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 Its been two years since my last (attempt at a) paradox game let's play and the insatiable desire to do a megacampaign has risen once again. I've spent the better part of January contemplating who and where to play and doing repeated test runs as various rulers before falling back to the very first idea I had upon deciding I would attempt another proper full megacampaign - the Swiss, but with a twist - the Habsburgs never leave and stay to make the Alps the core of their (hopefully) mighty empire. I also have quite an affinity for playing the nearby Kingdom of Burgundy, so maybe finding a way to incorporate that would not be out of the question. Historically the Habsburgs originated from a tiny castle in the north of what would eventually become Switzerland before marrying and intermarrying their way across mediaeval and early-modern Europe. I want to avoid having a spawling massive empire or trying to account for a huge family controlling many titles at once - the aim is to remain small and centralised but still as powerful as can be in a compact built up realm. What's more I want to focus heavily on colonisation come Europa Universalis and perhaps even finding a narratively satisfying way to switch to one of the colonies eventually. My other tertiary goal is to try and see the Holy Roman Empire survive to the modern day in some form, but hopefully never leading it like our Habsburgs - though given it is elective we will likely end up having it foisted upon us at some point. And I would like to try and keep things as grounded as possible to make conversions between each game as painless as possible and not having to add great swathes of new nation / government types. But given how off the rails my two previous Let's Plays that had some legs became with their immortal battle popes and alien AI gods who knows what the world may look like some centuries in. As with all my previous paradox Let's Plays this focus extremely heavily on narrative, with little explanation of game mechanics and where possible they would tried to be conveyed as something within the developing story. However should someone want to know more about a certain part of the game I (and often others in the threads) am more than happy to explain how or why certain things happen. I'll be starting with the 1066 startdate as it provides a more stable Europe but more importantly the Holy Roman Empire already exists - a prerequisite for forming Switzerland and maybe some other titles down the road. Mods? As minimal as possible, only cosmetic mods and one functional mod that lets you use the 'Contract Assistance' mechanic from the Iberian struggle anywhere now, effectively letting you play as a mercenary. And how far will I take the megacampaign? To the end of Hearts of Iron IV (1945) at the very least. Crisis Now fucked around with this message at 21:38 on Jan 24, 2024 |
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Jan 24, 2024 10:47
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Contents Crusader Kings III 1 - 1066 - 1078 - Amalie of Aargau 2 - 1078 - 1080 - Arrogant von Habsburg 3 - 1080 - 1090 - I Shed The Blood of Frankish Men 4 - 1090 - 1094 - The Conqueror 5 - 1094 - 1099 - Norman Yoke 6 - 1100 - 1110 - The Crusader Crisis Now fucked around with this message at 17:11 on Mar 5, 2024 |
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Jan 24, 2024 10:47
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1 - 1066 - 1078 - Amalie of Aargau It is 1066, the Duke of Normandy and the King of Norway march on the British Isles, Rome of the East is beset by Turks, the faithful Christian lords of Hispania struggle to claw back their peninsula and to the north Slavic princes squabble and try to tame the steppe. But these are all matters far removed from anything that should concern me.  I am Amalie von Habsburg, first of that house, named for the castle my father built.  Father always wanted a son, and maybe it was that grief that did him in and left me sole heir and ruler of this petty county of Aargau from a young age. Thankfully life has been easy in this relative isolation, these lands are sparsely populated with little resource of note beyond plentiful game, and act as little more than crossroads for the rulers of France, Italia and Germania to march their armies through when they wish to feud. I have traipsed down from the mountains on occasion in search of adventure and plunder with my sword sworn to the armies of other lords, taking me briefly as far as Hispania or the far southern reaches of Italia. With little to do here but hunt and drill I dare say I have become a proficient leader of men and wielder of sword or dagger or polearm. And perhaps it is overdue to put these learned skills to use.  These lands have always been divided, a patchwork of mountain monasteries and isolated if idyllic villages and towns scattered across the Alps. We are surrounded on all sides by powerful lords, who given enough time will seek to conquer or subjugate us - to gain more arable land for settlement or simply to secure the mountain passes for their own security. But united we may yet remain free and unburdened by the yoke of neighbouring feudal lords. But I am no upstart peasant leader, I am and shall remain a loyal servant of the Empire, but on equal footing to those around me.  For any kind of legitimacy to this claim, a sizable amount of the mountain range will need to be under the sway of a single ruler. It may not even be a task I alone can accomplish in this short time I spend wandering the Earth, I will need heirs who carry this same vision as mine.  But enough pondering, dawn breaks and the crisp alpine air beckons, there is work to be done. Through much of September I travel south, seeking unwed lords (or any brothers they may possess) if I am to have children - and securing an alliance wouldn't hurt either. Lombard and Tuscan counts are dismissive of the Countess of Aargau, if they have even heard of me, but upon arriving in Sicilia the Normans are more receptive. I have fought at the side of Hauteville warriors in clashes against the Berber and even a few raids on the shores of Greece. Robert 'the Fox' leads a large family, with many siblings and children, it does not take long to find one willing to take my hand in marriage and return with me to the Alps.   Before returning north we receive an Imperial missive to set up camp on the isle of Sardinia, to assess the feasibility of further expansion on these as of yet unconquered people, the more northern isle of Corsica has been a battleground for Lombardy and Tuscany and it is probably only a matter of time until it spills over here. These islanders are uncouth and it would do them good to have the Kaiser's protection proper. A local commander harresses the camp and bemoans our presence in their lands, she talks down to me as if I were just another commoner-turned-commander, I am a countess.  A taste of steel will put her back in her place and show these Sardinians what may lay in store should they refuse the Empire in the years to come.  The girl possesses a sharper tongue than blade, it does not take much to best her. Commander Anna and her entourage are free to scurry away and lick their wounds, by the day's end we depart once more for the mainland with reports about the local area and populace to have sent to the capital.  Arriving back in Pisa, we hear of a hunt being held nearby in the forests south of Ravenna, and we'll never pass up an opportunity to show our skill and hopefully impress a few lords.  Just before reaching Ravenna we find the tent of a traveller, I have never been one for mystics and fortune tellers, but on that day in particular this strange man took my fancy and he persuaded me to part with some coin.  "There are many battles ahead of you, and many victories yet to come. The day will come that every man, woman and child on God's green Earth will know the name Habsburg. They will revile you, fear you, but most importantly respect you." It all sounded like the most empty broadest platitudes to appease me, but then he said something that for one reason or another sent a shiver down my spine "So keep that chin up, Habsburg" He said with an almost knowing smirk.  The Prince-Bishop of Ravenna has managed to amass quite the gathering, with many Italian lords and ladies we’ll attempt to befriend the most powerful among them all, another female ruler, the incredibly powerful Duchess of Tuscany, Matilda Canossa. But we do not once cross paths on the hunt, not for lack of trying.  With our birds of prey, the Prince-Bishop's huntmaster has us going after swans. I have never cared much for bird hunting, the hunting of or with, but perhaps the exquisite roe of my homeland have just spoiled me.   The whole endeavour is a let down, and we find a quiet moment to make our exit and head home once more.  But not before revisiting Pisa for a proper look around and a visit to Genoa seeing as it's on the way also.  They are two mighty cities flush with fortune, perhaps such a city will one day exist high in the mountains, or maybe more expedient to simply have designs on these fortresses of gold myself, or for my heirs.  At the foothills of the Alps, just past Turin as we begin to make our way up the winding mountain paths there comes a calamitous clashing of metal and profanity. A hedge-knight comes barrelling out of the nearby bush and the party almost draws blades to stop him, but this poor man has no weapons on him, just his armour which it appears he has been encased in for many days now.  He bemoans his squire who has since abandoned him and claims him to be 'heartless', Biagio of Tizzone he claims himself to be, but frankly his Heartless epithet is perhaps not undeserved.  Fortunately for him, I am in need of capable knights, I have my squire free him of his metal prison and offer him employment of which he gladly accepts.  Speaking of needing knights, I had sent out requests for free knights seeking employment to convene at Castle Biel, but I did not expect to be gone from home for so long. According to my steward some number of hopeful knights did arrive, but shortly left again upon finding no lord or lady present. Just one stayed, Udalrich.  According to the servants Udalrich spent most of his time awaiting our return in the castle kitchen than out in the courtyard showing any skill he may possess to the marshall. He claims to have been one of the best knights in the court of the previous emperor for which we will have to take his word on that.  Luckily for him I cannot afford to be too picky at this time, and he is made a knight of Aargaus and granted a tiny village as his fiefdom.  Now with a small number of knights under my employ it would pay to drill with them and my marshal so as to learn how to put them to effective use in the battles to come.  The new year rolls around and with it no better opportunity for a chance at bloodless glory and improvement of mine and my knights skills in the form of a tournament being held by the Pope himself.  We make plans to depart by week's end, when our caravan master informs me that due to the courier from Rome taking so long to find us in the mountains, that if we leave today, we may still only just arrive in time.   Then we leave by nightfall. The horses and wagons are hastily packed with the bare essentials, anything else we'll just purchase or otherwise acquire at the tournament.  The caravan master, Klara is from Ulm, and while she may have great knowledge of all the roads and routes or Germany she has never travelled south past the mountains, and her attempts to read maps and converse with locals for directions may end up stalling the caravan far too long.  I take charge, using what little Italian I know from my journies to get us the quickest route down to Pavia and to Rome beyond.  In my absence I had members of my court begin work on justifying a claim to the neighbouring castle of Neuchátel, my father and his father and all their fathers before them have long ruled these lands, one of them most surely have had a claim to that land for me to make use of upon my return.  But I do not let such things cloud my mind, I have arrived in Rome and there is only one thing on my mind.  Victory.  There are two events - the duel and a board game championship.  I enter both events, though I fancy my chances far more with the sword than I do with little wooden figures.  The tournament grounds lie just north of the old great city, and every lord of note from across the Empire has converged here.  With Biagio at our side we tour the training grounds seeing knights from as far as the Austrian marches to the Dutch shores gathered here, we spy on the other participants with our own knights, trying to pick out their weaknesses.  Though I suspect others here may be attempting to cheat, I cannot stoop to their level, not here of all places, before the eyes of the pontiff and God.  I breeze through the qualifying matches and the day of the quarter-finals arrives.  Guido Lantpertidi, loyal and stalwart knight of the Princess of Salerno is my first foe.   He is a fine knight I am sure, but no match for me.    The same unfortunately cannot be said for Biagio.  In the semi-finals my next opponent is Giacopo Orsini from Tuscany.   He is of an equal skill to Guido that came before him, and with ease is defeated just like him.    Again though, another of my own knights falls to Markward's onslaught.  Therefore it's down to me to put a stop to him, and win the duel event.  The Bavarian is the fiercest competition yet, prized fighter of the Duke of Carinthia and aspiring hunter I have crossed paths with a few times in the forested hills west of Innsbruck, but our meeting today would not be of goodwill and cooperation. Only one of us walks away the champion.   After a lucky opening which I took full advantage of (some may say unsportsmanship-like) I was able to gain the upper hand and ensure that this day belonged to me.  I had done it. The no-name lowly countess from the mountains had bested the finest knights the Empire had to offer, before the eyes of the Pope and the Kaiser and all their courts. Amalie von Habsburg will surely be on the lips of all of Germania.  I had certainly gained the attention of a number of knights of foreign courts before the start of the next event, all wishing to gain my favour, but I am too preoccupied and I would not wish to make Humbert jealous.  The board game event begins, and once again I am paired with Guido first.  That blaggard is cheating though, I am sure of it, his eyes constantly glancing to the stands, a man in the crowd making no little attempt at hiding his gestures to guide my opponent. I could just as well point this all out, have Guido disqualified, but I can already imagine the unsavoury rumours courtiers of the empire are sure to spread about me making baseless accusations or that simply I am being a sore loser. No, much better to beat a man at a game even when he is cheating.  Of course, such a thing would be possible were I a competent player of this little board game, of which I am not. I remain as graceful in defeat as I can be despite the immense smug smile across Guido's face, yes you may have beat me at chess but I beat you to the ground.  Biago however picks up the slack and it turns out is a very fine chess player indeed, beating our poor Udalrich and Ugo of Bologna, making it to the finals.   The final match stretches through the afternoon, both players equal in skill and wit, Biago however remains cool and collected throughout, taking piece by piece from Giacopo's side until he forces him into a defeat. Biago, grand master of the board!   The last day of the tournament draws to a close, and me and Biago take our places of honour as champions of our respective events, to accept the cheers of the crowd and more importantly our prizes handed to us by Pope Alexander II himself. Now, not that I am ungrateful to have shown my skill before all the Empire but I had hoped perhaps the Pope of all people could have splashed out on nicer prizes than a necklace and ring - just a sword or nice piece of armour maybe- but I digress. Humble and graceful as ever in victory, I stand at Biago's side, hands joined and thrust up in the air, this day is ours.   And despite any comments I may have made about lacklustre rewards I will still wear this necklace to the day I die.  The crowds have dispersed, the courtiers and knights packing up their caravans or already left in the day pass and the tournament facilities being dismantled around us. It was time to depart, but we had come all this way, we simply can't not make a trip into Rome itself while we are here.   Biago insists we spend time visiting the shrines across the city, to further our devotion to the lord. Frankly I am just glad to have a short break away from ruling.   We end our visit to Rome and meet back up with Udalrich at an estate north of the city, the tournament grounds now sadly devoid of the event's structures and the grand crowds, a vast patch of dead grass and scattered litter. It is no secret that my stout knight has an appetite for women that rivals his for fine food, but this one in particular whoever she may be has enraptured him like none before.  "Come, out with it Udalrich, just who is this mystery woman who has enthralled my knight so?" "I curse the devil for making my heart so susceptible to temptation my lady. But she is like none of other and I know I bring her just as much joy. I must confess we had even contemplated eloping! She would forsake her position for me, and I my titles for her, for I would not wish to foist the burden that housing us may bring you. For you see, she is Mother Silvana." "Udalrich you dog, a woman of the cloth?" "Well that's the thing" Udalrich says with some hesitation "She is not just any nun. She is Reverend Mother of the Papacy"  I glance to Biago who just shakes his head and makes a cutting motion across his neck, "Then Pope be damned, she comes with us."  As we make our way back north through the Tuscan countryside, I begin to see now what Udalrich was talking about, These... Italian women. No. I mustn't, those days are behind me, I am married now.  A week or two away from returning home, just outside of Geneva a man stops us on the road. Dressed in simple garb and wielding a modest looking sword he stands in the middle of the road, gesturing toward us and demanding a fight.   I dismount from my horse with a sigh and draw my sword, as I approach the man and he takes up a defensive stance. But before he can react a swift clonk on the top of his head with the flatside of my sword sends him reeling. By time he has recovered I am already back on my mount and I point to the wagon at the back of the caravan. "Get on, you're mine now"  Humbert had ruled Aargau in my stead, and I had missed him so. It did not take many nights of being back together for us to conceive. My first child was on the way.  Hungary - ever close ally of the Empire is embroiled with a war on the heathens on his border and the Kaiser musters troops to march southeast to assist King Salamon.  This conflict should not concern us at all, however there is gold to be made. And we offer our swords to the Hungarian King in exchange for his coin, he will only pay us however for satisfactory service in his name.   Though we are ordered to link up with the Kaiser's forces and provide rearguard protection to sieging armies, we instead learn from locals as we pass through the Carpathian Basin that the Wallachian army has been ransacking towns nearby. We'll intercept them and free King Salamon of this pest.  These Pechenegs and Vlach have long served as mercenaries for Eastern Rome and some of that influence has made its way back to steppe, but even if the enemy force is led by a fellow Christian he is still more loyal to his heathen mistress than to Christ. His army will fall.  We draw them into a battle on a rocky hillside, where their predominantly horse-based force struggles against our heavily armoured swordsmen. Despite our lower numbers and manoeuvrability we still gain the upper hand.  Already ranks of their horsemen are routing, we stand strong on the hillside, braced against continued failed attempts to charge us over the many rocks that slow their steeds. The sound of hooves approaching from behind suddenly dawns on us, I turn to face them and barely have time to set my eyes on the cadre of riders that have flanked us before there is a flash of steel and then darkness.  I come too on my back, clutching at my face as blood pours down me. A blurry blob stands over me, fearing this is the end I close my eyes. Instead a hand hurls me back to my feet and I force my eyes open once more, it is Udalrich, he is shouting at me but his words fall on my dulled ringing ears.  Gently clasping at my face I trace the deep wound of a sword-strike up my cheek, and to where my left eye once was. My hearing is returning, Udalrich is insisting I fall back and see the wound tended to at once, but any fear inside me is quickly being consumed with rage. I fumble on the ground for my sword and return to the fight.   Florin's forces are sent away once more in mass disarray, stragglers hunted down by our swordsmen until the county of Fehér is still once more.  I stumble into the surgeon's tent back at our encampment, whatever pain was in my head has seemed to make its way down to my torso, the most intense cramping in my stomach and shamefully losing control of my bladder. The barber-surgeon looks up from the man he is attending and drops everything. "My lady, you are in labour"  A boy. A beautiful baby boy, such a tiny innocent thing born out of all this bloodshed. Leopold shall be his name, and I shall cherish him more than anything on this Earth. Mother Silvana, who has never left Udalrich's side since he whisked her away from Rome was the only other woman present at the camp and she delivered Leopold beneath a large blanket for my decency while the surgeon put my face back together. He swears that in time it will heal, and beyond needing a fake eye, no one will be none the wiser that anything so terrible happened to me. I cannot possibly dwell on it now though, now I all think of is my boy. The encampment is already filled with cheer from our victory but when news spreads of my new heir being born it becomes almost rapturous. And despite almost giving my life today I remained at the side of my men, gaining their unbound respect and loyalty for the battles to come. I will never back down.   We move back south to meet up with the Hungarian and Imperial armies, only to find the Wallachian lands in ruin, scorched fields and the ruins of villages along the roads as we approach the main camp. Diplomats of the heathen princess are already present in the camp, departing in fact, the war is already over.  King Salamon refuses to see us, despite our insistence that we were absent because we were chasing a raiding force inside his own territory, the marshal of Hungary informs us we will not be getting paid and that perhaps next time we should follow the orders of our employer. Any attempt to point out the grevious wound I sustained and our trophies from the battle do not move the man, and instead we make our exit and head home. I hope we do not return to Hungary again.  Returning to Biel Castle, Humbert is overjoyed to see his new son, already half a year old. But a week passes and an insatiable fire still burns inside me, maybe it was the near-death experience, maybe it was not getting anything for our efforts or perhaps most of all, now that I have a child I must do whatever I can to keep him safe, to keep his home safe. My sword stirs in its scabbard, all around us other lords grow more powerful while I still idle safe in our lonely mountains, but for how long. We must unite the Alps and no one else is stepping up.  Count Ulrich is allied to Austria and Strassburg, and we are allied with the Normans of Sicily. But I would rather not call upon them unless absolutely necessary. My hope is we can overwhelm Ulrich's forces in a matter of days and siege Neuchátel and with any luck storm it and be safe behind its walls by the time Ernst of Gerhard arrives to stop us.  On the morning of the 1st November 1070, as the sun only began to peek above the peaks nearby, seven hundred soldiers under the Habsburg banner march on. To begin what will hopefully be the unification of the Alps and the birth of a new kingdom, beneath either I or my son Leopold.  A rider is sent ahead to inform Count Ulrich of our intentions. He can either surrender Neuchátel to us, become our baron and join us in our endeavour - or he and his castle can fall to our forces. He has until our arrival to make his decision.  He chose poorly.   Ulrich escaped with eight of his knights but we cannot afford to chase him down and hunt across the forests and mountains for the coward, the siege of Neuchátel must begin at once if we are to bring the fort down before the Austrians arrive.  By March reports reach us in the siege camp that the Austrians have entered the eastern edges of the Alps. The defenders show no sign of surrendering to us, they know they just have to hold out and Duke Ernst will save them.  13th April. Guiges reckons Neuchátel has just twenty days of supplies remaining for three hundred people, they are starving behind those walls, that will surrender any second. Biago informs us the Austrians have marched past Castle Biel, they will be on us in 13 days.  They outnumber us almost three-to-one. Defeat is certain. Udalrich insists we abandon the siege, flee into the woods then try to make our way back to Castle Biel and prepare to defend it from the Austrians. Guiges agrees. Biago tells me to stand my ground.  I do have a reputation to uphold now I suppose. Leopold is safe with Humbert back in Castle Biel, he will hold out for as long as possible to the Austrians, but it is a glorified hunting lodge with great stone walls, it will not last but a few months. He is still young enough, he can remarry, find a loving mother for Leopold somewhere back in his own homeland of Sicily. I don my helmet, take up my sword and march out of the siege camp with the men of Aargau to meet our fate on Austrian pikes.        No matter how hard I try, I cannot recall the battle. From the moment the Austrians came barring down on us and I raised my sword arm until seeing the last enemy soldier fall all I can recount is a flurry of steel, crashing of bodies on shield walls and the cacophony of screams and barks. I didn't even realise we were winning until the last minutes of the brawl, when the distant hills were filled with the scattered routing armies of Duke Ernest and his less fortunate soldiers formed a blood stained carpet beneath us. Six hundred stood against sixteen hundred. "We should have marched on Vienna if it was going to be this easy!" Biago boosted, hmph, the little Habsburg dynasty ruling a place like Austria? Unthinkable.  Guigues is doubtful of our ability to take Neuchátel now that we were down a hundred capable bodies and the defenders managed to haul nearby supplies in behind the walls affording them more time. And somewhere off to the east, the Austrians were reforming no doubt. We return to Biel to muster more men from the villages and to resupply ourselves.  Humbert implores me to let him travel south, to ask his family to come to my aid, but after our victory in the forest outside Neuchátel I feel too emboldened, victory is in my sights I am sure of it. We just need more men. And catapults, they will help too.  On the 16th September 1071 we returned at the gates of Neuchátel, Count Ulrich had not returned but his bullheaded defenders remained loyal to the absent lord. Siege number two commences, and once again the Austrians approach to stop us.  Ulrich resurfaces, this time leading the reformed Austrian force to rescue his home. Once again, we march out to meet them, outnumbered but not outmatched.         The Austrians are driven off once more, but yet again they have depleted our own forces enough to make a prolonged siege of Neuchátel unsustainable.  We fall back to Castle Biel to resupply and muster more men, any men that Aargau has remaining that can hold a pitchfork or dagger to make their way to the military camp outside my castle.  Near the end of the year news reaches us that Count Ulrich's other ally, Strassburg has finally answered his summons and raised his levies to come and join with the Austrians.  Begrudgingly, despite not thinking we need them at this point, Humbert simply insists he travel to Sicily, to beseech his brother to come to our aid. There is no talking him out of it, and he departs for Sicily at once, he wishes to take Leopold with him, but I refuse, he remains with me, be that at Castle Biel, the siege camp of Neuchátel or the military camp beyond whatever battlefields may come.  Within the month a courier arrives, with a letter from my brother-in-law the Count of Messina, he will indeed come to our aid.   By the time the Messinan soldiers have sailed to Genoa then made the march into the Alps we have convened at the gates of Neuchátel.  And by the time the combined forces of Neuchátel, Austria and Strassburg have made the march to us, the fort is about to fall.  We continue the siege while Count Roger defends the rear of the camp and allows the Austrians to throw themselves against their forces.   The Austrian and Strassburger soldiers are sent in to retreat for the last time.  On the 23rd September 1072, Neuchátel finally falls. We march into the courtyard of the fortress, finding the starving defenders whom we strip of their weapons and force out into the woods. There is little point in slaughtering them, they will probably not survive the week regardless.   With Neuchátel under our control, with his allies scattered across the Alps and now with Messina at our side, Count Ulrich has little choice but to surrender.   He is stripped of all his titles, allowed only the clothes on his back and a horse to take him to whatever court will take him in. If the fool had just conceded he could have kept his castle and remained my baron, but now I alone rule Neuchátel and Biel.  The city of Bern is far more populated, far more fortified and can likely pull greater allies - not that Austria alone was not a tough opponent. Either way, we will not be marching on Bern any time soon.  For now I can bask in victory and enjoy some quiet days at home. The nights are another matter entirely.  A week passes, and I feel it is long overdue that I pay homage to the Kaiser, especially now that I have expanded within the Empire. Though I am a lowly countess I have no liege above but the Kaiser himself, and I wish to assure him of no ill-intent by conquering my fellow vassals beneath his watch.  And if we are to journey all the way to the Imperial court in Klingenberg, we might as well make the most of the trip and pay a little visit to Aachen and Paris while we are away from home.   As we make our way through southern Germany we constantly find ourselves among fields and pastures teeming with livestock the likes of which we rarely see up in the mountains. If we expand our domain enough and improve our land I see no reason why we could not have vast cattle pastures stretching all across the Alps one day.   The castle of Klingenberg a little outside of Wurzburg is abuzz with activity, diplomats and courtiers from across the Empire and foreign lands beyond constantly coming and going. Imperial officials meet and walk the halls of the fortress and every door leads to some office or study filled to the brim with scrolls and piles of letters with overworked bureaucrats buried beneath. The whole place is nauseating and I constantly feel like I am under someone's gaze here. I enter the Imperial throne room, bowing before the Kaiser and swearing my eternal service to him and the Empire. He finds it satisfactory and I hurry myself out of the throne room once more, and within the day depart the fortress.   Aachen was far more to my liking and I felt privileged to walk the streets where so many pivotal figures of the empire had once strode before me long ago.  While wandering the city's streets and taking a rest in the central park beneath the shadow of the great cathedral I ponder about what has transpired the past year and what it'll take to get through the years to come. I cannot take everything by the sword alone, I would not have been able to take Neuchátel without the Norman's intervention, the Austrians would have whittled down my forces eventually. I need to learn how to make some friends, I already have enough enemies.  Paris was not so nice, the Seine reeked, the streets were narrowed and crowded and locals did not take well to my German tongue. I do not think me biased because I am German, I dare call myself that, truthfully I do not know what culture or peoples I truly feel most at home calling myself, though German may be my mother-tongue I feel little in common with my northern neighbours beyond that we are all bound to Empire. But still, I try my best, I smile, I speak in my best broken French to locals and their lords.  But I have my limits and they are seemingly breached at the estate we are staying at just south of Paris, when the host insists that I pay her extra for her service. I am countess, and this French lady is to make demands of me?  Humbert tries to make excuses for me, that I am late with child, and it is affecting my mood, I ought to slap him. I am Countess Amalie von Habsburg, I won the 1069 Tournament in Rome! They should pay me for the privilege of staying here. In fact, yes, that's exactly what they'll do. Through my husband's profuse apologies Biago 'the Heartless' gets to work shaking the estate down for all the gold they have to donate to the fair Countess of Aargau.  We make a hasty departure from the estate and continue on back home until we have crossed the border back into the Empire and are travelling near Besancon when the local marshal beckons us to stay with him for the night. He and his men have heard the story of our heroic battle in the mountains against overwhelming odds and coming out on top again and again. The marshal asks if I wish to spar with some of his soldiers, to show them how a true soldier fights. I would be honoured, Humbert tries his best to stop me from brawling with these Burgundians in my current state. I tell him not to be so ridiculous - ten minutes later, as I barely start getting into the sparring match I go into labour.  In the military camp outside Besancon I give birth to my second son - Christopher.  Half a year has passed and a sense of normalcy has returned to Aargau and Castle Biel. In the summer of 1073 a letter arrives from Count Ugo of Bologna, inviting me to a hunt in the forests of Italia. A hunt? Who am I to refuse?  We hire a mercenary band that had been staying in Bern to escort us, but these Polabians are from lands recently subdued by the Empire, recent converts to Christ they are still a little rough around the edges.  We do not get along.  A brawl ensues and I quickly overpower the mercenary captain and demand he and his men leave at once, their services will not be required any more, I am quite sure I can look after myself on the road to Bologna.  We arrive at Count Ugo's hunting camp a little late, but still in time to participate, and we will be hunting roe, much to my delight, finally some real game.  These Italians spend more time yapping than they do stalking and keeping a low profile out here among the trees, no deer would be stupid enough to be ambushed by us with how loud we are being.  Well, it was relaxing at least and I got to practise some more with the bow and I conversed with Duke Pierre of Savoy some on the return journey before our split paths.   In fact, while standing at the fork of a road leading to Turin and the Alps beyond I think to myself, I have been to so many great cities of Europe, what's one more? Venice does sound nice.  We charter a small vessel to take us from Ravenna up the coast to the city in the lagoon. But enroute I spy a half submerged merchant vessel, the contents of its hold spilled out across the nearby Adriatic and rotted beyond any salvability. There may still be something of value to be found on this wreck though?  There is no treasure to be found aboard. There is only Corrado. A Ferraran patrician who owns whatever ship this was before it became this sorry wreck.  He claims all he ever owned was on this ship, and now he is penniless and homeless, he is literate and good with coin and says he would be honoured to work in my service should I rescue him.  I do seem to be making a habit of picking up strays on the road.  Venice is every bit as remarkable as they say it is and I wish I could stay longer, but Humbert I'm sure is worrying about why I take so long to return, perhaps I will return to his wonderful floating city again soon.   While inspecting the armoury of Castle Biel I come across a farmhand's tool placed here by some drunken peasant who stumbled in and placed it by mistake or perhaps one of my men-at-arms as some kind of prank. I go to take the tool to throw it on the ground outside the armoury when the light glinting off the blade catches my eye. That looks sharp. A quick test on some nearby armour confirms. It IS sharp.  I spend the rest of the day experimenting with the tool and wondering what could be made of it - the blade itself is quite large and curved, too unwieldy surely to use as a sidearm, but a polearm on the other hand?  With some assistance from the castle's tanner I fashion the tool into a proper weapon. Well - it is crude and burdensome but it gets the job done. A bit like myself.    In my down time the nearby duchies have been consolidating their power and growing in size.  Duke Pierre, whom I made my acquaintance on Count Ugo's hunting trip is invading Duke Ugo of Lombardy to install his daughter on the throne of Milan.  But he is outnumbered, finding himself without friends.  I could use a friend. And some gold.  From Biel and Neuchátel we raise almost a thousand extra soldiers to provide the Duke of Savoy, marching south at once to meet up with him and make out way out of the Alps to meet the Lombards head on.  While the Savoyard army marches to face Duke Ugo personally we are instructed to lay siege to Milan, and this time we will listen to our employer. A nice simple war, no surprises, no grievous injuries.  The Lombards are nowhere to be seen, much of Lombardy is left undefended and Duke Pierre begins the siege of Tortona while ours of Milan begins in earnest.  14th July 1075. A Savoyard scout enters our siege camp in a panic, informing us the Lombard, Genovese and soldiers of House Hohenstaufen have mustered and intend to stop us and we should fall back at once to regroup with Duke Pierre.  The scout is aghast when I look him dead in the eyes with my one working eye, and simply respond with: "A Habsburg stands their ground" "But they have eighteen-hundred men" "Then the crows will have a fine feast of eighteen-hundred bodies by sunset."       I try as best I might to not let these victories go to my head, but still I cannot help but boast and take part in the revelry around the siege camp in the days to come at another immense victory against overwhelming odds.  Duke Pierre finishes sieging Tortana, restricting a major access route along one of the tributaries of the Po River - but not before the Lombard army snuck past and into his lands to begin raiding and ransacking his holdings. Upon taking Milan and looting the city an acceptable but not unjust amount we make our way north to regroup with the Duke.   Fighting beside the Savoyard army we march our way up the mountain passes into the Alps, into lands we are familiar with where Duke Pierre allows us to take point, directing our own and his army to key points in the mountains, finding weak spots of the Lombard forts.  And while I am so close to home, I manage to convince Duke Pierre that we must take a month's rest to return to Biel and resupply our forces. And spend some nights with my dearest, who does his diligent husbandly duty and gives me another expectant child. Heaven knows why the man always looks dismayed at the news, perhaps the knowledge he'll have another child to care for while I am off mercenary-ing my way around Europe. Someone has to earn us our gold!  We return down into Lombardy with the Savoyard army where the Lombards have taken control of the southern lands of Savoy, and we are tasked with liberating them while Pierre handles the hostile forces still present.  For much of the year we march across Piedmont and southern Savoy, fighting the errant defenders left behind by the Lombard incursion.  By early 1078, the Piedmont area has been freed of Lombards and we move to regroup with Duke Pierre, by time we get to him though we find a small number of Lombard knights gathered outside his camp, bodyguards of Duke Ugo - for he has conceded and is right now meeting with Pierre to discuss the terms of his surrender.  (Un)fortunately for me I am unable to attend these lengthy and i am sure riveting negotiations. For I once again go into labour while in a military camp, perhaps, one day I will give birth in comfortable surroundings with a roof over my head and a warm fire nearby. Not today. Not for little Heinrich, my third son, born while at war.  By time we are on our feet, the party is over, Duke Ugo has departed - his home of Milan now belonging to Pierre's daughter Adelaide, left with just Genoa to his name. And though Pierre is done with Ugo, he is not done with us and tells us to remain in camp a little longer.  Duke Pierre showers us with praise, claiming victory against the Lombards would not have been possible without our aid, he pays us and allows us to keep anything we had looted from the Lombards.  What's more, he wishes for permanent closer relations between Savoy and the peoples of the Alps. He claims I have quite the reputation, not all good, but my conduct in the war has changed his mind about me. He cannot help motion to my newborn babe in my arms. And says he has daughters, I have sons.   He would be honoured to have our families linked, and we would have a chance at recognition and proper allies so close by.  We return to Castle Biel with a great haul of gold and loot, the assurances of marriages for my boys and the respect and recognition of Savoy (and of course the new ruler of Lombardy whom we help put in place). There is no better time to declare ourselves the Duchess of the Transjuranian mountain range.    Lands of Holy Roman Empire and surroundings in 1078. 
Crisis Now fucked around with this message at 11:48 on Jan 24, 2024 |
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Jan 24, 2024 10:47
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drat, Amalie is REALLY doing well with those battles, huh?
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Jan 24, 2024 11:43
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I can't believe you went and did it, you monster. The Hapsburgs, the hapsburgs!
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Jan 24, 2024 13:39
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Ground floor. The chin-man cometh.
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Jan 24, 2024 16:09
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In on the ground floor. I'm very excited to see where this goes.
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Jan 24, 2024 17:39
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Obligatory ground floor, and I'm a big fan of the Swiss-English land border we already have
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Jan 24, 2024 18:49
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first page bookmark post ground floor lfggg
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Jan 24, 2024 18:52
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Also I should add that Amalie loving rules
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Jan 24, 2024 18:58
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local madwoman just CANNOT stop giving birth after fighting people looking forward to this, amalie's exploits are already a great start
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Jan 24, 2024 19:16
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She indeed loving rules.
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Jan 24, 2024 19:20
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I don't know about you all, but I'm very interested in the eventual fate of the noble nation of Cumania
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Jan 24, 2024 20:52
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Funnily enough, my very first CK3 run was as the Habsburgs. The MVP was a pious, scholarly woman who had the immense joy of discovering the utility of the Sanctioned Loopholes talent in order to buy claims for and then conquer the Rhone valley, ultimately forming the kingdom of Burgundy.
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Jan 24, 2024 21:00
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Ground floor for chins.
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Jan 24, 2024 21:15
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Wow this is a great start for our battle maiden!
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Jan 25, 2024 00:16
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First battle of Neuchátel (colorized) https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachme...a3233166441607&
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Jan 25, 2024 00:51
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Do all powerful warrior women just happen when someone tries to LP a Paradox Megacampaign? Anyway, boo chins, but yay the swiss. My feeling are complicated, but I will be watching your career with great interest.
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Jan 25, 2024 01:47
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A warrior worth building a dynasty around. Duchess Amalie setting a very high bar for her descendants.
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Jan 25, 2024 02:04
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chin up lol
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Jan 25, 2024 02:34
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CHIN GANG CHIN GANG
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Jan 25, 2024 07:43
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Well this looks fascinating.
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Jan 25, 2024 10:59
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Crazycryodude posted:chin up lol lol I just got this
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Jan 25, 2024 13:23
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2 - 1078 - 1080 - Arrogant von Habsburg Duke-consort Humbert de Hauteville, Duchess Amalie von Habsburg of Transjurania, Leopold von Habsburg  With the new status of this rank I think it prudent to have a quick overview of mine and my growing family's situation and goals. The Habsburg family have gained a friend in the House of Savoie - it is probably also worth pointing out that the Kaiser is currently married to a member of the House of Savoie and their children will be related to our grandchildren, assuming they maintain hold of the Imperial throne these may become invaluable links to maintain.  Duke Pierre is the Duke of Piedmont but also holds the Duchy of Savoy, so when he dies these lands will be split - the lands of Savoy are closer and larger and would make unifying the Alps easier, however the lands of Piedmont are far more valuable, with far greater farmland and more settlements to tax. Leopold is to marry Agnés de Savoie and their children will become the rulers of the duchy of Piedmont.  Christopher is to marry Ermessinde de Savoie and their children will become the rulers of the duchy of Savoy.  Of course when I've had finally thrown in the towel and shuffle off to the kingdom of heaven, Leopold will be Duke of Piedmont by virtue of the marriage and ruler of Transjurania and any subsequent expansions I can gain. For all intents and purposes all this land is practically Habsburg land now, we simply have to wait long enough and it will all fall to our family. But this does mean that Duke Pierre's wellbeing and the stability of his realm is now our joint-responsibility, the last thing we want is some Provencal or Burgundian or Italian laying claim to what is rightfully ours. Of course should he have a son in the next decade or so while his wife is still young enough that will invalidate this whole arrangement, but that is a bridge we will cross if it comes to it. So that is the situation on our western frontier - then what about right in the core of the Alps? Now that I am the duchess of the Jura mountain range, it is only right that the city of Bern fall under our purview, and if the Kaiser is feeling kind he will just grant it to us. With Count Rudolf as our vassal we may finally gain some income from taxing the good people of his city, though much of our gold is still going to have to come from further mercenary work for the other lords around us. I have heard Count Rudolf described as a vain spiteful man, but he is a keen hunter and loves to throw extravagant feasts in that city of his, so hopefully some hunts and festivities will keep be amicable. He does however lay claim to both Castle Biel and to Neuchátel so we will have to keep an eye on him and ensure he does not make any moves against us.  To the east things become quite a bit more complicated.  The City of Zurich is the property of the Duchess of Krain, Hildeburg von Zahringen. She is but a child, ruling from Krainburg castle at the far end of the Alps and there is almost another decade before she becomes a woman proper and can marry and form alliances. It would be best to make moves on Zurich before she comes of age when she has just the soldiers of Krainburg to assist her.  The bishopric of Saint Gallen will be trickier, it will be harder to find claims to a monastery as we have certainly never had any ancestors leading it and the Pope and Kaiser may frown upon us marching on a holy temple. It may simply be easier to become the Duchess of Currezia and hope the Kaiser grants us the temple as I am sure he will with Bern.  That just leaves Grisons, also currently ruled by a little countess by name of Garsende de Blois.  She is the vassal of Duke Ugo whom we just snatched Lombardy away from, I am pretty confident fighting him again would be no issue - and because we were not official participants in that war we hold no truce with him. There is however a far more pressing issue with this little parcel of land.  This little countess will soon be a not-so-little duchess. She is the granddaughter of the Duke of Champagne, and through some heritage chicanery it is not any of his sons that will inherit this land but her instead. She will soon control some of the most valuable land in all of France, and furthermore - her loyalties and fealty will lie with the French king, not the Kaiser anymore. Our biggest foe then wouldn't be Duke Ugo - but all of France.  And the final cherry on top - Duke Thibault of Champagne is a haggard, tiring old knight fueled by ale and bitterness, he is going to drop dead any day.  Without a day to waste, I travel to Lucerne and our land's bishop - Ulderit.  Until now we had rarely crossed paths, we were content to leave the monastery to its own devices and they were assured we would remain godly and righteous in all our actions. Ulderit was surprised then to find me arriving with my knights and demanding that he get to work at once, finding a way to legitimise a claim to nearby Grisons. As hastily as God can grant him, do absolutely everything in his power. Whatever it takes!  I could try to marry my last son, Heinreich to the little countess and simply wait for the land to fall in to Habsburg hands. But she will not see it, No, not a member of the House de Blois marrying some lowly mountain dweller.  It's possible we could ask the Pope to grant us the claim to the land - If perhaps we hadn't displeased him by snatching away the Reverend Mother of Rome.  Still - we must make use of every avenue available to us, no matter how hopeless.  At the very least the Kaiser recognizes our right to rule the Transjuranian region, and grants us the city of Bern.  Rudolf is not too pleased at these developments, but hopefully appointing him the steward of our realm and giving him more power (if only ceremonial) will appease him.   With more wars on the horizon, we need more men, and more capable knights to lead them.  Thankfully with our recent successes our name is spreading across the courts of the Empire, and when called for we receive a higher calibre of knight wishing to fight in our name.   While overseeing the construction of new blacksmiths in Castle Biel, Biagio the Heartless approaches us. "My Lady, you mentioned that we must use 'every avenue' at our disposal" He begins to toy with a dull dagger waiting to be honed at a grinding stone. "There are ways to remove our problems that don't require lengthy wars" I look to the ruthless knight then to the dagger and shake my head. "No, Biago. It would be wrong of us." There is a long pause and my lone eye wanders to the ground before continuing "Besides, not only would we have to murder Garsende, we would have to murder her brother, their aunt, and then two other members of the House de Blois to ensure it does not fall in to French hands. But moreso - it would be wrong."  And then seemingly by some kind of divine retribution for even contemplating such ideas, the very next day we receive the worst news possible. Duke Thibault is dead. The old bastard didn't even last to the end of the year, he couldn't have just clung on for a few more and let us liberate Grisons from the undoubtedly cruel yoke of his French granddaughter.  Countess Garsende is now the Duchess of Champagne. Grisons is now a French subject, things have become distressingly more complicated.  The next week I hear that Bishop Ulderit has passed away - a heart attack. Perhaps he feared what fate may await him for not succeeding in getting us a claim? I would not have been too harsh on him, I am sure.  A young up and coming nun by name of Elisabeth becomes the new leader of the Lucerne Monastery and vows to continue working on getting us our claim, though we are not too sure what use it may be now.   I try not to let the circumstances of everything going on get to me, but the chance to see my people united my lifetime may very well be slipping away. Try as I might, I take it out on everyone around me.  It has been too long since I last went hunting or travelled, I need to get away for a while. I will visit Germany once more and see the Kaiser, to see about trying to populate the mountains with some of his subjects so I may have something to tax.  But he will not even see me. Three months to Wurzburg and back for nothing.  The past year my correspondences with His Holiness have been ceaseless, and finally he is breaking, he is starting to come around to us, or perhaps he is just tired of our endless letters.  As I arrive back in Biel from the wasted journey to the capital, Humbert hands me a letter with the wax seal of the Papacy on its back which I tear into as if it were the last drop of water in a desert. My dearest husband can only sigh as my frown turns to a grin and he sees that glint in my one eye which can mean only one thing.   Zhurich is a great city, larger and richer than Bern even. What right does a mere child have ruling it? His Holiness is righteous and true, best I care for this city.  Hildeburg is allied with Verona and though together they number more than the troops of Transjurania I see no need to call on any of my own allies.  While on the shores of the Adriatic our enemies muster we have already marched on the city and commence the siege.  In just under two months Zhurich falls, there is little sign of the Duchy of Krain's forces, and the city council sees little point in resisting us when there is no telling when -if- help will come for them.   We commence our peaceful as possible occupation of the city, but men-at-arms will be men-at-arms and a little looting is to be expected.  "My Lady" the messenger with a report from Castle Biel says, having found us in the camp outside Zurich after riding here as fast as his steed could take him. "The people of Neuchátel have risen up against you"  He checks the report himself before handing it to me "They say life beneath the old Count Ulrich was better" The messenger glances to us nervously and clears his throat "That the arrogance of Amalie von Habsburg knows no bounds, and we will all surely suffer in her endless wars. We the people of Neuchátel who bleed for you and till your fields wish to only lead a peaceful life, and I, Manegold of the village of Cornaux will be the one to put her in place"  The army is pulled away from Zhurich to go and put down the revolt, and with it on the way we stop off at Biel first for a good night's rest after spending weeks in the war camp.  On the day before we depart for Neuchátel we walk the town surrounding the castle with our boy Leopold, past some loudmouthed peasants who spoke up in support of the revolt happening in the nearby settlement and now find themselves in the pillory, begging to be let our or even for something to drink. "Mother, when I play with the other boys they say the most hurtful things about you. That you think your self untouchable, graced by God.. and other words I wish not to repeat in front of you. Are you arrogant mother?" "I am" I respond bluntly "Because I have earned it, and when you take to the field and best armies three times your size then you too can be as arrogant as you wish" "Yes, I think that is right" He says with a sly smile looking at the pleading pillory-bound peasant and I ruffle Leopold's hair.  The bulk of my army is formed of professional men-at-arms, men (and women) who have dedicated themselves to honing their craft, donned in mail and wielding the best swords and shield I can afford - which is probably why they are so expensive and I find myself in a near-constant state of mercenary war to get the payment and loot to fund them. Our foes are a bunch of farmers in tunics armed with whatever they used last night to eat their final meal with.  We kill every one of them. Save the leader, save for 'Manegold'.  Like a cornered beast Manegold refuses to go down, but Biago and Udalrich and Richwara stand before him and let his rudimentary dagger bounce off their armour until he ties himself out and he is brought before me.  I cast his dagger aside into the nearby trees and instead take one of my spare sidearms from my mount, a much cheaper sword meant as a backup but still likely far more valuable than anything the peasant has set eyes on before, I drop the sword still in its scabbard at his feet. "You're a far more capable commander than you are farmer, Manegold, and it's a shame it took the sacrifice of three hundred of your fellow peasants to make that apparent. I'm sure in another life you would have been born of a higher stature and come to my attention, joined my ranks and found glory and gold for your village." I look around at the carnage the man had wrought and the hundreds of farmers who fought and died for him. "But I fear everyone you knew may be lying in this field. You've proved you can fight, you can lead. Take up that sword and march with me" "And what if I just take your fancy sword and simply bide my time to stab you with it?" "You could. You won't."   As we return to Castle Biel once more on the journey back to the Zhurich war camp, Humbert meets with me, imploring over and over that we send little Heinreich to his homeland of Sicily, that his brother's court has greater tutors to be found than here in the mountains. It takes some convincing, and I have asked so much of that man and given so little back, fine, I send a courier to Messina.  But in three weeks when the Norman's caravan arrives to collect little Heinrich to take him to his new home, there are knights of House de Hauteville with them, a little much to protect the caravan but I do appreciate the extra protection for my son. Turns out it is not for him, they are here for me. "My Lady. My liege, your brother by marriage, the ever-diligent Count Roger de Hauteville requests you answer his call to war and honour your alliance. He fights heathens in Sicily and requests your armies at his side"  "Right now? I mean... of course!"  Departing for Sicily will have to wait, Krain and Verona have finally gathered their forces and are sighted in the east approaching Zhurich.  They outnumber us but the men have been sitting in this camp for weeks now just itching for a fight, a fight they will gladly give to these Bavarians.      Losing just a hundred we take down almost six hundred of their ranks and send the rest fleeing back across the Alps.  With Zhurich now firmly under our control for two years, a shattered army unable to retake it and even the city council now favouring our rule over the foreign Bavarians, Duchess Hildeburg has little choice but to concede.  Zhurich is ours, but we have little time to celebrate, we are called on by our allies in Sicily. We reconvene in Castle Biel, taking a fortnight to resupply a great war caravan for the journey and make sure the men are well-fed and enthused to journey a thousand miles and fight a foe we've never seen before.  Unbeknownst to us the entire time, the Normans had been making short work of the Sicilian-Berbers. Even capturing vital enemy leaders.   On the eve of our departure, the same Hauteville knight who requested our call to arms finds us once again, exhausted from the ride from Genoa and the rapid boat journey before that. The war has concluded, our assistance will no longer be required.  A week has passed, war camps still surround Castle Biel, a thousand soldiers from Biel / Bern / Neuchátel / Zhurich. Their commanders urge me to disperse as they are becoming restless and beginning to wreak havoc in the countryside near Castle Biel. Last night Elisabeth concluded the project we had Ulderit start years ago - somehow through some connections she must have with the French church, as well as numerous visits to the Imperial capital, to see clerks and other keepers of records. She had managed to procure authentic documents that the land of Grisons were my my birthright, that they were now being held unfairly by foreign lords. Of course, not that any of that matters now that the land falls beneath France in particular, probably the most powerful realm in all of Christendom.  Humbert has retired to the bedchambers, I remain in the study adjacent - mulling over the document before me on the table, glancing out the window to the sprawling torch-lit camps filled with my loyal soldiers outside the walls. I couldn't, could I? Me? With a castle and two towns to my name, and a ragtag bunch of mercenary knights, and the fools brave enough to ally me. Against France.  Against France and their ally, The Byzantine Empire.  Hah! What am I saying? I will find glory in victory or a glorious death. Anything less is a life wasted! 
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Jan 28, 2024 00:18
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Oh boy. This'll be... interesting. BONUS: If her family eventually rules both Switzerland and Berkshire, would that be "Bern after Reading"?
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Jan 28, 2024 01:18
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I'm honestly surprised her soldiers didn't just try to kill her on the spot.
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Jan 28, 2024 02:37
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gutsy
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Jan 28, 2024 03:31
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Oh good. 
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Jan 28, 2024 05:32
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Whatever happens, 
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Jan 28, 2024 06:16
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the Nefarious French
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Jan 28, 2024 10:13
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That's the single most stupid thing you could do
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Jan 28, 2024 17:37
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I see CrisisNow letsplay, I immediately follow.
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Jan 28, 2024 20:35
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Well. This will be uh... interesting! 
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Jan 28, 2024 21:34
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OP:quote:I want to avoid having a spawling massive empire. Also OP: quote:What if I went to war with both France AND the Byzantine Empire? 
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Jan 28, 2024 22:27
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Sanguinia posted:OP: For a single province! 
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Jan 28, 2024 23:22
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You eat an elephant one bite at a time, not try and swallow it whole.
Just Winging It fucked around with this message at 01:43 on Jan 29, 2024 |
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Jan 29, 2024 00:21
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What if the elephant tries to swallow you whole?
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Jan 29, 2024 00:35
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Quackles posted:What if the elephant tries to swallow you whole? Elephaboros
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Jan 29, 2024 01:17
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Converter guy here and happy to be early to a megacampaign.
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Jan 29, 2024 06:34
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Excited to start following this early on. I'm sure there's no way punching an order of magnitude above your weight class could go wrong.
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Jan 29, 2024 10:31
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