Courtiers claim, actually gaining control after pressing?

[Corrupted Sanity (Vex)]

I'm new to the game, and it's quite complex but I think I'm getting a handle on it. (Any general tips would be nice to hear as well)

I read a few things around about claims, which are a little confusing (again, I'd be greatful for tips on how to get them) - but I read that if you find someone with a claim on territory you can press it for them. Seeing as trying to get my steward to fabricate a claim has done nothing for me yet...

I invited a guy to my court because he had a claim on a county I'd like to get (and he despised the ruler there).

There are two options - one is dispute succession, which I guess means that (assuming we win), the fellow takes control of the county and has a high opinion of me.
Then there's "claim" - which says that if he's part of the same dynasty (or I have a de jure claim) he becomes a vassal (which I am much more interested in happening). Is it possible to create that? Would creating a matralinial marriage (or something along those lines) work?

And about the de jure claims - You need to control more than half a dutchy to gain those, right? Is it at all possible when the dutchy is only 2 counties?

EDIT: Also, when I'm doing plots and stuff, I notice that some co-conspirators (bishops mostly) have Amoral as a positive for joining - what's up with that? Haha.

[Kekvit Irae]

To actually gain control of a county via pressed claims, the claimant needs to be either A) a dynasty member, or B) a landed character in your realm. You could invite a claimant to your court, matrilineally marry him off to one of your kin, and then press the son's (or daughter's) claim. Other than that, you could give out a barony to the claimant, and thus he will officially be part of your realm. Note that if you are a Count and you press a claim for a county, that claimant will be independent, regardless of the above. Same with a duke and you press a claim for a duchy, or a King for a kingdom. You cannot have vassals that are equal or higher rank than you.

On de jure claims, you cant actually create or usurp a two county duchy unless you own both counties. You need 51%, not 50%. This prevents one Count from usurping the title, then the other Count doing the same, over and over and over again.

[Xandurz]

If he is your direct vassal, he will gain the territory and remain your vassal.
So you can:
As Emperor you can press claims for kingdoms after giving your courtier with a claim a County, and he will become your direct vassal (his kingdom too)
As King you can press a claim on a Duchy (kingdom titles will become independent taking the county given with them).
As a Duke you can get counties at most since As a Duke you cannot have Duchies under you.

[Wolfram]

You're new, eh? The claims are confusing for me too sometimes, but I can help you out with army levies and military strategic.
1) Never cross a river when attacking.
2) after you've sailed to a place you have to send your men 1 or more tiles away from an enemy.(you should also block the river front from enemies sailing)
3) bonuses, stand in a mountain, on a river or in a friendly tile and you will get the bonus.
4) I can not say this clearer,"do NOT disband your troops in other countys than yours".
5) reaserching light/heavy infantry or cavalry does not make the size of the army bigger, it only improves the penality loss, speed and enforces the bonus.
6) if you dont have a commander for your troops, get one with the best martial skills.
these are the most important in the game, have fun.

[Exothermically Eclectic]

Originally posted by Huskarl'r Wolfram:

(you should also block the river front from enemies sailing)

Um, what?

[Wolfram]

Originally posted by Highly Heretical:

Originally posted by Huskarl'r Wolfram:

(you should also block the river front from enemies sailing)

Um, what?

oops, my english is not the best. AI ships will send levies close to their destination so you should put menn at the edge to the sea so the AI can only send their levies on your men. Then you should just send more and more men to help out the attacked ones and you're safe

[Corrupted Sanity (Vex)]

Thanks for the information. He left my court though, not sure why. Ehh, I'm trying it with another guy. Not sure what else I can do right now besides keep trying to forge a claim. Any suggestions?

As for the combat stuff -
I sent my army to help out an ally when he was attacked by rebels. Stuck them in the county beside the one they were attacking, and they just walked right up and attacked us. Since the tile had mountains it went very well, hehe, and the rest was chasing their army from county to county and killing a bunch of them as they retreated.

[Boskov]

What religion are you playing as? If you're Catholic the Pope can give you claims on counties or entire duchies. Send your chancellor and chaplain to Rome to get him to 100 opinion and then go through the titles you're interested in and see if he'll grant you any. Once he's at 100 opinion I send my chancellor to fabricate somewhere.

Just in my current game in under 100 years, various Popes have given me claims on 7 duchies.

[Corrupted Sanity (Vex)]

Really? Yeah, I'm playing a Catholic. I had him at 100 a while ago but didn't see anything. I might send my chaplain back there then

[Exothermically Eclectic]

Originally posted by Corrupted Sanity:

EDIT: Also, when I'm doing plots and stuff, I notice that some co-conspirators (bishops mostly) have Amoral as a positive for joining - what's up with that? Haha.

It means they are amoral, and thus obviously less likely to object to joining a plot. IIRC there's another one that functions as the opposite. I'm not sure exactly what trait or combination of traits cause either, but Cruel, Greedy, Envious and Impaler seem likely to cause Amoral, and Kind or Trusting seem likely to do the opposite.

[Corrupted Sanity (Vex)]

Originally posted by Huskarl'r Wolfram:

4) I can not say this clearer,"do NOT disband your troops in other countys than yours".

I am curious - why not? What happens if you do?

[Exothermically Eclectic]

Originally posted by Corrupted Sanity:

Originally posted by Huskarl'r Wolfram:

4) I can not say this clearer,"do NOT disband your troops in other countys than yours".

I am curious - why not? What happens if you do?

If you disband in "your" county (including your vassals), all the troops go back to the holding levies (barring retinues or event troops, of course). If you disband outside your realm, you lose a load of troops, which will take a while to replace, and encourage anyone with a grudge.

[Corrupted Sanity (Vex)]

Originally posted by Highly Heretical:

Originally posted by Corrupted Sanity:

I am curious - why not? What happens if you do?

If you disband in "your" county (including your vassals), all the troops go back to the holding levies (barring retinues or event troops, of course). If you disband outside your realm, you lose a load of troops, which will take a while to replace, and encourage anyone with a grudge.

Oh, okay. Thanks.
What exactly are retinues and event troops? I saw something about retinues on the military tab, but it was all greyed out.

[Boskov]

Originally posted by Corrupted Sanity:

Originally posted by Highly Heretical:

If you disband in "your" county (including your vassals), all the troops go back to the holding levies (barring retinues or event troops, of course). If you disband outside your realm, you lose a load of troops, which will take a while to replace, and encourage anyone with a grudge.

Oh, okay. Thanks.
What exactly are retinues and event troops? I saw something about retinues on the military tab, but it was all greyed out.

Retinues are standing armies you can have if you own the Legacy of Rome expansion. You can choose what types of troops your retinue has, which makes them extremely powerful because you can tailor your army to trigger and avoid certain tactics in battle.

Once you reach a certain size you can easily use retinues for all of your wars and not raise levies.

Event troops are troops that spawn from events, i.e. liberation revolts, adventurer conquests, and the large armies certain characters start out with.