Summary
Crusader Kings 3is arguablythe greatest grand strategy game ever madeand with each expansion pack and accompanying free update, it continues to get better and better. However, even amidexciting releases planned forCK3in 2024, the game has a few glaring issues and some gaps in content for specific regions or features.
On top of more pressing matters, there are also popular aspects ofCrusader Kings 2, or the Middle Ages in general, that players can’t wait to see in the third installment of the series.
1More Start Dates
Players Want To Start In Earlier Or Later Centuries
One of the most frustrating aspects ofCrusader Kings 3is that there are currently only two start dates; 867 and 1066. While these are both great options andplayers have hundreds of starting rulers to choose from, they can get repetitive after a while. It is a particular pain for players who prefer other periods of the Middle Ages, who can’t start as their favorite 12th, 13th, or even 8th-century king.
New start dates forCK3would shake up the political situation on the map, and introduce a whole host of characters and personalities while allowing players to access aspects of the later medieval era they normally have to grind towards. In a recent live stream, the developers did confirm there will eventually be more start dates but declined to comment any more on the topic. For those who can’t wait, theMore Bookmarks+mod is a great option.
2An Update To How Warfare Works
This Core Mechanic Needs Variety & Depth
Battles and warfarein general feel a little too simple inCrusader Kings 3, and when AI allies are involved it can often become frustrating. Large sweeping updates to warfare could therefore do a lot for the game, especially as it is a core part of the game. For example, sieges could be made more interactive for those on either side of the wall, with options to use diplomacy or deceit to shorten a siege.
Players could also be given control over the tactics in battles, and even more flavor for when their ruler leads from the front. Additionally, there is an entire subsection of medieval warfare completely missing from the game, as there are no naval battles. Whilebattles at seaweren’t as prominent as they were in later centuries, they still played a big part and could define entire wars.
3Horse Lords & Other Nomads
This Would Provide Another Way To Play The Game
Two ofthe best DLCs forCrusader Kings 3,Northern LordsandLegacy of Persia, have added ample variety for tribal and clan rulers, respectively. However, the game doesn’t currently have a dedicated ruling system for nomads, who are simply grouped into the tribal form of government.
A Horse Lords-themed DLC, similar to the one fromCK2, would thus be a very welcome addition, allowing players to sweep across Eurasia as the Mongols or Cumans. While it is possible to do this in the game currently, the simplistic tribal gameplay does not reflect the nuances of these nomadic people and how they ruled and conquered. Nor is there much flavor for them, which a dedicated expansion would provide.
4Trade & Merchant Republics
This Would Add More Strategy & Flavor To The Game
As with practically any other period in human history, trade was a big part of the medieval era, but this is not adequately reflected inCrusader Kings 3. By adding a dedicated trade mechanic, players would have more interactions with neighboring or distant lands, and certain counties would become even more desirable for their trade links. This would add a lot more strategy to a game that some see as too easy.
Players also don’t currently have the option to play as merchant republics, such as Venice, nor are there many interactions with these states. Republics would offer players a completely different way to play the game, as they were often ruled by several competing families who vied for power and wealth. Naturally, trade and merchant republics would go hand in hand in a dedicated DLC.
5An Update To Crusades
Crusades Are Not Only Lackluster But Barely Work
For a game calledCrusader Kings 3, it is a bitter irony that crusades in the game are not only lackluster but almost unplayable. The biggest gripe with crusades is that the numerous AI armies act completely without reason, making the process incredibly stressful. For example, the crusading side might have a huge numerical advantage over the defenders after having won a big battle, but rather than commit to sieges and win the war, the AI will abandon any siege to chase after even the smallest enemy contingent.
Outside of the frustrating war mechanics, there is also very little content, such as events or decisions for crusades, making the experience dry despite the hugemelting pot of culturesand religions that real crusades were. Players also don’t have the option of launching their own smaller crusades as real medieval rulers did. Instead, they are completely dependent on the whim of the Pope and a long cooldown. All of this and more could be improved on and added with a dedicated crusade DLC forCK3.
