Medieval...

[Caid Ivik]

It is less than a week since I've purchased this game, I can say it is a very good work. Until today I've roamed the Europe with Poland, Holy Roman Empire and Byzantines, but in each game I've found some confusing things. For Poles, unlike other catholic nations, I was unable to build Chapterhouse, what means no crusades...

With Germans it went without problem, just as when crusade was on its way, soldiers were disserting (including Teutons, which aren't easily obtainable) with enormous rate. If anyone played it here, do you know a way to slower that selfdestructive process? I thought it has something with province's Zeal, just I don't know if it can be improved.

And Byzantines. I fear there isn't other way to prevent crusade looters than destroying them...?

[Terror]

1. Poland can indeed not launch any crusades, as they never did take part of crusades in the past, it's historically correct.

2. I don't know what that is, my crusades never fell apart, well unless the enemy had vanquished 90% of my crusade army.

3. You can only let them pass through or kill them. Generally crusades are quite strong, and then it is a more logical option to just let them pass through, at the expense of some of your soldiers.

[Caid Ivik]

Teutonic Knights are considered as powerful, but with less morale. That would make it logical, but why I lose also Order Foot Soldiers?

[Khan]

Slowly over time all units will leave a crusade but if you go through high zeal provinces you wil get units to rejoin.

[Terror]

less morale? I thought they had exact same stats as chivalric knights

[Caid Ivik]

How can I improve Zeal stat? Converting Rome to islam wasn't hard with 12 imams (alims were not counted ;D ), but zeal was still same.

[Terror]

apart from the special events i don't know, i know that special events like finding a relquary raises the zeal of your province.

[Khan]

How can I improve Zeal stat? Converting Rome to islam wasn't hard with 12 imams (alims were not counted ;D ), but zeal was still same.

Well as the catholics it is easy as you just drop a few inquistors onto a province, but with normal religious units, alims, imams, priests, bishops, etc, zeal is usually lowered in a province. So as a muslim state it can't really be done. :-

[Caid Ivik]

Well, for muslims I build Ribat only for Hashishin. So, more inquisitors, more Teutons? I thought they are only to lower production and to hunt down free-minded generals...

[Khan]

If you keep a group of them in a province they get general inquisitions going, thus increasing the zeal of the local populas.

[Caid Ivik]

Wow. And what about djihads? Does Ribat or Mosques change zeal? When I was making a march on Rome from Malta I was ambushed from back by Byzantines (former allies...), just by the way.

[Khan]

Yes, a ribat will icrease the zeal of a province, as will a grand mosque.

[Caid Ivik]

One more thing. Is there a way to change imperial centre? Centre is where spawns your new ruler when old dies and you have also here some special titles for fellow generals. That's the problem of Poland. How many provinces it has on borders, 6? Terribly sorrounded country.

[Khan]

No sorry, there is nothing that can be done about that.

[Caid Ivik]

Today I've played for English. My kings spawn in Anjou... But whatever, Plantagenets... Have you already found the power of naval crusades? Just line of barques around whole coast from Wessex to Palestine, thousands of knights and men at arms with small addition of Templars, one sudden attack and Jerusalem is mine!

[Khan]

Yeah I just did a massive naval campaign, Including Crusade, to capture most of turkey, as Italy. Knight Hospitaller rule.

[Caid Ivik]

For English, there you need only first naval charge on Palestine. Templars made here are even more unbeatable. They don't have charge like Teutons or Hospitallers, but for longer fight they are best.

Anyway, sometimes I encounter "foot knights", they are also in manual. How can I train them?

[Khan]

If you mean order foot knights I'm not sure you can train them, but remember that most crusade cavalry can dismont before battle to make very heavy infantary.

[Caid Ivik]

Order Foot Knights are usual order units, like Templars or Teutons. They come only with crusade. Is there a possibility to force dismounting? Sometimes is foot knight stronger, i.e. versus spearmen.

[Khan]

Yes if you right click on some cavalry units on the deployment screen there is an option to dismont templars.

[Terror]

yeah ghulam cavalry and feudal, chivalric and gothic kngihts can do that

[Khan]

As well as royal knights.

[Terror]

are you sure? i thought they couldn't

[Caid Ivik]

Ah yes, it is possible. Worse that only in defense... Well, thanks, this is very useful.