Why crusades always fail in CK3

Whether it’s multiplayer or single-player, I haven’t seen Catholics win a Crusade in Crusader Kings III for years. I remember when they used to have a solid chance, but now it just feels like a lost cause.

Yesterday, I played with my friends, and the Crusade targeted Sicily. The defenders had more players, but we had the numerical advantage, and the target was relatively close. I thought this was finally the time we’d secure a victory. Instead, we got obliterated so badly that even the Pope’s army got stack-wiped.

For a game called Crusader Kings, the Crusades are a joke. In over two years (Take or add), I’ve never seen an early-game Catholic victory. The AI Pope is completely trash, and Catholic armies never group up like the Muslim AI does.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether you have superior numbers, better quality troops, or a shorter distance to the target—Crusades always fail.

So, in your opinion, how do you win an early-game Crusade when starting as a small country or in multiplayer?