Good defensive campaign...?

[Desperado †]

I'm looking for tips for a good defensive campaign I could somehow begin on Medieval II. I've unlocked all the factions, and have played many on very hard difficulty. What's the most effective and enjoyable campaign I can play, in which I could set up a defensive system and hold back a number of factions?
I've tried Venice after provoking Rome + Holy Roman Empire and setting up a number of forts in the alps, but I didn't quite work out my strategy and fell in debt. So I'd like some advise on how to make a strong defendable and preferably small empire in which I can enjoy holding back immense armies.
p.s I'm new to the forum and if I've posted this thread in the wrong place, or just that nobody posts this sort of thread, please dont poon me...

[Cmdr_Sdxo]

Egypt. Not only will you face the scorn of most catholic armies when they take their crusades on you, the Mongol hordes usually spawn near you(Yerevan or Baghdad most of the time) so you'll get to play defensive if you like. Their starting position offers nice economical advantages like the islands nearby that are good for getting nice trade income.

[Theseus1234]

the byzantines are also quite the defenders, with rich constantinople to bring in a lot of money

you can defend from both catholics and muslims at the bosphorous straits

the only drawback is that once gunpowder comes along, you are SCREWED

[dr_guerra]

Egypt is without a doubt the best defensive. Grab some rebel territories, ally the muslim powers, prepare and then the whole of Western Europe will descend on you in immense numbers.

I love it.

[RollingWave]

England too, sell your holdings on the mainland to the pope and just play to the end of times... NO ONE will ever come at you lol!!

[eisenkopf]

i agree with most posts, try egypt. a lot of factions will come knocking at your door (crusades, mongols, timurids), but your kingdom can be small and rich at the same time. most threats will come from the north/northeast, because to the west is the endless desert province of Tripolis.

if you want to turtle (i.e. play defensive campaign without too much war), try denmark, england/scotland or portugal/spain. their territories are easily defended, but not many factions will come after you.

[Desperado †]

Ty, i'll try Egypt. I've never liked playing Byzantine too far because of the lack of gunpowder in later periods. Thanks for Replies.

[Viking Prince]

Good luck and welcome to the forum! You will love Egypt for a defensive struggle.

[REDrake]

Poland. You can play offensively early on, but later on you'll be forced to defensive, especially against Denmark and HRE. Not to mention what happens in Mongols and Timurids show up at your borders.

[Bond]

Spain/Portugal are another two factions that should be mentioned. Once you take control of the peninsula you can start your defensive campaign. Money is not a problem, and if you blockade the land bridge connecting North Africa to Spain then you'll only have to watch out for naval invasions along the eastern coast and land invasions from your eastern border.

[8th Rome Light Guard]

Egypt? I think Turkey is wayyyy more defensive. In the beginning you are soon at war with the byz's and then once you capture the holy lands, you have all of Europe coming after you along with pesky remnants of the Byz provinces located on islands or Greece, and then the Mongols come along with the crusades, and Egypt's land looks to good to be left to them, and you are facing some of their weak retaliatory attacks on Alexandra. Then if you survive that "and let me remind you a lot of this is during the black plague", the Tims come streaming into your empire, along with the annoying crusades that have never beaten me once but def killed alot of my men and besieged my important cites. Every single turn consisted of defensive siege battles, open battles on key passages like the Constantinople regions, swift counter attacks, and a war of attrition against the Mongols. In order to survive this you need to know where every single florin of yours is going.

[Gokturk]

The really defensive campaing is Milan. Have fun while dealing with the armies of the Reich, France and Venice.