Post your CK2 empire!

[Sergeant Flutter]

This run has been epic! My empire is... stupidly large at this point. My empire's probably doubled since the last post, mostly in Persia. I wanted to not conquer Persia, but my vassals did it for me before I could make it illegal, so...

The Byzantines have been doing amazingly. They inherited Italy and are turning it Orthodox. Really weird. They've been super peaceful with the Bulgarians, too. I don't think they've had any wars. Well, they didn't at the time of this screenshot. A few years after a Byzantine vassal invaded Thrace which made the borders so much prettier. The Caliphate rules over the southern tip of India and it's culturally Tamil. I'd usurp the empire, but I'd just immediately destroy it and I don't want to take the opinion hit.

At this point I'm whittling away at the Umayyads. Defensive pacts have been really annoying and slowing my expansion. I expect they'll be out of North Africa by the end of the century. Right now I'm looking to kick them out of North Africa and then Mallorca. Not sure where to go after that.

My relatives also rule Kanem (which is Miaphysite as well). They're pretty much just my puppet state if I'm honest.

 

[StarSword]

Can you adopt chinese imperialism while being the Sunni Caliph?

According to the wiki it just requires Jurchen, Khitan, or Tangut culture, or Chinese culture group, plus 200 realm size and a ton of gold and prestige. https://ck2.paradoxwikis.com/Decisions#Realm

 

[StarSword]

Вот мир Светозара Ростиславовича Новгородского "Легендарный", Царя Руси и Первосвященника Славянской Церкви!

(Behold the world of Svetozar Rostislavovich Novgorodsky, King of the Rus and Highest Priest of the Slavic Church!)

I ate Bulgaria as Tsar Rostislav with a personal claim, and conquered Poland and Bohemia by acquiring Premyslids. I'm working on forming the Slavic Union first for the bloodline, then Russia. Western Europe shattered ages ago so my main regional rival is Mega-Lithuania in the center (I've eaten a few pieces over the last couple characters).

 

[Clown]

Well, here's my "Empire".

It's really just the province of Basra and all its holdings as my demesne. I wanted to see how far you can push a "tall" game. Well, quite far it seems. But it's also boring AF, which is why I'm canning it now.


Oh, I initially wanted to go Bedouin or Levantine for the Camel Cavalry, but due to a bug I'm not allowed to change my capital. Otherwise these ~70k LI would've been 70k CC instead:




I could've pushed it even further by acquiring more trade posts, but I stopped at 65



As a little bonus, this trade post's garrison. Yeah, that's a lvl 11 fort with 9,5k troops.

I started out as the Petty King of Iceland in 936 and conquered parts of Ireland, Scotland and England to get my retinue going. Once I had over 15k retinue troops, I invaded the Middle East and got my hands on Basra. Upon succession I lost all titles east of Jerusalem, which left me with only Basra. This was planned though, since I wanted to create the Peace Castellan bloodline. If I still had all my titles in Europe, I'd have gotten the builder bloodline instead. Upon succession I raided a bit to get a prestige buffer, since I had to convert to a non-pagan religion and back again instantly in order to form a germanic merchant republic with germanic patricians.

Afterwards I spent a lot of time consolidating, since the Seljuks had over 100k troops at that point and were trying to kick me out (I had taken Basra from them in the first war, which the somehow weren't fond of). That's also when my char got the immortal event chain. I didn't really intend to become immortal but since the mystic wasn't a fraud, I felt compelled to finish it. The 100 years since becoming immortal I spent on upgrading my realm, trade posts and the Great Walls. If taken to the extreme, I'd wager you could get to over 200k troops with this strategy. You'd need way more trade posts and the highest tech (still missing Castle Infrastructure VI and Cities/Temples V&VI).


Continuing is just too tedious, though. But I got my answer: Playing tall is entirely possible.

 

[jonjowett]

Continuing is just too tedious, though. But I got my answer: Playing tall is entirely possible.

If you were willing to continue, you could cycle through all of the warrior lodges, picking up a commander trait from each. For bonus points, you could also pick up a legendary bloodline from each (although this would take considerably more time).

 

[Clown]

Oh I did that and much more with my first ever immortal char

This demi-goddess formed Rome, Israel and India. Reformed the Bön, Hellenic, Germanic, Slavic and Zunist faiths, became the Sheik of the Yazidi and formed 8 Bloodlines in total. She also ate about 200 people and is almost as inbred as Charles II of Spain. Nobody's perfect, I guess.

 

[Pants McPants]

Another After the End game, usual start as the Duke of Delmarva, usual goal to form a custom Kingdom of Maryland.

Easier go of it than normal. First wife wasn't producing kids after about a decade of marriage (of course I'm choosing to ignore the fact that I was on the warpath for most of that time), so had her executed. Three kids from my second wife, ran for President of the Americanist faith for kicks when I was in my early 50s and won. Got enough Patriotism from it to subjugate the then-Duke of Maryland and form the kingdom before my death by tuberculosis.

Currently playing as Nicholad Derren's daughter Queen Melanie I Derren, age 27, m. Fenwick Hagerstown, age 37. Been Queen since the age of 9, three kids as of now:
-Cynthia, current heir, 10
-Ethan, 8
-Nicole, 8, twin of Ethan

 

[iNFERnozz]

Tremble in fear as the Iconoclast Duke of Tunis and Sicily pillages the Catholic lands!

Started out as the Doux of Sicily in 769. Spent the first few years imprisoning my vassals using Intrigue focus so that I can revoke their titles or ransom for money. I really despise the viceroyalty title as a vassal because centralization law always reset when title goes back to the emperor. A non-viceroyalty duchy title is really helpful to overcome this annoyance. I was lucky to fabricate a duchy claim on Tunis which led to my second war against the Sultanate of Ifriqiya (Holy War CB is too dangerous to use for now). My original plan was to stay within Byzantine Empire and play the internal politics (including Mend the Schism and Restore the Roman Empire).

Instead, I find the idea of embracing Berber culture and raiding to be much more interesting. However, culture conversion via capital province does not work when your character share the same culture as the liege. Worst of all, raiding is disabled if the liege cannot do so. I managed to find a small window of opportunity to declare an independence war against the Byzantine Emperor and won.

While I am not a huge fan of Berber retinues, the ability to raid overseas is really powerful. As an added bonus of remaining in the Christian group, religious artifacts obtained form raiding are not completely useless (despite being an Iconoclast). My next step is to create a custom kingdom and build up a centralized realm using raided loot to survive the upcoming threat from every corner of the map.

 

[Patriarch of Bub]

Oh I did that and much more with my first ever immortal char
View attachment 494395
This demi-goddess formed Rome, Israel and India. Reformed the Bön, Hellenic, Germanic, Slavic and Zunist faiths, became the Sheik of the Yazidi and formed 8 Bloodlines in total. She also ate about 200 people and is almost as inbred as Charles II of Spain. Nobody's perfect, I guess.

What is the trait right of "simpathy for Islam"?

 

[junassa]

Iron Century start. This is me trying not to blob and failing miserably(although in fairness I did give independence to Maghreb, it's just set to eldership so one of my vassals inherited it):

AI formed Mali on its own. Africa, Egypt, and Andalusia are held by kin. I'm using a bunch of mods including Reformation Reform so everyone has invasion.

Maghreb was independent at one point and was the defender in a jihad. I offered my help but within a year or two the Pope called a crusade for Africa (Italy probably wanted it; they held Tunis). Eventually both groups of heathens were driven off. I'm trying to shed enough vassals to do a GC on Abbasid and then GHW some Catholics. Actually because a vassal is holding both Mag and Aquitaine (my only ships heh) I may have to GHW first, then grant independence, then GC Abbasids.

 

[Wixelt]

What is the trait right of "simpathy for Islam"?

They got the Bon crusader trait.

 

[junassa]

I died stupidly but got the outcome I (eventually) wanted:

There's two Africas because I liberated one from Italy (Italy eventually inherited the Latin Empire).

 

[Kazanov]

This is the new mega campaign i started in the 769 bookmark, Ironman, of couse, as i want more achievements (currently at 72/161):

- I mended the schism
- Faced the entire world as my threat was too high
- Won every war, being quick and having a good fleet its something nice. I started taking duchies from Lombardy, then expanding into the slavic lands, then i declared holy war and great conquests on the muslims every time they were at war against big enemies.
- All my vassals are easy to manage as i created a lot of Kingdoms and then gave them away as viceroyalties.
- Now i'll be invading the east to get all these achievements on Persia, India, and having all the holy places, so the muslims are destined to be kicked out from Arabia.
- I dont know if i restore Hellenism or no
- After getting into India i plan to recover Iberia, as these lands are being ocuppied by the Ummayads and the christians were obliterated by them early on (thanks to me, as i was defeating their defensive pacts over and over)
- The Germanic AI reformed their faith

 

[RenevB]

I have not so much an Empire as a ruler to show off. Meet Kristina "the Bold", Queen of Brittany and Wales.

This is actually just after she miraculously recovered from incapability (by turning insane). I feel it quite fit this excommunicated-at-majority (just because she was a sinful bastard - since lifted), homosexual, brawny but uncouth, mystic, lust- and wrothful warrior queen and adopter of Norman culture. She's still chopping off enemy heads in combat at 56, while also in charge of the Hermetic Society.

 

[Kazanov]

My current Indonorse > Samrat Chakravartin run.

- Started as Svidjod in 867, quickly got into the south of Yemen
- County conquest until i got into Lanka
- Converted into Islam as i was weak, got nice allies, started to slowly take the rest of Lanka
- Converted my tribal realm into a mercant republic. Gave out all my titles in northern Europe, independence for all my vassals.
- Raided all my neighboors for that sweet gold, and discovered that i was still a weakling, waited like 60 years while i strenghtened my position. Then, i got a nice artifact in one of my raids.
- Gave that OP artifact to the chinese emperor for a nice 10k grace. Asked him for an invasion, he dismantled the biggest Empire India ever saw. After that i began to take territories into mainland India
- THE GREAT SELJUK appeared, i allied him and declared two invasions for the northern Kingdoms (i dont remember the name of them, lol), now im in charge of most southern India.
- Seljuk is life, Seljuk is love, and i of course, love my chinese friends.
- Current ruler is an ex-varangian veteran who also is a leper a genius, a pirate and an homosexual.
- Im preparing now for the inevitable indian revolts.
- Meanwhile in Europe theres a war between the Bizantines, the catholics and the muslims for domination, and i dont care, India is a lot of fun.

 

[Weirdsound]

First non-bronzeman Cathlioc playthrough. Started as Desiderius, aiming for the Iron Crown achievement. Wasn't planning on blobbing this hard. Honest. Just wanted to take enough of Iberia to keep the Umayyads at bay and form the HRE so I could vassalize the pope. Then I took the rest of Italy, along with southern Burgundy and Aquatine to connect my lands. From there, my Vassals started eating the British Isles and southern Germany. I then wound up marrying the Queen of France, and playing as her heir to absorb her Kingdom. The new King of France Matri-married his son off to a distant branch of the dynasty that somehow ruled Pomerania and Saxony... And oh, hey, I pretty much rule most of Europe now. Oops.

My last king had the Alexander Bloodline event fire after just winning a crusade with 30 Intrigue and Learning. Needless to say, I can declare invasions now. My current queen is only a few years away from losing the defensive pacts against her. Where do you all think I should have her invade? I'm leaning toward Muhallabid (which controls The African Coast from the borders you can see in the screencap to Abysania) or Sulamid (Who I seem to have to kick out of Jerusalem every few decades). Could try to eat a big chunk of the Steppe. I have a legitimized bastard son without bloodlines, who I could use to forge the Castillian bloodline if I have undeveloped lands to build castles upon. Mallorca and Poland are also both valid targets to further solidify my control over Europe. Thrace is right out though; I cannot send my Spymaster to Constantinople if I own Constantinople.

Spoiler: Internal Border Gore for All you Snuff Fans

 

[Rockphed]

First non-bronzeman Cathlioc playthrough. Started as Desiderius, aiming for the Iron Crown achievement. Wasn't planning on blobbing this hard. Honest. Just wanted to take enough of Iberia to keep the Umayyads at bay and form the HRE so I could vassalize the pope. Then I took the rest of Italy, along with southern Burgundy and Aquatine to connect my lands. From there, my Vassals started eating the British Isles and southern Germany. I then wound up marrying the Queen of France, and playing as her heir to absorb her Kingdom. The new King of France Matri-married his son off to a distant branch of the dynasty that somehow ruled Pomerania and Saxony... And oh, hey, I pretty much rule most of Europe now. Oops.

My last king had the Alexander Bloodline event fire after just winning a crusade with 30 Intrigue and Learning. Needless to say, I can declare invasions now. My current queen is only a few years away from losing the defensive pacts against her. Where do you all think I should have her invade? I'm leaning toward Muhallabid (which controls The African Coast from the borders you can see in the screencap to Abysania) or Sulamid (Who I seem to have to kick out of Jerusalem every few decades). Could try to eat a big chunk of the Steppe. I have a legitimized bastard son without bloodlines, who I could use to forge the Castillian bloodline if I have undeveloped lands to build castles upon. Mallorca and Poland are also both valid targets to further solidify my control over Europe. Thrace is right out though; I cannot send my Spymaster to Constantinople if I own Constantinople.

I love that Mallorca has moved into Croatia.

 

[Sunshine Moon]

Ireland being Asturias was what immediately threw me, for my part.

 

[Weirdsound]

That single county enclave in England is also Mallorca, fyi. I'm 90% sure Mallocra is the title that the Emperor of Eastern Rome took following the 4th crusade. For awhile they had chunks of France too (attempt to marry Byzantine princes and princesses for claims gone horribly wrong), but my vassals took care of that.

I'm not sure what happened to Ireland. Not so long ago, they were doing a great job at holding off my vassals, and then suddenly they were part of my empire under the king of Asturias. I'm guessing either inheritance or Papal Invasion. I gave the last King of Asturias the Viceroyalty of France, with the intent of giving him the means to protect himself from an expansionist Valencia. Guess he could have used it to go on the offensive instead.

 

[meowmeow12345]

My first game in this mod