View Full Version : MTW: SWM, King, seeks companion for friendship and starting a dynasty
I'm currently having a bit of trouble marrying off my princes. I've sent out a metric butt-ton of emissaries, and ambushed everything that even looks remotely like a princess to ask her hand in marriage which has meant that some of those swarthy fellows in the southern regions who are wearing the robes that look like dresses are getting come-ons they don't appreciate, but no dice. I've got three unmarried princes in their 20s and 30s and things aren't looking so good for the ol' succession if these boys don't stop looking at stick figure porn and start producing lots of xy kids. Short of whapping them in the head with a clue by four, how in the world do I fix this problem?
Additionally, is the King's influence a factor as to whether the marriage contracts are accepted? I don't recall what this King's influence is, but I think it's on the low side, so that might be the source of my princes' romance woes. Anyone have some insightes on how this process ticks? (Oh sure, someone here is going to explain how women think. Hopeless.)
AntiochusIII
10-06-2005, 22:45
King's influence does affect this. In fact, as long as you're not way too big (as often happens), it's the prime factor. A nine-influence king makes his princes look especially cute in the eyes of other nations' princesses. ~D
In a desperate case you can even marry off your own princess on a prince. Disgusting, in my opinion, and extremely desperate. No need to, in fact.
Your king will always marry soon enough though, if he becomes a king without a queen yet.
Though if you want it (I'd think it's fun, but it's not my campaign) you can intentionally cause civil war by some intentionally "stupid" actions (losing a battle, a province; a failed crusade, etc) and establish a new royal line, which will gain some influence by conquering back the lands lost in that transition.
If a faction has more than one princess, propose to the oldest princess first.
It may be my imagination, but I'd swear that I get more acceptances when I do that.
Gents, thanks for your replies. I paid close attention to the influence of the king, then tried to get these blokes hitched. Still no luck in getting my princes married off, though this led me into a new and wonderful line of questions, the effect of:
How does one increase the influence of one's King?
I realize, nay, know deep in my heart that this has been asked often here, and is probably in another thread, and I'll be doing a search on it in mere moments (lest you think I am one of the many idjits who wander in and ask something you see in the FAQs. Would I do that?), but I think I might know the answer: Get your king lots of good combat experience when he's a prince, then when he inherits, he's golden. I sent one prince, the eldest, off to Novgorad by himself to fight with the rooshin folks, and he was most unfortunately killed opposing 380 horsemen and not a few spears. I pretended to mourn his passing (chinless wonder). His brilliant 2nd born younger brother was then crowned the next year, when old Ericson of Eric son of Eric managed to catch the plague and die in his bed amidst burst buboes of Royal ickiness.
How was that for timing?!
I've got a zillion spies, and a few emissaries, and that old pedophile Doge from Venice sends over a request for a princess every dozen years or so, and I'm happy to comply, because otherwise Ingrid isn't getting hitched. Those royal daughters seem to end up spinsters, so I'm giving the two fingers to the bastiches from France and England and Germany and marrying these girls off to the 2nd Lieutenant in charge of the rear guard catapult squadron. They've got gouts of loyalty, those boys in the Cat squad. If only they could hit something with those great bloody rocks they toss about on the battle field... something other than my own cavalry... or spears... or CMAA, or anybody wearing a stripey red and white tunic. The guys in the ugly purple, it should be obvious, I'd think you'd WANT to hit them with rocks just for showing up in bad looking uniforms.
I think they're color blind, which might be the trouble. Or just blind, from too much porn. Not a lot of girls get out to the rear cat squad, methinks, and that's why Ingrid someone'sdottir is going to change that, pronto.
AntiochusIII
10-07-2005, 22:22
There are many ways to increase king's influence. I know only some of them, and their uses depend on your style.
1) Conquer, conquer, conquer. It doesn't matter who lead the conquest, the influence belongs to the King. Of course, this would eventually end up against your original intention to increase king's influence, as the AI does turn against you when you grow too big. They were created to trouble the player, after all.
2) Crusade. It is the most popular one. The king is guaranteed +1 influence (and +1 piety) if the Crusade succeeds. Not to mention some goodwill from the pope and whatever order knights (the equivalents of chivalric knights, but untrainable and available in early) you've got when the crusade starts. If it fails, however, expect a civil war, unless your king was really highly influential.
3) My favourite one, though the hardest to do. This one is mostly for turtlers (i.e. players who did not expand across the map, but establish themselves at some point for a long time, some even for the rest of the game. A popular tactic for GA mode.) Try to save an ally from a siege. How? Simple: if you have a border with, or a sea lane to, an ally's province that is being besieged (trapped in the castle) by your mutual enemy, march your forces in and save their arses. This will make your king more influential. It is especially useful if you have weak allies holding off against rising superpowers you wish to weaken.
Oh, and about the princesses. If you don't want to (or couldn't) find a foreign princely husband, marry them to disloyal-but-skilled generals. Though you can wait until the last year to do so, taking advantage of the princess' ability to act as a diplomat/scout.
sbroadbent
10-08-2005, 04:18
2) Crusade. It is the most popular one. The king is guaranteed +1 influence (and +1 piety) if the Crusade succeeds. Not to mention some goodwill from the pope and whatever order knights (the equivalents of chivalric knights, but untrainable and available in early) you've got when the crusade starts. If it fails, however, expect a civil war, unless your king was really highly influential.
Crusades are an amazing way to increase your king's influence (presuming you can launch crusades (sorry Byz find another way ~;) ). Muslims can probably benefit from sending successful Jihads.
I launched two crusades in quick succession (within 5 years of each other), and when I had looked at my king, he was 9 influence. It was also sweet that the king was also incredibly young (age 22-25).
It likely made a difference that both crusades were launched to 2 of the 4 Crusade GA goals (Palestine and Tripoli).
King Henry V
10-08-2005, 16:45
But why is that every time a high influence King of mine with a powerful empire dies, his heir only has three Influence points?
Weebeast
10-09-2005, 06:11
^You have to send your princes to war a lot. I usually spare one who has the biggest command (in case king dies) and send the rest of my sons away. Well, basically you have to work it over again lol.
AntiochusIII
10-09-2005, 07:14
You send all other princes to death? I don't agree with that, because ex-heirs are very useful, if you are sure that you won't be seeing civil war soon, that is. They (at least, those who were the children of a really highly influential king, or those who were emperor Alexius I's descendants, for that matter ~;) ) made excellent generals and/or governers. I'm not really sure, but they probably (I only heard, never had one) will even take the throne once again if the main branch of the dynasty died out.
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