The way I see it, decadence is supposed to be a limiting mechanic in the game, meant as a counterweight to easy Muslim growth via invasion & conquest CBs, correct? Essentially, it's a mechanism meant to replicate how historically, Muslims would create these huge empires (Almohads, Almoravids, Fatimids, Seljuks) quickly - and then the empires would come crashing down, rarely lasting more than a century.
Problem is, it isn't doing its job. Once decadence reaches 100, a civil war starts. New dynasty with low decadence takes over. The Muslim blob continues its killing spree under a different name. Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss.
Here are what I think would be two good ways to make decadence act as a check on huge powers, the way it was meant to:
1. Change decadence wars from invasions to independence wars, much like the way independence factions work in 1.07: if the decadent ruler loses, everyone who attacked him becomes independent. This would replicate what happened to the original Caliphate, or to the Seljuks.
- Splintering like this gives the ERE a chance to reconquer land because it's easier to beat up many little Muslims than one big one.
- It would give Jerusalem a shot at survival.
- It'd make Iberian Christians more likely to make it as well.
- In short, it makes for MUCH more historical outcomes.
2. Remove decadence wars altogether, and make decadence morale penalties apply to all armies that the decadent rules raises: his own levies, vassal levies, and mercenaries. This replicates what historically happened to the Ottomans: they started strong, made a huge empire, then went 'soft' over time with their armies becoming less & less effective, until they ended up as the only European power that reliably lost wars to Russia.
- It's a possible fallback option in case the first idea makes Muslims too vulnerable to Christian blobs
- Allows for blobs, but limits their growth
Problem is, it isn't doing its job. Once decadence reaches 100, a civil war starts. New dynasty with low decadence takes over. The Muslim blob continues its killing spree under a different name. Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss.
Here are what I think would be two good ways to make decadence act as a check on huge powers, the way it was meant to:
1. Change decadence wars from invasions to independence wars, much like the way independence factions work in 1.07: if the decadent ruler loses, everyone who attacked him becomes independent. This would replicate what happened to the original Caliphate, or to the Seljuks.
- Splintering like this gives the ERE a chance to reconquer land because it's easier to beat up many little Muslims than one big one.
- It would give Jerusalem a shot at survival.
- It'd make Iberian Christians more likely to make it as well.
- In short, it makes for MUCH more historical outcomes.
2. Remove decadence wars altogether, and make decadence morale penalties apply to all armies that the decadent rules raises: his own levies, vassal levies, and mercenaries. This replicates what historically happened to the Ottomans: they started strong, made a huge empire, then went 'soft' over time with their armies becoming less & less effective, until they ended up as the only European power that reliably lost wars to Russia.
- It's a possible fallback option in case the first idea makes Muslims too vulnerable to Christian blobs
- Allows for blobs, but limits their growth
