Sicily

[KillingMeSoftly]

Right now I'm having a blast playing as Sicily. Early campaign, year 1119. I decided from the onset that I would keep my fighting against Catholics to a bare minimum and instead focus on capturing Africa and defeating the Moors and Fatimids. I've since captured Bari, Cagliari, Palma, and every settlement in Africa between Oran and Benghazi. By the time I reached Tunis, the Moors were already knocking on my door and eventually pushed them back all the way to Oran. Same holds true for the Fatimids, taking Tripoli and Benghazi. I've allied with the Papal States (max favor at the moment), and a few other choice factions (Portugal, England, Byzantines, and Knights Templar).

I've went on every Crusade since the first one that I called shortly after the game began (I've requested each one), and currently all the muslim nations hate me and have started a jihad against Palermo -- it's been great fighting the huge jihad stacks that wander through my African territories and land on Sicily. Most fun I've had in a campaign for a little while, and the Fatimids are a powerhouse and a tough enemy to crack. I held Damietta for a while through a crusade but I left after what seemed like a dozen back-to-back sieges. I still have that army with several units with gold experience, they're currently held up in Benghazi defeating jihad armies sent by Egypt.

Anyone else have any fun and entertaining experiences playing as Sicily? I don't see many people discussing this kingdom.

[meese]

Oh heck yeah. I might've posted a campaign a little while back, or I may not have. Early era was really fun with the norman knights who look good and fight well too. Plus you've got muslim archers and all the normal italian militias which will overrun any army thrown at you.

I pretty much took Tunis then buggered off to attack the other italian states until I was excommunicated (again) and took Rome as payback. Got a cardinal onto the papal throne and smooth sailing from there.

I'm not sure why I loved Sicily so much - maybe the starting position, the units..I dunno. But it was one of the few that I really liked. I think it might also be to do with the grey colour scheme..it fits nicely with the units

[Ochiee]

the reason why sicily are favorites mostly (i think..because this is what i think..hehehe) :
1. great position this means you can expand east, west, and south pretty quickly
2. if you expand south, most of your priest have a high chance to become cardinals (i think this is why sicilian cardinals are common in the early stage of the game).
3. without a doubt norman knights..

hell yeah, this is also one of my favorite faction.

p.s
meese strategies of taking rome is quite interesting although in 6.2 i won't do that early...*sigh* you know why

[Kawee]

Playing Sicily in 6.2 is a much bigger challenge. Your potential "targets" now become potential "problems." For the first time, Venice and Milan were the ones to declare war on me except the other way round. The fact that their militias matched mine, and the improve BAI, meant I was in for one tough fight. Love the challenge though.

It's all about controlling the Italian Peninsula though, as far as I'm concern.

[KillingMeSoftly]

"Potential problems" is a good way to put it. My war with the Fatimids has ground to a halt, though the Moors are a much softer target. My biggest concern is Venice who attacked me last turn, so I had to pull my army from Palermo to defend Naples and Bari. I defeated several of their stacks and hopefully I can take their nearby fortress, south of Venice (I forget the name). With my luck, I half expect a couple Jihad stacks to appear out of nowhere and hit Palermo while I'm busy with Venice... *sigh!*

Sicily seems to have a pretty solid roster; the Italian militias are very good and muslim archers are excellent. I've not been able to recruit any Norman knights yet, though. I also like that Sicily's merchant cavalry militia have lances with a good charge stat.

[Vaz]

Ragusa? Or the Italian Peninsula one?

Merchant Militia are heavily underrated early game. I just put all my effort into training Norman Knights early game - wipe Genoa off the map, and claim Marseille, Milan, Florence, Cagliari, Corsica, and Genoa in the first 20 turns, and you're set for life =D I don't bother with northern africa, until a Crusade is called on Cairo, at which point I land about 5-6 armies, and take Damietta, Gaza, Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor, and maybe move north to take Jerusalem depending on the Fatimids presence in the local area. Then, I just sit back, and grant the homelands, like Palermo, Bari, Syracuse and Napoli to Rome, as they then prove to be the greatest help along with the Knights Templar.

[Ochiee]

wipe Genoa off the map, and claim Marseille, Milan, Florence, Cagliari, Corsica, and Genoa in the first 20 turns, and you're set for life =D I don't bother with northern africa, until a Crusade is called on Cairo, at which point I land about 5-6 armies, and take Damietta, Gaza, Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor,

medieval Adolf Hitler and no... i won't say Moussolini

i allied with the venetians early game to secure my northern border. At my campaign the muslims of Moors and Fatimid are dominating the entire game. So i put my attention south early in the game (Fatimid destroyed the Templar and Seljuk. Now they are moving to Constantinople in turn 52. Fully conquering Anatolia.. and the Catholics in Iberia are fighting each other despite the truth that a Crusade was called on Granada)

[meese]

Ancona I believe is the one KillingmeSoftly is talking about.

[KillingMeSoftly]

Ancona I believe is the one KillingmeSoftly is talking about.

Yup! I also agree with Vaz on the topic of Merchant Militia -- being able to recruit decent cavalry from a city early is excellent... not to mention other benefits of Merchant Guilds. Seems that the Italian factions have better militia cavalry, too.