Turkish Campaign

[johnssec]

Hi, this is my first time posting, but I've been reading for a while

I was wondering what you guys thought the best way to start off is for the Turks. I haven't played a campaign with them yet in M2TW, but I did in the original MTW and enjoyed it. I could take the most obvious route (to me) and snatch up rebel territories around me then try to take out the Byzantine Empire, but I'm not sure I wanna get mixed up in European wars and stuff.

I could also expand up the opposite side of the Black Sea and into Russian territory, who early on will probably be easier to take out than the Byzantine empire. This way, I could establish trade rights and possibly even an alliance with the Byzantines, and just fight mostly rebel territories and the Russians unless I get betrayed.

And the final option that I see to start off is to make an alliance with the Byzantines, solidify my position my taking some rebel territories around me, then make war with Egypt and get all of those wealthy cities including Alexandria, Cairo, Antioch, etc. Also, if I do expand southwards into Egypt, what do you guys think I should do with Jerusalem? I'm tempted to just sack it then give it to someone so I don't get the crusade called against me, cause that's just a pain, and like i said, to start off I'd rather stay out of European affairs.

By the way, I play the campaign on Hard/Hard

[coffebean]

For my Turkish campaign, what I did was I took modern day Turkey, then got a ceasefire with Byzantium then I prepared for the Mongol Horde while also taking any free rebel cities in Russia or the middle east. Though when those Mongols come your going to be having bigger troubles then were do I expand

[Beserker]

In the late stages of turkish campaign now; need 9 more settlements with 50 turns left. At the start i found things pretty easiy, i think the main thing was that the eygptians put up very little resistance. I basicly just got a bit lucky and took constantinople quickly, built defences pronto and then defended it from various crusades and byzantine counters. In the meantime a went about destroying eygpt. Once you have the extreme eastern side of the med up and going (trading) you have more money than you know what to do with. Anitoch is currently making 8200 gold a turn, and all other cities on that coast are making over 5k. I left the russians plains alone as they not worth the cost of defending from the mongols. As a result the mongols rampaged through northern europe and i took advantage by taking modern day greece and the balklands, currently im launching naval invasions on italy and scilly .

Once you have the eastern med trading you cant fail, eveything else is unimportant. Ive gotta get my arse in gear because im running out of time, but its only because the tirmuids (or whatever they called) proved to be a major resource drain. You should prepare for them (nafftun great vs elephants) unlike me who was caught off guard. Im sure you will have fun, janissary troops are awsome.

[Oploc]

just take all the rebels, invade byzantine with horsearchers and spearmen till you get more advances troops. Optional to take holy land, as Pope will probly call cursades on u for it.