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I just got so mad I threw up a little in my mouth.Llywelyn said:New players should keep in mind that f11 will put a .gif image (sans cursor) in their CK folder
Whoops. *Sheepish*Llywelyn said:Second, organization:
It seems like the most thorough thing to do would be to have a post on each part of the game (tech, inheritance, advisors, etc.) and wait a few days for comments. That might be maddeningly slow for you, though, esp. during the early days.
The alternative is to have everything jumbled together and answers to different questions spread all through the thread.
Regardless of whether you end up with a table of content or an index, though, it's probably best you reserve the first post for it and copy/paste your current posts down one level.
At least I got Mining right. I was planning to switch over to Schools after I reach Aristotelian Logic, but unfortunately the Thought tech just isn't popping for me, which is starting to be very infuriating.galuska said:- siege:
CK is a game of sieges, so it is good to do it quickly. I usually research at least two levels
- mining:
level 1 mining gives you a cool building, the tile factory. For 100 ducats it makes every future building projects take 10% less time, and increases your income as well.
level 2 mining gives you the 'mine', which is one of the best buildings, it gives +1 gold per month to the province
- schools:
library is cool. For 100 gold, you get better education, an increase in the income of the province, and 25 prestige. (that doesn't seem much, but really helps). The next levels of schools give you other education boosts: monastery, schools, etc.
That's definitely good to know. The simplicity of combat was already obvious, but I've always operated on "well this is what should happen" when I choose my military techs. And because of that, I've been favoring the "equipment techs" over the siege weapons on the rationale of "I would rather my armies win the battles and have longer sieges than lose the battles and not lay siege at all". However, if the equipment techs are as trivial as you say, focusing on them is probably not going to be wildly beneficial. It'll be tough to get my mind off the track it's already on ("Blast it all, we should have superior armies!"), but I'll work on incorporating this tip into my game.Llywelyn said:Third, the combat model is very simplistic. Your thoughts are admirable, but 95 times out of 100, it seems like the larger army defeats the smaller. DV finally started taking the MIL trait more into account, but afaik the tech bonus from one or two levels of military research is utterly negligible. The only exception I've noticed might be that arrows seem to have some effect on reducing morale.
Fourth, the AI generally doesn't research siege tech and it does speed your ability to take a castle. You should research it unless you can afford to improve your castles, at which point you should research the next level of those.
I'm not sure I understand this. If CK works the same as EU3 does, then the higher difficulty levels penalize you on things like Reputation reduction (and in the case of CK, would presumably penalize you on things like the prestige cost of title-grabbing/-usurping) beyond what is "normal", while the lower difficulty settings would do the opposite. Of course, CK's mechanics are so bafflingly opaque that I have no way of knowing what the effects actually are -- it's just another case of "well this is what should be happening." Either way, I don't understand how not imposing what I assume to be extra penalties would qualify as a crutch.Llywelyn said:Afaik, there are no events died with difficulty — the main difference is the cost of claiming titles without waiting for events or justification. So normal difficulty already is a crutch.
I wish that were the case, but I would say that in about 90% of my games, Henry IV mops the floor and ends up with something like 12 demesne provinces. I have only seen a couple of games where Germany buckles under Henry, and on the rare occasion I do see Germany collapse, it seems to almost always be because Henry got himself killed in battle first. In any case, as of 1080, Henrician Germany is still going quite strong.In my games, Henry IV usually has a hard time of it.
This is definitely useful information -- thank you! I already keep an eye on courtier loyalty, of course, but wasn't aware of how other issues impacted things. I certainly didn't know about "Friend Advisors" being able to get the ruler extra benefits. I'd heard something about "tutors having good Diplomacy" before but wasn't sure exactly how that played out, so it'll be good to keep an eye on that in the future.Worth pointing out that there are other concerns for courtiers in DV than just their raw stat. Low or falling loyalty courtiers are always a bad bet; various traits are non-starters (cowardly marshals, eg); others trump the numbers (wise courtiers are always useful); likewise the king's friends can help him out outrageously if they're in a position to do so (particularly stewards).
The pope can be pissed at infidel courtiers, and it's not worth it to defend them except for role-playing value (but then why would you have promoted them in the first place?), but you can use them til the event shows up.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that if you have children, make sure their tutor has DIP >7, which indicates they are capable teachers. For children with an ecclesiastical education, you're looking at the diocese bishop/confessor; for children with a martial education, you're looking at (surprise) the marshal; for children with a court education, you need to cover your bases and look at the spymaster, the steward, and the chamberlain.
I've started to notice that, as well. Given that, is there any reason to choose one of the non-parental-upbringing options over any of the others, if their affiliated trait will just disappear?@I hand him off to the nannies for that +1 Stewardship from Selfish.
I always used to do this for my daughters as well, but that selfish trait is just a placeholder. It disappears as soon as his personality develops.
Why is that? I'd never heard anything about that before.@I consider disbanding one of my two regiments
Better to do this inside your realm's borders than outside, if you're going to.
Given the disaster that was the screenshot debacle and the atrocious organization that I've begun this AAR with, I'm seriously considering scrapping the game and just starting over. It would be a shame, since the game has been going pretty well so far, but it might be worth it just to make this thing tolerable.
I looked everywhere for screenshot hotkey information on CK and could not find it, so I assumed that there wasn't one, and that was why I ended up downloading the program that I used -- the program that wiped out so many of my screens.
For sentimental reasons? Feudal is so much more helpful that it's highly advised for new players, although it's almost a crutch to itself: it gives a bonus to your vassals' loyalty, it tends to quickly give you the 'just' trait via event, it avoids various nasty events where your vassals demand it.@Popular Law is my favorite "social law"
Amen.@Elective inheritance isn't too bad [if you] can easily rig the election
In my games, Henry IV usually has a hard time of it.@and, consequently, are dependent on the time and extent of Germany's collapse to really get going
Worth pointing out (a) that the game is only concerned with patrilineal dynasties and (b) that you can still get around it by saving the game and reloading as the new dynast. This is especially important if you want to have female rulers, a la Drakenfire's mod.@Guelph Welf, marks his lineage from the mother's side and is not part of my dynasty.
Why not? The beginning is the best time for it. You lose bb over time (based on your piety) and it's much better to get him into your house. You can control his education and marriage, and unless you've already hit your demesne limit, you'll get more income.@game revoking titles, and that's not yet on the agenda
If you are going to do this later, do it now: you have fewer vassals to piss off. With DV, children's stats [other than health and fertility] are not generally tied to their parents, so its less important to make sure that your earliest rulers are all ubermenschen.@I will probably change this law to Salic Consanguinity
Two things: (a) You make the clerics happy (but this is because you're forced to give more cash to the church; might as well just do that on your own if you are so inclined.) (b) It avoids certain investiture events where you have to switch to church supremacy or be excommunicated (but again you can switch back later.)@Church Supremacy, unfortunately, is worthless.
Could've done this before unpausing to allow your court to fill up. The main reason other powers reject alliance offers is that they've already signed someone else up. For the most part, they'll never agree to an alliance until their current ally meets with some kind of an accident.@he has the ability to form alliances of his own.
Worth pointing out that there are other concerns for courtiers in DV than just their raw stat. Low or falling loyalty courtiers are always a bad bet; various traits are non-starters (cowardly marshals, eg); others trump the numbers (wise courtiers are always useful); likewise the king's friends can help him out outrageously if they're in a position to do so (particularly stewards).@My court receives its members
Not especially important except for role-playing purposes and keeping your children in line.@she also shares my ruler's culture (Italian, of course)
It's not really possible. It's worse if you border the Emperor's demesne, but if the Emperor is in a stable position and you use the rebelliousness-inspired 'declare independence peaceably' event, he can still DOW your sorry vassal @ss.@to peacefully break with Germany if possible
It might not be available, but can't you edit this under the f10 options screen?@I hate the lack of pop-ups for techs.
I always used to do this for my daughters as well, but that selfish trait is just a placeholder. It disappears as soon as his personality develops.@I hand him off to the nannies for that +1 Stewardship from Selfish.
If he comes to power, it's good to have friends as your advisors. Afaik, it doesn't make him a better pupil.@Ugo forms a strong bond with his mentor
Sometimes it's precisely better to give your valuable army-heavy provinces to a vassal, so you don't have to pay for the army. Needless to say, you still have to be somewhat cautious when you do.@I am going to be very bankrupt, very soon.
Better to do this inside your realm's borders than outside, if you're going to.@I consider disbanding one of my two regiments
Peasantry loyalty increases income (or, really, peasantry disloyalty reduces income), but there's not much difference in income based on their relative power, is there?@peasantry power in order to increase income in Lombardia.
You can still play this way, but DynasticGlory gives some purpose to keeping his prestige.@figuring I may as well do something useful with his prestige.
Under normal circumstances, it would've been better to yield the claim and force-vassalize Mf. Your elective law makes that somewhat dangerous, though.@I am now at Tarnished Reputation
Better to do this inside your realm's borders than outside, if you're going to.
>Why is that? I'd never heard anything about that before.
Because if you disband inside your demesne, all your men make it home
As far as raising kids, I like the outcomes from raising by the Church most. Get the lustful one? That's great, they'll have a lot of kids. Get the skeptic one? Well, more intrigue is always nice. Get the bookworm one? Well, it might include Coward, which is bad, but it might include Wise, which is good.
The ones from the nobles are also good, but there's a chance they'll keep the Trusting trait. The penalty to intrigue really hurts if you're grooming someone to be a ruler. There's also a chance that they'll get Arbitrary or Cruel, which really hurt loyalty of courtiers.
you're a newby Imperialist and probably didn't move heaven and earth to become PC [papal controller] specifically to excommunicate the sod.
This isn't for sentimental reasons, but because it's another example of my "how things should work" approach to military composition: An army with no light infantry whatsoever? Sign me up! Of course, like you say, I don't have any idea whether troop composition actually matters in battle. But it ought to, and to that end, an army of pikemen, archers, heavy infantry, and light cavalry ought to be able to defeat an army of heavy cavalry and peasants. But I don't know whether or not this is actually the case.
Yeah, Gratianus (?) has a calculator over on the CK board to figure out what the exact numbers are, based on those factors.@I just did some more research and found that the numbers also vary according to the terrain of the province
Definitely the free moneylenders event. If you also have church supremacy, you can later shut them down for free piety.@And while we're on the subject of laws, what exactly are "Usury Events" that accompany Regal Supremacy in the religious laws?
No!@I finally discover Stonepit in Lombardia. I switch my economic research over to Power
Yes! (unless cultural conversion is an issue for your realm atm or one of your neighbors already has charcoal and it'll spread quickly in any case.)@(although in retrospect I probably should have stayed in Mining to research Charcoal and start building Mines).
Supposedly, their piety is added to yours for various events (although it doesn't seem to affect the PC race). More importantly, they help to combat heresy and infidels within your realm, but that'll be more important if you ever go on crusade. Skeptical, heretic, and excomm. bishops are (hopefully obviously) bad; wise and energetic ones with good educations are great; zealous bishops are a wash (they tend to kill off excellent courtiers and pick fights you don't need).@diocese bishop (I still don't know exactly what these guys even do, aside from act as tutors for children with ecclesiastical educations)
Well, it certainly doesn't help that he has personal demesne bordering yours. Not that you were able to avoid it or can fix it now, mind, but it's still not good. If he DOWs, immediately spend or give away all of your money except 4 or 5• and then offer it to him in a peace deal before your first battle. If the month clicks over and you get more income, spend it or give it away again. What you're aiming for is to give him all of (not much of) your treasury. The AI usually thinks this is great.@The German King is rocking, and with all his claims, I just hope he doesn't come knocking on Lombardy.
You're already making plenty of money. The 50 piety (+25 v -25) was probably more valuable, since you have a young ruler who will eventually be in contention for PC. With events like that, take the piety or prestige, then just reset the power levels back yourself.@I go with the one that increases Burgher power for the slight income boost.
Meanie.@I end up deciding to ridicule him
You didn't pause the game as soon as the siege ended and Pisa's flag went up over Piombino? That's when they would've given you their cash (although it's even odds whether Pisa annexes them before they reply).@two weeks after this one Pisa annexes Piombino and ends the war.
Absolutely. Not because logic isn't popping for you (sometimes it takes awhile), but because you've got some kids in line and the school will give them better educational outcomes. In fact, if you get to 15 or so without having discovered it, you might want to consider fostering them someplace with strong advisors (see above) and a school. (Or is there an age cut-off for fostering? I just didn't want the money you spent on parental upbringing to go to waste.)@I'm thinking about taking my focus off Thought and putting it into Schools.