Starting again as Ireland, some quick questions.

[jecjackal]

After being excommunicated by the pope and then abdicated (i don't remember that being the result of the lose condition in an excommunication war...), my Irish/Scotish kingdom fell apart. I'm going to try again tonight but I have a few questions.

1) Is there any inherit advantage to landing dynasty members other than your Heir? Specifically is there an advantage of placing an heir as a count over some random guy?

2) Claims: Relating to no.1, If i marry someone who had claims, should i press them (assuming he would retain being my vassal) and sue for whitepeace so his children (my dynasty members) get the claim or should i press teh claim with the intention of winning? Basically when maternally marrying claimants what is the best strategy used?

3) I'm probably going to start as the duke of Munster. I had a hard time expanding early and only united Ireland in 1117 last time. Basically i had to fabricate claims and well...fabricate claims.... Does anyone have any general advice?

 

[yezhanquan]

0) Yes, in an excommunication war, the loser has to abdicate. Basically, excom wars means that the invader does not approve of you remaining a ruler after the excommunication.

1) You land sons to get rid of the prestige loss. Also, your heir starts to accumulate prestige to prepare for takeover, as prestige helps with opinion among nobles.

2) Only press claims when you are sure that the character will remain as your vassal after the war. Remember: even white peace has a slight disadvantage towards the invader.

3) Since Ireland is a small place, you might want to consider creating duchies and pressing de jure claims.

 

[_krampe_]

Yeah start in in the Duchy of Ulster, fabricate claims, conquer, create duchy and dejure the two other countys. Meanwhile you can fabricate claims in a 2 county duchy. Rinse repeat
Only what slowing you down is the lack of gold. (Gamey: Ally yourself to one of the Iberian christians so you can join holy wars and just do nothing, but there is a high probablity that the pope will grant you 200 gold)

EDIT: Oh and i imprisioned and banished my first mayor and bishop, just took the relations hit with my courtiers because it just did not matter

 

[jecjackal]

So when do you return the town and church to normal owners? Thats not a bad idea since they can't rebel against you.

 

[yezhanquan]

When you're small, banishment for gold is feasible. Just don't do it when you're much bigger.

You want a mayor and bishop to be in charge of the holdings, as you get lower income if you hold them yourself.

 

[kardwill]

1) Is there any inherit advantage to landing dynasty members other than your Heir? Specifically is there an advantage of placing an heir as a count over some random guy?

Advantages :
- This will rise your dynasty prestige. Important for marriage opportunities later in the game.
- After a few generations, you'll have family members everywhere in the country, which is nice, because :
- If you have elective monarchy, and your whole nobility is part of the family, it means you'll get to play the king/queen, however the election might turn up. No game over because your only son died from the plague, either. Real confortable.
- A family member's claims gets you new lands when you press them, so having an extended family with ties in many courts offers many opportunities.
- Your dynasty can become a juggernaut, with family members marying off and conquering lands and adding them to the family estate. Which is cool

Diadvantages :
- your nobility will have claims on your titles, AND they will be allied to one another. That means that when they decide to take down a weak ruler, they WILL gang up on you...

Getting family members on foreign thrones can also be dangerous (if they have claims on you...), but will net you much prestige, and new allies. And new opportunities, when you manage to have your king-of-England-cousin voted as heir of your own kingdom