Tried my hand at something yuge, the not-yet-HRE.
He has an income of... 3 gold and less levies than a Baron. As the king of 1/3 of yurop. Makes sense! Turns out it's because at least 70% of his vassals are over cap or "the wrong type", making basically no money/levies as well. Paradox not knowing their own mechanics again I guess...
On top of it, he is already ancient, basically the Crispy of medieval yurop. But other than Crispy, he is mortal, and proves it by dying 1 month in. So now I am the Bavarian I didn't pick and... oh he is dead now too. I am starting to see a pattern here.
So I go down one tier and start as the count of
Angrier Angria.
Same no income vasssls as before, nothing I can do until I research plenar I guess, which thankfully only takes 40 years, because of the saxons close ties with.... Ethiopia? Okay!
But then came the vikings. Seems like the DLC changes the game to "if you want to start in central yurop but not as a viking, move along and start 200 years later".
When they just raid, all I can do is close my eyes and pray for them to leave, because having 4 headless knights afterwards is not worth th 10 gold. Kinda historically correct actually.
Problem is, the AI just compares army sizes and invades. Some 1 province frog leg eating Jarl near the Normandy decides to conquer East Frankenstein and sends his 5k+ magic army on a 1 year trip through yurop. More than the combined armies if ALL frankish kingsoms together!
And then demonstrating how retarded the AI is. No coordination, or combining of armies. Just lone 1k stacks killing themselves via vikings.
No vassal bothers to raise his army either, despite it being a game over for them when he loses? So I "ask the king to join", send my army on vacation to France, siege his little shithole province... and win the war without fighting with a 100% war contribution. This game...
And there is still the Jarl of NotDenmark. 5k+ magic army and enough prestige to raise it again. Plus mercs. I don't see much hope for me aside from hoping allies will save me.
I lucked out, got 1 son, 4 daughters and my waifu is countess of Kassel now after her dad... met a berserker... F.
If I manage to survive the Vikings, my spawn will control a massive reorganised blob, including the mines of Thuringistan.
Turned out fun despite the crappy AI.