What to do when nothing happens?

[8-bit]

I have had this for a few weeks now and like the idea and have enjoyed playing it but at times I have found I have nothing to do. Do people generally just continually plot to kill and invade other kingdoms to increase their own?

[gregoryk64]

A little down time can be advantageous. Usually the best time for this is during a regency or (if you are playing with Conclave) the two year period of coucil discontent on succession. I usually use this time to build improvements, let my troops build up, and improve relations with my vassals through feasting or diplomacy.

It's also a good time to look at potential targets to grow your realm. Check to see what claims you can press for vassals or courtiers that will be favorable to you. Find targets that are weak after just finishing up a war or have just lost major allies due to daeth or succession.

But eventually something will happen to make things more exciting. That troublsome duke who has been streamrolling your other vassals and is becoming large enough to challenge you will eventually screw up and give you reason to imprison him and maybe go to war. Your religious leader may call a crusade, or one may be called against you. A title claimant you didn't even know existed may prepare an invasion, or peasant revolts may spring up. And depending on your DLC and when you start your game, there are always viking raids and conquests that may target you.

Or if things are too quiet you can always make something happen. Revoke a title for no reason. Sleep with your vassal's wives. Convert to a heresy. It's a sandbox game, and you set your own goals.

[8-bit]

Thanks for the suggestions gregory :)

[Linio]

Yup I would say the same, so many stuff to do...
Of course there are some time where the game is "slow", i usually put the speed on fast mode until I can get back on track.

[jfoytek]

There are tons of things to micro manage when your not at war which is 99% of my game play!

A) Marraiges, finding a matrilineal marraige to anyone who will inherit anything this may also mean that I need to invite said person to my court to force the matrilineal marriage! Its takes alot of time to search the lists for said people....

B) Being sure I am building up my holdings and queing up the next best building in the next best location

C) Plotting who can I kill off to get my dynasty in control of another title!

D) Checking who my heir is and ensuring there is not a better heir in which case do I need to change laws or .....

E) Verifying that I am not running business focus and already have a trade route, or stewardship / business after 48.... Or maybe a Military focus is more usefull during mid age and ensure my character at old age is a hunter or family focused....

F) Verifying my heir isn't doing anything stupid...

G) Answering and responding to Events.

H) Clearing messages verifying if its needed info...

I) Switching between map filters to look at the overview of the map to see how my religion is doing, my culture is doing, my dynasty is doing and formulating plans to help out those area I see as high priority.... Maybe the sunni's are pushing hard north into france I may decide to get involved and help france and italy counter that issue... Maybe Tengri is pushing hard into eastern europe I might help out poland and bohemia in this case!

Honestly there is an infinite amount of brainstorming you can always do and there should never be down time.... as this game is not about war and conquest.... learn to play it with No war and not let yourself grown larger then one De Jure Kingdom and NOT paint the map!!!

Learn to play the game the way it was designed as a Dynasty simulator not how strong you can make one single character of your dynasty!

[Malthusians]

Yeah think long term - work on your genetics program, build improvements, save up some cash for when things get "interesting". Plan the next move, maybe you need to improve opinion of somebody so they'll aid you or at least stay out, maybe you need to assasinate somebody's wife to remove the marriage link that gives them an alliance, purge your court of lunatics and troublemakers - for me there's never enough time to do everything I want.

Genetics program - I work on getting as many tough and genious characters into my court, marrried and producing babies, for one thing that gives a nice future crop of talented courtiers as well as being available to marry into the bloodline. And positive trait holders, to use as teachers or just to increase the chances of them educating positive-trait offspring (I'm not sure this works the same now though - still it can't hurt). Especially "Content" because those make great vassals, I love having some spare Content courtiers so they're handy when it's time to grant a bunch of newly acquired territory...

[Jet]

i always start breeding programs. I run ck2+ so theres quite a bit of congenital trait characters to recruit. Genius and quick specially tasty

[gregoryk64]

Originally posted by nihil cat:

Raiding and trade war are two things people neglect a lot! If I find myself having to wait around for trauce timers I send my troops to raid, this works even against people you are at truce with and helps weaken them for the next war and make the most of your time. My favorite trick is to raid an enemy neighbor's trade posts, destroy them completely and rebuild the exclusive silk road port upgrades in my own territories - stealing their high enconomy bonus for myself.

edit: Also keep an eye on your extended family in slow moments, you don't always get messages about people who aren't super high up on the line of succession but these people can become important, especially if your ruler lives much longer than expected or close family dies off. Kind of like real life, if you totally ignore all your cousins/grandkids/aunts/uncles there will definitely come a day you need them/have to deal with them and it will be terrible if you have no relationship!

Raiding is another good option, but only if you are tribal.

[Talezteller]

Originally posted by nihil cat:

Originally posted by gregoryk64:

Raiding is another good option, but only if you are tribal.

All nomadic, pagan and hindu rulers plus a few specific cultures like Norse can raid even while feudal now.

As a reformed feudal Germanic, I have ensured there's always lots of raiding and pillaging being done by my vassals.
Also, does being germanic give the AI an automanic aggression buff?
My Danish colonies in England are going to holy wars against the neighbouring petty kings all the time, even when they stand little chance.

[Talezteller]

General tip: if you find you are bored as a Christian ruler, fabricate yourself a cclaim on a county in pagan europe and Holy War those tribalistic heathen barbarians into oblivion.

[8-bit]

Wow, some great suggestions there. So much I have been missing. Thanks everyone. :)