Factions: Family or Nation?

[The Badger]

I am making this a thread as i was Hijacking a perfectly good thread about princesses becoming queens with this question.


Basically; for both better and worse, M2TW seems like a continuation (or mod)of RTW and where that particularly seems relevent is in playing the family-based factions.

This is what got me started:
Dynastic turmoil: 1314–1328
The specific events leading up to the war took place in France, where the unbroken line of the Direct Capetian firstborn sons had succeeded each other for centuries. It was the longest continuous dynasty in medieval Europe. In 1314, the Direct Capetian, King Philip IV, died, leaving three male heirs: Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV. The eldest son and heir, Louis X, died in 1316, leaving only his posthumous son John I, who was born and died that same year, and a daughter Joan, whose paternity was suspect.

In order to ensure that he, rather than Joan, inherited the throne, Philip IV's second-eldest son, Philip V, used the rumours that Joan was a product of her mother's adultery to have her barred from the succession; a by-product of this being a tradition that women could not inherit the French throne.

and since my favorite is England this got my attention...
t is important to note for future events that starting with Rollo, Norman leaders were vassals to the King of France, even after they also became kings in England.

Following a period of civil wars and unrest in England known as The Anarchy (1135-1154), the Anglo-Norman dynasty was succeeded by the Angevin Kings.


So you see; my 'faction' would probably count as losing to what is i believe a "rebel" faction ...
(:smash: alpaca points out that 'rebels' are better anmed MINOR FACTIONS - at least in their mod)

Anyway; I realize its just a game; etc etc

But one of the MAJOR HISTORICAL THEMES of this era is the transformation from FEUDALISM and CITY-STATES to NATION-STATES

In fact; that was the POINT of the instructional manual called "The Prince"; written by some washed-up politico and ex-general who gets quoted rather frquently in M2TWE...

So maybe that aspect of the campaign could get a bit more attention?
Does anyone ut me find this stuff interesting?

[Midnight]

Well, as far as gameplay is concerned I'd love to see a much more fluid, shifting political landscape than we presently have in M2. For example, I'd like to see various 'rebel' versions of each faction (perhaps representing various families, other strong political players, etc), capable of splitting away and striking out on their own given the opportunity (in a similar way to the East\West Roman Rebels in BI).

Then again, I'm also a fan of faction re-emergences and emerging factions (Swiss! Burgundians!) - anything really to keep gameplay interesting once the number of living factions starts to dwindle, and also to provide a very different game each time through.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Families within factions could be better represented if lesser nobility such as Dukes of different families to the current rulers could through marriage become part of the Royal Family and gain a claim to the throne. Then if the King dies, these characters make their claim to the throne, with each of their own sons and relatives etc joining them. Basically pitting different families against each other. It would be nice if each faction had an equivalent Rebel faction which emerged in civil wars, like the Roman Rebels in BI. Settlements and armies may choose sides depending on their loyalty to the current king's family and the influence of the opposition.