CKII is released.

[anus_pounder]

From Pdox forums -

 

[Malakal]

A frozen frog?

 

[poocolator]

Best Grandmaster ever.



Sieges and attrition need a lot of work. The former is so static and the latter virtually non-existant. So much promise, so little used.

Is that you, Urist?

 

[Trash]

From Pdox forums -

Prolly from (the otherwise excellent) wizmod. His latest version had some trouble with religion triggers. I had one of the African muslim countries suddenly bring forth an antipope.

Wiz claims he fixed them now.

 

[spectre]

So you guys in this thread basically made me do it, I demoed it with intention of purchasing if it turns out right.
I admit, I got burnt with Paradox games back at the first couple of Europa Universales, because it all felt like a dul exercise in map painting.

Right now, I'm trying to get the hang of the game, select a good starting position that doesn't get me rotflstomped in the first 2 years. I'm thinking, a not too big aspiring kingdom, so that I can wrap my head around it
(getting dropped right in the middle of a moloch like HRE feels like a bit too much), tried my luck with some italian dukes for a start,was good fun, been thinking about trying out ireland, maybe scandinavia.

Looks good so far, much better than EU, from what I remember. More depth, more stuff to do. Nice touch that you can divide your army into flanks,
although I've yet to see if it has any actual in game effects. So far, it seems that raw numbers are the most important factor in combat. Nonetheless, it feels like an improvement.
First big question: is it possible to stop naval invasions in any way? I one started a game in Sardinia, but got tastefully raped by moslems in less than one year.
Serves me right, because I obviosly chose a bad starting point to learn the game, thing is, it seems like there was no way for my galleys to hinder enemy ships in any way,
and from raw numbers alone, it seemed that I could have at least bought me some time with them.
Bad thing is, tutorials weren't really helpful, I learned more about the game from AARs and this thread thus far. If anybody could drop, or direct me at a few newbie tips, I'd be much obliged.

 

[Trash]

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?584947-Good-rulers-to-learn-with

Nice thread with some good recommendations for starting positions. Best ones imo are Duchy of Apulia, Duchy of Bohemia, Duchy of Polotsk and Barcelona.

 

[Malakal]

Kingdom of Poland is quite excellent as a starting realm for new players. No strong natural enemies, pagan nearby, good ruler.

There is now way of stopping naval invasions.

Flanks are quite important as, if they defeat the enemy flank, they can attack the middle with a bonus equal to 2 times the commander martial stat which is way more than usual. Thus strong flanks = more damage dealt as long as your own mid holds. But yes, numbers do rule the battlefield. But with sieges as slow as they wars are definitely not something that can be won quickly.

 

[Quilty]

Has anyone ever experience any attrition? I sent my ruler with an army of 2000 men from Africa to Croatia ON FOOT, and he lost a couple of soldiers to some rebels on the way, but not to attrition. I seem to remember attrition being the big menace in EUIII.

 

[Cassidy]

It seems attrition, like child mortality, has been way too toned down. In CK1 for example, sending troops to a crusade for Jerusalem as most European kingdoms meant you'd have to have twice as much as you needed to stand a chance because usually 50% would die due to attrition before even disembarking.

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

It seems attrition, like child mortality, has been way too toned down. In CK1 for example, sending troops to a crusade for Jerusalem as most European kingdoms meant you'd have to have twice as much as you needed to stand a chance because usually 50% would die due to attrition before even disembarking.

Yes, I remember.
Its really strange, unless you're on a mountanous area woth a huge army (8000 or so), you're not even gonna notice atrittion exists, even in sieges. Compare it to EU3 Divine Wind, where immense armies die like fleas in jungles, steppes and deserts, or EU3 Magna Mundi, where using atrittion and scorched Earth to win battles was vital.

 

[eric__s]

Attrition is huge in the later part of the game, at least in Africa where I was. I'd send guys to fight the Shia Caliphate in Egypt and half of them would die just getting there. Fortunately, half of the Shia Caliphate would die besieging my lands, so I guess it was a fair trade off. It's seriously killer though. 10k deaths just getting there from Mauritania, 30k more from attacking their lands.

 

[Malakal]

Attrition is horrible later in the game and the point about half an army dying before reaching its crusade target still stands - especially naval attrition seems way overpowered.

Besieging a big fortress in Alexandria or anywhere in Africa causes you to lose almost all your troops even needed to maintain the siege due to attrition. At 5k troop size in the fortress your army can be at highest 8k in the province, its really hard to make any progress.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Has anyone ever experience any attrition? I sent my ruler with an army of 2000 men from Africa to Croatia ON FOOT, and he lost a couple of soldiers to some rebels on the way, but not to attrition. I seem to remember attrition being the big menace in EUIII.

The overall point is that 2000 men is NOTHING on the scale CK2 will eventually reach. It's comparable to sending 2000 men in EU3: You wouldn't see attrition then either.

 

[Destroid]

Shouldn't you still experience attrition though, as it's improvements in supply and technology that allow the fielding of bigger armies rather than higher populations (I'm guessing)?

 

[Trash]

Sieges in the Middle Ages often were as deadly for the sieger as for the besieged. As even one ingame event says, siege camps are ripe places for disease to spread. Look up a little history and be shocked how often sieges failed due to outbreaks of cholera and other nasty crap. Personally I like attrition as it is. Together with modded extra deadly diseases and battle events I feel lucky enough if my nobles survive a conflict.

 

[Saxon1974]

Can anyone who has the retail box release confirm whether there is a printed manual in it? If so, I may order it from the paradox webstore and pay the shipping as I like physical stuff. If not I will just get it off Steam.

Also, I have not played CKI yet, should I skip it now and just play II?

Thanks.

 

[Sranchammer]

I would recommend skipping it.

 

[Oarfish]

Also, I have not played CKI yet, should I skip it now and just play II?
Thanks.

CKII has less annoyances than CK1 with no dumbing down, jump straight in.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

Don't get it off steam... get it off Gamersgate.

 

[Phelot]

Why what's wrong with the Steam version or do you just not like Steam?

 

[Saxon1974]

I dont love Steam but I already have it so if there is no manual in the box then I will just download it off of Steam.

So anyone have the box and is the only thing in it the disc? If so, no point in boxed releases anymore really.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

There's the fact that you don't "own" anything on steam and are at the whims of their servers, but also Steam gets patched later and seems to have some issues with multiplayer (getting the right Checksum).

Seriously, don't be a faggot. Get it off of Gamersgate. Their d/l software is kind of shitty, but other than that they're true BROS. Also, Paradox uses them as their preferred retailer so you can get DLCs (expansions) directly through the game in the future.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

Oh, and weren't there problems with Steam and getting mods to work right?

 

[Merkwürdigliebe]

Can anyone who has the retail box release confirm whether there is a printed manual in it? If so, I may order it from the paradox webstore and pay the shipping as I like physical stuff. If not I will just get it off Steam.

Also, I have not played CKI yet, should I skip it now and just play II?

Thanks.

Yeah boxed version comes with a manual in it. Though the Paradox shop is sort of expensive, I got a boxed copy of Amazon uk for quite a lot less.

 

[Saxon1974]

Can anyone who has the retail box release confirm whether there is a printed manual in it? If so, I may order it from the paradox webstore and pay the shipping as I like physical stuff. If not I will just get it off Steam.

Also, I have not played CKI yet, should I skip it now and just play II?

Thanks.

Yeah boxed version comes with a manual in it. Though the Paradox shop is sort of expensive, I got a boxed copy of Amazon uk for quite a lot less.

Excellent thanks. I'm not sure if Amazon uk with ship to the USA though so I might have to go with the paradox shop. Thanks