Norse Vestisland Merchant Republic Playthrough
I will be playing from a seat of power in vestisland, and I will be founding a republic over a whodad.
conduct
-hard difficulty
-no restarts
-become merchant republic
-rule from only vestisland
-customized gen0 ruler, attractive, quick, cruel, stressed, wounded, patient, 1 point in martial and stewardship, and lvl2 intrique education. Aged 30.
-769
I begin by hiring all the holy men I can and a few nobles, to maximize my starting council. I spend a few coins on randomized females as well, so that I can marry off the males on my council when they get that ambition.
I place my diplomat to get a claim on some island for later, and my steward to raise troops. We will wait for a bit to attack our neighbor despite outnumbering him. But not too long or he might gain competence in arms. His current heir is worth a whooping 0 martial, himself worth only 3.
I was peacefully trying to kill my opponent and spy on my councilors to get the 'impaler' trait that would match well with my 'cruel' trait when the game informed me about my peacemongering ways. So I quickly finished up my spying, took my moral-killing trait, and wiped the floor with my neighbor with my 20% extra moral damage, 20 more troops, and better base martial skill. In 773 I became the sole holder of the duchy of Iceland.
At age 34, money is still a huge problem. I cant gain tech points passively until I become a duke, and I cant until I get the 200 gold required to create the title. I also have already snagged shipbuilding 1 from the military screen, and will probably build a docks the moment I get 75 gold. I also cant look forward to many wars now. Maybe I can ask to join them? But Im effectively isolated for the near future.
In 775 I switch my focus from intrigue to business. I almost immediately get the 'mint coins' event, which of course I gobble up the option to gain 100 gold. I immediately begin constructing the shipyard. In the meantime I have offered to join a war to subjugate Norway. It seems that like me, hfarn of hoffland has spotted a perceived weakness in a neighbor. Unlike me, however, he was only able to secure one providence before both armies met on the field of battle. They appear to have obliterated each other, and now the war is stagnant, with -35% warscore for battles fought, and +20% for occupied lands. Not that I care, and besides, svijold can handle the early attack.
Oh dear, I think this will be an easy unification job. I havent married yet because I want genetic goodness. The only viable target for marriage is an attractive priest, and nope, I dont like the idea of my chillins hanging out in another court. Besides Im too young to start the gavelkin babymaking machine.