Noob woes 2: Turkey on H/VH

[Humpleberry]

I was playing some custom battles, to see who had the best army, specifically the best muskets. I fell in love with Turkey, as their musket units had the highest (true?) missile attack in the game AND whoever got through to them they took on with their big ass swords in hand to hand and won.

Played on H/VH, expanded to all the rebel settlements...

Some embarrassingly I missed; Edessa in the middle of my realm I didn't know about until one of my generals run smack down into it, also, Trebizond - the big clue was that the Byzies stacks were coming from the north, and while thinking for a while that they were sent from Nicea/Constantinople, it took me a while to realize that purple patch up north meant the region was controlled by the men lovers anonymous association.

Taking over Nicea and Constantinople, allied with Hungary who is faithful and kicking Bizzie and Rus ass, am now waging a war on Egypt when it hits me...

First, the friendly visitor from the steppes said hello to my Yerevan region, and by hello I mean massacred everybody and turned them into rebel settlements.

Then, I noticed that in the winning conditions I need to take not only 20 regions (, I have 14 now) and Constantinople (aight), but also Jerusalem.

And J-town is a problem, as, while I am at war with Egypt, the pope-ah calls crusades to this place for some reason, and right now it is Polish (my ally), with French and HRE stacks hanging around - BIG stacks of bored soldiers waiting on something to do...

So Turkey, while a faction with a fantastic army, seems to be located very badly strategically.

Not a noob faction.

[Surgeon]

Have the Mongols and Timurids showed up yet?

[Humpleberry]

Have the Mongols and Timurids showed up yet?

Yep, the pony lovers are here and sacked Yerevan and the neighboring city...

[Double A]

You need to go for your goals faster, it seems. Leave Egypt alone, though, they'll probably take Jerusalem, then you can take it from them.

toggle_fow helps if you don't know geography at all. If you don't want to "cheat," then just right click the ground wherever you don't control.

I still find it hard to believe you didn't find Edessa.

[Humpleberry]

You need to go for your goals faster, it seems.

I don't have the killer instinct, I like the build and economy aspects...

[Double A]

Ah, but by taking lots of cities, your economy skyrockets.

Those rebel cities in the holy lands are fruit ripe for the taking.

[Surgeon]

You can always call a Jihad on Jerusalem and not join it, then wait for Egypt or the Moors (but they're far away) to take it from Poland.

[Double A]

You can always call a Jihad on Jerusalem and not join it, then wait for Egypt or the Moors (but they're far away) to take it from Poland.

But then you can't buy three stacks of Ghazis!

I say attack Poland after you kill the Mongols (assuming you haven't already), they'd just end up betraying you in a Crusade if you took Egypt in a "peaceful" manner.

[Gilkanese]

Personally, I'd do one of three things.

A: Just declare war on Poland. They're Christian, you're Catholic. They will backstab you eventually for sure.
B: Call a Jihad on the city. When Moors/Egyptians take it, just take it from them.
C: Wait for Mongols to take it. (Heh, stupid idea but it is an option because you won't declare war on someone who actually allies.)

[Jambat]

Slightly more difficult/expensive, but you could always try to buy it off Poland, or conquer a few provinces and try to swap them with a little change.

Honestly, if Poland still has it when you are ready to win, I'd just bumrush them and take it. Try to have it so you can get the gates open on the turn you attack, and have armies ready to punch Poland in the mouth when they move on you afterwards.

[Avatar]

I always say that for factions that have Jerusalem in their victory conditions, make that the last thing you worry about. Build up your strength and borders in your other regions, expand in whatever direction seems best. Naturally get set to suffer the Mongol invasion, since of course Turkey have about a 50-50 chance of being their first target. Once you are nearly at the victory conditions, Jihad Jerusalem (odds are usually good that a crusade will have grabbed it at some point) and complete the win.

[shikaka]

Take 5 other provinces from non-allies (should be quick with jihads and cheap horse archers available) and hit Jerushalem to secure the win.

If you want it faster, you can just send in a dozen of spies and imams (and assasinate catholic priests and generals) so that it will rebel from poland.

[Leaf-Fan-Forever]

Then, I noticed that in the winning conditions I need to take not only 20 regions (, I have 14 now) and Constantinople (aight), but also Jerusalem.

If your playing the long campaign, you'll have to take 45 regions, not 20. If your playing short then you don't need to worry about Jerusalem.

[k_Apollo]

I like them too, Antioch is a very good city to build up your economy. But there are a lot rebel provences to cover: I tend to take Tblisi to keep my back, Trebizond, Baghdad, Edessa, Aleppo, Adana, Antioch, Damascus and Acre.
After the rebels a prime target should be The Byzantines: Nicosia, Smyrna, Nicaea and Constantinople.

[EmperorDan]

and Thessalonica for the economy but then again, that's in Europe

[Double A]

So is Constantinople...

[Surgeon]

So is Constantinople...

He's playing as the Turks so it's Istanbul. You have to be politically correct, c'mon man

[PrestigeX]

I think with all the muslim factions, the key is to use Jihad as much as possible in the earlier period, and plan it out so that one of your armies heads to the target, while another goes merc hunting to find more ghazis, and maybe even march to another settlement - just don't take too long otherwise the men of the 2nd army will suffer desertion.

Even later on you should use Jihads, even if tho you probably won't want to use the units -- extra movement and free upkeep, plus other benefits to the characters etc... It's a lot easier to jihad since you don't have to worry much about anyone getting their first except the egyptians - the moors are too far away.