I suggest: adding a "Go to the forum" button to the game menu.
Automatic authentication is preferable. If I'm logged in to the game, I want these details to be automatically used to access the forum.
(Before I started playing on Steam, I used a launcher with a "remember me" feature. So I kept forgetting my account password and couldn't log in. And I was too lazy to reset it.)
The forum is very informative and active. Being able to access the forum at any point during the game with just one click is convenient.
This will also increase the number of people active on the forum.
Newcomers, especially when not all territories are yet covered by kingdoms, will have the opportunity to learn necessary information, find comrades, or a village to join.
A good option would be if clicking this button opens a menu with a section selection:
- Announcements
- Questions
- Justice
- Trade
- Bugs
- Ideas
- ...
Clicking on which will take players to the corresponding forum section.
(It is better to use simple names in the game that reflect the essence of the section, rather than original ones on the forum.)