New favorite runs?

[Flybox]

Just curious if anyone else has found a fun character to play recently that hasn't really been mentioned before as a good prospect. Myself, I've recently enjoyed playing Count Sishnand of Coimbra in 1066. Seizing the other two counties in Coimbra that are already part of Galicia is trivial, and your wife often inherits Portucale, and even if she doesn't, she gets a strong hook on it, meaning your heir is in position to control two duchies.

I've really wanted to use this start to do a Mozarabic Portugal game, but both times I've played it, I've found a reason why it was better to just convert to Catholicism (i.e., a third son).

Anyway, I think it's actually a better launching point for 1066 Portugal than Nuno is.

[Reaper King]

There's a 1 state county which sits in the indus valley, and is surounded by a few medium sized state's. Is personally one of my favorite starting points ever. Why ? Cause with a few decently purchased millitary units and some strategic alliances you can quickly control the heart of the indus valley which is the most op region in the game. I am talking about a region where every state from the start has 20 + dev, is feudalized and most of it is farmland. As soon as you form your duchy title you will be set finanicially for the rest of the game and from there you can just steamroll your way through Asia.

[[GCA] King Apo]

Not really a ruler, but a county. I start with my hometown in the HRE as a count and work myself up. It's isanely difficult sometimes, since you are the weakest around you and have to get creative.

Nobody useful wants to marry you, even the weakest neighbour is as strong or stronger, you got a boss who often doesn't want you to conquer anything or gives your stuff to his kids... But it can be really rewarding and you can do this with nearly every bigger ruler in the game. (Start as a small guy in there and work yourself up)

[tei]

Which Indian state in which time please? Sounds pretty interesting. I've run out of interest starting in Pagan and Sri Lanka...

[Kimlin]

I currently started my run as Iceland and I am on the verge of creating the North Sea Empire(just need to wait the 30 years) it has been a fun run probably one of my favorites.

[jerrypocalypse]

Earl Murchad mac Diarmait of Dubhlinn is an interesting start. You and your father (a neighboring Earl, who's land you'll get when he dies) are the only Catholic ruler's in Ireland in 1066, and your land is the last remaining bit of Norse population in Britannia. So it leaves the door open for a lot of directions.

When I played, I converted back to Insularism and hybridized Irish and Norse and slowly took over Ireland and then England.

[Flybox]

Originally posted by jerrypocalypse:

Earl Murchad mac Diarmait of Dubhlinn is an interesting start. You and your father (a neighboring Earl, who's land you'll get when he dies) are the only Catholic ruler's in Ireland in 1066, and your land is the last remaining bit of Norse population in Britannia. So it leaves the door open for a lot of directions.

When I played, I converted back to Insularism and hybridized Irish and Norse and slowly took over Ireland and then England.

That's also a good one.

[Flybox]

Originally posted by Reaper King:

There's a 1 state county which sits in the indus valley, and is surounded by a few medium sized state's. Is personally one of my favorite starting points ever. Why ? Cause with a few decently purchased millitary units and some strategic alliances you can quickly control the heart of the indus valley which is the most op region in the game. I am talking about a region where every state from the start has 20 + dev, is feudalized and most of it is farmland. As soon as you form your duchy title you will be set finanicially for the rest of the game and from there you can just steamroll your way through Asia.

Sounds interesting. I've tried several runs in India, and never found a start I really liked. Quick browse at the map says you're starting somewhere in Punjab in 867?

[dwarfpcfan]

Currently playing a run starting as a custom duke of Jylland replacing the current Bacgsec, my plan was to use him as a springboard for north sea empire but finally this time do it by forming the Kingdom of Man and the Isles first.

I thought I was clever, I married Saga Truthspeaker and negotiated alliances with her family to keep Snake in the Eye and Bjorn off my back, then I rampaged up to capture Gottland, then the duchy of the Norther Ilse, before finishing off taking all of the lands and getting the prestige to form the title.

Said ruler succeeded, then his heirs went on to capture Norway, Danemark, England and even going down south to Secure the Mediterranean. It was all absolutely fantastic as a run

Unfortunately because my research and tech devellopment was so fast. I managed to hit the high medieval age in 1052, just 4 years before I would have held the three required titles for 30 years to form the Empire.

So that was quite the shock. But it's still one of the most fun runs I've had so far. Now that I've locked myself out of North Sea Empire, I'm really not sure which empire I want. I'm not missing much to form Scandinavia or Brittannia and I have the cash to form a custom empire but I haven't decided yet.

[Reaper King]

Originally posted by Flybox:

Originally posted by Reaper King:

There's a 1 state county which sits in the indus valley, and is surounded by a few medium sized state's. Is personally one of my favorite starting points ever. Why ? Cause with a few decently purchased millitary units and some strategic alliances you can quickly control the heart of the indus valley which is the most op region in the game. I am talking about a region where every state from the start has 20 + dev, is feudalized and most of it is farmland. As soon as you form your duchy title you will be set finanicially for the rest of the game and from there you can just steamroll your way through Asia.

Sounds interesting. I've tried several runs in India, and never found a start I really liked. Quick browse at the map says you're starting somewhere in Punjab in 867?

Indeed that is correct. Specifically in Dipalpur. I always go with a custom crafted ruler ( Under 400 points) with a scholar education and Genius. Thats to make sure I can keep the family of Genius trait in the blood line and the other is to increase dev speed. From there all you have to do is rush some heavy infantry ( as much as possible) then fabricate a claim on the nations to your north. From there make allies, and prepare for a holy war for Banu Sama. Once you have Banu Sama its bassically game over. With Punjabi Culture , Vaishnavite and some of the most fertile and deved up counties in the world you can sit back and just do whatever you want as you print 100 gold easily. Also due to where its posistioned you will always find fun as despite your strength you will always be facing tough oponents as India and the Islamic world can easily throw 100k armies at you but you also have plenty of goals to aim for such as Uniting india, becoming lord of the Ganges, fighting the mongols, or ending Islam.

[Seijana]

I've had two really great campaigns but I don't really credit either with the starting choice. That said, doing what I did in Sudan as the Banu Kanz might be fun. Long story short, I arranged my heir to be raised as a kushite and from then on all our neighbours, being christians to the south and moslems to the north, hated us and refused to negotiate.

Overcoming all the holy wars culminating in a catholic crusade and establishing the Kushite faith as the state religion of a Nile-spanning empire felt awesome.

[Elriadon]

Duke Kolo In 867, he rules the easternmost province on the map (Wuluhai), which is the only Nestorian one (far eastern form of Christianity). and he's Nestorian as well. It's fun to play as him and try to convert the easter part of the map to Christianity.

[jerrypocalypse]

Started a run as the historical character Audr (Iceland 867) and it's been an absolute blast.

I converted from Catholicism to Insularism, and am working on forming my own Christian faith. It's been fun kinda sitting back while the Catholics and Norse pagans go at it. I basically took over Iceland and the Northern Isles and then started playing tall and spreading my house/dynasty through clever marriages.

[Flybox]

Originally posted by jerrypocalypse:

Started a run as the historical character Audr (Iceland 867) and it's been an absolute blast.

I converted from Catholicism to Insularism, and am working on forming my own Christian faith. It's been fun kinda sitting back while the Catholics and Norse pagans go at it. I basically took over Iceland and the Northern Isles and then started playing tall and spreading my house/dynasty through clever marriages.

I've never actually stuck with an Audr run past just experimenting for a few years. I think I'd like to, though. Lots of possibilities. Tell me, have you decided to stay content on being a Duchy, then? Or did you at least temporarily hold a third title so you could create a custom kingdom?

[jerrypocalypse]

Originally posted by Flybox:

Originally posted by jerrypocalypse:

Started a run as the historical character Audr (Iceland 867) and it's been an absolute blast.

I converted from Catholicism to Insularism, and am working on forming my own Christian faith. It's been fun kinda sitting back while the Catholics and Norse pagans go at it. I basically took over Iceland and the Northern Isles and then started playing tall and spreading my house/dynasty through clever marriages.

I've never actually stuck with an Audr run past just experimenting for a few years. I think I'd like to, though. Lots of possibilities. Tell me, have you decided to stay content on being a Duchy, then? Or did you at least temporarily hold a third title so you could create a custom kingdom?

Right now I'm still on Audr herself (medicine tree perks, so she's quite old now) so I've been good withe the 2 duchies. I want a kingdom, but I've been debating how I want to make it. If I want to grab another duchy and where, or if I just want to fgo ahead and form Norway since Denmark and Sweden were formed by Ragnar's kids.

Side note, and interesting twist in my playthrough is that it's looking like I'll have two more generations of women ruler's. My son and heir was murdered in his 40s by my spymaster (they became rivals), and my other two sons are terrible. I had two daughters after I remarried, with the youngest remaining at my court in a matrilineal marriage and turning out amazing (the other daughter is married matrilineally to a duke in Wales through some shenanigans). And my youngest daughter has had only daughters (3) and is 36, so may not have any more children before she inherits (I set up Scandinavian Elective so she'll get everything)

[Flybox]

Originally posted by jerrypocalypse:

Originally posted by Flybox:

I've never actually stuck with an Audr run past just experimenting for a few years. I think I'd like to, though. Lots of possibilities. Tell me, have you decided to stay content on being a Duchy, then? Or did you at least temporarily hold a third title so you could create a custom kingdom?

Right now I'm still on Audr herself (medicine tree perks, so she's quite old now) so I've been good withe the 2 duchies. I want a kingdom, but I've been debating how I want to make it. If I want to grab another duchy and where, or if I just want to fgo ahead and form Norway since Denmark and Sweden were formed by Ragnar's kids.

Side note, and interesting twist in my playthrough is that it's looking like I'll have two more generations of women ruler's. My son and heir was murdered in his 40s by my spymaster (they became rivals), and my other two sons are terrible. I had two daughters after I remarried, with the youngest remaining at my court in a matrilineal marriage and turning out amazing (the other daughter is married matrilineally to a duke in Wales through some shenanigans). And my youngest daughter has had only daughters (3) and is 36, so may not have any more children before she inherits (I set up Scandinavian Elective so she'll get everything)

I gave this run a shot after I read your post. I nabbed Halogaland as my third duchy. I thought it fit from an RP perspective, plus anything to reduce the number of Norwegian duchies and make it more likely for the AI to actually form Norway I like.

Oh, and I did it while I was still Audr. Some unfortunate deaths (I wasn't involved) meant everything would go to a single son.