CKII is released.

That and playing a Zoroastrian and driving back the spread of Islam sounds like fun.

 

Besides, this is a great gameplay addition that might hopefully shake things up.

EDIT: On a related note, seems like I'm pushing back updating my shit again.

EDIT2: And I better get to kill a shitload of viking bastards thinking they can come raiding on MY shores.

 

Sounds awesome, I can't wait until it's released!

 

I wonder if they'll add the interesting recent discovery that Rurikids were genetically of Finno-Ugric ancestry.

 

Really? I thought they were Varangians/Vikings. o_O

 

FUCK
YEAH

867 is much more than I could have hoped. Too bad they didn't bother with any in-between scenarios, let alone establishing a full lineage, but I figure every additional time-slice would double the amount of work.

 

Swedes (and to a lesser extent Russians) spent 800 years enforcing a picture of Finns as primitive sub-niggers of no worth. Only in the recent years has the history of Finns been under re-evaluation, and the discovery of Rurik most likely belonging to Finno-Ugrics is just one of the new discoveries. The archaeological digs near Hämeenlinna that unearthed an ancient town and digs in Nyland showing habitation long before colonization during the Middle Ages are part of this as well.

 

Does this mean you will now welcome your Russian brothers?

 

Of course not! That would be totally out of character.

 

Not sure if I should believe you, you have nationalistic interest in the subject. But then again, who doesn't?

After reading this from wikipedia (lol): "Genealogical DNA test results of modern Rurikid princes indicate that Rurik was of Finno-Ugrian descent (haplogroup N1c1).,[5] however the Rurikids do not possess the DYS390=24 mutation associated with the Finnic languages, theirs remaining the ancestral DYS390=23, with the Rurikid haplotype itself (all values considered) more closely associated with [North] Germanic speakers (Varangians)", I guess it's all up in the air. I always feel lost in these matters, since I'm an ignorant in genetic genealogy.

 

Let me put it this way: being related to Russians sucks. So if indeed Finns are related to Rurik I would sweep that under the rug.

 

Not really, who wouldn't like to be related to the guy that destroyed Khazarian jewery?

 

As an American/Canadian, all this Russian/Swedish/Finnish heritage banter is confusing and amusing.

 

That's okay. You really can't help it that you don't have a real culture and history.

 

hell yeah

Best expansion imaginable. Far exceeds my expectations. Good job Paradox.

 

Now that I've had my moment of nationalist masturbation and /gd/ antics, I guess it's time to be serious.


I am quite surprised that they extended the timeframe. That would mean that this is probably THE biggest expansion DLC to CK2 yet. Something I very much approve of. However, there's still the big concern that it'll be an "it's all about the vikings" DLC in the vein every other DLC has been, even when there's a lot more pagans around than just said Norse salmonbuggerers (ie, the aforemention Tavastians). The mention of Zoroastrians is good news though, and gives hope for a more generalized approach to the pagans.

 

One of the devs has already said:

"Vikings are the main focus, but expect some content for Mongols, Zoroastrians and other pagans as well."

And another not much further down:

"The expansion is called "The Old Gods" because it is about all the old Pagan religions, plus Zoroastrianism. Expect unique content for each."

Source: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...her-Pagans&p=14958005&viewfull=1#post14958005

I take that to mean that they will all get some love, but that Vikings will end up getting more.

 

Paradox is Swedish. Even without the naturally greater appeal of Vikings, it's natural they'd focus on them.

 

It's actually intriguing that they have only done a couple of viking-themed games and expansions, considering this.

 

FUCK YEAH. Time to go old-school swedish viking raids.

 

You guys know that vikings were mainly Norwegian and Danish right? Sweden, well, wasnt much at anything then. That could also explain why Paradox isnt focusing on vikings more in their other games...

 

That's Svyatoslav a century later, duh.

Also, despite Khazaria blobbing over half the map, PRDX are still adamant on not letting the dreaded J-word into their game (lest someone starts killing and converting them and ZOMG this shall not stand!). Watching them trying to weasel out of it like eels on a pan on their forum is quite hilarious.

 

Worse yet, Rjurik himself and his original Rus retinue are widely considered to be of pomeranian wendic origin. Swedes couldn't into expansion until high middle ages

 

Being self-absorbed and lazy is my culture and I have a proud history of both.

:patriot:

 

Yea, Swedish vikings had the tough luck of having their raiding targets mostly be types that killed the fuck out of them if they tried anything funny. Norwegians weren't keen on fighting their Finnish neighbours either, Olaf the Holy suffered a terrible defeat as a young chieftain when he tried to attack the Kvens. A particularly famous incident was when a large raiding party of Swedes made their way all the way to Nokia in order to steal valuable furs (incidentally, the trade route to Kiev and Constantinople sold furs from Finns, with the cosmopolitan Varangians as the middlemen). Well, all is going well and they make off with a bunch of furs without even meeting resistance. Then, while their ships are going downriver, the Tavastians who rule that particular part of ancient Finland spring their ambush, stretching an iron chain over the river and preventing the ships from moving. The Tavastians attack the vikings in a brutally one-sided fight, which leaves the two viking chieftains leading the raid dead, and only a tenth of the men on the raid manage to limp back home. Without any furs.