Crusader Kings 3's new republics get to the heart of its politics at a more manageable size

Upcoming Crusader Kings 3 expansion Silk and Silver promises to "rework the economy of the entire game," from the widespread integration of trade across the world to the introduction of merchant governments and republics. These allow you to run what are effectively small city-states, inspired by (but not limited to) the likes of Venice, Florence, and the free cities of the Holy Roman Empire. Size isn't everything, and these tightly packed hotspots can quickly escalate into bubbling cauldrons of internal politics and schemes.