That's it, I'm not playing catholic anymore!

[oahgneg]

How do you prevent the pope from giving the "don't attack XXX catholic faction" mission? I haven't been able to expand for many, many turns because of this!

[Ishan]

There is no real solution to this except modding but game play wise.
You can constantly bribe him so that he doesn't excommunicates you.
If Excommed then after the conquest kill your Faction leader or the pope to reconcile.

Dominate the papacy by the use of priests.

[MJDreamWalker13]

Ally with the Papal States early. From that moment on your relations will be at outstanding, so make sure to keep them there. This way you'll only lose 1 cross at Papal standing each time you fail his missions. To regain/boost standing with the Pope send him gifts (cash, map info, assistance against an excommunicated faction, etc.), build cathedrals, keep large population percentage catholic.

Make sure you're at good relations with faction(s) that are likely to have a new Pope in the next elections.

[Silverheart]

Just play a short campaign as a muslim faction, where you destroy the catholics.
That should make you feel better ^::^
Or, if you really can´t "drag even" with the pope and are strong enought to counter the other catholics, kill him and show him what you think of him..

[shikaka]

Just play a short campaign as a muslim faction, where you destroy the catholics.

This, above.


The Rus and the Turks are positioned to have the most exciting games anyway, and they have horse archers too!

[eXistenZ]

Even when you are in his good books, and your enemy faction is on 4 crosses or so, he will still ask you to stop fighting. So kill him

[Tears of Destiny]

How do you prevent the pope from giving the "don't attack XXX catholic faction" mission? I haven't been able to expand for many, many turns because of this!

*You need to become an expert at the politics.
*Always have more crosses then the faction you are attacking.
*Plan your attacks to be simultaneous, and preferably bring siege weapons so you can attack and assault in the same turn.
*Spam churches and priests.
*Give him a gift (With the actual gift button on the diplomacy screen) a thousand florins a turn.
*Ally with him as soon as you can.
*If you want to play dirty, kill off other cardinals (And sometimes the pope when appropriate) with assassins, to keep your edge.
*Send your priests to low catholic regions so that they ramp up quickly in piety, and thus improve favor with the pope as well as increasing chances of becoming a cardinal (The more cardinals you have on the college of cardinals, the better). Also headhunt Heritics, easy piety, and sometimes papal favor.
*Learn the difference between when he says "do not attack a faction or else become excommunicated" (Follow this mission), and "Do not attack this faction or lose favor with the pope" (Go ahead and attack him anyways, you will lose a cross or two but that you can get back).
*Always make excommunicated factions a number one priority to attack, this is a "Freebie" that the pope does not care about if you attack. Use This Opportunity.
*If the pope asks you to Convert X% of X region, or build a church in X place, DO IT.
*Try and get your own cardinals elected to the position of pope. Instant ten crosses and additional grace in what you can get away with.

If you follow the above advice, then you will find that you can pretty much attack whoever you want, and that the AI will be hard pressed to attic you in return without being excommunicated.

I personally am always ten crosses, and when I dip to seven in a war, I pull back sit tight and get to ten again, repeat and rinse. Just like in real life, The Medieval Pope demands complicated politics and giving him stuff to make him look the other way.

[oahgneg]

when he says "do not attack a faction or else become excommunicated" (Follow this mission)

It's this that happens, even when I'm allied with the papal states
No matter; I'm only playing Kingdoms, muslims, or orthodox from now on

[FootSoldier]

That's a tough one, and sometimes you just have to be prepared to be excommunicated. Other factions make that choice to get their objective. Lots of people did historically - the Doge of Venice was excommunicated for getting the 4th crusade to take Constantinople in 1204, but that didn't seem to worry him.

If you have no other choice then choose a time when the Pope is 60 or your king is 60, so the excommunication only lasts a couple of turns.

Otherwise, as above. Get a high approval rating with the Pope. Take a siege weapon so you can attack and assault on the same turn.

Often the Pope issues a warning to both sides. If you can get the other faction to attack you on your territory, or to attack your ships, then they get excommunicated, and you're free to do what you like. Usually if you're already blockading his port you can get away with leaving the blockade in place.

Sometimes the warning is just for you, especially if the other faction is small, or it's one sided. Then you suffer the annoyance of them attacking you, and only being able to defend your ports from blockade, and your territory from invasion by them. So unfair!

[Double A]

Ally with the Papal States early. From that moment on your relations will be at outstanding, so make sure to keep them there. This way you'll only lose 1 cross at Papal standing each time you fail his missions. To regain/boost standing with the Pope send him gifts (cash, map info, assistance against an excommunicated faction, etc.), build cathedrals, keep large population percentage catholic.

Make sure you're at good relations with faction(s) that are likely to have a new Pope in the next elections.

Using these tactics, as well as by not attacking so much, I actually got the French Pope to excommunicate the French as England.

[General Nuisance esq]

1)Don't fight any catholic faction yet
2)Get your diplomat to rome as soon as humanly possible
3)Offer the pope trade rights, map information and 500 for 5 turns in exchange for an alliance
4) Attack whoever you want except of course the Papal States

[painter]

1)Don't fight any catholic faction yet
2)Get your diplomat to rome as soon as humanly possible
3)Offer the pope trade rights, map information and 500 for 5 turns in exchange for an alliance

If you reach a Papal States representative quickly enough, just offering only an alliance will be considered generous of you.

[Double A]

It also helps if you're simultaneously at war with Catholics and Muslims.

[Nikos]

Play the Byzantines and retake Rome for the Empire!

[Double A]

Play the Byzantines and retake Rome for the Empire!

It's even more fun when you abandon all your settlements but Constantinople, take all your dudes to Rome, take it, and then conquer the world from Italy and Greece.

[Alex-Warhammer]

The thing is , the pope seems like a big deal but when It comes to it all you will get for being in his bad books is some attacks on your citys at worst.

[Shasqua]

Pretty much what the others said. Alliance, cardinals, monetary "gifts"-- just get in his good books, and let the enemy attack until they get excommunicated. Then request a crusade and obiterate them.

[Scipio Afracanis]

Love baiting the AI into getting exed by the Pope. 1 turn its your in trouble if you hit them again, next its feel free to rip them a new one!

[PrestigeX]

You could always play as the pope lol. Its not that hard, the same file you use to unlock all the factions ,, just ad Papal States from non-playable to 'unlocked'... You never get excommunicated, and you get papal_guards one of the best spear units in the game. The only downside is you'll end up in war with basically everyone really quick.

When you do play as a catholic faction. Consider a few things. Namely... trying to get your own man as pope, building a Huge Cathedral seems to like almost automatically train Cardinals lol.

Secondly, if you need to expand at the threat of excommunication, see how old your king is or how good he is. If he's super old, or kind of a weak king, get him killed in battle relatively soon after you get excommunicated.

[Phil-12-12]

its great playing Cecily when your allied to the pope.