late iron
Just wanted to drop a potential idea I had for a more dynamic law system that has the potential to cause the player more grief and force them to play around with Civil Wars more.
1. Basics
- Many action on a Duchy/Kingdom level increment or create an internal counter.
- If that counter is >1, it's called a Precedent.
- If that counter is more than >N it's called a Custom and more than >M a Tradition.
- Traditions can be written into Laws.
2. Gameplay effects
- AI Vassals who are very traditionalist will prefer to do actions that are in-line with the Kingdoms/Cultures (some of those counters could be on a Culture level, some on a title level) traditions.
- When a player makes an action against a counter that is already high, it could trigger a new Faction to appear, which could in turn lead to a war.
- It's especially true for new Precedents.
3. Example actions
- Disinheriting an heir - first time it could be very controversial, but if done enough times, could even lead to a situation where it's considered normal for the ruler to pick an heir.
- Female inheritance.
- Revoking titles.
- Granting de jure titles - vassals could learn that they should receive their righful vassals.
- et cetera, et cetera.
4. Examples of gameplay
- In a Kingdom where for 300 years the oldest son always inherited the main title, suddenly the player King decides to either designate an heir or disinherit the son without a criminal cause. It breaks a long Tradition. A Claimant Faction appears that will not trigger until King's death. After current ruler dies, a Succession War immediately starts between the two brothers.
- Similar case with female inheritance.
- Player has been giving out rightful vassals to correct Dukes a lot, keeping internal de jure borders. They stop doing that. All affected vassals receive a malus on opinion scaled with how strong that Tradition is.
- A strong "no revoking Tradition" becomes Law. Player revokes title. A rebellion in a war against tyranny.
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