Hello everyone!

Today is Tuesday and that means it’s time for another fascinating Developer Diary. My name is Divine and I’ve been part of the Crusader Kings team since last autumn as a scripter and now I’m going to tell you about some of the events that we’ve been working on for the soon-to-be-released expansion, Horse Lords!

If you control a part of the Silk Road you can now build trade posts to make sure to get some of the riches that is traveling along the route. However, there might be more people who want a share of the wealth, so you’ll probably have to guard your treasure chests. There’s also a possibility to gain the help of a trade governor who might attract more traders and riches to your land... or his mishaps might prove to be more of a headache for you to cope with.

As mentioned in a previous dev diary, rulers on the Steppe can send out their sons and brothers to take up arms and become mercenaries. The life of a mercenary, though, is a harsh one and a lot of things can happen when you’re out adventuring in a foreign court; so we’ve added some events about various things that can occur for the captain of such a created mercenary band.

For instance, the Mercenary Captain, being on the field fighting for a living, has a chance to improve his military education trait to one of the stronger ones. These mercenaries also get a few events to interact with their employer or the ruler of the province they are hanging out in. One of these events is for instance eloping with a person of the employer’s court. It can be a daughter, son or a skilled courtier.

Since the Mercenary Captain is earning his keep from being hired he also gets some choices on what to spend it on. For example, improving his Band of Mercenaries or spend it all on women and vice.

A ruler of the Steppe was not much of a ruler unless his clan had a thriving herd of livestock to support them. Thus, it is only natural that we needed to have some events about horses! If you’re living on the Steppes as a nomad, you can now adopt a favorite war horse. There are some events associated with having a horse and what you do together with it - both ordinary and unusual happenings.

So that’s a little sneak peek of the things that can happen on the wide Steppes and everything I had to say for today. I hope you are all hyped for the upcoming expansion that is now just a week away!

Oh! And I might actually have heard legends about certain altaic families behaving in odd ways lately… with hideous faces and beast-like behavior.

 

[51st Georgia]

this is a day one buy for me

 

[CaesarCzech]

oh goddamnt im sure modders will try the imposible and give us player played mercenary companies.

 

[Sunbro BigBoss]

oh goddamnt im sure modders will try the imposible and give us player played mercenary companies.

The whole expansion looks cool, but this is what I want. I hope modders find a way.

 

[Karlingid]

No

That's a lie and we all know it.

I mean really, nobody is forcing you to raid and declare war.

Out of curiosity Groogy, are the Chinese trade governors abstract in any sense or do the characters appear in your court. If its the latter, were you guys forced to create a random cultured character showing up in your court or did you set up a Chinese culture in the files?

I had this exact question. I'm also wondering what their portraits would be. Probably the new Mongol ones...

 

[HREmperor]

oh goddamnt im sure modders will try the imposible and give us player played mercenary companies.

It'll be possible with cheats alone. Just use the play command to play as any mercenary company leader. Exactly the same as playing mercs and holy orders right now.

 

[Karlingid]

Crusader Kings II: Pony Lords.

Basileia Solaris

 

[Z-Z-Z]

I hope Lunatics can name the horse Glitterhoof.
Also, this is really a nicely large expansion which finally fleshes out the steppe.

GLITTERHOOF GLITTERHOOF ALL HAIL GLITTERHOOF

 

[Z-Z-Z]

No

No, no no. I want to ride glitterhoof and wear funny tall hats while my steppe cousins will commit genocide on rich people and sack them

 

[Will Steel]

No, no no. I want to ride glitterhoof and wear funny tall hats while my steppe cousins will commit genocide on rich people and sack them

Wrong game. Tell him to develop Victoria 3 soon so that we can enjoy killing rich capitalist scum while suppressing dirty peasants and workers.

 

[Garak]

Don't be silly, there are no Werehedgehogs. Just Hedgehog Overlords. Speaking of witch I need to give Master a belly rub later today.

Chili dogs work better, I understand.

 

[Jorlem]

What is with this forum and strong obsession about animals and beasts, particularly bears? Is there some kind of inside-joke going on?

In Vicky 2, you can play as Jan Mayen, which has a bunch of polar bear focused decisions, and military leaders that are explicitly polar bears.

 

[Octopusta]

Neat

 

[Will Steel]

In Vicky 2, you can play as Jan Mayen, which has a bunch of polar bear focused decisions, and military leaders that are explicitly polar bears.

Yes, I read that a few times in Vicky2 forums. But when I played as Jan Mayen, I have never ever seen bear generals or the decisions in question, it is always a normal, doomed OPM. The feature isn't working in my game.

 

[ERS92]

What will be done with your mercenary/adventurer army when you inherit throne/settle somewhere?

 

[Zarathustra_the]

Would it be possible to mod the dynamic mercenaries into standing armies? IE you select a vassal, make him a general, he gets a mercenary company that becomes your vassal? This could be a highly effective way to handle Legions in a Rome mod if it is possible.

 

[Jorlem]

Would it be possible to mod the dynamic mercenaries into standing armies? IE you select a vassal, make him a general, he gets a mercenary company that becomes your vassal? This could be a highly effective way to handle Legions in a Rome mod if it is possible.

Sort of like the Varangian Guard?

 

[gorillacakes]

@Zhranzagul

Out of curiosity do you disagree over the Manichaeans or over the statement that it looks as good as TOG?

 

[ElBardo]

Would it be possible to mod the dynamic mercenaries into standing armies? IE you select a vassal, make him a general, he gets a mercenary company that becomes your vassal? This could be a highly effective way to handle Legions in a Rome mod if it is possible.

I like that idea. Also, why can only nomad nobles create dynamic mercenary bands? I think lowborns with great military skills and certain traits, as well as certain non-nomad nobles should, that might help out replacing fixed merc groups. I think that even some lords who lost their lands in a war, be it a holy war, conquered by a claim and other reasons should get a small band, as some of them would have kept some retainers and loyal men, so a very small warband.

Also, when your son returns, he should bring many of his adventuring buddies, as well as take some of his friends and your courtiers with him when he leaves.

 

[CaesarCzech]

I like that idea. Also, why can only nomad nobles create dynamic mercenary bands? I think lowborns with great military skills and certain traits, as well as certain non-nomad nobles should, that might help out replacing fixed merc groups. I think that even some lords who lost their lands in a war, be it a holy war, conquered by a claim and other reasons should get a small band, as some of them would have kept some retainers and loyal men, so a very small warband.

Also, when your son returns, he should bring many of his adventuring buddies, as well as take some of his friends and your courtiers with him when he leaves.

Frankly Horse Lords are going to need moders to cleaned their stables.

 

[smeggy]

Hmm meh, getting less interesting with every diary. Will there ever be a development toward more 'international' diplomatic structures in CK2? That would be the only thing that would make this game interesting again I guess. This hordeguys is just another faction on the edge of the world with just another slightly other meganic with another facepack. The thing I would love to buy is new Waldetolf music.