What are my options here?

[LittleRaven]

Ok guys, I'm in trouble. I'm currently playing as the Ahlmohads, early, expert. I've crushed Spain and hold all of the Iberian peninsula. The French had done very well for some strange reason and sent a HUGE Crusade at me. I turned it back, but during the battle, my only Prince fell.

Now I’ve got a huge problem. My Khalief is 34 years old. He likes the little boys, and he’s never had a son. (the prince was his brother) He does not come from a long-lived family: his father and grandfather both died (of natural causes) around 50.

Am I totally screwed? I still have around 15 years. I’ve heard there’s a cheat, but I’m wondering if there doesn’t exist a legitimate (if painful) alternative. Could I try and provoke a civil war? Would that save me?

[y2kBug]

Sounds like it's time to introduce your guy to the royal harem. At 15 years and counting, you're probably in deep trouble, but you never know -- you could have a long and fruitful life in the backwater regions of your empire.

Keep saying this mantra: "Be fruitful and multiply..."

Seriously, though... Your idea about a civil war would work if you can send your big guy packing to some distant province where his influence would dwindle to nothing. You'll likely not like the results of the civil war that ensues though.

Come to think of it...civil war....end game....civil war...end game... I suppose civil war would be the hand to beat.

[bakdal]

Do check out the "No more heirs" thread some threads down on this list. I had similar problems, and there's posted some response on that thread.

As the matter of fact, I did post a reply to that thread a few days ago, but there has been no answers to a couple of questions, so I will reinstate them here:


This first campaign of mine seems to keep creating new questions, that doesn't find all it's answers in this forum. Even sometimes contradicts.

This "heir thing" continues.

The situation was this: I hadn't any heirs, and my emperor (Byzantine) was getting old. Then suddenly a male heir occur, but presumably too late.

This came out true. The emperor dies, and a civil war breaks out. Then two odd thing occur after each other:

1) I'm asked to choose side in the civil war, and an information screen pops up. That was an easy choice, as there were nobody on the rebel side, and everybody on loyalist side. Why is that? Because loyalty in the empire is so extremely high?

2) A new emperor is declared. He starts getting kids of his own, but the children of the former emperor still shows in the heir list. THese two groups of children are not brothers and sisters, and perhaps not even related. The oldest boy is son of the former emperor. Will he become emperor, and is that logical?

Greets,

Bakdal

[y2kBug]

Quote[/b] (bakdal @ Jan. 22 2003,13:56)]1) I'm asked to choose side in the civil war, and an information screen pops up. That was an easy choice, as there were nobody on the rebel side, and everybody on loyalist side. Why is that? Because loyalty in the empire is so extremely high?

2) A new emperor is declared. He starts getting kids of his own, but the children of the former emperor still shows in the heir list. THese two groups of children are not brothers and sisters, and perhaps not even related. The oldest boy is son of the former emperor. Will he become emperor, and is that logical?

1) Extreme loyalty on the part of your generals (and of your populace) was likely the reason for your extremely one-sided civil war.

2) Once the dead king's pup comes of age, you could once again become embroiled in civil war. The possible alternative would be that if the current 'King' dies after the pup comes of age but before the pup dies, the pup may well become the next King. Haven't seen this play out yet, so it's all speculation on my part.

It'll be interesting to see. Keep us posted Bakdal.

[mav3434]

yeah, I had this same problem with a young, inbred king. He assumed the throne at around 28, married, heirless and shooting blanks.

Bakdal said wait a while in that other thread he mentioned, you'll get some heirs, and he was right. When he hit his mid 40's, he popped out 5 or 6 kiddies in a row 2 or 3 of them males, and since his great grandpappy was having kids in his late 60's, I have no reason to think he'll stop. Maybe your guy will hold on long enough, if he has a kid at 44, all he's got to do is make it till about 60 and you'll be allright.

I guess the reason the game does this is so that, when you get a young king, you don't end up with like 10 heirs or so, maybe it makes succession too messy or something.

[LittleRaven]

Well, he finally started having sons at 49. Spat out three in a row. Then, and the ripe old age of 63, he died. My oldest heir was 15 years old.

But I'm happy I didn't lose the game I was certain that my faction would just die out. But it didn't Instead, I got one heck of a civil war. My empire is completely shattered. It was quite an even split. I ended up losing about half my provinces, then the Germans and the Egyptians came looking for easy pickings. Sadly, they found them. Oh well. I still hold everything from Algeria to Cordoba. I think I can recover. It's going to be a long, hard climb though.

I think I'm going to have to add "perversion" to the list of traits that gets a perspective ruler axed. Goodness, but civil wars are a pain.

[bakdal]

Y2KBUG: I will post a reply as soon as I get further in my game, and the "heirs from different families" question gets closer to an answer. However, I'm about to lauch the grand family vacation, so it will not be sooner than a couple of weeks.

I promise to post the reply in this thread.

Bakdal