First question: can the KoJ - or anyone else, for that matter - vassalise the Templars or Hospitallers? Especially after they become landed?
It's POSSIBLE, but requires some exploit-y game-play. They'll never accept cassalisation unless they're forced to it. Which requires you to land them, then invite one of their claimants, then land him, then press his claim. Againt, it's somewhat of an exploit.
Second question: what are the best troops to assault castles with? What type of combat is an assault? (I've looked in the defines.lua but don't see it.)
I want to answer that troops are the best troops for assaulting. There've been some discussion about this before, but as I recall, it didn't lead to much
My question is whether there's some tab or other that lists all my Honorary Title and who I have given them to?
No, there's not. Mostly because they have no real effect beyond the money/prestige/relationship boosts.
Can characters (in particular, heirs) randomly alter their culture for no good reason at all?
You obviously already know how they're supposed to change depending on their tutor, and other than that, there are a fairly limited number or ways to change culture. There's the convert_to_liege_culture decision, but the AI doesn't use it (factor 0).
Is there any benefit to creating a new kingdom out of a part of my realm? I'm playing as Sweden and recently conquered 8/15 parts of the Kingdom of Finland "region"(?) and I can create the Kingdom of Finland. Will this cause more problems than it benefits me?
Probably. Conquer the rest of finland and let the title disappear (afeter 100 years), then create the titular title. Or, if you're going for the Scandinavian Empire, just create it.
Also I'm pretty much a complete newb and I'm having serious problems getting my vassals to like me. I have to constantly bash their heads in every few years because they keep rebelling and this is just a cycle that continuously worsens relations. What should I do? I don't imprison without a valid cause, I don't revoke titles without having a proper cause, I don't do anything ruthless to people in my own realm or outside it. I have recently been more lenient on conscription and taxes for my feudal vassals and have always been having the minimum levies for both cities and churches and the taxes have been somewhere in the middle but this doesn't seem to go very far. I know my taxes are fairly heavy and this causes some problems, especially in regards to my feudal vassals, but I can't see why this would make them almost constantly rebel.
Well, squashing them, stripping them of a title and then letting them die in prison is the tried and true solution, but as to the cause of the problem. Do you hold more than your demesne limit? More than two Ducal titles? More than one elector title? Does your king have low diplomacy stats and horrible traits (cruel or arbitrary for instance). It all contributes.
And finally, I would say I have a very good grasp of the economical and administrative aspect of the game but the diplomatic side is a terrible headache for me both in regards to within own realm and outside it. Any general tips for a newbie to be good at diplomacy? For example the possibility to inherit other nations/duchies/counties, how to "properly" manage all my children in regards to marriages with other states and so on. Oh and most importantly, how do I get my vassal dukes to approve the person I want as my heir? Since there is always at least one person constantly far below 0 relations I can't improve the laws regarding succession and I still have elected kings, though thankfully I haven't had the kingship pass to an undesireable person yet.
This isn't really a "Quick Question", so I'll direct you to the
guide.
