PDX Games IX: Western Pre-Turkic Empire

[The Huskar Social Union]

Everyone should form military alliances and pacts with one another.

That way it totally wont escalate into a full scale galactic war where billions die.

As you can see on the image, I'm allied with (for all intents and purposes) two different states. What you probably can't see is that those two states rival each other, and I allied them because a third state -which they both also rival- rivalled me.

Ah yeah its all coming together

[Gemeanwealth of Man]

As you can see on the image, I'm allied with (for all intents and purposes) two different states. What you probably can't see is that those two states rival each other, and I allied them because a third state -which they both also rival- rivalled me.

Ah yeah its all coming together

It is isn't it? I'm losing on the M'tok front, but thankfully they haven't claimed any of my systems, but we're making significant gains in the Pelisman Theater. I realise I have a significant weak spot compared to the M'tok, as they have destroyers and I'm just developing them.

EDIT: As of 2246, the war is over. We ended the war on a status quo. The Hydrax lost two systems, but I made minor gains in form of one system with a populated world. The M'tok, who had done the lion's share of the work for the enemies, got nothing.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Ah yeah its all coming together

It is isn't it? I'm losing on the M'tok front, but thankfully they haven't claimed any of my systems, but we're making significant gains in the Pelisman Theater. I realise I have a significant weak spot compared to the M'tok, as they have destroyers and I'm just developing them.

EDIT: As of 2246, the war is over. We ended the war on a status quo. The Hydrax lost two systems, but I made minor gains in form of one system with a populated world. The M'tok, who had done the lion's share of the work for the enemies, got nothing.

Now wait 20 years for the next war

[Gemeanwealth of Man]

It is isn't it? I'm losing on the M'tok front, but thankfully they haven't claimed any of my systems, but we're making significant gains in the Pelisman Theater. I realise I have a significant weak spot compared to the M'tok, as they have destroyers and I'm just developing them.

EDIT: As of 2246, the war is over. We ended the war on a status quo. The Hydrax lost two systems, but I made minor gains in form of one system with a populated world. The M'tok, who had done the lion's share of the work for the enemies, got nothing.

Now wait 20 years for the next war

They made war less than 10 years later. Barely a few years after the peace ended. Same two teams again.

[Andsed]

So fun times in Stellaris. I was fighting a two front war and one of the allies was someone who I had previously beaten and had a couple claims on but was prevented from attacking because of their alliance. However I was now ready and since the new party was stronger I planned to send my main fleet over there to take three systems from them while my secondary fleet would defend the gains I took from my previous foe.

Things went well and I captured the three systems and defended my holdings and destroyed a couple fleets. However I saw that the big thing preventing me from enforcing my demands was I was demanding unoccupied systems. I was confused as I had taken all the claimed systems and none of my systems were taken, but then I remembered that I forgot to remove my claims on the systems of the other ally. Thankfully I am a save scummer and so I reloaded and removed those claims. On the plus side I now know I can indeed fight a two front war against two powers who are equivalent to me so thats reassuring.

[Salus Maior]

Some interesting developments in my Carolingian HRE campaign.

Celts have completely reclaimed Britain. The Welsh being the predominant culture and completely taking over the nobility of England. Say goodbye to your vowels, Britain.

While I don't have a screenshot of it, the Irish have also managed to kick everyone else off of Ireland, and are taking over Pictland. So, it looks like Britain is going to be divided between the Welsh and the Irish. With Ireland interestingly enough being ruled almost exclusively by Queens with few exceptions so far.

The Byzantines, meanwhile, are probably going through the greatest internal slaughter and mass death in all Roman History. Granted, I had a hand in that. I've been trying to unite the Byzantines with my Empire, so I managed to produce a Carolingian with a claim to the Empire and, ahem, placed him. That man would be called "Bartholomew the Bear", and he began the greatest shedding of blue blood I've ever seen in-game, Robespierre would have been proud. Mass imprisonments of the nobility followed almost without exception with execution, with a good number of these unfortunates being executed via bear-mauling, which I suppose is appropriate for Bartholomew's nickname.

While Bartholomew is AI, I suppose I have a hand in his slaughter as I've been actively keeping him on the Byzantine throne through an alliance. Pictured here, with also the Welsh army notably helping out. So, civil war after civil war has touched almost everywhere in Byzantium, with mass slaughters following every victory. A grimdark age indeed.

But on the far side of the world there are also some developments I've been keeping track of. You might have heard of the Sultanate of Delhi, but what about the Khanate of Delhi? An enterprising Uyghur adventurer has established a very solid kingdom in India, and continue to be a resilient major player in the region, having been in place well over a century at this point with an entirely Uyghur Manichean ruling class. The banks of the Ganges have become a stronghold for Manichean religion, and it continues to spread throughout the Khanate. Uyghur culture, however, has not been adopted at all in the provinces.

[Serrus]

But on the far side of the world there are also some developments I've been keeping track of. You might have heard of the Sultanate of Delhi, but what about the Khanate of Delhi? An enterprising Uyghur adventurer has established a very solid kingdom in India, and continue to be a resilient major player in the region, having been in place well over a century at this point with an entirely Uyghur Manichean ruling class. The banks of the Ganges have become a stronghold for Manichean religion, and it continues to spread throughout the Khanate. Uyghur culture, however, has not been adopted at all in the provinces.

Honestly, this gives me some ideas for a CK3 run as Qocho.

[Gemeanwealth of Man]

So fun times in Stellaris. I was fighting a two front war and one of the allies was someone who I had previously beaten and had a couple claims on but was prevented from attacking because of their alliance. However I was now ready and since the new party was stronger I planned to send my main fleet over there to take three systems from them while my secondary fleet would defend the gains I took from my previous foe.

Things went well and I captured the three systems and defended my holdings and destroyed a couple fleets. However I saw that the big thing preventing me from enforcing my demands was I was demanding unoccupied systems. I was confused as I had taken all the claimed systems and none of my systems were taken, but then I remembered that I forgot to remove my claims on the systems of the other ally. Thankfully I am a save scummer and so I reloaded and removed those claims. On the plus side I now know I can indeed fight a two front war against two powers who are equivalent to me so thats reassuring.

In my latest game, one of the two fronts I fought in (in which I was severely outteched and outmatched) was basically me camping in the chokepoint border system and making its starbase a bastion with one of my two fleets (of roughly equal size, at that point 5 destroyers+20 corvettes) orbiting the starbase. The enemy basically sent fleet after fleet into that one system and lost every time. To be fair though I also couldn't make any gains in their systems the two times I got bold enough to expand. I think I'm going to do a lot better if/when we go to war again.

[Salus Maior]

But on the far side of the world there are also some developments I've been keeping track of. You might have heard of the Sultanate of Delhi, but what about the Khanate of Delhi? An enterprising Uyghur adventurer has established a very solid kingdom in India, and continue to be a resilient major player in the region, having been in place well over a century at this point with an entirely Uyghur Manichean ruling class. The banks of the Ganges have become a stronghold for Manichean religion, and it continues to spread throughout the Khanate. Uyghur culture, however, has not been adopted at all in the provinces.

Honestly, this gives me some ideas for a CK3 run as Qocho.

Well, hopefully it goes better than in my game. Because apparently the Uyghurs can't stop assassinating their rulers.

[Diarcesia]

Playing as Saxe-Weimar in Vic 2 drives me crazy.

[Impaled Nazarene]

nations in my sphere keep cancelling their alliances with me and then get into unwinnable wars. Why is HPM like this?

[Bralia]

The days of cities rivaling the population of Coruscant are over for Imperator: Rome.

[Lunas Legion]

Playing as Saxe-Weimar in Vic 2 drives me crazy.

Why would you do this to yourself?

[Diarcesia]

Playing as Saxe-Weimar in Vic 2 drives me crazy.

Why would you do this to yourself?

Let's see my previous runs prior to this:
1. Brazil in vanilla
2. CSA in 1861 start (AHD only)

Yeah, a pattern emerges

[Washington Resistance Army]

The world just under a century into my most recent WTWSMS run. I started as Romulus Augustus in 476 and after narrowly fending off Odoacer's invasion of Italy Romulus was placed under the tutelage of a lowborn brilliant strategist who appeared in my court who also happened to be a pagan, ensuring Romulus both converted faith and got some incredible military skills. Most of Romulus' court would follow suit in his conversion, even his father Orestes adopted Hellenism and while at this point most of my vassals still followed Chalcedonian Christianity I had a loyal army in the form of the reformed Praetorian Guards and some Legions to keep them under control. Romulus would go on to lead several military campaigns and steadily expanded the western courts authority over its former territory once more and in 489, 14 years after being placed on the throne by his father, Romulus would reorganize the priesthood and take up the role of Pontifex Maximus. My military campaigns would continue for several more years and steadily expanded my power and wealth, the culmination of which came in 511 when the west court invaded the east and placed Anthemius Constantinus on the throne. Anthemius was educated in the west and was likewise a pagan, which wreaked havoc in the east after he was elevated to power. In 514 a coup forced him from power but in 515 I again beat the east in open conflict and reasserted his control. Anthemius was matri-married to Romulus' daughter and after Anthemius passed in 534 my family took control of both halves of the empire. After a couple decades of intra-dynastic politicking my current ruler, Octavius, assumed control of both halves of the empire and ended the division.

The Sassanids and me have actually only gone to war a single time, during the troubles in the east they managed to seize a bit of Syria from the eastern court so when I reunited the empire I had to fight a large war to retake it. Apart from that we've largely left each other alone and just kept expanding in our own spheres. India is where the most change has happened outside of Europe. A civil war broke out in China in the 550's and the loser of the conflict, Luo Yuanchong, led his loyalists west and invaded the weakened Gupta Empire and after capturing their emperor in combat established his new Qin Empire over the ruins of the Gupta, now ruling as the Jingzu Emperor of the Qin dynasty. They've had a couple civil wars but they've held strong through it all so far.

edit: Oh, also, my current character has the bloodlines of Romulus Augustus (who founded 2 or 3), Augustus himself and Alexander the Great, so that's pretty great.

[Salus Maior]

The world just under a century into my most recent WTWSMS run. I started as Romulus Augustus in 476 and after narrowly fending off Odoacer's invasion of Italy Romulus was placed under the tutelage of a lowborn brilliant strategist who appeared in my court who also happened to be a pagan, ensuring Romulus both converted faith and got some incredible military skills. Most of Romulus' court would follow suit in his conversion, even his father Orestes adopted Hellenism and while at this point most of my vassals still followed Chalcedonian Christianity I had a loyal army in the form of the reformed Praetorian Guards and some Legions to keep them under control. Romulus would go on to lead several military campaigns and steadily expanded the western courts authority over its former territory once more and in 489, 14 years after being placed on the throne by his father, Romulus would reorganize the priesthood and take up the role of Pontifex Maximus. My military campaigns would continue for several more years and steadily expanded my power and wealth, the culmination of which came in 511 when the west court invaded the east and placed Anthemius Constantinus on the throne. Anthemius was educated in the west and was likewise a pagan, which wreaked havoc in the east after he was elevated to power. In 514 a coup forced him from power but in 515 I again beat the east in open conflict and reasserted his control. Anthemius was matri-married to Romulus' daughter and after Anthemius passed in 534 my family took control of both halves of the empire. After a couple decades of intra-dynastic politicking my current ruler, Octavius, assumed control of both halves of the empire and ended the division.

The Sassanids and me have actually only gone to war a single time, during the troubles in the east they managed to seize a bit of Syria from the eastern court so when I reunited the empire I had to fight a large war to retake it. Apart from that we've largely left each other alone and just kept expanding in our own spheres. India is where the most change has happened outside of Europe. A civil war broke out in China in the 550's and the loser of the conflict, Luo Yuanchong, led his loyalists west and invaded the weakened Gupta Empire and after capturing their emperor in combat established his new Qin Empire over the ruins of the Gupta, now ruling as the Jingzu Emperor of the Qin dynasty. They've had a couple civil wars but they've held strong through it all so far.

edit: Oh, also, my current character has the bloodlines of Romulus Augustus (who founded 2 or 3), Augustus himself and Alexander the Great, so that's pretty great.

Based and Rome-pilled.

Edit: What does it usually take to trigger the Alexander bloodline event? I have plans for certain parts of the world...

[Washington Resistance Army]

The world just under a century into my most recent WTWSMS run. I started as Romulus Augustus in 476 and after narrowly fending off Odoacer's invasion of Italy Romulus was placed under the tutelage of a lowborn brilliant strategist who appeared in my court who also happened to be a pagan, ensuring Romulus both converted faith and got some incredible military skills. Most of Romulus' court would follow suit in his conversion, even his father Orestes adopted Hellenism and while at this point most of my vassals still followed Chalcedonian Christianity I had a loyal army in the form of the reformed Praetorian Guards and some Legions to keep them under control. Romulus would go on to lead several military campaigns and steadily expanded the western courts authority over its former territory once more and in 489, 14 years after being placed on the throne by his father, Romulus would reorganize the priesthood and take up the role of Pontifex Maximus. My military campaigns would continue for several more years and steadily expanded my power and wealth, the culmination of which came in 511 when the west court invaded the east and placed Anthemius Constantinus on the throne. Anthemius was educated in the west and was likewise a pagan, which wreaked havoc in the east after he was elevated to power. In 514 a coup forced him from power but in 515 I again beat the east in open conflict and reasserted his control. Anthemius was matri-married to Romulus' daughter and after Anthemius passed in 534 my family took control of both halves of the empire. After a couple decades of intra-dynastic politicking my current ruler, Octavius, assumed control of both halves of the empire and ended the division.

The Sassanids and me have actually only gone to war a single time, during the troubles in the east they managed to seize a bit of Syria from the eastern court so when I reunited the empire I had to fight a large war to retake it. Apart from that we've largely left each other alone and just kept expanding in our own spheres. India is where the most change has happened outside of Europe. A civil war broke out in China in the 550's and the loser of the conflict, Luo Yuanchong, led his loyalists west and invaded the weakened Gupta Empire and after capturing their emperor in combat established his new Qin Empire over the ruins of the Gupta, now ruling as the Jingzu Emperor of the Qin dynasty. They've had a couple civil wars but they've held strong through it all so far.

edit: Oh, also, my current character has the bloodlines of Romulus Augustus (who founded 2 or 3), Augustus himself and Alexander the Great, so that's pretty great.

Based and Rome-pilled.

Edit: What does it usually take to trigger the Alexander bloodline event?

You need:

An empire tier title
15,000 prestige
Not be incapable or a prisoner
Not be content
Your capital must be in Europe or the near East

It also helps to have a ton of money or extra prestige to ensure you can take the best options in the events to ensure you actually get the bloodline. The free invasions plus the +5 Hellenic opinion has helped me a ton.

[Salus Maior]

You need:

An empire tier title
15,000 prestige
Not be incapable or a prisoner
Not be content
Your capital must be in Europe or the near East

It also helps to have a ton of money or extra prestige to ensure you can take the best options in the events to ensure you actually get the bloodline. The free invasions plus the +5 Hellenic opinion has helped me a ton.

I remember I got it once before, but I hadn't gotten it since then.

I've also never, ever, had a character that was a child of destiny either since that was implemented.

[Gemeanwealth of Man]

You need:

An empire tier title
15,000 prestige
Not be incapable or a prisoner
Not be content
Your capital must be in Europe or the near East

It also helps to have a ton of money or extra prestige to ensure you can take the best options in the events to ensure you actually get the bloodline. The free invasions plus the +5 Hellenic opinion has helped me a ton.

I remember I got it once before, but I hadn't gotten it since then.

I've also never, ever, had a character that was a child of destiny either since that was implemented.

I've got Alexander twice, and Demonspawn a fuckload of times. I think I got the Child of Destiny once, but never managed to go through the childhood events (It only happened that he was my heir and succeeded me when I died).

[Washington Resistance Army]

I fully believe Child of Destiny cannot happen for a player. I don't care what the code or wiki says, I've played a lot of CK2 and never once gotten it

[Salus Maior]

I've only had demonspawn once like years ago. Like when it was first implemented.

I also miss seeing the Joan of Arc event. I used to get that one every now and then.

[Gemeanwealth of Man]

I've only had demonspawn once like years ago. Like when it was first implemented.

I also miss seeing the Joan of Arc event. I used to get that one every now and then.

Demonspawn, unlike other "major" supercharacters, can be created by will. Just use the power on your wife/concubine. 9 times out of 10 that child will secure their succession.

[Salus Maior]

I've only had demonspawn once like years ago. Like when it was first implemented.

I also miss seeing the Joan of Arc event. I used to get that one every now and then.

Demonspawn, unlike other "major" supercharacters, can be created by will. Just use the power on your wife/concubine. 9 times out of 10 that child will secure their succession.

Oh I know, I just never do the Satanist society.

A little too fantasy for my historical game. Also I'm a good Catholic boy.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Think i might have had child of destiny once. Cant remember honestly.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Demonspawn, unlike other "major" supercharacters, can be created by will. Just use the power on your wife/concubine. 9 times out of 10 that child will secure their succession.

Oh I know, I just never do the Satanist society.

A little too fantasy for my historical game. Also I'm a good Catholic boy.

Yeah I always turn the Satanists off entirely. That society is a bit too out there. I can accept the Hermetics creating early guns and plate armor and stuff and I'm fine with warrior societies being OP in terms of Martial skill but the Satanist societies are just out there.