Crusader Kings II – How to Get Bigger Armies

Tips to Get Bigger Armies

To get bigger armies than the counts around you do some/all of the following:

1. Get a marshal with a high martial score and set him to train troops.
2. Improve your holding with buildings that increase your troop count.
3. Improve your marshal ability (depending on dlc this can require random luck or even waiting for the next generation).
4. Kill their high martial rulers or marshals.
5. Save up and hire mercs (and retinues if the applicable dlcs are in play).
6. Get allies.
7. Get a spouse with a high martial attribute as half of it will be applied (unless they are also your marshal).
8. Build (and improve) additional holdings in your county.

If playing as a tribal you can additionally have your steward and chaplain do jobs that will randomly recruit event troops you can use for a single war.

The very early game as a count generally requires some RNG in your favor and/or patience to gain the first county or two and start the snowball rolling.