Venice Strategy?

[evolvedbullet1]

For those people who have played Venice, I just want you to know that I am getting attacked by your normal enemies so don't expect me to be attacking turks any time soon . (Hungry and Milan are my enemies at the moment).

Here is what I did right off the bat. I made a small army on Crete and moved it to Rhodes for an easy capture of a castle. After that, I assembled somewhat of a professtional army and moved into the Byzantaine empire although that was not my intention till I saw their numbers. What original happened was this, the army I have built (near the B.E.) was meant to capture another rebel settlement south of me. I don't know the name of the settlement but it looks like it's on the same longitude as the gap in between Sicily and Italy. Once I captured the rebel city, the B.E. give me their full war machine at my door. I crushed them easily and unfortunately I think every enemy I have right now is similar to the B.E., that is I think I can use the same tactic against everyone to win.

That statement was false once I tried it out on Milan, who attacked me first. Didn't work at all, I tried pinning them but flanking spearmen in the rear with horsemen. It causes a moral spike and some casualties but the spearmen will react to the threat and kill the horsemen that are behind them. I don't understand how I can flank the Milan and the Hungarians. I don't have any good technology at the moment and my main army consists of Italian militia and a general (or a mailed knight if I'm lucky). Help me please .

[Monsieur Alphonse]

If you charge with cavalry, you will kill the most enemies on impact. Retreat to a save distance and charge again.

If you play Venice you should destroy Milan asap or they will become a pain in the ass. The first priority is to secure your grip on Northern Italy. When you have taken control of northern Italy than you can play as you like it.

[evolvedbullet1]

Sounds like a good plan. I have had another problem as well. I have been testing a new professional army of mine in the custom battles and I want to win on impossible odds. I know it is possible because 1 out of the 5 times I do a battle, I win. I usually have a knight/general, 4 Italian militia (the wimpy kind, not the Italian spearmen militia which kick arse), and 2 archers. I would like more archers actually, but they only can be built at one place at the moment. That's across the small sea next to the right of Italy. I going to see what I can do, I don't know what to do exactly since Hungry is taking me down to Chinatown and Milan is doing the same. I just defeated the majority of the B.E. (they only have one more city left, Corinth). I'm wondering if I should take that city out and set that new as my capital since I might lose Venice due to the massive amounts of men rolling around that area (foes).

[Monsieur Alphonse]

The castle is called Ragusa. If you fight with such a small and weak army you need to be sure that you are defending a hill. Let the enemy come to you under a hail of arrows (sounds like you have only peasant archers). Use flaming arrows and have them run at you to make them tired. Tired units rout more easily. As soon as the enemy is close to you hit them hard and flank them with your general. Try to get a route from that side and attack with your general the next unit. If the enemy doesn't have an overwhelming majority have your spear units chase the routers.

I would take out Corinth so to eliminate the enemy in the back. This will free some troops for other fronts. Your capital should always be at the center of your empire. If you are able to supply Venice with troops (preferably Italian spear militia and pavise crossbows) use it to bleed your enemies. If the city doesn't have strong defenses place your army on the bridge and use the bridge defense tactic to bleed the enemy.

PS. My advice to take out Milan was for starting a new campaign with Venice.

[antirelic]

I've played Venice and done rather well with them on Hard/Hard.

My first mission is to kiss the popes behind as much as possible. This will keep most factions from attacking you, thus allowing you to expand eastward along the coast (Zagreb, and all the way down). You will run into the Byzantine first, who will be a huge pain. Destroy them and take their cities as much as you can, as they will have to deal with Turks anyway.

As the Venitians, be sure to occupy islands! These are easy to capture, and rarely have anyone try and take them. Plus they help generate great amounts of trade with a seaport!!! This will also require you to use a navy, but thats not bad because sea power is also useful if you like to do hit-run-sack-loot-leave tactics, which is what I did to keep Venice growing strong and fast.

Eventually you will HAVE to deal with Milan (most likely your first enemy). Let them attack you and get ex-communicated, then wipe them out (you'll probably have a pretty large empire by that point). Also, be sure to ask the pope to send out a few crusades every now and again to keep your neighbors off balance, and also give you the opportunity to strike out and get alot of money.

[delra]

Maybe it's a cheap trick but for a substantial tribute, starting cash, alliance and trade rights, HRE will sell you Bologna. Take Florence and you are all set to dominate northern Italy.

[Poradain]

Maybe it's a cheap trick but for a substantial tribute, starting cash, alliance and trade rights, HRE will sell you Bologna. Take Florence and you are all set to dominate northern Italy.

I concur with purchasing Bologna from the HRE at the start. In my game, after map trade, trade rights and alliance, I bought Bologna for 1850 for 4 turns. The purchase also gave me 5 units of mercenary crossbowmen which I sent immediately to capture rebel Florence. The combined income of Florence and Bologna pays for a large portion of the purchase leaving most of my starting cash for buildlings. Position wise, this move grants a more secure foothold in Northern Italy which can be used for later advances into France. The purchase also gives a head start on Milan and takes the fight to their capital.

[Hrafn]

I play on M/M and was able to capture Bologna from HRE very early (just after getting Zagreb and Ragosa and Rhodos). Didnt take long before HRE approached for a ceasfire. I then got Florence and the Sicilian town on Italian mainland (they also wanted ceasfire fast) and then Milan attacked me, so i responded in kind and conquered their two Italian cities while still in good Papal-favour.

Im for a early landgrab and then concolidating my holdings

[killer_squid]

You ATTACKED HRE? That can be trouble, they will still have bad relations with you, even if its a ceasefire. Garrison your troops and mass an army, they will attack.

[Zeno of Citum]

Being allied with HRE would be much better because HRE would most likely have so much to do with the rest of europe France, Denmark, Milan.... Beating down Milan and after that the Byzantine Empire, that would just be a good idea I think.
Now that you got Bologna your probably quite safe from attacks form HRE anyway.

[Sher Khan]

I prefer simply buying off Bologna by offering them a nice sum of florins, Iraklion, trade rights, map information, and an alliance in exchange right from turn 1.

It then leaves me from having to deal with the Byzantines and Egyptians and does away with an entire front so I can concentrate on where it really matters - Italy.