Baltic Sea doesn't deserve major expansion for CK3, however I am pretty sure that we will get something similar like Fate of Iberia or Northern Lords - in this expansion, we could expect content for Poland, HRE, Scandinavia, Baltic Pagans (and maybe Novgorod Republic).
Here are few my ideas - I hope that it would be good start for discussion and maybe this topic can inspire Paradox for future Baltic Sea flavour pack.
The most important series of events for this region should be Northern Crusades as well as creation of Livonian and Teutonic Order state. Impact of these two monastic Orders was very high and long term. Melting pot of settlers from HRE and older Baltic tribes changed local societies and cultures forever (to be honest, not only for this region - without Teutonic State, Germany would never be united by Prussia and maybe Pruthenians could be another Baltic nation between Poland and Lithuania today). The main feature of this expansion should be the possibility to play as monastic order. In that situation, your main goal would not be to make your dynasty stronger, but focus on spreading Christian religion as well as increasing prestige of your Order and influence of it. Orders would have enemies resisting their expansion - zealous pagan tribes and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, orthodox Novgorod and even their catholic brethren from Scandinavia and Poland. Of course, in 1066 or 876 there were no monastic orders, so a new starting scenario may be required. There were some ideas in this forums how to implement playable monastic orders into CK2, I am sure that these threads had a ton of good ideas. Moreover, this mechanic could be implemented somewhere else than in Baltic sea region - Hashashim's "empire of mountain forts and intrigues" could be very interesting to play!
Of course, if we talk about Baltic crusades, post-viking Scandinavia could also get some extra content and events. Sweden expanded into Finland and was present there until wars with Russia in 18th century. Danes were present in Estonia and they fought with Pomeranian Slavs, the last followers of old Slavic gods. These Slavic tribes were unfriendly for HRE, Kingdom of Poland and they made sea-raids in "viking style" against Christian realms. Finally, Valdemar I of Denmark defeated them and destroyed their main religious centre in Arkona (located in Rugen island, modern Germany). So who knows - maybe Danes if they are outraged by pirates, dannish king can get some powerful casus belli against Slavic pagans?
And the last "main part" of DLC is focus on Lithuania (I am sure that other Baltic and Ugro-Finnic tribes, maybe Slavs too, would also get some extra content) - Lithuanians were a bit late with foundation of their state, but they made a rapid expansion into Rus in XIII and XIV century. Lithuania had some wasted opportunities to became Kingdom - but duke Mindaugas was coronated as king with pope's approval - Lithuania wasn't Christianised with Mindaugas coronation however, but it would be great opportunity to restore missing mechanic from Holy Fury for mass religious conversion of kingdom. Lithuanian state became really huge under Gediminid dynasty - more-less borders of Lithuania from EU IV (and this dynasty was one of most important noble houses for whole history of Eastern Europe - btw. Jagiellon dynasty was branch of Gediminids). Despite being pagan, they coexisted with majority of Orthodox and East-Slavic subjects and they mixed with Rurikovich dynasty. For that reason, if Lithuanian tribe would get very strong and ambitious ruler, he or she should get an opportunity to re-write history of Grand Duchy as major power of region.
And finally - trade. Baltic Sea was home of two important merchant players - Hanseatic League and Novgorod Republic. We also know them from EU IV and I am absolutely sure that our other Colleagues can say something more about them... I can just say that they existed and were quite important.
I hope that with this expansion, Paradox could review recent split of Wendish Empire into "Baltic Empire" and "West-Slavia" which was very terrible in my opinion. Of course, "Wendish Empire" never existed, but it was a better solution for this region than two new empires.
Thank you for reading this. I hope that my text is not terrible to read
Here are few my ideas - I hope that it would be good start for discussion and maybe this topic can inspire Paradox for future Baltic Sea flavour pack.
The most important series of events for this region should be Northern Crusades as well as creation of Livonian and Teutonic Order state. Impact of these two monastic Orders was very high and long term. Melting pot of settlers from HRE and older Baltic tribes changed local societies and cultures forever (to be honest, not only for this region - without Teutonic State, Germany would never be united by Prussia and maybe Pruthenians could be another Baltic nation between Poland and Lithuania today). The main feature of this expansion should be the possibility to play as monastic order. In that situation, your main goal would not be to make your dynasty stronger, but focus on spreading Christian religion as well as increasing prestige of your Order and influence of it. Orders would have enemies resisting their expansion - zealous pagan tribes and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, orthodox Novgorod and even their catholic brethren from Scandinavia and Poland. Of course, in 1066 or 876 there were no monastic orders, so a new starting scenario may be required. There were some ideas in this forums how to implement playable monastic orders into CK2, I am sure that these threads had a ton of good ideas. Moreover, this mechanic could be implemented somewhere else than in Baltic sea region - Hashashim's "empire of mountain forts and intrigues" could be very interesting to play!
Of course, if we talk about Baltic crusades, post-viking Scandinavia could also get some extra content and events. Sweden expanded into Finland and was present there until wars with Russia in 18th century. Danes were present in Estonia and they fought with Pomeranian Slavs, the last followers of old Slavic gods. These Slavic tribes were unfriendly for HRE, Kingdom of Poland and they made sea-raids in "viking style" against Christian realms. Finally, Valdemar I of Denmark defeated them and destroyed their main religious centre in Arkona (located in Rugen island, modern Germany). So who knows - maybe Danes if they are outraged by pirates, dannish king can get some powerful casus belli against Slavic pagans?
And the last "main part" of DLC is focus on Lithuania (I am sure that other Baltic and Ugro-Finnic tribes, maybe Slavs too, would also get some extra content) - Lithuanians were a bit late with foundation of their state, but they made a rapid expansion into Rus in XIII and XIV century. Lithuania had some wasted opportunities to became Kingdom - but duke Mindaugas was coronated as king with pope's approval - Lithuania wasn't Christianised with Mindaugas coronation however, but it would be great opportunity to restore missing mechanic from Holy Fury for mass religious conversion of kingdom. Lithuanian state became really huge under Gediminid dynasty - more-less borders of Lithuania from EU IV (and this dynasty was one of most important noble houses for whole history of Eastern Europe - btw. Jagiellon dynasty was branch of Gediminids). Despite being pagan, they coexisted with majority of Orthodox and East-Slavic subjects and they mixed with Rurikovich dynasty. For that reason, if Lithuanian tribe would get very strong and ambitious ruler, he or she should get an opportunity to re-write history of Grand Duchy as major power of region.
And finally - trade. Baltic Sea was home of two important merchant players - Hanseatic League and Novgorod Republic. We also know them from EU IV and I am absolutely sure that our other Colleagues can say something more about them... I can just say that they existed and were quite important.
I hope that with this expansion, Paradox could review recent split of Wendish Empire into "Baltic Empire" and "West-Slavia" which was very terrible in my opinion. Of course, "Wendish Empire" never existed, but it was a better solution for this region than two new empires.
Thank you for reading this. I hope that my text is not terrible to read
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