Some help for starter, game VH/VH as Sicily

[Falangorn]

Hi all,

well I'm new to the forums so this is my first post.

I did play the game a few months like 1 year ago, but that was only at difficulty level M/M. Few days ago it just came to me to play the game again cause it was so much fun back in the time. Now I have a few problems & need some help.

I always played as Sicily & on normal difficulty i just took all island, convert them to towns & start trading. After some turns I had a nice Economy & the rest was simple... Now at difficultu VH I also took the islands but they have been captured by the Moors, Milan, Venice & Byzantine Empire. My Economy is crap, I can only make 1000 florins each turn cause my need for more troops to protect my settlements.

Do you guys/grils have some tips to play with Sicily, for example:

- Which factions are nice to be Allianced with?
- Which settlements conquer first? The one's in Italy, Africa or maybe the Island ...
- Take the Generals/Family members to battle or let them stay in a town?
- Make Trade Rights with most factions or not? Cause if I do, after a few turns my relation with those factions goes from good to bad.

Some extra tips & tricks are welcome.

Thx in advance!!

Falangorn

[Shiina]

- Which factions are nice to be Allianced with?
- Which settlements conquer first? The one's in Italy, Africa or maybe the Island ...
- Take the Generals/Family members to battle or let them stay in a town?
- Make Trade Rights with most factions or not? Cause if I do, after a few turns my relation with those factions goes from good to bad.

Well first of all welcome to the forums.
and I myself prefer to ally with venetia and the papal states. but don't ally with milan because they are backstabbing liars. Also killing the moors will, if I'm correct improve your relationship with the papal states.
I would go for the islands first and have at least one good fortified castle from which to launch you attacks. and then kills the moors. and take your dreaded and high command generals to battle it'll give you a nice boost.
and just make those trade rights you'll get money and you will qonquer them.

[Ishan]

Generals>Should fight it helps a lot throughout.
Trade rights>Make it only with your neighboring factions.

[MJDreamWalker13]

The Papal States is a must-have ally.
Then choose either Spain or Portugal in the Iberia to help you fight the Moors; Venice to gang up on Milan and The Turks to keep Byzzies distracted. If you're going to advance north to take Bologna then also ally with Poland beforehand. Hungary and France would also make good allies, but they'll probably get into a war with Venice and Spain/Portugal, respectively.

[Phil-12-12]

im playing as siciily im my campaign, i am at war with Venice and allied with the papel states. I have taken Irakilton, a city on one of the islands south of greece for economic reasons, and planning on conquering the moors and walking straight into spain from the South and from the seas with boats from the east and conquer everything until I reach the French border. So by then I should Allie with england (Depending how they are doing) and make loads of florins in trade and stat taking over europe. Remind you im playing on SS Difficulty: H-H. So at the moment im allied with the papal states and enemies with venice, I choose not to allie with factions early in my game because I might change ideas on my strategy, but I do have trade rights with all the other factions.

[diangelo]

I have completed a campaign as Sicily Vanilla VH/VH.
1. First ally with the Papal States, give them regular tributes (500 florins), map information and even consider to give them cities you have captured.
2. As soon as possible launch a Crusade on Jerusalem (it is easy to get in the Holy Lands via sea). This will hugely improve your relation with the Papal States. I tried to participate in the Crusade with all my geneals in order to gain Chivalry points (eventough, some of the generals only joined the Crusade when Jerusalem was about to fall).
3. Start to convert to Catholicism the Holy Lands and fight hard with Egypt and the Turks in order to keep the cities/castles you have conquered.
4. Next step is to start to conquer north Africa, convert and begin the fight to the Moors. I have avoided as much as possible to fight in the Early period against Milan or Venice (eventough Milan conquered the island of Corse).
5. Once you secure the Holy Lands and destroy Egypt and once you conquer Timbuktu with the Gold Mines, Ivory and Slaves - you will have tons of florins and the campaign will be a lot easier.
6. During the campaign, I was always requested Crusades once available. My 2 allies were Papal States and Hungary and I was controlling the majority in the College of Cardinals.
7. Most important: enjoy the campaing- Norman knights and Muslim Archers are unique units, very powerful, early available and if played properly, they will make the difference in your toughest battles.

[domainking]

There is another option -- crusading at second turn that will take out the all the 3 Muslim factions in just 10 turns.

The reasons are simple
--Winning pope's favour
--expand your territories quickly
--the enemies cant match crusading fleets
--4th turn will reach Egypt & Turks's gateway
--awesome money
--plenty of mercenaries
--6th turn will mark the return of Christ in the Middle East

[Falangorn]

Thanks all for the good info, helped me alot!!

[Hopit]

are generals way weaker in M2TW than in RTW? they seem to die easily in this game

[Ishan]

Generals & it's bodyguards are the most powerful unit in the game. They have 2 hit points. And generals hitpoints can increase depending on what traits he carries.

[Hopit]

Generals & it's bodyguards are the most powerful unit in the game. They have 2 hit points. And generals hitpoints can increase depending on what traits he carries.

why then they keep dying on me... I get more succes with mailed cavalry than generals bodyguards
I wouldn't use them if my armies didn't rebel

[Ishan]

I don't know maybe you are charging them head-on into spears or something. But like i said there stats are powerful and have 2 hit points, check the unit info and you will see.

[Silverheart]

The generals´ bodyguard are definitely among the most powerful units in the game!
If yours keep dying on you, you must be using them recklessly.
Although powerful, you can´t expect them to be invincible...
Use the general wisely and carefully, and let the infantry do the suicide missions ;P

[Hopit]

I use them the same way is I used generals in RTW, now they don't even survive 30 vs 20 general fights, it's making my head spin!