This question is for anyone else that plays CK2, I am playing as the Byzantine Empire. I decided to push a De Jure claim on a county and to my surprise I lost the war. I has a force of 13,000 to go against a force of 11,000 somehow that 11k crushed me. I took out a jewish loan and hired some mercenaries, But before I could merge my mercenaries with my remaining vassal levies the enemy hunted them down to a mere 1000 men. So I raised the rest of the levies I could, I was in the process of moving everyone together for one last big push for victory, before that could come to fruition the computer thanked me for surrendering and I am now -750 in debt. Why does it not ask me if I want to surrender so I could say no until all of my forces are depleted?

Is it pretty much game over for this save now? I mean I only make +20.00 a month, it would take me 3 years to get back out of the hole, and I am guessing A LOT of negative things will happen during those 3 years for being so far in debt.

If you have an heir to replace you, the debt does not carry over to them. Otherwise, get ready for mercs leaving your banners, thieves in your hold. You could try asking other vassals for or somehow borrow money. Conversely, if you're not feeling like committing the effort, you can restart.

Also, numbers alone don't inherently mean victory.

I decided to stick it out, eventually my spymaster found out that one of my vassals was plotting against me and that gave me leave to imprison him with no consequences (Other than he hates me). So I did that, then I revoked his titles and castrated him. Eventually he offered to buy back his duchy for 200, I accepted. I then immediately revoked his land again and went to war with him. I crushed him and this time I executed him. His son took his place, he wished to be granted his fathers duchy. His initial hate for me was low enough that I decided just cause his father and I didn't see eye to eye doesn't mean it has to be the same with us. I granted him the duchy and now I have a +85 opinion with him. I did get a lot of thieves and guilds popping up (I am not yet sure how that will impact my game yet) but I am now 150 out of the hole. I also took care of a few righteous imprisonments while i was at it. The majority of my Vassals like me but most of my family hates me. One of my enemies also imprisoned and killed my religious head that had a very high opinion of me, his successor has exactly the opposite opinion of me. Antioch keeps trying to plot for independence too, which is annoying. I am like 10 years into this save and have gotten pretty much nowhere. I wanted to try to reform the Roman Empire, but I don't see that happening.

I understand that numbers don't always mean victory,In one of my saves I was dumb enough to try taking on the Knights Templar, they wiped the floor with me. It was like 15k to 8k, they literally destroyed all 15k. I am guessing a lot of it has to do with their martial skill being higher than mine.