MP game scenario: Fight for the Crown ?

[Jens Z]

I am currently gathering my friends for a new CK LAN MP campaign and would like to discuss here a somewhat unususal scenario.

Medieval diplomacy and warfare for a large part was not an inter-state affair (with some exceptions of course) but a constant struggle between feudal lords and their liege.

In order to simulate this more in MP I had the idea of a campaign in which all players take families in ONE single country (e.g. Empire), so that we would have Counts, Dukes and the Emperor.

As all player positions are very near and all somehow linked (vassalage) to each other I would assume that this would nicely cause interesting diplomacy and intrigue situations.

Some houserules which come to my mind:

- The liege cannot muster the troops of his player vassal without asking for permission. (Give the vasall player more freedom in betrayal)
- The Emperor has to take elective law as succession custom (this should make a „fight for the crown“-Scenario much easier)

What do you think of such a MP scenario? Any suggestions, ideas?

 

[unmerged(21937)]

I've tried it a couple times and I think it's pretty fun. Much more intrigous, but also more cooperative game than your usual kingdoms / big duchies games, which seem to tend to focus on bashing the heads of AI and other players. However, you'll need to make clear rules, so that players don't just drift away from the realm, but also that the king doesn't abuse his power too much.

 

[unmerged(26458)]

sounds like a good idea! I would say go for the Holy Roman Empire (aka Germany) for sure - as that's so much what the medieval history of Germany was all about!

I've tried it a couple times and I think it's pretty fun. Much more intrigous, but also more cooperative game than your usual kingdoms / big duchies games, which seem to tend to focus on bashing the heads of AI and other players. However, you'll need to make clear rules, so that players don't just drift away from the realm, but also that the king doesn't abuse his power too much.

I agree with those sentiments - one idea you might want to try is to perhaps put time limits on how long a cival war or some other internal strife can last for with some objective to be reached or some other benchmark to determine the winner/loser by a set date. at the end of said time allowed EVERYONE has to kiss and make up again and submit to the King again - but of course this might be a new King!

If it's a LAN then you might want to write up your own game event cards and draw them from a hat or something and these events will affect everyone - or you can draw again to see who gets affected by it. players will have to follow actions as prescribed by the cards

e.g. tensions rise in the realm and civil war breaks out between two political factions (just for added randomness you could draw to see who sides with who?! :wacko: ) and the nation is engulfed in flames. A 'fight for the crown' event card is drawn to see what will determine the victor in the war if an 'in-game' settlement isn't found by X date. the simplest solution: whoever controls the royal palace (previous 'capital' province) declares themself king.

a more complex option could be whichever faction controls the most castles (roleplay - has the greatest support from the nobility) etc etc you can make up all sorts of determining scenarios.

 

[Jens Z]

Thanks you both for the input. You made some interesting suggestions which I will definately try to implement. Some self made event cards sound like a very nice idea