By: Samantha White
Submitted: 2010-04-18 17:40:39 | Word Count: 526
Crusades Total war, as can be understood from the name, has the time period of religious Christian crusades, after second crusade to the last, it has a time span which a player can play through. Western edge of the map is, the line from a bit west of Constantinople through the Greek islands on the Aegean sea. Eastern edge is the last capital of the Seljuk empire, east of Baghdad, through the Mesopotamian oasis. Northern edge, the black sea and southern edge is just below Thebes.
Of course, according to these edges of the map, there are not many different factions that players can chose. However, it is enough as they are, since it is such a fun to feel the crusading spirit. Of course, we can be the Egyptians, under command of Salah al Din There is Kingdom of Jerusalem, which holds all the coast from Gaza to Antioch including Jerusalem. Another option is Principality of Antioch, which, of course has Antioch as capital in possession. There is also Turks, and Byzantine empire selectable. The game mechanic actually makes Kingdom of Jerusalem to meddle with Egypt, and Salah al Din. And Turkish lands at start is so divided that they have possession of them the inner parts of Anatolia with Byzantine empire surrounding their lands, And also another part in the oasis of Mesopotamia, exactly in a position to be able to fight with Principality of Antioch.
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During the game, the pope calls for several other crusades, which starts with call of Third crusade. Therefore, King Richard the Lionheart arrives the holy land, and joins the Kingdom of Jerusalem as army, and King Philip the Chivalrous arrives to join the armies of Principality of Antioch. They come with not gigantic armies however with decent units who have quite many experience ranks on them. Also their commanders, the kings, have real good qualities on their screen, also special abilities for the field of battle. So it is a good strategy to ready an army for their use before they come, and give the army to their command, which in most occasions, make their enemies rue the day they were born. After that, the pope calls for another crusade which is the fourth, with that, the Venetians arrive, however, due to being excommunicated following the sack of Zara, they feel no allegiance against the Pope, so they attack Byzantine Empire, to Constantinople, and set their base as it. There rise a new nation on the map which you are to get in political agreements with. Although they are in most occasions, only interested in things about Byzantine empire, trading with them can bring wealth. However, as in military alliances, they do not prove to be good helping allies, since their navy is of little use where most of the things happen on the sea, and their land position starts so isolated from the Holy Lands. Only Turks, may actually use their help as a distraction for the Byzantine empire that is. And also they should make sure that Venice does not conquer the Byzantines but only distract them. A strong Venetian nation would be against their desires.
