Little help to face blobs?

[Maykievic]

Hi! After lots of hours put to learn the game I started in 769 as a count of Lombardy , working my way towards being king.
After 100 years i am a duke(yeah i like to take my time) and i'll probably become king with my next heir. Problem is that i really fear byzantium . They can raise 18k troops while my current liege just 8k or so. Italy is full of wars between vassals and heresies while byzantium is always stable. They just took benevento and i fear they will come for more. What is your adivice in taking them down in the long term? Sow discontent in capital and assassinate rulers? Tactical marriages?
Other than this specific situation how do i take care of scary blobs in general? For example HRE as a neighboring minor in 1066? Not only through alliances , i especially need some advice to make them break apart and have civil wars/rebellions !

Thanks a lot in advance

 

[SaphireSeas]

They just took benevento and i fear they will come for more. What is your adivice in taking them down in the long term? Sow discontent in capital and assassinate rulers? Tactical marriages?

They will eat Southern Italy slowly by de-jure wars. Best way to cruch them is either ally to the Karling mess, or to swear fealty and rip them apart from the inside.

For example HRE as a neighboring minor in 1066?

Depending on the minor, swear fealty.
Most AI empires are reluctant to expand outside their de-jure borders. When they do, it's usually Holy wars.
in 1066, the only minors in the area I can remember are Pomeranians and South Italians, which the HRE often Ignores.

 

[Sergeant Flutter]

Convert to Orthodox --> swear fealty --> become Greek --> become Basileus --> reform Rome --> Deus Vult!

 

[Maykievic]

Thanks i will try that! Instead if i don't want to swear fealty what are my options? Just to know and learn something more

 

[Sergeant Flutter]

Thanks i will try that! Instead if i don't want to swear fealty what are my options? Just to know and learn something more

There are multiple ways. You can always marry into the royal family and get a NAP or Alliance.

You also can try to build your power base somewhere else (Iberia, North Africa, Aquitaine) Whenever I play as the Byzantines, I build up a power base in the Balkans and Sicily before I try to reclaim Armenia.

You can also Ally yourself with other neighboring kingdoms.

Finally, you can join a coalition against Byzantium if they are threatening.

 

[josefrees]

I'd say marrying into them and having a non aggression pact and hopefully an alliance would be good. That or marrying into more and more powerful allies. Have enough relatives and you can have a pretty strong position

Otherwise pay attention to their relations with the Middle East and Eastern Europe. When they are having revolts and wars, take advantage. Look at the empires levies and when they are lower than usual start a war. If you are lucky when they are down you can win. Otherwise the goal is a white peace simply to keep them in a truce.