Papal State

**Anaatti** · July 22, 2009, 05:46 AM

So, what is wrong with the damn Papal State? Every Italian faction i play, they attack me at turn 10-15, and it sucks because then all others factions comes to my settlements and sieges them... help?

**handl3r** · July 22, 2009, 05:55 AM

Become an ally with them and try not to get excommunicated.

**Mafiozo** · July 22, 2009, 06:12 AM

Open campaign file and delete all of their units, that slows them down considerably, I always hate those campaigns where they take all Italy from states, this way they won't be able to take Ancona and will have small, and crappy army.

**deathsai** · July 22, 2009, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by handl3r

Become an ally with them and try not to get excommunicated.

That doesn't work.

In fact every campaign I start as the HRE or an Italian state, the Pope excommunicates me. (VH/VH)

It is kind of cute because I can easily blast through the Pope's armies and take Rome, which you'd think would be quite a feat. But an extremely annoying way to start the game.

**Anaatti** · July 23, 2009, 05:42 AM

Yeah, pope just gets mads and in late era, when he has pretty good troops, so its pretty hard.

**Grinning Grenadier** · July 23, 2009, 09:31 AM

I don't remember from Vanilla and have not done it yet here but if you war on the Papal states and take Rome do you take a huge hit diplomatically with the Catholic factions in general or is it treated as if you were just taking another city? If I recall correctly it doesn't matter if you take Rome and kill the pope, he still exists somewhere correct?

**Caesar Clivus** · July 23, 2009, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Grinning Grenadier

I don't remember from Vanilla and have not done it yet here but if you war on the Papal states and take Rome do you take a huge hit diplomatically with the Catholic factions in general or is it treated as if you were just taking another city? If I recall correctly it doesn't matter if you take Rome and kill the pope, he still exists somewhere correct?

If memory serves, if you conquer all of the papal states territory, a catholic faction will give one of their regions to the pope (and I'm guessing getting a huge bag of popey browny points for doing so). If no other catholic factions exist, I think the pope spawns somewhere with an army and conquers a region for himself. Haven't seen this happen myself, but I remember reading it on the official forums ages ago.

**ginger_hammer** · July 22, 2009, 06:39 AM

yes ally with them quickly and do general pope pleasing things like the pope missions, building churches/priests, going on crusade, and giving cash if neccessary. My current venice campaign I've had no problems with the pope (in all campaigns i've never really seen the papal states go on a mad one).
Hope this helps

**Mafiozo** · July 22, 2009, 08:46 AM

Since u are playing Venice then both Genoans and Sicilians are careful, if u choose another faction and one of them (Gen or Ven or Sic) gets excommunicated than pope will go on rampage. I found out that factions badly counter pope cause they don't want to attack him, so he just takes settlement after settlement. Reducing his army and prolonging his passivity is best way. I don't like warlike papal factions but some of the players find it campaign interesting.

**Gezoes** · July 22, 2009, 09:17 AM

My Scotland is very close to his holiness, supplied three popes and we rule the bishop council

If he gets any ideas beyond Italy, I have assassins nearby to convince him otherwise

The assassination movie for the pope alone is worth it

**Anaatti** · July 22, 2009, 11:39 AM

What version do you guys play ? I got 6.2 and playing with H/H difficulty. And they were my allys from first turn. And when i were allys with ERE, my papal standing started go down

**Gezoes** · July 22, 2009, 01:30 PM

6.1

The '6.2' isn't an official one by Kong, or am I mistaken? The '6.2' I've seen isn't compatible with RR and so forth anyway and I like that

**Caesar Clivus** · July 22, 2009, 07:07 PM

6.2 is official it just isn't developed by KK

**bɑne** · July 23, 2009, 10:45 AM

The faction is immortal so even without Rome there will be a (new?) pope

**XICenturionIX** · July 23, 2009, 11:53 AM

After a Crusade in the Levant on my Venetian campaign, I gave the Papacy Gaza because I could not afford to keep the garrison there. Afterwards, I conquered the Italian Papal States, leaving only Gaza left. I moved the Papacy from Italy to the coast of Palestine, right in the middle of expanding Fatimid territory; amusing to say the least.

**soldierwells** · July 26, 2009, 02:57 PM

This might be a little off topic but Ive been playing as Lithuania for a time and havent had any trouble with the Pope on a rope, of course had an issue with CTD at turn 31 so I had to restart. But Ive been using the same tactics of not building religous centers and focusing on military and money centers. I make as many allies with as many Catholics as possible and Kiev or Novgorod seems to work good. And my secret weapon of Papal tribute works as well. It helps balance the effect of my religious buildings when I build them. As war is concerned I take out rebels first and try to focus on orthodox nations second. But like I said CTD at turn 31 looms on the horizon. Bye the way has anyone had that issue. Ill post specifics in another forum.

**soldierwells** · July 26, 2009, 02:58 PM

Correction not forum I meant thread.

**Vae victis** · July 26, 2009, 04:28 PM

@soilderwells: you can post ctd problems in the bug reports thread. I suggest that you save more frequently, and then if you encounter another ctd, go back and load the most recent save. See if the ctd is repeatable. If it is you can report it as a bug, if not, you can continue to play your game, rather then having to start a new one.

Btw, welcome to the forums

As Lithuania, you will not need to worry about the pope unless he calls a crusade against one of your cities. When playing as an Italian city-state, use your excommunication to expand as much as you can. You are kind of SOL to be playing peacefully and then having the pope attack and excommunicate you.

You could try to hold the defenders off or pay for forgivness.

**Mythlacar** · August 05, 2009, 02:13 AM

Immediatly get one of the little Islands (Doesn't matter which really) and just keep it happy, if the pope gets all Crusadey on you, give him the island, usually get you back in the good graces.

Also, don't kill any catholics if you can help it, its one thing if you're halfway across the map and the pope hates you, but if he's next door and decides to invade, it is not a good thing at all. Hit the moors or byzantines, or even the Holy Lands, should work pretty well.

If you take Jeruselum, and or a couple other spots in the holy land, you can take Rome, and Florence, then give him your spots in the holy land for peace

**Warmaster Tibs** · August 05, 2009, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Mythlacar

Immediatly get one of the little Islands (Doesn't matter which really) and just keep it happy, if the pope gets all Crusadey on you, give him the island, usually get you back in the good graces.

Also, don't kill any catholics if you can help it, its one thing if you're halfway across the map and the pope hates you, but if he's next door and decides to invade, it is not a good thing at all. Hit the moors or byzantines, or even the Holy Lands, should work pretty well.

If you take Jeruselum, and or a couple other spots in the holy land, you can take Rome, and Florence, then give him your spots in the holy land for peace

It is fun setting the pope up for domination. As the Templars I gave them Antioch and the Eddesa pretending the where the Prince of pality of Antioch... well they went nuts and conquered half of easter Europe and owned my ass forcing me to flee for greace so....yeah..