How am I suppose to win ?

[Xenion]

Hello!

I bought this game (unfortunately), and I am trying really hard to understand how it works, but nahh...

So far I have spent 10 hours on this game, trying to understand very basic things about it. At the moment I am playing the "tutorial" as King Alfonso IV of Leon.

The issue that have, is that at some point during the game's progress, I am asked by the tutorial to find a CB for the Canaria islands in order to conquer them. I did that, and then the game proceeds on giving me 2.000 gold in order to buy mercenaries, and here is where the issues start.

I decided to buy 2 * 1000 capacity boats, in order to send 2.000 of my vessels. Doing that I realized very quickly that I couldn't do it, because almost immediately I got a message saying that I deployed the vessels for too much time (mind you that I didn't even managed to load them into the ships). This made it clear to me that I should buy an army of mercenaries and send those instead. Therefore I went ahead and bought an army of mercenaries of 2.000 men, and loaded them into the ships.

After my mercenaries found their way to the canarian islands, I give the order to the troops to attack the 900 soldiers that were defending them. The result is that I lost !!

Anyways, I said that maybe I sent too little troops. Since I had saved the game before buying anything, I restarted the game at that point in time.

Then I go head and buy 3 boats with a total capacity of 3.000 men. I buy again 3.000 mercenaries, and I loaded them into the ship. After sending the mercenaries to the canarian islands, I gave them again the order to attack, and this time I successfully started a siege there ... but my happiness didn't last ... and the reason for that is that after some short amount of time the mercenaries left, because I didn't have enough money!

My question here is simple: What do I have to do to win ?

EDIT: Also if it's so hard to play the tutorial, how are we suppose to play and win without it?

 

[eastcoastceojam]

I wouldn't bother with the tutorial, it has been broken for a long time when it comes time to invading the Canary Islands. There are many different paths folks recommend to learning the game, but most of them will tell you to not bother with the busted tutorial.

Try playing as a Catholic vassal in 1066 France, or as a Duke in 1066 Ireland. Yes, it will be a bit boring, but it will give you time to learn the game mechanics without much downside if you lose a war or two.

 

[vandevere]

Hello!

I bought this game (unfortunately), and I am trying really hard to understand how it works, but nahh...

So far I have spent 10 hours on this game, trying to understand very basic things about it. At the moment I am playing the "tutorial" as King Alfonso IV of Leon.

The issue that have, is that at some point during the game's progress, I am asked by the tutorial to find a CB for the Canaria islands in order to conquer them. I did that, and then the game proceeds on giving me 2.000 gold in order to buy mercenaries, and here is where the issues start.

I decided to buy 2 * 1000 capacity boats, in order to send 2.000 of my vessels. Doing that I realized very quickly that I couldn't do it, because almost immediately I got a message saying that I deployed the vessels for too much time (mind you that I didn't even managed to load them into the ships). This made it clear to me that I should buy an army of mercenaries and send those instead. Therefore I went ahead and bought an army of mercenaries of 2.000 men, and loaded them into the ships.

After my mercenaries found their way to the canarian islands, I give the order to the troops to attack the 900 soldiers that were defending them. The result is that I lost !!

Anyways, I said that maybe I sent too little troops. Since I had saved the game before buying anything, I restarted the game at that point in time.

Then I go head and buy 3 boats with a total capacity of 3.000 men. I buy again 3.000 mercenaries, and I loaded them into the ship. After sending the mercenaries to the canarian islands, I gave them again the order to attack, and this time I successfully started a siege there ... but my happiness didn't last ... and the reason for that is that after some short amount of time the mercenaries left, because I didn't have enough money!

My question here is simple: What do I have to do to win ?

EDIT: Also if it's so hard to play the tutorial, how are we suppose to play and win without it?

A couple of things you may want to try. I know the devs made Leon the official Tutorial. But you may want to also look at Dublin, 1066 Start, as a good tutorial. You start out as the Count of Dublin, and you're also heir to your father's county. The beauty of the Dublin 1066 Start is that you can focus on learning the Game's basic mechanics without trying to proceed immediately to World Conquest.

Another point is that CK2 isn't actually about World Conquest. The bottom line is that it's simply about picking a Ruler, and seeing his dynasty all the way to Game End. Even if that's all you do, you've "Won"...

Thirdly, CK2 allows for a truly vast number of Game-play styles. Sure, you could conquer the world, if that's truly what you want to do. But, you could also pick a Count, Duke, King, or even an Emperor, plunk yourself down, and simply enjoy the insanity the Game's AI can get up to.

There are about a million different flavors of winning in this game...

 

[Blackwhitecavias]

A couple of things you may want to try. I know the devs made Leon the official Tutorial. But you may want to also look at Dublin, 1066 Start, as a good tutorial. You start out as the Count of Dublin, and you're also heir to your father's county. The beauty of the Dublin 1066 Start is that you can focus on learning the Game's basic mechanics without trying to proceed immediately to World Conquest.

Another point is that CK2 isn't actually about World Conquest. The bottom line is that it's simply about picking a Ruler, and seeing his dynasty all the way to Game End. Even if that's all you do, you've "Won"...

Thirdly, CK2 allows for a truly vast number of Game-play styles. Sure, you could conquer the world, if that's truly what you want to do. But, you could also pick a Count, Duke, King, or even an Emperor, plunk yourself down, and simply enjoy the insanity the Game's AI can get up to.

There are about a million different flavors of winning in this game...

I do actually believe Leon/Castille/Galicia are good starts in 1066, as long as you just don't use the tutorial as taking the canary islands just isn't worth it. Other good starts are the duke of Apulia (southern Italy) or some dukes in the HRE.

You also shouldn't be afraid of raising vassals for too long, the opinion penalty is only temporary, so as long as it doesn't get too high (I usually try to keep it below 15 or so) it isn't a problem.

 

[SanguiniusStyle]

Ireland (Mumu) is the best option...

First of all don't look for winning. You must have fun.

 

[Deathbringer96]

the Hapsburgs are pretty fun (basel, 1066) and is how I learned to play the game. You start as a count in the HRE, making a duchy is fairly easy, the kingdoms of Switzerland or Arles are within your grasp, and because of family ties, several opportune deaths can land you titles from all over the HRE. Also its the hapsburgs

 

[junassa]

LOL @ taking Canaria. What were the devs thinking?

Another start I like is 1066 Barcelona. I don't remember if I played in Ireland first or not. It's pretty good, or at least it used to be before HF and the new counties. I haven't played Christian in forever so I don't know how that changes things.

 

[DPS]

Hello!

I bought this game (unfortunately), and I am trying really hard to understand how it works, but nahh...

So far I have spent 10 hours on this game, trying to understand very basic things about it. At the moment I am playing the "tutorial" as King Alfonso IV of Leon.

I have almost 10,000 hours on the game, and I'm still finding out new things. This isn't bad--it's good.

The issue that have, is that at some point during the game's progress, I am asked by the tutorial to find a CB for the Canaria islands in order to conquer them. I did that, and then the game proceeds on giving me 2.000 gold in order to buy mercenaries, and here is where the issues start.

I decided to buy 2 * 1000 capacity boats, in order to send 2.000 of my vessels. Doing that I realized very quickly that I couldn't do it, because almost immediately I got a message saying that I deployed the vessels for too much time (mind you that I didn't even managed to load them into the ships). This made it clear to me that I should buy an army of mercenaries and send those instead. Therefore I went ahead and bought an army of mercenaries of 2.000 men, and loaded them into the ships.

First of all, why were you using your vassals' troops and then mercenaries instead of you own levies?

Second of all, yes, you start getting a penalty to your vassals' opinion of you very quickly once they're raised. And that penalty keeps going up as long as you keep them raised. Don't worry about it--it also goes back down once they're no longer raised. Just don't keep them raised so long that you're getting an opinion penalty of -20 or more and it should be OK.

After my mercenaries found their way to the canarian islands, I give the order to the troops to attack the 900 soldiers that were defending them. The result is that I lost !!

Anyways, I said that maybe I sent too little troops. Since I had saved the game before buying anything, I restarted the game at that point in time.

Yep, that was too few troops. The problem is that troops lose morale while aboard ships, so when your 2000 men attacked those 900 men, your guys were at half morale or worse, while the defenders were at full morale, plus there is a penalty for attacking directly from ships. So when you invade a one county island, you usually will need a really big numerical advantage to overcome the disadvantages.

Then I go head and buy 3 boats with a total capacity of 3.000 men. I buy again 3.000 mercenaries, and I loaded them into the ship. After sending the mercenaries to the canarian islands, I gave them again the order to attack, and this time I successfully started a siege there ... but my happiness didn't last ... and the reason for that is that after some short amount of time the mercenaries left, because I didn't have enough money!

Frankly, I'm surprised that even 3000 men managed to win. I'd probably have sent at least 5000.

As for mercenaries, when you hire them there is information on the hiring tab that tells you how much they will cost upfront, and how much more they will cost per month. Generally speaking, if you can't afford to pay them for at least a year, don't hire them. If it's going to be a really big war, figure 2-4 years at least.

And again--why did you not use your own levies?

My question here is simple: What do I have to do to win ?

EDIT: Also if it's so hard to play the tutorial, how are we suppose to play and win without it?

It's not that hard. Use your own levies, not vassals or mercs. If you don't have enough levies of your own, then raise some vassal troops to beef up their numbers. (Hint: raise troops from vassals that like you most first. This has two benefits--first, vassals who like you better will supply you with a bigger percentage of their available levies, and second, you can afford the opinion hit easier with vassals who like you better.) If you absolutely have to use mercenaries for some reason, just wait until you have built up enough money to pay them.

Oh, and to answer junassa's question--I assume that they put invading the Canaries in the tutorial to teach new players how to raise fleets and how to load and unload troops from them.

 

[Bernard95]

I do actually believe Leon/Castille/Galicia are good starts in 1066, as long as you just don't use the tutorial as taking the canary islands just isn't worth it. Other good starts are the duke of Apulia (southern Italy) or some dukes in the HRE.

You also shouldn't be afraid of raising vassals for too long, the opinion penalty is only temporary, so as long as it doesn't get too high (I usually try to keep it below 15 or so) it isn't a problem.

I used to always say that was a good *second* game, since you can very easily get dogpiled by every Moor in Iberia if you don't try to time your holy wars.

 

[LordLoko]

People usually recommend at "Tutorial Island" aka Ireland. It starts divided between many independent dukedoms, so you have the goal of unifying Ireland and learning most game mechanics on the way.

Also, remember you don't really "win" CK2, you set your own goals: Reunite the Roman Empire as the Byzantines, start as a lowly count and become Emperor, bring Zoroastrism from the brink of extinction. Stuff like that.

 

[LeChacalPuant]

I'd like to add that alerts should be seen as useful infos and not as things you should/n't do. If your vassals begin to lose opinion because you raised their troops for too long, so be it. Most of the time it's better to have -10 opinion vassals because of troops raised than -350 gold in metcenaries and -40 gold a month to maintain them.
You can choose what alerts are displayed either by deactivating them temporarily or permanently with a right click on it, and and manage all of them in the side menu (just lay your cursor at the right of rhe screen and a menu will appear, you have an option in its high to lock or not the menu and another one to choose what will be displayed in this menu, and there you will be able to display event alerts.)

The same thing applies to decisions. It is not because the game tells you that a decision marked as important is available that you should go for it. I think the option to invite a nobleman to court is checked as important when you launch the game the first time. That's a decision you don't want to be marked as important because it's always available and it just invites a nobleman to the court, so can be useful but most of the time you don't care.
Decisions can be marked as unimportant by clicking the green dot besides the decision , marked as important by clicking the black dot so it becomes green.

Don't hire mercs because your vassals don't like you. Unless you're doing excellent management they will revolt no matter what you do (well, if you just beginned the game btw).
Just go for it, raise ad many men you can from your desmene and your vassals, and if they don't like it well then you already have a gathered army to crush their greedy souls. But unless they really don't like you or you really abuse your vassal troops, this malus is not really important. My average malus when I'm going full warfare is like -20. It can go much higher obviously when I gi for long succesives wars.

 

[SanguiniusStyle]

Also, remember you don't really "win" CK2, you set your own goals: Reunite the Roman Empire as the Byzantines, start as a lowly count and become Emperor, bring Zoroastrism from the brink of extinction. Stuff like that.

And seduce your sister too

 

[Evangeline]

Check out the CK2 tutorials/guides on youtube (the more recent, the better, because the game has changed A LOT over time). The devs have added so much and changed so many details that by now, the ingame tutorial no longer works the way it's supposed to, so it's useless. Much better to learn from all the helpful people on youtube. You can also watch some great recent playthroughs by youtubers such as Cthuloops, Arumba, enigmaticrose4. The latter also made a new tutorial series recently:

 

[mrinku]

And seduce your sister too

And once you've gotten easy stuff like that out of the way, seduce your mother.

 

[Vexurius]

play the last karling at the 1066 start "Count of Vermandois".
your own winning condition is "Empire of Francia".

it will took a while to figure out to achive these,
and gives u the needed "target" for new pdx/ck2 players.

and it is pretty save there,....
at least for me the irland starts are to boring.

lg
vex