Fun minors?

[truth is life]

What are some really fun duchies (or maybe counties) to play, especially in Greece/Byzantium? I've been playing a Gwynedd->Wales game where I just finished getting Ireland and I'm looking to do something else a bit more challenging, especially since I'm suffering from a chronic lack of sons.

 

[Chipawah]

I don't know what you would consider to be fun...

If you want a challenge then the counties of Turkey will always provide plenty of challenges with the threat of muslim kingdoms knocking on the door and a lot of instability in the region.

One of my current games is with Monemvasia (third crusade scenario), small county with little income. With patience and a lot of intrigue and sneaky decisions I'm now at the point where I hold 4 duke titles (no inheritances, all from gaining claims and conducting regular warfare) and my next move will be to usurp and steal the crown of Croatia from the king of Hungary.

 

[TempestDK]

What are some really fun duchies (or maybe counties) to play, especially in Greece/Byzantium? I've been playing a Gwynedd->Wales game where I just finished getting Ireland and I'm looking to do something else a bit more challenging, especially since I'm suffering from a chronic lack of sons.

Well Byz can be fun .... but it is kinda easy to get the emperor title, as they have elective law ... eventually you'll be the biggest vassal and then you inherit the empire.

But I took the count of Rhodes to King of Romania (More Kingdoms mod) after Byzantium fell apart.

For a real challenge, try out Kingdom of Nubia... it is greek Othodox and boxed in by Egypt. Just make sure you find a strong ally before long, or the muslims will come and smack you around pretty early on.

I am currently having fun doing the reconquista with the de Barcelona dynasty in Spain (starting as Duchy of Barcelona). It is pretty tough going in the beginning with all the muslim taifas all over the place who are just aching to take your precious land . Am doing well and have got all spanish territory except 4 provinces. I even managed to create the Kingdom of Mauretania in Africa, and put a jew on the throne .... I look forward to seeing how they manage

 

[truth is life]

Fun: Challenging, but not TOO challenging. Asia is probably too challenging (I've seen Alp Arslan run over Asia too many times for me to feel even the least bit secure over there)

 

[orimazd]

With a french county, create a middle-eastern empire, completely ignoring Europe. I mean, kingdom of Syria, Jerusalem, Arabia, Persia, and Mesopotamia middle eastern empire.

 

[truth is life]

I ended up starting a game with Samos. Survived the first war by basically hiding on my island enclave, then broke away from the Empire during the following civil war, after all of Anatolia and Thrace(!) was lost to the Seljuks. Picked up Lesbos, Rhodes, and Laconia while it lasted, but the Empire seems to be coming back together, quite a shame.

 

[orimazd]

BTW, this thread has a rather suspicious name.

 

[truth is life]

Now that you mention it, it does...

But we're all mature here, right?

 

[orimazd]

No, not really.

Back to the topic, I suggest the Duchy of Salerno.

 

[unmerged(75409)]

...

I am currently having fun doing the reconquista with the de Barcelona dynasty in Spain (starting as Duchy of Barcelona). It is pretty tough going in the beginning with all the muslim taifas all over the place who are just aching to take your precious land . Am doing well and have got all spanish territory except 4 provinces. I even managed to create the Kingdom of Mauretania in Africa, and put a jew on the throne .... I look forward to seeing how they manage

Hahaha that's unbeatable!!! How did you get one in your court???

 

[unmerged(135995)]

If you start as the Count of Holland, you can instantly create the Duchy of Holland immediately.

You're on the western fringe of the HRE, with a (in my games, at least) often rebellious Duchy of Lower Lorraine between you and the German King/Emperor. The weak Dutch counties are next to you (although they are vassals of that same oft-rebelling Duke of Lower Lorraine) while the French-oriented Duchy of Flanders is to your South.

I once got a claim on the Duchy of Flanders through a tourney-event. I declared war, got hopelessly trounced upon by the much more powerful Duchy of Flanders + French King, but suddenly good ol' Heinrich of Franken (who managed to keep the realm together for a change) came along, crushed Flanders, kicked the French out of Flanders and at the peace settlement -I- received the entire Duchy of Flanders. :rofl:

Needless to say, two generations down the line... I revolted against the Kingdom that made me great.

But yes... Playing as the Duchy of Holland is pretty fun, basically because you 'border' three different kingdoms and a fourth one (Denmark) isn't that far away. Much opportunities for a bold, strong leader.

 

[TempestDK]

Hahaha that's unbeatable!!! How did you get one in your court???

Well I had one Sancho Benvieste is my court who is jewish. I guess he is put there by the DVIP. First I married him to one of my daughters, then gave him Duchy of Mallorca(while I was still a duke) ... didn't want him to be a vassal with the possibility of him converting to christianity.

He lost that in under a year. Then came back to court. Left a few times, then returned with a son. Eventually when his son turned 16, I had conquered all of Mauretania and gave Sancho one province and his son Manuel two provinces, all the duke titles that belongs to that kingdom, and then the king title. So son Manuel (a prodigy) is now ruling Mauretania with his father as a duke . I hope they don't screw it up

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

If you start as the Count of Holland, you can instantly create the Duchy of Holland immediately.

You're on the western fringe of the HRE, with a (in my games, at least) often rebellious Duchy of Lower Lorraine between you and the German King/Emperor. The weak Dutch counties are next to you (although they are vassals of that same oft-rebelling Duke of Lower Lorraine) while the French-oriented Duchy of Flanders is to your South.

I once got a claim on the Duchy of Flanders through a tourney-event. I declared war, got hopelessly trounced upon by the much more powerful Duchy of Flanders + French King, but suddenly good ol' Heinrich of Franken (who managed to keep the realm together for a change) came along, crushed Flanders, kicked the French out of Flanders and at the peace settlement -I- received the entire Duchy of Flanders. :rofl:

Needless to say, two generations down the line... I revolted against the Kingdom that made me great.

But yes... Playing as the Duchy of Holland is pretty fun, basically because you 'border' three different kingdoms and a fourth one (Denmark) isn't that far away. Much opportunities for a bold, strong leader.

Don't forget to quickly assasinate the duke of Saxony, you are 2nd in line to inherit that duchy. The first is of the starting duke is his father. The father is already old and married and will most likely not produce a child anymore.

 

[unmerged(112862)]

Personally I've always been fond of the Duchy of Provence. 1066 start, it's actually fairly powerful... 4 vassals if memory serves, one of which is a relative. Part of Germany, but thats not really a bad thing since Germany is usually easy to break away from if/when you feel inclined to do so. Plus have a same culture neighbor who is also a vassal of Germany. More often than not, 50/50 chance that I can vassalize him myself before he saves up the money to buy his Duke title. At which point I usually claim it for myself.

And then there are the outside factors. Provence is in a prime spot for crusading. Easy reach of Sicily and North Africa, and not too terribly expensive to get to the Levant areas. And Iberia is a short jump away as well. You're in a perfect spot to get involved with German, French, Italian, and Spanish politics. Or focus on Crusader States.

Biggest negatives I can think of... You're in between a few super powers who might get ideas. The Capets are in your line of succession, so they can end up with easy claims on you. And, much like reality... Your family isn't particularly fertile. Can be a bit of a struggle to get an heir.

But really, I've had a ton of fun with multiple games and multiple aims with Provence.

 

[Kordian]

Uhm...
Two advices:
1) Start as King of Sweden, declare war to a finnish pagan tribe and then create a county in Finland. Save, exit game, load this save state choosing this new county. Now try to become King of Finland and then to unify all other scandinavian kingdoms.

2) Same method, but harder. Start as King of England, declare war to Canaries Islands and then create a county. Save, exit game, load this county and try to conquer ALL Africa (become king of Mauritania, Tunisia and Egypt) starting from Canaries.
I found it very hard since damned arabs often declare war. Now I'm trying a similar experience starting from Tangiers but it's easier coz you can become Duke very quickly by conquering just another adjacent province.

 

[johnbecool]

County of carcassonne( toulouse's vassal) then wait for an oppourtunity to create duchy of auvergne!! ( very funny indeed)

 

[kadvael56]

2) Same method, but harder. Start as King of England, declare war to Canaries Islands and then create a county. Save, exit game, load this county and try to conquer ALL Africa (become king of Mauritania, Tunisia and Egypt) starting from Canaries.

I am not the only one who played this county (but I prefer the conquest of Africa by a pagan Berber than a catholic norman).

 

[Kordian]

I am not the only one who played this county (but I prefer the conquest of Africa by a pagan Berber than a catholic welsh).

Fixed

 

[kadvael56]

Welsh is better but still outlandish for the Canaries. If you had put a Norwegian ruler you could have made him a looter from the Ska .

 

[Kordian]

Welsh is better but still outlandish for the Canaries. If you had put a Norwegian ruler you could have made him a looter from the Ska .

Yeah, you're right but I was planning a non-sense game like this since long time. I would like to see an all-catholic-welsh Africa. Dunno why but it's kinda funny.