🤴 Crusader Kings III: ФЕОДАЛИЗМ #20 [прохождение 2023]

Storyline and campaign goals

• Playing as a rising Meshchera/Russian tribal realm (Nikodimovich dynasty). The player (Nikodim) has already created the Volga‑Ural Empire and is pushing to form the Great Baltic Empire before the ruler dies.
• The old ruler ages and dies near the episode’s end; leadership passes to a son (Mikor, later Supreme Shaman) who continues the campaign.
• Major mid/late‑game goals shown:
  • Hold on to territory and avoid disastrous inheritance splits.
  • Switch from tribal to feudal government at the right time.
  • Create a hybrid culture (Nikodimskaya).
  • Found a new sacred order.
  • Upgrade armies to professional regiments (Druzhinniks).
  • Create the Baltic Empire title.

Gameplay highlights, events and decisions

Economy & development

• Invested in markets, economic and military tribal buildings to raise monthly income before switching to feudalism.
• Chose a discovered cash reward over an artifact at one event to speed up the feudal transition.
• Bought artifacts and court items (e.g., a miniature chest that gives −10% building time) to reduce construction time and speed development.
• Used the management lifestyle (payment for influence, extortion) to raise income after succession.

Diplomacy, vassals & factions

• Frequently bribed powerful vassals to pacify factions (gifts for opinion).
• Avoided creating too many duchy‑level titles to prevent empowering vassals.
• Used marriages and strategic title grants to bind relatives and reduce the chance of realm splits on succession.
• Handled troublesome vassals by ransom/release or by granting titles to loyal family members.

Warfare & conquest

• Could not holy‑war whole kingdoms (casus limitations had been used already), so conquest proceeded duchy/county‑by‑duchy (Pomerania, Norway, Denmark, etc.) to build the Baltic Empire.
• Split armies into halves for quick sieges and to seize multiple targets rapidly.
• Faced multi‑front fighting (northerners, peasants/rebels) and appointed competent commanders and marshals to improve outcomes.
• Created professional regiments (Druzhinniks) after switching to feudalism to modernize the army.

Culture & institutions

• Created a hybrid culture “Nikodimskaya” (Russian + Meshchera) to combine innovation and bonuses (construction cost/time, military traditions, cultural perks).
• Selected traditions carefully (e.g., Druzhinniks, construction/mercenary/heritage bonuses) to suit the realm’s needs.
• Switched to feudalism only after preparing domains and finances; then founded a new sacred order and converted tribal holdings into castles.

Court & artifacts

• Installed multiple court artifacts to boost prestige and bonuses; swapped or rearranged items when space ran out.
• Managed council roles and appointments (chancellor, marshal, etc.), and used receptions and events to influence vassal opinions.

Strategies and practical tips demonstrated

Don’t switch to feudalism too early

• Tribal→feudal reduces troop sizes (domain change) and can create administrative problems if domains and army are not ready.
• Prepare by upgrading tribal holdings, building markets and military buildings, and collecting gold beforehand.

Economy & gold management

• Prioritize building economic infrastructure in domains before switching government.
• Use raids and the “raid troop” trick (gather, then split) to accumulate loot.
• Bribe dangerous factions when necessary, but prioritize saving gold to afford the feudal transition and empire creation costs.

Raid army trick (concise) - Rally raiding troops at one point so they group. - Split the combined stack into separate armies to avoid the “troops for a raid cannot be combined” limitation and to move large raiding forces efficiently.

Vassal control

• Avoid handing out too many high‑tier titles (duchies/kingdoms) to individual vassals.
• Use gifts, council positions, and marriages to increase opinion and lower rebellion risk.

Culture creation

• Create a hybrid culture when you control mixed territories and need faster innovation/access.
• Pick traditions and bonuses that match priorities (construction time, troop traditions, tolerance).
• Pay the culture creation cost and become the culture’s head for prestige and specific bonuses.

Military modernization

• After feudalization, create professional regiments (Druzhinniks) to replace weaker militia.
• Balance unit composition: Druzhinniks (heavy/elite), archers, light cavalry and spearmen depending on terrain and enemies.

Step‑by‑step mini‑guides (from the video)

1. Preparing to switch to feudalism

   • Upgrade domain holdings (markets, forts, military buildings).
   • Accumulate gold (raids, ransom, events); spend carefully.
   • Reduce faction risk by bribing or placating vassals.
   • Acquire artifacts or upgrades that reduce building time.
   • Accept feudalism only when you can pay the costs and reorganize titles.

2. Creating a hybrid culture

   • Control enough territory of both source cultures and have some tolerance.
   • Open the culture creation UI, select traditions and bonuses (within limits), and pay the cost.
   • Use the new culture for faster innovation and culture‑specific bonuses.

3. Founding a sacred order (post‑feudalism workflow)

   • Accept feudalism (convert possessions to castles).
   • Reclaim or take control of the sacred order’s lands if needed.
   • Spend piety and gold to found a new order aligned with realm goals; use it for military and pious influence.

Bugs and glitches noticed

• Raid troops sometimes cannot combine unless gathered and then split as described.
• A spouse did not appear on the council or was listed as belonging to another ruler (possible marriage/title bug); the player rebooted the game to try to fix it.
• Oddities with artifact durability, placement of chests at court, and court appointments were reported.

Notable in‑game characters and events

• Mikor — son who becomes Supreme Shaman and later ruler.
• Mladchenkov — chosen heir/son.
• Vladislav — mentioned in court/event.
• Various vassals and counts (Turovsky, Kivdor, Tuna, etc.).
• Artifacts/events: miniature chest (artifact), Guardian of the Lands of Heaven (sacred order).

Final outcomes at episode end

• Created the Nikodim hybrid culture.
• Accepted feudalism and founded a new sacred order.
• Recruited and created new professional regiments (Druzhinniks).
• Captured multiple northern capitals and progressed toward creating the Baltic Empire title (paid 1,000 gold).
• The old ruler died; the dynasty continues under the successor with a shift in focus toward management and finance.

Featured gamer / source

• Nikodim (video author / player in this walkthrough)