Empty threats of Excommunication

[_Elysium_]

Hello.

I'm playing as England in my current campaign, and on multiple occasions while attacking Denmark or Holy Rome, a message has appeared on screen telling me that I'll be excommunicated if I continue the attack, with an option to back off. I've continued the attacks after a number of these messages, even wiping out whole armies and executing hundreds of Catholic prisoners, but I've never been excommunicated. In most cases my standing with the Pope hasn't even dropped.

I make sure I'm always gifting 200 Florins per turn to the Papal States, so my relations with them rarely drop below six crosses. I'm systematically demolishing Holy Rome, I've had a few of those "cease hostile actions" missions from the Pope which I've ignored on every occasion, and yet I'm still able to carry on as I want. The Pope is Holy Roman aswell, but I can literally get away with murdering his countrymen. I voted for the Holy Roman Pope, so I'm not sure if that has any bearing on the matter.

Is there something I'm missing here? I don't want to get excommunicated, but I would like to know when the threats will be carried out.

Thanks.

[ChivalrousKiller]

The "You'll be excommunicated" message before an attack always comes when you have a mission from the Papacy to cease hostilities. Even if the penalty is just a drop in relations with the Pope

[Double A]

You can say HRE. It's fine. We do it too. Pope is infamous for not giving a about them under any circumstance.

Anyway, you'll only be excom'd if it says so on the missions screen/mission pop-up you get.

[danny X]

the pope wont excommunicate you if you attack them in your own territory

[_Elysium_]

Thanks for the replies.

The "You'll be excommunicated" message before an attack always comes when you have a mission from the Papacy to cease hostilities. Even if the penalty is just a drop in relations with the Pope

I didn't realise that. I have had a cease hostilities mission in the queue when attacking on each occasion. Now it makes sense.

You can say HRE. It's fine. We do it too. Pope is infamous for not giving a about them under any circumstance.

Anyway, you'll only be excom'd if it says so on the missions screen/mission pop-up you get.

Oh you kids and your crazy acronyms. It wasn't like that in my day.

So if the cease hostilities mission says I'll lose face with the Pope, thats what I'll get if I ignore the excommunication message? If the mission says I'll be excommunicated, the message is accurate?

the pope wont excommunicate you if you attack them in your own territory

Even if they put me under siege before I get the message?

[ChivalrousKiller]

Even if they put me under siege before I get the message?

If you have got the mission, you will fail it if you attack them. Period.

[Wartoga]

I think if your reputation with the Pope is high enough, you'll get a decree that you *may* get excommunicated instead of *will* be excommunicated. And if you violate the decree you'll just suffer a relations drop with the Pope.

[ChivalrousKiller]

I think if your reputation with the Pope is high enough, you'll get a decree that you *may* get excommunicated instead of *will* be excommunicated. And if you violate the decree you'll just suffer a relations drop with the Pope.

No, the penalty line in the Mission states it clearly. Either relations drop, or you may be excommunicated. And by "MAY be excommunicated, His Holiness means "you WILL be excommunicated".

[Double A]

Yep. It's unusual to get an exom message if you are at high relations, but it's not unheard of. I once was the HRE and had 9 or 10 crosses and was at war with Milan, but Popey said to cut it out. I flipped him off and invaded Switzerland anyway. Next thing I know, I don't even register as a blip on the Pope-o-meter, and the other factions are looking hungrily at my outlying lands.

Thank CA for quickload.

[_Elysium_]

Thats very similar to what I'm experiencing. I'm getting the excommunication warning with high Papal approval (usually 8 or 9 crosses), but I'm losing very little when I ignore it. When I do lose some approval, my constant stream of gifted money puts it back up within a few turns.

Its dropped down to 5 at the moment though. I've been pushing my luck, so I'll just position troops ready to strike for when the current cease hostilities mission is done and my approval has gone up a bit.

Or I may just assassinate the Pope, who is curiously chilling with his new Moorish friends on Sardinia.

[Double A]

I've seen the Pope ally with Moors than Christians. It's strange. I guess he does it in fear of Sicily?

[PrestigeX]

I usually just try and back off any armies from their terriroties, and then poise myself to attack a few settlements with siege artillery once the 'mission' expires.

USually this works out pretty well, can concentrate on a different enemy. Once you have your opponent against the ropes on their death bed , the pope stops caring. Its only when the faction is still a significant 'player' with 5 or more provinces...

but idk, most of the time in my campaigns the threat of excommunication is serious, and always results in excommunication! even when I have most of the Cardinals and the Pope came from my Faction (perhaps the mod i play or difficultly level?)

[ChivalrousKiller]

It's better to play as the Pope. Everyone you attack gets instantly excommunicated

[_Elysium_]

I let the mission expire, then took Innsbruck. A turn later I got another mission, threatening excommunication. I saved and attacked HRE (I can do it too ) and was excommunicated. I've left my attack force guarding a bridge near Vienna, preventing an HRE force that was already in the field from bolstering Vienna's garrison. France has just been excommunicated, and they broke off their alliance with Milan a few turns ago, so I'll introduce them to a proper English smackdown while I wait for my chance to nab Vienna.

Things seem much clearer now. I'm glad I asked here.

Oh, and the Pope isn't allied with The Moors. He's there because he's been exiled from Italy. Or he's on holiday.

[Double A]

If there's a crusade going on while you get excommed, most other Catholics (especially those at war) don't do diddly squat.

[_Elysium_]

The Catholic factions wouldn't attack me?

[Double A]

It's just as likely as normal. If there's a Crusade targeted at you, on the other hand... don't expect to have many Catholic allies left.

[Kabeloko]

does the number of crosses the enemy has affects ur favor penalty with the pope?
just a tough...

[In3x]

does the number of crosses the enemy has affects ur favor penalty with the pope?
just a tough...

Yes