Peace across europe in TLR

**waldopbarnstormer** · September 15, 2007, 02:29 PM

I am currently playing a campaign as the HRE and the year is 1205 and its all quiet on the western front, too quiet you might say.

Yes in an outbreak of harmony, nowhere in western and central europe is there war. The only conflicts being fought are by the portugese and spanish, the polish and Kiev/novgorod, and HRE (me) vs almohads, HRE vs Sultanate of Rum, HRE vs Egypt, HRE vs Syria, HRE vs Abbasids, HRE vs Kwarezm. In fact I am fighting islam by myself and kicking ass. The french and english just face each other and do nothing, Milan has 1 army and 70,000 florins in the bank, and all they do is attack rebels. The same goes for venice and sicily, they just don't want to fight each other and I am stuck in the middle, not wanting to get ganged up on because of alliances between milan and france, and poland and hungary, but eyeing the tasty prize of milans riches.

The pressure must break soon as I am getting bored, my bank just topped 100,000 florins so I think I will hire an army and crush milan.

**Irishmafia2020** · September 15, 2007, 04:46 PM

I had that happen once... medieval total peace... I think that it has to do with the alliance system, although if you want total war you should play the campaign on VH, and the a.i. becomes much more backstabbing!

**Balbor** · September 16, 2007, 12:56 PM

i'm playing England VH/VH and western Europe is at peace since 1080 and its now 13xx, there was a little fight between Spain and Portugal but that ended very quickly after Spain became a vessel of the Moores. Milan also tried invading France but that didn't last too long. Hungary Venice, Sicily, Poland and the Russian factions are fighting each other on/off,m but for England, France, HRE, Denmark and Portugal there are no wars except against the Muslims who are almost defeated.

I'm making 20k per turn, have 45 regions (mainly in the middle-east), and i'm having almost no battles. Even if I did start a war with someone else no one has the power to match me any more.

Game was pretty much wrapped up but 1250. The mercenary buildings are pointless, the AI waists time and money building them but doesn't use them, and i just convert them into cash. The troops you get from them aren't good value at all anyway.

**waldopbarnstormer** · September 16, 2007, 03:39 PM

I noticed that to about the merc buildings, so far no AI has built any units from them, maybe it is bugged.

Spain and portugal are constantly at war with each other and usually one of them is excommunicated, currently spain is losing. I am acting as a buffer between them and the moors as I control sevilla cordoba granada and badajoz. I think I will give them to spain to even things up a bit and get rid of having to constantly defend against moorish raiders becuase my main armies are off fighting in the holy land. Denmark attacked me foolishly and I wiped them out in 3 battles and a siege where they lost all of their generals.

The remaining provinces in sweden and norway I just can't be bothered with. I am also thinking of giving my eastern provinces to Byzantium and just keeping Acre, Jerusalem and Tyrus, then the Byz will take the brunt of the fighting because they only have 3 provinces left in greece, and I can move my veteran armies back to germany with my best generals to invade Italy.

**Fargham** · September 21, 2007, 02:08 PM

I've never seen the AI fail to utilize the Merc units. I'd say they probably go a bit overboard with them, utilizing the Mercs instead of cheaper units. Mercenary Halberdiers - for - example are in just about every army in Europe. They are great units, and despite my disdain for mercs, end up getting them myself.

As for peace - It happens sometimes - the AI starts building alliances like crazy, and if someone isn't willing to break things up a bit - the alliances get so large, if anyone was to go to war, you'd have WWI about 800 years too early. As for myself, I like to make sure I'm allied with one power in Western Europe, at war with one, and keep them attacking each other. Each of them will in turn get one or two neighbors to help them, and they help to keep Europe in a bit more of a violent state.

**ciciocle** · September 22, 2007, 11:37 AM

for me it really varies from game to game...
i once played with spain, and after i kicked out the moors from the peninsula, i started to consolidate my conquest with catalunia...but suddenly, france attacked barcelona...i kicked them out, only for making room for venice, who attacked me as well...and after that, came sicily...of course, the pope excomunicated me ('cause i took toulouse), and i had to face several crusades (including hre)...the only friend i had was england, which i helped against the french, defending Caen and Nantes (or it's called something else? anyways, the town in Bretagne) against the francish barbarians
it's annoying to be at peace with everyone, but it's more annoying to be at war with everyone...at least, when you are at peace, you can allways start a war

**Americanus Supremus** · September 23, 2007, 12:27 AM

I believe it was Maciavelli (spelling) who said," Wars start when you chose, but dont end when you like."

HC

**Smarmy** · September 23, 2007, 07:56 AM

Eh, they always use mercs! Always! The AI is quite good, at least if what you want them to do is make the most powerful stacks possible. Even if those stacks only include 1-3 units. I do find it annoying, however, ex. fighting Scotland once as England and never fighting any of his 'national' units. I'd always end up fighting merc armies, which include longbows. A bummer having some of the best bowmen in the game, when everyone can just hire them as mercs.