Suggestion For Smaller AI Realms (Duchy & County Level) When Near A Large Enemy Realm

[pcuser1584789]

Many times in my game I will see smaller duchies that are independent will be in dangerous situations where an enemy religion has a large kingdom or empire on their borders. I think it should make sense for the independent duchies of a de jure kingdom have an event where they decide to elect a king to fight the coming threat. This is specifically when a strong enemy religion realm is bordering them, they should be thinking about offering vassalage to the closest king from the same religion/culture or electing one among the other independent counts and dukes. This would not apply to catholic rulers near a large catholic realm just to clarify. But if Catholics are being encroached by Astratu or other type of Pagan.

For example in my game I am playing as a norther lord and I am now encroaching on mainland east francia and many of these duchies are broken up, small and weak. It would make sense for them to accept vassalage 100% to their de jure king when a large enemy is nearby. Or they should even elect a king and form the kingdom. Like if I can raise 20k men and these duchies can only raise 1k, I would like to see the AI be able to form a kingdom to help defend themselves. Especially if I have already attacked an independent ruler in their de jure kingdom.

Basically I want to see these duchies thinking about survival. I would even prefer to allow surrender in a war by offering vassalage. Imagine if they could save their titles by just surrendering. Seems more realistic that for them to fight a hopeless war. Maybe it would depend on the traits too. Like brave rulers would not submit and also brave rulers would vote for themselves to be king if they could form a kingdom with other independent duchies and/or counties.

Please add your suggestions.

 

[kgptzac]

If we go down this line of thinking, then all the independent states around the Byzantine Empire should blob themselves together, up to the point their military strength is similar to of the Byzantine. By the time primogeniture becomes the norm, the only existing realms are the very few ones that are comparable in military strength. Might make an interesting machine learning experiment, but not sure that'll be an interesting scenario to play with as a player.

Though I do like the idea of conditional vassalization, for example, annexing a duchy but is title revocation protected.

 

[pcuser1584789]

If we go down this line of thinking, then all the independent states around the Byzantine Empire should blob themselves together, up to the point their military strength is similar to of the Byzantine. By the time primogeniture becomes the norm, the only existing realms are the very few ones that are comparable in military strength. Might make an interesting machine learning experiment, but not sure that'll be an interesting scenario to play with as a player.

Though I do like the idea of conditional vassalization, for example, annexing a duchy but is title revocation protected.

in ck2 you had enemies forming defensive pacts against you except it wasn't executed properly. You would have christian rulers joining holy wars against you and siding with enemy faiths because ck2 defensive pacts had no logic to them that made it feel realistic.

I guess to clarify this would be more specific when raiding cultures are on the border of non raiding cultures. So if a norse high kingdom that can levy 10k -20k men is bordering a bunch of weak catholic duchies that have no king, then yeah you could imagine them having an event where they elect one. That's kinda what happened in anglo saxon england. Eventually wessex took hegemony over the others. Mercia gave them the crown because of the viking attacks and great heathen army.

But yeah definitely they should be accepting vassalage to their de jure king when surrounded by numerous enemies (hostile religions/raiding cultures). So maybe at least if the kingdom already exists but they are independent then they should for sure be open to vassalage and not just wait around to be conquered. Or even have that kingdom declare a de jure war on them. If their numbers are weak they should accept vassalage instead of outright losing their titles and being imprisoned/family killed/etc. Or at least an event where after you declare war against a pathetic realm that has 1% of your strength, they should flat out sue for peace by offering vassalage. Make it based on the character traits. It could be done properly with thought put into it and avoid your concern about byzantium etc.