Thread 2035197

>be me
>heard about how cool and DEEP is this game
>check the AAR (After Action Reports) of veterans
>cool RPG stories (dragons, bloodlines, secret societies, adventures, arms-brotherhood, etc)
>tried out the game with all its DLCs
>it's boring and slow af, I can't do anything, no adventures nor crazy quests/events
>just PTSD from the constant notification pop-ups about some irrelevant thing or stupid character did stupid thing
What people do to get those cool stories?
What secret, obscure mods I need (I check workshop and the mods are meh at best)?

>>2035197 (OP)
It's an ERP. You have to pick seduction focus and try to get pregnant anything that moves, including your horse.

>>2035208
>ERP
What means that?

Also, where the dragons, the crazy quests/events/adventures, the brothers you find in your journey, etc?

>>2035217
It means lurk more.

>>2035197 (OP)
i usually pick saxony and raid the whole world. kinda funny to capture the pope while raiding rome. i also love the gavelkind playstyle except for the gamebreaking bug where you lose all your land including your capital.
another fun thing is converting to a heresy and working to make it the dominant faith

>>2035217
holy ESL

>>2035217
idk who told you htere were dragons, it is a historical game. While the game does create some fun stories, the the story to playtime ratio is honestly not that good so if you don't enjoy it as a strategy game on its own you will probably be dissapointed.
Bssed on what you want, I would recommend checking out a game called "Wildermyth" instead.

>>2035217
>Also, where the dragons,
Mods. Or the secret animal cultures.
>the crazy quests/events/adventures,
Most of them involve rare random events to start the event chain. You can game some of them if you know what you're doing, or you can just make up your own goals and narrate them for an AAR.
>the brothers you find in your journey, etc?
This is mostly just people writing about the characters they interacted with, or the odd random event giving them stuff to work with.
TL;DR be a more creative person.
>>2035263
>converting to a heresy and working to make it the dominant faith
Fraticelli gaming.

>>2035197 (OP)
>>heard about how cool and DEEP is this game
Hard about how cool and deep this game is.
>What people do to get those cool stories?
What do people do to get these cool stories.
>What secret, obscure mods I need
What secret, obscure mods do I need.
>>2035217
>What means that?
What does that mean.

What country are you from?

>>2035670
>Hard about
You had one job...

>>2035784
I'm the grammar teacher, spelling is nxet door.

>>2035197 (OP)
Its not meant to be enjoyed by anyone over the age of 12 and with an IQ in triple digits.
The sole purpose of the game is to entertain children and mental midgets.
OP you are probably too old and too smart to play a game loved by drooling retards. You should be able to tell just by the sort of "Haw haw! Me funny!" subhuman comments you have received in this thread.

>>2035197 (OP)
>What people do to get those cool stories?
They play the game you fucking retard

>>2035266
I like strategy games, I have no problem with stategy games that have no story, the thing is this game is pretty boring, all feels the same after some time (no matter culture, religion), you can't do match despite all the time you invest in it and despite you put in in max speed.

So reading all those AAR make me feel like those people are playing a totally diffente game.

>Wildermyth
Thanks for the recommendation, anon.

>>2035595
>Or the secret animal cultures.
How I discover them? I have 'supernatural' rule on, but I never get stuff like that.

>>2035263
I did that in some of my campaigns, but as I said in another comment, it becomes boring after a while.

>>2036181
>all feels the same after some time (no matter culture, religion),
Genuinely crazy take.
>you can't do match despite all the time you invest in it and despite you put in in max speed.
At any given time you have to juggle:
>Lifestyle focuses
>Vassal management
>Religion
>Secret society membership
>Raising wards
>Marriage/diplomacy
>Plots/intrigue
And that's only by default. If you're playing in different parts of the world it might also be:
>Raiding
>Trade posts
>Pilgramigaes
>Reformation
>Crusades
>The empire of china
>The silk road
>Mongol invasions
>Turkic invasions

>>2036190
Anon, I have 1214 hours in the game, I tried it all. Maybe it's a "crazy take", but it how the game makes me feel this days.

I even get the 'Seven Centuries' + 'SPQR' + 'Aztecs Stay Out' + 'Chinese marriage' etc. achievements + total world domination (include conquering China) in a single campaign, despite the game after 1330 was 1-2 fps (truly hellish experience).

>>2036204
>why am I bored of the content after 1200 hours
Faggot you clearly understand the appeal, you're just mad that you don't enjoy it as much as you used to.
Or at least I hope so, because the alternative is fucking depressing

>>2035197 (OP)
Hot garbage that needs and autistic amount of role playing and self inserting, wouldn't recommending even touching it

>>2036208
>because the alternative is fucking depressing
I agree, because it was that.

>have toaster
>can't play any decent game with good graphics
>found out CK2
>like strategy games, so why not?
>actually just getting addicted because my OCD despite I hate the game, I need to finish the damn campaign
>find out the AAR stories of other players, are pretty cool and interesting
>feels like I being playing a totally different and worse game than them

>>2036234
I don't believe you're a human being

>>2036241
OCD is hell, anon.

>>2036248
I think you just need to stop being a faggot and fuck your sister

>>2036234
>have toaster
>ck2
>finishing campaign
Something doesn’t check out but maybe that is why it took 1200 hours

>>2036349
CK2 endgame lag isn't much worse than early game lag. The only time I've ever had really bad lag is opening the dynasty tree as a zoroastrian at the end of my persistent survivor run

>>2036367
It is certainly better than it once was. Mods are often to blame for increased lag but many people use those.

>>2035217
>What means that?
Fuck's sake vijay, stop wasting time on the village computer

>>2036367
I never had early game lag. Only late and only after the year 1330.

>>2035197 (OP)
>What people do to get those cool stories?
For every campaign worth a AAR they played 250 other campaigns that were a chud's wet dream (nothing ever happened)

>>2035197 (OP)
They don't do anything different, they're just good at writing and you probably have some sort of brain damage

>>2036896
But then is it worth playing it?
It feels like a scam, games should be fun to play, even when they're difficult or complex.

Despite all the DLCs (which should have been in-vanilla), despite all the remove content (this one was a retarded move) that is getting re-sell in CK3, this game has from good to extremely good reviews.

is ck2 better than ck3? I only played ck3 and I think it’s pretty fun.

>>2037236
Play the AGOT mod

>>2038691
I don't know why, but the mod doesn't works, or the portraits are bugged or the map or the game simply crash.

>>2038644
Yes. I started playing CK2 after a long time and was playing for hrs. In CK3, I find it hard to play for 10-20 mins, because the game is boring, too easy, nothing happens, and event writing is bad. CK2 events were simple but effective.

>>2039673
buy more dlc

Vanilla CK2 is ass. Try the Historical Immersion Project mod, also known as HIP.

>>2035266
>I would recommend checking out a game called "Wildermyth" instead.
looks pozzed

>>2040114
What adds new? What changes from the vanilla?

Bump.

>>2035217
>What means that?
Holy kek

>>2045339
Based grimlaugh poster.

>>2045339
Ok, now I know, still prefer the E(pic)RP (dragons, werewolves, adventures, etc).

Kek gif.

>>2035787
Kek

Bump x2.

>>2035197 (OP)
The greatest trick Crusader Kings 2 pulls is convincing you it is a military strategy game. So many of your hard goals and achievements are related to the conquering of land and the subjugation of others that you can lead yourself to believe that's the purpose of the game.
It is not. The purpose of Crusader Kings 2 is to create stories, as you are asking after. You have to stop thinking of your, the player's, goals and start thinking of your character's. Who are they? What culture and time period are they in? What traits do they have? How do they feel about their family/courtiers/peers/vessels? Consider all of this and then consider how that translates to the game.
If your character is greedy, they probably like hoarding money and hate spending it. If they are wrathful, they will often choose objectively bad decisions in events in fits of anger. If they are gregarious, they probably want to sway peers and their liege. If they are lustful, they will probably have the seduction focus literally any time they aren't FORCED to be fighting or administrating. You get the gist.
If you are afraid to let bad things happen to your characters, the game will just simply get boring. It's quite like dwarf fortress in that the game is not hard once you figure out it's 'visual language.' Tragedies and losses genuinely hurt when you are invested in your game, but instead of trying to change the history, let it play out. I'm not saying to stick with a miss click or a glitch, but if you lose a battle or die early or fuck up your succession or get overthrown by a faction STICK WITH IT.
I have 2k hours over the last 2 years since the subscription came out, I've played pirated much much longer. I'm almost certain I have roughly 5k over all copies I've owned. Playing in this fashion is essential over the 1k mark, or else every game is the same world conquest but with a different map and skin color.

>>2035208
>>2035217
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5e6wEzWmrU

>>2049723
Then, I would play a text-based RPG or an actual sandbox-RPG like Kenshi.
>If you are afraid to let bad things happen to your characters, the game will just simply get boring.
I really tried to do crazy stuff, but still boring, even in max speed the only thing you get is PTSD from all notification pop-ups + the same boring quest, invitation.

For me was really really rare to even get the events of 'Spawn of Satan' or my christian character becoming a pagan werewolf, despite I have all the 'supernatural', 'societies', 'bloodlines', etc. activated.

>>2035197 (OP)
You need to at least be a 3 to understand this game

>>2036184
pretty much everything becomes boring after a while

>>2039959
I wonder who could be behind this post

>>2035197 (OP)
90% of the AARs are made up
t. has written them
AARs are about finding connections and seizing any accidental relationship that exists between two separate events, else writing a couple paragraphs to justify whatever the fuck the stupid AI is doing
Meanwhile, just handwave things away that don't make sense. Your trusted sister assassinated one of your best friends? Uhh, just write him out of the story, say it was bandits or something. Overdetail the cool bits you want to, skip over the mindless nonsense the game throws at you, and try your hardest to maintain some concept of coherency: usually, a secondary or even tertiary character can "propose" an idea that is useful to the AAR, even if it was some well-skilled character you invited to your court for the stat bonuses
Do stupid and silly things and let over-extension or revolts knock you down a peg. Go into debt, fight a meaningless war (for your allies, or a courtier you grant independence to). Involve yourself in a religious order if you want to be a part of your religions' influences--don't just sit as the head of the Hermetic society for 8 characters in a row. Marry for love and fuck married women at a feast if you're in an unhappy marriage. Give your sons some land so they can start a pretender war and let their family line retain it after your defeat their rebellion. Learn about some historical flavor for the counties and use that to give some flourishes to the story, even when everything is the same in-game
CK3's greatest advantage is the opportunity to continue to play as a member of your dynasty instead of strictly playing succession, meaning you can jump around to your various family members, wherever they've ended up, which can offer plenty of opportunities for new stories and characters

>>2049723
yep its this. I have been playing since I was 11 years old now in my early 20s and unless you really immerse yourself in the characters you play and start caring about the characters near your player character it will suck. Never bought it, pirated it until it became free.Probably have well over 10k hours on it.
Resist the urge to cheese since it takes away the joy of the game. If you dont enjoy history and world building you wont be able to get out of it as much as people as autistic as me would, I used to use the game as a good inspiration for universes I would build as a kid, I wrote like 2 thick phone books worth of material on one of those universes following a retired mercenary turned land owner, and I would play the game in the region where I would imagine him to be and roleplay as his king and then self insert the character in the events of the game but in the books as a minor but very important character and build narratives around these events.

Unless you are severely low iq I dont see how a sandbox game that is essentially a noble life simulator of the medieval ages is boring.

>>2052237
>CK3's greatest advantage is the opportunity to continue to play as a member of your dynasty instead of strictly playing succession, meaning you can jump around to your various family members, wherever they've ended up, which can offer plenty of opportunities for new stories and characters
That should have been added to CK2, as I said in >>2050318, at this point CK should fully-embrace been a RPG, the paint map is BS if you can't do anything else.

At this point you have FREE mods that connect CK3 with M&B: Bannerlord. Why the actual devs can't do this, an actual game that combines "grand-stategy" (4X with another name) and first/third-person sandbox/open-world RPG?

>>2050318
If your response to advice on role-playing is 'if I wanted to do that I'd do it in a setting I care about' then I just think that CK2 isn't 'your game' if that makes sense, and thats fine. I think, if you were to enjoy the game, you'd probably enjoy one of the fantasy mods like Geheimnisnacht, AGOT, or Elder Kings because they ARE more focused on military strategy and epic fantasy.
On the other hand, I play this game for much the same reasons as>>2052346
He gets it
Don't get me wrong, grand campaigns and rare achievements can be fun, but I derive enjoyment from:
>Watching my cadet houses proliferate
>Watching my children grow up and imagining what a person in their position would act like, what made them have their traits, and what my character would think about them
>Watching the dominant phenotype/Cultural GFX/facial features of my dynasty change across ages and geography.
>Finally destroying Count Poopin the 69th who took Bollockburn Castle from my grandfather
>Feuding with my greedy brothers and broing out with the gregarious ones
>trying to create cadet houses that exclusively occupy ecclesiastical appointments.
Just got back from holiday abroad and I'm more invigorated than every to chow down on some modded CK2, this time I'm going Winter King. Been reading "Caledonia to Picltand: Scotland to 795" and I've got at least 3 ideas for long term campaigns. If none of that sounds like something you'd like doing or would do, CK2 just isn't the playground for you.

>>2053105
Winter King is really solid. Perhaps the most immersive CK2 mod.

>>2053105
OP here, reading your greentext, I want to enjoy that, the thing is every time I tried, Ic nearly break my toaster because my relatives are retards.
I want to make this clear: they are retards, NOT machiavellians, I would love that my relatives were a challenge to me, the thing is they aren't.
They will literally do anything and never listen to me, Idk wtf Paradox was doing while programming the AI, but your relatives will rather get kill and their kingdoms doom than listen to you.

The diplomacy (actual diplomacy) is basically non-existent.

I also tried more RPG-focus mods like the ones you mentionated, but at some point they fill boring or just crash because some bug.
>AGOT, portraits don't work, after 50 years of campaign the mod crash
>Geheimnisnacht (portraits are ugly af), AI stops working after you get some power at the international level
>Forgotten Realms, races got bug and the game crash
>Elder Kings, World Stop Making Sense, WoW, After the End, at some point become boring and/or the AI just simply cheats

I swear, the MAIN problem of the game is that "AI" is just stupid and at some point all events feel the same.

The ONLY WAY I can see CK2 being good is, with the "AI" used in Skyrim to have "infinite RPG" being adapted for CK2 and a big re-work in diplomacy, diplomatic actions, events and quests.

>>2053141
First time I heard about it, in what way is different, better from other mods?

>>2035217
>What means that?
Third worlders should have never been allowed on the internet

>>2053105
>>2053141
If you haven't heard already, Winter King just got updated adding a march tributary and more titles for your Anglo-Saxon invasion needs
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/western-europe-410-962-the-winter-king.783011/post-30406672

>>2053105
>watching the dominant phenotype/Cultural GFX/facial features of my dynasty
I think CK3 is better for this.

>>2041158
Kinda is, but it's easy to mod out the minorities. There's nothing in the game itself that comes across as pozzed, per my recollection.

Does anyone have the After The End fork that an anon was doing last year?

>>2035266
hey this looks fun with friends, thanks for sharing anon

>>2035197 (OP)
>>cool RPG stories (dragons, bloodlines, secret societies, adventures, arms-brotherhood, etc)
Retard nigger.
The greatest AAR in the game's history was made long before all that shite was added
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/in-the-shadow-of-certain-painful-doom-abyssinia.601251/

>>2058274
that aar reminded me i still miss shaytana :(

>>2058274
kek I remember reading this when I was in middle school, there is a another good one about a danish count and his lineage very funny writer.

More unpassable terrain, yay or nay?

>>2035217
More like where's the cool sAAR?

Only time I had to remotely worry about succession was when playing GoT mod as a family in Harrenhal.

>>2035197 (OP)
I just started a game today and got cancer (scary cus playing an old man on the edge of being able to prep invasion, and with only one very young heir) and then got cured because the physician decided to cut my balls off (or at least I'm otherwise infertile. not sure if the eunuch trait is used universally for both)

I feel like playing ck2
1-2
HIP
3-4
Geheimnisnacht
5-6
Winter King, make beautiful gallo-roman empire and murder all barbarians
7-8
Faerun
9-0
play vanilla for once and get an achievement or something

>>2066583
>Geheimnisnacht
Play as Vlad or the Red Duke

>>2066796
I clicked random character and got a pirate goblin, in Albion islands, apparently they changed it cause it's much bigger than before
then I tried to go raiding but an event deleted all my troops because you can't leave this magical place, and my neighbor annexed me

>>2066856
I think you're supposed to play big characters or at very least randoms in relevant regions like the Empire, Badlands or Chaos Wastes where things happen, isolated places tend not to be that fun in my experience.

>>2035208
>>2035217
>try to get pregnant
>What means that?
I honestly think you guys are probably swedish or german or something (I refuse to believe browns play strategy games) but this website is 98% pajeets now boys, your English needs to be on point.

>>2066856
I tried again, picked another pirate goblin but on the main continent
>go raiding
>every time there's another raiding fleet, naval battle event, get captured every time
>invite some orc to be marshal
>he constantly challenges me to a duel and when I lose I get a game over because he takes over
>happens a lot with other gobbos too
>basically constantly at risk of rng game over
>get some slaves while raiding
>put them to work in my capital
>rebel stack of 10k shows up, I have 4k max levies
Yeah, goblins are not a comfy experience so far.

>>2067216
I'm doing much better now but it took a lot of effort to get this going, the imperials keep shitting out mercs and holy orders, the first war was tough and took lots of raiding warfare to weaken them and their vassals
but now I'm bullying them with only 2 years truces

>>2035197 (OP)
Its comfy, its fun, try to actually establish something.
Start as an Irish count in 1066, William the Bastard inavsion bookmark.
Build tall, improve your demense and lands, join socities if you want to.
If you want a fun crusader experience, start as Robert "the Fox" de Hauteville in Sicily.

Both of these is what I recommend for newcomers. When you get the graps of the mechanics, try Svend II of House Estrid and reestablish the North Sea Empire trough him.
After that, play as one of the legendary Viking explorers like Dyre "the Stranger" or Haesteinn of Retz and conquer India and establish an Indian Sub-Continent as an Indo-Norse.

Then when you truly understand all the mechanics, try 769 House Zunbil and establish the Sun worship. Get your bloodline reveered as son of the Sun and reform your religion once you annex Heliopolis, better known as Alexandria.
Be Greek, build amphiteaters and make famous bloodgames because you picked Bloodthirsty Gods in honour of the Sun.

Just noticed OP 1.2k hours in CK2 and dont find it fun. Stop being a pussy and play the game as intended, try to roleplay your character.

>>2045938
>Kek gif.

>>2067910
>norse
>has turkic helmet
How? What mod do you use?

How did you achieve the Indo-Norse achievement?

>find characters
>strong
What?

>>2067910
>4 glitterhoofs
ebin xD

>>2035197 (OP)
>be me
As opposed to being who you fucking nigger

>>2069354
>How? What mod do you use?
The only mods I use are achievments and ironman compatible like Manic portraits and units mods.
I have the Turkic helm because one of my concubine was Tengri and converted me. I then went and join the Eagle Warriors society.
>How did you achieve the Indo-Norse achievement?
Haesteinn of Retz, 867 bookmark. I managed to do it in his lifetime.
First I conquer the Kingdom of Britanny, conquered to Benevento -> Krete -> Semien (De jure duchy of Abyssonia and thats where I put my capital) -> One of the tribal holding in De jure Yemen -> Prepare Invasion on a Poo Kingdom.
Boom Legacy of the Indo-Norse in a single lifetime.
Ofc, Haesteinn has to live so one of my way was to go hunting focus. Get a dog, went in praying for the whole trip to India for the addition +1 Health as well as more learning. Especially useful if you want to educate your heir with insane stats.
Pic related is Haesteinn second son (first one died drowning in Africa), I didnt joined a Warrior Society btw. Im injured, beaten and with a lot of bad traits yet Haesteinn lessons are worth it.
I dont really like this Bloodline because its too cliche but for RP it fitted well my Norse adventurer after a lifetime of battle and victory, he finally find wisdom in the East and became a Buddhist. Understanding war as it is, or as mad he was since he became a lunatic.
His book is full of strange stuff in it, but he gave excellent tips to lead and fight (in the form of percentage bonus in leading center and damage).
>What?
I was trying to find horses, strong is trait Glitterhoof always get.
>>2069368
I made settings where all events happened eve for NPCs, so they can even be immortal too.

In my newest playthrough its so out of hand that the empire of Mali was formed by Uber Tyronne BBC that I suspect son of the Devil and he reformed the African religion into a powerhouse. So far, his dynasty wiped the Idrissid (Shia Amazigh dynasty in 867) and they are dangerously close to Rome.

>>2069791
>I was trying to find horses, strong is trait Glitterhoof always get.
How do you find medics, what word you need to write?

>>2070062
In the character finder, simply search for "Physician"
You can also form them yourself, as a Budhist, you can ask for Gurus that are usually Geniuses with erudite and 30+ Learning.
You get events where they can be Physician themselves.

Bait used to be believable, there is no fucking way OP is this retarded

>>2069791
Empire of Mali went crazy in mine to and is calling Holy Wars

>playing as Circassian tribe in HIP
>start under Jewish horde
>they lose wars, Georgia steal one of my county, I declare independence
>fight off the neighboring byz duke
>all my levies are depleted, I'm forced to swear fealty to Georgia who is the strongest around me
>few years later, take back my rightful clay
>Georgia lose wars, Pechenegs steals one of my county, I declare independence
>I have to find a new liege again
During all these wars and other random wars against my liege some stupid horde doomstack would storm one of my holding and destroy buildings, I hate this mechanic.
Now I have to swear fealty to the guy who just stole my land again, because the Seljuks are here and the Byzzies are most likely going to get wrecked

>>2071121
There are Circassians in HIP? I thought it was just the Alans. And yes, playing in that region can be painful.

>>2071127
Yeah, they are pretty small obviously but there is a one county duke who is usually a vassal in almost all start dates

>>2035197 (OP)
Id say you need to either really enjoy Pdox map painters (I personally don't care as much about them, and CK2 is the only one I played) and or also dynastic autism, spreading your family around, and not only yours, but vassals and such.
I sort of got over it, a few years ago, but I played a lot of it as teenager, so I guess it is fair to move on.

I'm making a mod for retinues and I'm going to change all the generic ones so they only consist of one unit type per retinue with a standard size of 100 troops per retinue, but I don't know what to do about the cultural ones. Should I
>remove them completely
>give them the same treatment i.e reduce size to 100 and turn them into single unit type
>leave them as is

>>2071121
This is my current guy, highest martial in the world, tied with a Norse chad
I decided to swear fealty to the Byzantine so I can conquer Cherson and change the culture while I'm still tribal, and I'm currently trying to help weaken the Seljuks somewhat
Also I'm trying a mod Elegant warfare that change combat completely, idk what I think about it yet but it makes pursuit quite brutal with lots of casualties for the loser

>>2071289
>we actually won the war
That wasn't the plan but I'll take it
protip: do not attack into mountains, especially against legendary commanders

>kidnapped me -100
>fulfilled marriage wish +10
Concubines make everything so much easier
I kidnapped her through plot and now she's my loving daughter in law

>>2071262
that mod already exists, also 100 is a shitty number, when you end up with enough cap you have 5 gorillion retinues and sorting them is a mess, 500 is a fine number

>>2070959
So far thats my map. Mali is going crazy and nearly wiped the Ummayads, Abbassids fell into decadence and are fighting (and losing) to Karling Francia blob, my 2 cruasader states in Italy and Greece (who all got that Great Helm with +15% Against religious damage).
Scandinavia is getting there but Danemark, Novgorod and Sweeden are duking it out and Im going to capitalize on that with claimants I have. Especially Novgorod in in green.
I can claim my crusader states on succession too, light blue in Italy and Purple in Thrace. I can make a grand invasion and destroy the Karling blob, either form the HRE or the Roman Empire, but for RP focus I might go with the HRE since Byzantium got crusaded AND jihaded. The only weird zombie reamnants of the roman empire is the crusader state in Thrace placed by me.
I have claims and inheritance on a half of of France duchies which I strategically choose when I married into French nobility, mainly most of Aquitaine which if I play my cards right.
Im going to steal 1/5 of the Karling army.

My plans for now is to secure Francia into stalement with me and stop it from being too powerful.
Stop the Muslims and Subsahran African in spain (right now the Muslims are the ones needing help) and put a member of my dynasty as pope through the college of Cardinals.

Playing as the Byzantine Empire in the 867 start, about 30 years in. Should I conquer to the east or to the west? Also, I'm having a really hard time chewing through Italy since I can't spam wars since the HRE controls it. It never happened before in my experience to have the HRE unite so easily.

>>2072545
>867
>30 years in
>HRE
Its either one Karling went murder hobo or a plague swiped most of it. You are very unlucky, since a strong HRE means at some point, a crusade on Byzantium will happen sooner than anticipating (Unless you help the Umayyads so they can be busy back west).
If I was you, I'd focus on the east since they have silk roads and historically, the Byzie didnt bother much with the West unless they were shitting at their door.
Try to marry into the Karling, get a strong claim and either get elected for the next HRE princely elective by bribing the powerful vassals or invade with a claimant that you previously married into your dynasty so that his/her children will also get strong claim and you get them elected too.
Bonus point if they are born in the purple so that potential candidate can be both of the HRE and Byzie.

>>2069791
>>2072227
I'm torn about this ruler. I roleplayed him as a skilled diplomat and a just character (though he lost the "Just" trait along the way). He was a patron of the arts and knowledge, as well as a warrior and a crusader who developed a taste for battle and even lost an eye fighting a Saracen. Over time, he also lost the "Brave" trait, and eventually the "Diligent" one too.
My vision for him was that he embodied the ideals of knighthood. While war was a major part of his life, much of his reign was focused on securing peace and punishing evil within his realm. He's also a learned man who based his government and laws on the old Roman Empire, while maintaining a close council of knights and loyal servants much like the Arthurian legend he tried to emulate.
He is deceitful, but I got that trait through the Intrigue focus. Even excommunicating powerful vassals was, in his mind, a just and calculated act. While some might view it as manipulative, I didn’t see it as entirely evil.
I don’t particularly want (or need) the Philosopher bloodline, since I plan to remain Christian — even though he is a highly educated ruler. The last war he won was the final step in conquering and securing the British Isles, forming the Empire of "Britannia" as the Romans once called it. By all rights, he also deserves the title "the Conqueror" — but that bloodline gives him the "Bloodhound" epithet, which really doesn’t suit his character.

So I’m stuck between three options
>The Conqueror bloodline
Which is fitting but has bad bonuses and an ill-fitting nickname.
>The Philosopher bloodline
Sounds nice, but is less useful for a Christian ruler.
>The Perfect Knight,
Fits the RP and gives strong bonuses, but feels at odds with his final traits. Plus, he’s a 60-year-old grandpa now so I cant do much to get rid of Greedy and Deceitful traits now.

>made a small event years ago to stop courtiers vanishing when you die
>it didn't work today for some reasons
I kinda forgot about it, now I remember that losing your entire council and special courtiers is extremely infuriating

>>2067002
>I refuse to believe browns play strategy games
they do, it's the root cause of the latinos and filipinos larping as white conquistadors online

>>2072578
In the end it worked out fantastically for me.
>brother and biggest vassal declares war on the HRE with a strong claim (mother was a Karling princess)
>decide to help him
>win the war
>he becomes emperor of the HRE
>kill/imprison people with impunity until he's also the inheritor of the Byzantine Empire
>get sick, don't treat myself and try to get myself killed
>eventually die
>now I rule both the HRE and the Byzantine Empire
>destroy the HRE title for good measure
>almost all of Europe is mine besides Spain, England, Sweden, Finland and Poland
>all in under 100 years

>>2073421
Some stay, other leaves because like other ruler, they can bribe or invite courtier willing to go.
If you want them to stay, you have to keep them loyal. One way is to settle them and reward them for their service.
If you dont do it, someone else will.

>>2073504
Noice, in my game they pratically never form the HRE.
So I have to fight hordes of pagans, muslims and fragmented Karlings.
Makes the process to restore the Roman Empire all the more slow, especially if you start out as a count in the Byzantine empire.

>>2069791
>>2072227
>>2072623
Ended up with the White Knight bloodline in the end, much better as a Christian I have great knights flocking to my banners and princess with claims coming to my court. Same character even got the Alexander bloodline, and ruined the economy went from 15k to -2k, made money quick so in the end it didnt matter.

His heir already inherited most of Aquitaine, and as he became an Emperor I took a good chunk of Francia for me. His son was a genius and I had no congenital trait to begin with so thats cool. We went for a crusade in Egypt, nearly won the war but the Saracen converted to christianity in the last moment. Light green egypt is under christendom, but it remains to see if its sincere. So far, I might invite courtiers and claimants form Egpty to take his chunk but as of now, Francia is breathing down my neck.

Little funny stuff, it so happened that Aethelwing 'the White Knight" tutored the Emperor of Francia. He was a dwarf brilliant strategist as well as brave and ambitous plus an inspiring leader, a very good fighter with a great helm too that brings +15% damage against other religion.
He cleaned the border gore in Francia.
My ruler was depressed after he killed a young saracen in a crusade, so he killed himself before that he took the money from the jews and did that.

My Genius ruler is now sitting the throne and managing things, I either will do a great conquest on Francia and get it for myself, then make an Alexander invasion on the rest of Italy and Sardegna. My crusader state was married into the Karling and they snatch the kingdom from me. My other crusader stat is getting ass-raped by muslims and he refuse an alliance, that nigger, even if we are in the same dynasty.

I had also an epiphany and I dont intend to make an Anti-pope, I think I will rather marry into his court. Populate his court with my dynsaty so the point can appoint these as Bishops of Rome and they become cardinals without me having to lift a finger.

>>2074104
You're missing the point completely
All "unimportant" courtiers (no spouse, no family, no claim), get pruned on succession, it's just how ck2 works
I made an event that gives these courtiers a claim for one day so they don't get pruned when my character dies, but it doesn't work with tribal government, I think it might be because they don't respect de jure law

>>2074143
>You're missing the point completely
Im not, unimportant courtiers can stay some leave and goes in other courts.
I had an enuch who stayed for 2 generation in my court.
I had a knight who fucked off my ruler died and went to the pope court and was his personal Legatus.
I tested it out, kept track of it with by keeping the character as hihglighted. Some are invited in other rulers court, and thats just their opinion against yours.
Usually, they dont stay because of short reign ruler penality.

>>2074151
I just tested it in vanilla and it happened only one time out of 3, all nobles generated by decision instantly banished and died of natural cause when ruler is killed
Not sure why it's inconsistent but it happens often enough that I tried to fix it, maybe it's more common in mods because more characters worldwide or something

>>2074151
>>2074214
I'm interested in this too so I hope this thread doesn't die. In my experience most of the people just leave or dies on succession. If your son was landed then you get his shitty court too iirc.
Btw you guys playing vanilla?

>>2075880
Oh yeah you're right, I remember now that it happens when your heir is landed, but I'm also pretty sure sometimes it happens even when he's not
I will try some tests later to see what happens depending on what court your heir is in, maybe that's the problem and he has to be in your court

Comfy times
Seljuks imploding, Byzantine slowly collapsing, while I build up my kingdom
Never realised how good the silk road trade posts are, it's crazy income when you're still tribal

>>2052237
>>2052675
I don’t know who told you that you can’t do that in CK2. You can absolutely jump around the map using crusades and sanctioned invasions and succession. You guys know there’s succession types besides primogeniture, right? In one game I jumped so much that I can’t even remember all the titles I’ve held.
Nomadic empire > KoGermany > HRE > DoCrete > KoCroatia > KoSonghai > KoEngland > Latin Empire
and probably more I’m forgetting, all before 1066

>decide to give AGOT a try
>choose to play as Stannis during the Clash of Kings bookmark
>end up winning far quicker than I thought (Da Norf captured Joffery and ended the war in my favor)
>now at a complete loss as to what to do

>>2081342
>now at a complete loss as to what to do
why you unite the seven kingdoms and spread the red god of course!
stannis is also the red god's chosen and as long as he has sacrifice points he's basically immortal, so burn any and all prisoners!

if you want an actual challenge as him, play him in feast for crows

>>2081342
Honestly you stop playing. ACOK is great for war scenarios where you stop playing once the action is complete.
Alternatively, you can do a long form campaign where you just hold your dynasty on the throne as usual.
My recommendation? Try AFFC bookmark Stannis instead.

>>2035217
google it jeet

>be me
>playing winter king mod
>after a few generations unite a decent chunk of eastern brittania under my roman larper dynasty
>powerful kingdom in central britannia begins forming their own sphere of influence to contest mine
>massive war with a gorillion petty kings involved
>depleet my armies and loose the war
>anglos arrive on my shores not even 5 seconds later
>their king is an absolute gigachad
>they demolish what is left of my armies
>icenia in flames
>a few years and alliances later I assemble a large coalition to attempt to stop the anglo menace and reclaim my lands
>their 4k stack cuts my 6k stack as if it was made out of paper
>icenia burning again
>loose war again
>573 gold in debt
>mfw Britannia has fallen

>>2083346
I've just been playing Winter King for the first time. The setting is brilliant, the flavour is great, but it's another mod that falls victim to a lack of CBs that protract everything arbitrarily. Once you're High King of Britannia or whatever you still have to, for the most part, push the Anglos back one province at a time on a two-year cooldown.
Then, once you press the Heir of Caratacus button (as in pic) you get to use the prestige-expensive subjugate CBs on Scotland/Ireland and, for some reason, that one has a five-year cooldown and most valid targets are single-province tribals. It's just unnecessary.
Maybe playing as Anglo-Saxons is more fun?
Also balance is wildly off with councilors' success rates on jobs being incredibly low and also seemingly have nothing to do with their skill (swap out my theologist for one with almost twice the learning and province conversion rate drops from 6.5% to 1.2%).

>>2071289
>check helmet
>that's a cool helmet, way better than the vanilla's ones
Anon, what mod are you playing?

>>2086773
I'm 99% sure that's just HIP

I wish they updated WTWSMS map and fixed the bugs, at least.