The best Count start?

[Its_0k]

So I was thinking about starting a game where I could rise from a humble count to a king or even emperor. I’m looking for a start which gives me tools to do this. So, you know any particularly good ones, with rich land and/or interesting characters?

[aaahfreshmeat]

Ireland Counts at 1066 Bookmark for Vanilla game. Fragmented, isolated, plenty margin for error.

It’s also a good place to try out Tribal gameplay (Old Gods and Charlegmane DLC), in the pre-1066 bookmarks available in said DLCs.

[EllyBeeShaped]

Most of my games are Nidaros, which is a one-county count, and in a couple of lucky situations the actual starting character has managed to found Norway all by himself.

I second IReland, though, it's easier than Scandinavia which a run of bad luck can really hose you.

[Dr. Nacht]

Ireland will be difficult to form the empire of Brittania.

[.siiimon]

you could go for the capetian challenge: start as count eudes capet of chartres in 867 and try to work your way up inside the kingdom of west francia to eventually put the capet dynasty on the throne.

[Joe Danger]

Depends of if you are looking for a challenge. Also what DLC do you have?

[Its_0k]

Originally posted by Joe Danger:

Depends of if you are looking for a challenge. Also what DLC do you have?

Old Gods, The Republic, Sword of Islam, Legacy of Rome, Way of life and Monks and mystics. As for the challenge, I’m looking for an interesting game so could also be challenging

[Blackhearted Shaman Jr.]

I recommend playing in northern Russia like in bjarmia or one of there neighbors there are a lot of tribals around in the old gods start the main problem though is that they have no boats and the are suomenusko so you have to reform then adopt either feudalism or a merchant republic

[691neil]

The wiki has a page of historically interesting starts:

https://ck2.paradoxwikis.com/Interesting_characters_guide

My personal favourite is Alfred, Earl of Dorset ( South of England) in the Old Gods bookmark.

[Gnome Boy]

I like playing as the count of ferrara in 867

[gregoryconnolly]

Gotland in the 769 start. It isn't exactly easy, but you can get the got land achievement in ironman and it teaches you how to be a tribal pagan. You will have to deal with 4 dukes looking to form the same realm you are, so only if you wnat a challenge.

[Gnome Boy]

Originally posted by gregoryconnolly:

Gotland in the 769 start. It isn't exactly easy, but you can get the got land achievement in ironman and it teaches you how to be a tribal pagan. You will have to deal with 4 dukes looking to form the same realm you are, so only if you wnat a challenge.

If you want to learn to be a tribal pagan you are better of playing as Upland or Skane. Count level tribes are to dificult for a learning scenario.

[gregoryconnolly]

Originally posted by The Synths are coming!:

Originally posted by gregoryconnolly:

Gotland in the 769 start. It isn't exactly easy, but you can get the got land achievement in ironman and it teaches you how to be a tribal pagan. You will have to deal with 4 dukes looking to form the same realm you are, so only if you wnat a challenge.

If you want to learn to be a tribal pagan you are better of playing as Upland or Skane. Count level tribes are to dificult for a learning scenario.

I agree that it is much easier as a duke than as a count 100%, the OP was looking for count starts. I forget how much time I have spent on this game sometimes.

[Jirki88]

You can take any start and make it Count!

[Junosbetterhalf]

I picked Count Robert of Northumberland in the 81 start as it's my home in real life and he is young with no family and I wanted the challenge of creating a dynasty from scratch. If you suck up to the king quickly and join his immediate war for Cumberland you can marry his young sister and if luck goes your way you'll get the duchy when Northumbria is created. From here I fabricated claims on Isle of Man and parts of Northern Ireland and the king went to war to claim them for me, plus my daughter is now Queen Mother and my son and siblings have weak claims on the throne. Not bad by 1110.

[that guy]

Hasteinn of Nantes is always a nice option. You've got so many choices for expansion, as long as France doesn't holy war you before you get started.

Originally posted by gregoryconnolly:

Gotland in the 769 start.

OP did not list Charlemagne as one of his/her DLCs.