I can not take the pleasure in jihad and holy crusades and diplomacy

**onurlu** · July 19, 2013, 07:59 AM

Hi, people. I want to explain something, about reality in the m2tw. When i go for a jihad or a holy crusade. Target area (a castle or a city) is always empty or with a little troops. I think artificial intelligence must be enhanced. Target faction must become powerful and prepare to defend itself. Also diplomacy is terrible in this game. We can see ''priorities'' on the diplomacy screen but in a tour everthing is able to be changed. I must see the benefit of diplomacy. Allience is nothing in this game. Noone protects eachother. Is it possible to change these for new updates or it may be a mod for the reality.

**❋ Flavius Belisarius ❋** · July 19, 2013, 06:33 PM

Knowing that most of the crusades are launched against Egypt, which is almost always the first military power, if the target is empty, the city/casttle will be quickly defended by many full stack and once the city is taken (if this is the case), Egypt take it back in the verry next 15 rounds.
The jihad are almost always launched against Constantinople, which is a Citadel and therefore difficult in autoresolved battle.

**Sicky Mouse** · July 20, 2013, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by onurlu

Hi, people. I want to explain something, about reality in the m2tw. When i go for a jihad or a holy crusade. Target area (a castle or a city) is always empty or with a little troops. I think artificial intelligence must be enhanced. Target faction must become powerful and prepare to defend itself. Also diplomacy is terrible in this game. We can see ''priorities'' on the diplomacy screen but in a tour everthing is able to be changed. I must see the benefit of diplomacy. Allience is nothing in this game. Noone protects eachother. Is it possible to change these for new updates or it may be a mod for the reality.

i agree with bolded to an extent. without military access to your allies land which they refuse to give me, how can i defend them without causing a diplomatic transgression? they do however kind of mean something though. if your attacked your ally's relations with the attacking faction might deteriorate maybe causing them to go to war, which would help you.

**Kataphractos** · July 20, 2013, 10:03 PM

That's irked me too. I always see foreign armies merrily marching through my lands, often "patrolling" for turns at a time, but as soon as I send one small task force through their land, not even intent on targeting them but trying to reach a nearby sea or something, all of a sudden my relations with them tank after a single turn, while their army still sits in my territory like it has for 10 turns prior.

**Sicky Mouse** · July 21, 2013, 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by Kataphractos

That's irked me too. I always see foreign armies merrily marching through my lands, often "patrolling" for turns at a time, but as soon as I send one small task force through their land, not even intent on targeting them but trying to reach a nearby sea or something, all of a sudden my relations with them tank after a single turn, while their army still sits in my territory like it has for 10 turns prior.

yes, i wish there was an option to show the AI that our "relationship has worsened".

**UndrState** · July 23, 2013, 12:45 PM

With watchtowers or spies near the borders, I try and challenge anyone walking into my territory by either moving an army to block them from crossing the border or have an army walk into their "zone of control" ASAP. I work hard to keep a good reputation, which as you may know can have a negative effect on a faction that starts a fight with you, so most of the time I see them turn around and walk out. I use lots of forts near my borders too. If the intruding force is looking quite serious, like when I'm Milan and Sciliy lands an army to try and take my precious Florence from me early game, I just out and out attack them - they're on my land. Again, a good reputation means it's easier for me to sue for peace after I defeat them, because their reputation is taking a negative hit for being at war with me

**Venomousmonkey** · July 23, 2013, 02:59 PM

I would say one thing about the crusades, it seems rare that unless you go for a target that is well within enemy lands, it seems the crusader Ai, takes the longest routes.

Also on top of the earlier points, asking for military access is almost a dirty word to your allies.

**UndrState** · July 24, 2013, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Venomousmonkey

Also on top of the earlier points, asking for military access is almost a dirty word to your allies.

Really? It's not cheap, but I don't have that much trouble. I have to ask Venoumousmonkey, what's your reputation usually like in your games? Relationship with your allies?I find it easiest with the Papal States to get military access, which I always want when I'm playing Milan/Venice/Sicily/HRE, in the early game, before most alliances are set. I ask for it at the same time as I ask for Alliance and trade rights, and offer likewise, maps and about 2000 florin.

**Venomousmonkey** · July 26, 2013, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by UndrState

Really? It's not cheap, but I don't have that much trouble. I have to ask Venoumousmonkey, what's your reputation usually like in your games? Relationship with your allies?I find it easiest with the Papal States to get military access, which I always want when I'm playing Milan/Venice/Sicily/HRE, in the early game, before most alliances are set. I ask for it at the same time as I ask for Alliance and trade rights, and offer likewise, maps and about 2000 florin.

Well the example was with HRE and i had a Good, but not perfect relationship with them. I was playing as Milan, so i didn't specifically need it but it was nice to help defend, bologna. I didn't pay them in the initial Alliance, so that probably had an effect on it. Although i rarely ask for military access, that seems like it would definitley help.
I haven't tried for the Papal States, But that would be nice to use to have a route through Italy since they take up most of central Italy.

**Jansenfinn** · July 30, 2013, 03:57 AM

I never ask military acces to them and i just go trough there lands and nothing will happen.

**Lord Jake** · July 30, 2013, 03:06 PM

The Papal States will generally agree to access early once you include your map in the offer, most times without any cash involved. They seem to love that early info. The value of access with anyone is the amount of time it saves you going around their forces. With access you just slide by the same as if you were moving past your own troops. Zones of control don't matter... In a tight area, that matters.