CKII is released.

[Vaarna_Aarne]

The new patch fixes some issues with Decadence invasions not triggering properly, so it just might put Muslims back in their place. They also switched the non-Norse pagans to get a levy bonus instead of Garrison bonus, so the effects of that are up in the air.

The 1.101 patch for Gamersgate version of CK2 is out, you can find on Pdox forums.


Also, LP material for Ruler Designer shenanigans: Hellenic religion has been added.

 

[oscar]

Anyway, Memento Mori Expanded crashes with the new patch. So either roll back or wait for a new version..

Ah, thought the most fun game I'd had in ages (Asturias, enjoyable strategic position) had corrupted or something.

Slavic, Baltic and Finnish Pagans now get a bonus to their levy sizes, at the cost of their garrison bonus

- 867: Strengthened the coastal Baltic, Slavic and Finnish tribes with better Holdings

Interesting, the north-east Pagans are getting buffed. They already seem to do decently in my experience.

 

[RK47]

How does conversion help? I'd still be blocked.

Correct. You convert...then work from within in bringing the Muslim Kingdom down.
The biggest game changer is the lack of mercenary access.
It's nearly impossible IMO to even raise a levy that can match the Caliphate's merc bolstered army and levy.
Your only hope is to convert to both your liege's culture AND religion - then please his dukes - and work together in bringing your liege down, but that will not even make West African Pagan religion last.
Don't think of surrendering then trying to bring them down from within by holding on to your Pagan religion though - cause you'd just get gang-banged by the other Muslim Dukes looking for easy gains.
It's fucked bro. I tried it. Wasted 2 hours of my life TBH.

 

[Trash]

The Baltic, Slavic and Finnish tribes usually do more than fine. Only real pain the ass for them is the Norse coastal CB and that got killed as well. No idea why they are strengthened. It's not as if the Vikings are massively overpowered or anything. Sure, they mess things up at the start but each year they have a harder time to raid succesfully. Including in the Baltics.

And Muslim decadence revolts really need to be checked. Make a realm crumble into independent states, not replace the leadership. That's how you deal with the blobs getting all decadent. Plus, I can't wait for anyone to add religious uprisings to the rebel types. You've got heretical ones, so why Pdox did not include populations rising up when their overlords are of a different religion is beyond me.

And West Africans should now be a lot more interesting now that they can raid.

Anyway, updated basic Memento Mori. Will have to wait for the Expanded version for other mods to update as well.



And the last update ruined one of my best games so far. Started out as a small independent Norse county up north. Raided the Baltic for one generation to build up a powerbase. Started a war for a second county. Pumped all my money into hiring a merc company and kicked ass. Just as I was dealing with the last of the pagans another, much larger, norse ruler joins in and takes the county I wanted. Thanks, asshole. Went back to raiding and finally had enough troops to make a dent. Wife and concubines produced lots of kiddies. Most of them girls. Grrr. Decided to gamble and took on that same norse ruler when he was embroiled in a big war. Won by the skin of my teeth. Next generation split my lands. One bloody war later my best son starts raiding the Baltic and expands into new lands. Then dies in battle. Queu every familymember starting warring. Had just sorted that out when the patch came. Damn. I really wanted to take this dynasty to dominate the north before going all the way to Scotland.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Agreed, IMO Decadence should first start triggering independence wars and reducing vassal relations, with 100% decandence causing automatic disintegration of the realm into Duke or King level components (depending on top liege tier and existence of such titles) and the destruction of our own top liege title and removal of all vassals outside of personal demesne (and of course, reducing Decadence down to 0% again).

 

[Trash]

Nah, that's either a game over or a clean slate. Neither which are cool. Independence wars, rebellions and worse and worse vassal relations culminating in a desert tribe marching in (preferably with vassals being able or given a choice to join them) once that decadence hits a certain point. Plenty of time to try and get that decadence down through warfare (and other means) while also being enough of a big deal that you really don't want it to happen. And perhaps you're a bad enough dude to actually make it through. LP heavan.

CK2+ also dealth with decadence but only in how you get it or get rid of it. Not with the consequences. The drawback is in the consequences for me.

 

[Malakal]

Decadence is a bad mechanic overall, what does it even mean a dynasty is decadent? Makes no sense really unless applied to all nations. Not to mention how stupid "raiders" are. They should think up something better for islam.

 

[Ulminati]

Actually Norse pagans didn't really seemed overpowered.

Yeah. Raising my 3k personal levy, visiting 1-county independent nations and sieging for a year and a half, then cashing in 950 gold/prestige is totally balanced.

 

[Kattze]

Not balanced? yes, overpowered? no.

Besides, anything in human hands is overpowered. AI Norse are anything but spectacular though. Compared to the Umayyad and Abbasid megablobs that the AI always managed to form.

 

[Trash]

Not to mention that they, as I've pointed out before, start out strong but quickly diminish in strength as the game goes on. Raiding gets harder by the year.

 

[Ulminati]

Just gotta have good chancellors and send them to capitals to sow dissent. Then once a country erupts into civil war for whatever reason, send the longboats into the rebel provinces. By the time the war is over and the AI sends his troops in your direction, you'll be done sieging and moving on to the next hot spot.

 

[baturinsky]

Actually Norse pagans didn't really seemed overpowered.

Yeah. Raising my 3k personal levy, visiting 1-county independent nations and sieging for a year and a half, then cashing in 950 gold/prestige is totally balanced.

Hmm, can I do it with mercs?

 

[RK47]

Yeah I'm out of games to play.
Someone recommend me some interesting chars to play.
Ghana is a dead end.

 

[Ulminati]

Hmm, can I do it with mercs?

Only levies/retinues can raid. Mercs can't be raiders. Also, mercs are too expensive to keep around for sieges man.

Yeah I'm out of games to play.
Someone recommend me some interesting chars to play.
Ghana is a dead end.

Pick a pagan.
Invade Jerusalem and carve out a kingdom.
Grant independence.
Switch ruler to Jerusalem.
See how long you last with Orthodox, Catholic, Shia and Sunni all lusting after your clay.

 

[baturinsky]

Just to make sure: In gavelkind, if I have one duchy and counties under it, and they are split among sons, they will still be vassals of the heir?

 

[RedScum]

If you only got one duchy/kingdom/empire then your younger sons or w/e will be your oldest sons vassals.

 

[Kattze]

Yeah I'm out of games to play.
Someone recommend me some interesting chars to play.
Ghana is a dead end.

• Play the last remaining landed Avars in Bulgaria and Balaton. Revive the Avar Khaganate.
• Play Nubia/Abyssinia reconvert Egypt to Miaphysitism
• Play some random Viking and carve out your own realm somewhere in the mediterranean (Use prepared invasion?). Convert to some small religion (Zoro and Miaphysite) and try to fend off your neigbours.
• Play some non-Norse pagan somewhere in Eastern europe.
• Play Genghis Khan in one of the new bookmarks.

 

[Spectacle]

Hmm, can I do it with mercs?

Only levies/retinues can raid. Mercs can't be raiders. Also, mercs are too expensive to keep around for sieges man.

If you have a merc army in the same province as a raiding army the mercs will help with the seige/assault.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Tremendous incline has been brought to the world:

(Dynasty view, but handily shows the empire of Finns)

EDIT: Also, the new patch fixed Muslims. The Decadence events now fire properly, and the Abbasids are starting to fragment at a fast rate. Due to this, I decided to attack and capture Shield Wall for myself, AKA Georgia. The sandworms are going to stay out now. Incidentally, the Persians in Khiva are Nestorians but Muslims have never attacked them.

 

[Average Manatee]

Actually Norse pagans didn't really seemed overpowered.

Yeah. Raising my 3k personal levy, visiting 1-county independent nations and sieging for a year and a half, then cashing in 950 gold/prestige is totally balanced.

Why raise your own levy? Norse don't care if you raise your vassals' levies. Use up their own soldiers and keep them weak.

Not to mention that they, as I've pointed out before, start out strong but quickly diminish in strength as the game goes on. Raiding gets harder by the year.

Can't say I've seen that. Even for the AI they are almost never stopped by other AI realms because they load back in their boats so fast. The player of course just gets god-mode raiding as soon as they deploy the skirmish levies that can assault every coastal province in an empire in a matter of weeks.

That said, I don't think AI norse really raid enough to make it OP for them in the first place. They only do it sporadically and not against the most worthwhile targets.

Yeah I'm out of games to play.
Someone recommend me some interesting chars to play.
Ghana is a dead end.

Create a Basque Mesoamerican Countess who follows the Aztec faith. Spread Feminism as far as you can and have an unbroken female lineage. Sacrifice all men that you take prisoner raiding, educate all female children to be proper feminists and grant them land. Male children who accept education can become studs.

 

[thesoup]

Kaleva looks like Russia to me.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Show us culture view, only way to be sure that RUS GENOCIDE is complete.

I've got several screenshots across the campaign, but not of the most current date. Suffice to say, Russian culture exists in exactly ONE province in the entire world, and eventually they'll be removed from the premises just the same (it's one of the provinces in Turov, which is part of the empire).

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Show us culture view, only way to be sure that RUS GENOCIDE is complete.

I've got several screenshots across the campaign, but not of the most current date. Suffice to say, Russian culture exists in exactly ONE province in the entire world, and eventually they'll be removed from the premises just the same (it's one of the provinces in Turov, which is part of the empire).

No mercy, even one russian province can RETURN RUSSIA TO THE PREMISES if left alone.

Well I have been waiting for it to flip for some 300 years soon.

 

[baturinsky]

Here is when I got bored with Russia. Year 947. Rurik created Rus in 23 years, his son only ruled for 7 years, so did not do much, and grandson ruled for 50 years and made this.
Too bad Russians fail at ship building. At the end, fleet levy was something like 5 galleys total.

 

[Ulminati]

Solution is obvious. Acquire Finnish clay for more ships.