the strongest ally: the papacy

**NoSiS** · November 22, 2006, 02:46 AM

in my english campaign, i have been allied with the papacy for over 50 turns (playing on 1/4 time scale, so thats alot), and it is working out very, very well for me

i have taken a very unusual route and left upper europe alone entirely, keeping only caen as a small outpost to launch ambushes on french forces from (i took rennes aswell, but just to stop the annoying missions - no intention of keeping it)

instead, my focus has been on the mediterranean - sending king william and prince rufus there via navy in the first few turns (took a while to get there) to take all the islands, where i than converted them all to castles

from that point, i have allied with the papacy and began raiding the jerusalem area via sea aswell as sicily and the turks to improve relations with the pope - seeing as the papacy and sicily tend to have poor relations anyways, as soon as they intercepted my invading armies they were excommunicated and it wasnt long until i controlled most of italy

i took venice aswell as 2 milanese settlements before the pope had time to react, and in taking venice eliminated them (i had already fought a few skirmishes with venice, and eliminated their royal family)

now this is where it gets good, it took a few 'donations' but i talked the papacy into trading rome for dublin, i now have complete control over italy and the mediterranean aswell as jerusalem

meanwhile i have the papacy isolated from the rest of the map, and the british isles are literaly a sanctuary for me and the papacy, noone can touch me and i have access to everybody

ive dragged on too much here, but the point is - dont fight the pope, use him and join him, its fun

here is a screenshot [FOW is turned off]

**dearmad** · November 22, 2006, 03:00 AM

The Papacy in Dublin... how sweetly gaelic is that!?

**Soggius Chippius** · November 22, 2006, 03:02 AM

My good god......you're a GENIUS!

**Black Francis** · November 22, 2006, 03:14 AM

The Pope is the best ally ever!

As Sicily I give the Pope lands in Northern Italy (Florence etc) which act as a buffer between me, Milan and Venice.

Ave Pontifex Maximus!

**joorik** · November 22, 2006, 03:30 AM

Rofl!

**NoSiS** · November 22, 2006, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by joorik

Rofl!

oh im sure, im very bad with the money so i did cave and cheat myself plenty because i wanted to see if i could make the trade

it takes about 100,000 florins to talk the papacy into swapping rome

i took this screen right after that, wich is why i have so much cash in it, at this point ive pretty much given it all to the papacy and im back to normal funds

Originally Posted by the Eternal Cocoon

you didnt really have to ally with the pope during any of this did you? I allied with the pope in my French campaigne and he still excommunicated me and called a crusade into French land.

actualy yea, i did - without the alliance id be open to attack from alot of fronts, sicily wouldnt have been excommunicated either

im playing this campaign mostly as a test, i have not broken my word to the pope once - infact thats the only problem with this strategy right now is the HRE is also allied with the papacy so i cant touch them

having the pope as an ally is akin to having mob protection lol

**2ltben** · November 22, 2006, 02:05 PM

If you agree to attack a Catholic faction for the Papacy, will you still be excommunicated?

**Leatherpenguin** · November 22, 2006, 03:33 AM

I'd imagine it'd be hard to buy Rome without cheating with the money though

**Valerius Maximus** · November 22, 2006, 04:03 AM

had an alliance with the pope too ad venice...positioned my fleet near theirs and got attacked by sicily so my allies help me and war between sicily and Pope. Perfect standing with the pope, destroyed Milan without any papal interference, call a crusade on Bologna, the sicilian capital.

Ally with the French and pay them tribute to attact sicily...on an end turn i get the message Sicily destroyed. They only had 2 cities left in France and they are now owned by French rebels..so i dont know if their last family member died or the French actually attacked them.

And then that pope dies and it all went downhill from there...I'm close to getting excommunicated, the french have backstabbed me. I.ve assassinated 3-4 popes in quick succession

**Ragss** · November 22, 2006, 04:16 AM

As the HRE the pope hates me almost as much as Milan...so I'm going to conquer his holy ass.

**jw1089** · November 22, 2006, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Ragss

As the HRE the pope hates me almost as much as Milan...so I'm going to conquer his holy ass.

same thing that i did. i had conquered all of italy and sicily, so he was at my mercy. after useless excommunications and the other feeble catholic nations trying to take me down, i finally sent the Reich's best to wrest Rome from the hands of the Pope, with the pope himself being slain in the ensuing battle while leading his militia. However, the Papal States itself wasnt destroyed, and the inquisitors kept coming. In any case, i now have my own cardinal installed as the pope, and ive fulfilled the victory conditions, so im gonna just wipe everyone out

**jaklei** · November 22, 2006, 04:18 AM

when i got sick of war in my english campaign i gave teh papacy all my border regions.
It worked like a charm ^^, now i can crusade in peace!

**Spart** · November 22, 2006, 05:41 AM

Traded Rome for Dublin? =D I wonder if he would take Baghdad or something, he might have a fun time there fighting the muslims..

Does Pope easily accept to take regions? I have couple of crappy provinces I might give him.

**Anarion** · November 22, 2006, 10:51 AM

I always create buffer states with the Pope reigning over them. Keeps me free from innereuropean wars and I can conquer Africa and soon the Near East easily.

**the Eternal Cocoon** · November 22, 2006, 11:39 AM

you didnt really have to ally with the pope during any of this did you? I allied with the pope in my French campaigne and he still excommunicated me and called a crusade into French land.

**Papal_Knight** · November 22, 2006, 12:03 PM

wow, that is some bizzare stuff, but it sounds fun!

**Shaun** · November 22, 2006, 12:11 PM

Rome for Dublin? Where the Papacy high/drunk/retarded? I think they must have . . .

**Fianóglach** · November 22, 2006, 12:32 PM

The Papacy in Dublin, thats possibly one of the most hilariously poetic TW moments I think I've come across. I can see the Pope going down Temple Bar for a quick squirt of Jamesons and a packet of crisps.