Playing as Semien on the Viking Age, which is quite interesting, because it seems to be the very first time a jewish start is viable (to me). Got some okay starting demense size, good troops (heavy infantry armies at the very least are good to intimidate the neighbor's light infantry/archer armies, and may massacre them on melee phase, assuming they survive to get there), and somewhere to expand to (pagans at south and, if hardpressed, central africa).
However I have been having some trouble with the pagan tribal holdings, in, namely, I am not sure what to do with them. My first strategy was to land zealous (and lacking that, high military at least) vassals on them to 1 - expand the jewish gene pool (try to start the eugenics program), 2 - hopefuly convert the place's religion and culture, and 3 - get some vassal levy.
That eventually showed to not be a very good idea. First off, my vassals never converted a single province, culture or religion, even the zealous ones. Maybe judaism's conversion rate is ridiculously low, maybe not even zealous jews proselytise anymore. Second off, they didn't seem to be investing nowhere enough on their demense. The average warchiefe can get around 600 prestige on his lifetime according to my experience, and, at least when vassalized, they appear to try to hoard all of it. As unlike gold, it doesn't go to the next generation, it was largely a waste of my time. Finally, the levies didn't cut it. Had to increase tribal authority, had to deal with bad relationship maluses, no fun.
So I am looking to try to keep the tribal holdings for myself next game, in hopes to improve them just enough to upgrade them (namely, market village 2 at least, so I can start getting some dough. Maybe warcamp 2 as well to get a starting barracks). Still, I would like some suggestions. Regardless, having loads of fun with the mod.
PS: I deal with the holy wars by subjugating smaller myaphysite neighbors and microing my diplomate between Axum and the norther kingdoms if they get that far south. It is reasonably effective, as I got almost 100 year without direct war against Axum (although they joined a one province independent's holy war against me that made me ragequit).
PS 2: Invited Ashknazi courtiers also trigger the usual bonuses they do on Christian courts?
PS 3: Slightly unrelated, but on this mod, are commander traits still vastly more important than martial skill, considering the tactics trigger chance and whatsoever?
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