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Europa Universalis IV |OT| A Game of Blobs

Lyng

Member
Finally the blobs are beginning to look the colours I want!

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Lyng

Member
So this is the story so far.
I decided to give the game a final shot and really sink my teeth into it. And man am I happy I did.

I want to form Russia as Muscovy.
My relation to Ryazan was fairly good from the get go so decided to improve relations there. Took 2 missions to form alliance and get a royal marriage with Ryazan.
After doing that I took the mission to subjegate Novgorod. After the first war I took over some land and decided to free Finland.
This made it easy for me to get Finland as a vasal while avoiding to much aggressive expansion.
After this I took some time off war, improving relations with Perm and Yaroslav.
Tver decided to attack Novgorod, leaving themselves vulnerable to my attack. So Tver then became a vasal aswell.
After that I started annexing Perm and Yaroslav.
Novgorod decided to go in a coalition with Lithuania and attack me.
This was frightening since their army was stronger then mine. However Crimea decided to jump on Lithuania, suddenly swinging the war in my favor.
This allowed me to take more land in Novgorod, AND freeing Smolensk which I need in order to form Russia.
Below is the current status.
Man I love this game.

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Making at least some progress with Burgundy : I manage to survive my first war and taking Champagne and Nemours from them, but victory leaves me with a depleted manpower, some loans taken to buy mercenary units to reimburse, and no ADM points to core my new provinces.

I guess I will restart my party ^^
 

Lyng

Member
Aaaand finally! Russia is formed. I realise this is suppose to be the easy part of EU IV but I am still very happy!

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Lyng

Member
Man I am getting swarmed with rebels after starting to westernize. Made sure I was at +3 stability when I began and had alot of money and manpower. But oh my. So fast the stability just dropped and my army is no where near in any chance vs all these armies.
Also you constantly loose points towards westernizing when loosing parts to the rebels :(
Is there any way back for me?
 

Lyng

Member
So Sweden, Livonian order, Chrimea and Uzbek all declared war on me. The Sunni Rebels managed to break my country.

I should never have opted to try to westernize. Completely ruined my game and plans. Very disheartening to see so many hours of play (work) slipping through your fingers.
But at least I learn alot from it and feel more comfortable playing the game.

What a ride. Going to start a new game soonish with Portugal I think. Will try going full colonize.
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
Definately. And due to me playing on Ironman mode there was no way to turn the tide. Or at least I didnt see one. But hey. Lesson learned hehe

As I wrote earlier in this thread, it happened to me too. You just need to start the westernization better prepared. And with a lot of admin, diplo and military points in reserve. I even built a lot of courthouses to reduce a little bit the number of revolts.
 

Lyng

Member
As I wrote earlier in this thread, it happened to me too. You just need to start the westernization better prepared. And with a lot of admin, diplo and military points in reserve. I even built a lot of courthouses to reduce a little bit the number of revolts.

Yeah I had definately not planned it well enough. But these are good suggestions. Might give it a try again later with Muscovy from scratch.
 

Mgoblue201

Won't stop picking the right nation
I think Paradox should implement a westernization process more like Victoria 2, except you invest monarch points, rather than research points, into modernizing your military, administration, and infrastructure. Not only does it feel more tangible and less abstract (because you're investing points into upgrades), but you can choose to modernize at your own pace, whereas the current system automatically deducts the points and potentially leaves you wanting if you need to hire generals or increase stability.

Anyway, I tend not to westernize as an eastern nation, but mostly because it's very difficult for me to fall far enough behind technologically. I went an entire game as Poland without westernizing and seemed to do just fine.
 

Lyng

Member
I guess if you use your military points mainly for teching up then it should not be much of a problem.
Thing is if you dont your running at musketmen with pointy sticks.
 

Kabouter

Member
Yeah, I'm not entirely excited about this either, lord knows I've been critical enough of some of the changes. Anyway, first achievement done. Je Maintiendrai. Greatest achievement.

As far as the objections go, my main issue is that westernization no longer gives you competitive units. Units are closer than they were, but a non-Western nation will never get units that can compete with Western units even if they westernize. Not fun for MP imo, in effect writes off most of the world for me as playable MP nations.
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
That sounds terrible for me. I love playing with american and eastern european nations and it seems that now I would be definitely screwed.
 

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Welp, time to wait for Beyond Earth.

It's fitting, I came to the world of Paradox from Civ 5 and now to Civ 5 I return.
 

Kabouter

Member
That sounds terrible for me. I love playing with american and eastern european nations and it seems that now I would be definitely screwed.

You should be fine in SP, but in competitive MP, compounding the advantage Western Europeans already had (ideas, religion, better provinces, head start in tech) with heavily increased production income (okay, China gets this too I suppose) and with the fact that westernizing can now never result in equally powerful units is a poor choice in my opinion.

The real problem of course is not that westernizing doesn't result in Western units (though it works totally fine as a stopgap type of solution), it's however the fact that Europeans can project power all over the world to virtually the same degree that they can at home. European nations aren't fighting with heavily reduced numbers, don't act through trade companies (the implementation of them in WoN is not good), aren't affected by disease in any real way, can still reinforce their troops every month even on the other side of the world and so on and so forth. They should never have changed westernization like they did without also addressing that.
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
The real problem of course is not that westernizing doesn't result in Western units (though it works totally fine as a stopgap type of solution), it's however the fact that Europeans can project power all over the world to virtually the same degree that they can at home. European nations aren't fighting with heavily reduced numbers, don't act through trade companies (the implementation of them in WoN is not good), aren't affected by disease in any real way, can still reinforce their troops every month even on the other side of the world and so on and so forth. They should never have changed westernization like they did without also addressing that.

That's the issue I have also with SP. Playing as a native nation or as Inca you have to fight the Spanish or Portuguese armies. Most of the time both, as they are allies 9 times out of 10. So having worse troops (even at same tech) and playing catch up for tech will be even more difficult now. The only positive news is that they slowed down the early expansion of Spain and Portugal.

I wonder what's the balance between trade companies and colonial nations, because if Spain and Portugal opt for trade companies it will be impossible to westernize.
 

Mgoblue201

Won't stop picking the right nation
I agree that vassal feeding and annexation should cost additional resources, although judging from the reactions it sounds like they made it too exorbitant and prohibitive. Other than that, I think they should lay off the AE and OE changes for awhile and spend their time reworking the coalition mechanic.
 

Kabouter

Member
That's the issue I have also with SP. Playing as a native nation or as Inca you have to fight the Spanish or Portuguese armies. Most of the time both, as they are allies 9 times out of 10. So having worse troops (even at same tech) and playing catch up for tech will be even more difficult now. The only positive news is that they slowed down the early expansion of Spain and Portugal.

I wonder what's the balance between trade companies and colonial nations, because if Spain and Portugal opt for trade companies it will be impossible to westernize.

That is not the only positive news for Inca, Inca isn't so bad initially, it's easier than it was. Your troops are not nearly the pushovers compared to European units that they were. It will be harder for them to beat you, I don't doubt any player's ability to succeed as a westernized nation in SP. It's MP where the problem lies.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Started playing against last night, so far, enjoying the changes. My Ironman Denmark game was properly updated with everything. Definitely going to have to finish this off and start another.

Also:

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A 1.6.1 hotfix was pushed out:


  • Harsh Treatment now lasts 15 years instead of 10 years.
  • Minimum Revolt Risk from nationalism is now 20% of the Revolt Risk given.
  • Revolt Risk increase on revolt size scaled back to 20% of previous value.
  • Fixed the problem where some users got access to WoN without having bought it.
  • Budget view no longer thinks you get more from vassals than you do.
  • Fixed a glitch that made it impossible to convert to Sikh religion.
  • It's now possible to finish integrating a union partner.
  • AE when force vassalising multiple vassals in the same war is no longer exponential.
  • Enforcing Unions now give 50% of former AE.
  • Border Distance now decreases AE about 25% per step.
  • Aggressive Expansion now decays 100% faster.
 

xenist

Member
In these politically troubled times it is good to remind oneself of what made Europe great. After I'm done taking care of some other games I'll get back on this and give the world the Imperial Europa of the Five Continents it so desperately needs.

One world. One state. One law. One peace.
 

ymoc

Member
Short story:
- EU4 on sale on steam --> bought
- Tried playing the game, fonts even on highest resolution still kinda unclear (and TINY ?!!?)
- Found EU4 Better UI Mod......download v1.5, crash the game upon start
- Found there is a new version for 1.6, cannot access the stupid private EU4 forum (even upon registration) to download. Can't find any other mirror. What the hell is this shit.

My fellow gaffers,my poor eyes and myself are at your mercy
 

Fitz

Member
Short story:
- EU4 on sale on steam --> bought
- Tried playing the game, fonts even on highest resolution still kinda unclear (and TINY ?!!?)
- Found EU4 Better UI Mod......download v1.5, crash the game upon start
- Found there is a new version for 1.6, cannot access the stupid private EU4 forum (even upon registration) to download. Can't find any other mirror. What the hell is this shit.

My fellow gaffers,my poor eyes and myself are at your mercy

Here's the Workshop version of the Better Font Mod. You may like to check out the all encompassing Better UI mod. Personally, I like to use the Tooltip Font mod, as well as the Bigger Diplomacy View mods.
 
I bought the game with the Steam sale as well. Did a test game as Ming (for old time's sake, they were my go-to country in EU2), got bodied by Manchuria/Mongolia declaring war on me at the same time as Ayutthaya and her allies. :C

The game is so much more complex than EU1/2 and even EU3, any tips for an intermediate player coming from the older games?
 

Fitz

Member
I bought the game with the Steam sale as well. Did a test game as Ming (for old time's sake, they were my go-to country in EU2), got bodied by Manchuria/Mongolia declaring war on me at the same time as Ayutthaya and her allies. :C

The game is so much more complex than EU1/2 and even EU3, any tips for an intermediate player coming from the older games?

Perhaps start with a European nation. :p Also the wiki is quite good, it's worth having it available whenever you run into something you're unsure of.
 

tmespe

Member
What's the verdict on the wealth of nations DLC? Should is it worth getting right away, or should I wait for a sale?
 

mkenyon

Banned
What's the verdict on the wealth of nations DLC? Should is it worth getting right away, or should I wait for a sale?
Most of the changes I'm enjoying are the free ones. I've only played a game with Denmark so far, so Privateers have mostly felt useless to me, and I have not been able to found a trade company. I am coming up on building the Kiel canal, so I am interested to see what happens there.

I like giving Paradox money though :p
 

mkenyon

Banned
Okay, Privateers are fucking rad. Definitely a huge buff to Naval nations. I have a stack of 10 lightships pirating in Antwerp, disrupting Austria's trade heavily and giving me a monthly profit of 13 ducats, counting for the maintenance.

(playing as Denmark->Scandanavia)
 
I'm new to EU and i need some help.

Bundlestars.com currently has a bundle with everything EU3. The main game, every expansion and lots of DLC = 4€

Question is, do i jump into EU3 or should i skip the bundle and go directly EUIV?

Thanks in advance!
 
EU3 is a fantastic game in its own right, and is a steal for 4 bucks for all of the stuff. I actually own the game and the 2 expansions, and still will get that pack. :p
 

xenist

Member
I'm new to EU and i need some help.

Bundlestars.com currently has a bundle with everything EU3. The main game, every expansion and lots of DLC = 4€

Question is, do i jump into EU3 or should i skip the bundle and go directly EUIV?

Thanks in advance!

Buy EU3 so you can have it if you want but invest your time on EUIV.
 

mkenyon

Banned
Though it's not over (looking at you, Austria), I feel I've accomplished what I wanted to. Brandenburg -> Prussia -> Germany -> HRE


Everything in mint-green in Europe, as well as the Crimean region. My personal expansion was Germany (sans Bavaria and some of the Rhinelands), the Netherlands, and the Baltic coast. Everything else became mine after creating the HRE.

Force limit is 300 Army, 250 Naval. Good lawd.


Playing as Bavaria, every time I annex one of the little Germanies Austria comes knocking demanding I give it back to the HRE. What do?
Diplo Annex.
 

ZZMitch

Member
Just made a silly mistake in my Gelre ironman game (I'll make you proud Kab!). The Hansa and I beat up Cologne as part of a larger war of which I was the leader. I had the option to vassalize so I did. I didn't realize though that since The Hansa took Colognes capital that they actually became their vassal... Whoops. I still go the AE for it too >.<

Ah well no going back now. Thankfully I like to role play. Devious Hanseatic diplomats swindled me at the negotiating table! I'll backstop them later for this transgression against the great nation of Gelre.

(I should stop watching sports while playing EU4.)

edit: oh gods. War with France. fuckin Bohemia couldn't hold on to the provinces it got from that event that kills Burgundy. They all revolted away at the beginning the Protestant Revolution. Naturally, a provice or two that I don't really need revolt to me while the two provinces I do need (Holland and Zeeland) revolt to France. We were allies at the time. France instantly hostiles me and breaks alliance. I saw this coming so I had built up a good relationship with Castille (owns Aragon) and instantly allied them. I check Frances troops and they are down to 20k men and fighting religious rebels. They have 50k manpower tho :x

So I say YOLO and declare war! gunna head to bed now tho... but we shall see how this goes. im not so sure but it is my best shot at beating up France before they get completely out of control
 
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