Argh I hate (and love) how fickle this game can be!!
Playing Naples for the first time, early I got Castille and France to support my independence so broke away taking Sicily back too. Ignored Papacy and got Siena (after a coalition against me for aggressive expansion) Lucca, Bologna and Ferrera under a PU. Fought Venice and smashed the **** out of them and all was good in the game! Allied with Milan (planning treachery in the future but that's par for the course!) Castille, England, Austria and Burgundy I was unassailable and ready for future expansion... Or so I thought....
France broke off relations with me as I was getting too powerful, ok, screw off le frog I'm getting gud. Then Austria broke off with me and rivalled me... Bunch of ***** but I'm still good. I then had to declare a new rival (post Venice smash) and I didn't feel ready to take on France so I went Burgundy and there's another ally down... Still, I have Milan, Papacy, England and Castille with me (they also had PU over Aragon) so I'm untouchable. Top up my man power then let's smash Genoa and onward and upward... Or so I thought...
Milan ruler died promoting a succession war between me and... France, yup, France. I could have backed out but that would be me locked in Italy all game of France gobbled Milan, so in we go!!! I declare, Papacy screw me and run for the hills and both Castille and England have massive debt and don't declare either OH JESUS HELP ME!!!!!
However I have such a big income (22g a turn!) And 1400g in the bank i can do this, then I screwed up
I paid off the debt of Castille (850g) so they joined me, I got this!! But I didn't go this
I made the mistake of going half cocked against France and they raised Castille to the ground (forcing them to release Aragon!) And curb stomped me making me lose all my territory north of Papacy
game done and lost
I had so much cash and such a high income I SHOULD have paid off England's debt to pull them in as well, I SHOULD have got more debt and loaded up on more mercs to supplement my low man power army.... But I did none of that thinking Castille would carry me and that's a brilliant save over
I love the game so much but damn does it punish you if you make a mistake and a good game can unwind so fast