some funny thing.

**Ravencroft** · 02-10-2008, 13:00

Here's the sitch. I start in the Late period, vanilla v1.1, then after a couple of years, the Pope wants Crusades vs the Egyptians. I've alway's wondered why that happened.

**Aldgilles** · 02-10-2008, 14:49

The first crusade was in 1095, perhaps this is reflected in the game. Against the Egyptians because they occupied the Holy Land?

**Martok** · 02-10-2008, 19:56

Originally Posted by Aldgilles

The first crusade was in 1095, perhaps this is reflected in the game. Against the Egyptians because they occupied the Holy Land?

Most likely, yes. It's been my experience that His Holiness will call for Crusades against any non-Catholic faction that holds the Holy Lands, regardless of which period you're playing in.

**Ravencroft** · 02-11-2008, 06:07

Ok thnx. I think I get it, Also, I think that any non-Catholic faction that gets too large will get a crusade warning, such as the case of Eggy in Late.

**nara shikamaru** · 02-11-2008, 17:46

I'll leave everyone with what I've learned concerning crusades.

While playing most Catholic factions, his Holiness seems to call most crusades against one of the Muslim nations, usually as part of the historical crusades, or at least that's how it seems.

Other times, he seems to call them, quickly, against a recently excommed Catholic faction, especially if it's still aggressive after being excommed.

He also seems to call them against Orthodox factions, if they get large, and are eating up Catholic faction.

Playing as both the Almo's and Eggies I have had crusades call on me out of the blue, as I was staying away from the Catholic nations. My guess was I grew to big, and the Pope felt threatened. I've also had them called on me after I'd wipe out about 1-2 catholic factions, and these were usually the small ones. Again my guess is I made the Pope not feel good.

So for what I've said, and know, the Pope calling crusade seems to be a fickle thing, and I never listen to the Pope, as doing them never seems to change anything between you and him, unless the crusade can help you with GA points, if that's required to get them.

**Jxrc** · 02-11-2008, 19:22

Have not played that many times as a non-catholic faction but each time I played as the Turks a crusade against me was called each time I seized Constantinople ...

My one time as the Egyptians, crusades were called for almost from the very start of the game (but no catholic faction obliged) and a second time when I had invaded Sicily and Naples (wonder why the fuss ...

) Needless to say that a two turns later St-Pieter had become a very Mosquee

When playing as a catholic, call for crusades agaisnt the Eggy and Elmo are common occurrences but I usually am too busy with my own agenda to bother ... If I get excommed, a crusade against me is usually called the very next turn and suprisingly enough my excommed king seems to live until he is 68 to give everyone time to organise ... On the other hand, if a start a crusade againt an excommed catholic faction, their king dies at soon as he hits 51 or manages to get killed in battle the next turn (makes me wonder if my PC has a soul .... the soul of a cheating b...d anyway

)

One this I for sure do not recommand is a crusade against rebels ... The IA catholic factions are smart enough to conquer the province for one turn just for the fun of seeing my crusade fail miserably. An obviously smart move so no reason to complain but painful the few times I tried ....

**Ironsword** · 02-13-2008, 12:01

Originally Posted by Jxrc

One this I for sure do not recommand is a crusade against rebels ... The IA catholic factions are smart enough to conquer the province for one turn just for the fun of seeing my crusade fail miserably. An obviously smart move so no reason to complain but painful the few times I tried ....

^^I've had the message "Your crusade is disbanded as the lands are now back into the hands of the Catholics etc.etc." This doesn't count as a failed crusade does it?

Still it left a huge load of Order foot and Teutonic knights to send to the battlefronts across Europe...

**Jxrc** · 02-13-2008, 12:11

Originally Posted by Ironsword

I've had the message "Your crusade is disbanded as the lands are now back into the hands of the Catholics etc.etc." This doesn't count as a failed crusade does it?

I do not know for sure if the loss of influence is exactly the same as if the crusade had been destroyed but I am postive that there is at least some loss of influence involved. Got rebellions as a result of such "failed" crusades and caused a few to the AI by getting the target province first.

Note that getting the province before the crusade gets there does not always make it disappear ... A few times I have seen the crusade keep on going nevertheless. Once it got to its target, you get a message asking you to handover peacefully the province to the [faction] who are on mission for God. If I remeber correctly if you tell them to get lost, you have battle on your hands and get ex-communicated. If you accept you loose the province and all your army made prisoner (not 100% sure about the emprisonement bit - perhaps it was due to the fact that there was nowhere to retreat to).

**MJF** · 02-13-2008, 23:20

i thought only orthodox factions got the "hand the province over" message.

**Martok** · 02-14-2008, 01:24

Originally Posted by Ironsword

^^I've had the message "Your crusade is disbanded as the lands are now back into the hands of the Catholics etc.etc." This doesn't count as a failed crusade does it?

Yes it does (unfortunately).

As Jxrc has already found out, such "Crusade races" always end badly for the human player: If the other faction's Crusade reaches the target province first, then your Crusade automatically fails, with all the consequences (loss of Influence, possible civil war, etc.) that go with it. If *your* Crusade gets there first, however, then you're faced with the unpalatable choice of having to give the province to the 2nd Crusade, or be ex-commed and fight a massive battle.

Originally Posted by MJF

i thought only orthodox factions got the "hand the province over" message.

I wish!

But no, Catholic factions get them too.

**Great Est.** · 02-14-2008, 02:08

Concerning Crusades: Currently running an Crusaders XL high campaign and have found more reason to go against my fellow Catholics than any other factions.
I've been turtling the Crusaders, only going after ex-commed Cats after the Pope asks for help and dropping allies that attack fellow cats/are excommed.
Not surprisingly, the Pope asked for help with the Sicilians and Venetians after getting the worst of it in wars against them. I was able to take Sicily, Malta, Naples and Greece in this way. Next up, the excommed Genoese and Spanish, though I have finally begun crusading against the Horde.
I've been at peace with the Egyptians from go (though not allied), as they were much stronger than me when the Pope asked for a Crusade against them. Several Catholic crusades have failed against them.