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[ThoseDeafMutes]

Dude it's not my fault I randomly inherited it while I wasn't paying attention or something.

... that's also how I ended up with Scotland. From there I just started conquering down the British Isles because why not?

 

[Mgoblue201]

I'm in the middle of my own Byzantine game, 1099 start, hard mode.

I originally had no intention of playing as the Byzantines, but I thought I would make use of the LoR expansion.

 

[Fitz]

I'm in the middle of my own Byzantine game, 1099 start, hard mode.

I originally had no intention of playing as the Byzantines, but I thought I would make use of the LoR expansion.

Does your character keep the title of Basileus after that point? Or does it change to Augustus or some such?

 

[Mgoblue201]

Does your character keep the title of Basileus after that point? Or does it change to Augustus or some such?

The title changes to Emperor, but Augustus is an additional trait which the emperor acquires, giving a +15 bonus to vassal relations and some monthly prestige. Combined with the born in the purple trait, Roman Emperors can easily get a +25 bonus to vassal opinions, which almost makes the realm a little too stable. I haven't had a single rebellion since restoring the empire. Of course, I'm also really fastidious with converting all my vassals to Greek culture, so I rarely get a negative hit for being a foreigner. And I also train my heirs for high diplomacy.

Here's a picture of the trait:

The person who restores the empire also gets the nickname "the Glorious". Unfortunately, Georgios "the Glorious" didn't live too long after becoming Roman Emperor. He died from an infected war wound and only ruled for seven years, which was too bad since he was a genius. And he had such an epic beard.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Born in the purple can be a nightmare though, since children born in the purple have a higher claim than those who are not, meaning that if your heir has a male child before ascending to the throne and another male child after, your holdings will get split. This caused a disaster in a game I played where pretty much all my titles except the imperial tile and a couple of counties around Constantinople got passed to my brother, whose line became the perpetually scheming vassal I just couldn't seem to break up. Rage inducing.

 

[Mgoblue201]

That's one reason why I switched to elective monarchy. It's probably not an ideal solution for massive empires, but it liberates me from having to designate a clear line of succession. Unfortunately, it also limits the number of kingdom titles I can hold, and new or unpopular emperors rarely can get their vassals to unanimously endorse a single candidate, which is a huge problem if he dies shortly after. I did have one close call with an unpopular emperor who died after only two years on the throne.

 

[sibarraz]

2 questions

1) How are you supposed to play this game in multiyplayer? at least it doesn't seem like something that you could play for 1 hour, so don't know how it's posible to coordinate everything

2) I had March of the eagles, victoria 2 and crusader kings complete, which one should I start? I'm a noob. If you had some guide for any of them I will appreciate it

 

[bonesmccoy]

I can't remember the exact name of the succession type I'd chosen - the one which gives all titles to your eldest son - but it completely killed the game for me. Before I switched from Gavelkind, I had married my eldest son (who kept demanding stuff and hated me) off to a Byzantine princess. He left to live in their court and all was well for the next 30 years. Unfortunately, when my King died, all my titles passed to the eldest son, and for some reason he was now part of the Byzantine empire's line - so the short-lived Kingdom of Ireland became some Byzantine province.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

That's Primogeniture.

 

[traveler]

CK2 is 75% off in the steam sale for anyone who missed it during the dedicated steam sale a few weeks back.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Old Gods not being on sale makes me feel vindicated for buying it at a mere 10% off on GMG a week or so ago.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

CK2 is 75% off in the steam sale for anyone who missed it during the dedicated steam sale a few weeks back.

A lot of the DLC is for sale also.

 

[Mgoblue201]

I was going to take a long break from CK2 after Byzantium, but the Sword of Islam sale is tempting me to play a quick Ottoman game.

2 questions

1) How are you supposed to play this game in multiyplayer? at least it doesn't seem like something that you could play for 1 hour, so don't know how it's posible to coordinate everything

2) I had March of the eagles, victoria 2 and crusader kings complete, which one should I start? I'm a noob. If you had some guide for any of them I will appreciate it

Victoria 2 isn't that hard to learn. The only downside is that the economic aspects of Victoria 2 are really obtuse. The game will give you reams of data about the state of your factories but no real way to interpret them or act on them. During my first play through, there were times when most of my factories were closing for no particular reason. It can be somewhat frustrating and difficult to discern an obvious cause for some of the things that occur. With that said, I actually think that Victoria 2 currently stands as one of Paradox's more polished strategy games, with the exception of CK2 (and by CK Complete I assume you mean the original). The political side of V2 is incredibly entertaining.

You can probably watch any Youtube video from an inveterate V2 player and quickly learn the fundamental mechanics of the game (quill18 is one person I've seen who actually takes the time to explain things). But if you have any really in depth questions, it's probably better just to ask around on forums.

 

[Mgoblue201]

It's too bad that the extra DLC portraits look so cheap compared to the ones in the initial game. Id' really like some diversity.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

I kinda like the way they look. I'm actually thinking of buying the ones I don't have already since they're on sale.

 

[gwynplaine]

Used to play CK1, and I got into CK2 again recently after watching A Game of Thrones. Tried the GoT mod too for it and I played as the moral "good" guy and ended up being a bigger asshole than all the central villains on the show combined.

Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Hard to resist min maxing to do a moral playthrough.

 

[1cmanny1]

I'm in the middle of my own Byzantine game, 1099 start, hard mode.

I originally had no intention of playing as the Byzantines, but I thought I would make use of the LoR expansion.

How do you even do that? I managed to take over France, but after that it wouldn't let me conquest any other nations. Did you do it one region at a time?

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

How do you even do that? I managed to take over France, but after that it wouldn't let me conquest any other nations. Did you do it one region at a time?

Holy war on other religious groups, chancellor to fabricate claims on individual countries, creating duchy titles to get more claims to press in wars, tactical marriage policies to inherit large areas of land (with a good deal of assassinations to... guarantee that your heir is also the heir to another country). You can even offer vassalisation to people to bring them into the fold without war or inheritance. If you control their de jure duchy/kingdom/empire title, and they're the same religion, they'll often be willing to voluntarily join your nation.

 

[Mgoblue201]

I gained most of that land in western Europe by pressing my vassals' claims for the kingdoms of England and Castille. I didn't actually try to engineer any of those claims for my vassals, so I was merely taking advantage of the opportunities that were already there. The reason I control French lands without actually fighting France is two fold. 1) England still controlled northern France because of the Norman conquest. Once I pressed my vassal's claim for England, Normandy naturally came with it. 2) Castille was somehow able to inherit the entire throne of France. They later lost control of the actual title but still retained a significant portion of the western French lands. Pressing my vassal's claim for Castille therefore brought Aquitaine into my empire, in addition to the Spanish lands. The Duchy of Gascogne actually came separately. I conquered it by pressing a dynasty member's claim. Though not a direct vassal, the dynastic affiliation is good enough to bring his lands within my realm.

Note, however, that in the case of England and Castille, I was pressing king-level titles. Since I was an emperor, I become their liege. If I was merely a king, they would become independent. Also, characters who are not part of your dynasty have to own land within your realm, or else they'll also become independent when you press their claim.

EDIT: I think the most impressive thing about that screenshot, rather than anything I did, was Norway forming Scandinavia. I've never seen the AI create an empire before.

 

[MikeDip]

Why the change to 51% needed instead of 50% for a de jeur claim in crusader kings 2? This is messing with my plans

I also really don't understand how to use my vassals claims to my benefit, but I guess it's just a matter of time until I have my dynasty members as vassals? I need to improve my marriage techniques as well.
Any tips for the above?

Either way, absolutely loving the game. Really really loving it.

 

[zoku88]

Why the change to 51% needed instead of 50% for a de jeur claim in crusader kings 2? This is messing with my plans

I think it's to prevent the ping ponging of usurption.

That was pretty annoying.

 

[RyanDG]

I finally understand how some evil Kings and Despots justified horrible actions to stay in power.

My Irland kingdom (started as Iceland, broke away from Norway in a quest for independence, took over Ireland, and have spent about 200 years manipulating my way into most of the rest of the Scandanavian royal houses and now have control of what is left of Norway after Sweden exploded across the peninsula), is starting to fall apart. And I find myself using any means necessary to justify keeping hold of power. I can just feel it all slipping away though, because no matter what I do, I can't stop coming against these massive revolutions, and in turn, force my hand at methods that create more revolutions.

All I'm trying to do is just ensure my son inherits a kingdom. Schemers in my Kingdom have already killed off one son (and his grandson who was only 1 years old at the time).

I'm about to go all scorched earth on Dukes and Duchesses of Irland.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

I love it when an heir comes together.

 

[Fitz]

Damn, those stats. I'm always really unlucky with the genetic traits, so rarely see them passed on.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Him and his oldest sister were both geniuses. No save/load shenanigans either. The four kids I had after them didn't get the trait though. Earlier I had nine kids with a Genius wife + Genius Concubine, where my king was "quick". None of them got the damn trait! One of them got "ugly" though.

I'm thinking my current game is a bit too easy. 80% of my territory has flipped to Norse culture and close to 90% is Norse religion. All vassals are Norse culture + religion, except for a couple of scattered norwegians or something. When you get to holy war for everything and put in your own nobles in charge, there's just very little risk of revolt. Only one king so far has had trouble holding it together, he had bad stats.

 

[Clevinger]

Does anyone else hate the Karlings? In every Old Gods game I've played it's like they play musical chairs with East Francia, West Francia, Italy, Lotharingia etc. They just keep blobbing into one another and then separating and blobbing and the Karlings never lose power because they're all allies and there's millions of those fuckers with claims on everything.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Does anyone else hate the Karlings? In every Old Gods game I've played it's like they play musical chairs with East Francia, West Francia, Italy, Lotharingia etc. They just keep blobbing into one another and then separating and blobbing and the Karlings never lose power because they're all allies and there's millions of those fuckers with claims on everything.

May I present the solution:

Vikings, mothafucka.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

The latest version of the MEIOU mod for Europa Universalis 3 comes out today. It's an incredible step up from the base Divine Wind, really worth playing. The map in particular is stunning.

 

[Xater]

Oh so this is the thread where I can be totally excited for the release of EU4?

I got hooked on CK2 and now I am really looking forward to EU4. Leading a nation with all it's possibilities looks awesome.

Also I don#t know if you guys know this quill18 guy from Youtube. I partly learned CK2 from him and he also does stuff for other Paradox games. The real interesting part is that he was allowed by Paradox to basically do a let's Play with the EU4 beta: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs3acGYgI1-vx6u5K0CTYajCyvL3oDzDg

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Only thing I'm a bit worried about for EU4 is how many features have been removed. I mean, I understand simplification can sometimes be good, but damnit this is a Paradox Game and if I'm not bleeding statistics by the end of the hour something's not right.

 

[MikeDip]

Is there a "Best" guide for understanding CK2? I am having trouble with strategizing marriages and expanding my dynasty

 

[zoku88]

Is there a "Best" guide for understanding CK2? I am having trouble with strategizing marriages and expanding my dynasty

Not sure of any guides focusing on marriages.

What are you having problems with? How strong and weak claims are inherited?

 

[MikeDip]

Not sure of any guides focusing on marriages.

What are you having problems with? How strong and weak claims are inherited?

I understand how they are inherited, but I don't know how to find good ones or to marry off people to actually make use of them?

 

[Fitz]

Only thing I'm a bit worried about for EU4 is how many features have been removed. I mean, I understand simplification can sometimes be good, but damnit this is a Paradox Game and if I'm not bleeding statistics by the end of the hour something's not right.

What features specifically have been removed? I'm not aware of anything significant, just pointless things such as population numbers.

Is there a "Best" guide for understanding CK2? I am having trouble with strategizing marriages and expanding my dynasty

This one typically gets linked a lot as a general guide, though I don't think it goes into depth on marriage. As far as I know it generally comes down to this:

1. Can you marry a ruler and thus pass the combined lands onto a child?
2. Failing that, can you marry someone with claims to a region you want?
3. Marry someone off to a person that will generate a useful alliance
4. Marry to someone that will give useful stats

Edit: Take my current game for example, I started as an Irish Duke, about half-way through uniting Ireland I managed to marry someone with a claim to Scotland (I found her by going to Scotland's info page and clicking on the claimants tick box). During our marriage I helped to press her claim in a war so that she became Queen of Scotland. Our child then inherited both Kingdoms.

 

[Fitz]

If anyone participated in the Call to Arms thing for EUIV, Paradox has sent the first part of the rewards out. It's 4 .PDFs consisting of a strategy guide for EUIV, a compendium also for EUIV which is essentially a detailed overview of a few of the major nations, and a copy of The Art of War and The Prince. There's also a key for EUIII Chronicles. I guess the DLC keys will be sent closer to release.

 

[Mgoblue201]

I understand how they are inherited, but I don't know how to find good ones or to marry off people to actually make use of them?

You can find claimants to particular titles in this screen:

The answer to your second question depends entirely upon what you're trying to do. The most straightforward way is probably to marry your heir (or yourself) to someone with an inheritable claim, but you can also do it with any member of your dynasty. Their children will have the claim. This is advantageous because pressing a dynasty member's claim will incorporate their newly won land into your realm, as long as that title is a lesser rank to your own. The claim is likely to be a weak one, however, so you can only press it under certain conditions such as a succession war.

I generally don't try to engineer claims because I found in Crusader Kings that making specific plans years or decades in advance is pointless. Too much could go wrong. As Colkate said, you could always press your wife's claim and inherit the title as the successor, as long as the right succession laws are in place, but you also lose control of what she does. She could always abdicate the throne, lose a succession war, etc. Instead, as my realm grows larger, I try to marry my heir for traits, not claims, since it becomes increasingly important to manage the territory I already have. Maybe I'll try to generate a few claims with a distant relative or a forth or fifth in line to the throne, but I don't make specific plans.

 

[Xater]

After I got kinda frustrated with Expeditions: Conquistador I looked at my Steam games list and saw that I actually also own Hearts of Iron 3. I should probably give it a try right? It looks way more complex than CK2 though.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

After I got kinda frustrated with Expeditions: Conquistador I looked at my Steam games list and saw that I actually also own Hearts of Iron 3. I should probably give it a try right? It looks way more complex than CK2 though.

The learning curve can be brutal but it's rewarding. FRANCE IS UNDERPOWERED IMO.

 

[Basileus777]

The learning curve can be brutal but it's rewarding. FRANCE IS UNDERPOWERED IMO.

That's a staple of the series, the game can't really replicate the series of events that led to the Fall of France and no one wants to see Germany stonewalled in 1940 in every game.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

That's a staple of the series, the game can't really replicate the series of events that led to the Fall of France and no one wants to see Germany stonewalled in 1940 in every game.

Doesn't make it any less frustrating to play France. If you manage to hold off the Germans or even push into their territory and encircle some divisions, it doesn't matter because they have twice as much stuff and your manpower is so low you can't reinforce properly after the first few months. You have to outplay them to a ludicrous degree in order to win.

 

[Basileus777]

Doesn't make it any less frustrating to play France. If you manage to hold off the Germans or even push into their territory and encircle some divisions, it doesn't matter because they have twice as much stuff and your manpower is so low you can't reinforce properly after the first few months. You have to outplay them to a ludicrous degree in order to win.

Yeah it can be frustrating, though it's also part of the fun of playing as France. I haven't really played France much since HOI2, so maybe it's much worse for this game.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Yeah it can be frustrating, though it's also part of the fun of playing as France. I haven't really played France much since HOI2, so maybe it's much worse for this game.

No idea, I never played HoI2. In my last UK game I launched an amphib invasion of Denmark in '39 and trapped/destroyed about 12 German divisions in the process. My defensive line was down past hamburg and I had Lubeck under my control. My line was pinning maybe 45 German divisions in place as well as significant air assets. Despite this, they sent a fraction of the rest of their army and just stomped over France with little or no resistance. Monumentally silly.

 

[zoku88]

I know I say this all of the time, but I really need to get around with learning how to play HOI3...

I've only kinda played one game (as Germany) and got stuck at the Belgium/French border.

 

[Almighty]

Oh so this is the thread where I can be totally excited for the release of EU4?

I got hooked on CK2 and now I am really looking forward to EU4. Leading a nation with all it's possibilities looks awesome.

Also I don#t know if you guys know this quill18 guy from Youtube. I partly learned CK2 from him and he also does stuff for other Paradox games. The real interesting part is that he was allowed by Paradox to basically do a let's Play with the EU4 beta: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs3acGYgI1-vx6u5K0CTYajCyvL3oDzDg

After watching some of that lets play I think i might grab EU4 at launch or close to it. Tried EU3 many years ago and just couldn't figure it out, but after playing CK2 for many hours and watching that video I think I am ready to try and tackle EU4. It will be nice to make a go at it until Rome II hits.

 

[Xater]

After watching some of that lets play I think i might grab EU4 at launch or close to it. Tried EU3 many years ago and just couldn't figure it out, but after playing CK2 for many hours and watching that video I think I am ready to try and tackle EU4. It will be nice to make a go at it until Rome II hits.

Yeah EU4 looks pretty accessible if you have already played CK2. Apparently they now also have a guy dedicated entirely to create tutorial and help stuff.

 

[Almighty]

Yeah EU4 looks pretty accessible if you have already played CK2. Apparently they now also have a guy dedicated entirely to create tutorial and help stuff.

That will be nice. The tutorials in CK2 were lacking to put it nicely. Lots of trial and error to figure that game out and even after putting 270 hours into it(according to steam) I bet there is still a bunch I could still learn.

 

[ag-my001]

Quick CK2 mechanics question: How long does it take and what conditions need to be met to 'absorb' a country. I've seen it happen with France and Aquitaine, but now it actually affects me after inheriting Galicia and Castille.

Balancing three elective successions can be tricky.

 

[Almighty]

Quick CK2 mechanics question: How long does it take and what conditions need to be met to 'absorb' a country. I've seen it happen with France and Aquitaine, but now it actually affects me after inheriting Galicia and Castille.

Balancing three elective successions can be tricky.

It takes 100 years and based on this the conditions you need are are:

The entire duchy is within the realm of the king.
The king does not hold the crown of the current de jure kingdom to which the duchy belongs.
The ducal title either does not exist or is held by a vassal of the king.
The duchy is not part of the kingdom of Jerusalem.

so if you want them all to become one kingdom you have to destroy all the kingdom titles that you hold except the one you want(if you have multiple kingdom level titles) and control(either directly or though a vassal) all the counties/duchies in the kingdom and they should switch after 100 years.

 

[MikeDip]

Thanks for all the tips guys!

 

[Almighty]

So i don't know if this has been posted already, but Green Man Gaming is having a deal where you can get cash back or in store credit if you preorder EU4. I preordered the Digital Extreme Edition and got $12 in store credit. Which is nice as I plan to put that towards Rome 2 on top of the 20 percent discount you can get already.