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[andrea]

I bought the game, and started in belgrade inspired by tis game. Unluckily here my liege attacked byzantion the first years, putting me in an uncomfortable position... while empire lost land it never fell and I am sandwiched against croatia, byzantium and hungary. The only good war I could have led me to nissau, but then byzantium comes and bashes me.

Interesting game, I'll kee following this thread. Interesting story, lets see if you can win.

[Goron]

I bought the game, and started in belgrade inspired by tis game. Unluckily here my liege attacked byzantion the first years, putting me in an uncomfortable position... while empire lost land it never fell and I am sandwiched against croatia, byzantium and hungary. The only good war I could have led me to nissau, but then byzantium comes and bashes me.

Ouch.
When I 'semi-randomly' picked Belgrade I didn't realize they were a part of Byzantium, I though it was a little farther west, maybe even an independent between Hungary and Croatia. I decided to give it a whirl anyways and got lucky (I think). You, on the other hand, were unlucky
Byzantium is pretty volatile in every game I play. The empire itself is pretty self-collapse prone (mostly due to laws) but also faces the Muslim and pagan threats.
So it is like flipping a coin when you are in the area- sometimes you can reap benefits from the situation, sometimes the situation reaps you.

Interesting game, I'll kee following this thread. Interesting story, lets see if you can win.

Thanks- and I am glad to hear I inspired you and even more so glad to hear you bough CK. I am really hoping CK is the next sequel developed after Victoria 2.
I think I've read somewhere that Johan Andersson (Paradox lead dev) said CK was his favorite game.
I figure if more people buy CK now, it will just increase the chance they justify making a sequel.
*crosses fingers*

[Judas Maccabeus]

Only way for a woman to become a ruling Queen in this game is to be elected into position, or granted the title by someone who has multiple kingdom-level titles, unfortunately.  SO MAKE SURE ONE OF THOSE HAPPENS! 

[Il Palazzo]

Damn good game. The guys at Paradox must've thought that something is missing in their EU concept, so they crossed it with Princess Maker. It's eating my spare time like crazy.

[Goron]

1091

Spoiler: A peek at me (click to show/hide)

I am still horribly in debt, -234 gold to be exact. I have a tarnished reputation, likely because of my war mongering and title grab.
Oh well.

The year starts off well enough- without event, which is good.
I just want to get out of debt.
But in March I am surprised when a courtier approaches me:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

How dare he think he can act that way!  If his skill was at least comparable to my steward's he'd have a point, but it isn't so he doesn't.
I do not hesitate to exile the man.

Just three months later I face more problems int he court:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

My spy master has problems with my reputation...
Last time a man acted this way, I had him jailed... But... This man may have a point. My reputation is tarnished.
I cannot afford to bribe the man to stay- so I accept his complaints and open the door for him to leave Belgrade- which he does.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I am no longer cruel. I am also short a spy master.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I appoint a new one, but he is no where near as capable and my intrigue is far from impressive.

The rest of 1091 passes by without major incident. I refrain from any major action in an attempt to repopulate my Principality's coffers.

1092 comes.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I take a moment to examine my family line:

Spoiler: my heir, Sabas (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Nephon (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Dorotheos (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Eudoxia (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Theodora (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Me, Nikephoros Synadenos (click to show/hide)

I am not sure if it is punishment for not featuring her, but my wife is being a pain:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It seems she has heard of some new fashion fad, and she wants it. Women!
Does she not realize I am broke?!?!
I suggest we go to church, instead of shopping...
Annnd, my suggestion leads to a zealous wife.

My son is... realizing his position...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

He knows he is heir, and he knows no one is above him in Belgrade. Now is seems he is being a rascal about it.

Eudoxia has come of age

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I look for quite a while for suitable partners for her. No young princes, unmarried young princes that is, seem to be nearby. I'd like to marry her into a position that could potentially lead to growth of my realm, but so far I've had no luck finding suitable bachelor lords.
But, while looking I made an interesting discovery:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Geza, my passed sister's former husband is next in line for the throne of Hungary.

I've found a potentially worthy suitor for my daughter:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

No... not him... he (The Archbishop of France) will not marry. But, if we take a peek at the first man in line for succession...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

...we get this guy:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

He will marry. Sure, he is older than the king-errrrrr, arch bishop of France, but the possibility of him becoming the next in command is significant enough that I am willing to have my eldest daughter marry him...
I send an offer...

He accepts

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I choose to take the marriage duty (55.98 gold). I can use gold much more than prestige right now.

I knew holding on to the stability of the realm would prove useful...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I accept the problem at hand, losing 1 stability, rather than trying to maintain the current level (which would risk the loss anyways, but at an expense of prestige and piety).
I really need to get out of debt.

As the year winds down to an end, I receive an offer of alliance from the Duke of Carinthia.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

He is on the other side of Croatia form me and has three vassals. His income is pretty nice too. I accept.
It also seems my daughter is pregnant

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

For being 53 years old, her husband was quick to procreate... but I guess thats a big part of the Catholic faith eh? make Christian babies...

Finally, 1092 comes to an end.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I am still in debt (-22), but will be int he black soon enough.
1093 may be a new action year...

[Glacies]

Awesome! What's the next move, hmm? It would be neat if you tried to reassemble the byzantine empire.

[Goron]

Awesome! What's the next move, hmm? It would be neat if you tried to reassemble the byzantine empire.

Yeah- I really want some audience input for my plans.

The current Prince, Nikephoros, is pretty nice for a warmonger, his marshal skill is excellent but he lacks really lacks in other skills. 2 intrigue just won't cut it for a truly great leader...

Sabas, on the other hand, is pretty well balanced. Assuming he skills up more as his education comes to a close, I think we can safely assume he will be pretty good. Add in some nice courtiers to act in his court- and we could have some high skills.

One of the current problems rests in the fact we are still a little in debt- sure, we will be positive in a couple months but it will take a while to build up enough of a balance to safely wage another war- much less build anything and war.
We also have no -in my opinion- suitable men to take titles. Nikephoros with his shitty intrigue can only control 1 province directly. Right now we are holding three. Add in the fact that his reputation is tarnished and we risk some disloyal vassals (even though granting titles will help bring our reputation back up, but I don't know how far for sure).
Once Sabas hits 16 I plan to arrange a marriage for him then grant him a title.
Same goes for Nephon. I want to land them, to make sure our prestige doesn't suffer- it will also bring our efficiency back up to 100%. And most important of all- since they are relatives (sons) they will get loyalty bonuses.

So I think we may be best waiting 6 more years before acting out- unless another great opportunity presents itself.

In 6 years a lot could change. But right now, to my surprise, Byzantium actually seems like it is pulling itself back together. They lost most of Anatolia, but have regained a hold west of the strait. I'll try to remember to put a pic up with next update. I figured that would be our best path to power and glory (rebuilding byzantium) but now that path looks slightly a lot more difficult.

To the north we have the- probably unchallengeable- Hungarian Kingdom.
To the West is Croatia- a Kingdom of some power but not invincibly so. But, Nikephoros happens to be friends with some of the Dukes (and I think even King) in Croatia, so I'd rather not have this generation act against them in any way.
East and South lie a few independent Princes- but fighting Christians costs prestige to grab their titles- or time to plant inheritances (Farther south east we have Byzantium).
We actually border a pagan province east of Severin. I think it is our best bet for quick expansion. It is part of that old pagan kingdom that we took Severin from long ago- but since then Hungary has grabbed a bit too, and now this lone province sits next to us while the rest of the tribe is a bit father north east. I keep a close eye on their military strength- right now they can muster ~5000 men. We can raise ~2500. I am hoping they will get involved in a war tot he north, during which we may be able to make a quick grab...

I personally do not like distant land grabs (such as finding small independent pagans to conquer half way across the map) but I will justify distant wars if they are for the purpose of building a new kingdom in those lands (taking a start point, then expanding from there- rather than just taking the weak province and forgetting about the rest).

[andrea]

I think your first target should be to become a kingdom if you aren't already one.

And getting heirs can be a pain sometime... my count of belgrade ( and several other things, soon prince of vadin and something else) is nearly 40 years old, witgh his 4th wife and still has only 1 male son. All this while efficency sinks to the bottom... I used to choose wives for their skills, now I take them only for the "lustful" trait.

If I understand it well, stronger economy means bigger armies in the territory, so maybe this is time for you to work on economy, if you don't see any easy claim laying around.

[Goron]

If I understand it well, stronger economy means bigger armies in the territory, so maybe this is time for you to work on economy, if you don't see any easy claim laying around.

I thought it was higher stewardship=bigger armies...
But, higher stewardship=stronger economy, so maybe it is stronger economy=bigger armies.

[andrea]

I get bigger army whenever thieves and similar leave. Same goes for when pillage ends. During events that drop your income a lot, you should notice that army drops too.
And higher stewardship was my first guess too, before I observed thieves, prosperity, illness and pillage. Of course, better stewardship, more gold, which means more army ( and more money to pay its upkeep).

the first thing you learn in this game about wars is that they are fought with debts. Probably the king wants to be sure he can actually use the army without sinking in thousands of debts.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Archbishop of France  Have to love this game.

I thought it was higher stewardship=bigger armies...
But, higher stewardship=stronger economy, so maybe it is stronger economy=bigger armies.

Yep, higher stewardship -> higher province income -> larger armies, in that line of effect.

I also agree with the kingdom title idea; if nothing else it lets you control more provinces directly without ill effect, which is a huge help.  Hmmm... you mentioned possibly going off to distant places for that, is southern Russia still mostly Pagan?  Khazaria's always a fun title.  (unless the Cumans are still at full power, in which case that's likely to end badly)

[Goron]

Southern Russia is one big pagan empire. Like big. No chance against them.

Northern (well, NW) Russia and west of there is still populated by all those little pagan independents.
THat area is really easy to get some land in, but it is all piss poor and pretty useless.

[Akigagak]

It's a shame you can't name your children yourself, instead of them just getting a random name.

Are there any small Christian states that border us that might be threatened into either paying us, or becoming our vassal? Otherwise, sit tight and pray they don't see our empty coffers.

[Il Palazzo]

Southern Russia is one big pagan empire. Like big. No chance against them.

Northern (well, NW) Russia and west of there is still populated by all those little pagan independents.
THat area is really easy to get some land in, but it is all piss poor and pretty useless.

Check if Pomerania and Prussia is still pagan. Overall nice provinces there, especially Danzing, Marienburg, Memel. Some of the provinces north of there, in the area of present day Latvia and Estonia are very good also. They start quite splinered, and relatively easy to conquer. Later on, Poland and the Scandinavians tend to invade. The Teutonic Order might also spawn.

I've got a question - what influences your courtiers' loyalty? My Nubian king is suffering from mass emigrations and I don't know how to alleviate it.

[Jreengus]

Just popping in to say that you've inspired me to get this game too. I started off as the count of cornwall but that game went nowhere as I was just learning the ropes at that point, then I grabbed the duke of Kent and forgot to marry.  And my latest game was the count of Rhodes. I actually managed to capture Samos quite early on when the count defected from the empire, he was count of a couple of mainland provinces so whilst those were under attack by the emperor I captured Samos, then my damn leige lost his county and demanded I hand over Samos, my options being to do as he said and face a ridiculouslt long uphill clim out of debt or else face the entire empire.  Lazy guy doesn't deserve to be a count if he can't keep the turks out of his county!

As for the game, can we become the king of Serbia? I had a look at the area in game and it gave me the option to create the title King of Serbia if I controlled 66% of 8 provinces including some we control I think.