I lost perhaps my first battle ever, in Crusades with the odds being even. And I enjoyed every minute of it! Gosh, that was perhaps the most enjoyable defeat i've ever had (if ever I would have lost in say RTW it would be against stupidly huge odds were you have to just stick your men in the plaza). Here's how my battle went :
Principality of Antioch vs. The Turks
In front I had two Hospitaller Crosssbowmen at front, bout six of the Edessan axe units in the second line. Then I had Hospitaller Spearmen (about four to six) in the third line. Then I had the elite Hospitaller units that the player starts with in the Krak at the start of the game (This battle took place near the turkish capital at Raqqaq), I had my General and a huge Cross along with it's guard at the back too. Just a little note, but the graphics in Crusaders are so good doesn't it feel like one of those really good user-made skins?
Anyway ...
The first turkish contingent consisted of Ottoman Infantry, some of the Sultans' guards (Mamelukes? Ghulams?) and that's it. I thought i'd stay put and let my crossbowmen soften them up a bit but they had about six of those infantry units so I stormed at them with my Edessans. They routed instantly, except some stragglers along with the guards that held out a little. Now, they're army is on the run! I send my bodyguard to deal with the routers and send the Edessans back. Some turkish missile cavalry from the largest contingent that was still arriving came on the scene and when they started peppering my guard with arrows I withdrew back to my army (thought not without killing most of the routers).
Then the large contingents' cavalry all arrives and just flattens my men in arrows. The Canons of the Holy Sepulchre are just crumbling, and my Edessans on the left flank are melting away, so I send all of my Hospitaller Knights and the Bodyguard to deal with the cavalry. They do this fairly well until I realize the Janissaries, Kurds, Nur-ad-Din and some other random units have charged my line. Okay, good they'll hold. Fine, they're not. So I send in my Hospitaller Spearmen (my third line) to support the Edessans and send my Hospitallers to attack the Janissaries in the flank but they're stubborn and my whole army is disintegrating. I then order a withdrawal. Sadly, most of my units fall apart, my general dies. Although I destroyed say about 880 units this had a much larger effect since my economy wasn't too up to snuff. Nonetheless, that was the most enjoyable defeat i've ever had!
Teutonic Campaign : Bleh, disappointing.
Britannia : Not tried it yet.
Americas : I got kind of bored.
"...there's a difference between offering constructive criticism and going out of your way to be a dick." - Aro