Beware the subjugation war

[Flybox]

I'm sure this isn't news to a lot of you, but it definitely caught me off guard.

I tend to lean toward a RP style of playing this game. I like to have a successful family, and try to build a strong, successful realm, but I'm not really looking to paint the map, or unlock every achievement. But, when my play style leads to military or gaming success, great. So my recent Ivar run started out right up my alley. Died young, and the realm broke up, but young Barid took the throne of Alba, and conquered much of Ireland, creating that kingdom as well. I implemented tanistry in Ireland, knowing full well the realm might split in two one day, which is precisely what happened. And there was some border gore, as both the new Alban and Irish kings had land on the other side of the water. And my family was spread out, and doing very well. Besides my character in Alba, and his cousin in Ireland, independent Ivarings ruled in Iceland, Man, Lothian, and Lotharingia. I unlocked three blood legacies before it was even the year 1000. Good times. Anyway, I ended up vassalizing my relative in Man, who went on a rampage of war that happily expanded my realm. Mostly directed at our relatives. He conquered Lothian, the Isles, the Northern Isles, and Iceland. He wasn't nearly powerful enough to take me on, but he controlled almost half of Scotland.

That's when I noticed he was attacking Dublin for some reason, so I clicked on the icon and discovered he was engaged in a subjugation war for the kingdom of Ireland! I didn't know what would happen if he won - and he was absolutely going to win - but I suspected I was about to lose half my realm. Which is, of course, what happened. He became the King of Ireland, and took all his vassals and lands with him, and not in any neat, tidy fashion. Just a mish mash of yellow and green, like those maps of that border town that couldn't decide if it should be part of Belgium or the Netherlands.

Anyway, I eventually gave up on that run, but not because of that. I was sort of looking forward to saving up enough prestige to turn the tables on him and subjugate him right back, but I got bored with it, as I often do once I'm more than a century in.

Lesson of the story: in case you weren't aware of it, yet another reason to fear a very powerful vassal is that he can subjugate himself right out of your realm if the opportunity presents itself.

[Al120]

I found out the power of Subjugation wars my self. Mainly when I was just this random vassal in a Khanate, that I my self was the powerful vassal. I had enough of a miltary force I completely stripped Oghuzl or however it's spelled fron this one Khan and became my own independent ruler.

From there I mopped up what's left of the neighboring small kingdoms that I went from being some duke, to being able to field more raw military power that surpasses even the Byzantines in one generation.

But then I guess the old ruler who I finessed his realm from tried to duel me cause I was old his prowess was 10 and he was old as well and mine was 15. I felt like I was gonna loose everything all of sudden. So I accepted the challenge, but he backed down and coward away.

Honestly I spent most of the time expanding and raising and maintaining control. He's likely the most successful miltary character I ever had and probaly ever would. A Psuedo-Genghis Khan which would be interesting to see how well I can hold on to that power untill the mongols arrive...

Problem with that is I may have becom too powerful too quick, that I'm actually taking a break. Tribal Confederate Partion gonna do it's thing soon, but it ain't too bad. He's Celibate so basically the realm will split with two Kingdom titles worth amongst his two sons so that may be interesting.

[schenn]

Got to have that emperor title. Keeps your kingdoms from being subjegated away from you. This way, whoever wins the war becomes your vassal. Then you wait for that sweet imprisonment justification and yoink their bloody titles away.

[Average AMD neanderthal]

this is why as a tribal, you keep finding reasons to revoke titles from powerful vassals. and as soon as you're feudal, you can impose some lovely forced partition on their contracts :)