4. The Mediterranean: The Byzantine Empire vs. The Abbasid Caliphate
But if you want to write a saga—if you want to see the Great Heathen Army break on the walls of a strengthened Wessex, or watch a Jewish Khazar merchant king rule over the Rus—then hit that 867 button.
From the frosty fjords of Scandinavia to the burning sands of the Sahara, the 867 map presents a completely different strategic challenge than its 1066 counterpart. Here is a deep dive into the state of the world in 867.
If you are looking for the best starting characters on the 867 map, these rulers offer unique mechanics, powerful starting positions, or incredible narrative potential. 1. Alfred the Great (Count of Dorset / Wessex) Medium ck3 map 867
These smaller Carolingian kingdoms create a dense buffer zone. They constantly fight over borders, making the region a hotbed for assassination plots and quick fabrications of claims.
You actually start as the count brother to the King of Wessex, but you will quickly inherit the throne. Alfred boasts some of the highest base stats in the entire game. Your goal is to survive the Norse onslaught, unite the Anglo-Saxons, and form England.
I can provide a highly detailed, step-by-step starting guide tailored exactly to your goals. Share public link From the frosty fjords of Scandinavia to the
The most iconic feature of the is the sheer density of Norse rulers. From the tribal chieftains of Sweden to the legendary Ragnarssons in Denmark and Norway, this region is primed for conquest.
Disinherit excess sons, force them into the clergy, use the "Know Thine Absolute Alone" perk to embrace celibacy, or conquer enough land to ensure your primary heir retains the core duchy. 3. Rushing Feudalism
In the east, the map tells a story of religious and nomadic tension. The Byzantine Empire, while still a formidable force under the Macedonian dynasty, is not the bulwark of 1066. It is constantly harassed by the Paulician heretics and the Emirate of Sicily. More critically, the arrival of the Magyars (Hungarians) is imminent in the Carpathian basin. On the Eurasian steppe, the Khazar Khaganate is in decline, leaving a power vacuum that will soon be filled by the Pechenegs and, eventually, the Cumans. Meanwhile, the Slavic tribes are largely still organized as tribal confederations rather than centralized kingdoms like Poland or Bohemia. The 867 map, therefore, offers a unique opportunity to shape the Eastern European landscape. A player can, for example, prevent the Magyar migration, form a Slavic empire centuries before history allowed, or lead the Norse Rurikids to forge a Russian state from the ashes of the Finnic and Slavic tribes. A player can
This is arguably the most dynamic region on the entire .
: Standing as a stable powerhouse in the east under the Macedonian dynasty.