Is this normal?

[unmerged(158620)]

I started a game with DV and the beta patch. normal/coward cause reading here says the ai goes nuts higher than coward or the one above.

I'm the Duke of Barcelona and the Spain is going nuts. Leon declares war on the muslims loses. Castille declares war on the muslims and loses a little.

I'm fighting the muslims and my vassels are picking fights with big boys in Africa.

From 1066 to 1083 almost constantly at war. I can't build up my lands. Win 2 wars and lose one. Finally got peace. I'm in debt up to my ears and more muslims are declaring war on me.

I'm new to the game so it is the patch or the starting location choice or what?

 

[zachhcaz22]

It's the starting location. Try someplace like Denmark or Apulia.

 

[unmerged(158620)]

Okay thanks.

Any other places to stay away from? I trying a count in Ireland and my liege demanded my title. I said no and now I'm playing Barcalona.

 

[unmerged(133776)]

I'm fighting the muslims and my vassels are picking fights with big boys in Africa.

When you're at war, your Vassals are much more likely to start wars on their own (especially if a Crusade is going on - which is probably what is happening with you).

When you're going to war, mobilize your vassal troops too, at least when they start wars, they won't pull their troops out and send them a gazillion miles away. Even if your vassals are DOW'ing Egpt and the Turks, as long as those Muslim's are fighting everyone else and their dog already, you don't have to join in. Your vassals will be much more likely to ask (and receive) peace terms. Concentrate on the targets that are important to you, not what's important to your vassals.

A better starting position for a new player is Apulia (easy to pick up enough lands to become the King of Sicily) or play one of the Scandinavian Kings. There are several threads (and even a sticky or two) with suggestions on what's better to learn the game with.

 

[TempestDK]

Okay thanks.

Any other places to stay away from? I trying a count in Ireland and my liege demanded my title. I said no and now I'm playing Barcalona.

If you want to play in Ireland ... take one of the northern independent counts.

But there are many places to NOT start as, unless you are seasoned:

County of Capua, Empire of Byzantium, Kingdom of Nubia, Duchy of Porto, Duchy of Alania ... and probably many others.

Spain is a mess at the start. All the brothers are rivals and will just as much try to kill each other as the muslims. The muslims are aggressive, and will eventually become 2-3 big realms that are hard to deal with. So Iberia is a tough starting nation.

As was suggeted .. try Bohemia, Poland, Sweden, Denmark or Apulia.

 

[Cohacq]

Tempest: i wound Iberia pretty easy, i simply did a grand mobilisation and crused the arabs no probs, granting me almost complete control over the peninsula in about 30 years.

 

[Hawkeye1489]

In the beginning, they start out as about five or so smaller, more managable realms. If you are able to steamroll one or two, then you stop the inevitable dominant Moslem power controlling most of Andalusia. After that, then you have a nice little mess to deal with, especially since the Jimenez AI usually will find itself crushed.

 

[TempestDK]

Tempest: i wound Iberia pretty easy, i simply did a grand mobilisation and crused the arabs no probs, granting me almost complete control over the peninsula in about 30 years.

It is not always easy ... seems you had an easy time of it though. But even when you seem like it is going well against a muslim realm or two, you can suddenly find one of the christians falling on your unprotected lands, if you are not careful.

But yes ... the strategy is to take out the smaller taifas quickly before they get swallowed up by Sevilla, Badajoz and Valencia.

As a starter nation, the iberian ones might not be the best choice.

 

[unmerged(158620)]

When you're at war, your Vassals are much more likely to start wars on their own (especially if a Crusade is going on - which is probably what is happening with you).

That is exactly what happened.

A better starting position for a new player is Apulia (easy to pick up enough lands to become the King of Sicily) or play one of the Scandinavian Kings. There are several threads (and even a sticky or two) with suggestions on what's better to learn the game with.

I am giving that a try and yes, much better. thanks

 

[unmerged(158620)]

In the beginning, they start out as about five or so smaller, more managable realms. If you are able to steamroll one or two, then you stop the inevitable dominant Moslem power controlling most of Andalusia. After that, then you have a nice little mess to deal with, especially since the Jimenez AI usually will find itself crushed.

That's why I was asking about the patch. In regular DV I had survived there awhile as de Barcelona. I had noticed the Jimenez sort of helping each other. At least Leon and Castille and the Muslims were getting bigger. Maybe I just didn't go long enough to get eaten by them.

edit for spelling, can't spell worth a shirt.