Is 867 Byzantine Start too easy?

[Darviathar]

Played CK 2 from release in 2012 right up to this summer. Finally made the switch to CK3 for the Byzantine DLC. Started in 867, which was Byzantium's strongest starting date in 2, but the early one from the previous game obviously isn't available. Have reached 1011, and have grown bored and wondering when/if the difficulty is going to ramp up at all. The initial Makedon Emperor (I started in Paphlagonia) pretty much wiped out Bulgaria and annexed Serbia. The Egyptian Dynasty fell to the Nubians, and the Abassid Caliphate just seemed to fade away. The only challenging fights have been Northmen Invasions, but those have stopped hitting Crimea at the very least, as there is an Empire sized state (which hasn't attacked me) between us now. I have the Seljuk Invasion on, and I know that it should start within 70 years or so. Is that going to be a challenge?

[brownacs]

I'm surprised the Seljuk event hasn't fired by 1011. It might've been defeated already and you've not noticed or they might be a vassal in a larger Persian realm? And no, I wouldn't expect an admin Byzantine Emperor played by a human to have much issue with it.

Try 1178, it's a bit more challenging but being honest CK3's not the most difficult game and most difficulty's going to be self-created after a few years.

[Darviathar]

Originally posted by brownacs:

I'm surprised the Seljuk event hasn't fired by 1011. It might've been defeated already and you've not noticed or they might be a vassal in a larger Persian realm? And no, I wouldn't expect an admin Byzantine Emperor played by a human to have much issue with it.

Try 1178, it's a bit more challenging but being honest CK3's not the most difficult game and most difficulty's going to be self-created after a few years.

I wish they would introduce more starting options, ways to strengthen likely enemies and such, the way Hearts of Iron 3 does.

[armyissue69]

Um, well you'll have mongols and I mean...if you are so awesome...restore roman empire? Get rid of ecumenism? Try having more and more vassals? Try setting your crown to absolute and start jacking up everyones taxes? I mean, it's boring cause your just waiting for stuff to happen while being a really nice liege and tending to all the minor things that a good liege tends to.

IF YOU want a really rough ride of a game, play good ole Benjamin Yitzak from Tmutukaran or whatever its called, right east of kerch 867. THE ONLY rabbinic jewish ruler in the world....You have options but...lol its a pain to get where you wanna go ;)

Start working some achievements you haven't knocked out like...kill your lovers spouse. So many things to do.

[Mr.M]

867 byzantium is a cake-walk with road to power active. Administrative Empire is simply too powerful.

And on top of all that, the 867 start enables you to turn Iconoclast which is easily the strongest christian Faith. Can destroy blue and purple artifacts for 2k+ piety, as well as ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ holy war cb against other christian nations...

The biggest endboss for me is the constant inheritance of my vassal's titles which i have to hand out again...

[Jean-Maurice Nya]

I'm pretty sure you can take any nation at any date and It'd be easy. This isn't a grand strategy focused on military strategy but more on diplomatic one.

[Fatty Slonker]

This game isn't very difficult or engaging in that sense unfortunately... All the "hard" recommendations that people give are either extremely tedious or repetitive.