Who Is Your Role Model?

I like to see my warrior Empresses as a mix of Miriam the Great (their dynastic ancestor), and Edward Longshanks from the movie Braveheart when they're putting down peasant and or religious revolts.

Battlefield in northern Mesopotamia facing Amazonian-Mesopotamian rebels

Marshal: Shall I order the cataphracts forward, Your Majesty?

Malkat Gadol Hannah: Not yet, the scouts tell me the rebels consist mostly of light infantry and no threat to us and besides, cataphracts cost money. Use up the Scythian mercenaries, the dead cost nothing. One last thing, bring me the rebel leader. Dead if possible, alive...just as good.

Later on during the battle...

Malkat Gadol Hannah: Order the archers to commence firing!

Marshal: But Your Majesty, won't our own troops be hit alongside the rebels?

Malkat Gadol Hannah: They're merely Scythian mercenaries and besides, we have reserves!

The Pharaoh Taharqa: destroying the Bedouin of Asia, and cutting down the desert-dwellers of Libya (and the ice-dwellers of Europe).

Who I act like?
Philip Augustus. Somewhat machiavellian, fights wars to win, not for glory.

Who I'd like to act like (but rarely do)?
Simon de Montfort (leader of the Barons Revolt, not his father who led the Albigensian Crusade). Sure, he was a religious bigot and anti-semite by modern standards, but he was also honourable, steadfast, charismatic and talented.

Richard III, if I can. I like playing devious underdogs. That's why I like Mauregatus the Usurper too, he's like a Visigoth Richard III.

More often though, it's more along the lines of Cesare Borgia or Frederick II (of the HRE, not Prussia). Both were ambitious badasses and both are CK2 role models for me.

Out of period obviously, but British First Sea Lord Jackie Fisher - spend your entire life working your way up through a broken system, then completely overhaul it once you get there.

Given the most prestigious commands throughout his life he was the epitomy of "spit and polish" admiral until he became First Sea Lord then pushed for gunnery, gunnery, gunnery and the ability to win the decisive naval engagement of any war above all else. He pushed for the all big gun battleship, approved the construction of the Dreadnought (the ship that made all other battleships obsolete overnight), conceived and pushed for battlecruisers (not quite so good an idea), carriers and naval aviation. He also gutted the Far East squadron and Mediterranean fleet and re assigned the bulk of Britain's capital ships in the North Sea facing its most likely next naval opponent - Germany.

My hero for working within the system to not just change it but to annihilate it.

Justinian - For reconquering lost parts of my empire, at whatever cost necessary.

Trajan - To stabilize and rule with justice and law, bring glory to my empire that will be remembered forever.

Jochi Genghisid - Just like the ambition of the Golden Horde, to rule far and wide, and bring the authority of my people across the world.


Those three are my top personalities I try to embrace. Although I might add Augustus, and Cyrus as well, to start a new heritage and empire.

I normally play the "gentler" sex. Ha. ha. My female rulers are anything but "gentler"

Edward I
Caterina Sforza
Ögedei Khan

And very zealous in protecting family...anyone murdering a member of my family, including bastards, is going to die horribly, horribly. And his/her entire family. And if it's another member of my family...he/she is going to cool heels in prison for a good while to demonstrate my displeasure with kin-murder.

I normally do not rule a kingdom unless it's a smaller one like Livonia or Antioch...I have no desire to run a full blown Empire so it's not unusual for me to maintain a small kingdom under the auspices of a Emperor/Basileus (and probably HEAVILY connected to my dynastic family due to adultery, assassination and marriage. Not above murdering spouses of other lords who are in the way of a brilliant match with my offspring....And then arranging to eliminate the non familal offspring to clear the way for my offspring's offspring to inherit.) Additionally if the Emperor/Basileus is incompetent, I'm usually in a good position to make sure someone more worthy replaces him - preferably someone related to me via blood or marriage. >;D

Sometimes Richard I, sometimes Richard II,

Sometimes Richard III xD