MTW Religion

Introduction

Religion plays an important part in the Medieval: Total War grand campaign.

Difference between religion and faction religious culture.

Religions

In the main campaign, there are 3 main religions, Catholicism, Islam, and Orthodox Christianity. Non-playable factions like the Golden Horde and rebels can also be Pagan. Jews and Heretics can also appear in provinces, but have a minor effect on the game. In the Viking Invasion campaign, all factions are Catholic, except for the Pagan Vikings, and they can be converted under the right circumstances.

Catholic

The majority of the factions in the main campaign are Catholic. Catholic factions are bound to some extent by the whim of the Pope.

Islamic

There are 3 Islamic factions in the main campaign, the Almohads, the Egyptians, and the Turks.

Orthodox

There are 2 Orthodox factions in the main campaign, the Byzantines, and the Novgorod/Russians. Orthodox factions are not bound by Papal interference, but they also are not protected by it with respect to the Catholic factions. Orthodox leaders and provinces are immune to the effects of Inquisitors.

Pagan

Still worshiping the old ways, Pagans are not common, but still play an important part in the campaign. In the main campaign, the Golden Horde are Pagan, while in the Viking Invasion campaign, the Vikings are Pagan.

Religious Conversion

A record is kept of the percentages of each religion in a province. This percentage changes from year to year based on several different conversion elements.

Buildings

Religious buildings will convert the populace to their religion.

Agents

Religious agents will preach their religion and work to convert the province.

Faction culture

The culture of the faction that currently owns the province will seep into the population.

Neighboring provinces

The effects of religious buildings in bordering provinces will leak across the border.

Jews/Heretics

Need more info on how Jewish and Heretic percentages get in the mix, and how they are set at the start.

Zeal

Zeal is the measure of religious fervor in a province. The higher the zeal, the more enthusiasm for the majority religion (or is this religion of controlling faction?). Zeal affects the probability of successful Inquisitions, and also determines the magnetism of Crusades and Jihads on normal army stacks in the province.

Piety

Piety is the measure of the religious observance in a general/governor/King. A high piety general will be less vulnerable to Inquisitions. A high piety value in a governor can be detrimental to the happiness of his province, if the province is not converted yet.

Religious Agents

The 3 main religions have their own religious agents to spread the word (or enforce it!).

Bishops

Bishops are the basic footsoldiers of the Catholic Church. They are used to preach to the flock or spread the word into the lands of the non-believers. They have a conversion factor of 2.

Cardinals

Cardinals are souped up Catholic Bishops. They have a conversion factor of 5.

Inquisitor

Inquisitors are not responsible for converting unbelievers, but instead to keep wayward Catholics in line. They do not have a conversion factor, but instead raise the zeal in a province by 2.

Inquisitors can perform Inquisitions on any Catholic general. This will either lead to his death by burning at the stake, or redemption and new vices or virtues. The chances of success depend on the number of stars the Inquisitor has, the number of stars the general has, the general's piety, and the zeal of the province.

Grand Inquisitor

Grand Inquisitors are uber-Inquisitors. They raise zeal by 5, and have a much better chance of success when performing Inquistions.

Priest

Priests are the Orthodox equivalent of Catholic Bishops.

Orthodox Bishop

Orthodox Bishops are the equivalent of Cardinals.

Alim

Alims are the Islamic equivalent of Catholic Bishops.

Ulama

Ulamas not only spread the word of Islam (conversion factor of 5), but they also raise the zeal by 2 in Muslim provinces while preaching. This is handy when preparing for jihads.

The Pope

Papal Warnings

2 turn cease fire, 1 warning at a time to a faction, larger faction warned

Excommunication/Recommunication

effect of excommunication. recommunication when either the excommed king or the pope dies (by natural or unnatural causes).

Papal Reemergences

If eliminated, the Papal faction will always come back in a few years, with an increasingly stronger and stronger force. The reemergence will be in any land that the Papal faction controlled. You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him!

Instead of killing off the pope, the best way to contain him is to back him and his high upkeep army into a stripped down province with no income, and saddle him with bankruptcy for the rest of the game. If he can be forced onto one of the small Mediterrainian islands, even better, but usually the Papal States will do. Then at the end of the game, when all other factions are gone, he can be finally eliminated for the victory.

Who can crusade

all crusade modding

Building a crusade marker

Chapterhouse

Marching to the target

losing/gaining troops, province zeal, maintainance, path to target, ships, permission

Crusade success/failure

losing the chapterhouse, losing the marker, taking the target province. influence gain/loss.

Jihads

Jihad targets

any provinces previously owned by a Muslim faction, now owned by a non-Muslim faction.

Building Jihad markers

Ribat

Jihad success/failure

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TBD - needs a lot more input

Are the conversion numbers from the unit_prod file just straight percentages?