launch, though, as this is a waste of money (ie: support costs).

**ArtistofWarfare** · 01-31-2008, 03:11

Bamff, Roark...Thank you.

For the record, between those two responses- every question I had, and every foreseeable question pertaining to Crusading recruitment has been answered.

Truly appreciated and again, I apologize for the rush...no way around it this time.

Thanks Again

**bamff** · 02-01-2008, 05:53

Glad to be of assistance. I wish you luck on your holy quest!

**ArtistofWarfare** · 02-03-2008, 06:39

Originally Posted by bamff

Glad to be of assistance. I wish you luck on your holy quest!

Well, considering what's gone on in my current campaign...I doubt we'll be worrying about any holy crusade endorsed by the Pope.

Perhaps a Holy Crusade of my own against him in a few decades though.

**Tony Furze** · 02-06-2008, 07:17

Related issue: when you place your Crusade marker in a target province, will it then go "by itself" or do you have to move it there?

I ve always done the latter, because it never seems to move. The manual hints it can go by itself.

Thanks.

**bamff** · 02-06-2008, 08:10

I believe that you have to move it yourself, with the only interest/"assistance" offered by the game being to determine your possible path/s to the destination.

I have never seen my crusade move off of its own accord.

The only exception to this is in a situation where you lose a battle in the target province. In this situation, your Crusade gets sent back to the last friendly province IIRC.

**Tony Furze** · 02-06-2008, 16:08

Here s the manual (bearing in mind its for the original non VI version):

"Once the Crusade has permission, drop it directly on the target province again (in which case it will find its own route) "

I think the follow the glowing provinces (a la Michael Jacksons "Billie Jean") might be a VI innovation, because it then says:

"... or move it towards the target province-by-province taking any route you like."

**Martok** · 02-06-2008, 19:04

Well I just looked in my manual too, and you're quite correct Tony.

Guess we'll have to chalk it up to the manual's author being misinformed when s/he wrote it?

**bamff** · 02-07-2008, 00:11

Well there you go! I am glad that I never read the manual thoroughly enough to see that - it would have caused me plenty of frustration!

Originally Posted by Tony Furze

I think the follow the glowing provinces (a la Michael Jacksons "Billie Jean") might be a VI innovation

Oh dear - Crusades will never be the same for me - mental images of crusaders marching along in pants just too short to get to their socks, wearing one gauntlet, as their plastic faces slowly melt beneath the desert sun.....