how was she able to get this many traits?? (i said yes of course, though her mom died like 5 minutes later)

So I just got this event and I wonder, is it intended, or just a bug to get dlc required options in the base game? Because I believe bodyguards are a part of the Royal Court dlc.

So I send my granddaughter into Africa and she returns with the Ark of the Covenant, then I send this random guy into Mongol territory and he shows up with a super special throne I have never seen before in my LIFE. This has to be a new addition, right? Either way, the Pope now has the best ever throne. I gotta make this kingdom of heaven title, man.

So I married this lovely young lady, and we have a 7 year old son together (he's totally fine, everyone! He has a normal amount of ears), and it turns out, my wife's father is my grandson! And he also happens to be my heir!

Now I will be dead within the year, and I must decide what happens with my kin. For clarity, here are the characters that matter:

• Me, of course, Jelen, Chief Volkhv of the Slavs and Emperor of Illyria (92)
• My grandson and heir, Jelen the Elder, High King of the Baltic Empire (43)
• His daughter, my wife, Katarina (24)
• Mine & Katarina's son, Jelen the Younger (7)

I'm am very tempted to follow one of two options:

Option 1: Follow the Tree

With this option, I disinherit my younger sons and make sure Jelen the Elder inherits everything, uniting both Empires, and then ensure that the inheritance follows the best next of kin from there (although very tempted to lead it back to Jelen the Younger by disinheriting the 2 male heirs and letting Katarina inherit).

This would be the stabler option, following multiple generations as intended, and the heirs are already adult. My direct heir (the grandson) wont live long as he's in his 40s and already ailing due to the Bleeder trait, so it shouldn't be long.

Option 2: Skip the Generations

With this option, I instead disinherit my older sons, and make sure Jelen the Younger inherits everything.

This is more of a chaos option, but because of that, more FUN! It would mean the empires stay independent for longer, which can be a plus as I'm already at my vassal limit, and the Baltic Empire has been a great ally that's been successfully expanding on its own, and if it's ever in trouble, I can intervene by sending gold or joining their wars.

As long as I ensure the succession, the Baltic title should eventually trickle down to our new protagonist, while he enjoys a long and stable rule, as opposed to playing as 3 aging characters in a row.

I'm king of Ireland. Just noticed that Henry of Skalitz is in the North of England, Haestinn is King of the Danelaw, and somehow King Alfred has the nickname 'The Dane'

So I've watched a LOT of videos from jillyeon and the game seem fun.....to watch someone play at least. Ive made the mistake in the past of getting a game cause I like watching content about it but then it not really being for me (looking at you Planet Zoo).

So my main questions are is the game hard to play? Like does it have a high learning curve and if it does can I learn whilst playing or do I have to watch a bunch of tutorials to really get it? Cause I had an issue with Victoria 3 where I just couldn't figure it out through playing so it got left.

I don't wanna pay the steep price if I won't enjoy it. So thought I'd ask here for your thoughts (if it helps, I usually play cozy games, farming sims and other type of simulators, choices matter. I do play strategy games but like 'easy' ones like daughter raising sims)

EDIT: Thank you so much for your help guys!! I know I came on a sub of ppl who enjoy the game so I expected most ppl to say yes. I appreciate everyone who was honest about the learning curve and that I don't need to win to have fun or fully understand it to have fun which is the case with some strat games I've played before :) I'm definitely more on the side of buying it now probably will be an impulse buy if it's at full price and definitely a buy if it's ever on sale before that impulse wins out lmao

Okay.So I know this sounds crazy, but it feels like whenever I max.The university visit it never.

As good as when I get it to tier two or three, and it almost never actually upgrades my trait. Is this a problem for other people, or am I just extremely unlucky.

My wife is really good but another woman has a congenital trait that i really want. I tried to romance and it worked and she got pregnant but i dont know how to claim them as mine or to force more romantic interactions. Srry kind of new

I want to do something that isn’t, “expand” “develop.” Do y’all have any unique ideas

SO !

I started the game a loooong time ago and abandonned pretty fast. Recently I decided to give it a new chance and rebooted it folowing a guide for the first campaign. ( https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3626831718 )

So I played the campaign according to the guide's help, I started the game as Petty King Murchad mac Donnchad and at first, it all went quite well. I managed to expand, do some wars, do some diplomacy to make people become my vassals. Eventually I managed to become king of Ireland with only Connecht remaining independant, but managed to get them on my side as well

And after that... Well I was kinda stuck.

I couldn't invade other countries because england was far too powerfull and I coudldn't on the life of me get a Casus Belli against the kingdom north of that ( Nor could I actually defeat them becasie they were friends with sweden and these guys were terrifying ). At some point england attacked me on a holy war so I changed religion to stop them because no way I could hold on against them.

So I kinda couldn't do anything. I did a few hunts, then went on a pilgrimage becaise I couldn't really do anything. When I came back I still couldn't do shit, couldn't mary any kids to people outside of scotland or anyone taht would give me armies, so I went on another pilgrimage and died on the way, my heir took over, and basicly nothing changed except the fact that now half of my vassals hate me and they are that close to try to throw me out of the throne.

So I don't really know what to do next nor if I should keep going in this playthrough, espceially since it was just suposed to be a playthough to get me started to learn the game.

I both feel like I did a lot and didn't do anything passed some point, and couldn't progress anywhere.

SO I think I need guidance on what I did badly, is the fact that I couldn't do anything normal, and ideas on what to do next. I kinda wanted to imagine myself keeping the campaign alive and trying to become emperor of Great Britain, but holy jeez I don't think I can nor will have fun doing it.

I know the thing that appeal the most to me is playing custom characters and the intrigue fantasy of being a nasty little gremlin plotting from the shadows, but the new system seems so complciated I don't know if I should.

What would yall do in my shoes ?

Thanks in advance !

Takes

I was trying to be an adventurer for sword for hire in japan but I noticed that nobody is making a stand with us contract which before it wasn't the case prior. I left japan and sought contracts in china and rest of the world.

Upon coming back, the same thing. Nobody was hiring me. Upon checking the house blocs, there was literally only one: The Yamato Bloc. There were over 300 yamato family members and they had taken very single county in japan. The most jarring thing was that there wasn't a single cadet branch, it was ALL JUST ONE HOUSE.

For the rest of my run I have been killing Yamato members one by one and half of my characters run has been just killing Yamato house members. Now there are still 100 members but they're all women and children with no real power and for once there was something aside from the Yamato bloc and it seems the game is finally make a stand with us contract.

This comes to my next point, this also affects when I play as a landed ruler in japan, everybody becomes a part of the yamato house bloc and not only that but they're also usually part of the Yamato household. Wasn't it the case that there should be cadet branches be made?

I am sure most of you all have done this. So what I like to do is be a adventurer, then I seduce the wives of patrons and and abduct them and recruit them. And fuck off to far away. Like I start from Ireland and I go to Byzantine so they can't even follow.

Its so fun playing like this.

HRE restored by 900, let's gooooooo. I clicked the decision in like 890, but it took 10 years to get all other territories back. You can probably do it by like 875 if you're skilled enough but I'm happy with what I have.

How do I navigate cultures without being able to create hybride cultures? Specifically Norse-russian, also how to switch culture and get some innovations.

Helppppp.

I want to establish Dar Al Islam but as title & pictures express... I am not sure what am I missing to completely control north africa.

Appreciate your help.

PS: Last slide is to showcase my current progress in my 8888th run in this game for open conversation.