how do the AI actually manage jihad?

[napoleonic]

on my current game, the AI has called a jihad and currently a jihad is active

1st jihad called against alexandria which was owned by byzantine who surprisingly took it; btw that's the 1st time I ever saw byzantine took alexandria in any m2tw campaigns!

the 2nd jihad is both interesting and stupid; the sicily took antioch from fatimid by crusade and now a jihad is called against palermo

so what was that? why so awful choice of target? what are the AI priorities for jihad actually? and why jihads are generally not as many as crusades in this game?

[PerXX]

Because the faction who called the Jihad was at war with Sicily - most probable target = the Capital.
And the reason why there's usually fewer Jihads are that not all towns are targets for a Crusade/Jihad. Most of them are in the Middle East, and when they're controlled by muslim factions, obviously there won't be called a Jihad.
A Jihad requires an Imam with more than 5 piety, so if there are none of those around, there can't be called a Jihad.

[napoleonic]

the mod need to change jihad mechanic IMO

1. prioritize on getting back former islamic lands than enemies capital to prevent ridiculous jihad (london? lol)
2. 2nd priorities should be non islamic lands near islamic lands, example nicea or brazov or barcelona or perhaps genoa, easier reachable targets
3. lower the piety level... remember there are currently only 4 islamic factions compared to 14 crusadeable catholics

how is that?

[Alpha Zeke]

Theres the moors, egypt, turks, persians, cumans. Thats 5 xD

[sirfiggin]

In my campaigns Constantinople is almost constantly being Jihadeded.... but that might just be because I piss off the Muslims so much ;P

[Alpha Zeke]

I like your avatar sirfiggin!

On topic, Jihads go by a list in the game. They of course skip Muslim factions, and every town is not on the list, but all important ones are. When a Muslim faction goes too war with someone and they call a Jihad, it checks for the most imporant city from the list belonging too that faction. Too my belief
Prioritzing is most likely possible! I don't know if there is a limit too the targets list though... so all important cities must be included. If there is no limit though then you could add every town if you wanted too Putting middle eastern towns first.

[PerXX]

the mod need to change jihad mechanic IMO

1. prioritize on getting back former islamic lands than enemies capital to prevent ridiculous jihad (london? lol)
2. 2nd priorities should be non islamic lands near islamic lands, example nicea or brazov or barcelona or perhaps genoa, easier reachable targets
3. lower the piety level... remember there are currently only 4 islamic factions compared to 14 crusadeable catholics

how is that?

London is not a Jihad target... Most of Europe isn't. Palermo is a target, because it historically have been under muslim rule for hundreds of years. As said, the vast majority of Jihad targets are in the Middle East, and those that are outside have been chosen for a reason.
Jihads are not for expanding muslim territory, but to protect Islam. So no, Genoa or Barcelona should not be Jihad targets.

[Seether]

London is not a Jihad target... Most of Europe isn't. Palermo is a target, because it historically have been under muslim rule for hundreds of years. As said, the vast majority of Jihad targets are in the Middle East, and those that are outside have been chosen for a reason.
Jihads are not for expanding muslim territory, but to protect Islam. So no, Genoa or Barcelona should not be Jihad targets.

Exactly. To further elaborate on one point, only certain settlements have the jihad_target attribute and can have a jihad called on them.

[hippacrocafish]

I'd want to get rid of Bagdhad as a Crusade target, I honestly can't think of a more pointless target for a crusade.

[k/t]

The Cumans are pagan.

[Caesar Clivus]

Exactly. To further elaborate on one point, only certain settlements have the jihad_target attribute and can have a jihad called on them.

Not exactly true. In my Baltic map for Battle of the Baltic, no settlements have the jihad_target attribute. But I still had the Mongols (who are still muslim) call a jihad on Novgorod.

[Seether]

But if there are settlements with the Jihad attribute, don't the take precidence over all of those that don't? As far as I know Crusades and Jihads can't be disabled by eliminating the Jihad and and Crusade attributes.

[Caesar Clivus]

I certainly hope that's the case! Kinda pointless otherwise

[Gnostiko]

Not exactly true. In my Baltic map for Battle of the Baltic, no settlements have the jihad_target attribute. But I still had the Mongols (who are still muslim) call a jihad on Novgorod.

Unfortunately I can verify that. I removed Constantinople for the Jihad list (as is the right thing to do!) but in two new games after that I've seen a Jihad called on it. Curious really, as it's worked for me before. Something elsewhere must have changed between build versions