With the new expansion, Kingdoms introduces two major campaigns.
The first is the vast Mega Grand Campaign, spanning from 1054 to 1470, which we will cover in detail in a future diary.
The second is the late campaign beginning in 1223, and it is this one that concerns us today.
The late campaign presents a profoundly different world from the early medieval landscape of the base game. The Mongols are sweeping across the eastern steppes, the Byzantine Empire has lost Constantinople, France and England are locked in prolonged conflict, and the Holy Roman Empire is plagued by internal rivalries. Russian principalities struggle under Mongol pressure, the Reconquista advances in Iberia, and new powers rise in Persia, Egypt, and India.
In short, the political and military balance of the world has shifted dramatically, and national perks have been adjusted accordingly.
This campaign does not merely add new nations with unique traits. Several existing factions also receive revised or entirely new perks to reflect the realities of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
New Nations
The Mongols
The Mongols are, unsurprisingly, one of the most powerful and consequential factions in the campaign. Even under AI control, they are expected to reach as far as Poland. In the hands of a player, the possibilities are far greater. Yet their strength comes with a fundamental challenge. Upon the death of Genghis Khan, the empire fractures, and the player continues as the Golden Horde. This transition is both a narrative and strategic turning point. To reflect the complexity of Mongol rule, the faction receives twelve multi-choice decisions. Six revolve around the rise of powerful Khans, each bringing major benefits but also difficult consequences. The other six simulate the internal life and pressures of the empire. Several unique buildings help manage their vast domains, such as the Mobile Ordo, Captive Artisan Workshops, and Yam Stations. Their national perk greatly increases the rewards from raiding, but with a harsh counterpart: rebellious populations are treated without mercy, increasing instability in conquered lands.
A great challenge ahead for the Mongols, the death of Khan Gengis
Portugal
Portugal emerges as a new and highly distinctive faction. This is the period when the kingdom begins its first serious explorations along the Atlantic and the African coasts. To represent this, Portugal receives a chain of multi-choice decisions that simulate the early stages of maritime expansion. These events offer meaningful strategic choices, from cautious coastal exploration to more ambitious ventures. At the same time, Portugal must still contend with the realities of Iberian politics. The Reconquista remains uncertain, and a resurgent Almohad threat can still strike back. The nation therefore operates on two fronts: overseas ambition and continental survival.
Expeditions can be a game changer for the Portuguese kingdom
The Ottomans (Kayi Beylik)
The Ottomans begin humbly as the Kayi, a small beylik under the shadow of the Sultanate of Rum. Their early position is fragile, and careful play is required. Their strength lies in their Ghazi Warrior trait, which provides significant military advantages and reflects their ability to attract frontier fighters. If the player expands toward the Aegean while allowing Rum to suffer major defeats, a decisive opportunity arises. The Kayi can replace the collapsing Sultanate and transform into the rising Ottoman power.
Changes to Existing Nations
Poland
Poland receives three new traits that reshape its political character. Fragmented Duchies increases regional loyalty but weakens central authority, reflecting the divided nature of the realm. Piast Legacy unlocks special decisions through events, representing the enduring influence of the Piast dynasty. Ostsiedlung introduces decisions that improve land development and productivity, simulating the eastward settlement movement. Together, these traits create a realm that is internally stable but politically decentralized, requiring careful management.
Poland receives new Perks in the late campaign
Hungary
Hungary gains three distinctive traits that define it as a frontier kingdom. The Golden Bull of 1222 limits royal authority and strengthens the nobility, bringing clear drawbacks for the crown. The Frontier Fortress System automatically provides fortifications along borders with non-Christian realms, reflecting Hungary’s defensive posture. Cuman and Vlach Settlers bring additional population and bonuses to light cavalry, representing the integration of steppe people into the kingdom. Together, these traits make Hungary strong in defense and cavalry warfare, but politically constrained at home.
Christian Realms and Internal Struggles
Many Christian nations receive new decision chains that simulate tensions between burghers and nobles. These conflicts are influenced by the new building chains introduced in the expansion. Favoring the urban elites or the traditional aristocracy leads to different economic and political outcomes, and the balance between them becomes a key strategic consideration.
The Byzantine Successor States
After the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the Byzantine world fragmented into several successor states. Players may take command of Nicaea, Epirus, or Trebizond, each claiming to be the true heir of the empire. From these scattered strongholds, the goal is clear: survive, consolidate power, and one day reclaim the imperial capital. Under certain conditions, a major defeat inflicted on the Latins may open the gates of Constantinople without a prolonged siege. New missions better suited to the era are also available, such as reclaiming Anatolia and expelling the Turks from the region.
France
France gains two new perks centered on the Hundred Years’ War. These traits place additional pressure on the population but improve gold collection or reduce the impact of war weariness during prolonged conflicts with England. However, internal challenges remain. The suppression of the Cathar heresy and the subjugation of powerful regional lords are still necessary steps toward stability.
France custom traits are geared toward the Hundred Years War
England
England receives two important traits reflecting its political and military situation. Parliamentarism ties the size and sustainability of the royal army to the support of Parliament, making military efforts easier when the crown has political backing and more costly when it does not. Of Two Lands is improved with the ability to sustain armies operating overseas, particularly in France, reinforcing England’s dual-kingdom character and its long struggle on the continent.
Conclusion
The late campaign reshapes both the map and the internal dynamics of many nations. New factions appear, old powers evolve, and national perks have been carefully redesigned to reflect the realities of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In the next diary, we will return to the Mega Grand Campaign, a four-century-long struggle that spans from the High Middle Ages to the dawn of the early modern era.
We will also examine the more than fifty new buildings introduced in the expansion, along with several major event chains capable of changing the course of a campaign.
Some of these events may even bring about catastrophes on a continental scale! The Black Death, for instance, does not politely knock before entering.
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