Moors Details (M2TW Faction)
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Overview
The Moors are a combination of the Almohads and Almoravids, as such, they begin with control of provinces in north-west Africa and southern Iberia.
provinces in this area of the Mediterranean are quite spaced out, as such Moorish armies will have to rely more on ships to move around or be prepared for a long march, thankfully Moorish ships are of a good quality.
This is also a surprising advantage, if Granada is converted to a city and another castle conquered on the Iberian peninsula, then trade between Corduba, Marrakesh and Granada will flourish. If an army is sent south into the Sahara desert, then the rich and easily securable provinces of Timbuktu and Arguin to the west of it can create a massive boost to the Moorish economy.
The Moors are a Muslim faction, and as such can join jihads, however, due to most Jihad targets being in the east of the map, the Moors are often at a disadvantage joining them and will most likely have to employ their navy to take any jihading army to its target.
Unfortunately however, due to their potential provinces being more spread out than other factions, Moorish gains are harder to defend, in theory, a large navy could protect the African provinces and, if conquered, Sardinia and Corsica from attack, leaving the greatest land threat as Portugal, France and Spain. If Toledo is conquered and used as the main unit production centre, then the moors will be in a good position to face these factions.
The Moorish army is composed of both light, javelin armed skirmishers, various archers and spearmen (though, these aren't of the highest quality) and effective heavy infantry, a rarity amongst the Muslim factions. The Camel Gunners are also worth a mention, they perform much like the Holy Roman Empires Reiters, only the camels scare horses, this coupled with the riders arquebussers, creates an interesting approach to dealing with catholic knights.
Faction summary
Strengths
Secure starting position with only the Iberian's to worry about to the North. Very strong and effective spear units. Strong cavalry and infantry in the high period. Access to Christian Guard, both mounted and dismounted. Quite wealthy lands to be conquered in Africa. Easy access to the America's when they appear. Mounted spear units, unique and deadly to enemy cavalry. Has the use of camel units which frighten horses and give a decision advantage in desert combat. Mostly cheap units mean your economy will not be too strained.
Weaknesses
Will have to contend with Spain and Portugal for domination of the Iberian Peninsula. Lacks some strong professional late period units. Some large spread out territories that can be hard to reinforce quickly. Will most likely be prone to Sicily expansion and possibly even the Pope's aggression. Sometimes attracts Crusader attention. The early game is the hardest for the Moors. Your troops are of lower quality than that of your catholic rivals. Exclusive units are available until later on.
Conclusion
The Moors position can be a difficult one, if an unwise Sultan lets the Catholics take control of Iberia. The Moorish people must force the Catholics from the Peninsula to ensure security and survival. Once Iberia has been freed from Christian hands, Western Europe is free for the conquest. The Moors will need to beware of Italian expansion southward, if the Italians gain a foothold in the Sahara it will be difficult to expel them back to their homelands. A strong leader needs to focus the empire's resources in Iberia while also maintaining a watchful eye on Eastern Moorish lands to counter any invasion force that tries to establish a presence in Africa. From the start you should be focusing on upgrading your settlements and constructing the armour series of buildings. Your biggest weakness is in your troops so having them better armoured will somewhat counter that. All possible resources should be diverted to capturing Timbuktu to the South. This is easily one of the most isolated cities in the world is is extremely rich in trade and resources. Once this settlement is taken the Moors have a strong financial base which will bring in much needed cash for your empire. The Moors have two choices. Either take Iberia or take Italy. Never try to do both at the same time however, as your empires doesn't have the troops or resources to do it against the powerful catholic armies. Egypt should be left alone and if possible, allied with. They will act as your buffer state when the Mongols and Timurids arrive. So it is up to you which direction you wish to take, the more rich and centrally located lands of the Italians or the less rich but more strategical lands in Iberia?
