Beware the knights

[Karlington]

Commanders in CK II were something of an annoyance because they often seemed to randomly disappear without trace and so you'd be constantly replacing them - eventually having to spawn new courtiers as you ran out of potential replacements.

Yeah, this happened a LOT to me. I'm still looking for a few of them.

We do have commanders in CK3, but it's only one rather than three per army. Let's hope they don't get magicked away quite so often.

 

[Razmorg]

Yeah, this happened a LOT to me. I'm still looking for a few of them.

We do have commanders in CK3, but it's only one rather than three per army. Let's hope they don't get magicked away quite so often.

Knight system will auto pick the best prowess people in your realm unless you set it to disallow people.

 

[Battlex]

Obviously I've no idea how it plays yet, but it does sound like a good mechanic. I like the idea of Knights as important people within your court on whose skill in battle you in large part depend. It's much better than just having nameless levies and a handful of random commanders who are chopped and changed with some regularity. Commanders in CK II were something of an annoyance because they often seemed to randomly disappear without trace and so you'd be constantly replacing them - eventually having to spawn new courtiers as you ran out of potential replacements.

I'm assuming Knights have their own trigger for events and will play an important role within the game. I think the combination of those plus levies (the peasantry) makes sense, and it seems like a reasonable approximation of how combat during this era would work - noted commanders leading irrelevant masses of troops.

If you played with lots of retinues then you could appoint commanders to them, but then you only focused on combat skill not all the modifiers you could get

 

[Pied-Noir]

If you played with lots of retinues then you could appoint commanders to them, but then you only focused on combat skill not all the modifiers you could get

I don't like the retinue system and have never used it. I don't like the idea of standing armies in CK and I think it makes the game too easy.

 

[Karlington]

I don't like the retinue system and have never used it. I don't like the idea of standing armies in CK and I think it makes the game too easy.

You're not wrong. They're not that great when you first get them (too small, and replacing losses is super expensive), but as you grow they become affordable powerhouses. I do use them, though, because I find getting levies ready in the late game is so slow and boring that I used retinues just to improve the pace of the game.

 

[Karlington]

you only focused on combat skill not all the modifiers you could get

How do you mean? Like only Martial, and not on their commander traits or other modifiers?

 

[Battlex]

I don't like the retinue system and have never used it. I don't like the idea of standing armies in CK and I think it makes the game too easy.

For the early start dates it was useful to show the forces that existed before feudalism was entrenched, when you have a massive empire like Charlemagne's and so the retinue cap is high, whereas later on its Knights that are vassals of the crown (like the imperial Knights) in my head

How do you mean? Like only Martial, and not on their commander traits or other modifiers?

I may be mistaken, but my understanding was their only use was their combat skill and not commanders traits when they were directing a single unit. As the only thing they could do was engage others in duel during a battle.

 

[Riamus]

Hahaha, brings back "fond" memories.

I remember doing this and also temporarily making all theocratic vassals commanders and giving them the trait, so they'd pay taxes to me instead of the Pope (since it was +15 opinion for same religion and another +15 for same trait = +30 opinion total).

And then my heir. And all the other close family members who were able to be commanders.

And then that obstinate powerful vassal who just didn't like me.

And before I knew it I'd spent like 15 minutes on that crap.

Heh. I did that once. I turned every dynasty member I could into a crusader as well as all my vassals. I definitely took a lot of time to do. Never did it again, though I do sometimes still take my children or immediate family members and make them crusaders... less for the bonuses and more just because I often like my family having the trait.

 

[Karlington]

Heh. I did that once. I turned every dynasty member I could into a crusader as well as all my vassals. I definitely took a lot of time to do. Never did it again, though I do sometimes still take my children or immediate family members and make them crusaders... less for the bonuses and more just because I often like my family having the trait.

Boring, wasn't it? I do the same thing as you, close family members only, except for the clergy.

Honestly, the way it is set up (with commanders getting the trait instantly upon assignment) they might as well just make a decision to give the Crusade trait to every Catholic capable of becoming your commander and spare us a lot of busywork!