EU2 Help

[Ashurdan]

I got a laptop recently after my computer locked up and I installed EU2 on it. I normally play as one of the big powers: Ottomans, Spain, England(didn't like) and I love Austria because I love the European theatre and I dislike colonization and sea warfare. I want to try France this time, I did a very fun Burgundy game, my first to 1820 and I really liked it but I didn't have the dynamic events or leader changes (this was when Burgundy had Dutch+French+German so OP).
I never played the game back in the day in the same way I approach playing Civ for example and I really wanna try and do so which means coming up with a game plan.

Two Questions: What should my policies look like? I want to go continental and not colonization (Is this a big mistake for France? B/c with Burgundy I mainly went colonization and disliked it) so Land and Aristocracy but what else? I think Quality as a large nation is always better. Merc vs Free Trade? Innov vs Narrow Minded? and the big 2 Offensive vs Defensive and Serf vs Yeoman?

I like the high moral but I really hate it taking so long for sieges to end. When trying to go for a large scale conquest of Europe is lowered stability cost essential?

My 2nd question is the usefulness of certian things I do that cost of alot of cash over time. I am anal about inflation, I hate it so I take monthly deficits to ensure it doesn't go up. During wars I allow it but that means I plan for it by curbing it with judges. I never take out bank loans, but always use war taxes. The one thing that I know I do differently then another person I know has played is religous conversion. When he played he just kept a standing army around in trouble spots (IE protestants) and spent the money on the army not the conversions saying it was more cost effective. I don't like the revolts or the lowered income.

So to reitterate on my main questions: What should my policies look like, is fighting inflation wise and should I bother converting people come the reformation?

PS What determines the inheritance of Burgundy? Is it random? B/c I remember being very fustrated when I would have to be dissappointed or jus plain restart as Austria when it went to France when I was counting on it either to go to no one or me.

 

[Hitti-Litti]

1. Innovativeness is good if you don't want to colonize, Narrowminded gives more colonists but you won't need them. Free Trade gives more merchants, and as France you have money to send them all over the world, so I'd pick Free Trade. If you're militaristic and a big nation, Offensive would be good for you, as you'll likely be conquering Europe quite often. Free Subjects vs Serfdom is pretty much your choice, Free Subjects makes researching and production efficiency better, Serfdom makes rebellions more rare and smaller(I think).

2. Fighting inflation is wise, I always run a deficit income to fight inflation. I use all the money I need to use that year in January, and if something happens to need money in the middle of the year, then I'll just direct all my income to my budget for couple of months.

3. I convert the most important provinces only, for example as France I convert the richest and biggest provinces.

4. I think that events decide which nation will inherit Burgundy(at least in AGCEEP mod, if you're not using it, then use it, it's totally awesome when compared to vanilla).

 

[Dell19]

but always use war taxes

As a rule I only use war taxes if I absolutely have to as it raises inflation. I generally don't convert provinces as I would rather spend the money on colonists although I will occasionally try to convert my core provinces if they would be cheap to convert balanced against their income.

Like Hitti I usually run a deficit income as well although for some countries I will gradually increase the tax income once I get mayors. This is mainly because I am usually spending money on colonists.

 

[Olav]

Hitti-Litti sums it up nicely. Although I disagree a little on some things, Free Trade vs Mercantilism. If you own many CoTs (like the one in Paris and Flandern) and have monopolies everywhere, you'll get extra merchants (1 for each monopoly, 1 for each CoT owned). So there's actually no need to go Free Trade unless you plan to colonize. Mercantilism makes your merchants more sticky (harder for other nation's merchants to compete yours away). On the other hand, Free Trade makes your merchants expand trade easier.

Go Narrowminded when the Protestant and Reformed events trigger. You will definately need the missionaries then. But it's nice to be Innovative in the 15th century. You should always try to convert wrong-religion provinces. You get little income from them, and stability costs get much higher. With Narrowminded you will also get the Conversion of Heretics events (which are very nice). Wait for a monarch with good ADM-skills, and always convert the cheapest provinces first (and hope for the more expensive provinces to be converted by random event).

Serfdom makes rebellions more common (unhappines among the peasants events), but stability costs get a lot cheaper. So go for Serfdom if you plan to expand all over Europe.

It's wise to avoid inflation, but I recommend to mint when you need the money. That way, you will benefit from the deflation events. It's annoying to have 0% inflation and getting that event.

And as Hitti-Litti says, AGCEEP mod is definately worth a try!