What Runs / Starts would you all recommend for Ironman?

[Cpt.Shroom]

I would like to hear your most favorite or most recommended Starts / Runs that you did in Ironman and why. This is to help show others what possible starts they over looked and should try out to have a fun time!

I personally recommend starting as Pala in the 769 start date, you have many routes to expand early on using the Subjugation casus beli. You also have close ties to China along with much of the silk road and can snowball rather nicely once you clean up India proper.

[Zara]

Estonia (769) is pretty good for a Pagan run. They start out reasonably strong, so they can overpower there neighbors. And they start next to three of there religions holy sites.

[Karlington]

I quite enjoyed playing as Erik the Heathen in 1066 when I was going for the Heathenous Ways achievement. It is a very difficult start, but not one of the impossible ones.

As a pagan in Catholic Sweden you will not be much loved, heh. :) The king kept arresting me and I kept having to berserk my way out. Lost a hand doing it once, but oh well, c'est la vie. :)

[Code]

962 when the holy roman empire was formed, i think it's pretty stupid that a game that envoles europe exclusively and is a very marriage and political game, doesn't have a holy roman empire system similar to Europa universalis 4.

[Ramirez™]

Pala has another nice advantage. In Kataka, wich can be taken over easily, is the Konark Sun Temple. Tier IV + 2 features.
You only need to convert to Hindu to activate it.

I am just wondering about the subjugation CB. With nomads it said you could use it only once per lifetime. With Pala it doesn't.

[Azoniar]

Originally posted by Code:

962 when the holy roman empire was formed, i think it's pretty stupid that a game that envoles europe exclusively and is a very marriage and political game, doesn't have a holy roman empire system similar to Europa universalis 4.

This game is better at simulating the HRE than EU4 in my opinion.

[Grizzledorf]

apulia earliest vanilla start date

[Cpt.Shroom]

Originally posted by Ramirez™:

Pala has another nice advantage. In Kataka, wich can be taken over easily, is the Konark Sun Temple. Tier IV + 2 features.
You only need to convert to Hindu to activate it.

I am just wondering about the subjugation CB. With nomads it said you could use it only once per lifetime. With Pala it doesn't.

It is special with Buddhism, but has to be against other Buddhists or of your own culture.

[Zsrai]

Originally posted by Code:

962 when the holy roman empire was formed, i think it's pretty stupid that a game that envoles europe exclusively and is a very marriage and political game, doesn't have a holy roman empire system similar to Europa universalis 4.

That's because the HRE didn't work like it does in EU4 back around the 11th century.

[Karlington]

It'd be nice if the HRE mechanics could be developed a bit, though, to reflect the advance of history. I mean, with the Great Works patch we got the ability to form the tsardom of Russia which gives an ability that helps with the real-world Russian expansion across the eastern steppes, which is centuries later. And we can do this even in the CM starting date of 769. :)

That being said, the HRE does have some unique mechanics, the main one being the princely elective system, and its electors. A unique succession method that also gives a +20 vassal limit.

But hey, I'm always in favor of new content if it somehow adds to the fun. :)

EDIT: One thing that I'd definitely like to see is the ability for the HRE to reform the Roman Empire, much like the Byzantines. Both considered themselves true heirs to the Roman Empire IRL.

[Karlington]

Oh, and I forgot: doesn't the HRE have the empire government type as well? Not unique, but only shared with the Byzantines (and possibly Roman Empire, if reformed).

[DonJuanDoja]

Originally posted by Karlshammar:

Oh, and I forgot: doesn't the HRE have the empire government type as well? Not unique, but only shared with the Byzantines (and possibly Roman Empire, if reformed).

Not government, succession law. Elective Gavelkind. Anyone can get it with the right requirements even Kingdoms.

They're Feudal government just like everyone else.

[Karlington]

The Holy Roman Empire does not use elective gavelkind. It uses princely elective, which is a succession method unique to the HRE.

Imperial government is considered feudal as well, however, I checked the Wiki and it appears you are correct: the HRE is just regular feudal. :( Only the Byzantine Empire and the reformed Roman Empire have imperial government.

[DonJuanDoja]

Originally posted by Karlshammar:

The Holy Roman Empire does not use elective gavelkind. It uses princely elective, which is a succession method unique to the HRE.

Imperial government is considered feudal as well, however, I checked the Wiki and it appears you are correct: the HRE is just regular feudal. :( Only the Byzantine Empire and the reformed Roman Empire have imperial government.

Yea you're right, been a while since I played them, mixed up the gavelkind with the princely/imperial forgot those were unique. You can't use it with others, but HRE can switch to others if you have the Reqs.

[Karlington]

Originally posted by DonJuanDoja:

Yea you're right, been a while since I played them, mixed up the gavelkind with the princely/imperial forgot those were unique. You can't use it with others, but HRE can switch to others if you have the Reqs.

No worries, man. Impossible for a mere human to remember everything. I mean I myself just misremembered thinking that the HRE has imperial government, heh. :)

Yeah, you can change the HRE succession system. You just need absolute rule (no powers to the council) and maximum centralization.

It's actually not that hard to get, but it's hard to handle the change: going for max centralization is fine under prince elective since you have +20 vassal limit, but when you change over you'll lose 20 off your vassal limit and be at maximum centralization, so very hard to not be over vassal limit then! :)