The pope calls a crusade and then doesn't join?

**recentiy03** · July 13, 2011, 08:46 AM

Anyone ever seen that happen? I'm playing as Lithuania on VH with BGR IV, and, although my first 3 attempts were very difficult failures, I've seen a number of weird things this time...

The pope just called a crusade on Vilnius. No surprises so far. Only, when I looked at the list of countries that I was suddenly at war with, expecting it to be every Catholic nation, the Papal States and my neighboring allies, the Polish, weren't on the list, which was very odd.

I quickly sold Vilnius to England for 17,500 florins, except they must've been excommunicated because the crusade continued and I could still see a large number of unwelcome-christian armies about to be encroaching on my lands. I proceeded to lay siege to Vilnius and the next turn I killed the few peasant guards England had mustered in their attempt to hold the castle, but as the crusade was ongoing, I then sold Vilnius to Hungary for 12,500 florins! Of course, I once again laid siege to Vilnius and the city is now under proper pagan control...

Anyway, this all made me laugh. I know AI-controlled Catholic nations don't necessarily join crusades on the first turn, but I've never seen a Catholic AI faction maintain an alliance with a nation that's the target of the crusade!

Poland

And as for the pope not joining his own crusade? Who knows. I'm not even allied with His Holiness

**ATN** · July 13, 2011, 08:48 AM

I've never seen the pope on a crusade.

**recentiy03** · July 13, 2011, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by ATN

I've never seen the pope on a crusade.

Really? He never even declared war on me..

**Aquila SPQR** · July 13, 2011, 08:51 AM

You know, contrary to the Lithuanian people's view, Poles tend to like Lithuanians and consider them brothers.

**recentiy03** · July 13, 2011, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Aquila SPQR

You know, contrary to the Lithuanian people's view, Poles tend to like Lithuanians and consider them brothers.

My first 3 (failed) Lithuanian campaigns, I couldn't stop Poland from attacking me. This campaign, I totally ripped them off from turn 2 -- offering them a 20-turn 1,000 florin tribute for an alliance and then cancelling the tribute on the same turn -- and they've loved me ever since for me. Or if it's not love, perhaps it's fear. Admittedly, it has helped that the HRE is a beast this go-round, attacking the Poles from the west all game, but despite being pagan, they've sided with all of my moves. After I ripped off Hungary for Vilnius they declared war on Hungary they're now expanding south, slaying their fellow Christians as per my lead! I've also vassalized the Teutons!

**Ichon** · July 13, 2011, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by recentiy03

My first 3 (failed) Lithuanian campaigns, I couldn't stop Poland from attacking me. This campaign, I totally ripped them off from turn 2 -- offering them a 20-turn 1,000 florin tribute for an alliance and then cancelling the tribute on the same turn -- and they've loved me ever since for me. Or if it's not love, perhaps it's fear. Admittedly, it has helped that the HRE is a beast this go-round, attacking the Poles from the west all game, but despite being pagan, they've sided with all of my moves. After I ripped off Hungary for Vilnius they declared war on Hungary they're now expanding south, slaying their fellow Christians as per my lead! I've also vassalized the Teutons!

That is kind of cool. Never had that happen- see how long you can continue the alliance. Really become Lithuania-Poland. Have you intermarried yet? I was able to do that as Lithuania with the Rus and Hungarians but Poland always refused royal marriages. Nice to see sometimes its possible. Makes me want to play Lithuania again.

**recentiy03** · July 13, 2011, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ichon

That is kind of cool. Never had that happen- see how long you can continue the alliance. Really become Lithuania-Poland. Have you intermarried yet? I was able to do that as Lithuania with the Rus and Hungarians but Poland always refused royal marriages. Nice to see sometimes its possible. Makes me want to play Lithuania again.

The year is 1294 (turn 75) and while I haven't intermarried with any other factions -- the plan is to grow strong enough to unleash a horde of pagan priests on Rome -- I've had alliances with Poland and Kiev for pretty much the entire game (both established through slippery-yet-effective diplomacy), which allowed me to focus almost all of my efforts on dismantling Russia. Kiev and Poland are also allies with one another, so my alliances have seemingly been influential, in addition to practical.

**ihranator** · July 13, 2011, 09:46 AM

I've seen Pope crusading many times.

**Knight of Santiago** · July 13, 2011, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by ihranator

I've seen Pope crusading many times.

In my actual campaign the Pope crusades every other time. Probably it has to do with the Papal´s armies strenght and whether the pointy hat man can spare some troops to kick infidel ass

**The Source** · July 13, 2011, 09:41 PM

i suppose it depends on the popes traits whether he stays in rome collecting bribes, joining crusades or even taking over italy

**Sergeant Matt** · July 14, 2011, 02:01 PM

I've been playing Medieval since it came out, and I've never seen the Pope join a crusade personally.

**Alesianduke** · July 14, 2011, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by Sergeant Matt

I've been playing Medieval since it came out, and I've never seen the Pope join a crusade personally.

I've seen this done only once and I've played Medieval 2 for years... the weird thing is that it was done in my last campaign (ongoing) and by the first pope, when a crusade against Vilnius was called.

**ziserman** · July 15, 2011, 04:55 PM

Pope has joined crusades for me. He has conquered Vilnius and a German city that I don't recall. Basically if he gets more than 2 cities in Italy he is very likely to join a crusade.