I played the demo quite a bit and took several games all the way to the 20 year limit. I didn't always score very high, but the only time I didn't end with my family controlling more then when I started was with Duke Michael of Byzantium, where I lost the imperial throne after a short reign.
So for my first full game I decided to play as Leon. Things went well at first, and I acquired a three county duchy from the Moors thanks to my family allies in Galicia, Castille, and Navarre. But it takes time to absorb heathen provinces, so I sat back a bit to see what opportunities I would have to unite the christian part of Spain. My wife produced three daughters, but 15 years in my king was still young and a son was still possible, and either way a daughter could inherit the throne. I was as much worried about France's acquisition of Iberian counties as I was the activities of my brother the King of Castille, who I was pretty sure was behind the death of two of the King of Galicia's children and who I knew had made two attempts on mine. My councilors were pretty good, my vassals pretty loyal, and my personal counties provided a nice income and about 1000 troop for my personal levy.
When my king died it was a bit of a surprise, and probably an assasination. But the oldest daughter was close to adulthood and the council was strong. The regency was uneventful and she came to the throne an well-rounded queen. So when a count revolted a few months in with an army 1/3 the size of my personal troops, it was not a concern. I was surprised when all my allies passed on joining the fray, especially as I had answered all calls to arms they had issued. Still, no concern. Then one of the moorish kingdoms declared holy war and marched 2000 men in to join the siege my revolting count's little army had put on one of my personal counties while I was off besieging his, and I didn't even have the option of calling allies in that case. And then another county had a peasant revolt.
It can't get much worse then this, I thought. But with no hope of defeating the huge moorish army, my only choice was to sue for peace and hope I didn't lose too much. Only two provinces, but ouch - one was my capitol province and now my realm was split. Time to pick up the pieces and prepare for the war to get those back. And that's when my minor sister usurped my throne, leaving me the duchess of one province, a province taken from the moors at the beginning and which at that point was producing all of 0.4 in taxes and have zero levies.
The moral being that even when you think you have an idea of what you are up against in this game, you really don't.
So for my first full game I decided to play as Leon. Things went well at first, and I acquired a three county duchy from the Moors thanks to my family allies in Galicia, Castille, and Navarre. But it takes time to absorb heathen provinces, so I sat back a bit to see what opportunities I would have to unite the christian part of Spain. My wife produced three daughters, but 15 years in my king was still young and a son was still possible, and either way a daughter could inherit the throne. I was as much worried about France's acquisition of Iberian counties as I was the activities of my brother the King of Castille, who I was pretty sure was behind the death of two of the King of Galicia's children and who I knew had made two attempts on mine. My councilors were pretty good, my vassals pretty loyal, and my personal counties provided a nice income and about 1000 troop for my personal levy.
When my king died it was a bit of a surprise, and probably an assasination. But the oldest daughter was close to adulthood and the council was strong. The regency was uneventful and she came to the throne an well-rounded queen. So when a count revolted a few months in with an army 1/3 the size of my personal troops, it was not a concern. I was surprised when all my allies passed on joining the fray, especially as I had answered all calls to arms they had issued. Still, no concern. Then one of the moorish kingdoms declared holy war and marched 2000 men in to join the siege my revolting count's little army had put on one of my personal counties while I was off besieging his, and I didn't even have the option of calling allies in that case. And then another county had a peasant revolt.
It can't get much worse then this, I thought. But with no hope of defeating the huge moorish army, my only choice was to sue for peace and hope I didn't lose too much. Only two provinces, but ouch - one was my capitol province and now my realm was split. Time to pick up the pieces and prepare for the war to get those back. And that's when my minor sister usurped my throne, leaving me the duchess of one province, a province taken from the moors at the beginning and which at that point was producing all of 0.4 in taxes and have zero levies.
The moral being that even when you think you have an idea of what you are up against in this game, you really don't.
