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by jhanschoo 3776 days ago
If you're interested in realpolitik in games, I'd like to recommend the excellent Crusader Kings II game and its DLC. You play as a feudal ruler, and find your character plotting murders, marrying off daughters, and conspiring for claims to titles.
5 comments
elthran 3776 days ago
Then you'll end up trading those normal realpolitik thoughts for "I'll marry my heir off to my sister because she's a genius", "I'll just have these 5 children assassinated for their father's land". Choose your own poison.
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creshal 3775 days ago
Ideally you choose their poison, not your own.

Unless you want to commit suicide to be able to bring your strong, genius heir to power.

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eropple 3775 days ago
Gotta get the Depressed trait first for that.
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fennecfoxen 3775 days ago
> You play as a feudal ruler

More specifically, that means that you have other rulers under you who may be providing the bulk of your armies... rulers who may have designs on your throne, and their own allies. And even if they're theoretically loyal to you, your son may be at risk of being stabbed by a brother-in-law with designs on your kingdom - leaving your daughter in a very delicate situation only a few steps away from Game Over. Perhaps that will mean it's time to replace your wife and try for a new heir (good luck with the papal divorce politics, better have some poison ready in case that doesn't work).

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somedangedname 3776 days ago
My views about the Princes in the Tower[0] changed drastically after playing this game. Pretenders to the throne are a danger to the realm, even the very little ones.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_in_the_Tower

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em3rgent0rdr 3776 days ago
Ditto. I have sunk 1k hours into CK2.
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emptyfile 3775 days ago
Why doesn't anyone like Victoria 2? For me it's miles and miles more engaging than CK2 or EU4
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douche 3775 days ago
I love Victoria 2, but it does feel a little more on rails than either CK2 or EU4. There tends to be a lot less really interesting ahistorical results than in the other two - invariably you end up with the USA, UK, Germany, France, Russia, and Japan, or possibly China if it managed to industrialize, as the superpowers.
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