First Time CTW player. Wow!

[Colonel Kraken]

I just recently pulled out my old MTW and really enjoyed it, but started thinking to myself (because my rig can't support M2TW), "I wonder if anyone made a mod of RTW for the Medieval era?" One Google search later brought me to you guys. Great work!

Couple questions:

I was playing the Byzantine Empire in MTW, so I decided to go for it in CTW. I was doing great until all of a sudden the Seljuk (sp?) Turks started after me heavily. I have won almost every battle and yet they come after me with army after army after army. How do I stop these people? Now, my economy is suffering (the Turks have taken over 2 or 3 cities), and I can no longer support my professional army. How do the Turks get so many units?!
____________________________________
Bug?

I notice that when one of my settlements rebels against the Turks, I don't get any notification. I just happen to notice that I all of a sudden have the city back with a bunch of "free" units. Should I be notified?

Also, will I ever be able to build Kataphractoi (sp?). I love these units in MTW!

Thanks!

--CK

[BNS]

I was player the Byzantine Empire in MTW, so I decided to go for it in CTW. I was doing great until all of a sudden the Seljuk (sp?) Turks started after me heavily. I have won almost every battle and yet they come after with army after army after army. How do I stop these people? Now, my economy is suffering (the Turks have taken over 2 or 3 cities), and I can no longer support my professional army. How do the Turks get so many units?!

Im glad you are enjoying the mod.

The Byzantines start the campaign after their defeat at Manzikert. Their financial situation is not good and their armies are the most expensive to maintain out of every other faction. The turks on the other hand turn out to be the richest faction lots of the time thanks to cities like Baghdad, Antioch, Edessa, Aleppo, Jerusalem. ect.

I admit the poor Byzantines have it tough, whats worse is that unlike history you cannot hope for a crusade to offer you aid. Chivalry overall is tough on its economics and this catches many first timers off guard. Playing as the Bys the first few turns are very crucial. You re first concern should be improving your income by building financial buildings, disbanding unnecessary units, establishing trade rights and being friendly to neighboring factions. Dont worry about the military immediately, Constantinople is a good backbone.

To compete against the Turks I suggest capturing the rebel settlements in Asia minor before they do. Land surprise attacks on Antioch, Aleppo, and Eddesa. If you cannot hope to keep these settlements sack them, destroy their military buildings. Dont be afraid to attack the Armenians they are weak and they have to strong Christian settlements. They will probably back stab you later anyways. Be creative, Italy if it can be held without much conflict is a great source of income. The same as the russian rebel settlements and the island settlements, hey the Byzantines dont have the greatest navy for nothing, right ?

Im not a big Byzantine player Im usually the one that comes to their aid when they are getting their butts whooped. But I hope this helps. Chivalry tries to be very historical, even when player controlled its hard not to be fighting a losing war as the Byzantines.

I notice that when one of my settlements rebels against the Turks, I don't get any notification. I just happen to notice that I all of a sudden have the city back with a bunch of "free" units. Should I be notified?

Yes for some reason it doesn't always notify you.

Also, will I ever be able to build Kataphractoi (sp?). I love these units in MTW!

Of coarse what would the Bys be without them ?

[Colonel Kraken]

Thanks for the great reply.

I'm already a ways into the game, so I had already beefed up my economy as much as I can. I had noticed I had a lot of European allies who all of a sudden (a few turns into the game) dropped me as allies. I have sent diplomats, but it is no longer possible to ally with them. Is this the game design?

Also, Sicily has been at war with me since almost the beginning (and cannot take any of my cities), but he will not ever accept ceasefire. What can I do to stop the cold war and have them accept a cease fire? I am allied with Italy, but they are absolutely no help.

I have secured trade rights with most of Europe, but do I have to do anything to start trading with them? Or, do the game mechanics automatically take care of that? I'm wondering because I do not see any trade caravans going toward Europe (at least I don't think so).

What do I have to do to be able to build Cataphracts?

Also, can I simply add the "Byzantine sub-mod" directly onto this game? Does it improve the Byzantine faction?

Oh, by the way, instead of defending I decided to go on the offensive. I put a Turk city under siege. He sent one attack at me that I thoroughly trounced. Then he sent a big army at me (500+ men vs. my ~274. Unit size set to small). I thought I was toast. I won an Heroic Victory (killed 414 vs. 97 of mine)! So, now my cities are not under seige, and I have positive flow of funds again. Yippee!

Thanks for your help!

--CK

[DaVinci]

Diplomacy is tricky, yes, why do you should have it easy ... the poor RTW-AI needs some advantages vs. the human intellect.

You need of course land-borders to have land-trade, or just sea-lines with the ports (check your settlement-details/there trade-button).

Kataphractoi's are available in Constantinople for sure (check the buildings).

The byz submod will change some or most byz unit skins, but better ask this in the according thread (stickied).

[Colonel Kraken]

Thanks, Davinci.

I see I can build "Kiliphactoi" or some such. Is that the same as Cataphracts?

Thanks for your help!

[DaVinci]

Klibanophoroi ... you meant obviously.

Both, these and Kataphractoi are recruitable in certain regions (settlement/building browser: check it, with right-click on the buildings you can find all possible recruitments).

[Coni]

I agree Colonel Krakwen
Chivalry and Arthurian-Mod are the best projects of RTW or BI based mods.

Great! I hope I can see a new version with the new Byz Units soon.
Yours
Coni