Tips for an Iceland start?

[blehboy07]

The idea of playing as Iceland really intrigues me. Does anyone have tips for successfully taking Iceland to an empire? And what's better to go for...Brittania or Scandinavia?

[Iskander]

Easiest would be to create a custom kingdom and/or later a custom empire. But if you want to stick to non-custom titles: Scandinavia has the advantage of Iceland being De Jure part of the kingdom of Norway. I think Britannia is easier/smaller to conquer/form, though. But if you start in the early age, you will be tribal with feudal vassals, which can be annoying to manage.

So:
Scandinavia Pros: De Jure kingdom of Norway. All tribals.
Britannia Pros: Easier to conquer the required titles/counties to form (I think! I'm not 100% certain) But the Con for Britannia is the feudal counties.

Another pro for Britannia is that you can evolve into the English culture for boosts to your innovations.

[Admod, the Equivocal]

Brittannia has all ways been easier for me to take.

[blehboy07]

Originally posted by Iskander:

Easiest would be to create a custom kingdom and/or later a custom empire. But if you want to stick to non-custom titles: Scandinavia has the advantage of Iceland being De Jure part of the kingdom of Norway. I think Britannia is easier/smaller to conquer/form, though. But if you start in the early age, you will be tribal with feudal vassals, which can be annoying to manage.

So:
Scandinavia Pros: De Jure kingdom of Norway. All tribals.
Britannia Pros: Easier to conquer the required titles/counties to form (I think! I'm not 100% certain) But the Con for Britannia is the feudal counties.

Another pro for Britannia is that you can evolve into the English culture for boosts to your innovations.

How would I go about evolving into their culture?

[GnomishViking]

I start as Dublin. Take over all of Ireland then take over Iceland.

I’ve tried starting as Iceland and there isn’t a lot of options

[blehboy07]

Originally posted by GnomishViking:

I start as Dublin. Take over all of Ireland then take over Iceland.

I’ve tried starting as Iceland and there isn’t a lot of options

Which year start would you recommend for that?

[Mindmaker]

Scandinavia, it's mostly mountanious, so if you only build pikemen, you will win every fight.

[Judas]

in the 867 start the left side of the island has a catholic female unmarried leader with pretty decent stats. Taking the right side is easy enough then once you have a duchy title you can get a matralinial marriage to a count in Ireland then start working on ireland.I took most of europe and a good chunk of north africa as Iceland

[CrUsHeR]

I would wait for the patch.

Generally i would recommend Audr Flatnefr as the better start in 867. She always starts as catholic with the scholar tree mostly filled out; quick trait and decent martial + prowess to command armies and become a Viking. Due to having Apostate, you can adopt virtually any religion for 250 piety, in case you prefer something like Insular or Adamite.

Since she already has three teenager sons, you can just marry the guy with the highest prestige gain, giving you more prestige to kickstart your MAA regiments and declare wars.
If you stay Catholic then Scotland will leave you alone. Beware in case you want a different religion, it needs to be christian with the Ecumenism tenet, otherwise you are target of holy wars same like pagans.

Giving her the Martial / Gallant tree is probably the best procedure, picking up all three tier 1 talents, starting with the reduced CB cost.
Buy archers and some footmen from the prestige you got through marriage. Then raid Austisland as soon as you have 400+ troops. After conquering that guy you have like 800-1500 troops and can start with mass conquest.

Forming Norway with her should be relatively easy, because your capital is very very far away from all the action, and you can actually command your army yourself and have all your sons as champs with you. Unlike Haraldr Fairhair who is mostly stuck defending his stupid wife and newborn kids.