Crusader Kings 3 - Paradox Interactive

[HungryHippos]

I've spent a lot of time in Paradox games, so I am very much looking forward to this one!

The only thing I think I'd like more from them would be EU5.

Announcement trailer:

Steam page:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1158310/Crusader_Kings_III/









Release date: 2020 (so probably late 2020).

They would be suicidal to release this as an Epic exclusive, currently it's saying Steam and XBox Game Pass.

 

[HungryHippos]

Yep I'm happy with the Xbox side of things along with Steam release. I actually have Xbox ultimate until August 2022 as well which helps

Hopefully this one does well, Imperator was a bit of a let-down on release, if they take the lessons learnt from that one onto this release, it should be in a better state.

I think a lot of people forget that Steam allows devs to generate steam keys, and sell them for a 0% cut, as long as the game is also sold directly via Steam.

 

[HungryHippos]

Now you mentioned Imperator. Today on the presentation was said that Imperator borrowed the CK3 engine. CK3 development is ongoing for years already, before I:R even was an idea let alone a scheduled game.

Yes I expect so, although the release of Imperator has hopefully opened some eyes to the fact they need to garner better player feedback.

The release of Surviving the Aftermath is tagged as early access, and is an Epic exclusive. I don't agree with doing that, but they may take less flack if they released in early access on Steam with the specific goal of getting some player feedback in to help improve the actual release.

 

[HungryHippos]

Vicky community



It should have opened their eyes to listening to the feedback they were getting during development, they were given feedback and they chose to ignore it. It's the community that have since 'fixed' IR really. On top of making the wrong game and ignoring feedback, it was also rushed out the door. I doubt they'll make the same errors again, this isn't Ubisoft/Blizzard/Bethesda/EA/Activision etc who wilfully make the games they want made and completely ignore the wishes of their own audience as all they're interested in selling cookie cutter platforms for micro-transactions. PDS get bashed for their DLC policy etc but at least there's some soul going into their products.

That said, I won't pre-order CKIII as revenge for pre-ordering IR!

It will be on game pass too, so could be a cheap way of checking out if you actually enjoy it before putting down the cash.

 

[HungryHippos]

I dunno I hope they can stay above modern day politics, this is a medieval simulator where a lot of stuff you can do has no place in modern society, but if they keep true to the time period then I don't see a problem with including things that SJW's would find offensive today.

 

[HungryHippos]

Really wanted to like ck2 but was too daft to understand how to play it. I wonder if ck3 will be more easier as it will be rather bare bones without the 100s of dlcs to make it more complicated.

It's still a good and rewarding game, this video should help with some of the basics and it's about 30 mins long.

 

[HungryHippos]

I'm excited but am not pre-ordering. For the first time I am actually going to hold off on a new PDX title. Imperator burnt lol

It's coming on the game pass I'll try it there first!

 

[HungryHippos]

Does it unlock later today?

 

[HungryHippos]

5pm UK time for both Steam and Game-Pass I believe.

Noice!

 

[HungryHippos]

Good so far only been out for a couple of hours but it's pretty nicely polished

 

[HungryHippos]

This game looks like you need some kind of masters degree!

Tbh a lot of PDX games are like that, but it starts to make sense after a while usually.

If you get stuck on any principles come here and ask away. In-game wiki with words you can hover over though is a big improvement on CK2.

 

[HungryHippos]

For those wanting to try it just get a game pass sub and give it a go surely?

 

[HungryHippos]

This. The tutorial doesn't tell you everything - I don't think it tells you how to set rally points, which is a very important thing, and you're not told how succession works until you actually die - but it will teach you the very basics of acquiring territory and alliances. It also gives you a huge initial boost of money, prestige and holding improvements and you start as Catholic so you can get Pope gold too. I would recommend playing only until you fully form Ireland and then a bit longer to work out how to expand onto the mainland. Then, restart and try playing Murchad again from his normal start as an Insular Christian. You should still be able to form Ireland without too much trouble, but it will probably take most of Murchad's life to reach the point where your kingdom and permitted two Duchies are Tanist instead of 5-10 years.

I've got a reasonably decent handle on things but I am very confused by the tanistry succession.

When I first played from the 867 start I was doing really well, then I took the decision to make the Kingdom of Ireland tanist.

After that it all fell apart, I no longer inherited by primary duchy/county titles properly, and each new ruler I had would see me some place new, with factions popping up all the time.

On my next game I avoided tanist, but flipped to feudalism when I could, and then proceeded to go bankrupt. Apparently when flipping to Feudalism you need a good chunk of cash saved up to buy the upgrades for holdings as everything is reset building wise, and men-at-arms are now costing gold instead of prestige.

On my 3rd one I was killed off and the new king then did the tanist decision lol! I managed to get the kingdom title back but revoked the law to make it tanist.

What is the best way to use tanistry? do I need to add tanistry to my duchy title as well as the kingdom one? will that mean that the successive primary heirs always get both?

At least with the default law I was mostly able to gain some power back by keeping the duchy of Munster and revoking the two counties that split off under me every new succession with fabricated claims.

 

[HungryHippos]

^^^ Under Realm, the row of crown icons at the top.



If Ireland is tanist then the kingdom title will always be given to an elected member of your dynasty. However, if all your other titles are in Partition then they will be distributed among your heirs. This includes all your duchy-level titles - all you will keep is your personal county plus the kingship. So you will want to change at least your best duchy and possibly one other to Tanistry as well; this costs 1500 Prestige each, so it will need some effort.

But that still doesn't mean your primary heir will get it all. He also has to win the elections. At duchy level this is typically quite easy, as there usually isn't more than one or two other electors and if you can gain control of the counties you'll pretty much be able to dictate who the heir is. At kingdom level it's trickier because your direct vassals and all the dukes get to vote, along with the head of the dynasty. Ideally you always want to be playing as the dynasty head - this gives you at least 5 vote strength with your kingdom and duchy, and your heir will also vote for himself if he holds land. For that reason it's a good idea when you get old to grant at least one duchy to your desired heir and preferably both of them. Then, if the kingdom election doesn't go the way you want, your next ruler can select the same heir and that heir will probably be his most powerful vassal.

One last important thing to note is that the head of the dynasty title doesn't follow your kingdom title. If your heir is not also the dynastic heir, and you can't murder people until he is, then it may be worth starting a cadet branch.

Using default confederate partition at least the heir always seems to get the top tier titles, so kingdom/duchy/real capital county. If tanist this seems a bit more up in the air, although as tanist if you can control the voting, do you get all of the counties in the duchy as well?

Of course can't stop the AI factions to install someone else on the throne, and they seem to take the decision to go tanist on the kingdom title if they hold it.

 

[HungryHippos]

What's the point of getting hooks on people? Yet to see any real use for them.

Only playing post tutorial (which is s brilliant must for newer players) and must admit I'm just spamming claims and attacking with no real issues.

I replaced an advisor and the unhappy guy I gave him a title but then it said his county was a republic under me? Then he was even more irritated as he had more power but no council seat

You can use hooks (or indeed have them used against you) to influence things.

For example a strong hook can prevent someone from plotting against you or joining factions against you.

Hooks can be used to increase the chance of success on some things like imprisonment.

You can use them to rope someone into helping you assassinate someone.

You can use them to change feudal contracts (increase levies or taxes).

They actually seem really useful, but maybe more so when you have more vassals and things to manage.

 

[HungryHippos]

That's a lengthy patch list!

 

[HungryHippos]

I wonder if there is anything in there to prevent the vikings just ripping apart the UK in the 867 start.

 

[HungryHippos]

yeah I'm enjoying an Ireland campain as well just to get me back into CK, one thing I am struggling with is the succession laws! Its impossible in the viking age when your provinces go to your brothers and your left with one and small levies. This wasn't a thing in CK2.

If you eventually raise the tribal authority thing a bit, own the main duchy title, you can get claims on the other counties reasonably quick and demand the titles back.

The people who had them won't like you much, but on a new ruler you can reasonably quickly get back your main 2-3 counties in your primary duchy. Use the retinue armies to smash your enemies and focus on building your main county up first.

 

[HungryHippos]

Well as simply as I can:

A empire is a collection of kingdoms.
A kingdom is a collection of duchies.
A duchy is a collection of counties (usually 2-4).
County is the lowest title you can have, but it can also contain bishoprics, castles, towns.

Vassals work up the chain in reverse order usually, so the holder of the town will be vassal to the county holder, the county holder to the Duke, then the Duke to the king etc.

These are de-jure titles but at the earlier start a lot of Duke titles don't exist. If you own more than 50% of the counties in a dukedom you can make the Duke title for a price if it doesn't exist.

 

[HungryHippos]

Did you take the decision at all to use the tanist elective thing? that royally messed up my succession one game (pun intended).

The kingdom, duchy succession laws then wound up being different, so with tanistry on my kingdom title it became a vote of popularity instead.