any way of lowering the defection rate on crusades?

[Oddball_E8]

title sais it all...

[TheLastPrivate]

Keep moving towards crusades. Keep the general in the army. If land is too slow or you have to make a long detour, take a boat.

[Oddball_E8]

eh... no... i mean in the files...

cos i recently got stuck at a templar town (forgot to move the army "inch by inch" since they arent smart enough to avoid cities) and the turn after (when i was one turn from my target and had been going non-stop through europe and was in the holy land already) almost half my army deserted in one fell swoop...

makes me not want to continue at all since i had an almost complete crusader army (ie. almost only crusader units like crusader sergeants and knights) but now i have only a handful of knights left...

[caralampio]

Yeah armies in general are so stupid for pathfinding but crusader armies seem to do it on purpose.

And agents, when I order them to go somewhere I stay with the pointer over the target and my finger ready on the mouse button because I know they will stop "because the path is blocked" 4 or 5 times. I don't care what you find on the road just get there!!!!

[aduellist]

eh... no... i mean in the files...

Yes, you can alter it in descr_campaign_db.xml. Here's the section you're looking for:

   <crusades>
      <required_jihad_piety int="5"/>
      <max_disband_progress float="20.0"/>
      <near_target_no_disband_distance float="4.0"/>
      <disband_progress_window float="3"/>
      <crusade_called_start_turn float="12"/>
      <jihad_called_start_turn float="12"/>
      <movement_points_modifier float="2.5"/>
   </crusades>

The values of particular interest to you are max_disband_progress float, disband_progress_window float and near_target_no_disband_distance float.

Lowering max_disband_progress float and/or disband_progress_window float reduces the rate of desertion. Setting them to 0 stops desertion completely.

Value of near_target_no_disband_distance float is tiles from target at which desertion stops. Raising that enlarges the "sweet spot" around the target in which no desertion occurs.

Hope that helps!

[Oddball_E8]

Yes, you can alter it in descr_campaign_db.xml. Here's the section you're looking for:

   <crusades>
      <required_jihad_piety int="5"/>
      <max_disband_progress float="20.0"/>
      <near_target_no_disband_distance float="4.0"/>
      <disband_progress_window float="3"/>
      <crusade_called_start_turn float="12"/>
      <jihad_called_start_turn float="12"/>
      <movement_points_modifier float="2.5"/>
   </crusades>

The values of particular interest to you are max_disband_progress float, disband_progress_window float and near_target_no_disband_distance float.

Lowering max_disband_progress float and/or disband_progress_window float reduces the rate of desertion. Setting them to 0 stops desertion completely.

Value of near_target_no_disband_distance float is tiles from target at which desertion stops. Raising that enlarges the "sweet spot" around the target in which no desertion occurs.

Hope that helps!

oh thank god for that... thank you (of course, now ive already loaded up a save from like 15 turns before that and played beyond the point where i got stuck... but now i know for the next time...)

[Oddball_E8]

yeah but armies are worse since they cannot leave a citys perimiter unless its yours...

"sir, there seems to be a town of some sorts in the way of our crusade... apparantly the templars are holding it and they are sympathetic to our cause, but wont let us through... maby we should go around?"
-"hmm... i dont know... ill have to think about it... for a bout 3 or 4 months... dont disturb me, ill be in my tent"

lovely... no wonder everyone deserts

[TheLastPrivate]

Never move via land unless you really have to. With the exception of Vilnius almost none of the crusade targets (the default ones that is) are landlocked... Also turn off the "fast movement" by pressing space, then navigate carefully.

[Gorrrrrn]

Looks like a change that would be popular anyone like to suggest the revised values?

I'd suggest making the distance from target a little larger, maybe 8?

But I wouldn't want to remove desertion completely - if you want to avoid obstacles toggle_fow and micromanage your movement. Better still declare the crusade just before you get on a boat?

[jepva]

Yes - don't declare yourself as a Crusade participant until you are within one move of the target city. You lose the enhanced movement, but you keep your troops.

On another note, when playing as a European faction, it is always useful to ask for a Crusade against another European faction once it is excommunicated, even if you have no intent in paticipating in the Crusade -or just minamally. The faction against which the Crusade is called will most often remain for the remainder of the game the enemy of all the factions which participated in the Crusade. This eliminates the possibility of trade rights with those factions and should impact its economy.