Dude

It's not quite what you were looking for because there are starting empires roughly correct provinces, but... I grabbed dClare's "Massive Attack" mod which increases unit size for peasants & possibly raises their cost??. I then edited each province to have revolt level of at least 1. This slows down your expansion, and computer AI (Tried it with 2 & most AI players couldn't cope.) Also edited out movement between Flanders & Old Blighty to slow the French Juggernaught. Also integrated someone elses mod with Burgundy in there (sorry can't remember whos it was...). I also changed Almohad AI to muslim expansionist... which I recommend as it makes playing Spain much more interesting.

Moved the start date back to 800 to buy some time! (which had the effect of giving me a (216) -that's negative 226- yr old princess as Spain.... long lived spy...cool.

I'm now playing a game where factions last longer, seem to reappear more often & building an empire is MUCH more challenging. It's not a 1 province start but .... it's more like the game I want to play.


FYI, I would love to be able to also do the following. And am trying to where possible:

-add new events especially random events

-by default have much lower loyalty for generals. ie so if they don't get to do the wild thing with your daughter or get a title, they probably will revolt.

-have new factions that will appear at later stage in the game (eg make a game starting in 700 & have French available after say 900 as a revolter...) maybe custom events would allow that.

-be able to raise armies quicker then make them much more expensive to maintain. - to simluate a feudal levy that was generally raised for 1 campaigning season & disbanded(maybe you'd then just keep hold of elite units & high valour ones).

-I was also toying with the idea of changing barbarian raiders - giving them free, or low cost soldiers from a home province until it is sacked & some improvement is destroyed, after which they are civilised & have to build-up as usual.

-Lower trade income, but lower boat cost. The level of income generated by trade is unbalanced and ahistoric IMO.

Anyway, before I bore you further.