What To Do Against Such A Powerful Nation?

[westy159]

Im really impressed in what the Millanese have accomplished in my M/H Portugal campaign. Although the actual size of their empire is quite lacking, their superiority in military might is rather scary. I expanded my own realm in all directions, have now come to turn 120-140, some time in there, and hold Iberia, Africa (up to the settlement south of Scilly) and western France. Maybe I could of accomplished more by now but its my first campaign so im letting myself off.

I defeated the largest French armies, now they hold a single region somewhere... England is more like an annoying fly, sending a couple of units to seige my cities every now and then for me to go and simply swat away. However, Milan have 3 fully stacked armies of dismounted kinghts and other armoured swordsmen. They have begun attacking me and already have taken 3 of my settlements. My armies are stretched too thin. I built a single full army of Aventuros (pikemen), crossbowman and cannons which I swept France with, leaving a unit or two behind in each one but it led me to this.

Now I have pots full of cash (250'000 approx) but nothing to really spend it on, the French cities are too underdeveloped, I have simple militia units around, a few Generals.

Perhaps I should build gunpowder armies (now that i have entered the age of the musket, still need to build the right barracks there though)in Iberia and attack France again from the south. Or as I have the southern Italy settlement of Naples build an army and attack from there though that will take longer and this new superpower is actually putting me off of the game which I dont want to happen but I cant help it.

[Ippius]

Get a lot of gunpowder units especially cannon and IF u can hand gunners and arquebusiers. That way u can easily hit the enemy hard both in open battles and in sieges. Also upgrade u cities seriously.

[Zhou]

If Milan is using mostly Dismounted Broken Lances (which I assume to be the "armored swordsmen" that you're referring to) and dismounted knights, then your best bet would be to use an army with plenty of heavy cavalry. A couple of good charges from your cavalry will destroy that army. Or, you could make more Jinetes to include in your army, which are amazing at taking out armored targets even though they are early-period units.

[Ippius]

True but cannon have great potential when it comes to breaking down the enemy's morale.

[Sniper]

I had a problem with them to, i sent 4 armies agains their (8 Star General)...All of them got defeated :/
So i took my elite army and crushed them and their empire.

[Soulghast]

Can you show us a screenshot?

[parvus]

defend ur cities heavily, let them attack u, get them excommunicated, go on crusade

[Ippius]

defend ur cities heavily, let them attack u, get them excommunicated, go on crusade

Or just expand rapidly right from the start of the game and don't care about the church...hey...at least when u atack a Christian state the pope doesn't hate u more....

[Pre]

I'd focus on a cav and gunpowder heavy army arangement. I faced something similar against the Milanese in my Spanish game. Armor pericing gunpowder and crossbows is the way to go. And along with those, the order for the day is lots of cav for repeated charges from behind. Just throw enough at them in full numbers and you should do fine.

A dirty trick I like to do when I have alot of money is to go to their cities with diplomats, when they empty out to just a few units every few turns, and no generals, I bribe the town away and burn everything to the ground and disban all units and let them take it back.

This is devistating over a term of lets say 20 turns, if you buy out half their cities and distroy all their economic possibilities. Once that happens, when your army distroys an enemy's army's capabilities, they won't be able to retrain, and those knights are done for.

Spreading the plauge if you have it with spys into their main cities is also fun.

You can check up on their finances just by entering in relations anytime and see if their bankrupt, weak, and so-on.

[SickBoy13]

Calvary. If you were Russia, Poland or a Muslim faction you'd be in the clear, as those factions excel against heavy infantry.