Thinking of doing a realism story playthrough, questions *spoilers*

[KiriKaneko]

SPOILERS AHEAD

I finished a playthrough without realism where I sided with Wessex. I am now most of the way through my first realism (must save and exit) of native and planning my next one for VC. I want to make sure I make the right choices so I have a few questions:

1) Please spoil the entire siding with Northumbria story for me. I joined Wessex before. The lesbian girl, the bastard guy, and the danish surgeon left me, Bodo died and I got the jerky priest later. If I side with Northumbria then when happens to my companions? Who can I keep and who do I lose? What challenges do I face? I haven't forgotten the burning mead hall thing from the Ireland story which could have cost me the game if I was playing realism since getting out of that trap is a total fluke and I dont know whether something equivalent could kill me suddenly in the Northumbria story

2) I'm actually kinda in my comfort zone with Wessex. I know that when I choose to join them I lose a bunch of companions I didnt need (although I did like the girl) and then I only need to take a castle, protect the priest, do the navy thing, and then that very hard field battle. Honestly its the field battle that worries me the most but if I can bring 350 vets/svears to the fight I can probably do it, just have to stand way back so I dont get permadeathed. What challenges can I expect if I side with Northumbria? Is it easier? Harder? What advantages do I stand to gain? The plan for wessex was to take the time to buy off the Wessex lords then rebel and flip them all to my side. Wessex is a very convenient territory to defend as it has no ports and only a single bridge, the ferry from wales, and a gap near wales to access the territory. It would mean any invaders from Ireland, Frisia, Denmark or Norway would need to land in Dunwic, London or Cardiff and move all the way around to me. On the other hand Northumbria is a bad location where I can be invaded from Scotland, Mercia, Wales or any of the overseas factions via the ports, but vikings are strong. What kind of rewards do you get from siding with the Vikings in the story?

3) I get the feeling I made bad choices when I did my Wessex playthrough since I ended up pissing off everyone I met it seemed. What choices will make me the most friends?

 

[davidoner4]

Everything I type is based off my experience. I've played through Northumbria 3 times and Wessex once. You might want to put your reading glasses on...

1) The ending with Northumbria is exactly the same as it is with Wessex with the exception that the Danish win the Battle of Dour-Enz (the naval battle where Bodo dies) and the big fight right before you take on Sven for the last time. I've played through with Northumbria only losing Reginhard and Bodo (everybody else stayed). I've played through Wessex losing only Egil (the king's bastard), Reginhard (seriously, I hate that guy), Asbjorn (the Assembly judge/doctor) and Bodo (I'm pretty sure he is scripted to die no matter what side you choose in the storyline). The burning mead hall is agitating but if nothing could kill you suddenly while playing Wessex then you have nothing to worry about playing with Northumbria.

2) I prefer Northumbria solely for the superior troops and the fact that I can ultimately keep more companions. The only companion you can lose (at least the way I did it) joining Northumbria is Bodo. Everybody else can be talked into staying with you. After joining with Northumbria you take Dun Taro in the far North of Scotland; the idea is that the Kingdom of Alban will attack that fort in an attempt to take it back instead of attacking anything else belonging to Northumbria (and surprisingly it works). The storyline with Northumbria is exactly the same as it is with Wessex; take fort, defend priest, naval battle, field battle, kill Sven, end game. I had a hell of a time on the last field battle between Wessex and Northumbria because of troop fatigue (I still don't have that down yet). I prefer Northumbria simply because of their territorial holdings at the end of the storyline (they hold almost half of England). However, because of their size a lot of factions will shortly declare war on Northumbria after the end game. In my opinion the Kingdom of Alban (Scotland) is easily crushed. Wessex can be dealt a harsh blow if you go take some towns/forts immediately after the hellish field battle (I can't remember the name of the battle for the life of me). I try to finish off the Kingdoms of Alt Cult (because they border Northumbria along its entire Western border which makes it easy for them to raid/invade once the war starts) and East Engle (because they are practically entirely defeated at the end of the storyline) after the end of the storyline. I have no idea about rewards.
tl:dr    The size of Northumbria at the end of the game ensures near-immediate wars after you complete the story. However, because Northumbria fields Norse troops, nobody really ultimately stands a chance against you.

3) a) If you are siding with Northumbria: kill Reginhard in the Holmgang, when you go to turn the letter over to Northumbria the only person that didn't say "I'll follow you to the end" was Brunhild and she says something like, "If you turn that letter over to Northumbria then I'll..." and I respond with, "WHAT?! WHAT WILL YOU DO?!" and with that you put her in her place and she says something like, "I don't know. We've been through too much to go our separate ways now." I bought everybody's good favour though (all relations at 100; I generally have money to blow for stupid things). The only companion I lose when turning over the letter to Northumbria is Bodo.
b) If you are siding with Wessex: I really have no clue here. I've played through with Wessex once and when the time came to decide to turn the letter over to Wessex, only Asbjorn (he's the judge from the Assembly that joins you) and Egil left my party. Egil thought it would be a good idea to play me close and try to test my cool and he ended up occupying a plot in the earth. He was upset that I was joining Wessex. I probably could have saved Reginhard if I challenged Egil to the holmgang during the Assembly instead of Reginhard, but I despise Reginhard so he is going to die in the holmgang no matter what.
tl;dr    I lose more companions siding with Wessex.

 

[The Onion Knight]

I've played Dane side twice and Saxons once. I honestly found Saxons easier because the fort that you have to take is very simple, it's basically a village. Of the campaign the most annoying mission would be to conquer a fort for your faction and hold it for 20 days. This is much easier with Wessex since there are 2 towns and heaps of things to keep your party happy. When sieging the fort in Alban you'd at least lose 15 troops and you'd probably run out of food yourself when you try to starve them, which by the way is probably the only way you can take Dun Taruo. Also, morale will drop like crazy and plus, when Wessex goes to war with Cornubia, Glywssing, Brycheinog or Gwynedd (and I guarantee they will) you can snatch yourself a couple fiefs because the Britons are easiest to conquer and kill. And then, if you wish you could rebel against Wessex and be it's king.

 

[zeldata]

1. It was the same as other sides with a different castle, places and troop's strength. (Northy was stronger than westsy)
2. I have played on maximum difficult setting and in the last battle, on westsy side, my elite 100 men, with 10k wage with about 9 points in leader ship,  killed about 75% of enemy troops before they were, all, down and still barely win against Northy.
The reward were money, reputation, renown and other things that was not super item or status point. (Nothing was big deal)
You may consider altering your svear army to something else since they are mercenary whom you need to pay more than normal.
3. Mainly, do not offend them or try to be a wise guy. Try to support what they say. Some events usually led you to get more hostile lords but that was it. In my current game, most of them stayed in my harem prison already.

 

[KiriKaneko]

OH that's interesting, for me playing Wessex the girl left me because she said the viking way of life is better. I lost reginard in the holmgang but then I told egil to get lost for trying to sacrifice me and lost him too, then asbjorn left with the lesbian viking girl. I'm more interested in saving my companions and from what I can tell I can get by if I sacrifice Egil at the holmgang and lose Egil when I side with Northumbria (who dies anyway so who cares?)

Are there any particular decisions I need to make to avoid losing people?

 

[davidoner4]

Are there any particular decisions I need to make to avoid losing people?

The only one I can think of is with Brunhild when you are deciding when to turn the letter over to Northumbria. Getting her to stay with you is easy.

3) a) If you are siding with Northumbria: kill Reginhard in the Holmgang, when you go to turn the letter over to Northumbria the only person that didn't say "I'll follow you to the end" was Brunhild and she says something like, "If you turn that letter over to Northumbria then I'll..." and I respond with, "WHAT?! WHAT WILL YOU DO?!" and with that you put her in her place and she says something like, "I don't know. We've been through too much to go our separate ways now."

Choosing Egil to challenge in the holmgang might save you Reginhard in the Wessex storyline (Reginhard might betray you again or something; I do not know for certain because I always kill Reginhard in the holmgang).

If you have relationship to 100 the viking girl will stay. Relationship with companions plays a part as well and you can literally buy their favour (thankfully).

 

[clock4orange]

Choosing Egil to challenge in the holmgang might save you Reginhard in the Wessex storyline (Reginhard might betray you again or something; I do not know for certain because I always kill Reginhard in the holmgang).

If you have relationship to 100 the viking girl will stay. Relationship with companions plays a part as well and you can literally buy their favour (thankfully).

it is not...

Spoiler

you definitely loose 4 companions Morrigan, Egil, Reginhard and Bodo, but after finish storyline some of them should spawn as company for hire, eg. Egil spawn in my game in Friese with 100 northmen, spend 2-3 weeks and then he moves to Danes...
as a vassal of Wessex I can not hire him or give him a land, maybe as king i could? I don't know frankly, as I forgot about him during heavy fight, after couple weeks his gone or I can't find him, even with cheat...

you can keep other companions by paying them or send them on mission or... let them go, they come back in few weeks

btw. the good time to start thinking about own kingdom is quest with conquering castle and hold it for 20 days or so... if you have good relation with king and other lord, you definitely receive that castle