CK2 succession game

Primogeniture succession

Imperial administration

Oh right vanilla's dumb about unlocking primo

And imperial admin isn't in this version

This is the first time I've played vanilla on my desktop in years so I kinda forgot all the dumb things it did
 
So joining the HRE was the plan for independence... are there better opportunities for expansion there than in France?

Before I present the results of today's instalment, I should point out that Paradox is having another DLC sale this weekend, with The Republic at 75% off and Horse Lords at 66% off. It's a perfect time to pick them up cheaply. :)

Nice, I picked up Horse Lords at the Plaza so I should be good to go. There's also a Paradox sale at the Humble Store going on currently.
 
Yes it is

Spoiler :


also higher crown authority means more/larger levies
Huh. I guess I was thinking of something else.
So joining the HRE was the plan for independence... are there better opportunities for expansion there than in France?

HRE's pretty easy to get out of if Matilda's still in. Fun fact: she doesn't care if you matrimarry her male heir if he's her husband's dynasty.
 
Robrecht is 46 now, so it probably won't be too much longer before he expires.

Moving along now... :rolleyes:

In May 1113, after a life of intrigue, Robrecht finally becomes an Elusive Shadow. Two months later, his army prevails over Luitbert of Saxony and he claims the title for himself, with the Count of Anhalt becoming his vassal. I then create the Duchies of Brunswick and Köln as well, doubling my duchies in one stroke.

"Unfortunately", by June of the next year, Luitbert and his brother have died, leaving the boy Count of Lüneburg as Count of Anhalt and Celle, reducing my vassal count by two.

In November, the Pope launches a crusade for Jerusalem. In May 1119, the King of Brittany also becomes King of Jerusalem.

By the summer of 1115, the Count of Braunschweig has sworn fealty to us as well, and in the autumn of 1116, Robrecht gains the Master Schemer trait, boosting his Intrigue to a horrifying 25.

Tuscany, Ferrara and a few others secede from the HRE in 1117, though the Kaiser seizes Bourgogne for the Empire instead. In 1118, my last Greek province converts to Catholicism.

In Jan 1120, having been thwarted in my attempt to seize Breda for my brother, Filips, when he died so inconsiderately, I seize Brabant instead and grant it to my eldest son, Rollo, who is now my designated heir to my lands. Thus begins a long series of unfortunate events, as those whom my vassals preferred to elect rather than Rollo keep turning up in distressingly dead ways.

My unfaithful wife-niece, Constance of France, dies in 1124, and I marry a much more talented woman who is able to help me handle my large number of vassals. In August next year, I then seize the County of Breda, as I had always planned, and award it to Rollo as well.

In 0ct 1126, I become both infirm and incapable, and April 1129, Rollo's wife dies (a princess of the Empire) dies quite young due to illness. This is followed up in Nov, 1130, by my Polish friend, spymaster and regent dying of poor health, aged just 44.

Finally, in Sept 1131, after over 40 years on the throne, Robrecht goes to meet his maker. An announcement is made: "Duke Robrecht II had steadfastly fallen asleep in the Lord at the age of 66. He died comatose in bed. Long like Duke Rollo!"

Begin the reign of Rollo, Duke of Flanders, Nikaea, Samos, Saxony, Brunswick and Köln, right here.
 
You make good write-ups Arakhor, but I'd like some screenshots as well.
 
I can do that next time, if you wish, but they probably wouldn't tell you that much more than the write-ups.

I believe that Yeekim is up next.
 
You make good write-ups Arakhor, but I'd like some screenshots as well.

I agree, but if only because it can be a little tough to keep track of who's who and where's where without an occasional screenshot. Put a face to the name, so to say. Definitely good write-ups though!

And thanks for posting the save - even though I'm not next, I definitely want to spin it up to see for myself what the current status is.

Edit: Holy frijoles, Flanders is ginormous. I knew they had to be doing well but didn't realize how well until I saw the map.

Edit 2: Looks like Yeekim has some interesting possibilities. Who knew that the King of England was a heretic?

I also seem to be missing some flags, I'm guessing this is due to missing Dynasty Flags packs? Oddly it includes factions such as van Vlaanderen and Salian, although some such as de Vermandois do show up.
 
Well, if you're interested in another decade or two of murder and deceit, Rollo has Intrigue 16 or so. Like father, like son. :)
 
I agree, but if only because it can be a little tough to keep track of who's who and where's where without an occasional screenshot. Put a face to the name, so to say. Definitely good write-ups though!

Psh I didn't have any problems keeping track.

:)p)
 
So, this is Rollo:
Spoiler :

As we can see, he is a shy, craven, conniving little bastard with more land and vassals than he knows what to do with. I adopt stewardship focus, getting my demesne limit up to 5 with vassal limit dropping to 17. Hmpf. Time to hand out some titles. My two counties in Anatolia seem like a natural choice to get rid of, and thus two counts in duchy of Nikaea receive a second county each.

Obviously, few things are as depressing as giving away good land to non-dynast dolts, so that is immediately reflected in Rollo's traits. Yet, with horrible penalties to income, levies and vassal opinion thus taken care of, he also becomes diligent and starts assessing the situation. Seems that stars are aligned just right: Rollo has weak and uninheritable claim on France - a kingdom ruled by an old woman with no allies, no husband and an underage heir! She does have an army, though... and my own levies are only just recovering.
Spoiler :

Fortunately, some Muslim cleric decides to call Jihad on Jerusalem, and the sweet old queen decides it is her duty to protect Christendom. God bless her devout Christian soul!
With nothing better to do while I wait, I betroth my heir, Rollo junior, to Kaiser's sister, a girl with huge... list of claims.
Kaiser, apparently emboldened by this, joins the war with infidels and I smile as I get to observe French doomstack on its march to Levant. They arrive just in time for decisive battle.

The moment news of a failed Jihad reach European courts, Flemish troops, bolstered with mercenaries for good measure, march into France and lay siege to Paris and Rheims. In the midst of this, Rollo junior is wed and receives the county of Brunswick as a wedding gift. The erstwhile count, found to have some unorthodox religious convictions, is sent to... wherever heretics go.

Outnumbered roughly 3:1, all the French queen can do is to put down a revolting vassal in Orleans, before Rollo gets to place the French crown on his head.
Spoiler :

Wait...! Rollo can also immediately usurp the kingdom of Aquitaine!
Spoiler :

In February 1138, newly crowned King of France and Aquitaine Rollo the First proceeds to hand out excess ducal titles, in hopes of making his vassals hate him slightly less passionately. (As if there was something to love about the bastard!) My father Robrecht has wisely set up a lord-mayor in Smyrna, so he gets both of my Anatolian duchies. May his Republic prosper! Cologne becomes a Prince-Bishopric, and my brother gets appointed as an heir. There is no love lost between us, but he is family, dammit! And a brilliant theologian to boot.
I have no land inside Saxony, so it looks like I'll hold on to this title now. All that is left to do is to give Rollo junior the duchy of Brunswick and we are good to go.
Wait... what?

Sudden realization hits me. I'm running gavelkind. I can't give my heir a ducal title. And what's worse, he also has a baby brother now. Granted, he's a sickly infant, but...
No wonder I'm depressed AND stressed!

Bugger. Maybe focus on family will help Rollo to live a little longer and eventually see brighter side of his situation. Time to resign for the night and ponder further life choices.
 
Wow. King of France and Aquitaine?? And in just seven years? It took Robrecht 20 years to pull off his gains. *mutter* The Kaiser must be damn pleased with you!

(By the way, the adjective you were looking for was Flemish.)
 
Even if Robrecht was severely outclassed by both his father and his son in the same short period of time, he did at least bring a long period of relative stability and leave a large treasury for Rollo to use.
 
>father Robrect set up merchant vassal

oi that was your grandpa, you bloody ingrate

Also giving a MR two duchies might end up really weird. If the patricians elect a different dynasty next, the dude's son might inherit one duchy while another patrician gets the main one. If not, they'll still have more land than is good for them.
 
In a moment of unusual foresight, I've started linking updates in the OP.
 
The Kaiser must be damn pleased with you!
Yeah, he loves me! :mad:
Spoiler :




Edit: as of 12th July, 1138, King Rollo the First has seen all of his titles, apart from two freshly gained Kingdoms and county of Gent, revoked.
Somehow, the Kaiser had strong claims on all of them.
 
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