Just played a game with Germany (using the last version of the mod on github) :
- I had luck with the Slaganz and managed to form an early alliance with a CS. You can befriend a CS by converting bbs on its borders, then heal quickly these bbs inside its territory and give the units to the CS (it is best giving the Brutes to CS, while keeping the Hand-Axe for yourself). Hand-Axes are really the units you want in the early game : usually, they get killed quite quickly because of the anti-bb combat bonus but, once converted, they become quite a threat.
- An interesting thing I've found is that converting bbs is a good way to obtain ruins located on neighbouring islands, since bbs tend to be able to embark sooner than you'll usually be. Moreover, these barbarians also often have a "mobility" promotion attached to them (like "double movement in f/j", or "double movement in hill"), and this promotion will stay on the unit even after upgrade (so, in case you begin the game in a zone where there is a lot of f/j/hills, you'll soon enough obtain a force able to quickly navigate in these areas).
- After obtaining a few bbs, attacking a neighbour civ is often the best solution : you'll want to limit its gold revenue and its mobility by harassing it with your freshly acquired units. Pillage its first few improvements, capture its workers (and disband them in your territory for extra money) and assault any settler appearing, using your growing force. The Slaganz won't see much of the fighting (use them to convert some more bbs, in groups of three, or fortify them in key positions to provide some needed ZOC, so that your Hand-Axes can enter and leave combat easily).
- Obtaining some gold is very important, since whenever the enemy will begin bringing spearmen to the frontline, your Slaganz and bbs will begin losing ground (you can still use terrain and flanking manoeuvers to defeat stronger units, but it's quite dangerous, and, if there are Horsemen of War elephants, it is important to retreat quickly). The best way to acquire gold is through CS quest, razing distant bb camp, and pillaging (you'll want to keep one or two bb camps near you so that you can "farm" Hand-Axes).
- The Classical era will be tough for you, so you want to obtain Composite bowmen as quickly as possible (by upgrading your H-A), and then focus on researching Chivalry to obtain the Teutonic Order. I have found that the Goddess of protection is a good pantheon for Germany, since it makes forward settling more viable (allowing you to cycle heal your H-A more easily, and so harass more consistently) and synergizes with the TO (your Barracks will give 4 faith, in addition to the defense bonus). If you can found a religion, then, with the help of the Fealty policy tree, your cities will be tough nuts to crack.
- If you have hard time obtaining allies, don't forget that Germany gains a lot from trading with CS (thanks to the Hanse), and so that allying other civs isn't so important in the Medieval era. You can use the "Discipline" promotion, in combination with the "Moral" and the "Chapter" promotions, to have units with a base combat bonus of +30 % CS, and so overpower your enemies. Be sure to have missionaries follow your armies, for they will convert conquered city to your religion in no time (thanks to the "Chapter" promotion) and will allow you to obtain a Reformation belief quicker : choosing Crusader Spirit will make your holy wars even more frightening (+60 % CS in the territory of players with other religions...). => Authority>Fealty>Imperialism>Autocracy for maximum faith and combat bonus (#TeutonicPanzer).
- On the other hand, if you aren't so successful, choosing Statecraft can help you gaining money and converting some CS with your spy, while synergizing with the Hanse
=> Progress>Statecraft>Industry for a more peaceful Germany (but with production through the roof, classical VP Germany style).
Other things to note :
- there is a problem with the Carolean : the unit has come back to its pre-modmod state (so unlocked at Gunpowder with 29 CP), but is considered a Fusilier replacement and is upgraded to... a Fusilier...
- the civilopedia articles needs to be cleaned a bit (there are missing indentations and quotations marks), and the HI info for the Slaganz article needs to be corrected (it is the Teutoburg forest, not Teotoburg).
As alwyas, thank you for your hard work !
in city as instant boost, scaling with era, when Pogost (stage 1) is built. 10
in city for every Pogost on empire when Stage 2 and 3 are added
/2
in excess of normal customs house
city connections
on villages at stage 2
Tourism boost with target civ when trade route completes, based on culture output
I know others seem to like EE, but I've always been reluctant to use it; the new buildings are so underpowered compared to base VP ones
