I don't know why, but the Shia have attempted to rise *six times* in my Principality of Mali game (867-1085). I guess they just keep failing. All I did was crush the Umayyads, which I would expect to *help* the Shia by weakening the Sunni... Dunno.
Co-op multiplayer was pretty fun. We had to get used to not hitting spacebar after every battle, and skimming through decisions faster. On one occasion I desperately needed to retreat some soldiers and up popped the "I would be a better chancellor!" dialog in the way. I imagined my ruler on the battlefield telling a courier "SURE WHATEVER GO AWAY".
My friend was Ivar the boneless, I played the duke of Jylland. Massive attrition penalties knocked his doomstack down to 5K before we were situated, so we had to give up on East Anglia entirely. With my help he won the prepared invasion of Skotland, but only got about half the counties... Despite us occupying nearly all of them! I guess that changed or something??
We conquested a few more counties, breaking a truce or two, but then East Francia declared a holy war on me (Jylland). My depleted levy was only 2K men, and the catholics were coming with over 20,000. They lost 3K men in one month due to attrition, but still. I panicked and converted to catholicism, which was a big mistake... My friend could no longer call me into his wars, and I lost the ability to raid and my concubines, and all to avoid losing a single county.
Fortunately my friend was able to form Skotland a year or two later, and Jylland willingly became a vassal. Being a tribal Christian vassal was weird. Suddenly I was able to raid again, even other Christians I'm pretty sure. My bishop "built zeal" in my tribal capital. I had my wife killed to ensure my Norse half-brother would inherit (I only had daughters). I guess I could have had him educate my children, but I was making snap decisions instead of pausing.
Speaking of panicking, my Norse half-brother started a revolt. "Cool" I thought, "I'll just let him win then play as him". No, I'm not sure what I was thinking.
So my levy was 40 men right as the holy wars for Skotland started. 4 separate wars, I think from Ireland and Anglia mainly, but supported by thousands of troops from the mainland. There were constant waves, and each wave was about 2-3 thousand men. Fortunately I had nearly 500 gold from raiding, and banishing a revolt leader, and borrowing from the moneylenders. So I was able to ship a 1500 stack over and, utilizing the mountains and cooperating, we managed to defeat each war.
Around 4AM my half-brother liege started another revolt... against my friend's kingdom of Skotland. We decided to save and quit on the cliffhanger. (It's no big deal since I'll have proper control of Jylland again, but still).