Post your challenging campaigns here :)

**Josh Knight** · August 21, 2010, 12:13 PM

The campaign im doing right now is the first actual challenge ive ever got on M2.

I am venice, and have conquered the islands around me and 1 settlement in Italy.( I had conqured 2, but i gifted one to the Crusader States to keep them around). I also crusaded against the moors in spain, and conqured Cordoba, Granda, and one other fortress which i can't remember. I can't manage to push into africa though.

2nd, I went to the Holy Land on another crusade and captured Jerusalem. But unfortunently, i couldn't ever manage to hold it, so i moved to capture Acre instead and sold Jers. to the Romans for 10k

. They act as a buffer to the fatmids for me as well.

But, the future of my campaign is in doubt. I only have 5k left, and have to maintain full stacks in all 3 spanish settlements and Acre. My offensive army of 2.5k of my best troops and king and prince was recently destroyed by a combined force of 6000 fatmids.

Thats my most challenging campaign, whats yours?

**Lushang** · August 21, 2010, 12:27 PM

I'm playing VH/VH late with Teutonic Order because they have my favorite units, and embody the Crusade that appeals to me. I cannot catch a break with these guys, the AI backstabs me every time. I restarted 3 times, right now my current campaign is shaping up poorly. I tried making alliances early on but nobody will join with me even on VERY Generous offers short of bankrupting me..

I rushed early, ignoring the XP farm of Rebels in my lands and hoping they won't seige my empty cities. I captured Lithunia's Capital Castle and Hrodna(sp?) to the West, then I traded the Capital to Poland to strategic alliance I needed, they wouldn't offer to go to war for me though but eventually it happened anyways..

Well the inevitable happend and Novgorod and the Danes start blockading my ports randomly, then all of a sudden 3 stacks of Novgorod troops appear near Riga. I call a Crusade to Gaza because I know there is no way in hell I'm going to defend against them, and I speed off my best troops towards the target. On the way I noticed Greece is all rebel now, and I'm in the process of sieging Constantinople on turn 27, with no idea of how I would intend on keeping said target. Riga fell and they are attacking my Capital castle with half stacks for some reason, I've defended once successfully but a CTD stopped my battle last night before I went to bed. Eager to finish this campaign win or loss, normally I'll restart once I get triple crossed by Poland, Danish, and Novgorod.

**chris7ian** · August 21, 2010, 08:35 PM

You guys should post screenshots and add to the already existing campaign thread.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160388

**Sanderlicious** · August 21, 2010, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by chris7ian

You guys should post screenshots and add to the already existing campaign thread.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160388

Good catch.

+rep

**Josh Knight** · August 21, 2010, 11:22 PM

But one thread gets soooooo long.

**Alpha Zeke** · August 21, 2010, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Sanderlicious

Good catch.

+rep

The reason I refused to contribute to this thread

Originally Posted by Josh Knight

But one thread gets soooooo long.

What's wrong with that? Means more people for discussing things.

I think this thread should be merged.

**Josh Knight** · August 22, 2010, 12:12 PM

refusing to contribute is not a good way to make a point

**iamsawyer** · August 21, 2010, 09:18 PM

Im also playing venice vh/vh on gracul ai. I play with the rule of maintaning one general in every settlement so i dont blitskreig but when the wars come i can have quick access to mercenaries and enough regeneratable heavy cavalry around. Anyway at about turn 50 i had venice, ragusa, bari, ancona, and durazzo. Then i decided to steal one of the genoese youths with my princess and thats when the

hits the fan. Everyone sides with me except for the pope and im excommed... No biggie i think i will simply donate some 50,000 or so florins(half my treasury) for the salvation of my nation, but no before i get there the pope decides to attack ancona. After beating him off i destroy the remaining genoese units around and take Pisa, not having any more generals i kinda just hang out. But everyone pretty much hates me and after the pope declared war every took his side(obviously) and now im surrounded by enemies and everyone despises me, but its cool i got tons of veterans and i can pay for upkeep

**Sanderlicious** · August 21, 2010, 10:41 PM

Savage AI. Byzantines. Only playing H/H, but generally speaking I am a very casual player so it is proving a challenge to some extent as far as my play style goes.

Started out nice and relaxed as I formed alliances with Hungary and Kiev Rus, bolstered my trading network, infrastructure, and border security (I like to set up a network of fortresses at roads leading out into territory I don't intend to conquer for a long while. All have relatively small garrisons, but they deter small invasions and give me time to rally a defense. But mostly, I just think its fun

).

All was peaceful until turn 15ish when both Venice and the Seljuks waged war. Neither got much in the initial attacks as I won both battles, but the Seljuks were able to easily take Trebizond afterward.

I took Ragusa after barely pulling a victory whilst outnumbered. Best battle I have had in a long while. So I should be able to take out Venice in a couple turns. Sicily and Hungary, however, are not fond of me and both look like they are revving up for a fight.

So maybe things are not that bad for me now, but the game just started and by far this has been a much more stimulating game than I have ever played in the past with all the new features 6.3 has to offer (not to mention RR which I now admit to not being able to live without now that I've tried it

).

**For England Men** · August 25, 2010, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Sanderlicious

Savage AI. Byzantines. Only playing H/H, but generally speaking I am a very casual player so it is proving a challenge to some extent as far as my play style goes.

Started out nice and relaxed as I formed alliances with Hungary and Kiev Rus, bolstered my trading network, infrastructure, and border security (I like to set up a network of fortresses at roads leading out into territory I don't intend to conquer for a long while. All have relatively small garrisons, but they deter small invasions and give me time to rally a defense. But mostly, I just think its fun

).

All was peaceful until turn 15ish when both Venice and the Seljuks waged war. Neither got much in the initial attacks as I won both battles, but the Seljuks were able to easily take Trebizond afterward.

I took Ragusa after barely pulling a victory whilst outnumbered. Best battle I have had in a long while. So I should be able to take out Venice in a couple turns. Sicily and Hungary, however, are not fond of me and both look like they are revving up for a fight.

So maybe things are not that bad for me now, but the game just started and by far this has been a much more stimulating game than I have ever played in the past with all the new features 6.3 has to offer (not to mention RR which I now admit to not being able to live without now that I've tried it

).

byzantines vh / vh was by far the hardest campaign i ever played at one point around turn 60 i was thinking im going to lose this but pulled it back in the end.

Have you had the bulgarian rebellion yet lol? Not too bad if you know it is coming but i played byz strate away wen 6.3 came out and got taken by surprise badly with my only 2 big stacks and opposite ends of my territory and a massive rebellion in the centre i almost lost my capital and hand to conced a few towns before I could pull it back. was massively enjoyable though and played the campaign rite to the end.