Politics in M2TW

**Krosh** · 10-28-2006, 23:24

I just read a post in the MTW forums that I found very interesting. In the game it was possible to "inherit" kingdoms if a kingdom lost it's king, all of his heirs, and if one of their princesses was married to one of your family members. So my question is if it will be possible to inherit entire kingdoms by brokering for a princess' hand in marriage and then systematically killing of the rest of their royalty in M2? If practices like this continue in M2, then it would be a nice twist to the game when compared to how Rome only allowed total victory through conquest.

Here's to hoping politics and diplomacy offer a valid alternative to total conquest.

edit: This is the link to the thread I mentioned in case anyone is interested. https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=71000

**Zalmoxis** · 10-29-2006, 03:23

That would be awesome, because what I like to do in my games is use teams of assassins to destroy an enemy factions leadership before I crush them, but this would bring so much more usefulness to assassinations.

**Polemists** · 10-29-2006, 03:26

I don't know, because I had thought and I could be wrong back when I played medieval one that princess's soley were used for alliances. I know this time by reading reviews that princess can be used to get a general on your side if her charm is high enough. However once he's joined you I don't know how he'd still have claim to his lands. I assume princess's are better then diplomats since as I recall in Rome you could not bribe family members as everytime I did no matter the amount they refused.

Supposedly diplomatic AI is alot better this time who knows.

**Krosh** · 10-29-2006, 03:57

There's something else that I was thinking about. This might only be possible if your family member and his princess bride (good movie) were to have a male child, thus making him the rightful heir to the fallen faction? Just a thought. Might have to ask the guy who made the thread if he can remember.

**parcelt** · 10-29-2006, 16:25

I remember this indeed being possible in MTW I. Suddenly, you'd have a few new provinces!

**Horatius** · 10-30-2006, 00:57

If this is possible you should be able to become king of your country and the country you inherit.

For example if you are the King of England, and you have a family member marry into the royal line of the French and you assassinate all the French Royalty you should become King of England and France and controll both English and French Armies, similar to the arrangements that would have happened following Agincourt had good King henry lived a bit longer.

**Lord Godfrey** · 10-31-2006, 02:28

Theoretically possible, but in over 400 hour of playing time in MTW1 it never happened to me

**Darth Nihilus** · 10-31-2006, 02:32

Yeah this was possible in the original, but I've never seen it over the span of 100 or so campaigns.

**Kavhan Isbul** · 10-31-2006, 02:40

I have seen it happen to the AI a few times. It has never happened to me, but when I want to destroy a faction I find conquest easier - I just do not have the patience of assassinating all family members. Besides, if I have enough assassins or grand inquisitors to accomplish the task (and you need too many of them), this means that I have developped well enough and am one of the superpowers, if not the only superpower left in the game. And then the AI would never accept a marriage, even if I offer the princess (and I am not sure if you get lands by marrying your princess, or only by marrying one of your heirs to a foreign princess). Which brings us back to the discussion of the AI in terms of its diplomatic abilities - I understand that obstinate AIs willing to sacrifice themselves in order to create more difficulty for you is intended to make the campaign a greater challenge (and help the other AIs, if they have a chance), but it is quite unrealistic and illogical.

**satchef1** · 10-31-2006, 14:08

It only happened to me once, but ive seen it happen the the AI a lot.
Most notably in one of my Armenia campaigns. I held the whole of the steppes and asia minor, Aragon held iberia and northern africa, Denmark held central Europe. There were a few other factions floating around too, but they were basically dead.
I'd been at war with Denmark and Aragon for ages, i was just strong enough to hold them back on both fronts (Egypt and Poland/Austria) but then i got the chance i'd been hoping for. The Danish king and all his heirs were in the same provence so i invade and kill them all.
Next turn every provence the Danes had goes pink

Would be nice to see the same system in M2

**TheImp** · 10-31-2006, 14:39

Originally Posted by Krosh

There's something else that I was thinking about. This might only be possible if your family member and his princess bride (good movie) were to have a male child, thus making him the rightful heir to the fallen faction? Just a thought. Might have to ask the guy who made the thread if he can remember.

I like this idea. Heritage would take in this case its whole meaning and would give the player the stress that generals and lords might have had concerning their bride giving birth to boys or not