Which counties should I control?

[kingofthedicks]

Hey all,

So I'm relatively new to this game, but I've managed to become King of Ireland, Scotland and England in 1330 after starting as the Earl of Dublin in the earliest setting. (A little warefare, and lots and lots of dirty plotting and strategic marriages)

I rule over most counties in England and over all of the other two kingdoms. I control the Duchies of Meath and Leinster in Ireland, the counties of Gowrie and Fife in Scotland, and the counties of York, Lincoln, Middlesex...and one more I can't remember off the top of my head in England. I'm at a point where I need to hand off some of my titles.

Now, I've spent a lot of money over the years upgrading my castles in my Irish holdings, but is it still a better choice to control English counties? Or can I get to a point where the Irish holdings are more valuable and productive than the English ones?

Also, unrelated, is there any reason to grant a kingdom to someone?

 

[Yenzen]

Well. It really depends on your playing style. Keeping the baronies you've upgraded more than your vassals have theirs is a good short choice, as it'll mean no need to anger vassals and a good income in the foreseeable future.

Changing it to richer, English counties, would be more long-term thinking because there would be more holdings = more troops and vassals from subholding vassals. Note that by 1330 it wont really pay off to build income buldings like barony cities since they are unlikely to repay themselves before game end.

It's hard to make a definite reply without knowing the exact status of the counties.

And there is a few good reasons to give away kingdoms as Emperor:

- Fewer vassals = Less people to be concerned with. Even if the rebellions can get harder, they will be more manageable and easier to prevent (at least in my experience)
- Giving away one of the larger kingdoms to your dynasty can be a good cluch solution to unify the kingdoms if you are in trouble. As Brittania, giving away Wales (And Ireland if you're moving) to a loyal vassal and Scotland to a distant dynasty member seems like a decent choice.

With this said, never give away the Kingdom of England or indeed any kingdom that covers more than 1/3 your territory.

 

[Hootieleece]

I would create the title Empire of Britannia. Then hand out titles as you see fit.If you hold more than one Kingdom title the de jure dukes of your non primary Kingdoms will want the title.(-20 opinion)If your Desmesne limit is High Enough (13) you can hold All of Ireland as your personal desmesne and since you have upgraded the castles there it "might" be more productive than English or Scottish Counties.

If your Emperor of Britannia and hand out the King titles.You will have 2-4 Kings to worry about opinion wise.Train them and their heirs to be content and Virtuous like your ruler and never have a faction revolt.(Bishops and Mayors never join factions)

 

[kingofthedicks]

Thanks guys. Interesting feedback. I'm trying to get Brittania. But my piety sucks (things didn't quite work out as planned and my outcast third son took over) so that's out of the equation until at least he dies. He is old, though, so hopefully that comes soon.

I guess I don't understand the technology side of it so well yet. I'm assuming England starts better and always is better than Ireland? What about Scotland? And I don't understand it's impact yet. In my Irish castles I've built all I can in three of them, but don't have the techs to go further from where I am. ately I've been able to pour a ton of money in.

Without Brittania, this is probably going to be difficult to hold together for a while, correct?

 

[Yenzen]

Tech is about equal, basically at game start you can split it into:

Top: Muslims and Greeks
Mid: Western/Central/Southern Europe
Bottom: Everything Else

What should have determined tech by now is time passing and if technology improving buildings were made in the cities and universities. Try going to the tech page, then clicking the "tech map" for individual techs - it should give you an idea of how things look.

 

[Yellowjacket]

Train them and their heirs to be content and Virtuous like your ruler and never have a faction revolt.(Bishops and Mayors never join factions)

How does one do this? Does content breeding with content spawn content?

Also, how would you control who your kingly vassal weds (it's his choice, right)?

 

[Isaios]

How does one do this? Does content breeding with content spawn content?

No, but heir mentored by Content might turn out Content.