Let's Play Crusader Kings 2 v.1.092

[Machiavelli]

Table of contents:

Part 1: Looking around and setting the pace
Part 2: The Turkish invasion
Part 3: The road to demise


Good day fellow gamers!

Today I will be making my first post to this forum, and since I'm a new subscriber maybe I should introduce myself a bit before getting to the point.

My name is Thomas, pseudonym for Machiavelli, ;-). I live in Zeeland, a sea rich province in the Netherlands.
As a profession I perform the art of teaching history. In my spare time I like to play grand strategy games, especially the Paradox Interactive titles like Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings. The latter is the game I'm currently playing. I discovered let's plays/aar's when learning this game and now I would like to try one myself.
I've read an introduction on how to start one in this forum, but if I do something wrongly please notify me.
I will now be explaining about the game and what I would like to do with it in this forum.

For those who do not know the game Crusader Kings 2, it's a grand strategy game set in the late and high middle ages in Europe and the Near East, playable from the invasion of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The game is about managing a dynasty and bringing your family to fame and riches by conquest, marriage, murders, etc. Unlike other games from Paradox this one revolves around people, (be it family, vassals, foreign kings and emperors and religious heads like pope or caliph) making this medieval simulator a RPGing paradise.

At first I'm just hoping there will be some enthousiasm for my initiative, and for now I will just show a picture of the world in which we can participate.

The starting screen shows us the different political entities in the then known world, our quest is to decide which character we will play. I will await response before I begin my Let's Play. I have all updates and DLC of this game. That means we can play christian or muslim characters, but not pagans. We can play as a normal feudal lords; emperors, kings, dukes and counts, but also as a republic; Gotland, Venice, Genoa or Pisa. Different religions and different government types all have their own playing style and game mechanics.
Those who know the game or their history, please post any suggestion on which region, religion, government type or character you would like me to see playing.

I have played this game for quite some time and have tried the King of Leon on the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain), the Duke of Flanders and the Duke of Toulouse (vassals of the French King), the Emir of Granada (fighting the Reconquista on the muslim side) and the Emir of Baghdad (a vassal of the Seljuk Turks in the East).
I'm looking forward to getting some suggestions.This doesn't mean I don't have some suggestions myself I need some feedback on.
I would really like to play as a republic and did some reading and test playing for it. So if you would like to see that please vote positive ;-). When playing as a republic I would suggest one of the Italian ones (Genoa, Pisa or Venice) as Italy is an interesting place with different religions, cultures and three republics to compete with in a relatively small area.
Another suggestions is playing as a vassal of one of the two emperors, the Byzantine of the Holy Roman Empire, and taking over the empire from the inside. Possibly restoring the old Roman Empire as a long term goal which is possible playing as the Byzantines.
If someone wants to see one of these options or has another idea pleasy reply!
For now I'm ending this post because it's feeling a bit too long for an initial post already. I'm looking forward to getting some response and taking them into account when deciding what kind of game I will play.
Also, general tips for the use of this forum, making a let's play, or other remarks are welcome, since this is my first LP and I'm looking into how to set this up.

That's all folks! Thank you for reading.

 

[LundB]

Playing as a Byzantine vassal can be pretty interesting. There's always a ton of stuff going on.

 

[Kipeci]

Maybe one of the Bagratuni guys? They rule some Armenian areas and have relatives controlling Georgia.

 

[Ulminati]

Welcome to the Codex. Do not be discouraged by the blatant racism, sexism and other -isms. They're all part of our rustic charm and an ingrained part of our "culture".


On topic: The Vojislavici dynasty should prepare Serbia to defend their clay and remove kebab Orthodox from premises.



If memory serves, the duke is Catholic with an Orthodox court. That should lead to some interesting conflicts. If at all possible, try to keep your line of succession Catholic for maximum drama.

 

[Ulminati]

An equally hilarious start could be as a count of Zeeland. You can try to fabricate claims on the counties in Flanders and you stand to inherit Ghent. But your father has an annoying tendency to declare independence and get himself and his vassals (you) roflstomped by France. If dad dies, there's a high chance the King of England will depose your brother, the new duke of Flanders, in favor of one of the children he had with your sister.

Valencia in 1094 is also all kinds of FUN™. I still haven't managed to last to 1200. Being a tiny count in Iberia, nestled between Almoravid and the Emirate of Valencia who has the other two counties in your duchy means you're going to rely on the fickle whims of Castille and an alliance if you want to last any length of time.

For inspiration you could also look up Kayerts amazing LP as a true son of Odin, bringing the light of Paganity to Sweden and Norway. (We're still waiting on the next update bro!):
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...ive-the-viking-age-in-crusader-kings-2.70403/

 

[Cassidy]

Another vote for Duklja. It's almost as tough as Serbia in Victioria II.

 

[Hellraiser]

Papacy strong, remove schism from premises? Why not!

Add me to the list of people voting for Duklja.

 

[hoverdog]

Welcome to the Codex. Do not be discouraged by the blatant racism, sexism and other -isms. They're all part of our rustic charm and an ingrained part of our "culture".


On topic: The Vojislavici dynasty should prepare Serbia to defend their clay and remove kebab Orthodox from premises.



If memory serves, the duke is Catholic with an Orthodox court. That should lead to some interesting conflicts. If at all possible, try to keep your line of succession Catholic for maximum drama.

get on with the times man, Bosnia's where it's at:

 

[Machiavelli]

Thanks for the attention, guys. I like it.

Playing as a Byzantine vassal can be pretty interesting. There's always a ton of stuff going on.

Yep, true that! The only downside is the High Crown Authority in the Byzantine Empire, which makes it difficult to expand.

Maybe one of the Bagratuni guys? They rule some Armenian areas and have relatives controlling Georgia.

Never heard of the Bagratuni! I'll definitely look at them, it sounds interesting.

Welcome to the Codex. Do not be discouraged by the blatant racism, sexism and other -isms. They're all part of our rustic charm and an ingrained part of our "culture".

On topic: The Vojislavici dynasty should prepare Serbia to defend their clay and remove kebab Orthodox from premises.

If memory serves, the duke is Catholic with an Orthodox court. That should lead to some interesting conflicts. If at all possible, try to keep your line of succession Catholic for maximum drama.

Thanks for the welcome! My characters mostly have a tendency of complying to human rights nor good manners, so that won't be a problem.
I actually like the Duklja idea, never played them, a Catholic duke surrounded by heretics should indeed be dramatic.

Zeeland is also an idea, I tried it when I was a beginner to the game and it didn't work for me. Maybe now is the time to try it again.

Valencia is good for the challenge, but I don't want to be kicking around on Iberia again, got tired of the place.

Another vote for Duklja. It's almost as tough as Serbia in Victioria II.

Two and counting!

Papacy strong, remove schism from premises? Why not!

Add me to the list of people voting for Duklja.

Three and counting.

I'll take the Martini, please!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If I counted right:

1 vote for any Byzantine vassal.
1 vote for someone of the Bagratuni dynasty.
3 votes for Duklja.

My vote goes to one of the Italian republics, especially Venice. That place tickles my imagination. And could still be kicking around Orthodox people.
But I'm not counting my vote, just bringing up ideas ;-).

Thanks for the votes. I'll keep the voting running for now. We'll see if Duklja stays on top of the list.

 

[Tigranes]

Great, will follow with interest. (As I'm sure you're aware there's at least one history professor who's been teaching using Paradox games and then writing about that.)

I used to find the HRE had a bit too much integrity (it would stay a big blob) but the Italian republics could be interesting, esp. if you pick a starting time, say, late 13th century, when things are a bit more fractured. Byzantine vassal is a solid recipe for fun.

Edit: Zeeland I can testify is a pretty awesome experience. I had several starts where I'd get swallowed up then all my titles revoked, but you can with some skill carve out your own kingdom.

But play what you want to play, so that you'll enjoy it too = more updates.

 

[Machiavelli]

Great, will follow with interest. (As I'm sure you're aware there's at least one history professor who's been teaching using Paradox games and then writing about that.)

I used to find the HRE had a bit too much integrity (it would stay a big blob) but the Italian republics could be interesting, esp. if you pick a starting time, say, late 13th century, when things are a bit more fractured. Byzantine vassal is a solid recipe for fun.

Edit: Zeeland I can testify is a pretty awesome experience. I had several starts where I'd get swallowed up then all my titles revoked, but you can with some skill carve out your own kingdom.

But play what you want to play, so that you'll enjoy it too = more updates.

Thanks Tigranes. I'm not aware of anything. It's my first day around, =D.
So what's with the professor?

I find the HRE highly irritating too. They should be disintegrating more into late game, but I understand the empires are difficult to balance.
The Italian dukes certainly managed to get independent on a regular basis in my games, though.

Thanks for the Republican vote, I'll count that one ;-).

 

[RedScum]

Hi and welcome to the Codex, more CKII LPs are always wanted (by me) .
I'll vote for a republic, never seen them in action so could be fun.

Also, we got a CKII thread here if you want to post anything that you think is not related to the LP

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/ckii-is-released.69368/

 

[Kipeci]

Well, I think a couple of the Bagrationi guys are Byzantine vassals, so perhaps those two votes could be consolidated?
Such a game would have everything! Intrigue and revolts against Byzantine emperors, removing (or, more likely, getting removed by) worst turks, inevitable hordes of Mongol rape doubtlessly arriving right after independence is achieved, stabbing and ravishing close kin in attempts to gain their relatively vast tracts of shitty mountainous lands, all the good stuff!

 

[Tigranes]

Great, will follow with interest. (As I'm sure you're aware there's at least one history professor who's been teaching using Paradox games and then writing about that.)

I used to find the HRE had a bit too much integrity (it would stay a big blob) but the Italian republics could be interesting, esp. if you pick a starting time, say, late 13th century, when things are a bit more fractured. Byzantine vassal is a solid recipe for fun.

Edit: Zeeland I can testify is a pretty awesome experience. I had several starts where I'd get swallowed up then all my titles revoked, but you can with some skill carve out your own kingdom.

But play what you want to play, so that you'll enjoy it too = more updates.

Thanks Tigranes. I'm not aware of anything. It's my first day around, =D.
So what's with the professor?

I find the HRE highly irritating too. They should be disintegrating more into late game, but I understand the empires are difficult to balance.
The Italian dukes certainly managed to get independent on a regular basis in my games, though.

Thanks for the Republican vote, I'll count that one ;-).

I think there's more than one, I remember reading one professor posting in the Pdox forums about the vagaries of it, but see this for example:
http://media.seriousgames.dk/downloads/Practical_barriers.pdf
Which was published here: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=839885&show=abstract
An article about teaching history through EU2.

 

[Jick Magger]

Welcome to the codex. Don't forget to make your obligatory visit to Prosperland while you're here.

 

[Machiavelli]

Hi and welcome to the Codex, more CKII LPs are always wanted (by me) .
I'll vote for a republic, never seen them in action so could be fun.

Also, we got a CKII thread here if you want to post anything that you think is not related to the LP

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/ckii-is-released.69368/

Thanks! That´s a big thread. Don´t know if I will be contributing, but I´ll see.

Another Republican, great.

Well, I think a couple of the Bagrationi guys are Byzantine vassals, so perhaps those two votes could be consolidated?
Such a game would have everything! Intrigue and revolts against Byzantine emperors, removing (or, more likely, getting removed by) worst turks, inevitable hordes of Mongol rape doubtlessly arriving right after independence is achieved, stabbing and ravishing close kin in attempts to gain their relatively vast tracts of shitty mountainous lands, all the good stuff!

I could add your vote to the random Byzantine vassal faction, consisting of LundB. Only he can decide about changing his vote. ;-)

I agree with the idea that this kind of game would be headspinning.

I think there's more than one, I remember reading one professor posting in the Pdox forums about the vagaries of it, but see this for example:
http://media.seriousgames.dk/downloads/Practical_barriers.pdf
Which was published here: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=839885&show=abstract
An article about teaching history through EU2.

Interesting article. I've been pondering on this subject for myself of course, I don't think using computer games in regular education is a good idea.
There's not enough time and too much to explain. University is a different place than where I give lessons to children from age 12 to 15, though.

I'm not planning on giving my view as a historian on historical simulation in general in this LP, if you don't mind.
Although it's always something we could discuss.

Welcome to the codex. Don't forget to make your obligatory visit to Prosperland while you're here.

Thanks. Prosperland?


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Voting will not be closed yet, although I am eager to begin this LP.

Current status:

Duklja 3 votes
One of the Italian republics 2 votes
A random Byzantine vassal 1 vote
Some guy of the Bagratuni dynasty 1 vote

 

[Jick Magger]

It's also called Prosper's funhouse. Enlighten yourself with Prosper, the world of Prosper, and everything Prosper-related. Just don't feed the animals.

May as well contribute to the LP now, I guess. One more vote for Duklja.

 

[RK47]

Playing as Republic is just overpowered. :*( Sicily doesn't even have a chance.

 

[Kipeci]

I could add your vote to the random Byzantine vassal faction, consisting of LundB. Only he can decide about changing his vote. ;-)

I agree with the idea that this kind of game would be headspinning.

darn

In the highly likely event that no one else votes for the poor Bagratunids, I'll throw in my lot with the random Byzantine faction and hope that someone else does, too.

 

[RK47]

Byzantine. I wanna see if anyone can actually turn that backstabbing self-destroying empire around before the mongols gets there.
And beat HRE. Somehow. Cause I hate seeing that HRE being so stable and not getting any assfucked anytime soon.

 

[Tigranes]

Flip-flopping to Byzantines then. Let's do this.

 

[RK47]

Yep, show me if the Byzantine can survive multiple anal rapes and how you deal with it as a vassal, that is located...hmmm.... Let's see....somewhere eastern. No cheating in Sicily. Mwahahah.

 

[Steve]

I also vote for Byzantines. Haven't republics been nerfed? Haven't tried playing as one after the first time when the DLC got released. Shit was boring.

 

[RK47]

I also vote for Byzantines. Haven't republics been nerfed? Haven't tried playing as one after the first time when the DLC got released. Shit was boring.

I don't have the DLC to play Republics, but seeing the AI making effective headway into North africa, turning half of them into their colonies disgusted me to no end.

 

[Commissar Draco]

I also vote for Byzantines. Haven't republics been nerfed? Haven't tried playing as one after the first time when the DLC got released. Shit was boring.

I don't have the DLC to play Republics, but seeing the AI making effective headway into North africa, turning half of them into their colonies disgusted me to no end.

Play with mods who make map bigger and thus Feudal Lords much stronger in my Prince and Thane play through all popamole republics were converted to feudal Kingdoms before Mongols came.