Well, the first page is interesting, but nothing new. There is an interesting analysis of the game from the point of view of "raison d'etat" si "real politik", that defined the old empire-building strategies, replaced by the "Non nobis, Domine! Non nobis, sed nomini tuo ad gloriam!" Templar motto. It seems there are three muslim caliphates (Almohads, Egyptians and Selgiukids), all controled by the AI, as the italian republics and the hanseatic leagues (
don't know if this is changed in the last version)
The second page brings some strange notions, like "beheadings", ordered only by the monarchs. The loyalty of your heirs must be secured; even if the first born son will be the next ruler, you have to give your other sons generous feuds, so not to start civil wars. But because your main heir will have his brothers as vassals will not make civil wars obsolete, so be prepared to defend against your whole family. The legal rights and the prestige of your king can provoke conflicts, if they don't have a real foundation. Women can't become rulers, but the marriages can secure prestige and even end wars.
Your vassals are placed in three categories: dukes, counts and bishops. While the last two own the provinces (
I suspect through simulation and not direct play), the dukes control a larger domain, control many counts, being able to raise armies, resolving the internal affairs of their "state", joining you in wars. All these categories have ratings concerning experience, loyalty, military capacity, piety and influence on the troops' morale, and, moreover, their own life, able to marry, die and even, with the blessing of the monarch, being able to make their feud into an hereditary realm.
An interesting option is the possibility of knighting your heirs, divorce, extra-marital relations and bastards, naming your favourite son as ruler or having handicaped children. An ambitious vassal can marry your daughter; you can also marry their daughters to raise loyalty and maybe inherit a part of their land. The loyalty of your vassals must be assured in any way you can, otherwise you might lose whole regions (the vassal and his whole family can walk away from you). You can provoke his treason, but you can also bribe him to come back and swear a new oath of fidelity. Oh, you can also remove them (
I guess that through assasination or taking advantage of their sudden death, in a military conflict, by refusing to give away the feud to anyone else.
Second part coming out...
