Crusader Kings 2
I know Hux and I are playing this, but is anyone else?
It's a strategy game a la Europa Universalis but the focus is largely on characters and dynasties and it's pretty fun.
Here's a great article about it on Rock Paper Shotgun that explains it a bit!
I've seen it on Steam. Give me more info about why you and Hux play this and no one else?
Reading the article, it sounds like you play sort of like Medieval 2, only, instead of being the King, you're a peon noble in charge of a smaller region as part of a larger whole and you simply develop your character... HMMMMM....
Because it's one of those "Stare at a map and move little tiny armies around" games. CK2 focuses more on characters and dynasties though, so you get to choose who to marry, have kids, etc. The goal is to build the biggest dynasty by way of war, intrigue, and family tree.Originally Posted by Dignified Pauper
i played a single player game, ruled as some count for 16 years and then tried to overthrow my Liege. He declared war, I was thrown in prison, my son was declared Regent and then ousted! And then I rotted away for the rest of days!
Isn't it fun?
If the tutorial wasn't terrible, it'd be more fun to figure out what is going on. However, I assume I can pick it up as I go. (I hope)
Yeah, you'll pick it up as you go along.
Resurrection:
I recently got back into this game... all I can say is that unifying Ireland is hard if you stupidly marry your daughters to dukes and princes of England and wales, only to have her grandchildren hold claims to your land and try to screw you over with devious plots. Time to poison them all.
In a more interesting game, I was the count of Weimar. I successfully became Chancellor to the Duke, and betrothed my son to the princess of Rus. The King died, making my son in line to become King.
Fast forward to my faction for the Duchy, my leader raids the duchy capital and besieges it for a few years and dies of pneumonia. One year away from sixteen, his son has the genius trait.
He comes of age and we have all of the Kingdom of Rus under our control. We leave Weimar to a vassal and then he dies during a relatively peaceful tenure. His son is 2 and his brother-in-law eyes the kingdom and assassinates the heir. Game over.
Last edited by Dignified Pauper; 12-10-2012 at 03:16 PM.
That's one of the truly brilliant aspects of this game - all of the systems are constantly working at odds with each other. In your case, gaining political alliances and the favor of nobles through marriages is good, but they may get more ambitious and try to usurp your claims.
The tutorial is pretty good at showing you what the interface is and all the things you can do with it, but it's up to you to take it from there and see how far the rabbit hole goes. As long as your taking care of your top notifications you don't really need a deep understanding of the game to just go along and have fun with it. You don't have to worry about Game overs or just bad positions either. Do you really want to play one dynasty up until the fall of Constantinople? That's a lot of time, and the point really is to just have fun with all the insane trout that goes on.
But to learn more about the game I highly recommend either of the two wikis or, better yet, registering your game to gain access to the Paradox forums. You might not need to register just to view.
I haven't tried the multiplayer yet but if we can get an EoFF game night I think that'd be rad. We should play as the members of the Rurikovich family and see if we could one day pitch it as an original series on Starz/Encore.
I'd be up for it, although I have never had luck getting multiplayer to work in Paradox games.
smurf! smurf smurf smurf!
I start out as the lowly Earl of Desmond and work heavily on infrastructure. He dies at the age of 61, and Swenson O'Phlannegan II takes over. This guy become AMAZING! He gets over 1000 prestige, takes over Ormond and gives the title to the county of Ormond to his son, Swenson O'Phlannegan III. He then, helps to united Ormond with Thomand into a Duchy, keeping his independence. THEN, he helps his son fabricate a claim to Thomand, and invade!
Meanwhile, the former Duchess usurps Ormond back from Swenson III. Swenson II doesn't take that trout! He declares war on the Duchess by pressing his son's claim for Ormond, wins the war and doesn't take her first surrender. Wipes out her garrison, and then forces peace on her by making her relinquish the Title of Ormond back to Swenson II.
He lives for 12 more years and dies at the age of 77! He had over 1200 Prestige, and invested heavily in infrastructure.
Swenson III's reign was short lived however. He inherits the realm at 56, dies in two years. His lesbo of a wife begot him 3 sons, and Swenson II forgot to change the laws in his country to Primogeniture, so the de jure was broken up to Swenson III's three children, since he did not live NEARLY as long as his father. The name Swenson was also retired, and now, we have a three-way peace, for now, but none of the brothers are too fond of one another.
Meanwhile, the rest of Ireland is still all independent counties too focused on what I'm doing. Oh, did I mention the current Earl of Ormond is ALSO married to a lesbian, and has a daughter who is 21 and not married, and also a mastermind theologian.
While Swenson II's reign was righteous, and his favored grandson's all have land, I feel that his legacy may get ruined.
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The daughter inherited the County, and thought she could take on the new duchess, and declared war for all titles. Little had she realized the clever work Swenson II had committed to in building up the infrastructure of Desmond. Bankrupting Ormond was an easy task, and from there, she quickly surrendered. Realizing she wasn't worth her salt, she swore fealty to her distant cousin (I think 3rd cousin, they shared Great Grandparents)
From here, we're going to work on spreading the current lands into the rest of the Irish hills. The problem, more-so, is that Scotland has been busy taking the North of Ireland and has reached as far as Dublin. If the O'Phlannegan name is to live on, we will need to unite. Sometimes, petty familial politics are trumped by survivability.
Last edited by Dignified Pauper; 12-12-2012 at 02:06 AM.
streme Wheelie
Recognized Member
This trout sounds awesome, I need to get me a copy.
Countess Gormlaith is truly a force to be reckoned with.
In just 3 years, she conquered the neighboring counties of Leinster and Ossory, thereby expanding the Duchy of her liege to 5 counties total, also forcing the Duchess to create the Duchy of Leinster, which are the 3 counties I reign in, but she refuses to grant me independence... Gormlaith is 55, and her son is eager to replace her as well. She has set up a strong infrastructure and is not quite ready to let her son just take things over.
In a brazen act, Countess Gormlaith demands her Independence from the Duchess of Munster, who, upon realizing she let her vassal obtain too much power too quickly, granted to Gormlaith and the Duchy of Leinster was formed. However, the former countess still hold the title. After moving the primary capital to Leinster from Ormond, Gormlaith quickly usurped away the title of Duchess of Leinster through the bribery of her new vassals.
Having claimed a Duchy, she lived stressed until the age of 70, dying of it, passing on the Duchy to her son, restoring the Swenson O'Phlannegan name and leaving a lasting dynasty that was nearly crumbled by her father. Inheriting such a title at the age of 44 takes much responsibility, but it seems this family is destined to live long, and trying lives.
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Fast Forward to about 9 years later. The realm has been peaceful and two new cities were built in Leinster and Ormond. Family was made into mayors, in order to satisfy their claim for lands, but more interestingly, due to complicated succession laws, Swenson obtained a county in the Mediterranean. Not wanting to really deal with something far away, he granted his brother the title of Count.
His brother, the following year starts a faction to claim independence. Seeing no reason why such a county so far away should be under our control, Swenson grants this independence. Besides, his brother, being of a completely different culture, and also "ugly," will most likely be assassinated by the local populace. Not our problem.
Meanwhile, my distant cousins in Thormond and Desmond are now being invaded by England. Sucks to be them. I have a nice treaty due to many marriages. However, it seems that England's attacks are barely repelled. Coincidentally, Swenson had sent his chancellor to fabricate a claim in Desmond, and so, having watched England brutally assault his cousins, he decided to attack and declare war to hold both Duchies! However, the war lasted over 2 years, and he could only claim Desmond. However, he usurped the title of Duke from his distant cousin and would eventually take over Thormond. Then, it was to move north into the lands that Scotland had invaded.
However, his dreams were not realized, dying at 68 to old age. His son, Baeten, takes over at 34.
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Baeten rules relatively peacefully for 20 years, all 5 counties successfully under his control. He ultimately decides the right thing to do is divvy up the counties to his sons. This is a great idea, with one son thinking he should revolt now and then. Coincidentally enough, his sister makes a strong claim for the duchy of Munster. Nonsense. He imprisons her, and executes her. A tyrannical move, however, it seems his mentality was slipping. Not only was he paranoid, but he also was rumored to be Possessed.
He then imprisoned and executed his son, the heir. Realizing that his father had gone mad, his son Aed rose up from Ormond and declared war. Baeten quickly squashed this war, imprisoned his son and banished him. His last son, Aed's half-brother was only 4. Then the worst happens - England declare war upon him at the request of the Pope and declares Baeten's excommunication!
Baeten is assassinated by his wife, and order is restored as England's war is invalidated with his death; however, she is now Regent to the 4 year old. Meanwhile, her brother in law in Desmond decided she wasn't fit to rule, nor her son, and rose up. Suddenly, the Succession Crisis War for the Duchies of Leister had begun!
This was was ended when the 4 year old was assassinated, and the Earl of Desmond enforced demands upon the regent. She quickly complied, and was imprisoned.
Now, I'm playing the Earl of Desmond since he's close enough to be considered heir, and he now controls the Duchy of Munster and Liester. Great... Civility restored.
WRONG.
No one likes him. No one. And so, another series of wars breaks out and all the earls are now fighting one another. I mean ALL of them. And all of them are distant cousins of the O'Phlannegan dynasty... Meanwhile, Scotland is probably eyeing the chance to gobble everything up. I believe that this might be toward the end of the O'Phlannegan's reign in Ireland.
Last edited by Dignified Pauper; 12-16-2012 at 12:05 AM.
Although I prefer Darkest Hour and Europa Universalis 3, I've had a lot of fun with CK2 this last year. There's just so much potential for dynastic randomness to be had. For instance, whenever I name my heir after myself, it's assured that something stupid will happen to him. Thrice I tried this as Byzantine Emperor, the first Christophoros was slain by romanian mobs while governing, the second one became celibate, and the third one was a retard. After that, I just stopped trying to name them.The main thing that puts me off CK2 though is how the map always end up looking like absolute crap(are connected borders to much to ask for?) and how trying to manage a great empire usually becomes an endless string of rebellions unless you have a skillful and long-reigning king/emperor. Haven't really tried any of the expansions after Sword of Islam, are they worthwhile?
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