So how dangerous is China and Christian Crusaders

[Dimitri Cosmos]

This is my first year 769 playtrough, where I have reached 10th century without restarting the game. In my current situation, I'm one of the strongest empire-size kingdoms, bordering Muslim Empire of Hispania that covers Iberia, HRE territories (except Italy), some Slavic pagan kingdoms, empire-size Catholic Khanate of Bulgaria. Many Tengri and Germanic kingdoms are under Chinese protection. The Great Holy War era has started and my Chosen of Perkunas are no longer the only holy order around.

I'm currently focusing on internal affairs: building and assimilating kingdoms into my custom Kingdom of Baltia that covers all de jure territory of Wendish Empire, waiting to reach 5h level legalism before creating a custom empire.

I kind of want one county from Hispania, so that I can assimilate Pomerania completely, but not as badly to go to a war for it against a slightly more powerful Muslim empire (at least, numerically more powerful). Every now and then I take away a duchy from the weak Slavic and Germanic kingdoms.

1st question: If I declare a Great Holy War against Catholics, what are the chances that I would face more than one Holy Order. I can probably beat one with my own Order, but not two.

2nd question: How strong China actually is? I read that going to a war against China means facing 100k soldiers who suffer no attrition penalty and part of those soldiers are powerful crossbowmen. Yet, one of my vassal dukes successfully launched a holy war against a khan who was under Chinese protection and it seemed that China didn't care, even though it was Golden Age there.

Half of Scandinavia and almost all nomads are under Chinese protection. They are my neighbours, so I don't know how to proceed with expansion in this situation where basically I'm the only powerful feudal Pagan on the map surrounded by Muslims, Catholics and China. Luckily, I have a peace deal with China.

 

[Naughtius Maximus]

At empire tier you typically need no peace deal.

After I usurp the Arabian Empire I never receive hostile demands from the emperor. Having said that, de jure Arabian Empire (with most of Persian) is very strong, so that might be the case.

 

[Montelbon]

I don't usually wait before forming an empire as there is no real benefit to not doing it. The extra demesne and vassals are just too good to pass up. Plus you will generate more tech points as an emperor and your vassal kings will generate more than dukes.

1. If you are large enough to form a custom empire then you shouldn't need to worry about enemy holy orders. Just save up enough to hire a large mercenary company. That combined with your holy order and retinue should be enough to crush any AI kingdom even without considering your levy( Though you will need your levy if you're squaring up to the HRE or the Byzantines) 1000-1500 gold should do nicely.
2. China is extremely strong, almost unbeatable if you have less than 100,000 troops at your disposal. They scale to your strength so they will always have more troops than you. The scaling stoops at 300,000 during normal periods and around 450,000 during golden ages. If the targets are just tributaries then China won't care the worst they will do is send a 1500 strong honor guard. If they are direct vassals of the western protectorate then it will be nearly impossible for you to expand there before the end game. For this reason I suggest you turn off major Chinese invasions in the pregame settings in the future (does not disable achievements). China expands way too aggressively with them turned on during expansionist periods IMO and it can ruin your game without you having any control over it.

 

[Dimitri Cosmos]

I don't usually wait before forming an empire as there is no real benefit to not doing it. The extra demesne and vassals are just too good to pass up. Plus you will generate more tech points as an emperor and your vassal kings will generate more than dukes.

1. If you are large enough to form a custom empire then you shouldn't need to worry about enemy holy orders. Just save up enough to hire a large mercenary company. That combined with your holy order and retinue should be enough to crush any AI kingdom even without considering your levy( Though you will need your levy if you're squaring up to the HRE or the Byzantines) 1000-1500 gold should do nicely.
2. China is extremely strong, almost unbeatable if you have less than 100,000 troops at your disposal. They scale to your strength so they will always have more troops than you. The scaling stoops at 300,000 during normal periods and around 450,000 during golden ages. If the targets are just tributaries then China won't care the worst they will do is send a 1500 strong honor guard. If they are direct vassals of the western protectorate then it will be nearly impossible for you to expand there before the end game. For this reason I suggest you turn off major Chinese invasions in the pregame settings in the future (does not disable achievements). China expands way too aggressively with them turned on during expansionist periods IMO and it can ruin your game without you having any control over it.

Ok, thanks for the tips. They clear things up.

As to the delaying formation of an empire, I'm doing it because I want the de jure kingdoms to become titular, so that no one desires them and I can keep them for myself without diplomatic penalties. I have already assimilated 2 de jure kingdoms and in 15 years I will have one more, and in 40 years two more, which will mean that all of the empire will become my primary kingdom. I kind of regret now that I restricted de jure drift to bordering territories in the settings.

Also, I want to reach legalism 5 before establishing the empire.

And actually only recently (with my last 3 rulers) I have reached a point where it's possible for me to acquire 8000 prestige during my lifetime that is required for the custom empire.

Yes, slower tech progress is a bit of pain (but I'm quite advanced for the time period anyway). However, no bordergore and a relative stability for the last 150+ years are nice. (I just gave out land to my kin/countrymen in a way to minimize territorial disputes and created kingdom size duchies. As a result, if there are any revolts then they are within the duchies. There's an occasional split, but I make sure to bring things back in order. And no one asks me a kingdom, because there is no de jure kingdom but mine.)