My first TLR Game and my first post

[antirelic]

Hello all,

I'm new here, but am familiar with forums for a while. I found out about TLR from google (some spotlight on gamestop.com about this mod). Anyway. I gotta say that I am really loving this mod. I have been playing M2TW since it came out, so a good change was much needed.

I'm on my second game (first game lasted 10 turns then I came here and read that I had basically dug myself into a hole by expanding too fast), and am playing England. I have read alot of different discussion threads and have taken alot of advice, plus alot of experience that I had from the past.

Noting how the map is ALOT bigger, and the economy is ALOT more complicated, I've taken the time to focus on diplomacy where in the past I usually just used blitzkrieg tactics to get to the olga to fend off the Mongols and Tumirids... but I digress.

When I first started, besides building initial improvements as recommended, I also built diplomats to go out and strike up trade agreements with all distant factions as I possibly could. I ended up keeping a diplomat between France and HRE (to keep their spirits up), I kept one diplomat stationed in Rome (who also acted as an ambassador to Milan, Sicily, and Venice) to deal with the pope, one towards spain, and the last towards Constantinople. I maintained this posture through most of the game (always paying close attention to the death of my diplomats and replacing them).

I expanded slowly in the beginning, only attacking neutrals at the behest of the Council (2500 florins needed). By 1091 I had acquired South Hampton, Bruge and Essex. I made sure to keep a limited number of troops, and made sure to build at least farms and roads every time I conquered. In 1091 the first Crusade was called. I basically had to take the garrisoned units from Rome, South Hampton, and Nottingham, leaving them with only a general to hold down the fort. I sent my faction Heir to do the devils work in the holy land.

Using the advice to go across the Mediterranean via Italy to Greece then through the islands and onto Egypt. I conquered Alexandria first, plundered it, and then sacked Cairo within the next 3 turns. The crusade was over before it begun for the other factions.

I then sent my heir on a muslim slaying mission. By 1099 I had conquered Damascus, Tyrus, Antioch, (and the three forts in between them). The only problem was now there were large stacks of non crusader armies starting to wash up on the home front, so I contacted the Pope and called a crusade on Baghdad. This time I waited for turn 9 to join the crusade, giving every one else a good head start. I then joined and took Baghdad by 1102. I was sure hoping that those stacks were stuck in neighboring or distant territory when the crusade ended and some wars started...

At this point, I realised that I was way over extended. My economy was slowing down. The conqeured provinces were not producing enough money to pay for the units that protected them. So I came up with a scheme. I decided that I was going to keep Jerusalem and Tyrus (because the Hospitalar nights opened up a chapter there) and the fort nearby. I would have 3 coastal holds in the Middle East. To keep the pressure off of me, I gave Antioch and the keep to the west of it to the French (rank 6 faction, and neighbor). I gave Damascus and the fort north of it to the Venetians (there are my rival in power, but not a neighbor). I gave Baghdad to Rome (as a joke). I turned over Cairo to the HRE. I decided to keep Alexandria and the village on the Arabian coast.

I came to peace with the Asyrians and the original owners of Cairo. So only the owners of Baghdad were against me, but to get to me, they had to declare war on the Venetians. My goal is to drag enough catholic factions into the middle east to keep them from breathing down the neck of my relatively lightly defended homeland, that was more focused on conquering Ireland and Wales, and upgrading London and Nottingham to really need to do any serious fighting.

The year is now 1128 AD. Another crusade has just been ordered. My prince "Edgar" King of Jerusalem has a 0 loyalty rating and appears to be readying to seperate from the Empire. Fortunately a crusader army with the next heir to the throne is on its way across the mainland to fight the Muslims... or reclaim lost lands.

I'll post some screen shots when I get the chance. I never thought giving away territory was a feasible strategy, but so far, so good. I have been able to flourish while my Catholic neighbors smash heads with heretic Muslims who are crazed to get their capitals back. I suppose the party is going to end when the Mongols get here... I just hope that there are enough power in the Muslim factions to return to dominance once the Mongols drive the crusaders into the Mediterranean.

Oh, by year 1112, I was in control of the Papacy (installed an English pope). Since churches have no military or economic value, the AI doesnt seem to create them. After my 4th church and my foothold in Jerusalem (surrounded by provinces with less than 15% catholics), I was able to basically stack up on Cardinals and win the elections when the pope Died. I'm on my third English pope right now, and Spain has been excommunicated. All the armies of Europe are off in the fighting the infidels... perhaps its time to claim some spanish territories for England (or at least a plunder fest).

[Irishmafia2020]

I enjoyed reading that, you should post it in the AAR thread.
I use crusades in much the same fashion, to absorb the energies of my European neighbors so that I can manuever on other fronts. So far the middle East has absorbed most of the crusades I have requested against them, and their is no permanent European presence in the holy land in spite of the numerous temporary conquests in the region. I am currently, as Venice, supporting a lengthy Moorish defense against a crusade just so that several major armies from my rival factions will be crushed against the moorish fortifications before they finally fall. Additionally I have gifted key provinces to France and the Byzantines, and therfore effectively developed those minor powers (in my game) into useful proxy-states to be used against Milan and Sicily who are my chief local rivals. I have done the same with the Sultanate of Rum in Anatolia. Gifting provinces in this game is actually a useful strategy. I find that I often use warfare to generate quick investment income. I capture a city with my seaborne raiders, I sack it and sell most of the valuable buildings. I usually leave at least one military building, unless i am using scorched Earth tactics. I then immediately gift or sell the province, and take my army to the next target. You see, in TLR, it is nessecary to build up a city, and occupy it to make it profitable. Therefore, rather than keep the city and invest in it, I just raid and sack and give it away. I have used the extra territory to bolster several weak factions and direct their warfare against my rivals. I use the money I make from these ventures to support my military and to invest in the provinces that I actually do intend to incorporate into my empire. I find that these gifts that I am giving (10 territories so far) have really spiced up the game and made diplomacy useful. The map is a changing patchwork of medievil states as well, which is somewhat realistic. Good look with your campaign, it sounds fun. I have to go finish building my foreign legion (all Mercs) and then set out on another raid and sack mission which will reward both me and my coalition of client states.

[EmperorFabulous]

It's an interesting read, but he does bring up an interesting point that I've picked up on myself. The Catholic AI doesn't seem to do much in terms of producing religious buildings or figures until they have much larger empires.

Try playing Spain and focus on slapping churches (and therefore adding a priest) in every settlement you capture for, say, your first 50 turns. I've replicated it three times now and I can get control of the Papacy far too easily, often keeping control for many, many years. It just seems you take religious control so easily and it's almost as if the other Catholic factions are oblivious.

To the devs: anything that can be done about that?