Keeping your line secure? Keep your family home?

[Ahaz Flagg]

So after my latest game, I ran into a mjaor crisis after the plauge hit in the 1270's. It took out everyone in my main line, Everyone!! So I had to start killing family members, took me about 50 years of killing to get heir and 2 pretenders back into main line. Nervous the whole time, as one unlucky RNG or knife in the back and game was over.

So now I am very nervous to send family members out of my main county. I noticed last night, that keeping them in house, that I get way better 3rd genration family members. So, I basiclly am thinking, to just send the 4th or 5th kid for the alliance and keep everyone home.

Is there any downside? I did find a tip where you send out one son to rule a county in case all else fails, but do not see how that will help if the plauge kills my main line again.

What do you all do with your family?

 

[A_Dane]

I usually run Agnatic Primogeniture. If my main line for some odd reason fails, I'll usually have established cadet branches at different places. (Hell, I even make lesser sons barons from time to time, although this is far from failsafe, as they tend to not marry their heirs in time...).

In general, I sometimes keep some male family members at my court, but once you hit 30 courtiers it can become quite hard to keep them alive (AI courtiers get reduced fertility once there's above 30 courtiers). But all in all, I just spread my dynasty as much as possible, and run Agnatic Primogeniture, should ensure your dynasty's survival.

 

[Martinus]

Well, the obvious downside to keeping your entire family home is that you cannot exploit the dynastic ties to the full.

Just to give you an example, I started a game as Duke of Burgundy recently. Through various intermarriages etc. my eldest son now rules Duchy of Provence (he inherited it after my wife died) and my eldest grandson rules Duchy of Flanders (he inherited it after my son's first wife, Duchess of Flanders, died).

Obviously, this meant that I lose control of them (and earlier on, when my son married Duchess of Flanders, he left my court for hers, too). But this would not be possible if I just kept everyone at home. Now, thanks to risking it, I stand to unite Flanders, Burgundy, Provence and chunks of Savoy and Dauphine (thus creating Kingdom of Burgundy) in just three generations, without having to go to war with either King of France or the Emperor (lieges of these lands).

 

[Ahaz Flagg]

Thanks, I think I am going to settle for keeping 1st 2 generations in house to build good mentors, then 3rd only keep top 3. It really seems to boost stats on the 3rd generation. On a second note, what gives with AI hate of genius's? I started last night, for 1st time I have been playing, there were 5 genius's right off the bat, Married one to Heir, 2 sons and 2 others 2 cousins. Within 5 years, all 5 had died producing a whopping 3 kids. So, I married another to my heir, and she was dead within 2 years. Was not happy!! I am thinking based on my mentor program, midas touched is way better then genius's anyways, thoughts?

 

[Comradebot]

Couldnt you have just switched to Seniority?

 

[Ahaz Flagg]

Of course I could have or even elected, but I pick a sucession at start of game and keep it the rest of the game. More of an rp thing , if the game ends meh, I will start another. I like to handicap myself in each game in some form. Comes from EU3. The great thing about this, is I know much better how to keep 20+ stat people on my concil now, so it was worth learning.!! Also, I know when the plague fires and that generation will stay in my realm!!