Excommunication/Crusades

[Askthepizzaguy]

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Crusades/Jihads are definitely an M2TW mechanic that should be taken advantage of. Early on you dont get spearmen of 7A/14D for around 200 florins. Pilgrims and Rel. Fanatics are great garrisons if not arrow fodder.
Movement bonuses, esp. on ship (click boat on campaign map, click fleet tab, and highlight all ship icons, NOW you have unlimited (i think) movement. Crusading army in Iberia reached thecoastal shores of the Holy Lands in 1 turn). Plus, if your relation w/ the Pope is great you can target a city of your liking (Granade, Tunis, or Vilnius, it's just too bad you cant target Novgorod or Constantinople, hope they fix that).

I tend to avoid excommunication if possible, even if it can be manageable, too bad the HRE (1 of my fav. factions) has to take Rome. i've yet to try buying it from them, after giving them at least 3 more provinces and hope they change capital.

As the HRE I took Rome and built plenty of priests. I killed the Pope and his successor and his successor and his successor and his successor and his successor and so on until my 2 or 3 cardinals elected a Pope loyal to my cause. Then I got un-excomminicated by him. I still held Rome, too.

Got excomminicated 3 times, took Rome to get my first excommunication, and never gave it back. Still did two crusades and took all provinces by turn 28.

[glyphz]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As the HRE I took Rome and built plenty of priests. I killed the Pope and his successor and his successor and his successor and his successor and his successor and so on until my 2 or 3 cardinals elected a Pope loyal to my cause. Then I got un-excomminicated by him. I still held Rome, too.

Got excomminicated 3 times, took Rome to get my first excommunication, and never gave it back. Still did two crusades and took all provinces by turn 28.

I like to play as a good Christian, but i should realize not to go too far as to let the guy w/ the big white hat control much of the campaign. I guess it is better to take Rome for myself, rather than thru diplomacy and ruin the spread of my faction colors on the campaignmap with bleach white spots.
Then comes my 2nd problem:reputation. One of my top priorities now is to not betray alliances. I'll have to find another way of getting top relations with the pope (for crusades and leeway in attacking Christian neighbors) w/o forging an alliance, until i get Rome for myself . If all else fails... EXCommunication it is! Bring it on.
...
(*gulps* whispers a silent prayer in secret)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Like glyphz said, you get better units than are otherwise available in the early game for dirt cheap. Your entire army gets FREE upkeep, a huge boost to your economy in the early game. The typical Crusading targets are excellent cities to own, such as Antioch and Jerusalem. You get high chiv Generals that if placed in a Castle settlement will soon make your factions top-end units available. And to top it all off you get great relations with the Pope, so you can attack your neighbours on your home front.

Seriosly, do not underestimate the power of Crusading.


Jihads are pretty much the same idea, except they are easier to call since you don't need Papal permission.

Indeed!
Also, as some have suggested in other threads, plan when you'll be taking the crusade target. Just a turn before, turn all other generals, w/ troops nearby, into crusading stacks , with the exception of dread generals that you would like to stay "dreaded." (if in a settlement, take him out w/ garrison, join crusade, then go back in the settlement).

Final crusade turn, no desertions should have taken place yet. With many armies joining the crusade prior, you get a ton of free florins due to free upkeep.
Conquer your crusade target w/ your main army (take advantage of crusade movement for roaming generals before doing so). Troops outside your main crusader armies get experience bonus, and your generals gain chivalry, the more generals in your main crusade army the better.
New territories, + public order, free exp, free chivalry points and/or command & piety, added boost to your treasury. What is not like??