Strategy Suggestions - Byzantines Early Campaign

[Mamertine]

Hey SS, long time fan, just got the bug to play again after taking a few years off. I was hoping for some outside perspective on what to do in my campiagn.

-Byzantium, early campaign, around 1125
-allied with Seljuks (So-So)
-Seljuks are very strong, just jihaded Jerusalem
-Seljuks and I are competing for 1 and 2 in terms of power
-Seljuks taking on Crusader States, Fatimids, Kwarz and winning
-Seljuks own from Anatolia to Persia, Caucus to Gaza

I was hoping to wait for the Mongols, but by then the Seljuks might be too strong and own half the map. I can take them, no problem, but not as easy in 20-30 turns. But that would make me break my alliance (not sure about long term consequences, but I won't need another alliance after this). Playing on the 5/10 aggressive AI level.

Do I:
1. Attack Seljuks, break alliance, have the rest of the world hate me, and reclaim all of Anatolia and parts of the Levant and Armenia.
2. Head West and retake North Africa and Italy Belisarius-style,, pissing off Christendom and risk calls for Crusades against me, while still not addressing the powerful Seljuks, and wait for the Mongols to invade.
3. Turtle and hope the Fatimids and Kwarz hold back the Seljuks and wait for Mongols to clean house, maybe a Crusade will help out.

Mongols come around 1215, right? Been a long time.

[English Total War Gamer]

If you pump for your 2nd strategy then you don't need to worry about crusades, the Pope won't call one on an Orthodox faction.

[teks]

Going West in Early campaign is just plain too boring. Its just fighting spearmen. Really that's the problem with early campaign in general. You miss out on so much cool stuff that takes forever to unlock and end up putting those awesome byzantine troops up against nothing but spears for far too long. But, east at least has some diversity to make things a bit more interesting.

No matter which side you go on, someone from the other side will declare war unless you keep a strong border force. I used strong garrisons and a roaming provincial force ready to defend nearby settlements and chase off would-be invaders. Afterwards just seek marriage alliances, and give the other side a hefty regular tribute. Money won't be a problem.

I strongly suggest the Byzantine late campaign though. Very fun and challenging early on with a great payoff as you get to play against full unit rosters from the other factions. The Byzantine roster doesn't start to dwindle until very late, and even then their top-tier troops pretty much remain top tier through to the very end.