Why are all the forumers obsessed with...

[Hackworthy]

I'm not obsessed with that area of the map at all.

I actually spend more time observing then actually playing. So I'm impartial to all areas of the map. If you're going to accuse someone of being obsessed with an area of the map, accuse the resident Byzantophiles (No offence to any of you reading this, t'was a joke.)

γονατίζουν στον αυτοκράτορα! The gauntlet is down.

 

[Kalitz]

I never play as England or Scotland in games, because they are boring and most of the time easy. Ireland is nice in CK2 because it's fragmented and you can have a pleasure of uniting a few counties and challenge your big neighbors. I also don't ever play as Poland or Sweden.

 

[whosthebestcop]

Ireland was labeled as the beginners country when the game was released. So many people started out there and recommended it to others.

Every so many games I go back to Ireland I guess because it was my first county in CK2 and it just draws me back, nostalgia I guess.

 

[unmerged(368182)]

Ireland is a lot of fun. So far its what I've been playing and I"ve put a lot of hours in it; it's the only CK2 game I've been playing since I bought the game a few months ago other than a short game as Bohemia, which I may go back to latter. The British Isles may be "easy" and "boring" but it depends on what you do with them. Firstly once you're King you face rebellions and civil unrest which can keep the game interesting. You also can go on the Crusaders, fight the French, conanquer the other parts of the Isles (RE: Kingdom of Ireland and Wales) and start moving into Iberia. So yeah, I enjoy the Isles though I plan on moving on and playing Venice, Byzantine, Sweden and Bohemia latter.

 

[unmerged(717808)]

The game is slightly biased towards the Isles (and Norway!) simply based on the start date.

Lots of interesting things going on all over the map, but I like the Isles for three reasons: 1) I live in the US, so I know more about English medieval history than anywhere else in Europe (you wanna talk Renaissance, its a different story, but then that's also a different game). 2) There is a lot of scope for expansion without a lot of interference from too powerful neighbors. No matter where you start, if you start small and independent like I do, you are going to have to expand in the opposite direction from the HRE and the ERE. Not an issue in the Isles. 3) There are a lot of independent rulers to choose from there, and I already have a good understanding of the political situation. That being said, once I have formed Britannia (from Brittany of course!) in my current game, I think I will move on to Central Europe. It is time I stopped hiding from the Kaiser!

BTW, my first game was based on the Dublin walkthrough and my second was Barcelona (I wanted to get my reconquista on!) and though Dublin taught me the basics, Barcelona is where I really learned to play! Keep coming back to the Isles though.

 

[ChildeR]

I love conquering the world as Wales, starting as a one county countess with England on my doorstep, but I am super looking forward to the Old Gods, so I can play as Alfred the Great.

The man was badass.

In game he's an honest tough soldier, with no stats above 10 on average.

 

[Ravenous.BE]

Implying I haven't played in every corner of the world. I don't like to play Muslim so I haven't done that, but other then that.. I have done it all.

Also, my way of playing is: Starting in the West and after a hundred or so years, conquer lands in the east and keep them as main title and give your original lands to a dynasty member. You'll be playing a new game without playing a new game!


Current game (as Ireland, doh) I control Ireland, I have only one county there, the rest divided under my kin. I also conquered about 60% of Iberia, these lands are also all held by my kin.
The Irish reconquista!

 

[DukeDayve]

I'm English and I've spent more time playing as the king of France than British/Irish factions. I haven't even played Scotland at all yet, though I keep meaning to.

 

[Stolen Rutters]

I am obsessed with France. I played William de Normandie start more than any other starting character, but I have to say even those games had been "conquer the Isles so I can conquer France and turn it Norman". Starting in Ireland, the goal is to conquer France, through England if possible but not necessary. Starting in Scotland, same deal. I don't stop until I reach Genoa and the Rhine river. My next game will be to either start in or conquer West Francia from somewhere, after the old gods is released.

 

[Spartanlemur]

I usually play either Wales, England, Sweden or the Byzantine Empire, because I'm English/Cornish, enjoy playing as the last country to worship the Norse gods I read all about as a child (and played as in AoM ) and like the idea of restoring a 1800 year old empire to dominance. I suppose that once you get beyond your own nation, you end up going for places which you have built a romanticised image of in your head.

If I want to play a new nation, I'll try and watch some media on it and do my research first, so I can build up an image which allows me to RP effectively as a ruler from that culture (eg. aiming for taking territories historically linked, maintaining traditional friends/enemies).