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One of the most important events in European history is undoubtedly the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This seminal event is recreated in Crusader Kings 3. Although fans can play as any minor noble, taking the reins of one of the three major participants is arguably the most entertaining.
Harold Godwinson, the current king of England at the start of the 1066 bookmark, faces an uphill battle. Duke William of Normandy invades from the south while the Norwegians under Harald Hadrada pillage from the north. Although Harold's situation may seem hopeless, the Anglo-Saxons can emerge victorious by following a few simple steps that even beginners can manage.
Selecting A Lifestyle Focus For King Harold
One of the simplest decisions players will face at the start of the game concerns King Harold's Lifestyle Focus and perk tree. King Harold receives a bonus to experience gain if players select the Martial Lifestyle, so it's a good idea to start there.
One of King Harold's perk trees will already be completed, though which of the three can sometimes vary. The Overseer tree isn't a bad choice considering its perks bestow bonuses to Advantage and Levy Reinforcement Rates, among other things. Players can always reset their perks at the cost of some stress.
Forging An Alliance Is The Key To Survival
Trying to fend off Duke William and Harald Hadrada alone is extremely risky, not to mention exceedingly difficult. Forging an advantageous alliance before unpausing the game is vitally important. Although players possess a few options, an alliance with the Holy Roman Empire provides the most heft in terms of sheer numbers.
To do this, players can arrange a marriage between King Harold's son, Godwine, and Queen Mother Agnes of the Holy Roman Empire. Even though Agnes is significantly older than Godwine, the important thing is that an alliance is made. Godwine's marriage can always be altered later once the kingdom is secured.
Fighting The Normans
As soon as the marriage has been accepted, players must call the Holy Roman Empire into both conflicts. King Harold can muster his own forces, which roughly number 5,500 men in total. Invite Knights if needed and save as much Gold as possible to avoid going into debt. Mercenaries likely won't be needed, although that's always an option if the situation takes a turn for the worse.
The Normans will likely arrive first on the southern shores of England. Armies are vulnerable after a seaborne landing. The Norman AI also has a tendency to divide its forces after landing. If players are quick, they can defeat the Norman forces piecemeal as they land. Nevertheless, if fans want to play conservatively, they can always wait for the HRE armies to arrive for the advantage in numbers.
Once the Norman armies have been defeated in the field, chances are good they will flee back to Normandy. There, they tend to get bogged down besieging castles belonging to the HRE. This gives players the perfect opportunity to deal with the Norwegians, who usually land in the far north of England.
Fighting The Norwegians
While players fight the Normans, the Norwegians will likely have taken a castle or two in the meantime. Those are only temporary setbacks. March north with the HRE armies in tow and engage the Norwegians in battle. If the opportunity arises, defeat their armies separately. Reclaim any lost holdings and the Norwegians will be in bad shape.
At this point, supplies may become an issue for the player. After enemy armies are forced into retreat, it will be a while before they regroup. Players should take this opportunity to retreat to a friendly holding that can support their numbers and regain some supply points.
Achieving Peace
After winning a few battles with each faction, the warscore will be comfortably in the player's favor. The ticking warscore will also aid the player assuming no enemy forces are occupying any parts of England. At this point, players have a choice to make regarding the conclusion of these wars.
Fans who want to be done as quickly as possible can sue for a White Peace. This is the quickest and easiest solution, although William's and Harald's descendants will still possess claims to England. Conversely, players who want a more definitive conclusion should let the ticking warscore do its work.
Fans can end the war quickly with Normandy by besieging their lands across the English Channel. Sailing to Norway, however, isn't advised. With that, players can defeat King Harold's usurpers relatively painlessly. If all goes well, players should have enough Gold left over to start developing the realm and ensuring the succession of King Harold's heirs.
Crusader Kings 3 is currently available on PC, macOS, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Linux.