New Game, Starting as Vassal Count

[jecjackal]

My last game I was a count form Ossory (Ireland) and had a blast creating the Kingdom. This time, I want to start as a count and work my way up the ladder of an already existing Kingdom. I was thinking of the HRE (because i'm part German, also part Irish for reference). Since i've never been vassalized, I was wondering how one goes about usurping ducal titles of well your duke?

My other thought was to be a count in the ERE. Odd question, can the ERE Holy war the HRE?

Thanks,

jec

 

[Mauer]

I don't think you can holy war christians as orthodox and vicerversa, you can holy war heretics IIRC.

You can't just usurp titles from people on the same realm unless you already have a strong claim on them, no matter how many counties of that duchy you own. It may be easier to try inheriting through marriage and assasinations, or if you inherit the strong claim via female daughters of a duke you can try usurping like you normally would.

The HRE starts with very low CA so you can forge claims and take counties within your own realm via war. If you grow too much the Emperor will see you as a threat and try to revoke your titles and imprison you, so be careful.

 

[jecjackal]

I need to merely be a duke to be eligible to become the new emperor right? I might sleeze my way up the ladder to Duke and rally supporters for the vote.

 

[User4035]

There are a number of ways to get a duchy.
You can fabricate claims on the counties in the duchy until you have 50% and create your own.
You can do a marriage to a daughter of the existing duke and when he dies you start a succession war, or assassinate your way into the succession(but sometimes this is hard because the AI sometimes has tons of kids so it makes it hard to assassinate everyone).

I haven't played as the HRE but no matter where you start you should be mindful of the crown laws and succession laws. In England for example they start with medium crown authority so you can't go to war with other counts in the same kingdom. Makes it harder to get a duchy.