Pyrrhic victory?

[NotGod]

I am the Byzantines on huge map with continets, emporer level. I am near the end of a war with the Spanish, on the same continent, and just about to wipe them out. I had earlier established a two-city toehold on the nearest continet, which is a large one dominated by France. At one point Joan was gracious to me (I gave her free techs), but she just attacked. I abandoned one of the cities to consolidate my forces in the larger. My forces are somewhat diverted in the other war, most regrettably my dromons, but I think I can hold on by paying to rush musketmen in the toehold and dromons on the home continent (one turn away with the Great Lighthouse) to rush reinforcements. This should work, because France does not yet have gunpowder or knights. Of course, it will cost a pretty penny to do this and slow my research run for banking, economics and Smith's Trading.

Any thoughts on whether this would be a Pyrrhic victory? An alternative is to let France have the toehold, finish up with the Spanish, and come back later and whack Joan one good with a serious invasion.

 

[Macezek]

If it were me, I would finish the war with the Spanish, reogranize and consolidate my forces, and then launch an invasion on the other continent. I would rush that Musketman in the toehold city and fight the French to the last man, and if the city would fall, too bad. If the other continent is only 1 turn away, after finishing with the Spanish I would organize a landing of Cavalry and Musketmen and Cannons (research the techs if I needed to). I would take back the toehold city (if it was lost in the first place), and from there, land more forces from my home continent and begin the slow process of wiping the smirk off of Joan's face. The only bad part is that once the French learn Gunpowder, they can build Musketeers, which have 5 defense.

 

[Decebalus]

Well I don't know the extent of your force, or the layout of the map, and the distances involved. However, if you're at the end of the war with Spain, chances are you probably have an overabundance of commited troops on that frontier.

Which means you could definately divert some right way, probably quite a few, to the new war. If I were you I'd do that, and start building defensive units and transporting them over asap to hold that town till you're offensive units make it.

Definately don't give that town up without a fight. Build a wall if it needs one, pillage roads coming into it from outside if you have to, make it as hard for the enemy to get to it as possible so you can stall. Heck if it gets tough enough to take it, the AI might just ask for peace at some point.

A foothold on a different continent is very usefull, should do everything to keep it.