Play as Rollo (Hrolfr), maybe even Uhtred

[DoubleBizzy]

I watch Vikings (and the Last Kingdom). I saw some posts today about playing as "Rollo", so I thought I'd share what I worked on today. Ideas of how to play as Hrolfr de Normandie (aka Rollo). Must start 867: Hrolfr de Normandie is a courtier (Marshall) in Nidaros (aka Trondelag) county (de jure Norway). IRL, he took over Rouen ~918 according to Wikipedia, so you can wait 50 years game time if you want :P But then the character ID numbers likely won't all match what I have here, so you'll have to utilize "charinfo 1". And other *fun* may change the landscape.

Obviously you could just "give_title c_arques 242" and be done, but where's the *fun* in that?

1) The pseudo realistic / historic, also simplest, method where you must fight and win a battle against West Francia. Also, most of this (minus making Charles a direct liege) could be done in Ironman without console commands (IF Hrolfr will come to your court).
a. Play as a strong (large levy / event troop) Norse King (e.g., Bagsecg of Jylland has large levy and doesn’t start out at war, Haraldr Fairhair same, Bjorn, Halfdan, Ivar, Sigurdr, etc.). You could also take the time to figure out who Hrolfr will like to increase chances he comes to your court.
b. Invite Hrolfr to your court (if he won’t come even with a gift, just bring up the console using ` key and type “move 242” to move him to your court. Normal marriage does NOT seem to persuade him like I used to do).
c. Declare war against King Charles for a county conquest of Rouen (aka Arques). Optionally, wait until France is weak from raids and wars to ensure victory. In this case, you may not need as strong of a character if it's timed just right.
d. Win & grant Hrolfr the Rouen title.
e. If you want Charles to be his direct liege - pause & switch to his Duke-liege “play 168246” and transfer vassalage to King Charles. Effect is immediate.
f. Switch back to Hrolfr “play 242”. Skol! Or is it voila now that you’re French?... Skoila!
g. Might want to become Christian ASAP to avoid having your title stripped. Problem is, via the intrigue tab it will cost 1000 prestige that you may not have. To do it via console, “religion catholic”.


2) The much more complicated way (but you get to fight as Hrolfr) [do these while paused] that won't work in Ironman.
a. Give Hrolfr a claim to Rouen “claim c_arques 242”
b. Make the Rouen count independent. This is a series of steps: As his Duke (“Play 168246”) transfer vassalage to King Charles (right click Charles and transfer). Then as the Count (168171) declare war for independence, surrender as the King (90104), then go back and accept as the Count.
c. Trigger the claimant adventure “event TOG.1200 242”. In order for this to work, you have to be playing as the Count of Rouen.
d. Wait 2 years (game time, not irl).
e. When the event activates and Hrolfr gets his host troops, save game. You CAN start playing as him, but you have to do so carefully; making a wrong move will quit out the entire game to your desktop.
f. “play 242” and do nothing else but press space bar / advance time. If the game was paused when you switched to him and you try to interact with the troops, it will likely quit out. If pause – switch – advance ~2 days via space bar – now you can interact = still fails, try switching while time is advancing rather than during a pause. Both worked for me, though the latter was my first success and worked twice; I only did the pause version once.
g. When this succeeds, you control the host levy!
h. Swear fealty to Charles if you like, but be weary of the chance your title gets revoked for Paganism.


These should also work for "Uhtred of Bebbanburg", Marshall of Sjaelland (867 start, ID 217293). Yes, that character is really there. Though the steps would be quite different if you wanted to make him a Baron instead. From the Wikipedia I found, looks like he should be the Baron of Bamburg in Northumbria (which Aella owns 'temporarily' due to impending Heathen Army), or should be in Derby. Both seem risky to me due to potential immediate loss, plus giving him Bamburg would make him Earl level, and maybe you want to roleplay his ascension from Baron. If you want to play it out rather than just "give_title", maybe wait until the invasion finishes and then activate the claimant adventure event. You could also conquest, though that might fail due to Northumbria being at war already (not sure, haven't played it out), then you'd have to try and subjugate fellow pagans and use up the once-lifetime subjugation CB. If I knew how to create a new Barony via the console (immediately, not just cash and build) I'd do that and then give title to Uhtred. Maybe even mess with his character traits to reflect the duality of Wessex / Norse.

[Neshamah]

Ok. Thanks for that.

Edit: No wonder you keep a private profile.

[DoubleBizzy]

Originally posted by Neshamah:

Ok. Thanks for that.

Edit: No wonder you keep a private profile.

You're very welcome. Glad you were able to find this info and learn something from it.

Oh, reminds me in a different forum someone asked if there are Norman mercs. I did see the Varangian Guard created while I was messing with this Rollo thing and they were available to me in the military screen / merc tab. Not sure if I only saw them because I was a Norse character at the time; like how Pagans prob couldn't hire a Catholic Holy Order.

Do you know the answer to that...? Are mercs available to you based on location? Culture? Religion? Anything else?

Please. contribute something. :D

[Rene]

Originally posted by robbx213:

Oh, reminds me in a different forum someone asked if there are Norman mercs. I did see the Varangian Guard created while I was messing with this Rollo thing and they were available to me in the military screen / merc tab. Not sure if I only saw them because I was a Norse character at the time; like how Pagans prob couldn't hire a Catholic Holy Order.

Do you know the answer to that...? Are mercs available to you based on location? Culture? Religion? Anything else?

There are no Norman mercenaries[www.ckiiwiki.com] except when with Conclave enabled some Norman ruler creates a custom mercenary company. The linked list also includes religious requirements for hiring mercenaries, when they exist.

Holy Orders are another thing entirely. They cannot ever be hired by someone of a different religion.

And (sorry I can't help myself) about "contribute something": was it really necessary to contribute the same information four times?