Crusader Kings II Spirit-all

I mean, you can min/max (high stewardship/martial) if you want to and it is fine. Or just take stuff as it comes. Or do what you feel like on a given day and change the next.

I've played as a simple count with no ambitions in the middle of West Francia just trying to live out his time without getting shanked by relations/lieges/wives/whatever and pass something on to his heir. I've also played as massive Viking conquerors who ended up with all of Scandinavia + the British Isles + a good chunk of Germany and France. And games in between those extremes. Each game was fun in its own way.

I guess my point is that the game is robust enough to allow for whatever playstyle you care to bring to it. Be cruel. Be kind. Be nurturing. Be untrustworthy. Be all of those and more, all in the same game.

My favourite play-through was when playing a Venician patrician. I heard somewhere that you can make lots of money (which is always a problem in this game) with them. And I wanted lots of money so that I can do what I feel like in the game. Sort of a sandbox mode. So, my game started with the "learn how to play a merchant republic" and "make lots of money" goals.

By the time I got the hang of those two goals and started to rake in some serious cash, the vikings showed up. The bastards would sail all the way from Finland and raid Genoa on a regular basis. It got so annoying after a while, the a new goal formed in my mind. I was going to take over Scandinavia, with a sole purpose of impaling every single norseman on a spike. However, that was not easy as a merchant republic. Since you're not nobility, you can't play the marriage game. But there are other avenues. Eventually, in my pursuit of genocide, I ended up taking over Italy, Iberian peninsula, most of North Africa, Normandy, all of British Isles, and eventually made it into Scandinavia. By the time I was done, Europe was basically divided between HRE, Venice, and Byzantium. I don't recall if I managed to completely wipe Nords of the map, but I played the game out for the full 800 years (or whatever the longest time span is). And all because they couldn't leave me alone.

MoonDragon wrote:

My favourite play-through was when playing a Venician patrician. I don't recall if I managed to completely wipe Nords of the map, but I played the game out for the full 800 years (or whatever the longest time span is). And all because they couldn't leave me alone. :)

Great story

Funny enough my favourite game was playing Vikings, but you didnt hear that, did you? *fearing wrath of Venicians*

Heads up! All DLC is 50% off this weekend on Steam.

Speaking of which, a while ago someone posted an excellent review of all the (at the time) available DLC with a BUY, MAYBE, or PASS rating system. Can anyone link and/or update for more recently released expansions?

Feegle wrote:

Heads up! All DLC is 50% off this weekend on Steam.

But. I already have everything.

Humble-brag or Sad?

You decide.

Feegle wrote:

Speaking of which, a while ago someone posted an excellent review of all the (at the time) available DLC with a BUY, MAYBE, or PASS rating system. Can anyone link and/or update for more recently released expansions?

That would be our resident Grand-Strat mixologist, tboon.

Humblesad. I share your pain.

And I make three.

What is on everyone's wish list for things they want to see in the next expansion?

Another collector here... And proud of it!

jrralls wrote:

What is on everyone's wish list for things they want to see in the next expansion?

It's called Crusader Kings 3.

kergguz wrote:
jrralls wrote:

What is on everyone's wish list for things they want to see in the next expansion?

It's called Crusader Kings 3.

That is a scary thought: a new CK without all the flavour of all the expansion!

I have all the expansions, only not using Sunset Invasion and Conclave. Sunset I have tried for fun, but I dislike the ahistorical content. Conclave I find too much trouble, too much mini management. So one not historical enough the other too historical

What I would like to see is a bigger role for women. Behind every strong man is a strong woman (being his wife, his mother, lover or ....). Would make for some extra, interesting stories.

I'm looking forward to the sequel. A re-narrowed scope with (I hope) smoother character and relationship management will be awesome.

Just to be clear, it's not been announced, right?

I personally am find with the "upgrade by expansion" approach until the engine expires from over-use. Much more cost-effective for everyone.

The last expansion (Monks & Mystics) was the first that got me thinking they had run out of ideas they could do in CK2. The expanstion they are working on now (Jade Dragon) is not changing my mind about that - it may be the first expansion I do not buy (that looks weird to even type!).

Yeah it's not announced, just fantasizing.

I'm actually really happy with what I've seen of Jade Dragon. I mean, yes, I'd prefer all of China (And Japan, and Korea, and Malaysia. and...) gets added--but to do that right would take quite a bit of investment and with the performance concerns I understand why they're hesitant. The off-map Emperor is a good compromise.

My wife is playing as Hell Worshipping Norse with Monks & Mystics, and is really enjoying it. It's very dark and twisted. She's also importing attractive German portraits into her Danish kingdom and breeding out the ugly ones.

Pretty sure my wife was a genocidal dictator in a previous life.

CK3 isn't announced, but listening to TJ Hafer on a recent 3ma podcast (by recent I mean maybe a few months ago) made it sound as though it's not too far off. He has been hinted at by paradox devs. I wouldn't be surprised if the China one was the last expansion. I hope it is because, like tboon, I feel they are out of ideas. At least, ideas that work within the constraints of the current engine and scope. It feels like Crusader Kings, over the course of the last 5 years has moved in a direction that's more RPG and less grand strategy, and personally I'm ok with that.

Yeah CK3, I think, becomes essentially medieval Sims family line simulator with huge de-emphasis on the map and more emphasis on customizing your characters, more interaction with close relations and characters you would be in contact with day-to-day, and better ways to keep contact with characters you are interested in following. I have no idea what that looks like though and I don't think the CK team does either at this point.

I do wish they would release a Victoria 3 before they get around to CK3 though.

They have said the reason China is "off-screen" in the next expansion and not actually present is because the current engine would choke trying to deal with it. Plus modeling China using European feudal-style systems would probably work even worse than it does with India.

And I agree, the next version will probably be more of a family/dynasty simulator and the grand strategy aspects may be de-emphasized.

tanstaafl wrote:

And I agree, the next version will probably be more of a family/dynasty simulator and the grand strategy aspects may be de-emphasized.

But but but... then I have to split my precious time between two great games. The way you describe this it sounds great

ah well, only the future will tell how we recreate the past!

IMAGE(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/c5xjb7YbvW8/maxresdefault.jpg)

I'd definitely love a more RPG-centric CK3.

Because of MoonDragons story about Venice I decided to give Republics a go. I just stumbled into it, figuring out stuff as time moved on.

First I couldnt see how to get tradeposts, but Arumba helped me there. Next I loved the family politics, keeping my family in control of Venice all the time. Numerous houses have been killed off and I have 13 tradeposts now, where I could only have 8 max for other reasons. My family is not pretty big though. Diseases struck hard.

Bit stuck now though:
- I cannot build more tradeposts, unless I keep killing other houses - which is becoming a bit repetitive.
- I have made Serbia to pay tribute to me, but cannot conquer anything (not aiming for that, but not even have an option feels odd)
- I took one city of Serbia, but do not see the option around anymore. Not sure what the benefits are of owning the city
- My tiny Island is surrounded by Lombardia and the Byzantine Empire. I feel scared

I am building up my standing army and am loaded - but it is hard to do anything with it.

BTW I have conclave and sunset disabled (dont like those two)

Some tiny tips?

You can start taking over land if you feel so inclined. As a republic, you have a casus beli to take over a city if you have a trade post, I believe. And once you have a city, you can casus beli the county, I believe. It's been a while so please forgive if I am getting those points wrong.

But I think that was my strategy to spread across the coast of Europe, like a plague, until I make it up to the Baltics. And slay every last raider breathing.

I think that the key to my domination though, was religion. At some point, I switched my religion to one of the heresies (as did the guy that eventually took over HRE), and that allowed me unhindered conquest through the whole of coastal Europe.

As a side note, I believe Venice is a kingdom level title. So you can own quite a bit of land.

MoonDragon wrote:

You can start taking over land if you feel so inclined. As a republic, you have a casus beli to take over a city if you have a trade post, I believe. And once you have a city, you can casus beli the county, I believe. It's been a while so please forgive if I am getting those points wrong.

But I think that was my strategy to spread across the coast of Europe, like a plague, until I make it up to the Baltics. And slay every last raider breathing.

I think that the key to my domination though, was religion. At some point, I switched my religion to one of the heresies (as did the guy that eventually took over HRE), and that allowed me unhindered conquest through the whole of coastal Europe.

As a side note, I believe Venice is a kingdom level title. So you can own quite a bit of land.

Thanks for the info, will have to look into it some more.

I own a city in Serbia now, but could only use a CB for tribute - so maybe this is changed?

Changing religion sounds like fun

It seems my memory was correct: Wiki on Merch. Rep. casus beli.

To take over land: crate a trade post. Then you get a casus beli to take over a city in that county. Then you get a casus beli to take over the county.

The caveat is that you can only do that in counties that are either neighbouring on land, or no more than 2 sea zones away. (that's why I had to take over most of Europe's coast to make it to the Baltic)

MoonDragon wrote:

It seems my memory was correct: Wiki on Merch. Rep. casus beli.

To take over land: crate a trade post. Then you get a casus beli to take over a city in that county. Then you get a casus beli to take over the county.

The caveat is that you can only do that in counties that are either neighbouring on land, or no more than 2 sea zones away. (that's why I had to take over most of Europe's coast to make it to the Baltic)

Aaahhh... that explains alot! Thanks for the help

Guess I will start prepping for a war against Lombardy, where most my tradeposts are! I lost my other city to the Byzantine Empire, conquered one in Northhumbria, but that isnt even close

In the meantime I managed to get some excitement going on, trying to get more males in my dynasty. With 3 lovers it was bound to happen to have more children. My wife complaint and ended up in prison (at her age of 40 I guess going for the younger women was a better choice). A shame though, she was a good spymaster for some time. Lucky for me our eldest son is a way better spymaster.

And then my seducing ruler dies ...

My current ruler is a nice guy with lots of friends, in love with his woman and with his spymaster (yes, same guy as before) as his heir. I hope this guy will not start a plot against me

For some reason desmene is a problem now. 5/4 - not owning much though. Should I train my men more into stewardship instead of intrigue? I thought desmene didnt play that much of a rule during Republic.

BTW I really love hiring 4500 mercs, have 1700 retinue troops and 2k troops of my own and still being able to make money

Are the merchant republics the ones where you have an election every few years? I never liked building up my territory only to have to hand it over to some goofball whenever my ruler died, and the family heir was inevitably a 14 year old syphilitic dwarf. Good luck getting him elected.

That sounds like the election as it is in Europa Universalis. With merchant republics there only is an election when the ruler dies and you can buy your heir enough respect to get him elected. But age will be a thing though, no one will elect a minor.

Your new heir will be someone from your dynasty, and you can say which one you want to be the heir. So basically you do not chose that 14 year old syphilitic dwarf but his uncle or nephew or another kin that is to your liking! I prefer this to gavelkind