deadbone1961
Legionary
posted 08 March 2012 22:48
EDT (US)
3 / 3
Darude: My personal strategy is to concentrate on targets the Papacy might want as early as possible - simply get there before the Pope does. Going directly to war with the Pope has definite drawbacks in addition to simple Excommunication, such as a possible Crusade against a (European) location you now hold, and your troops turning rebel when moving from location to location without a strong leader.
When at war with the Papal States, I've never been able to get a Ceasefire, nor successfully assassinate a Pope. Best option here for me is to go full out and treat the Pope as my main target. The hard part here won't be the Papal troops so much as the other European factions getting license to attack me everywhere else with impunity.
Taking Rome is critical. When playing Sicily I attempt to have a large, mobile army stationed at Naples (or a fort close by) with one seige/artillery piece, and if possible four experienced spies ready to infiltrate Rome just one turn prior to the attack. My goal is to get it in the first turn, to prevent counterattack by what I tend to see as a large Papal force hanging nearby. Of course, in my experience, the new Pope isn't any friendlier, but he's no longer in Rome.