Out of all of Paradox’s grand strategy games, I dare to say that Crusader Kings II is the most unique. Essentially character based, it simulates the interpersonal nature of politics in the Middle Ages before the advent of nation-states. The sweeping, human narratives and dramatic turns blur the line between RPG and strategy without ever losing its ‘grand’ pedigree. To be truly successful in this game requires more than just careful logistical planning of troops and supplies: it also requires navigating the trials of courtly life.
Not long after Crusader Kings 3 was first announced, CK2’s base game was made free for everyone. That means there’s could be loads of new wannabe rulers needing advice on how to navigate this titan of a strategy game, and we’re here to help.
To that end, my liege, whether you’re a new count or a battle-scarred crusader king, allow me to offer some of the most important tips for the novice and veteran alike. All the advice below is correct as of the most recent patch with all expansions.
Unlike other games both in Paradox’s stable and outside of it which tie your fate to a nation, in CKII, your fate is tied to a particular dynasty—and, more specifically, to one person at a time in that dynasty. Thus, even if your great nation controls the known world but your family loses control over any lands, it’s “Game over, man. Game over.”
Finally, and perhaps most ‘importantly’, change succession laws. Gavelkind is perhaps the worst possible succession law ever invented by man. Cutting up one’s realm between one’s heirs is not only detrimental for larger realms that might split into various Kingdoms (and basically set back all the work you’ve done), but it might cause rivalries between children. Which leads us to our next major tip…
So long as you can control the majority of the electors through diplomacy or intrigue, Elective Monarchy almost always ensures that you select the best possible heir for your realm. Whether it’s pure elective monarchy or the Imperial style of elective, I have found that this succession law helps to select not only well qualified rulers based on stats and traits (while avoiding those inbreds, of course), but also grants you the ability to choose young rulers which is essential for building up that long term legacy. Realms are often unstable after a new ruler ascends and Elective Succession Law helps to alleviate this concern by choosing younger candidates who reign far longer on average.
Sun Tzu said that to defeat your enemy through great strength is not the onus of Supreme Excellence; Supreme Excellence is to defeat your enemy without lifting a finger. Thus, learn how to ‘politic’ your way to power.
You don’t need to win over everyone. Simply win over the appropriate people to get your job accomplished. For example, if you need someone dead, befriend their spymaster. If you need someone deposed, befriend the most powerful vassals in the Kingdom. Focus on quality of characters rather than quantity. Focus your money on those who have influence and focus your military forces on those who are weak and you will find yourself rising to the heights of power.
Like learning how to breed beautiful flowers, playing CKII also invites the player to generate genetically favourable traits. Unlike some traits which are based on personality and experience (like the virtues and vices), some traits are genetic. These include Genius, Tall, Strong etc. If possible, learn how to consistently include these genetic markers into your family line.
Strange, you might say. Yet, I have often intentionally triggered civil wars for myself. Why? If you can be sure of winning a civil war by inciting a faction against yourself, you can actually eliminate the power base of rival dynasties. Whenever you win against a faction or vassal in a war, you can strip their members of one or two titles without suffering penalties and, thus, install one of your loyalists (preferably family members) in their place. This is especially useful if you’re looking to replace cultures.
Unlike other Paradox titles which require you to strategically deploy troops against fortresses and achieve wargoals, CKII rewards a player for winning decisive engagements. Huge amounts of ‘warscore’ is awarded if you manage to defeat an enemy ‘doomstack’ (their combined armies in one location): sometimes by as much as fifty percent. By capturing only one castle and squashing the rest of the armies, you could sometimes force a peace. Thus, with no fortresses to get in the way of mobilisation, squash the enemy army first, attain a massive advantage in warscore, then while the enemy army is trying to regroup, capture enough castles to force a peace. Take note that you ought not pursue an enemy army too far into enemy territory as attrition will kill you. Wait until the doomstack is visible and then pursue it on your territory.
Crusader Kings II can see a player starting off at many points over its 700+ year timespan, on one end with a Europe still seeking to find solid ground after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and on the other with recognisable power players that would dominate the globe for the next 500 years. With 11 different start dates to choose from, the choice can be daunting for even an experienced CKII player. We’ll give you a quick rundown of what each of the start dates are like, plus point you to interesting areas to jump into.
The earliest start date is by far the most diverse in terms of tech and religion. Europe is divided between feudal and tribal states, with many of the tribes also being pagan. This presents an interesting dichotomy, as many early feudal states will have access to heavier and better tech troops, but tribal governments can call in vast numbers of men to fight. Similarly, the presence of the Germanic and Slavic religions in Europe changes the dynamic of diplomacy. You cannot count on another European liking you, because you may be the wrong religion. Expect many religious wars and Viking raids, as well as expansion from the Eurasian Steppe hordes. The Chinese also have a strong hand in this start, with their influence slowly reaching west.
Catholicism and feudalism have spread eastward in Europe, in large part thanks to the successor kingdoms to Charlemagne’s Francias. However, even with Christianity strengthened, Germanic Viking hordes are on the loose in Northern Europe. While still tribal, they have such large numbers that they are almost impossible to initially defeat. The nomads of the Eurasian Steppe still pose a threat to their neighbours, but especially as the previous large regional power, the Abbasids, have lost much ground since the previous start.
Feudalism gained ground in Western Europe and lost ground in the east, but Catholicism has seen a large spread over the previous 70 years, with most of Europe (excepting much of the Iberian Peninsula, of course) now being Christian. This is a new starting point, recently delivered as free DLC, and it centres around the Germans setting out a-conquering in Central Europe. The previously fearsome Abbasids have meanwhile fallen from grace, and the new power in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region is the Fatimid Empire, who look to expand into former Abbasid territory.
This is the classic starting point; Europe is defined less by a variety of government types and religions, and more by many large realms that are uniformly feudal and Catholic (as always, of course, excepting the Iberian peninsula, and also Eastern Europe). This start is very close to the following start, the main difference being that this start features the 3-way war for England between the Anglo-Saxons, the Norwegians, and the Normans. Elsewhere, the Byzantines continue to be the centre of technological innovation, but are faced by the Seljuk Sultanate, who separate the west from the east.
Fast forward 3 months, and England is now being run by Normans. Not too much else has changed (it has been only 3 months), but players should also look to the Iberian Peninsula if they miss the good religious and cultural conflicts between realms of the earlier starts. Similarly, India in general is a great place if you are looking for extra-realm conflict, with several large and powerful kingdoms packed into a tight box. However, if backdoor scheming and trickery is more your style, there are plenty of options for inter-realm mischief in large European powers, such as the Holy Roman Empire.
The mighty Byzantines have begun their historical fall from grace, with the Sultanate of Rum seizing much of Anatolia from the Byzantines. The Seljuks have also begun expanding north, east of the Caspian Sea. And while the Germanic, Slavic, and to an extent the Romuva religions have been reduced in Eastern Europe, a great amount of Northern European tribes still follow the Suomenusko faith, butting up against the Orthodox Kievan Rus and Novgorod.
Forces from the 3 great Catholic realms from Western Europe (England, France, and the Holy Roman Empire) are marching east in a Crusade to fight off the Ayyubid Sultanate from Jerusalem. This is a great start if you like participating in Holy Wars, as one is served up and ready to go right from the start. Also to note is that England owns a decent chunk of France now, leading to much conflict in the coming years.
The Fourth Crusade failed after it was derailed by a convoluted series of events, resulting in the sack of Constantinople, and the creation of 2 new empires from the ashes of the Byzantine Empire. The Latin Empire sits on the west of the Bosporus Strait, with the Nicene Empire occupying the east. Both are relatively much weaker than the Byzantines were, so there is a power vacuum in the area to fill, either from the 2 new empires, or from a nearby upstart. Of note, the Khwarezmid Sultanate have burst onto the scene in Central Asia, neighboring the now huge Ghurid Empire in India.
The Mongols have entered the picture, with huge event-spawned stacks appearing at the eastern edge of the map. At the start, they are poised to cut a bloody path through the Khwarezmid Sultanate and much of Eastern Europe. This is a good start for those who love figuring out how to handle a great crisis that can leave you subjugated or dead very quickly, if you are in the Mongols’ way.
The Mongols, now split into the Golden Horde, the Ilkhanate, and the Khaganate of Mongolia, have lost their forward steam, but have expanded vastly over the previous 21 years. Bulgaria, Hungary, and Novgorod face subjugation, as well as the Sultanate of Rum and the Ayyubid Sultanate to the south. Meanwhile, further to the east, Delhi stands in a good position to take over India as a whole if they so choose. And back west in Germany, the Hanseatic League is being formed by Lübeck and Hamburg. For the east of Europe, this is what a post-apocalypse scenario looks like.
The final start date in Crusader Kings 2, much has changed since the last start date. This is an excellent start for those who wish to continue their game into EU4, as there are only about 100 years between 1337 and the end date of the game. In the north of Europe, Novgorod and Sweden have become dominant regional powers, both threatened by the still dangerous Golden Horde. France and England are set to begin a very long series of wars with each other, and in the Iberian peninsula, Castille, Aragon, and Portugal have emerged, but there is still a Moorish influence on the southern end. In Anatolia, The Byzantines have reformed from the ashes of the Latin and Nicene Empires, but the Ottomans have also appeared, ready to seize prominence. The Bahri Sultanate is the newest power in the Middle East, but they are still threatened, much like Northern Europe, by the Ilkhanate. Finally, in India, the Tughluq Khaganate is in control of much of the subcontinent, but the Yuan and the Ilkhanate are both in a prime position to threaten the Tughluq.
