Ugh. It's Crusader Kings, alright. There should be a sticker on the game's box: "Warning! Causes serious addiction!"
I have so far been playing in England. Started as a count, but was promoted to duke almost instantly. This felt a little too easy compared to the first CK where even becoming a duke was an achievement. Now my king was fighting a war and I was just sitting in my little county without doing anything. After the war he all the sudden said: "Hey dude, thanks, take a duke title!" Maybe it was all those "Have a nice war, sire!" -cards that I sent? You know, it's the intention that counts.
Now I have expanded to Wales province by province. I own everything in there except for one province. I'm trying to get the count there go independent, then declare war on him and press my de jure claims. I love those: being a duke of certain area, even if in name only, gives me a legal claim to all the counties in it. It makes sense. On the other hand, I'm a little disappointed with fabricating the claims: it feels too simple to just send the chancellor to a province and tell him to get me a claim. I wish they had somehow utilized the plot and ambition feature in this. The feature now feels completely useless.
I feel powerful enough now. I'm waiting and saving money, maybe getting a few more provinces still. Once England goes to another civil war (seems to happen fairly often), I'll hire all the mercenaries I can get and declare independence. Then I declare myself the king of Brythonia. The mercenaries are also a great addition in the sequel. Not only do they make historical sense, but now even a count with enough money can declare war on a much more powerful enemy.
Also, the family members are still a source of endless hilarity. I decided to give my son a duke title, because he was my heir and I wanted him to get some prestige already before I die. I just forgot that obviously he can't be my vassal anymore after that, because I'm a duke too. OK, fair enough. He now has his one province duchy, let him have it. Wait? What is he doing? No seriously, why is he raising levies? What is he going to do with those 250 peasants?
Oh, that's right. In his endless might and infinite wisdom he had decided to declare war on king of England in order to become independent. Needless to say it made it into the annals of world records under the title of "shortest war ever fought."
Quote:
Originally Posted by soopaman2
Muslims are way overpowered in this game and the pope/crusades are not organized enough, my only complaint I think. Too many crusades seem to fail due to fractured forces, but the Muslim nations always seem to land persistant deathstacks.
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Yeah, I've seen people complaining about this on the official forum too (which, on a sidenote, is one of the worst cesspits I have ever visited in the internet.) I can't say I totally agree, at least not yet, but then again I haven't had almost any contact with them yet.
They are supposed to be advanced in this era, and they have easy time in Iberia where the Christian kingdoms are fractured. Invading the holy land, on the other hand, is going on a war far away in their heartlands. France could probably stop them, but it's pretty fractured as well and having its own disputes with the HRE and England.
However, the muslims don't seem to do anymore ridiculous sudden moves that they did in CK 1, like for example randomly invading Norway. So far in my game they have been content with staying where they are and strenghtening their power there. All in all, it so far seems very believeable to me. I'll come and join the general raging against them once I have played a little more and got my arse kicked by them.
