Starting with Moors

[Spothisto]

Hi! I planned to start with the Moors. Now i would like if you could be so helpful and tell me some strategys or experience. Your opinion about them is also welcome.
Thanks!

[Manji]

Hmmm... well, I've started playing as the Moors too, I think the best strategy, at first, is to try and grab as much of North Africa as possible and prepare to to take out either Portugal or Spain, not both at the same time though. North Africa will become you money farm and from there you can further expand northwards until you control the Peninsula. Get ready for some serious battles though, as far as I can tell the Moors have a nice variety of units but not a strong cavalry unit of infantry unit that can be decisive in a battle situation, it's more of a combined arms approach (harass the enemy with Arab Cavalry, and Desert Archers and wait for them to charge then take them on with Desert Spearmen and Toureg Spear Camels (or whatever they are called).
Just my opinion.

[Spothisto]

I began my new campaigne and conquered these two rebel towns far south. Meanwhile Portugal declered war, but didn't do anything with his full army. Granada and Corduba were lightly defended and main army far south, but he just didn't use it. It would have been a lot more interesting if Portugal would have taken my provinces, but no..
I gave him enaugh time to do something as long as i conquer south. After that i moved my army north, it took a lot of turns. At that time i was using assassins and killed some of his family members. When my army reached Iberia I attacked this full stack army and both his last members of family were there. In the end both of them got killed and so much from the Portugals.
My difficulty is H/H and wasn't this passive war wierd? In other cases enemy at least try to take my settlement with even very limited army, but this full stack didn't do nothing..

[bibbledy]

Don't go into Africa until you have won Iberia, because you have to go there the long way, through the desert, (can't sail to Arguin) which means you are paying upkeep on a useless army for 15 turns.

Instead, conquer Portugal, get some rebel provinces, then take out Spain. Then use the Pyrenees mountains (the ones along the French border) as a natural shield while you conquer North Africa, Corsica and Sardinia (The 2 big islands between Spain and Italy). Then you should have a good economic base for fighting France, Italy, or Egypt. Don't make my mistake and invade France first, just because it's there. France is a ***** to conquer, and not because of the French or English. Cough overpowered Danes cough. Egypt is already Muslim for you, but the Mongols will show up soon after you finish the job. Italy may be the best, because you can skirt your armies around it by sea.

Anyway, you can probably take over Iberia without getting a crusade (I didn't on vh), but the next war will almost certainly get you one. So be ready for it, crusades are a *****. Good luck.

EDIT: For my battles I used a similar strategy as Premaximum. I didn't bother with missile cavalry until the advent of Camel Gunners, and didn't even use too many Camel Gunners. My ideal stack is 8 Dismounted Christian Guard, 2 Hashishin (at the flanks), 5 Christian Guard, 4 Arab Cavalry or Camel Gunners, and the General.

Camel gunners are great for taking out heavy cav and general units, because their guns pierce armor and their stench scares horses. I found the Dismounted Christian Guard to be so badass, I didn't bother much with missile harassment because I had to get my cavalry around the back+charging before the DCG routed the enemy.

[Spothisto]

Too late, i already conquered North Africa before Portugal. I haven't got in any trouble because of that. I would have got in trouble if the Ai would be a little smarter..

Thanks for the army help. I will try it out because i don't have any good army yet, so thanks again. In army which i used to take Lisbon had 6 berber spearmen, 3 tuareg camel spearmen, 5 desert archers and a general. I won but there were lot of casualties.

[Premaximum]

I've played a successful Moors campaign twice.

Both times, I went straight for either the Spanish or Portugal, depending on who declared war on me first. Whoever didn't declare war, I quickly allied with.

After that, I just wipe whoever is at war with me off the map, usually grabbing Valencia from El Cid in the process, then wait for a few turns and build up. Eventually, whoever you're allied with is going to get it in his mind to backstab you. When that happens, take them out as well, then you should control the entire Iberian.

Once that's over I went ahead and took North Africa, which is usually left untouched by Egypt while you're fighting as they tend to expand north into Jerusalem rather than west into Africa.

The units I use are usually 4 Desert Archers (Yes, I used these the -entire- game...the ones I started with ended up with 3 golden chevrons by the time I finished), 4 of the second-tier spearmen (the ones with blue cloth, forget the names), 4 Dismounted Christian Knights, 2 Mounted Christian Knights, 2 Generals, 4 mounted archers of some sort. Start off with the mounted Crossbowmen, then upgrade later to the Camel Gunners.

This has proven to be a well-rounded army that can last out even the highly armoured armies of Europe. I usually pepper them with my archers while I move my spearmen and dismounted knights in. Ride my Camel Gunners up to one of their flanks and skirmish with whatever is the most threat to me. Ride my Mounted Knights to the opposite flanks and line them up to prepare for a charge.

Once my spearmen are in place, I stop my dismounted knights right behind them, then call off all ranged fire and charge my spearmen into the fray. I only let them stay there a moment alone before sending in help for them, but they serve to take the initial charge damage, since they're much cheaper than the knights. After that I quickly reinforce them with my dismounted Knights, then send a charge into their flanks with the mounted Knights. The camel gunners chase down any routers.

Most armies will break soon after the charge, due to morale damage from the camel gunners. I try to concentrate them on killing the general first if I can, due to it being a huge morale hit.

In my present game I have two armies with this exact same setup, one in Egypt and one taking out England.

Either way you do it, enjoy the Moors! Definitely my favourite faction.

[Spothisto]

I know this is offtopic but i plan to ask mu questions here, i hope it is ok.

I wonder if there is any way to get dismounted generals during grand campaigne like in some historical battles?

[monkian]

I conquered Portugal and Spain and all the African territories up untill Egypt.

I then took Portugal and Sardinia and then moved up into France and took the rebel city of Bordeux.

Ireland has just rebelled so I sent an army up there to cpature it before the English took it.

Im currrently flooding Europe with Iman to insite rebellions so I can take them without going to War with anyone.

When conquering Iberia its allways a good idea to launch Jihads against the settlements as you get bonus experience,mercenaries and cash.

[Spothisto]

When conquering Iberia its allways a good idea to launch Jihads against the settlements as you get bonus experience,mercenaries and cash.

How can i launch this Jihad?

[bibbledy]

How can i launch this Jihad?

If an Imam has high enough piety, a little orange button with a crescent will appear at the bottom of his character scroll. To get a character to join the jihad, he needs to have an army, and then you can click the join jihad button at the bottom of his character scroll.

Im currrently flooding Europe with Iman to insite rebellions so I can take them without going to War with anyone.

Don't forget the plague imams (send him deep!)
Also, an imam alone will convert, but if you really want to incite a rebellion, send one or more spies into the city.

[monkian]

If an Imam has high enough piety, a little orange button with a crescent will appear at the bottom of his character scroll. To get a character to join the jihad, he needs to have an army, and then you can click the join jihad button at the bottom of his character scroll.


Don't forget the plague imams (send him deep!)
Also, an imam alone will convert, but if you really want to incite a rebellion, send one or more spies into the city.

Im trying to keep my gameplay a little 'Holy' so I wont be using germ warfare with my Holy men.

Spies on the other hand....

[selenius4tsd]

Best thing to do is recruit a merchant in Marakesh (sp?) and send him straight to Timbuktu. Ivory and Gold bring home big bucks.

[Phoenicia]

No one ever had the same problem ?

[monkian]

Best thing to do is recruit a merchant in Marakesh (sp?) and send him straight to Timbuktu. Ivory and Gold bring home big bucks.

How do you get there ? Do you need a decent boat because I cant seem to get there by land a the moment.


And I think alot of cavalry is bugged.

[bibbledy]

How do you get there ? Do you need a decent boat because I cant seem to get there by land a the moment.

LOL actually, you can't get there by boat. There's a long corridor that goes south, its closer to Algiers than Marrakesh.

I have a problem with arab cavalry.

I think it's part of the bigger cavalry bug. In the meantime, try charging them from a distance.

[monkian]

I managed to get there last night whilst, bizarrely enough, playing as Venice.

Bugger me its a bit of a cash cow - specially the ivory - 175 a turn with a novice merchant !

[Phoenicia]

I 've read in the forums that cavalry was bugged but did not get what was wrong really,

so i guess after the patch they will have their fighting spirit back !!!

[Nikko0102]

I'm making 5k from trade in the timbuktu region and now I've sent merchants to america