# Medieval Total War: The Italians

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-total-war-the-italians/428669>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 3, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-total-war-the-italians/428669 "2007-12-03T16:28:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medieval-total-war-the-italians/428669/1 "2007-12-03T16:28:32Z")

</div>

I started a game as the Italians. I have but one question:

WHY THE BLOODY BLOODY BLOODY BLOODY BLOODY ABYSS DO THE SICILIANS GET TO COME OUT AND ATTACK ME WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS!!!11111

_ahem_

I can conquer Byzantium, send crusades to the Middle East and the steppe, and generally whoop up. I avoid fighting in Europe. However, the Sicilians have been repeatedly given a “get-out-of-hell” free card by the Pope. Literally. He sends me nasty letters and will eventually excommunicate me if I attack them - _AFTER_ they launch invasions of Corsica and Sardinia. Then he starst in with the calling for Crusades. :rolleyes: What? The game expects me to just sit there and lose?

I start out with so little that I need a few turns to build up, and ships are some distance away. Corsica and Sardinia are hard to defend as the Sicilians always put a ship nearby, meaning I can’t move troops from the mainland over. Moreover, thsoe islands have NOTHING in the way of troop production in the starts, so I have to work my way up from zip through the two basic castles and militias.

I don’t remember the Pope being that obnoxious before! What gives?