Navarre/Navarra Start for a CK2 newbie

[OnnaBushido]

Background: So my gf coaxed me into buying this game weeks ago and I finally gave it a shot. At first I was hopeless but after several hours of gameplay I managed to get past the worst of the learning curve and I have to say it is a fun game overall. it definitely has a diff feel to it than Total War. unlike in total war, you can't rapidly expand using tactical ingenuity, winning against ridiculous odds through skilled manoeuvres and cunning. Instead you have a dynasty and realm which you can slowly shape over time, starting off as a count and ending up as an emporer hundreds of years later through careful decision-making and growing and pruning your dynasty and court. I like it.

So I want to have a go at Navarre/Navarra. Just because they start out with Basque culture, which means Absolute-Cognative Succession available right off the bat. Which I like, because I prefer playing as a Crusader Queen rather than King, but also it means that if my best child is a lady then I can elect her as my successor, instead of being forced to choose a less qualified male.
Now I did have a go at Navarre/Navarra when I picked up the game but I failed miserably. My attempts to win Castille through marriage failed coz my spymaster was and the assassination plots never fired. And my neighbours were too powerful for any expansion to take place.

Does anyone have any advice for a Navarre start? Is there a trick to it? What would you do in the first 100 years?

[Stario]

Not really a guide but just some basic advice (which you may/may not yet know)...

If you pick intrigue focus you get option to 'spy on' target of choice, this gives ability to kill target via event for 5 ducats. It's much more efficient then kill plot at killing high profile targets (which would otherwise yield no backers).

Also you can invite characters to your court (using the find character search button), with 'buy favour' option (for those chars that don't otherwise have a claim & thus would normally refuse a court offer). Using favours one can then ask a character to join ones court (as long as that said char is not a member of anothers council- note this does not apply to commander position).
SO there should be no reason your spymaster shouldn't be 20+ in the respected skill along with the rest of your council. *Note if one wants females on council one needs to have the appropriate 'Status of Women' laws set up.

Also be careful not to go over demise size- the tax and levy penalties are brutal once they kick in. Once you get to Duke rank aim to become Grand Duke by having x2 duchy titles. But be careful not to go over x2 Duchy titles once you become King/Emperor rank if you do you will get 'too many duchies penalty' and your counts/vassals will hate you- so if you have more than x2 you will need to give them away (and just keep x2).

As Count I like to control every barony in the said de jure personally (it is important to think about the future x2 duchies you will want to personally control once you become Grand Duke when going about accomplishing this- all this will be accomplished not only through waging war but also plotting/scheming, usurping titles, and title revocations etc. so use them all to your advantage).

You will need to change 'centralization' laws & eventually 'abolish council power'; all this increases demise size- you will need large demise as you acquire baronies so as to not suffer/negate the penalties of being too powerful so pay attention to them.
You also want fabricate land claims outside your x2 duchies simultaneously from the get go and give them to either your sons or content vassals (ambitious vassals will cause problems so never give land to ambitious characters unless it is your heir(ess)- this is ok because after your char dies you will play as heir(ess), once you start reaching demise limit. But remember to hold on to the baronies in your x2 duchy titles de jure (don't give these away).

well hope that helps a little...

[Basil II the B.S]

Navarre isn't the game you want to play as a newbye. Sorry.
I can give you some advice but the truth is, unless you know very well the core concepts of the game, eg the imporance of de jure provinces, you aren't going far in the game.
Every nearby Kingdom is much stronger than you, so your chances of expansion are little.
Conquest by marriage takes time and a lot of build up.
Holy Wars will get you wrecked.

[White Bishop]

The only real strategy for a new player in CK2 starting with such an exposed nation as Navarra would be the exile strategy, unless you got amazingly lucky with alliances. To your north there are the weak Bretons which are ripe for conquest should you get the claims. Going even further into the british isles would give you an extremely safe position from which to strike into the continent later on once you've consolidated your power.

[TheSilverElite]

I agree with Bishop, its a good strat for the newbs