How to survive early kingdom?

[Sequester]

In my recent game (only the third pop try) I encountred the situation that everything happened too early.
Although I planned to remain merc until I had a truly great force I accepted an invitation to beome a Ravenstern vasall. While I was working on my Noldor relations Ravenstern was attacked by Fiersdwain and D'Shar. Only two lords showed up to support the marshal which resulted in The other lords getting beaten piecemeal.
So while we were losing left right and center I was the only lord fighting back and retaking the lost Sendfall with 100 troops 50 of which were tier 1 or 2. And the stupid king wants to award it to someone else just because half his boyfriends lost their fiefs. So I declared independence at day 127. While I was frantically stocking up my garrison the Ravenstern army arrived in full force and sieged my capital. I did not win at 10:1 odds. As I'am not above reloading I made another try. Again the king was unjust but this time he offered peace the same day I declared independence.

So now I have a couple of days to prepare. I invited Frederik and made him my vasall. I plan to fill up the garrison with lot's of Ravenstern Rangers. Am I correct? What else should I do. Should I even pledge to a distant king? I'm open for suggestions.

 

[noosers]

Pray and play.

And check the stickified topics for wisdom and the quick questions and answers thread for answers.

 

[Mad Vader]

Hire a mercenary company if you can afford it, and make some companions you don't care about vassals by giving them villages.

 

[Sequester]

Thanks for the quick replies. Unfortunately I only have 15k denars. So I can't afford much. How fast are mercs there once I hire them? Maybe it's best to engage them only after I get sieged.

 

[Zim45]

Immediately. They can be quite the lifesaver, although pricy on the upkeep.

 

[fidoman1272]

I would suggest trying to get poinsbruk with an army of companion vassals and merc. companies. You can hold that place against half the world with a handful of poorly trained peasants with pitchforks.

 

[smothdude]

Higher all the ADVENTURERS!

 

[Jeames]

Capture all those scumbag lords and accept no ransom, except for the king, he's so damn lucrative to capture. They can have fun fighting back with no armies. Also, don't worry about losing land. Retake it when their armies are out of sight, the garrisons are usually too small to fight back, and may have prisoners.

 

[damnimbored25]

Thanks for the quick replies. Unfortunately I only have 15k denars. So I can't afford much. How fast are mercs there once I hire them? Maybe it's best to engage them only after I get sieged.

You need money to maintain your kingdom, at least 300k.
Mercenaries are expensive, nobles are expensive even commoner elites are expensive, being a King means losing a lot of money on wages and is going to be like that until you establish and consolidate your power in Pendor.

 

[Ansiktslos]

Give it up and pledge allegiance to someone. Even if you manage to survive the initial war, you are very likely to be squashed by enemy host. Besides, you don't have much RtR and that means nearly everybody will declare war on you for no reason.

 

[RJA]

Capture all those scumbag lords and accept no ransom, except for the king, he's so damn lucrative to capture. They can have fun fighting back with no armies. Also, don't worry about losing land. Retake it when their armies are out of sight, the garrisons are usually too small to fight back, and may have prisoners.

Hehe I did that with the D'Shar. As a vassal of the Empire I captured all but 1 or 2 of their lords. They went from the strongest power (almost all of their lords had 200+ men, Kadan had 400+ and hired Burigli who had almost 900) to the second smallest. The Fierdsvain are actually the smallest. They only have Javiksholm and 2 castles left.

 

[Sequester]

Thanks for the input.
Just to keep you in he loop. There was no initial war as the king offered peace the same day I became independent. Now everything is working out nicely so far. I'm 25 days further down the line and still at peace. My garrison is growing steadily. I just won a tournament and will most likely survive financially for the next weeks. My former liege got his  backside handed to him by almost everybody and Ravenstern lost Poinsbruck to Saerleon, Ravenstern to D'Shar (now capturd by Fierds), Senderfall to me and some castles to both green and gray.

The new neighbours might become a threat in the future but right now they weaken my prospective enemy. Maybe I should start sending away my companions to gain RtR so they wont declare war unnecessarily.