You are playing two nations? Well, I'm locked in my battles with EoJ as Venice so I can give you some heads up. Grab Zagreb first since it has gold mine, and has good position to seize Hungary. Depending on your perference, you can rush Byzantines or grab rebel territories such as Sofia or Tunis or Rhodes.

cheers for the advice, sos about the two fractions thing when I copied it it had a cross through it.

[This message has been edited by Hunterufus (edited 01-15-2009 @ 10:40 AM).]

Can you stick up a world map (even with FOW on) so I can understand how it all fits together? I want to track your progress but don't own Medieval.

As my turn is slowly coming towards me I will just tell you about my opening moves:

Get good relations with all neighbouring fractions,

Consolodate my position in Northern slowly building an army to take Milan

Build a powerful navy to rule the seas

Ally with all in the near proximity and then make trade with all.

Turn the Venations into a rich fraction and then destroy the Byzantians

Also for any of those who play the grand campaign as Venice heres a tip:

Watch out for all around you, they know your a profitable fraction and want it for themselves!

Just so you know, the word is 'Faction.' Fractions are something completely different.

Those aims seem sensible, Milan and the Byzantines are certainly your best targets. Try and get Florence also, and maybe Bologna if you can.

Be careful not to offend the Pope! Other players will not hesitate to call crusade on your ass if you are excommunicated. Then you will be screwed. Make sure you have at least one allied player. Humans will support you better than any AI. Swamprat, who controls Sicily can be a good ally. You can expand North while he expands south.

If you need underhanded way of playing (betraying trusted allies, assassinations, cheap way to use crusades etc...) then e-mail me for a personal Machiavellian lesson.

[This message has been edited by el_bandito (edited 01-19-2009 @ 01:08 AM).]

Bad news everyone,

My computer doesn't like me (or I'm just paranoid) so I'm pulling out of the hotseat campaign so i can work out what the problem is. One of the subs will take over and hopefully use this thread

Cheers for the tips.

Due to Hunterfus's computer trouble I've been selected as the next permanent Venetian Doge. I've played my first turn already and now the ball is in the Sicilian's(No idea how to spell that) court.

Here is my opening position as Venice, 2 cities with powerful navies, giving me more then enough room to expand and turn the Venetians into a superpower!


On the island of Crete all my troops move out with the exception of a unit of peasant archers. I hire some Balkan archers to supplement my troops.


Meanwhile near Italy my sneaky spy infiltrates Zagreb to scout ahead what's in it.


Immediately after my field army by Venice shifts up and besieges it.


Since there are no walls I decide to attack it.


The first Venetian victory of the campaign.


I occupy the city, as I will need the taxes from its inhabitants.


My general immediatly gains a trait


Now that I own the region I send my merchant toward the valuable gold resource.


Zagreb shall be developed into a town because of the smexy Italian spear militias.


I sell trade rights and map info to the sausage-eating beer-swilling swine for 1000 florins. Of course, I don't tell them that.


My initial garrison in the beautiful city of Venice minus an archer heads toward Florance, careful not to stray into Imperial lands.


One of my navies heads toward the boot of Italy and spots a 3 boat pirate navy.


The entire garrison from Raguza heads toward Durazzo to cut off the sneaky Sicilians from gaining a foodhold on mainland Europe.


My spy heads toward Hungarian lands lest they attempt a sneak attack.


My original Creatan fleet heads toward Constantinople with my army in it. I hope to take Constantinople before Gagonite(the Turks) decides to launch a Jihad on it.


I train troops everywhere, and then end my turn.


Since this is my first time playing as the Venetians, campaign advice would be appreciated. Also, constructive criticism on my writing style and pics would also be nice.

[This message has been edited by Hoppylyte (edited 01-28-2009 @ 10:59 PM).]

Bold opening moves. Do you think you can take Constantinople with only the garrisons from Iraklion? My suggestion would be to save money next turn and buy lots of mercenaries once you land next to the city.

Make sure to turn all the coastal settlements into towns and cities for trade. Get town guard ASAP and spam those Italian Spear Militias like crazy. Nothing this early will beat them on auto-resolve if you mass them.

[This message has been edited by el_bandito (edited 01-29-2009 @ 00:14 AM).]

What is your plan for the human factions? I've never played MTW, so don't ask me for help!

I plan to ally with Swampies sicilians and to seal off the turks expansion by taking Constantinople and Nicea early on. After that I'll finish off the remains of the Byzantine empire. Hopefully I won't have to deal with Ra's English troops or EOJ's spain as they'll be dealing with France and the moors respectively. I'll also try and get a early crusade going so EOJ won't get to call one on the moors. After all, the more time he spends unifying spain the less time he has to fight me.

[This message has been edited by Hoppylyte (edited 01-30-2009 @ 11:48 AM).]

But don't you have to kill them at some point to win? After you've done all that who will you target first?

After accomplishing my initial objectives I plan to leave the turks alive as a buffer against the Mongols. The human faction that I fight first? It will probably depend on if anyone gets themselves excommunicated by the pope and who's encrouching on my territory. I'll deal with the AI first as I'll need my full strength to take on my human counterparts.

I think leaving the Turks alone is a good idea, since they will be busy consolidating Rebel territories. After Gagonite and you have finished mopping up, there will be trouble I reckon.

Well fraps messed up or I did. I don't have any pictures of my last turn and I'm not going to reload it since it counts as cheating. So I'll just describe what happened. My army from crete is practically on the doorstep of Constantinople, but could not move closer to it due to either no more movement points or it was stuck in a 2 ship byzantine fleet's area of engagement. I dropped off my general in nicea to hire an armenian archer and alan light calvary mercenaries. My garrison from Venice is beseiging Florance and I"ve captured Durazzo. Finally the army from Zagreb is heading toward Byzantine lands via Greece.

Nice. Thessalonica can be a great economical settlement if you can capture it. Perhaps your siege of Constantinople will draw some of it's garrison away, thus making it's capture smoother. Sofia by this time might be besieged by the Hungarians but should you take it before them it serves as a great ward to the north.

yeah, sofia is a great frontier to tower up and be a fortress/citadel to protect the rich greek cities.

Sorry about not posting my last turn but basketball season was going into playoffs, so yeah. Anyways, I took florence, moved the army from Zagreb toward Sofia, attacked a byzantine fleet in the straights of Constantinople thus initiating a war. Since they had a fleet in the docks my own ships couldn't carry my army to Constantinople. So I made the decision to disembark and beseiged Nicea. I'll update this with pics as soon as possible. Sorry!

Edit:
I lost the pics for turn 3, but here's turn 4.


As you've seen, I sent a alliance proposal to the Turks via Email asking that he allows me to take over the Byzantine Empire and in exchange I distract crusades away from Turkish lands and give him free rein to expand south to Egypt. However, he has chosen to ignore my generous proposal and has even demanded that I give Constantinople to him. Psh, as if.


Eoj's Spainards are much more reasonable with their message to the Doge.


Well, with the addition of Florence I'm earning much more money. Also, I'm #1 for Military.


I've established an alliance with Swamprat's Sicilians, hopefully we'll be able to enjoy a golden age together.


I offer the Pope a alliance,military access, and pretty much everything else. I'll also pay tribute to the Papacy for 20 turns and donate Florence to them.


They happily accept!


I now have outstanding relationships with the Pope.


In the northern front my spy spots a Hungarian army while on his way to Sofia/Bucharest.


My faction heir follows and also hires some mercs.


In greece I have beseiged Corinth. It should fall next turn.


I decide to assult Nicea.


A near bloodless victory.


I sack for the $$$.


My army then heads for the jewel of Europe. Constantinople. My general builds watch towers along the way.


I spot a Byzantine fleet and attack. I have more ships and experienced sailers. This should be a cakewalk.


Heroic Victory! I later then move my ships towards the docks at Nicea. I should've blocked the sea bridge from Constantinople-->Nicea so that the Byzantine army can't attack me yet.. but I moved too soon. -,-


I now have a 2 star Admiral!


Using my newfound papal favor I call a crusade on Antioch to punish the Turks for their impudent offer. For some reason I couldn't call it on Iconium though despite having 9 crosses.


I love this movie clip, I really do.


After hiring 2 merc spearmen my doge then proceeds to join the crusade. Then he gains 1 chivalry.

Don't you just love crusade mercs? I later shift my army toward the sea and hire 3 merc galleys.


I send a messsanger to the Turks. They shall pay for their insulting offer to me. However, the Doge is merciful and willing to give the barbarians another chance. He does lists the consequences of what will happen if they do not comply though... As it is said, it is much better to be feared then liked. It's time to spread some fear to those Turks.


My message to the Spaniards is much more cordial.

[This message has been edited by Hoppylyte (edited 02-13-2009 @ 09:16 PM).]

Congratulations on the capture of Nicaea. That settlement can be a great forward base. Watch out for the Turks though.

I also applaud your diplomatic genius. With Sicily and more importantly, the Pope as your ally, you just secured your backside and you can march towards the Holy Land with your crusading army without worry. I am interested in how the Turks will reply. Quite a pickle Gagonite finds himself in.

Here is a piece of advice. Since you are intent on expanding East, I suggest you to build shipyards and create a mighty fleet. That way, you can safely deliver your troops fast to any place of your choice all the while protecting your coastal settlement from any sudden incursions. Strong fleet really helped me in my hot-seat against EoJ (I play as Venice too), as it will help you.

As your nation grows, don't forget to place watch towers and spies.

[This message has been edited by el_bandito (edited 02-16-2009 @ 09:55 PM).]

Thanks Bandito, though I'm not exactly sure about the secure backside though. Sicily has told me that if I would like to keep up my alliance with the pope then I have to pay him 200 florins per turn... Also he's "requested" an additional 1k florins per turn that my army's on crusade if I want to stay allied with him. I'll probably stretch it out over a long period of time, say.. 500 for 20 turns instead of 1k for 10 so that he'll have an incentive to wait until he's received all his tribute from me. By that time hopefully the Turks and/or the Byzantines will have fallen, which will allow me to turn my full might upon the Sicilians if they continue to blackmail me into paying them the hard-earned florins of Venice.

Stretching the payment sounds good. I don't think you should trust an ally who blackmails you. Make sure you have a decisive victory in the East all the while being vigilant in the West.

Turn 5 for Venice

3 messengers arrive at the beginning of turn 5.

The one from Sicily A.K.A. "The Sicilian Mob"


The Turks


Spain A.K.A. "The Christian Peoples of Spain


Financial summery, with the crusade I'm turning 2k florins a turn now along with being the #1 military power in the world.


Using this power I assult Corinth, drawing in the Byzantine reinforcements. The odds are equal though they have horse archers and I have Italian spear militia. autoresolve should favor me.


Clear victory with minimal losses


I sack for the $$$


Near I attack the Byzantines near Constantinople, drawing in the garrison.


Quality of my troops triumphs over superior commanding skills. Heavier losses then I would have liked.


I gain 2 traits.



I follow up by beseiging Constantinople.


My crusading army lead by the Doge takes care of a small rebel army.


Clear victory


He gains a trait.


My spy has spotted the Hungarians beseiging Sofia. Hopefully the Hungarians will lose and weaken the garrison sufficiently for me.


My messages to Spain and the Turks respectively. I must have forgot to take a screenie of my message to Sicily.

Good job humbling the Turks. With Constantinople in your hand you will be free of any cash worries and expand to your heart's content.

About you fellow Christians, I don't trust them at all. EoJ clearly have selfish motive judging from his reply. He doesn not care whether you live or die. The Sicilian mob is just that, an extortionist. Trust them as long as you pay the money.

Perhaps England will offer you a hand of friendship?

I'm glad to see that your Italian militia are doing well, since it means that mine will work for me, and I'm planning on using them a lot.

My computer's acting really strange right now... Fraps didn't save any pictures despite me seeing the FPS counter flash up each time I press my screenshot button, I constantly get "Insecure internet activity, threat of virus attack" whenever I visit websites. And not to mention, in the hotseat campaign I cannot accept any diplomatic offers! Anyways, for my turn I was forced to counteroffer 650 florins for 10 turns to him, I abandoned the siege of Constantinople in favor of attacking the other army next to it. (Odds changed from 5:8 to 1:1 when I did that since Constantinople has a 9 star general defending it. Damned Tactius bastard.) and I won a clear victory. I finished off a small Byzantine army by Corinth, and I am now beseiging Sofia since the Hungarians lost in their assult.