When are a prince's stats decided?

[gunslinger]

I understand that your king's influence and command stars affect the quality of his offspring, especially where the sons' command rating is involved. Is the prince's command rating decided when he is born, or when he matures? I often wonder if it is worth rushing to relieve an ally's garrison or complete a crusade in the last couple years before a prince matures.

[Ironside]

I understand that your king's influence and command stars affect the quality of his offspring, especially where the sons' command rating is involved. Is the prince's command rating decided when he is born, or when he matures? I often wonder if it is worth rushing to relieve an ally's garrison or complete a crusade in the last couple years before a prince matures.

It's decided the last time the king (usually his father, but can be his brother) has a change to his stats (this happens after every battle throughout the empire, even those were the king isn't in, the influence changes, but not enough to be visible), before the hier matures.


His traits are decided on maturing though.

[Peasant Phill]

In other words, whatever the stats of the king the year the prince matures, that is the base for the stats of the prince. Keeping this in mind it could be worthwhile to put an attack with your king as general off for a few years if this king has a good attacker virtue until your prince is 15.
I do this regulary playing as the Volga-Bulgars. My Khan has 3 stars but the good attacker virtue is easy to win in the opening years. Timing my attacks just right, means that when the heir matures, my king is just on the offensive and facing a field battle with some rebels. 3 stars become 4 (vitrue) and my heir will have better stats than he would have gotten with a 3 star father.

[Lord Cazaric]

S'good.

I'm just thankful (playing Almohads, thankful to Allah) that my princes all have full command, acumen and dread. It's the same with the men who used to be princes but never inherited (I haven't yet installed VI after changing Windows). I had a collection of such men in Tunisia, until the Egyptians stole Cyrenacia from my soldiers and marched into Tunisia. Only 2 of the great commanders survived - those two led two armies out of Algeria and Morocco into Tunisia three years later, and reconquered it.

30 losses to my men in the battle, and 700 Egyptian dead. Fairly good outcome, if I do say so myself.

[macsen rufus]

It's not necesessarily a good thing to wait til the last minute, as your King's influence will also directly affect the loyalty of all other troops trained in the meantime. The sooner his influence goes up, the more loyal your army will become (because you're training troops with higher loyalty earlier). Also you may get another chance to add yet another star to your king's abilities if you do the first attack sooner

[Peasant Phill]

True, it al comes down to a bit of calculation.
A king gains 1 crown of influence for every 2 provinces that are conquered (provided the realm doesn't lose provinces). Like every general, kings will gain command stars if they win enough battles (1, 2, 4, 8, ...). certain virtues, most importantly the good attacker line.

Make sure, if at all desireable, to have your king at the peak of his potential (influence, stars) when your princes mature. But I'm sure others are more apt at breeding their royal line.