What's mine is mine
While I wait to hear back about those marriage proposals, I consider my other pressing issue. As I've mentioned, CK2 requires me to have some “legal” justification to go to war. So I can't just raise my armies and start yelling “I'M KING OF IRELAND! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, COME AT ME BRO!” Okay, well, eventually I can do that. But I have to control a significant portion of what is considered “de jure” Ireland first.
Currently, I only have one valid claim that I can press through war. Enter: this d-bag. Earl Muiredach mac Carthaigh of Desmond , 41, is a pretender and a liar. Also he probably smells bad. He rules over the County of Desmond, which is part of the de jure Duchy of Munster. As long as I hold the title Duke of Munster, I can make the argument that his land is actually my land. Which it is. I plan to oust the fool right quick, and put an ua Brian in Castle Dunasead.
September, 1066 (Continued): Duke Murchad sends an offer of vassalization to Earl Muiredach of Desmond. He refuses. Duke Murchad emphasizes that this isn't really optional. Muiredach still refuses. Murchad sighs, and assures the Earl he will be hearing from some men with swords shortly.
Well, it was worth a try. Now he's going to make me raise an army. Luckily, that will give me a chance to explain how raising armies works. (And I promise, future installments won't be this “explainy.”) In CK2, I don't have guys that stay on the map all the time. Like actual medieval Europe, I need to call on “levies” from my vassals when I want to go to war. Every holding has a max number of troops it can give me, but the actual number it will give me is based on how much a particular vassal likes me.
County Thomond is mine, so I'll get the full troop yield of 225. County Ormond, on the other hand, is ruled by Ragnvald... who doesn't like me all that much. He's offering 4 men. And the troop numbers in this game aren't abstract. That's, literally, four guys. They were probably planning on splitting the fare for a carriage. So, what's to be done?
