Here's a fun thing to try (I hope).

[Doofus]

Started my own kingdom once. Most times I join other kingdoms. I tend to join the Southern Empire Kingdom most, although last game was Aserai. Usually I more or less decide before starting the game and I concentrate my pre-kingdom activities to that area to help relations Thought I'd try something different this time...

This time I've decided to join whatever kingdom my first wife is a member of.

It usually takes a while to get someone to decide to be my wife, so it won't happen right away. But I'll pretty much tour the continent talking to the single (reasonable age) women. I will say it will probably be an empire culture, Aserai, or Khuzait since I like horse troops & want to be close to the horse lands. Vlandian may be a possibility too, but probably not Battanian or Sturgian. Sturgians it seems like there's too many food problems & although they are next to Khuzaits, they generally don't do well against them.. Also, I like sword & shield stuff & Battanians & Sturgians seem to concentrate on one-handed weapons.

 

[guiskj]

Sounds like a cool gimmick to help us artificially add some more padding to the early game.

Myself, I have tried and enjoyed a companion-only run in early game. No recruiting troops, just companions.

I played much the same way as you'd play Freelancer mod, joining AI armies and focusing on being a soldier for a while.

 

[Doofus]

For anyone wondering, I ended up married to Liena of Vlandia.

Although she was somewhere near Sargot when I spoke to her father in Pravend, to finalize the marriage, she did of course go immediately into HOLDING and traveled to Tamnuh (when my younger brother and sister were). Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it. I also asked her father, Aldric, if we could have a marriage alliance with brother, Nathanos. He agreed. Nathanos married Megenhelda, who was at Jaculan, and stayed there, for me meet her. Interestingly, when I got there it said she was there, but I paid the bribe to get in the Lord's Hall (hadn't reached Derthert to join Vlandia yet) and when I went to the Lord's Hall she wasn't there. I eventually found her in the tavern, but of course I paid the bribe needlessly.

I think I'll go talk to Derthert now. If I go to Tamnuh, by the time I get there she'll probably have taken the morning flight to Jaculan.

 

[Doofus]

Found Derthert. 1st time playing 1.5.10; nice to get rewards for joining kingdom (6 high level troops & a good two-handed sword). Too bad I like one-handed with shield, but still... Would have liked an actual castle or something so I could make my wife governor and bring her here, but still...its a nice touch.

 

[Doofus]

Lol, less than 15 minutes after typing the above, before even leaving Vlandian territory, she took the redeye to Pravend. Hopefully she will still be there in a couple minutes when I get there to pick her up.