Medieval Total War: The Future
I've been thinking about the limits of M2TW and how CA could improve the game massively. The goal of a Total War game (so far) is to provide a historically accurate war based game. The war thing they've done pretty well, although improvements can made. Much though can be improved on the historical side. I don't think they should stop striving in this direction until they have a game where virtually everything that happened in the past could (I stress could) happen in the game without losing its playability. No easy task.
Anyway, to the point. I have an idea that could improve the historical accuracy as well as it's political side, although I think this would work best within a medieval setting (I.e. in a future Medieval : Total War). It's simple really and not that far removed from the current game, but I don't think it would work effectively on the current engine with all it's limits.
Essentially instead of country factions such as England, France, Spain, etc you play as a noble family or House. This would still mean you could start off as King of England or France because you could be the Plantagents or Capetians, but you could also start off as a family not in kingship such as the Lancastrians. In it you'd play the political game as much as the war game and they'd be much more options available to you. So you could rise in the ranks as much by war as by marriage and politics. Crowns and titles would be goals to be won in which you could acquire until you are master of all or overlord of all.
Let me explain: For an example you could play as the Plantagents in which you'd already be King of the English with minor noble houses under you over which you'd have a degree of control. You, through a marriage let's say, had a claim to the French crown and therefore you'd put forth your claim and invade. Your claim would be strengthened by things like success in war (total conquest would of course be possible), papal saction and any dissatisfied French nobles who decide to side with you (with a little bribe of course). If your claim is very strong and the french king is not very good than the French noble families are more likely to accept you as their king and total conquest would not be necessary. Those French families would therefore become your vassals such as your orginal English families, although are likely to rebel if you start bringing over large numbers of English families to lord over French land.
Marriage of course wouldn't be the only method rising. Total conquest would be simpler, if harder and likely to bring with it the wrath of the Pope. The Pope though would also be a method of sactioned conquest, like how Charles d'Anjou conquered the Kingdom of Sicily.
The Two Empires (the HRE and Byzantium) would of course be the highest powers with which a kind of imperial status would mean conquest would be easier, but they'd have their own problems. The Byzantine throne for example would have the problem of religion. Conquest in the west would mean try to convert people to Greek Orthodoxy while the East would pose similar problems. Latin conquerors of the Byzantine throne would have the problem of very strong opposition from the Greek nobles. The Holy Roman Emperor would start off not particularly materially strong and have less control over most of his vassals while having huge responsibilities such as the defence of Christendom. Also if would be harder to keep the emperorship in the family due to the elective element of the throne, although easier to obtain if you're not the ruling family.
Other elements might include regencies, when a king is too young and a minor so temperal power might pass to another, possibly even another family. This might course political unrest, a weakening of control over nobles and even a coup. If that happens to a family who rules over an extensive empire (say more than one kingship) then the probability of loss of one or all would be increased.
This is the basic idea but it would require a bigger engine, more faction slots, new and improve game options and capabilities, etc but what do you think? Could this be a possible future for M:TW?
ps. sorry about the length.
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i like the sound of the throne concept, it would add a realistic factor of chance into the game; have an heir or lose the crown! You could of course adopt but this could bring its own problems, maybe rebellions or w.e.
Originally Posted by Pink Beard
:sparta: 
