What is Crusader Kings 2?
Crusader Kings 2 is a strategy game from Paradox Interactive, the makers of all sorts of grand strategy games that span a vast time period, from 1066-the late 20th century. In this case, we are playing their game focused on Europe of the Middle Ages. Specifically, the second of those games. It's probably the best, or at least the least buggy, game they've made. In it, you take control of a dynasty, not a country, and try to guide them as successfully as you can to rank with the great families of history.
What's a Succession game?
For those of you who didn't participate in either the Civ4 succession game or the LP Paradox thread (that sadly crapped out with us all powerful in the 18th century), a succession game is a game where a number of players take control in succession. In Paradox games, that will be when the current ruler dies.
Short and sweet.
Charlemagne is out, even earlier start date. 769
Assassination button is no longer a thing. Rumor is it was assassinated.
Posts
Failing that, I'd love to start a succession game as Werner von Hapsburg in 1066.
Edit: Oops...Byzantine Emperor...He's not gonna like that.
Failing that, can you instigate substantial internal turmoil within Byzantium via murder?
How disastrous fealty is or isn't depends upon crown authority. If it's medium or higher, and you don't have a lot of options to climb internal political ladders, it's pretty much a death stroke for your game (in that it will become boring / pointless).
If he does have high Crown Authority then you need to start making political alliances within Byzantine while doing your best to weaken the power of the Emperor and your political rivals and attempt to put your family on the throne with some marriages. However, you're Venice. So you're on the edge of the Empire and can build your powerbase and attempt an independence revolt.
Low Crown Authority? Expand both within and outside the Empire and eventually revolt. Or get your heir on the throne.
Can we least set a date this time? Something like 1000-1100 (if we start at 867)?
It is such a downer that we never see the end of our succession games because only 3-5 people want to pitch in.
the way people break paradox games never ceases to amaze me.
I think I focus too much on my eugen--- I mean, my bree-- scratch that, my lineage progr-- family tree.
WoW
Dear Satan.....
We should create a ruler and name his Dynasty Seinfeld.
I'm figuring instead of a time limit we'll go by the total Dynasty Score or give ourselves a set of objectives to complete with a limit of one per player so everybody will get a chance to stretch their muscles.
I'm also going to go out on a limb and say that everybody should probably have all the expansions up to and including Sons of Abraham to be able to play.
"You know what the game is missing? More attrition-less nigh-invincible invasion doomstacks."
"Yeah, that seems about right."
We can have hilarious take over the world games with it active though.
Also dammit Sons of Abraham hasn't dropped yet. I took today off to zone out on it and I wanna give it the straight 12 hour play time it takes to burn the new systems into my brain.
In seriousness, once SOA drops I'll be playing as Xu Wang, who'll have an asian skin, as a Jewish guy in 867 Ireland. Go ruler creator!
Cause you have the Tengri right to the North you're big enough that you'll have decent levies and buy some Mercs. Also, Byzantium.
I'm sticking with ironman, but I think I'll switch over to my good pals the Norse for some fun viking times. I can reliably do well starting as one of the dukes, but I think I'm going to try out one of the counts. Maybe I'll give house Hammer another go, just because they have one of the coolest house names ever.
Edit: Ugh, they changed it so almost none of the Norse holdings have boats at the 867 start, so you can only raid places you can reach on foot, and if I remember right, that only works for neighboring counties anyway. That is a major nerf to the early game for any vikings.
898/9
Just one of the many things I'd never even consider doing.
WoW
Dear Satan.....
I think that the Norse start in Nantes has some interesting potential. You start with about 4K dudes, and you have boats. I've been able to get Scotland, Ireland and Wales from that start, but haven't been able to complete the job, get England, and get the Count-->Emperor achievement from it.
My Roman Empire building hasn't exactly failed yet, but it stalled pretty hard. I control the Byzantine Empire, I'm a popular Emperor, I have no retinues at the moment, I have virtually no income and my vassal levies are tiny.
I'm not sure what changed where, but it's really throwing off my ability to defend myself, let alone my ability to conquer.
I heard that if your vassals have a negative opinion of you, they won't give you troops.
I wonder if that applies to vassals of vassals.
Personally I just fire up a game of thrones soundtrack for myself but this sort of shit grates on my nerves.
Just bought SoA, but I may not get to it immediately as I'm working on XCOM: Enemy within right now.
???
It's also the converter, ruler designer and customization thing.
Sure you don't -need- them either but they actually expand the game and in the case of the EUIV converter actually deals with two of their games.
I just kind of find it super annoying that if someone were to -just- get into CK 2 now they'd have to shell out over a hundred bucks for all the -main- DLC with the game. I'm lucky in that I've played CK 2 from the start so when DLC does come out it's just a single purchase.
They should at least bundle all the main DLC stuff together and sell it for sixty bucks.
Well, I got the converter for free by pre-ordering EUIV, so that seems fair. Someone else can wait until the 50% off Steam sale, and get them both cheaper than I paid.
Main game: $40
Sword of Islam: $10
Legacy of Rome: $5
The Republic: $10
The Old Gods: $15
Sons of Abraham: $10
Total: $90 (with no sales adjustments)
They've got the DLC collection, $50, that includes everything except Old Gods and Sons of Abraham, but does include all the other music, unit, and add-on packs (including Ruler Designer). Then there's the Collection which, again, doesn't include TOG or SOA but does include all the cosmetic stuff, which is $80, and comes with the base game, too. (So, basically, you off-the-cuff asked for $60, and they'll sell it to you for $75, which isn't too far off.)
And, of course, the most important point is that Paradox is good at sales, and most of this will be 50%-75% off in a couple weeks.
So, no, I think Paradox is doing this right.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
I mean, they're real good at making money obviously but eighty dollars is more than any game I've ever paid for (excluding limited edition stuff) and they're still charging full price for Sword of Islam which came out in June of last year.
I love Paradox but their pricing is stupid. Sure Steam sales more than make up for it but that's not Paradox doing that.
They are under no obligation to discount their games during Steam sales, but they do, and do it well.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]