Crusader Kings II

[Stronk Serb]

Who played it, and with what county/duchy/kingdom/empire did you start with? I started with Rashka, and got destroyed in the first year by seceeding from the Byzantine Empire. I later plaid as Duklja, with moderate success. Got killed by my treasonus mercanaries. I later started again as Rashka. I am planning to convert to Catholicism just for the bonuses. I am right now conquering Ragusa and Zeta from the Seljuks. I am gonna conquer Ragusa pretty soon.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

Crusader Kings II is one of my all time favorite strategy games. Hell, I could even say it's one of my favorite games ever. I always have it installed on my PC, even if I don't play it for a while.

I usually play with Ireland. The County of Desmond, to be specific. It takes me about 50 years to subjugate the other Irish Counts and proclaim myself King of Ireland. It's very easy to do because most of them are usually fighting each other, and there's only one Duchy with two Counties on the entire island. That's the hard part - conquering the Duchy of Munster. I have to take over that first, because it blocks my access to the rest of Ireland, and I don't have enough ships to transport all my troops and attack elsewhere. It takes me about 20 years to gather enough strength to be able to take the Munsters head on. Some diplomacy, a dagger in the dark and then it's time to strike.

Then it's time go strike West and take Connacht, and then North, leaving the eastern counties for last. Some of them accept my offer of vasaliziation, while others still defy me, but they can't do much to stop me from taking their land. So, after around 50 years, I proclaim myself King.

[Stronk Serb]

I love being Catholic there. The Pope saved my ass dozens of times by his donations, with which I hired mercanaries to figh for me abroad, while I was defending my homeland. When I first played as Rashka, I was like this:
F you Byzantine Empire, I am independent!
*poclaims independence and raises 300 soldiers an makes a call to arms*
Come at me bitches!
*Byzantine army with 7500 soldiers marches and kicks my ass big time and kills me, while nobod answered the call to arms.*
Oh shit...

I play with Duklja since then because I am Catholic and get great bonuses for crusading. Although making use of conquered Muslim populations is hard since they get pissed because I am Christian.
I wa trying with local inquisitions, but it takes decades.