New Player Stating Out -- Good Country?

[unmerged(295)]

Well, to be fair, I DID play CK back when it first came out, didn't like it much, and put it aside.

Now, years later, I've picked the game up again and also bought Deus Vult. I read all the instructions and have tried the game a few times.

I first tried a duchy in Ireland, which was very frustrating as there seemed to be no way to increase my monthly Prestige rate and even with alliances and assinations couldn't get into any wars to expand. And I didn't have the prestige to upsurp a title either to gain a CB. So years passed and it was a borring game.

I tried the other end of the scale by being King of England, but the game was too complex for me at that skill level and I got swamped.

What do the vets here suggest is a good nation for a starting out player? I was thinking something on the frontier with muslims and/or pagans to attack would be good, and either a county or duchy size nation so it's not too much to handle.

 

[Susanna]

Duchy of Apulia, perhaps? Southern Italy, right next to the muslims in Sicily, and a Kingdom title up for grabs with a little expansion.

 

[zachhcaz22]

The Kingdom of Denmark is another good area to play. Small country to manage with lots of room to expand into the Baltic pagans. You also have some claims in England if you so desire to pursue them.

 

[Lord Blekinge]

Duchy of Uppsala is also quite good, you are the most powerful vassal of the Kingdom of Sweden, and depending on the game you can inherit the kingdom quite easily. The Duchy of Flanders is also great, rich and you have a good sized amount of men.

 

[Red Rainbow]

... Why not give a look to the east ? Prince of Peloponnesus seems a good challenge, you only have to be patient and wait for "big violet blob's troubles"...
So you can expand your country against Turkey and middle east or (better choice, IMHO) you can re-write history bringing Greek culture back to southern Italy against muslims and Duchy of Apulia....

 

[Tommy4ever]

The Duke of Aquitaine starts very powerful (much more so than the King of France) however he has the minor problem of only having a daughter meaning, unless he gets a son, the realm will be lost. Basically you should have your wife assasinated and then marry a 16 year old without any problems and get producing hiers.

Once you've got to the 2nd generation as the Duke of Aquitaine its pretty plain sailing. You can easily take the French throne if you get a claim. You can look Southward and become a Spanish Monarch and fight the Moors. You can go on Crusades. All sorts ofeasy fun to be had after that first major problem (your wife).

 

[SchwarzKatze]

Pereyaslavl...

Wait till Kiev gave out most provinces then attack(say 1 or 2 provinces left), claim the count title of Kiev, and send the Pereyaslavl army to Kiev and Smolensk army to the other province, call vassals(or load save) if first wave failed, then took the title of Kiev(both), then you got two rich provinces which should make your economy easy to maintain, then concentrate on buldings for the next few years to let BB drop.

After your reputation got back to normal you could try the Baltics or Pecheng but after conquering them you should renounce the claim(added when you conquered the province) and have him submit to be your vassal. In my game the Lapps kick the ass of Novgorod and took huge.... tracts of land from my cousin, so before they can recover the loss I DoWed on them and re-took huge.... tracts of land which were my cousins(including Novgorod!) and spare them with only one province in the peace deal, soon after that, I became the King of Rus and my relatives start to ask for my protection

 

[sjones25]

I would say the Duchy of Apulia is the best for a beginer. You arn't a vassal of anyone, but you have a pretty small realm that is easy to manage. It shouldn't be hard to expand, since Sicily is mostly owned by Muslims. You can form the Kingdom of Sicily very quickly if you want to.

 

[Drachenfire]

Well, to be fair, I DID play CK back when it first came out, didn't like it much, and put it aside.

Now, years later, I've picked the game up again and also bought Deus Vult. I read all the instructions and have tried the game a few times.

I first tried a duchy in Ireland, which was very frustrating as there seemed to be no way to increase my monthly Prestige rate and even with alliances and assinations couldn't get into any wars to expand. And I didn't have the prestige to upsurp a title either to gain a CB. So years passed and it was a borring game.

I tried the other end of the scale by being King of England, but the game was too complex for me at that skill level and I got swamped.

What do the vets here suggest is a good nation for a starting out player? I was thinking something on the frontier with muslims and/or pagans to attack would be good, and either a county or duchy size nation so it's not too much to handle.

Looking for a Good Starting County? Gwynedd FTW!


But only with the DVIP or TASS downloads. New maps, corrected dynasties, no comparison. At least until we get Cool-T's .... emulater out.

 

[MXD]

Flanders

Impressive demesne, extremely wealthy provinces, decent ruler and heir, a few vassals.

Possibility for moderate expansion in today's Belgium, and you're not too far from Pagan lands. Vassalisation from France, family ties with Normandy (duchy) and England, alliance with Germany (via France).

First years should be quite "easy" to go through, and as the game unfolds, it's pretty possible to take whichever path is opened to you.

 

[unmerged(84239)]

Either small managable kings, or big managable dukes.

Best kings: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland
Best dukes: Apulia, Bohemia, Flanders

 

[Count of Reval]

First, you might like to switch game settings on the lowest difficulty and lowest AI aggressiveness level. And then, if you play 1066 scenario, it might be wise to avoid Iberian Peninsula, Byzantine Empire, Nubia, eastern and southern areas of current Russia, and anything neighbouring the possessions of evil Pope controller Mathilda di Canossa, duchess of Toscana (id est northern and middle area of modern Italy). Everything else, if you do not forget to control and monitor your reputation, should be manageable.
Good surviving!

 

[Tommy4ever]

Either small managable kings, or big managable dukes.

Best kings: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland
Best dukes: Apulia, Bohemia, Flanders

Starting as Bohemia barely counts as starting as a Duke . Within a couple of years you'll be a Kingdom.

Also I've tried in the past to play as Poland but didn't find it very exciting. You seem to be on the fringe of everything, expanding westward into Germany seems to wrong, North is too easy and likewise moving east.

However I've found the Scandinavians Kingdoms very fun. The Usual route to success is to go on a Blatic killing spree for the first 40 years or so then try to unite the Scandinavian realms, then invade the Celtic realms (Scotland, Ireland, Wales) then finally crush England. Then give up.

 

[Insignificant]

My first game as the King of Norway, started yesterday, is going awesome.

 

[Gvaz]

I would say the Duchy of Apulia is the best for a beginer. You arn't a vassal of anyone, but you have a pretty small realm that is easy to manage. It shouldn't be hard to expand, since Sicily is mostly owned by Muslims. You can form the Kingdom of Sicily very quickly if you want to.

Thank you for your suggestion, I just bought this game (with deus vult) and was looking for something easy to get into the game

 

[sjones25]

Thank you for your suggestion, I just bought this game (with deus vult) and was looking for something easy to get into the game

Have fun!

 

[Rivus]

I like the Irish Counties. Duchy and Kingdom is within reach, and avenues of expansions in Wales and Scotland. England can be trouble though. Denmark is has potential, taking advantage of HRE rebellions to take the hanseatic territories - and with pagans nearby to conquer. Apulia is well liked by many as well, for it's proximity to the Holy Lands, and potential to unite Italy.

 

[Morrell8]

Also, you should watch out for any only daughters of neighbouring rulers as inheirting large realms is way easier than conquering them.

 

[okyriosy]

The Duchess of Toscana is pretty OK. If you play your cards right you can destroy the German king and grab many rich provinces for yourself. The only problem is that you should not marry anyone with a different surname or else your duchy will be inherited by another family and you will lose the game.

 

[Count Lake]

Duchy of Toulouse!