Roman Empire: Which start?
- Thread starter birdpleb
- Start date
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
1081 is the most fun start for restoring the empire imo. You've lost a lot of land, but you still have plenty of time to reform the empire compared to the Latin Empire start date for example. Plus, following up Alexios' historical reconquests with restoring the full extent of the empire under his dynasty is just fun RP-wise.
I've done it in 1081, 867, and 769. None of them were particularly difficult, but 769 was the smoothest thanks to a rather gamey tactic: remain iconoclast until you mend the schism (do this ASAP), and then renounce iconoclasm. Western Europe will be split between iconoclasts and Catholics, and you can now holy war both of them. In each start date, there's a big muslim blob in the Levant you'll need to deal with (it's most powerful in 769, but still rather easily handled).
The basic strategy will remain the same regardless of your start date: add the duchy of Nikea to your demesne ASAP, leave centralization high, leaving you at all times with a demesne limit of at least 8. Use your eighth slot for the barony in Constantinople since it will also benefit from your capital province bonuses to levies and taxation. Your first ruler is popular in all three start dates, so you can get away with cranking feudal taxation up to high and using your vast income to upgrade your demesne with this priority: Castle income, city/bishopric income, Constantinople/Blachernae levies, levies in Thrace, additional city holdings, levies in Nikea, universities.
Allow a merchant republic to set up trade posts in your demesne, even if it's not your vassal. The trade posts increase your cities' income as well. Once your demesne is well upgraded, you should have a huge personal levy. Use it to crush the Abbasids/Seljuks in the first few wars if necessary, but once the balance of power has shifted in your favor, keep them at home as a reserve of last resort. A huge personal levy will deter factions (and help you beat them when if they do revolt). Keep personal levies large by educating your heirs as brilliant strategists. If you have a poor heir, excommunicate him, then imprison him, then order him to take the vows.
Spend the first few years picking the low-hanging fruit surrounding you. As soon as Bulgaria, Anatolia, and the Balkans are consolidated, immediately start hitting the Abbasids/Seljuks like clockwork every ten years. I never bother breaking truces; the time between wars will be well spent replenishing levies and further upgrading your demesne. Take Rome as soon as you dare, ideally before the pope has built any temple holdings (if and only if you manage this, Rome will later be a viable late-game capital, but keep in mind that Constantinople was Constantine's city of choice for a reason!).
I agree, but the Macedonian dynasty founded by Basil in 867 also precipitated a reversal of fortunes for Byzantium in which they spent the next couple decades doing quite well until Manzikert, so RP-wise Basil's an equally fun starting character IMO. Alexios does have the underdog appeal however.
After Manzikert, Byzantium was down but not out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komnenian_restoration
They weren't dead on their feet until after the fourth crusade.
The basic strategy will remain the same regardless of your start date: add the duchy of Nikea to your demesne ASAP, leave centralization high, leaving you at all times with a demesne limit of at least 8. Use your eighth slot for the barony in Constantinople since it will also benefit from your capital province bonuses to levies and taxation. Your first ruler is popular in all three start dates, so you can get away with cranking feudal taxation up to high and using your vast income to upgrade your demesne with this priority: Castle income, city/bishopric income, Constantinople/Blachernae levies, levies in Thrace, additional city holdings, levies in Nikea, universities.
Allow a merchant republic to set up trade posts in your demesne, even if it's not your vassal. The trade posts increase your cities' income as well. Once your demesne is well upgraded, you should have a huge personal levy. Use it to crush the Abbasids/Seljuks in the first few wars if necessary, but once the balance of power has shifted in your favor, keep them at home as a reserve of last resort. A huge personal levy will deter factions (and help you beat them when if they do revolt). Keep personal levies large by educating your heirs as brilliant strategists. If you have a poor heir, excommunicate him, then imprison him, then order him to take the vows.
Spend the first few years picking the low-hanging fruit surrounding you. As soon as Bulgaria, Anatolia, and the Balkans are consolidated, immediately start hitting the Abbasids/Seljuks like clockwork every ten years. I never bother breaking truces; the time between wars will be well spent replenishing levies and further upgrading your demesne. Take Rome as soon as you dare, ideally before the pope has built any temple holdings (if and only if you manage this, Rome will later be a viable late-game capital, but keep in mind that Constantinople was Constantine's city of choice for a reason!).
I agree, but the Macedonian dynasty founded by Basil in 867 also precipitated a reversal of fortunes for Byzantium in which they spent the next couple decades doing quite well until Manzikert, so RP-wise Basil's an equally fun starting character IMO. Alexios does have the underdog appeal however.
After Manzikert, Byzantium was down but not out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komnenian_restoration
They weren't dead on their feet until after the fourth crusade.
Last edited:
Doesn't matter.Get another son and raise him yourself.Your first born isn't born in purple.
Is it possible to rebuild Constantinople back to the former glorious level if I reconquer it from Latin Empire? It is a very important area you know, when developed enough, that city alone provides more levies and money than an entire large-sized duchy.
But looking at the fact that any emperor after that will have to fight for survival and time and money will be short, it does seem doable only in case Turks and Europeans splinter into defeatable realms. Building cities requires enormous loads of cash, which won't be so abundant.
But looking at the fact that any emperor after that will have to fight for survival and time and money will be short, it does seem doable only in case Turks and Europeans splinter into defeatable realms. Building cities requires enormous loads of cash, which won't be so abundant.
Yes you can build new holdings in the county. I had a pretty good game starting from the 4th crusade bookmark in which i managed to take Serbia, Bulgaria, Wallachia, Moldova, Taurica, Georgia, Syria, Jerusalem, Sicily, Rome and most of Egypt before i restarted with a new exapansion. Our course this was with a created character so the initial wars/court politics would have been easier that an ironman start.
I find Byz playthroughs most fun if you don't start as an Emperor but climb your way up and then eventually restore the Empire. 1081 is a good start for that, as ERE is smaller therefore its easier to seize power.