"Here's the most simplest tip but it works. Use the terrain put if your defending put all ur men on a hill, the enemy get tired and run away. " - Sir Killalot

"If you're province is fully loyal, raise the taxation level to very high. If the loyalty level is at 200%, sometimes the loyalty level wont drop and there will be a 0% chance of a revolution." - The Hung Puppet

"youd be suprised how peasants can do quite a bit if damage if chargin down the hil. they WILL route or be killed though, but they only cost 50 florins so its a good way of pissing of the enemy." - Oooo

"When you are excommunicated by the pope just get a group of assasins together in 1 province and send them all at the same time. Even though you only get a 10-17% chance of sucess 1 will succeed all excom's null and void" - anon

"Battle tips.
Firstly, NEVER use peasants in battles, as their deaths (and they always die and break, or viceversa) spread panic amongst the better units in your army, who become "worried by so many casualties", and they can in turn break.

Also, you do well to keep some light horse on the flanks or in reserve, out of the major action, so as to ride down the enemy when they flee. Fresh cavalry will ride them down for ever, especially when your heavier horsemen get exausted.
And light cavalry are good in this role either way, because A. they cant really hold the line too long in a serious engagement, and B. the "ride 'em down" role is what they are best at. And of course, the more you capture, the more ransom you get, and the less you have to worry about next time.

If you are under siege in a castle or what ever, and (usually) vastly out numbered, AND the enemy for what ever reason decides to storm the keep instead of waiting it out, you should command the battle personally. Especially if you have infantry better than peasants, and you have a defensive building better than a mere fort. I have on numerous occasions won such actions with 50 spearmen Vs 300 or more assorted enemy, and not usually peasants. And if you have quite good fortifications with all the trimmings, (towers, curtian wall ect.) you can kill hundreds of the foe with only a few men.
Of course, you will lose as many battles like this as you win, but your men are lost anyway, (cant retreat from a keep battle) and you will definitley kill massive numbers of them, far more than the auto battle option, every time." - Spud