Did the game become harder?

[ArmchairGenera1]

I had an experience with CK II, but it was some time ago. I had quite good results with Sweden and Saxon England. But I've stopped playing as the game was borrowed from a friend and he wanted it back. Now I've bought the game and tried to launch another campaign, two tries and two disappointments:

1) Poland - after the start I've declared a war on Yathvigi for one province (not holy war). They were also at war with Galitch. Very quickly Glaitch army was obliterated and 3.5k army was at the gates of my capital. I had only 600 soldiers so no chance to defend anything.
2) Galicia - In a matter of several months I had a faction that wanted the Castilian king (my brother) on Galician throne. Their aremy quickly swelled to equal numbers to my army and since they were positioned better I lost.

Another question is what to do with retinues - they don't seem to grow at all, just stay at 0 all the time.

Either game has changed a lot or I've forgotten something, but I never was beaten in 1st 3 months, let alone it happened twice.

 

[NewbieOne]

I had an experience with CK II, but it was some time ago. I had quite good results with Sweden and Saxon England. But I've stopped playing as the game was borrowed from a friend and he wanted it back. Now I've bought the game and tried to launch another campaign, two tries and two disappointments:

1) Poland - after the start I've declared a war on Yathvigi for one province (not holy war). They were also at war with Galitch. Very quickly Glaitch army was obliterated and 3.5k army was at the gates of my capital. I had only 600 soldiers so no chance to defend anything.
2) Galicia - In a matter of several months I had a faction that wanted the Castilian king (my brother) on Galician throne. Their aremy quickly swelled to equal numbers to my army and since they were positioned better I lost.

Another question is what to do with retinues - they don't seem to grow at all, just stay at 0 all the time.

Either game has changed a lot or I've forgotten something, but I never was beaten in 1st 3 months, let alone it happened twice.

Pagans have warrior cults, so they have a lot of guys in the beginning, while you have few. As Poland, I'd start from upgrading the heck out of the holdings (cash-generating upgrades in your demesne castles first) while marrying well (eldest son to a reigning duchess or queen, the rest to unlanded women unless you're prepared to make them dukes to avoid land loss to gavelkind; Russian duchesses are better than German duchesses because the Kaiser has de iure claims on any counties you inherit into Poland but you don't want your sons with a multiduchess to go independent when she dies before you with gavelkind succession, so you gotta make dukes fast if you marry such a bride).

Factions are smarter than the isolated rebels from a while back. But if you get the vassals' opinions up, they leave the faction. (Note: Faction won't disband when leader leaves, so don't bother. Somebody else will take over leadership.)

One flaw of the game is that you start with the Short Reign penalty, no matter that you character may've been in power for a longer time by the starting date.

As for retinues, you need to play with the Reinforce buttons. Set them to reinforce and they will grow.

 

[barny]

I had an experience with CK II, but it was some time ago. I had quite good results with Sweden and Saxon England. But I've stopped playing as the game was borrowed from a friend and he wanted it back. Now I've bought the game and tried to launch another campaign, two tries and two disappointments:

1) Poland - after the start I've declared a war on Yathvigi for one province (not holy war). They were also at war with Galitch. Very quickly Glaitch army was obliterated and 3.5k army was at the gates of my capital. I had only 600 soldiers so no chance to defend anything.
2) Galicia - In a matter of several months I had a faction that wanted the Castilian king (my brother) on Galician throne. Their aremy quickly swelled to equal numbers to my army and since they were positioned better I lost.

Another question is what to do with retinues - they don't seem to grow at all, just stay at 0 all the time.

Either game has changed a lot or I've forgotten something, but I never was beaten in 1st 3 months, let alone it happened twice.

I started the game just a few weeks back again after a pause of about half a year and I don't think, that it is more difficult than before.

About the retinues: It seems that they are bugged. If your budget is negative, the reinforcement costs are subtracted from your budget, but they still don't grow. So you have to deactivate the reinforcements, wait for your budget to be positive again and then reactivate it.

 

[A_Dane]

I'd probably stay the heck clear of Galicia until you've gotten back into the game, Spain is an unpleasant place to be unless you know what's what

Newbieone already pointed out, that's it a good idea to build up your holdings before you deal with the pagans, but if you're playing Poland, it's not certain you have that luxury (The HRE usually goes on wild rampages in my games), so what I usually do is spare up as much cash as I can, and hire mercenaries to fight my wars for me. (Remember to have a lot of spare cash even after hiring the mercenaries, they aint cheap to maintain)

 

[ArmchairGenera1]

On another note:
What should I do with factions? Just watch how they slowly grow in strength and brace for difficult war?

 

[A_Dane]

Use your spymaster to scheme in the leader's province, bribe people of the same culture & religion to above 80 relations (they will leave the faction in that case IIRC) etc.

 

[Fishy101]

Galicia is probably the most difficult Kingdom I've tried. Your ruler has crap stats. You have 2 brothers who are stronger and have better leaders than you looking to take your lands. Your heir is one of your brothers so all he really has to do is assassinate you. Historically, King Alfonso of Leon assassinated King Sancho of Castille and inherited his lands. Most every Castillian game I've played the King of Leon targets either Galicia or Castille and his intrigue is high. You have a Portuguese duke who controls 4 counties as opposed to your 2 who is practically guaranteed to rebel. The uber strong high tech Muslim neighbors looking for a holy war is actually the least of your worries and that's saying something. If you want to play a Castillian King, going with Leon or Castille is a lot easier. That difficulty rating that says 59% is completely bogus.

 

[yezhanquan]

The way "Spain" is set up in 1066 is akin to "Russia": Brothers holding different kingdoms. It is a hell of a neighbourhood.

 

[ArmchairGenera1]

Galicia is probably the most difficult Kingdom I've tried. Your ruler has crap stats. You have 2 brothers who are stronger and have better leaders than you looking to take your lands. Your heir is one of your brothers so all he really has to do is assassinate you. Historically, King Alfonso of Leon assassinated King Sancho of Castille and inherited his lands. Most every Castillian game I've played the King of Leon targets either Galicia or Castille and his intrigue is high. You have a Portuguese duke who controls 4 counties as opposed to your 2 who is practically guaranteed to rebel. The uber strong high tech Muslim neighbors looking for a holy war is actually the least of your worries and that's saying something. If you want to play a Castillian King, going with Leon or Castille is a lot easier. That difficulty rating that says 59% is completely bogus.

Thanks for the advice. Was looking for some interesting start, turns out it's too hard after my long absence from the game. I'll look for some easier option. Simply don't want to start s one of the super-states like HRE or France, the game quickly becomes easy in that case.

 

[nyah]

Thanks for the advice. Was looking for some interesting start, turns out it's too hard after my long absence from the game. I'll look for some easier option. Simply don't want to start s one of the super-states like HRE or France, the game quickly becomes easy in that case.

Try Croatia. It's big enough to survive, but small enough not to turn into a monster too quickly. Plus, you have scope for expansion close by in Sicily, and can probably take advantage of any problems in your neighbouring empires.

 

[Lord Finnish]

On another note:
What should I do with factions? Just watch how they slowly grow in strength and brace for difficult war?

IMO the best way to control factions is to ensure that every vassal you have has only one holding. One baron for each barony, one count for each county, one duke for each duchy. The weaker your vassals are the harder time they have to start factions. I would also recommend that if a civil war is imminent, raise all levies and mercenaries you can afford and move them to the holding of the faction leader. When the war starts you can blitz his lands and win the war in one go.
Remember to monitor vassal relations and have as lenient laws as you can. My style is to have medium crown authority and high taxes but no levies (I prefer mercenaries).
Also use your spymaster as A_Dane. When scheming and you get an event to bribe, bully etc. your vassals, remember that the right action is based on the vassal's traits. Intimidation works for Craven, bribe works for Greedy, and so on.