The Pope just took Iceland. Let's Play Crusader Kings!

[RationalGoblin]

Hello, RationalGoblin here; and I'd like to show you all one of my all-time favorite games, a little number called Crusader Kings (or CK for short)!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e1/Crusader_Kings_Coverart.png

Crusader Kings is a strategy game made by Paradox Interactive. It allows you to follow one noble dynasty through madness and glory, through plague and invasion, and so forth from 1066 to 1452. You, as the player, get to lead your dynasty, and shape events to your favor, creating a totally unrecognizable history from the real world by your subtle changes to your dynasty. The game challenges you to face such obstacles as excommunication, the Bubonic Plague, and the Mongol hordes. In short, it's The Sims with a bunch of wars and murder.

I will be doing a sort of "tutorial" Let's Play, to help readers learn about this fantastic game. I haven't played through an entire "campaign" of Crusader Kings yet, but I'm confident that I can at least try if I focus on showing off this game to others.

I will take a reader-chosen dynasty, and take over as much of Europe as possible while


Frequently Asked Questions:


Q: I thought the forum rules didn't allow religion in threads!

A: That is true, but I asked Roland, and he said as long as it stays civil and I don't make real-world religious analogies, I should be fine. So please stay civil in your comments. I will try to be as neutral as possible, but of course since the game is called "Crusader Kings", you can only play Christian monarchies, unless you use a special mod. I won't use the mod, because it messes up a key mechanic in the normal game.

Q: What version and scenario will you play?

A: I'm glad you asked: I will be playing Crusader Kings with the Deus Vult expansion (I will point out the differences between the original and Deus Vult) with the newest patch. I will be playing the "After the Conquest" scenario, which begins on December 25, 1066.

Q: Why Crusader Kings? Why not a different Paradox game?

A: CK was chosen mostly because this is the only Paradox game with a built-in screenshot system. Also because if I recall correctly, there's already a Europa Universalis Let's Play hanging around.

Nation Choices:

Here is where I give the choices for the nation (and in parenthesis, the dynasty that rules it) I will pick for this game. They are:

Duchy of Apulia (Hautvilles): Apulia is an excellent beginner's nation, headed by the mighty historical leader Duke Robert "Guiscard" de Hautville. The Hautvilles are Normans who migrated to Southern Italy and Sicily a few decades before the game start. Apulia's neighbors include the Papacy, a few independent counts, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Sicilian Emirs.

Pros: Strong beginning leader, easy to proclaim a Kingdom, fantastic Crusading nation, and situated close to many easy targets. Also, many heirs.

Cons: The Pope will excommunicate you if he gains a claim on your land, and that is never good. Your good Crusading position means that a resurgent Muslim Kingdom can counter-crusade you and take your Sicilian provinces easily. Finally, while your first leader is excellent, he is fairly old, and his oldest legitimate son usually has terrible stats.

Duchy of Bohemia (Premyslids): Bohemia is another good nation for a newbie. It starts as a vassal of the deceivingly weak Holy Roman Emperor. It is headed by a leader with middling skills, Vratislav Premyslid. Vratislav has several sons to take his place if he dies, and his Duchy is bordered by Poland, Hungary, and several German Dukes.

Pros: Starts with claims on two Polish provinces, easy to declare a kingdom, has many heirs, and weak pagans nearby to crush.

Cons: The Emperor will try and take back the land you take from him if you become a Kingdom, Poland is a powerful enemy, and your beginning leader isn't that good.

Kingdom of Denmark (Knytlings): Headed by the rich and powerful Sweyn Knytling, Denmark is an easy nation to play, and one of the best to lead to great heights. The viking blood runs within your people's veins, and appropriately, there are many weak foes to test your mettle against. Denmark is bordered by two of the most powerful pagan tribes, as well as several independent counts to the north and south. Sweden also lies directly to the north, and is your most powerful foe. Finally, the Holy Roman Empire is to the south, and will likely crumble before long.

Pros: Vikings. Need I say more? Also, a skilled beginning leader, easy area for expansion, and many heirs.

Cons: Your beginning leader is fairly old, and all the heirs are feuding backstabbers. As well, Sweden is a strong enemy to the north, while Poland lurks to the south-west, and if the Holy Roman Empire does not fall, your expansion is curbed.

Principality of Kappodekia (Kommenos): The only Greek Orthodox power I'm allowing as an option, the Kommenos are vassals of the Byzantine Emperor, the "true" successor to the Romans. Unfortunately, in the past few centuries, the Emperors have been incompetent, and the Seljuk Turk Sultan looms on the horizon. However, the Empire elects it's mightiest servants, so with luck and quick thinking, the Empire can be yours.

Pros: Don't have to worry about the Pope, a lot of relatives who also have lands that you can acquire, an extremely skilled and young beginning ruler. Also, rich lands to begin with.

Cons: While the Pope isn't a problem, you can't fight in Crusades, and the Turks are breathing down your back. Also, your relatives want to acquire your lands as well. Finally, the Byzantine Empire is even more fragile then the Holy Roman Empire. It crumbles easily, and even if you are Emperor, your vassals will likely hate you.


King of Poland (Piasts): As mentioned before, Poland is immensely powerful. Ruled by the young King Boleslaw, a fairly skilled ruler, Poland has it's pick of rivals to beat upon, bordering Hungary, several Russian Principalities, many pagans, and Bohemia. King Boleslaw even has a brother, Herman. Herman can serve as an annoying enemy, a spare heir, or a trusted vassal, depending on the circumstances.

Pros: Easy expansion routes to the north and south (pagans and Hungary), two branches of surviving family members, and good fertility for the dynasty, in my experience.

Cons: That same brother can be an annoying enemy when you're trying to crush an enemy, the King tends to die in a battle early on, disloyal Archbishoprics are a pain.


Once you've chosen a dynasty for me to play, then I will begin this Let's Play, and start informing you as the readers about the game. So, start voting and Let's Play!

[Flickerdart]

Go with the Byzantines and crush the Ottoman Empire. Just because you can't call them crusades, doesn't mean you can't conquer.

[Irbis]

Poland!

or, failing that, Byzantium. Both are fun.

[doliest]

Poland! Try to make a lasting empire. Also, I really want this to work because I could never...get this game. It was to confusing, even by paradox standards. I love EU3 and HOI2...not so much HOI3, still trying to get the controls on that one, but Crusader Kings...broke my brain. I could never understand it, so please, please let this LP work.

[Terraoblivion]

Go for the Premyslids. Bohemia is pretty awesome, so it would only be fitting to show those Germans and Russians who's really boss in Eastern Europe.

[SolkaTruesilver]

No French rulers available? :smallfrown:

[Terraoblivion]

Not among those he wants to play as, there isn't. But i believe that you can play as pretty much anybody.

[SolkaTruesilver]

Not among those he wants to play as, there isn't. But i believe that you can play as pretty much anybody.

My point..

How about playing one of the Lords from the region of the Remi belgian tribes? I think the modern name would be Reims.

They are supposed to be the descendent of Remus, so I see fitting that they would get to rule Europe? Not to forget their name is simply badass..

Yes, I am named Remi. No, I am not biased.

[Terraoblivion]

Eh, i don't like Remi. Bitch is trying to steal Sakuya from Meiling!

And back on topic. I feel vaguely annoyed by them calling a member of the Knytling family Sweyn Knytling. Not only was his name Svend, not Sweyn, but dynastic names did not exist in Denmark until the renaissance. Also it is kinda weird to have even a remotely unified Denmark in 1066, given that the civil war didn't end until 1974.

[Caustic Soda]

I say go with the Premyslids, or failing that the Polish. Central europe is always interesting.




Also it is kinda weird to have even a remotely unified Denmark in 1066, given that the civil war didn't end until 1974.


Is that a typo for 1074 or is there a joke I'm missing, here :smallconfused:?

[Atelm]

Yay, someone doing a Let's Play of CK. The game seriously needs more love. :smallsmile:

My vote goes for the Komnenos Dynasty, or the Principality of Kappadokia that is. Challenging and that branch of the family is a fairly clean slate to build as one sees fit as far as the present Prince's wife and heirs are concerned.

[RationalGoblin]

Thanks for the replies and votes everyone. As for playing other dynasties, these were just the ones that I felt were easiest to play for a beginner, and thus easiest to do a tutorial for.

If most of you agree that I should choose an option outside of the dynasties I choose, and specify a possible area (such as Bavaria, Toulouse, Barcelona, whatever) to play as, I will play as the strongest dynasty in that area instead.

I'll keep the voting up for a short while longer, so please get your votes in.

Finally, the concerns:

@Terraoblivion: Whoops, my bad on the name; Sweyn is indeed actually Svend Estridson Knytling. As for the united Denmark and the Knytling name, chaulk it up to limited game design and a need for the ruling dynasty of the Jarls of Denmark around that time to have a last name. Knytling is, I believe, a pagan dynasty, correct?

@SokkaTruesilver: Yeah, French rulers are available, but seeing as France is one of the stronger kingdoms in the start of the game, it's difficult to play as it's vassal. There are many possible French duchies to play (Toulouse, Flanders, Aquitaine, Champagne, Burgundy, and Valois) , if more readers want to play as them. As for Reims, it starts as an unplayable Bishopric, but I could easily just start a game as the King of France and strip the Bishop of his title and put a random member of France's royal court in charge.

[SolkaTruesilver]

@SokkaTruesilver: Yeah, French rulers are available, but seeing as France is one of the stronger kingdoms in the start of the game, it's difficult to play as it's vassal. There are many possible French duchies to play (Toulouse, Flanders, Aquitaine, Champagne, Burgundy, and Valois) , if more readers want to play as them. As for Reims, it starts as an unplayable Bishopric, but I could easily just start a game as the King of France and strip the Bishop of his title and put a random member of France's royal court in charge.

Bishopric? :smallconfused:

[RationalGoblin]

Bishopric? :smallconfused:

Yes. I don't know why, since Reims was historically an archdiocese AND duchy but I'm guessing it's a bishopric due to it's history as an archdiocese.

Once voting is done and I can start the Let's Play, I'll explain more about bishoprics and Archbishoprics. For know, just know that Republics (they should be called Communes, but whatever) Bishoprics, Archbishoprics, and the Papal State are unplayable, even if they are Christian.

[SolkaTruesilver]

Has there been/will there be a CK2?

[Lord Loss]

I vote for Kappodekia, if the voting is still ongoing.

[RationalGoblin]

Has there been/will there be a CK2?

Well, one of the Paradox Interactive forum moderators/game developers did make a " get 25,000 signatures for a petition for CK2 and we'll make it" Facebook group, so truthfully... maybe. :smallwink:

There's plenty of mods for CK anyway, such as a "Before the Norman Conquest" Mod, a "more countries for Western Europe" mod in the works, and a "playing Muslims and Pagans" mod.

Personally, I like to believe that the developers have nearly finished CK2, but are keeping it secret, and are only teasing with the Facebook group.

[Vauron]

I've seen the Piasts led to glory, its Denmark's turn.

[Bunny of Faith]

I'll put my vote in for the Duchy of Apulia if it's still open, primarily so I can see how you manage to take on Sicily. I might have ignored them for too long, they have a rather large army. :smalleek:

[RationalGoblin]

I've seen the Piasts led to glory, its Denmark's turn.

Oh? There's been a previous CK LP on this forum?

Or are you talking about something on the Paradox forums?

[Terraoblivion]

It was indeed a typo, caustic. I can't even point to an event in 1974 that could make a basis for such a joke.

And Knytling is the name of the royal family of Denmark at the time and they were Christian as had the official religion of the country for the last century. It just wasn't used back then nor is it part of the individual names of the royals. It's a later term that gets applied to them to explain which bunch of Danish royalty you are talking about. And it doesn't surprise me that it is Svend Estridssen, the time fits and he was one of the more important members of early Danish royalty.

[Narkis]

Another vote for Kappadokia. Just because I tried to play as them, and failed horribly.

[Vauron]

Oh? There's been a previous CK LP on this forum?

Or are you talking about something on the Paradox forums?

I don't recall where it was, might have been the something awful forums.

[SolkaTruesilver]

I go for Apulia too. Conquer Sicily and go for the Roman-style conquest! :smallbiggrin:

[RationalGoblin]

Let's see, the votes are:

Kommenos: 5
Piasts: 2
Premyslids: 2
Knytlings: 2
Hautvilles: 2

I'll keep the voting up for a few more hours, so continue to vote!

And just letting you know, I'll play the Kommenos if the votes go that way, but they're the hardest of the possible choices, and I will switch to another branch of the family if the one I'm playing dies off or is crushed by the Turks.

[Martok]

Personally, I'd love to see a Denmark campaign. Failing that, I'd vote for Kappodekia.

[Terraoblivion]

There are two votes for the Premyslids, actually. Me and Caustic Soda, unless he changed his and i didn't notice.

[Eldan]

Another vote for Kommenos. I've always had a thing for the byzantine empire.

[RationalGoblin]

Okay, I modified my "votes so far" post, and the votes are there. I'll wait until 10:00 PM Mountain Time (about 7 hours from now), and then I'll pick whoever wins.

Just noting again that I'm not that good, and that Kappodekia is rather hard to play. I'll still play it if it comes down to that, but just pointing the fact of it out.

[Raistlin1040]

I vote for Denmark.

[toasty]

Denmark, since its the leading nation besides the greeks and I don't really want to see the greeks rule the world!:smallbiggrin:

[Flickerdart]

Denmark, since its the leading nation besides the greeks and I don't really want to see the greeks rule the world!:smallbiggrin:
Then vote for Greeks - he'll drive them into the ground. :smalltongue:

[Klose_the_Sith]

I also, shall support Denmark! :smallcool:

[SolkaTruesilver]

WAIT! I respectfully suggest we join the Reconquista!

Let's start into Spain, and drive those Moors out of our Homeland!

[RationalGoblin]

WAIT! I respectfully suggest we join the Reconquista!

Let's start into Spain, and drive those Moors out of our Homeland!

There's several choices; Castille, Leon, Aragon, Navarra, and Barcelona. Also Spanish Galicia, but they're more difficult then the counts under the aforementioned rulers.

Which do you want to vote for?

[SolkaTruesilver]

There's several choices; Castille, Leon, Aragon, Navarra, and Barcelona. Also Spanish Galicia, but they're more difficult then the counts under the aforementioned rulers.

Which do you want to vote for?

Not really any preference, really. Portugal?

[RationalGoblin]

Not really any preference, really. Portugal?

There is a Duke of Porto, but no Portugal. He's difficult to play, and while he can form Portugal, it's difficult. I guess you're putting down your vote for Porto?

[SolkaTruesilver]

There is a Duke of Porto, but no Portugal. He's difficult to play, and while he can form Portugal, it's difficult. I guess you're putting down your vote for Porto?

Nah. Just Spain in General.

If another voter will pick a spanish region, I'll back him up. Otherwise, it's kiff-kiff with me :smallbiggrin:

[RationalGoblin]

Votes are now this:

Kommenos: 5
Piasts: 2
Premyslids: 2
Knytlings: 5
Hautvilles: 2
Random Spanish dynasty (probably Jimeniez, since they're the leaders of 4 Kingdoms): 1


Knytlings and Kommenos are tied; I'll keep the voting open until I wake up tomorrow, so stay tuned, readers.

[SolkaTruesilver]

Votes are now this:

Kommenos: 5
Piasts: 2
Premyslids: 2
Knytlings: 5
Hautvilles: 2
Random Spanish dynasty (probably Jimeniez, since they're the leaders of 4 Kingdoms): 1


Knytlings and Kommenos are tied; I'll keep the voting open until I wake up tomorrow, so stay tuned, readers.

You do sleep a lot :smallwink:

[RationalGoblin]

You do sleep a lot :smallwink:

Well, I did have trouble sleeping, so it was more that.

[SolkaTruesilver]

Well, I did have trouble sleeping, so it was more that.

No worry, I was simply curious about what will be the final outcome.

Seems like you have the right to have a vote to crown the winner. Who do you choose?

[RationalGoblin]

No worry, I was simply curious about what will be the final outcome.

Seems like you have the right to have a vote to crown the winner. Who do you choose?


I rolled a 1d20, and it came up on a 12 (an even number), so I'll go with the Knytlings.

Update will be up tonight.

EDIT: Unless you guys want another vote?

[SolkaTruesilver]

I rolled a 1d20, and it came up on a 12 (an even number), so I'll go with the Knytlings.

Update will be up tonight.

EDIT: Unless you guys want another vote?

Unless a surge of Spanish votes, I say we don't allow mulligans. I await looking forward of the Vicking's Revenge.

Lead us to victory, oh mighty Thane!

[RationalGoblin]

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the update will be postponed until next morning for me. I'm more then halfway done, just can't finish it now.

EDIT: Noon counts as morning in my book.

[RationalGoblin]

Let's Play Crusader Kings Chapter 1: King Svend

Hello everyone, I'm RationGoblin, and here is the first update of this Let's Play. As said before, I will attempt to explain things as they appear. This first update will cover the reign of King Svend Estridson Knytling, King of the Danes.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave0.jpg

Here is the starting screen when you load up a game as a ruler. Well, I did change to the political map, but that was only to make it easier to look at the screen. As you can see, the game starts on December 25, 1066, and ends December 30, 1452. Yes, this game goes for nearly 400 years. No, I won't play the entire time. Oh, and the red? That is Denmark's land.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave1.jpg

And here is King Svend himself. This screen shows a CK person's "character sheet", all the info you need to know about them. To begin with, as I highlighted at the top, Svend has 75 ducats (the money symbol), 100 prestige (the crown), and 100 piety (the cross). To be brief, all I will reveal is that money is of course used for building, paying and raising armies, and bribes. Prestige is how, well, prestigious you are considered in the world. Piety is how pious and versed in your religion you are considered.

King Svend has three traits, Lustful (not faithful to his wife) Wise, and Midas Touched (excellent mercantile skills). Based on those traits, Svend will gain more, usually being similar to the traits he already has.

Svend is a terrible warrior, with only 3 Martial (as is obvious, martial is the battle stat). He is a seasoned diplomat with 9 diplomacy (diplomacy determines how everyone likes you), and is fairly good at scheming with 6 Intrigue. Svend's real genius is in commerce, with a Stewardship score of 11 (Stewardship basically determines how much money you get per month). The parenthesis around the larger numbers are how high Svend's stats are with his advisors, who shall be noted later.

Moving on, Svend has four vassals, three of which have a normal circle around their portraits, and one of which has a fancier banner. The fancy banner man is a Duke, while the others are Counts. Both rule land in King Svend's name, and have part of their monthly income given to the King.

Moving down, you'll see a massive amount of portraits in the "Children" box. Svend's lustful nature gives him a bunch of children at the beginning of the game, one of which is the Duke I mentioned earlier. Combined with that is the "Heirs" box. Any male character directly related to King Svend is an heir, and the closer (and older) they are, the next-in-line they become. Currently, Svend's Duke son is his heir.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave2.jpg

Here's Duke Harald now. He is Duke of Slesvig, and Count of Holstein and Slesvig. Dukes and Kings do not have to own the land they are Duke/King of (for example, you could be King of Jerusalem without owning a province east of Paris) Harald has no heirs, but has a wife, so there's high hopes for him.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave3.jpg

Here's a ruler outside of my control. Duke Magnus of Saxony. As you can see, he is a vassal of Heinrich, King of Germany, and has a few Counts and Bishops as vassals himself. He personally controls 5 provinces, and gets 7 ducats per month. Not bad.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave4.jpg

Here is where Saxony lies in Germany (at this point). He has the yellow and black striped shield. Also; fun fact, King Svend does not have a wife at the scenario's beginning, so I attempt to set him up with Duke Magnus's mother! :smallamused:

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave5.jpg

Here is Budijov, Count of Lubeck, the gray province to my slight south-west. He's independent, so I attempt to coerce him into becoming a vassal of mine, but no luck. He's sitting on a fairly rich province as well.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave6.jpg

But I look to the small tannish blob to the west of Lubeck, and what do I find but a pagan tribe, ruled by the balding Krutoj of Wagria? To make this clear, Tribes are the pagan equivalent of Dukes. Chiefdoms are Counties, and Tribes are sometimes Kingdoms as well.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave7.jpg

I might want to crush those pagans, so I check how much armies we both have. 5539 to 2021? Those are nice odds. But I won't crush Krutoj yet. Instead, I'll show off other things.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave8.jpg

For example, revoking titles. I've decided Ulf shouldn't be count of Jylland anymore (Ulf is the red-beared fellow with the brown hair in the 2nd screenshot). So I demand that he give over his title to me. His loyalty to his rightful King should win over his righteous outrage at my demands, right?

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave10.jpg

Right?

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave9.jpg

As a side note, the King of Norway offers me an alliance. Alliances are quite finicky in this game, as the AI will usually not join in unless the war is easy for it. I'm guessing the AI thinks that I'm going to crush the few independent counts in the north that haven't been made vassals by Sweden, and that I will serve as an effective meatshield against the Swedes. Nonetheless, I accept the offer.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave11.jpg

Back to Count Ulf. Being a perfect example of kingly mercy and restraint, I let him keep his land and apologize for my acti- Haha who am I kidding? I declare war on the poor sap. Prince/Duke Harald leads the first charge, as you can see from my raised armies. Also as you can see, Ulf's land has gone blue. He is now independent.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave12.jpg

I've mobilized the personal armies of both Harald and Svend, and here we see the funky CK pathfinding system. For some reason, my troops at my capital of Fyn must take a bendy route through the sea to get to Jylland.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave13.jpg

And here we see the tail end of the battle of Jylland, fought between Harald and Ulf. Harald has less troops (and the regiment he personally commands has run away), but apparently they inflicted enough losses on the Jyllanders that the morale of Ulf's army is low.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave14.jpg

The results are thus predictable. The might of Denmark's finest smashes Ulf's army, sending his forces fleeing into Slesvig.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave15.jpg

Svend is not a very faithful person. This event does pretty much what the text says. Thankfully, he does not have any (more) illegitimate children.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave16.jpg

And here we see the both the mechanics of sieging the enemy fort/castle, and the downsides of having your King lead in battle. Sieging is simple enough, just wait, and the bar goes down, until it is depleted, then you win the siege. Some events can hasten the fall. But in any case, due to one final attack by Ulf, King Svend has been severely wounded! Ulf, you treacherous (even though I tried to steal your land) turncoat!

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave17.jpg

Ulf is still defeated and sent into exile. I give his land to the infant son of Harold Godwinson, last Saxon King of England. The son is also named Harold, and has a claim to the title of King of England. Let's hope he succeeds.

http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af23/MormonMobster/ScreenSave18.jpg

More importantly, King Svend has died, from a combination of old age (the events for which start at age 40) and his battle wounds. Harald Kyntling has inherited the King's land, claims, and gold. However, his siblings have also inherited a claim to his title of King of Denmark, and only time will tell whether the newly anointed King Harald will keep his crown, or give it up to one of his brothers.

To summarize, we looked over the basic parts of the game, took a vassal's land from him, and hilariously died while doing so.


And here is the first update. Any questions, and suggestions to do next?

[Flickerdart]

Why, exactly, did you waste your money-printing king on conquering a province you already controlled?

[Bunny of Faith]

Why, exactly, did you waste your money-printing king on conquering a province you already controlled?

Well, if he wasn't loyal enough to let his title be taken from him, as he went about conquering other provinces he can't really risk being betrayed from someone so close to him. And it stops getting funny after about the fifth time of that happening. :smallannoyed:

[RationalGoblin]

Why, exactly, did you waste your money-printing king on conquering a province you already controlled?

I did not think he would die. I've never had this bad luck with kings before. Seriously, Svend usually lives up to 15 years after the scenario start. Also, I did it just be because I could, and I wanted to show three game mechanics (revoking titles, vassal reactions, and battle). It was just my luck that my king got severely wounded. Of course, wounding reduces the (not-visible) health stat, so I should have known that Svend would've died soon.

Still, it gave me a excuse to point out the inheritance system. Plus, this game is easy enough (even on normal difficulty) in the beginning, even with a terrible king. I'll have no problems.

And finally, if you'll note Harald's intrigue score, it is higher then Svend's was. This will play a part in the next update.

EDIT: And Bunny of Faith has it right on the money. He could have not been loyal, and killed an heir sometime down the line.

[Bunny of Faith]

And finally, if you'll note Harald's intrigue score, it is higher then Svend's was. This will play a part in the next update.


If you're planning what I think you're planning, I pity your prestige. :smallwink: But then, I've had terrible luck with that particular aspect of the game to the point I've stopped trying to attempt it. :smallannoyed:

[shadowxknight]

I tried playing CK but could not understand it to save my life. :smallsigh:
Good job introducing the mechanics, I'll tune into this and try playing again in the future.

[Narkis]

I tried playing CK but could not understand it to save my life. :smallsigh:
Good job introducing the mechanics, I'll tune into this and try playing again in the future.

Ditto. As an aside, I'm currently playing an EU3 game where the Pope controls Iceland. No idea how or when, but very amusing nonetheless.:smallwink:

[SolkaTruesilver]

Ditto. As an aside, I'm currently playing an EU3 game where the Pope controls Iceland. No idea how or when, but very amusing nonetheless.:smallwink:

Wait, when you say the Pope, you mean the Curia Controller or the Vatican?

[Narkis]

Wait, when you say the Pope, you mean the Curia Controller or the Vatican?

The Pope himself. The Papal State flag proudly flies over Reykjavik (http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/2279/papaliceland.jpg).

[RationalGoblin]

Sorry about the wait, I've finally gotten Star Wars SAGA edition, so I've been looking through it.

I'll have the next update up tomorrow, and start working on it tonight.

EDIT: I am a giant liar, move along move along.

[Terraoblivion]

You know, i feel really horrible. But all i can think about looking at this is the historical inaccuracy of Denmark being divided into counties. Jylland and Sjælland have never had counts and Halland, Blekinge and Slesvig didn't become counties until the reign of Valdemar Sejr in the 13th century.

And i promise to never nitpick the historical accuracy in the future. Or to try not to at least, i'm bad at keeping this kind of promises.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Yeah, and Ireland and England have counts and dukes when they really should have Earls. However, the game just doesn't support different names of titles. There's Count, Duke, King, and Emperor, and that's all.

Great game.

And I'm near certain that CKII is going to be announced soon. :smallcool:

[Terraoblivion]

Actually, i meant that Denmark was an undivided kingdom and has never had actual feudalism with subsidiary rulers of various regions. The only exception where when the danish regions Halland, Blekinge and Slesvig were cut out of the kingdom to be granted as the feudal domain of Valdemar Sejr's sons. But Jylland, Fyn, Sjælland and Skåne were in terms of feudalism and inheritance always considered as one single unit and that did not change until Sweden conquered Skåne in the 17th century. Feudal kingdoms with subordinate dukes and the like is mostly a French and British thing, really. Nobility worked differently in most of central Europe and all of Scandinavia.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Actually, i meant that Denmark was an undivided kingdom and has never had actual feudalism with subsidiary rulers of various regions. The only exception where when the danish regions Halland, Blekinge and Slesvig were cut out of the kingdom to be granted as the feudal domain of Valdemar Sejr's sons. But Jylland, Fyn, Sjælland and Skåne were in terms of feudalism and inheritance always considered as one single unit and that did not change until Sweden conquered Skåne in the 17th century. Feudal kingdoms with subordinate dukes and the like is mostly a French and British thing, really. Nobility worked differently in most of central Europe and all of Scandinavia.

Did not know that. That's kinda interesting.