Oh, a lot of total war games but my favorite is still the medieval 2 total war.
There are always risk in the game, some cities and forts won't replenish the units you need and in order to get them you must upgrade the city and forts you capture and convert its religion.
You don't need a general to have and army, you can build them by without it to protect your holdings.
That traits your general have makes much more sense due to his actions unlike the latest total war.
Great challenges such as the crusaders taking Jerusalem and you have to drive them off and that is going to be difficult because every time a crusader is called, about 6 to 10 Christian factions are against you.
Even if you driven them off, you will have to deal with the mongol invasion and their annoying horse archers.
Let us not get started with the Timurid invasion.
Yes, I play a faction called Egypt which is difficult to play as because how close they are to Jerusalem and the eastern invaders.
Sure this game does have some glitch but it is still fun to play, plus there is a lord of the rings mod and that was fun.