Arrrgh! This faction nonsense is driving me up the wall!

[der Kriegsherr]

In my latest HRE game, I've got a number of factions, all easily exceeding 100% of their liege's manpower. Usually at this point, the assassination plots would be coming out like mad, but there are two major problems with this:

1: My spymaster is the leader of one of the "Lower Crown Authority" factions

2: My "empress" is five years old and belongs to the Levantine (long story) culture group


How do you guys deal with factions?
You only have one spymaster, and they seem to gain members faster than a swim team in the middle of the Sahara: You can't have him discourage the local nobles from joining them in every province.

About the above dilemma: Any tips on that or am I just screwed?

 

[Skyhunteren]

Aim for faction leaders so they disband. Give gifts+titel+send diplomate so they like you more than 80. If your an empire then create kingdoms and let your kings do all the worries.

 

[Variton]

Aim for faction leaders so they disband. Give gifts+titel+send diplomate so they like you more than 80. If your an empire then create kingdoms and let your kings do all the worries.

Yes, imporove relations like hell. Also send your children to be tutored to the most important vassals.

 

[JonStryker]

Well inadvertent culture changes aren't a funny thing. You're lucky that your Kaiserin was voted in in the first place (in case you haven't changed the succession law).

- As soon as she's 6 find the German guy with the highest possible stewardship and let him tutor her. Hope that he culture flips her quickly.

- Give counts that are faction members to their de-jure duchies to 1) remove them from the faction and 2) make the duke like you more. Same applies for barons.

- Bribe your spymaster, bribe the members, bribe everyone. If you've got no money then you're screwed. In case you can imprison your spymaster without incurring tyranny do it.

- If all fails just accept lower crown authority and get back at them when you're empress is grown up and German.

 

[Isaios]

- As soon as she's 6 find the German guy with the highest possible stewardship and let him tutor her. Hope that he culture flips her quickly.

That won't help. There are four traits that affect culture conversion by a Guardian. Diligent and Gregarious is desireable, while Shy and Slothful is to be avoided.

If you can also find a tutor with the skillset you want, that's great of course.

 

[generalolaf]

High stewardship would be useful though - that means you're also more likely to get high stewardship which would solve any demesne problems.

 

[Martinus]

You can't have him discourage the local nobles from joining them in every province.

I may be wrong, but if you put your Spymaster in your capital, doesn't he discourage all your direct vassals from joining? And if not, I'm pretty sure that it at least affects all the vassals present at your court, so give your most troublesome vassals council positions.

 

[justin6477]

Generally, I hand out Kingdoms. Yes it's a pain when multiple Kings decide that they'd like to pick a fight, but I'd rather have one enemy than 30, and I'd rather have on Armageddon style throwdown every couple of decades than a massive petty revolt every couple of years.

I also find that Kings are forced to deal with their own factions and petty issues, slowing them down.

Lastly OP, with BS like that I'd just culture flip with the console.

 

[Isaios]

Lastly OP, with BS like that I'd just culture flip with the console.

This. Open the console and type "culture german" without the "" and change german to whatever else you might prefer.

High stewardship would be useful though - that means you're also more likely to get high stewardship which would solve any demesne problems.

True, but it seemed like you meant it helped with the culture change Though in the case of an Empress, I'd probably aim for Diplomacy as primary before Stewardship.

 

[Skyhunteren]

Yah stewardship is great with a small realm. Diplomacy and intrig is needed for large realms where most of your stuff come from vassals.

 

[unmerged(457435)]

noob thread :laugh:

 

[Isaios]

noob thread :laugh:

Now, now. Do not scorn the n00b, for they shalt inherit the earth. ^_^

 

[magritte2]

Sounds like a fun game! In this case, at least, I think the factions are working as designed.

 

[Wallain]

Need a "Deal with faction" button, that presents the leader with an ultimatum from you.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Need a "Deal with faction" button, that presents the leader with an ultimatum from you.

Already there: "Plot for assassination!"

And on a more serious note, send your Spymaster to scheme and dig up some dirt

 

[Prime624]

I may be wrong, but if you put your Spymaster in your capital, doesn't he discourage all your direct vassals from joining? And if not, I'm pretty sure that it at least affects all the vassals present at your court, so give your most troublesome vassals council positions.

You put your spymaster in the county that the faction leader reigns in. The faction will then breakup, or you will have the option to ask the leader to break it up. It actually works very well.

 

[der Kriegsherr]

You put your spymaster in the county that the faction leader reigns in. The faction will then breakup, or you will have the option to ask the leader to break it up. It actually works very well.

Thanks.

 

[Wallain]

Already there: "Plot for assassination!"

And on a more serious note, send your Spymaster to scheme and dig up some dirt

Hey, they don't bother me too much. I just feel like a ruler should have a more direct way of dealing with these people. Perhaps for a tyranny modifier.

 

[Greg Welty]

So as the Duke of Munster, what do I do about Ragnvald and his Norwegian buddies in Ormond? It seems that within a month of starting the game, Ragnvald my vassal starts an Independence faction with 147% strength and about 242 men.

1. I don't have enough money for an assassination.
2. I don't have any children (yet) for him to tutor.
3. I don't have any land to grant him.
4. I've already given him a gift of 20 gold, and made him Master of the Horse.

It just doesn't seem to matter. He inevitably rebels and I don't have enough men to put him down. Imprisoning him or revoking his title causes opinion hits that are huge at this early stage of the game. Do I just let him go his own way and hope to regain the county later?

I used to get past this part of the game fairly easily prior to factions, but now, no dice.

 

[Skyhunteren]

Send spymaster to end scheme, send diplomat to make relations even higher. Get him excomunicated and then send in prison. Use assasin plot and if all else fail. Make him your spymaster and send him to steal tech from Konstantinoble. If his intrig is low the emperor will catch him pretty fast and send him to prison.