Kingdom Of Jerusalem - help please

**Lyons6** · August 27, 2008, 01:48 PM

First of all I would like to say that this mod is damm excellent. I don't usually use mods but this one was just too good to pass up. The work that has gone into it well it's what the game should have been.

Now onto my question I decided to try my hand with the Kingdom of Jerusalem and would like some early game pointers from you guys. The Fatmids are quite close on both sides and any opinions as to how to steer my kingdom through the first few turns would not go astray

One other note I expected my King to be Baldwin the Leper King but it's someone different. Does he appear or is he just referenced in the faction blog at the start? Also does Baylien appear? I heard he was in the crusades campagin and wondered if he to might make as appearance.
cheers
Lyons

**dstarsboy** · August 27, 2008, 02:06 PM

There's a couple of threads about this already. KoJ is one of the hardest factions to start with. Simply try not to fight on multiple fronts if you can help it and if a jiahd is called against you... pray.

**Lyons6** · August 27, 2008, 02:08 PM

Is it best to avoid Fatmids completely or try and take some ground on them and if so which direction towards Byzantine or Cario? Failing that should I just try and consolidate the towns I already have first??
Cheers
Lyons

**aduellist** · August 27, 2008, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Lyons6

First of all I would like to say that this mod is damm excellent. I don't usually use mods but this one was just too good to pass up. The work that has gone into it well it's what the game should have been.

Now onto my question I decided to try my hand with the Kingdom of Jerusalem and would like some early game pointers from you guys. The Fatmids are quite close on both sides and any opinions as to how to steer my kingdom through the first few turns would not go astray

One other note I expected my King to be Baldwin the Leper King but it's someone different. Does he appear or is he just referenced in the faction blog at the start? Also does Baylien appear? I heard he was in the crusades campagin and wondered if he to might make as appearance.
cheers
Lyons

If KoJ is your cup of tea, I'd recommend trying out OTZ's AoR mod with the KoJ add-on. That's what I'm playing now.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=176531

**Lyons6** · August 27, 2008, 02:13 PM

Thanks for the mod tip aduellist and it's something I will certainly look at though I think I will play atleast one game with SS first heh. If you have any pointers to using the Koj with this mod I would greatly appreciate the pointers.
cheers
Lyons

**aduellist** · August 27, 2008, 02:30 PM

One key thing to remember is that Crusades are your friends. Call Crusades on Cairo or Alexandria. You don't necessarily have to join them, but they'll keep the Fatimids busy while you go look for greener pastures.

Pick your shots carefully. Use your limited resources where they'll do you the most good and the enemy the most damage. If the opportunity presents, take out the Nile Delta (Damietta/Alexandria/Cairo). Holding those will put a serious dent in the Fatimids' ability to produce top tier units that can hit you quickly. Not to mention generating a nice income for you!

KoJ has a difficult starting position, so be prepared to grind it out!

**Lyons6** · August 27, 2008, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by aduellist

One key thing to remember is that Crusades are your friends. Call Crusades on Cairo or Alexandria. You don't necessarily have to join them, but they'll keep the Fatimids busy while you go look for greener pastures.

Pick your shots carefully. Use your limited resources where they'll do you the most good and the enemy the most damage. If the opportunity presents, take out the Nile Delta (Damietta/Alexandria/Cairo). Holding those will put a serious dent in the Fatimids' ability to produce top tier units that can hit you quickly. Not to mention generating a nice income for you!

KoJ has a difficult starting position, so be prepared to grind it out!

Well I called the Crusade (on Cario) and most of the Europeans have jumped at the chance to head over for some bible bashing

I have waited about 3 or 4 turns before joining myself... would have liked to have held out abit longer but was starting to go into the red and needed to start consolidating. I have started my crusade army near Damascus and will travel down slowly so hopefully other will start to arrive before I get there

I am tempted to give Damascus or some other city I take to another faction just to get another presence here initially to take more heat off me would that be wise? Also does anyone know why I didn't start with Baldwin the Leper King as my leader?
cheers

**knight of virtue and valor** · August 27, 2008, 02:32 PM

as the templars I LIVE on crusades.

**knight of virtue and valor** · August 27, 2008, 03:55 PM

And balin the elf!

**Lyons6** · August 28, 2008, 04:05 AM

After several tries I found the best way to start with Koj is to use their good early units and go on the offensive right from the off. Pump out as many units as you can till your indebt and split one force and head for Damascus and the other towards Gaza and onwards. I used two armies side by side to force my way down into Alexandria and a single huge stack when took Damascus, Antioch and Aleppo before stopping.
An soon as I could I call a Crusade I set it on Cario and then somehow managed to broker a ceasefire with Fatmids

I now intend to consolidate till the crusades arrive and then try and finish the Fatmids off then. All in all I'm fairly happy with events as they stand.

...note while I was quite a way into the red with this method my gamble was after taking several of the Fatmid cities my coffers would start to balance and head for the black which they had by turn 12 I think....

**The Noble Lord** · August 28, 2008, 08:18 AM

Make alliances with the Pope and call Crusades on Fatimids, that should give you some breathing space.

**aduellist** · August 28, 2008, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Lyons6

After several tries I found the best way to start with Koj is to use their good early units and go on the offensive right from the off. Pump out as many units as you can till your indebt and split one force and head for Damascus and the other towards Gaza and onwards. I used two armies side by side to force my way down into Alexandria and a single huge stack when took Damascus, Antioch and Aleppo before stopping.
An soon as I could I call a Crusade I set it on Cario and then somehow managed to broker a ceasefire with Fatmids

I now intend to consolidate till the crusades arrive and then try and finish the Fatmids off then. All in all I'm fairly happy with events as they stand.

...note while I was quite a way into the red with this method my gamble was after taking several of the Fatmid cities my coffers would start to balance and head for the black which they had by turn 12 I think....

Now, if you can master the "Crusade Wingman Gambit" you'll be set!

Call a Crusade, build an army and have a diplomat on hand. When the Crusading armies start showing up, ally with the first full stack that arrives north of you. Then have your army march along, taking enemy settlements at each choke point that interrupts the progress of the AI army. If you can time it out so a few Crusading armies are in the vicinity and you get your Crusading army to the target first, the others will "clear your six" for you while you are besieging the target.

**Lyons6** · August 29, 2008, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by aduellist

Now, if you can master the "Crusade Wingman Gambit" you'll be set!

Call a Crusade, build an army and have a diplomat on hand. When the Crusading armies start showing up, ally with the first full stack that arrives north of you. Then have your army march along, taking enemy settlements at each choke point that interrupts the progress of the AI army. If you can time it out so a few Crusading armies are in the vicinity and you get your Crusading army to the target first, the others will "clear your six" for you while you are besieging the target.

May have to try this as Seljuk has now got a whole bunch of cities now and will be the next one to threaten me. As soon as I can get another Crusade up and running I shall see how I go with some 'blockers'