Mon Dieu, but this game works!
Hey after being disillusioned and tired of vanilla I have now started a french game with this mod. Although the building pricing almost put me off at first, they seem pretty much balanced except for a few.
Other than that the game seemed pretty similar, except I was not attacked the first 10 rounds
The best thing I think is the removal of recruitable units from building walls alone, that you actually need to build stables to get knights. This is something i missed alot from MTW.
The diplomacy and AI also works alot better... I fought a very short war with Milano over Dijon, as I somehow ambushed the milanese while sieging the rebel burgundians. The battle was alot of fun, and I loved the way my spearmen actually managed to kill enemy general bodyguards efficiently. A few turns later I got a cease-fire with Milano, and a few hundred gold in the bargain
Quite a few turns later, when I was allied with pretty much all my other neighbours as well as the Hungarians, Venetians and Pope, the Milanese sent an army to backstab me. They sent 3 milita pav. crossbows, 1 mailed knight, 2 italian spear infantry vs my general, one mounted sergeant, 2 peasant archers, 3 town militia and one ballista. Kind a few IMO, so I sallied forth. The battle was pretty standstill as we were both pulverizing one another with missiles, but I had the upper hand as some of my archers had coveron the walls, and I used my light cav to attack and harass the enemy crossbows.
In the end I sent my town miltia, my cavalry and charged them simulaneously, which eventually routed them. My first heroic victory this game (although I can't figure out why).
The consequences of this attack was enormous, however. The papal states, my allies excommunicated the Milanese, and even declared war on them (or milan stupidly attacked us both in the same turn, unlikely?). I suggested a crusade against genoa, and since I had perfect relations with the pope I got it. Venice jumped in Asap, followed by Sicilians, HRE and even Hungarians. Poor Milanese.
I took Florence easily (using naval forces that had just taken Corsica). My main army was delayed however, since the Venetian crusading army blocked my patch (this is stupid, can you fix this Lusted?), so desertion followed. Still, after hiring more mercs I sieged Genoa with about one full stack, and a venetian stack soon followed. I sent my Florentine stack as well (only 6 units!) who had no crusade units, and the Milanese attacked that one.
For the first time I got the "reinforcements delayed" message, and it was tense as the milanese had a full stack including 3 generals, but I beat them and routed them, taking the city proper with those units alone!
After this I tried to get a cease-fire again with Milano (I try to play chivalrous now), but they wanted 17k for it so I refused. 2 turns later they accept to become my protectorate in return for Florence, thus ending the war and allowing Milano to survive as my ally and vassal
Now the scots attack me, and they're also excommunicated right awayMy generals have turned from "merciless" to "chivalrous", and I make lots of money. i like the boost given to merchants, and the balancing factor of requiring lvl 2 markets for them that costs a bunch.
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Originally Posted by Arksa
I've not actually managed to make any faction become my vassal but it's nice to see that it does work. The best way to completely cripple a faction is to launch a crusade against it, and this is why it's so important to keep the Papal States in the game, in my opinion anyway. It adds a level of complexity to the game. I have learnt (the hard way) to stay friends with the Pope, and it makes the game much more fun. 
