Medieval - Total War

Medieval - Total War

16.10.2013 15:33:23



Egyptians-The Muslim Menace


brought to you by- SuperPig
gamefaqs.com



---------------------------------------
*CONTENTS*
---------------------------------------
1-Intro
2-Why play Egypt?
3-Units
A-Combat troops
B-Agents
C-Ships
4-*Early Period* Opening Situation/ Beginning moves
A-Start
B- Troop training
c- Diplomacy
D- Prepare for war
4.1-The Terrible Turks, The Brutal Byzantines, and the Awful Almohads
A-Turks
B-Byzantines
c-Almohads
4.2- Post-War Plans
4.3-Neighbors North
A- Russians
A.5- Preparation
B-Golden Horde
4.4-Crusades
4.5-European Conquest I
A- Iberia
B- Western Europe
C- British Isles
4.6- European Conquest II
A-Eastern Europe
B-Interior Europe
C-The Italian "boot"
4.7-Mopping Up and dealing with rebellions

5- Interesting things
A-Egyptian Heroes
7-What's next?
8-Credits/Contact/Legal



Version History
1.0-Began guide 3/6/04.
1.01-Added a few more hosts, some info for the later sections. Also
some agents.
1.02-Minor update dealing with grammar, spelling, whatever.
2.00-Major Update. More units, all requirements, and ships too.
2.01-General fixes and tweaks
2.02-Quick Fixes





----------------
1.Intro
----------------


This is my very first guide ever. I'm doing this not only to add FAQS
to the pretty plain FAQ section, but to help people who find the
Egyptians position hard to convert into a victory. My experience with
the Egyptians is long and bloody, having nearly conquered the world
twice, and quitting at 60% a third time. I've finished my fourth campaign, with
limited success.
This guide will focus on the early period, conquests and economics. But, out
of all the other factions in Medieval: Total War, why should you...


-------------------------
2. Why play Egypt?
-------------------------


...play as the Egyptians? For starters, the Egyptians can be considered,
out of all the Muslim empires, to be the economic powerhouse. They
don't get the mighty infantry of the Almohads, or the mounted elite of the
Turks, but they do field an impressive arsenal of formidable soldiers.
Secondly, the Egyptians have three factions right at the start ripe for
the conquering: Turks, Almohads and Byzantines. All offer their unique
and interesting challenges. Thirdly, the Egyptians (in early)
start with 6 provinces, half of them capable of bringing in 600 florins each
in the first few years, the other half hardly bringing in 100. So, you are
already rich. Fourth, Egypt has an excellent gateway to the trading centers of
Venice, Constantinople, Greece, Naples, Khazar and others. Depending on your
path of conquest, you can become economic and diplomatic powerhouses or
Conquering Muslim Menaces. Lastly, the Sultan and the Sultana pop out
kids like they're going outta style. So, chances of losing to heir-less
deaths are rare. (thanks to jon_porter@hotmail.com for the correction of
the term for Sultan's wife.)


------------
3.Units
------------


Egypt is afforded many different units then that their Muslim cousins.
They rely on impetuous, weaker units to do their fighting. Here
is a list, complete with stats, of all the units of the Egyptians(aside from
siege), in the order of appearance on the Crusade_unitprod_11 file.

*Note honor=morale*
*Any building with a number after it means how many upgrades of the
building you need. For example, Bowyer2=Bowyers Workshop*

*****************
A- Combat Units
****************


MTW regular
---------------------------
Nizari (archers) *All Periods*
Cost:400
Men:60

March speed: 6
Run speed: 12
Charge speed: 13

Charge:7
Melee:6
Defence:-4
Armour:1
Honor:8
Build:Bowyer2 and Grand Mosque

These archers are elite, impetuous men of the Egyptian army. They should
never be used in charges unless absolutely necessary, considering their
defence. However, they cause havoc with their bows, and since they have
high honor, they won't turn tail and run home to mommy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Desert Archer (archer) *All Periods*
Cost:250
Men:60

March speed: 6
Run speed: 12
Charge speed: 13

Charge:1
Melee:-1
Defence:-2
Armour:1
Honor:2
Build:Bowyer

These are basically your normal archers with a different look. However,
they have better honor, so they won't flee unless things get hairy.
Moreover, they can fight better than archers, so they could be used as a last
resort. They are low cost and powerful against tightly packed formations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crossbows (archer) *High/Late*
cost:200
men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:1
Melee:-1
Defence:2
Armour:3
Honor:0
build:Bowyer2
*missiles good vs armoured troops*


Fortunately for you, Ghazi infantry and Mamluk Cavalry won't be your only
armour killers. Crossbows make their appearance in the High Period, and
wreak havoc on armoured soldiers. (Almohad Urban Militia, anyone?)
They are very cheap, and can hold their own in combat against lesser troops.
They won't stand up to the Knights of Christendom, so they need to be
protected while they fire on the Knights. Don't rely on them too much-
better archers await.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Pavise Crossbows (archer) *High/Late*
Cost:225
Men:60

March Speed:4
Run Speed:8
Charge Speed:9

Charge:1
Melee:-1
Defence:2
Armour:3
Honor:0
build:Bowyer3
*missiles good vs. armoured troops*

Pavise Crossbows are almost exactly like normal crossbows. But, they have
a pavise (large, man-sized shield) to hide behind while they reload.
They are virtually immune to missiles, and do just as much damage to armour
as normal crossbows do.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arbalester (archer) *High/Late*
Cost:275
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:1
Melee:-1
Defence:2
Armour:3
Honor:0
build:Bowyer3
*missiles good vs. armoured troops*

Arbalesters are virtually identical to crossbowmen, but there are three key
differences. One, their arbalest (souped-up crossbow) has a much greater
range than the crossbow. Second, they are much more powerful, doing
catastrophic damage to armoured and unarmoured soldiers alike. Lastly, they
take a very,very long time to reload. Used in conjunction with crossbows,
you can lay down almost endless feather while your soldiers advance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pavise Arbalester (archer) *High/Late*
Cost:300
Men:60

March Speed:4
Run Speed:8
Charge Speed:9

Charge:1
Melee:-1
Defence:2
Armour:3
Honor:0
build:Bowyer4
*missiles good vs. armoured troops*

These guys are the ultimate of arrow slingers. Besides being immune to
missiles, they are identical to Arbalesters. These should be the main archer
force of your Egyptian Army.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mamluk Handgun (gun/archer) *High/Late*
Cost:100
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:1
Melee:0
Defence:-2
Armour:1
Honor:2
build:Gunsmith,Invention of Gunpowder
*cause fear to some units*
*missiles good vs. armoured troops*
*cannot fire in rain*

There is little to say about these guys. They are utterly and completely
useless compared to arrow slingers. Their range is very short, they can't
fight hand-to-hand for their lives, and they can't fire in rain. Use at
your own risk.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------


Arquebusier (gun/archer) *High/Late*
Cost:175
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:1
Melee:-1
Defence:3
Armour:4
Honor:0
Build:GunSmith3,Invention of Gunpowder
*cannot fire in rain*
*cause fear to some troops*
*missiles good vs. armour*

Arquebusiers may be the only gun unit worth using. They are okay in a melee,
and they have a little longer range than handgunners. If you absolutely
need to use gunpowder infantry, use these.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naptha Throwers (grenadiers) *All Periods*
Cost:200
Men:12

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:1
Melee:0
Defence:2
Armour:3
Honor:2
Build:Seige Engineer
*cause fear to some units*
*may misfire and kill themselves and adjacent units*

These guys crack me up. I recently had a battle where a two or three
Throwers misfired while a group of their own archers where running through
them. It was a riot. Half the archers are dead, the rest run away, and the
army routs. Anyways, they are okay units to have. Their short range means
they probably won't see much action until your troops clash with the enemy.
So, be prepared to take friendly fire casualties. Other than being unique,
there isn't much incentive to use them.
---------------------------=----------------------------------------------

Alan Mercenary Cavalry (cavlary) *All Periods*
Cost:200
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:24
Charge Speed:26

Charge:6
Melee:3
Defence:1
Armour:3
Honor:4
Build:Inn
*only available as Mercenaries*

These cavalry are very, very good for sweeping around flanks and falling
on the archers behind. They cannot stand up to Knights, but they
can hold their own against most other early and high units. If you get a
chance to hire these guys, do it without thought.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steppe Cavalry (cavalry) *All Periods*
Cost:150
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:24
Charge Speed:26

Charge:6
Melee:2
Defence:1
Armour:3
Honor:0
Build:Horse Breeder
Provinces:ID_MUSCOVY, ID_VOLGA_BULGARIA, ID_KHAZAR, ID_PEREYASLAVL,
ID_CHERNIGOV, ID_RYAZAN, ID_KIEV

These are very similar to Alan Mercs. The only differences are melee and
honor. They will turn tail if things get hairy-watch out for that. They are
very effective on the flanks, so use them as flankers. Head on charges
should be a last resort.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mamluk Horse Archers (mounted archer) *All Periods*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost:375
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:2
Melee:3
Defence:1
Armour:3
Honor:4
Build:Bowyer3, Horse Breeder3

Mamluk Horse Archers are one of the best mounted archers in the game.
Unlike most horse archers, these can actually fight if they have to. Being
elite, they won't run when lowly peasants break and flee. These should be
the only horse archer you use throughout the game.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Urban Militia (polearm troops) *All Periods*
Cost:100
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:4
Melee:2
Defence:-1
Armour:1
Honor:0
Build:Town Watch
*vunerable to missiles*
*bonus vs. armoured troops*

Urban Militia are interesting. They have an armour piercing attack, but
they can't even kill unarmoured units, not to mention even getting close
to armour without fleeing. You should have few of these units, wait for
Nubian Spearmen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ghazi Infantry (axe infantry) *All Periods*
Cost:175
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:12
Charge Speed:13

Charge:6
Melee:5
Defence:-4
Armour:1
Honor:8
Build:Swordsmith, Mosque
*bonus vs. armoured troops*

Two words describe these men-impetuous kamikazes. They charge into battle,
slaughtering anything and anyone in their way. But, most of them don't
come back, due to their defence. Since they have alot of honor, they can be
outnumbered 30-1 and still fight it out. However, they are capable of
running, but you won't see it often.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Muwahid Foot (spearmen) *All Periods*
Cost:225
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:12
Charge Speed:13

Charge:7
Melee:1
Defence:-1
Armour:1
Honor:4
Build:Spearmaker2
*Attack bonus (+1) vs cavalry*
*Defence bonus (+4) vs cavalry*

These could be good spearmen, but it's a shame, because they only have 60
men per unit. So, they fight like swordsmen, charging the flanks and
causing huge casualties on the charge. They can also be used to repel
cavalry, so they could be considered "hybrid" troops.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Muslim Peasants (infantry) *All Periods*
Cost:50
Men:100

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:4
Melee:-2
Defence:-4
Armour:1
Honor:-2
*Vunerable to missiles*
Build:Fort

Like Mamluk Handguns, these are awful, awful units. They are only good for
A) Charging down a hill at other peasants or B) Mobile Pincushions. I'll
take the latter, I'll save my good troops for the melee.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saracen Infantry (spearmen) *All Periods*
Cost:300
Men:100

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:5
Melee:-1
Defence3
Armour:3
Honor:0
Build:Spearmaker2
*Attack bonus (+1) vs cavalry*
*Defence bonus (+4) vs cavalry*

By far one of the best early units, these soldiers can cause havoc wherever
they are on the battlefield. They can take on Byzantine Infantry with ease.
The only set back to Saracen Infantry in their melee, but with good defence
and armour, it won't matter. Use these to pin down the enemy, and use your
cavalry to destroy them on the flanks and rear.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saharan Cavalry (light cavalry) *All Periods*
Cost:125
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:24
Charge Speed:26

Charge:4
Melee:2
Defence:0
Armour:2
Honor:0
Build:Horse Breeder
Provinces:ID_MOROCCO, ID_ALGERIA, ID_TUNISIA, ID_LIBYA, ID_EGYPT,
ID_SINAI, ID_ARABIA

This cavalry unit is very basic. They have moderate stats, and they are
cheap, so they can be used aggressively. Like most muslim cavalry, they won't,
and can't, stand up to Christian Cavalry. Use these as mainly flankers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mamluk Cavalry (medium-axe cavalry) *High/Late*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost:275
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:4
Melee:2
Defence:3
Armour:4
Honor:4
Build: Horse Breeder2
*Bonus vs. armoured troops*

These are one of the best Egyptian Cavalry. They are fast, and can actually
fight right up in the front with good success. For such good cavalry, they
are very cheap, so they should make up your main mounted force until
heavy cavalry make an appearance.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Armenian Heavy Cavalry (Heavy Cavalry) *All Periods*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost:300
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:8
Melee:3
Defence:3
Armour:4
Honor:4
Build:Horse Breeder2
Provinces:ID_LESSER_ARMENIA, ID_RUM, ID_ARMENIA

These are even better than Mamluk Cavalry. Their charge is unstoppable,
they have a good melee attack and good defence. Chances to use these are
rare, so they won't make up a large, if any, part of your army. Nevertheless,
they are very, very effective shock troops.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bedouin Camel Warriors (Camel Cavalry) *All Periods*
Cost:125
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:14
Charge Speed:16

Charge:6
Melee:2
Defence:0
Armour:2
Honor:0
Build:Fort
Provinces: ID_EGYPT, ID_SINAI, ID_ARABIA, ID_SYRIA
*cause fear to horses*

When you have a unit that scares horses, you'd probably want alot of it
right? Well, in this case I wouldn't use these for horses. Use
them on infantry. Why? If they charge the rear of a enemy formation, expect
many men to fall. They make good flankers to hit archers because they can
mostly take care of themselves. Since they are slow, they won't outrun
ponies, so they shouldn't take them on because if they begin to lose, they
won't escape. Either way, the Camels will be somewhat successful.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ghulam Cavalry (medium cavalry) *All Periods*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost:275
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:6
Melee:3
Defence:3
Armour:4
Honor:4
Build:Spearmaker3, Horse Breeder3

Ghulam Cavalry are identical to Armenian Heavy Cavalry in everything except
charge. These, however, you will most definitely use. They can be trained
in any province, so they will be common. Use these in conjunction with
Mamluk Cavalry and/or Bedouin Camels to get a very powerful and effective
1-2 punch.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Khwarazmian Cavalry (Heavy Cavalry) *All Periods*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost: 375
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:6
Melee:3
Defence:5
Armour:7
Honor:4
Build:Horse Breeder4, Spearmaker4

You're probably thinking "All right, excellent cavalry that are identical to
Kataphraktoi! I'll build lots!" You can, but you need to remember one thing-
the desert heat. With this combination of armour and heat, you'll can
have deep fried horse and rider for breakfast lunch and dinner (for 2 weeks!)
Use these in your European conquest where they can fight it out with
Christian Knights and heavy sword infantry, unaffected by heat.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Royal Ghulam Knights (Royal Cavalry) *All Periods*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost: 300, 350, 425 (early, high,late)
Men:20 (sultan's unit has 21)

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:8
Melee:3
Defence:4,5,7 (early, high, late)
Armour:4,5,7 (early high late)
Honor:6
Build:Royal Court

These Royal Cavalry are no match for their Christian counterparts. However,
their lesser armour means they can fight much better in the desert. The
Prince's unit comes with 20, while the Sultan gets 21 men. These are probably
the best cavalry afforded to Egypt.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hashishin (Ninja) *All Periods*
Cost:500
Men:12

March Speed:6
Run Speed:12
Charge Speed:13

Charge:2
Melee:6
Defence:5
Armour:2
Honor:12
Build:Ribat, Swordsmith4
*can hide in the open*

The Hashishin are like Jackie Chan's mafia. They are impetuous assassins
that destroy everything in their way. Use them to hide near an enemy general.
When his unit is alone or falls behind, spring the trap and slaughter the
poor soul. Use them well, they cost quite a bit, and there is only 12 men.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nubian Spearmen (spearmen) *All Periods*

Cost:175
Men:100

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:4
Melee:0
Defence:-1
Armour:1
Honor:2
Build:Spearmaker
*Attack bonus (+1) vs cavalry*
*Defence bonus (+4) vs cavalry*

Nubian Spearmen should make up the majority of your early armies until
Saracen Infantry become available. Nothing really special about these
infantry.
------------------------------------------------------------------y-----

Abyssinian Guard (axe-men) *High/Late*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost:175
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:4
Melee:4
Defence:0
Armour:1
Honor:6
Build:Swordsmith
*bonus vs. armoured troops*

These infantry are very weak on the defence, but provide a good offensive
push. They are weak to missiles, but quite strong on a head on attack.
The cost is low, so they are expendable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lithuanian Cavalry (medium cavalry) *High/Late*
Cost:225
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:6
Melee:2
Defence:3
Armour:4
Honor:2
Build:Horse Breeder4, Armourer3, Swordsmith3
Provinces:ID_LITHUANIA, ID_LIVONIA, ID_VOLHYNIA

Basic Cavalry you should not use. Armenian Heavy Cavalry, Mamluk and Ghulum's
are all better, and much closer to home. They are good against some forms
of cavalry, but later on, they are obsolete.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Woodmen (tree-choppers) *All Periods*
Cost:75
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:8
Melee:1
Defence:-1
Armour:2
Honor:-2
Build:Fort
Provinces:ID_LIVONIA, ID_LITHUANIA, ID_NORWAY, ID_NOVGOROD, ID_POLAND,
ID_SWEDEN, ID_SILESIA, ID_VOLHYNIA
*bonus vs armoured troops*

Again, you shouldn't use these, or try to use them. They ARE better than
peasants, but since their homelands are far away, I wouldn't bother unless
you want to see them massacred by the high/late Christian knights. They do
have bonus vs armour, so, yeah...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------




-----------------------------------------------------------------------
**Viking Invasion Units**
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Arab Infantry (swordsmen) *All periods*
Cost:125
Men:60

March Speed:6
Run Speed:10
Charge Speed:11

Charge:2
Melee:4
Defence:-2
Armour:1
Honor:4
Build:Swordsmith

These, believe it or not, are the only sword infantry the Egyptians can get.
And you know what, they're not the best. They have a great attack, but
their defence means most of these men won't get to use that nice sword.
However, in conjunction with Saracen Infantry, you have an almost unbeatable
combo.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Faris (medium horse archer) *Early/High*
*ELITE UNIT*
Cost:375
Men:40

March Speed:9
Run Speed:20
Charge Speed:22

Charge:4
Melee:3
Defence:1
Armour:3
Honor:4
Build:Horse Breeder2, Swordsmith2, Bowyer2

These cavalry are great at harassing enemy formations. They can take out
a bunch of enemy units with bows, then pull out their sword and charge. They
are okay at melee combat, but they shouldn't be used in an all out frontal
charge. Like all cavalry, you should hit the flanks with these elite
soldiers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


**********
B- Agents
*********

Agents are basically any unit that doesn't fight. They play an important
role in diplomacy and other matters.


Spy
Cost: 100
Trained at: Brothel

Spies are people who go around and disrupt the enemy. They, when used in
numbers, can lower loyalty in a province to the point where they
can cause rebellions. They can be used in your own province to counter-spy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assassin
Cost: 200
Trained at: Tavern

Assassins are what their name says-assassins. They are good for taking out
enemy general right before you invade the province, as it lowers morale
for the year,
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emissary
Cost: 100
Trained at: Royal Palace

Emissaries are your primary source for building alliances. They can also
bribe enemy armies and remove a general's titles.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Mullah
Cost: 100
Trained at: Mosque

These guys can be used like emissaries, but they also spread the Islamic
religion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ulama
Cost: 150
Trained at: Grand Mosque


These are very much like Mullahs, but are more effective on what they do.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jihad
Cost: 500
Trained at: Ribat

Jihad's are like crusades. They, however, can only be used to reclaim lost
provinces. And, they usually do not get many men, which makes them not worth it
unless you're really desperate. To be useful, use it in conjunction with your
other armies.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*********
C. SHIPS
*********
I better not have to explain this one...

Dhow
Cost:600
Range:1
Attack:1
Defence:1
Speed:3
Build:Shipyard1

Your first ship, and it is as basic as you can get. It is better than
the Barque, but, is about even with Dromons and Galleys.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baggala
Cost:800
Range:2
Attack:2
Defence:2
Speed:2
Build:Shipyard2, Compass

This is the ship you want to use against Galley's and Caravels. They will
be your main ship from around 1150 to the end of the game.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boom
Cost:1100
Range:2
Attack:4
Defence:3
Speed:2
Build:Shipyard3, Foundry2, Invention of Gunpowder, Compass

Here is a great ship, but it is expensive, and doesn't have a range and
speed worth mentioning, since it is high in the tech tree. If you're ship
crazy, get this, but other powers seldom get higher than a second tier ship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Well, that was grueling. Anyways, we're not even half way through. Now
the real guide begins.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
4A. Opening Situation/Beginning Moves
-----------------------------------------------------------------------



************
A-The start
************
Well, you're ready to begin. So you enter the game and what do you see?
Hardly anything. You have one fort in Egypt. That's basically all.
You have few men at your disposal, and most are peasants. You need to advance
in the tech tree, so you must begin the game by building. So, depending on the
difficulty you play at, you mayor may not have the florins to construct a fort
in very province. That should be your maingoal, as some of your provinces
aren't very loyal. Army construction should,for the most part, be at a minimum
Although you have good income, you only have one province that can train
troops. You should be building a fort in every province except Egypt. Egypt
can be building any number of things: Bowyer, Spearmaker, Town Watch,
Trading Post or other economic buildings. You may notice as you assign titles
that you have generals with very low loyalty, but have good acumen. That
could be a good thing, but if you have disloyal men governing, civil war
could break out early on in the game. That would potentially ruin the whole
game. Your neighbors are almost in the same boat as you, aside from the
Byzantines, who have huge income and somewhat developed provinces and armies.
Don't worry about conquering now. You need an army and navy to start
things off. Build a port in your key trading provinces (Egypt, Antioch,
Tripoli and Palestine)

******************
B-Training Troops
******************
Hopefully through construction you have managed to get to the point where
you can train good troops in all provinces. The only provinces I don't think
you should train units in are Egypt and Antioch. Upgrade both forts to a keep,
and focus on getting Saracen Infantry and Arab Infantry in Antioch.
Do the same with Egypt,only also getting ships as well as Saracen Infantry.
Antioch is bordered by two other factions and it's profitable. That
makes this not only your bread and butter province, but it's also high on
the Byzantines'and Turks' most wanted list. A strong garrison of good soldiers
should be there at all times. That army should consist of Desert archers,
Arab Infantry, Bedouin Camel Warriors and Saracens. Camel Warriors are,
for the most part, good expendable cavalry. That army should be commanded
by the heir, since they usually seem to have better command values than
the Sultan.
As for Egypt, you need ships in the surrounding waters, perferably before
the Byzantines get ships in them. If your path to domination starts with
the Byzantines, you should have enough ships not only to negate the
Byzantine Navy, but to allow you men free reign of almost ANY Byzantine
province. try to put ships in every sea region leading to Greece,
preferably two or three ships in each region. (trust me, you'll need
them no matter where you go) Also attempt to get Saracen Infantry to
garrison Egypt to defend from the Almohads. While doing this, DO NOT
IGNORE THE OTHER PROVINCES!. They need garrisons too.

*************
C. Diplomacy
*************

This is the time to decide who you'll (hopefully) pound into dust.
Diplomacy is like a grab-bag at this point in the game. It all depends on
what you want to do. You should do what you believe is best for your
situation. If you need money, take on the Byzantines. If you want rich
developed provinces, take on the...Byzantines. If you want a gateway to
Europe, take on the Almohads!...or Byzantines. As you can clearly see, the
Byzantines, although strong and mighty, are and excellent candidate for
invasion. If you choose to take them on first, ally yourselfs with the
Turks and anyone else you want. The Turks will easily be destroyed by
the Byzanintes. Both of your combined efforts should lead to victory.
You might decide to take on the Almohads. That should be easy, as they will
probably take on the Spanish to the west. Wars on two fronts is not good
for anyone. They will quickly crumble. An alliance with Spain would
be a good move. Thirdly, you can war with the Turks. No matter what, you
need to decide on a course of action. (If you're daring, you may even
try amphibious landings against the Italians or Sicilians. Do what works)

******************
D. Prepare for war
******************

In order to flourish as an Empire, war must come. When you have made a
decision, move most of your troops to the border provinces. Scout out the
enemy armies. Adjust your strength accordingly. (ex. if they have alot of
cavalry, you get more spearmen) If your choice is the Byzantines, wait for
the Turks to war with them before sending in your soldiers, and vice versa
if you have decided on the Turks. The Almohads can be fought with whenever, but
preferably while the Spanish are at war with them. Plan your attacks, and
unleash hell on the unsuspecting faction.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1-The Terrible Turks, The Brutal Byzantines, and the Awful Almohads
--------------------------------------------------------------------

* you can do these in any order you want*

*********
A- Turks
*********

The Turks are similar to you in a few ways. Besides being of the Muslim
religion, they field an army like yours. What you should worry about
is their hit and run tactics. They, unlike you, they get Horse Archers fairly
early. You need to wait a while to get your first horse archers. If it has
been a while before you decided to make war, they may have Turcoman Horse,
excellent mounted archers who can dismount to become effective swordsmen.
Your armies must consist of quick cavalry to negate the mounted archer threat,
some type of spear troop to serve as the backbone. If playing Viking Invasion,
you should decide whether you want Arab Infantry in your army. Finally,
round off your army with Desert Archers. You should have as many number of
stacks consisting of the above units that you can afford. You can now start
the war. You should try to initially invade the province with the smallest
garrison. Do that only to establish a foot hold. You don't want to invade their
largest province with the most men. Say you win, but lose 3/4 of your army?
They can counter and push you out of their lands. They will also take some of
yours. You can't afford that risk. With a foothold in the Turkish lands,
pour in reinforcements and prepare to either defend or attack. If they attack
with the intention of reclaiming their lost land, expect to see horse archers,
urban militia, peasants, foot archers and maybe the Sultan or his son. Your
army will easily win a defensive battle, even if outnumbered. Most likely you
will have invaded Syria, as it is large. When invading and besieging, watch
for enemy armies invading Antioch from Lesser Armenia. Keep a moderate garrison
in that province. You just added quite a bit to your empire. If you recall from
section 3, I went over the units and said that Armenian Heavy Cavalry were
excellent. As you can guess, they can be trained in only the two Armenias.
(and Rum) One of them, perferably Lesser Armenia, should be your next goal.
The Turks aren't to be caught off guard again though. Expect a strong fight
from now on out. You must pursue the Turks rellentlessly. Any lull in the
war can give them the chance to assemble an army from scraps of their defeated
armies. You can count on them to put up a strong fight. If the Byzantines
enter the war on your side, you can count on the Turks defeated. However, if
they side with the Turks, you may be in trouble. You should hope they just
remain neutral in the conflict.
Depending upon what you see on the campmap, hopefully you're bordered
with the Turkish Sultan and his heirs. You should try to invade the provinces
containing them in hopes of killing them. You don't want a war forever right?
Eliminating the Royal line enables you to destroy the faction and thereby bribe
or invade rebel provinces. Now the Turks are gone, and you have also
opened up another route-north into Asia. Don't get too far ahead though-
the Byzantines and Almohads are waiting.
Hopefully you have all the former Turkish provinces. If you don't have
one or two, it's not a big deal, just bribe them. These new provinces do not
provide much in the way of income. They do, however,border the Black Sea,
a rich trading area. One ship there can benefit any province bordering that
sea. Now's the time to rebuild the armies. Also, the added income can be
used to support more armies. Do that, and get ready to face your next
opponent, whoever it may be.

************
B-Byzantines
************

If you choose to take on the Byzantines, remember that they are very, very
strong with tough units, Byzantine Infantry, Trebizond Archers, Varangian
Guard, Byzantine Lancers (if VI) and the feared Kataphaktoi. You must take
out rich training provinces first if you plan to succeed. Your targets should
be Constantinople and Nicea. They both are developed provinces, and the sooner
they crumble to the ground, the better. If you start to lose a war with them,
you will probably end up holding your desert provinces, since the high armour
ratings of Byzantine units will roast the poor soul. Byzantines, like the
Turks, get Horse Archers. Fortunatly for you, light cavalry can easily
negate the threat. Unfortunatly, you will still have a tough time winning
in Byzantine Provinces because it is not a desert environment. Your armies
(produce two armies for this phase, one for conquering both key provinces)
should consist of the following units: Ghazi Infantry, Light Cavalry
(Saharan Cavalry work well), Spearmen (Saracen Infantry) and some type
of archer. Also, you need a good general, not only because the Byzantines
have powerful generals, but because you need extra valour for your men
if you hope for them to stand against the Byzantine Armies. Your navy should
be stronger than that of the Byzantines-don't think about taking them on
until it is. Your first target should be an amphibious invasion in either
Constantinople or Nicea. Always keep good, strong, quality garrisons in the
border provinces. They are a must for protecting the homelands. The battles
in one of these two provinces will split the empire in two if successful.
It will also cripple some of their unit production, allowing a much easier
task. The Battle for Constantinople, which will inevitably come, will probably
pit your army against the Royal line of Byzantium. If you want, you can
send in your Royal line, but if the attack fails, say bye-bye to the campaign.
Constantinople may either be the easiest or hardest fight, depending what
is there. Usually, the garrison is very strong until the Byzantines use these
men for western attacks. Use an agent to monitor activity in Constantinople.
Once the garrison seems smallest, load up and set foot on Byzantine ground.
If you're lucky, the garrison will retreat for a siege or abandon the
province together. Use the second army you created to invade Nicea if it
looks feasible. Hopefully, both provinces will be yours with minimal fighting.
Now is the hard part-defence. The Byzantines are pissed at you because of
your sudden and unprovoked attacks. They will charge to reclaim the homelands,
with a flag of "No Quarter" flying in the air. Defensive lines should have
your archers focusing on armoured targets. Taking them out makes the infantry's
job a bit easier. Light cavalry should be put away from the main army so they
can attack archers from the rear. Ghazi's should be placed on the flanks to
hit the armoured infantry from the sides, causing horrendous losses. Saracen
Infantry should be the main line of the army. Don't expect a cake-walk. You
will probably take large, if not horrendous, losses defending these lands.
Make sure reinforcements arrive EVERY year to replenish the losses suffered.
Once you finally secure the two main Byzantine provinces, you can mop up.
It shouldn't be hard. The conquering of the Byzantines may be hard and
bloody. However, you are rewarded in many ways. First, if you have taken Greece,
you have at least two rich provinces. Nicea and Constantinople are probably
developed enough (even after the destruction of buildings) to produce
more units quickly. You also have an easy rout into Europe from here.
Finally, you have one (maybe two) weak factions ready to fall to your sword.


***********
C. Almohads
***********

The Almohads are your cousins to the west. Conquering them opens up rich
provinces in Iberia. Plus, it gives you a direct route to Europe (similar to
the Byzantine conquests). They field an army with strengths similar to yours.
They, however, have three units that can wreck your army if your not properly
prepared. First are Berber camels. They, unlike your Bedouin Camel Warriors,
are much more effective fighters. However, your camels can still take them on.
What sets Berbers apart are their multi-purpose. Their bows can cause damage
to unarmoured units, and they can fight similarly to Bedouin Camels.
Berber Camels are very useful early on, so prepare to see them
alot in your conquests. The best means to destroy them are to attack them
with good cavalry (Saharan Cavalry may not do the job, heavier would be better)
Your Bedouin's may be enough, but you might need more to succeed.
Next come Murabitin Infantry. These are javelin throwing, lightly armoured
units with low defence and attack ratings. They have good morale though,
so expect them to fight to the last. They represent no problems to you
unless you are marching up a hill. They will decimate your ranks with javelins
before their heavier troops fall upon your men. Cavalry are the best means to
counter them. Finally, there are Almohad Urban Militia. DO NOT underestimate
them just because they have "Urban Militia" in their title. They are extremely
strong and disciplined soldiers. All they lack is a good charge bonus, but
with decent attack and defence, it won't matter. You have few units who will
be able to take these elite on in the early game. Ghazi Infantry can decimate
them if they hit on the flanks, and a rear cavalry charge will work well.
Before they're dead, they will take down many of your men. You've been warned.
Your first attack will undoubtly come to Cyrencia. Usually, it
is not well defended. It represents little economic value although it is
quite big. Your armies should consist of one or two units of Ghazi's, one
or two units of archers, a good general, Saracen Infantry, Bedouin Camels, and
light cavalry. After Cyrencia falls, you should call up reinforcements if
you took heavy losses. If you are counter-attacked, you line should be similar
to the one mentioned in the Byzantine section. Ghazi's are the main flankers,
while spear troops make up your main line. Plug holes with Bedouins or other
cavalry (archers if need be). After you repel any attacks, you can steam roll
your way forward. The next province, Tunisia, probably is better defended.But,
like Cyrencia, it should present little trouble to you. Again, prepare for
counter-attacks, and move to claim the rest of the lands. The fight should be
easy; if you are allied to the Spainish, expect them to assist you. This phase
of fighting is the one where you will most likely see the Almohad Urban Militia
However, if the Spanish are helping you, those units will be scarce and small
in numbers. If this is your first conquer path, do the other ones now. After
defeating all three nations, you should be in a good position to invade
Europe. However, you need to retrain, upgrade, and build back up your
war fund.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------
4.2- Post-War Plans
-----------------

Your Empire is now the biggest, most profitable, and most powerful Empire
in the world. However, probably aren't technologically advanced as some
nations. Although you may think you did well against the Muslims, their
troops aren't as good as the ones you will soon face.
Your profits now should be the largest in the world. You have rich
provinces: Tripoli, Antioch, Palestine, Greece, Algeria and Egypt, that should
bring in the majority of your income. Start by building European Alliances,
especially with the Italians and Sicillians. These have rich trading lands,
and you can expect to bring much from them. Make chains of ships connecting
to Naples, Venice, Sicily, Valencia and Cordoba. Profit should now soar.
The added income provides you with many possibilities.You should upgrade any
forts to Castles. Your unit training provinces should be very advanced.Speaking
of units, if you have units that are half full, retrain them. As for getting
new ones, build to the point where you can get Mamluk Cavalry, Mamluk Horse
Archers and Ghulum Cavalry in at least two provinces. These units are essential
to conquering Europe, mainly due to the slower units Europeans tend to field,
but also the majority of their armies consist of archers. Since it is still the
early period, you may decide to attack Spain during this phase. If you plan to
do so, you should be successful. Spain doesn't have extremely powerful units,
albeit from ones that emerge in the late period. In early, the only threat from
the Spanish may be Spanish Jinettes. Most of their armies will not be strong,
so if you choose to attack them now, it won't be difficult. If you want to
rebuild and focus of economy, go right ahead. Actually, I'd rather do that
than fight Spain.
By now, you should have most your provinces well developed. It should
be around 1185, giving you alot of time to build new armies and work up
diplomacy until the High Period (1205). High Period is the do or die time,
since you do not get very strong units in the late period. Most of the units
your army will consist of will be early period units.

======================================================================
HIGH PERIOD
======================================================================


-----------------------
4.3-Neighbors North
A- Russians
B-Golden Horde
-----------------------

Before we begin this section, there are a few things you should do. Most
likely, the Russians will be your next target. Hopefully, they are weak
(they usually are). If they are centered around two or three provinces,
there will be alot of land open in the Steppe regions. You can conquer those
if you wish. However, in 1231 the Golden Horde come tearing into Khazar.
Depending upon how many men you have there, they will have some probably
9-10x more men. So, if you have 4000 men there, expect to do battle with
a lot of troops. You can bypass that province if you want. However, it
is profitable, so if you need florins, you can take it. If you want a big
battle, go ahead and take it. Regardless, you'll fight the Golden Horde, so
do whatever you want with Khazar.
Another option is to leave the Russians alone until after you
defeat the Horde. If you take many casualties fighting the Russians, you
will probably be defeated by the Horde. This option is good if you're low
on cash, have small armies, or the Russians are large (as in most of the
steppes). Decide now, but the Russians will come first in the section. That
doesn't necessarily mean you should do them first.


***********
A-Russians
***********

If you decide on the Russians first, you need to prepare in case of large
casualties. If the Russians are small, you don't need to worry much. If they
are large, I'd suggest training as many units as you can afford, and putting
them near the front. The war must be fast and deadly (a.k.a. blitzkrieg).
If you border the Russian Grand Prince and his heirs, go after them
relentlessly. If you eliminate the Royalty, the faction will crumble
before your might. Then you don't need to worry, and can get ready for
the horde.
However, you will probably not be near the Grand Prince. No
big deal really, find where he his and drive a path right through the
Russians to there. Russian armies aren't as good as yours, but they do have
a few exceptions if you're playing Viking Invasion. Rus Spearmen are like
Saracen Spearmen. They may even be better, but they won't stand if you can
swarm them. The Russians also have Druhinza Cavalry in Viking Invasion.
These are similar to Mamluk Cavalry, but they have 20 more men in the unit.
They aren't great, but they are good, so you should bring spearmen for these
guys. Finally, there are Boyars. These are extremely powerful Russian Royal
Bodyguards.They will slaughter spearmen with their bows, and wipe out swordsmen
with their powerful charge and melee attack. Mamluk Cavalry are good here,
considering the Boyars' armour. Unfortunately, Boyars have 40 men per unit.
The rest of their army will be Vikings and peasantry. Although
the Vikings may prove a challenge, the others are just pincushions for archers.
They should give you no trouble at all. If you want, after you defeat the
Russians, you can conquer rebel lands. I'd suggest not doing that. You will
need all spare troops in Khazar.


****************
A.5-Preperation
****************

If you started with the Russians, they are gone and will be no more threat
to you. Now you must prepare. Why? You've probably played a few campaigns
before this one and always got the same message in 1231; "The Golden Horde
have arrived". That means, being an Empire that will be the first
attacked by the Horde, you're screwed. They have huge armies that pour into
Khazar, made up of powerful cavalry, mounted archers and hybrid infantry.
You must rely on a few units instead of a bunch of different ones: Mamluk
Cavalry, Saracen Spears, Abyssinian Guards, and any type of archer. These
men will be your main armies. Train as many of them as you can, even if you
go into debt. Send them ALL into Khazar. Usually, you'll be able to
get 4000-10000 men in Khazar before the attack. Bad news for you friend.
They send in nearly 25000-30000 in the attack, or more if you have more than
10000 men! Try to also put large forces in Georgia, protecting the main Empire
if you lose the battle. In Viking Invasion the Horde seldom invades Georgia on
the opening attack. That's another reason to put alot of men there.


Another strategy, which is not as costly, is to let the Golden Horde take
Khazar, while you set up shop in KIev. Kiev has a nice bridge to defend, and
if you have plenty of archers, Saracen Infantry et al, to defend it with.
This makes things ALOT easier, but the Golden Horde will remain a threat for a
longer period of time. Also, I highly suggest that you fortify surrounding
provinces (Volga-Bulgaria, Georgia, Peryslavyl, etc), because the GH may
also attack those regions, although seldom in my experience. With sizable forces
in each of the forementioned provinces, you should defeat the Golden Horde
with minimal losses.


*******************
B-The Golden Horde
*******************

The upcoming battle will be the largest you may EVER fight.
Your deployment should consist of 3-4 units of archers
(preferably crossbows if you have them), 2-3 units of Abyssinian Guards, your
General, 3-4 cavalry, and the rest Saracen Spears.
Your cavalry should mainly be used against the mounted archers. At the
deployment phase, stick them in trees closer to the enemy if possible. If
not, keep them near you. If you manage to get in trees, wait for them to
advance on your army. When the army assaults, and the horse archers are
behind firing, charge them and you should rout them. The rest of your army
should be placed on a hill, with crossbows behind spears, and your Abyssinian's
ready to be used in a flanking assault. Put your reinforcement flag smack dab
in the middle of your army.
When the battle begins, order forces to hold ground, not hold
postition. Only order crossbows to hold position so they don't flee. Focus
the Xbows on Golden Horde heavy cavalry, and, if possible, on the Khan
himself. He has no heirs, and if you kill him, you probably have won.
If you are getting pounded by archers, you can order the cavalry you have
to hit them from the rear. Another approach, probably more costly, is
to charge down the hill. Although I wouldn't recommend it, it will split
up the enemy army. This is a MUST WIN battle. A loss here will destroy
most of your army, and it's probable your Empire will suffer. The fight may
be six hours or more, and you'll probably have to call on most of your
reinforcements. If you win the battle, the Horde will never set foot in
Europe. If you lose, get ready to counterattack. During one, (if you have to)
go for the Khan and kill him. His death, if he has no heirs, will ruin
the Horde and you will be able to live in peace, at least until you
are attacked by your first crusade.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------



-----------
4.4. Crusades
-----------

If this is your very first time playing Medieval, than you probably
don't know too much about crusades. They were basically multi-national
catholic armies that were sent to retake holy lands (Jerusulem, Palestine, etc)
In the game, almost all Christian powers can and probably will declare
a crusade against one of your provinces. (Most likely Constantinople and Egypt)
Then you need to worry. You will be up against elite, powerful crusade units.
Most are heavily armoured, so if they attack Egypt, you should have little
difficulty defeating them. However, if they attack anywhere else, you will
be in trouble. If possible, take as many units as you can spare and either
send them into an adjacent province near the crusade objective, preferably
in the crusade's path. If you can, you may be able to slow it and inflict
huge casualties, or you may defeat it together.
Crusade units are strong and powerful, as already mentioned. They
have mounted knights that are nothing you have ever seen before. They can
even grind lesser spearmen into dust. However, there are ways to beat them.
And, actually, you've been employing these tactics the whole time.
Your armies must consist of 4-5 units of Mamluk Cavalry. These
will slaughter the armoured knights. Also, Mamluk Horse Archers should be
used. They can tire out the heavily armoured knights, and they can
efficiently inflict casualties with their bows. You need some Abyssinian
Guards to take out the Order foot soldiers. Those units are heavily
armoured, and they are spearmen. So you can't use your Mamluk's against them.
If you can't get Abyssinian's, Ghazi Infantry will do fine. Also, this is
the time where you need crossbows. They will inflict many casualties against
armoured units.
Although most of the crusade units are good, there are some exceptions.
Fanatics are basically peasants, and some crusades come with alot of these
men. They won't be a problem, just make sure they don't flank your army.
(they have irresistible charge). The units you need to fear are the knights:
Knights Templar, Knights Hospittaler, Knights of Santiago and Teutonic
Knights. They, as I said before, will devastate lesser spearmen as well as
any other foot soldier you have (besides Saracens, of course). Order Foot
Soldiers are almost like Chivalric Sergeants. So, if you're reading this
while you are in the later stages of the game, you have probably taken on
those units before. Yoyr first crusade will be the hardest, since you
have little/no experience defending against one.

*NOTE* Aside from the crusade specific units, the crusade will pick up men
from the armies stationed in provinces it has passed through. It is not
uncommon to see English Longbowmen and Italian Light Infantry in the same
crusade.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The European Conquest is divided into two sections, depending which part
of Europe you want to begin the invasions (Iberia or East Europe)
Section one covers Iberia to the British Isles, and section two covers
east Europe to the Italian "boot"

-----------------------
4.5-European Conquest I.
-----------------------

*********
A. Iberia
*********

For those who don't know what Iberia is, it is the basically modern day
Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Anyways, if you defeated the Spanish and
Aragonese right after defeating the Almohads, you can skip this section.
Otherwise, you should read on.
By now, it should be nearing the Late Period (1321) This is when
you can build more powerful units, but it's also the time the Europeans
get their heavy hitters. This will be a tough fight unless you have
sufficient armour killers.
The Spanish and Aragonese are very powerful late game, with most
high powered Christian Knights at their disposal. They also have what could
be considered the most powerful cavalry in the game: Lancers. These units
are heavily armoured, and almost unstoppable unless you have arbalesters,
Mamluk Cavalry or Abssynian Guards. They are slow, so mounted archers can
do a fair bit of damage against them too. If you defeated the Almohads
completely, you should have Granada in Iberia, or maybe even Cordoba. These
will be your staging grounds for the invasion. Bring thousands of men into
these provinces and charge across the border into enemy lands. If possible,
invade multiple provinces at once. Hopefully, a "blitzkrieg" assault will
cause the enemy to erupt in civil war. However, if you need to fight for the
whole landmass, use the same tactics you used against the Russians and you
should be fine. The Aragonese usually have no more than one province. They
will have alot of Royal Knights, thanks to all the heirs. Your Saracens should
have little trouble there.

*****************
B- Western Europe
*****************


After Iberia, its time to move on the France. The French are like the
Spanish except they do not get Lancers. Good for you, I guess. They will
have alot of heavy cavalry. Mamluk Cavalry, along with arbalesters and
Saracen Spearmen, will do the job nicely. You also need to watch out
for their swordsmen. Cavalry and Abyssinian Guards are the only units you
have that can effectively take out swordsmen. They will usually be harder then
the Spanish were. In battle, rely on your archers to pound away at the heavy
French units. You will deal a lot of damage against the armoured units.When the
melee starts, use Mamluks to flank the French heavy cavalry. Also, pin down the
heavy cavalry with Saracens. You should use Abyssinian Guards to flank swordsmen
Although they can be used head to head, they have virtually no armour, so they
won't last long. The French are usually a big faction, so you can expect a long
war, unless of course Civil War erupts.
After the French are dead, you may be tempted to go after the Italians.
You can, but I'm not going to cover that until next section.

****************
C- British Isles
****************

The English tend to be alot like the French. They have two good units that
will cause trouble to whatever armour you have. Billmen are like Halberdiers.
They shred through armoured and unarmoured units alike. There are also Longbows
These are perhaps the most devastating archers in the whole game. They have
one of the longest ranges, and they can stand up and fight in a melee. When
you encounter this foe, the first battle will be tough, as it's a learning
experience. You need light cavalry for these fights. Longbows can fight, but
if you have light cavalry after them, the probably won't stand for long.
Billmen are a different matter. Arbalesters are the most effective, but you
can use any of your armour piercing units to deal damage to them. The English
tend to have heavy cavalry, so use the strategy mentioned above in the French
section to defeat them. It's possible you may come across gallowglasses and
highland clansmen. These are both good units, but they can't fight in a
prolonged melee. Cavalry are good against. both of these units. Finally,
you should have a large portion of Europe. Unfortunate, you're not done.
You still have a whole lot more to conquer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


-------------------------
4.6- European Conquest II.
-------------------------

This is the second part of European conquest, and, unfortunately, it's
harder. I suggest doing this one first.

*****************
A- Eastern Europe
*****************

Eastern Europe consists of two, maybe three factions: Hungarians, Poles
and maybe Holy Roman Empire. Starting with the Hungarians, there is not
much to expect from them. If you're playing VI, they may have Avar Nobles.
These are great early period cavalry, but your Khwarzmian cavalry should
eliminate them fairly well. Also in VI, they may have Jobbagy, similar
to kerns, but better. They are good at throwing sticks, but that’s about it.
You will have no trouble taking on the Hungarians. Use the tactics
mentioned for taking on the French. Another plus for you is that they get only
one powerful knight, Chivalric Knights.
The Poles are the same deal, except they have somewhat good
cavalry:Polish Retainers. These are really only good against early
period units. Saracen Infantry will destroy them, and any heavy cavalry
you have will probably do the job. You may see some Chivalric Knights, but
rarely, so don't go Mamluk cavalry/Abyssinian Guard crazy.
Finally, the HRE may be in those lands. They are possibly the most
powerful enemy you will face. The possess strong spearmen, extremely
powerful cavalry, and great generals. Read the next section to find out
how to take care of them.

******************
B- Interior Europe
******************

This section should be called "Dealing with the HRE" but, the Danes are
here too.
The HRE, as I mentioned above, are possibly the most powerful foe
you'll face. You need alot of armour killers, and heavy infantry to combat
the foe. You need to be careful of another heavy cavalry unit: Gothic Knights.
Do not mess with these guys unless you have alot of armour killers. Flank and
rear charges work best against them. The HRE also have Gothic Sergeants, a
heavy spear troop. Abyssinian Guards and Ghazi Infantry are the only unit
that can take them out. Also pack in arbalests to deal damage from afar.
Saracen Infantry will be very useful against all cavalry, but they can break
when charged by Gothic Knights. This is another learn as you go fight. You
probably have more men then they do, so you might be able to afford to lose a
battle to find out what you're up against. If you start to find you are really
hard pressed for a victory, you can hire mercenary troops. They can take
the main attacks while you're main army marches around, attacking flanks and
the what have you.Take it slow, and you'll triumph.
The Danes are a secondary concern. Chances are, if they are small,
their army consists of Royal Knights and a few archers. Spearmen, light cavalry
and arbalests are effective here.

*********************
C- The Italian "boot"
*********************

The Italians are like the Germans, complete with all the same units.
They also tend to have more swordsmen.
Use the strategies listed in the Interior Europe section and you will
have little trouble against these guys. As with all enemies, you may
need to adjust as you go along. Try to include some Mamluk Horse Archers
too. They can take care of the plodding infantry. Egyptian armies, as
you may or may not already know, are a bit weaker later in the game than
in the beginning, thanks to the lack of hard hitting units. If you have
trouble taking on the Italians, you may be able to hire some mercenaries
that can make your job just a little easier. There are a few other units
the Italians have I have not mentioned. Genoese Sailors and Italian Infantry
are great units. Genoese Sailors are like archers on steroids. They can outrun
almost all infantry, and they can cut down your soldiers with their bows.
Italian Infantry are simply amazing spearmen. They are like Chivalric Sergeants
without morale penalty. Since you have only one sword troop, and a few other
melee infantry, you may be hard pressed fighting them. If worst comes to
worst, use cavalry to charge their rear.
The Papacy (aka the Pope) are also on the boot. They have alot
of archers and medium infantry. The battles won't be hard. Just remember,
leave the Pope one province until the very end of the game. If you defeat
him completely, he will return with thousands of men in Rome and possibly
other provinces. Use light cavalry, heavy cavalry, horse archers and spearmen
to defeat their armies. Again, if they have heavy knights, you may need to
adjust your strategy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


-----------------------------------------
4.7-Mopping Up and dealing with rebellions
------------------------------------------

Rebellions, or shall I say mass rebellions, occur in nearly every MTW
campaign right after/before the player conquers 60% of the map. They are
by far the most annoying thing in this game. Actually, the Pope pisses
a lot of people off but you're a Muslim faction so it won't matter.
Dealing with them is hard, yet there are ways to successfully do it.
For one, putting large garrisons (500-600+) in all provinces can prevent
rebellion and, if one should occur, they can fight it off. However, it
is a very tedious process, and I don't recommend it. A much easier way
is to put 2-3+ spies in all your provinces. They will probably stop a
rebellion and raise loyalty at the same time. However, this way also means
you need to spend a lot of time training spies, or you need to build
a brothel in every single province. Both of these ways have pros and cons
and both will effective. Sooner or later you're going to have to
pick one.

You now own almost all Europe, all Asia, and basically everything else.
There are still some things to get that you may have missed. For example,
you may not have the Mediterranean Islands. They are easy to take. Also,
the Sicilians are still around. They are similar to the Danes and will fall
quickly. There may also be some rebel provinces to take. Just bribe them if
you can afford it. If not, just send in men and auto-calc the battle. Also,
the very last thing you need to do is destroy the Pope. Wait until you own
every other province and finish him off. Congratulations, you have conquered
the world with the Egyptians, the Muslim Menace!

*note* Should the Sicilians be powerful use basic strategy to defeat them. They
have no special units, and are similar to the Pope and Italians.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


----------------------
5- Interesting things
----------------------

*****************
A-Egyptian Heroes
*****************

You are probably wondering, "what are Egyptian Heroes?" Basically,
they are famous Egyptians that appear in certain years in certain
provinces. Here they are...



Name Year Type V & V
1. Al-Afdal Shahinshah 1055 General Utterly Fearless
2. Najamuddin Ilghazi of Aleppo 1080 General Utterly Fearless
3. Nur al-Din 1119 General Expert Attacker
4. Asad al-Din Shirkoh 1149 General Great Warrior
5. Sharaf ad-Din 1175 General
6. Fakhr ad-Din 1219 General Skilled Attacker
7. Ibn Taymiya al-Harrani 1263 Imam Zealot

Footnotes
1. Very tough Egyptian General! Died 1121.
2. Victor of the Battle of the Fields of Blood in 1119. Ruled Aleppo.
3. Ruler of Aleppo and a well-known Strategist.
4. Saladin's uncle and co-General.
5. Governor of Damascus, 1201-1218.
6. General of some fame. Died in 1249.
7. Theologian.

Look out for them!

*From Nefarious's Hero Guide*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


----------------
6- What's next?
----------------

I'm probably done with this guide due to RTW, but I won't finalize it JUST in
case.
It was a pleasure
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------
7-Credits/Contact/Legal
------------------------

I consider myself a respected member of the Medieval board. So, this work
should be respected by you regardless. Not only is this my guide, it's all
the MTW board members', so respect it for them too. This guide should
only be found at...

gamefaqs.com
neoseeker.com
dlh.net

if you see this guide anywhere else, contact me.

This guide is copyright 2004 Dan Dougherty

This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other
web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a
violation of copyright.

As I said, this guide would not have been possible without the dedication
of many people:

Very, very special thanks to theillusionary1. He provided me with alot of
the Almohad info, as well as helping with strategies for taking on the
Spanish, along with countless things I’ve picked up from him around the board.
(including taking on crusades)
Illusionary, thank you very, very much, especially for taking the time
to write the 1 1/2 page excerpt for the Almohads/Spanish.

Thanks to kalta for giving me some ideas!

Thanks to Ragnarok2002 for supplying me with Nefarious's heroes guide.

Thanks to Zhuge89 for giving ALOT of info on taking on crusader knights,
and crusades in general.

Thanks to EveryGameYouPlay for some tips!

Thanks to jimythejap just because i feel like thanking him.

Thanks to MistofRuin,(aka moist),for being an inspiration to all.
(Long Live the King!....lol)

Thanks to Icedetal's unit FAQ and Greener 2K1'S REGION GUIDE for
information I couldn't find.

Thanks to all MTW board members, especially ones long gone. I've gathered
alot of knowledge from the old timers, as well as the current members,
and I've included that in my guide.

To contact me, send an email to

HHAWKS12@aol.com

put MTW or EGYPT FAQ in the subject line. Send stuff on spelling/grammar,
tips, whatever could be used in the guide.

Thank you and have a great day!












 
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