How is your EU3 Game going?
- Thread starter TheLastOne36
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Ottoman Empire, 1629
Still mostly internal development. But I recently gained a casus belli on Ethiopia through a random event, and decided to take advantage of it. I ended up taking three provinces. Whether it was worth it, I'm not sure - I lost a lot of troops due to attrition thanks to their having Small fortresses and very low supply limits to invaders. The actual combat I easily defeated them in even when outnumbered 3 to 1, but thanks to attrition I couldn't get their frontline territories (except their capital, which you can't take until last in EU2) - hence why my territories are behind the front lines. At least they aren't totally worthless like my west African territories are - one province even has coffee, which is in short supply at this point.
Kaffa defected to Russia after I forgot about some rebels. Russia is a bit scary.
I've also established a successful and profitable colony in Jakarta, which I hope will become the start of a larger Ottoman East Indies. So far China is the only other country with colonies there - there are a few other native civilizations, whom I made friends with so I'd have friendly ports of call while exploring there. Now that Jakarta exists that is less important, but still helpful.
I'm allied with the Zanj, to the south of me in Africa. This is both for a justification not to expend my goodwill on more land wars in Africa, and to help ensure Europeans don't end up there. Any help they provide in combat is a bonus.
My land tech is up to 11, still well behind Europe but it's advancing. My navy is more advanced than anyone's save England or Portgual though, at 13 (making me the only power whose navy is more advanced than their army). The reason for this naval investment is primarily to decrease naval attrition, which made journeys to the East Indies costly in terms of ships, and transatlantic crossings prohibitive. This will in turn allow me to discover more territories and establish a larger colonial empire.
Inflation-battling has been paying off, too, and I'm now down to 14% inflation, and am around the 25th percentile in inflation rank (the good 25th percentile). I also continue to rule in production percentage (69% Ottomans, 54% Sweden, 47% Netherlands, 45% Scotland, all other westerners 35 or lower), and am competitive in trade.
West Europe looks the same as 30 years ago. I think the Western Europeans are focusing on colonizing the New World. Denmark does indeed have a city in Benin.
Still mostly internal development. But I recently gained a casus belli on Ethiopia through a random event, and decided to take advantage of it. I ended up taking three provinces. Whether it was worth it, I'm not sure - I lost a lot of troops due to attrition thanks to their having Small fortresses and very low supply limits to invaders. The actual combat I easily defeated them in even when outnumbered 3 to 1, but thanks to attrition I couldn't get their frontline territories (except their capital, which you can't take until last in EU2) - hence why my territories are behind the front lines. At least they aren't totally worthless like my west African territories are - one province even has coffee, which is in short supply at this point.
Kaffa defected to Russia after I forgot about some rebels. Russia is a bit scary.
I've also established a successful and profitable colony in Jakarta, which I hope will become the start of a larger Ottoman East Indies. So far China is the only other country with colonies there - there are a few other native civilizations, whom I made friends with so I'd have friendly ports of call while exploring there. Now that Jakarta exists that is less important, but still helpful.
I'm allied with the Zanj, to the south of me in Africa. This is both for a justification not to expend my goodwill on more land wars in Africa, and to help ensure Europeans don't end up there. Any help they provide in combat is a bonus.
My land tech is up to 11, still well behind Europe but it's advancing. My navy is more advanced than anyone's save England or Portgual though, at 13 (making me the only power whose navy is more advanced than their army). The reason for this naval investment is primarily to decrease naval attrition, which made journeys to the East Indies costly in terms of ships, and transatlantic crossings prohibitive. This will in turn allow me to discover more territories and establish a larger colonial empire.
Inflation-battling has been paying off, too, and I'm now down to 14% inflation, and am around the 25th percentile in inflation rank (the good 25th percentile). I also continue to rule in production percentage (69% Ottomans, 54% Sweden, 47% Netherlands, 45% Scotland, all other westerners 35 or lower), and am competitive in trade.
West Europe looks the same as 30 years ago. I think the Western Europeans are focusing on colonizing the New World. Denmark does indeed have a city in Benin.
Yeah, I'm still amazed by the fact that I managed to beat the Ottomans too; even though I think (this game was from like 10 months ago
) it took two or three wars to take them down, and even then I needed every ally I could get my hands on. Especially after the first war in which the Ottomans ate up my strongest ally, Poland 
Chukchi Husky
Lone Wolf
The last game of Europa Universalis 3 I played ended up causing my computer to die.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2007
- Messages
- 9,308
The three centuries I've played have had themes.
First century (1419 - 1518): Expansion, becoming a legit empire.
Second century (1519 - 1620): Strengthening of the internal empire, learning how to play peacefully, getting people to like me
Third century: (1620 - 1715): Colonialism, renewed expansion, making sure my neighbors know not to mess with me.
Fourth century: ?
Thus we have Ottoman Empire, 1638:
I went to war against the alliance of Persia and China. Persia had become a bit expansionist again, and I wasn't happy that they'd canceled their vassalage to me, so they needed to be taught a lesson. Plus I wanted the territories. Iraq and Tabriz were both wealthy. I actually wanted Basra, Awzah, and Tabaristan (Tehran) too, so I'd have fewer border provinces, but couldn't get them in the pace deal despite having owned Persia. Oh well - at least I could get Tabriz, that used to be Persia's capital but apparently they decided to move it in an event. In this war I was on even footing land-tech wise, and my huge naval advantage didn't really matter.
Against China I succeeded as well. I was a bit concerned as China was much closer to Jakarta than I was, but their navy was both small and backwards, so I had no trouble defeating them, and thus expanded the Ottoman East Indies:
Palawan (Puerto Princess) is a new colony, but both Sunda and Palembang were captured from China. Sunda is a colony, almost a colonial city, and Palembang is a trading post.
Externally, Saxony diploannexed Oldenburg, which has created a small Germany (visible in the first screenshot). They are aligned with Sweden and poor Scotland. The Mughals have become powerful in India, meanwhile, Delhi having fallen, but Hyderabad and Vijayanagar still are regional powers as well. The Ming Dynasty is in trouble, meanwhile, with double-digit rebellion rates due to the End of the Ming Empire historical events. That may have contributed to the ease with which I took their colonies, as well as their willingness to part with them.
First century (1419 - 1518): Expansion, becoming a legit empire.
Second century (1519 - 1620): Strengthening of the internal empire, learning how to play peacefully, getting people to like me
Third century: (1620 - 1715): Colonialism, renewed expansion, making sure my neighbors know not to mess with me.
Fourth century: ?
Thus we have Ottoman Empire, 1638:
I went to war against the alliance of Persia and China. Persia had become a bit expansionist again, and I wasn't happy that they'd canceled their vassalage to me, so they needed to be taught a lesson. Plus I wanted the territories. Iraq and Tabriz were both wealthy. I actually wanted Basra, Awzah, and Tabaristan (Tehran) too, so I'd have fewer border provinces, but couldn't get them in the pace deal despite having owned Persia. Oh well - at least I could get Tabriz, that used to be Persia's capital but apparently they decided to move it in an event. In this war I was on even footing land-tech wise, and my huge naval advantage didn't really matter.
Against China I succeeded as well. I was a bit concerned as China was much closer to Jakarta than I was, but their navy was both small and backwards, so I had no trouble defeating them, and thus expanded the Ottoman East Indies:
Palawan (Puerto Princess) is a new colony, but both Sunda and Palembang were captured from China. Sunda is a colony, almost a colonial city, and Palembang is a trading post.
Externally, Saxony diploannexed Oldenburg, which has created a small Germany (visible in the first screenshot). They are aligned with Sweden and poor Scotland. The Mughals have become powerful in India, meanwhile, Delhi having fallen, but Hyderabad and Vijayanagar still are regional powers as well. The Ming Dynasty is in trouble, meanwhile, with double-digit rebellion rates due to the End of the Ming Empire historical events. That may have contributed to the ease with which I took their colonies, as well as their willingness to part with them.
germanicus12
First Citizen of Rome
Well after hitting a roadblock as the Byzantines, Aragon is preventing me from doing anything the west with their superior army numbers and their nearly triple tech levels.
So I started a new game as the English, after uniting the British isles and now on track to create Great Britain, I have a slight problem though. France. I shall explain my situation in further detail:
I have fought France 5 times in the first 50 years of the game... I sold my southern French territories that I started with to Brittany and kept Calais. I established my goal as to never lose Calais and attempt to avoid the French whenever possible. The first war ended in a stalemate, neither of us really did anything, I conquered Scotland, minus Lothian (the capital), and accepted white peace with France. The 2nd time we fought I annexed Scotland and began my Irish unification. France and I again did nothing to each other, and ended the war on White Peace. The 3rd war began after I took the last Irish stronghold, this time France was joined by Burgundy and Brittany, I easily swept Burgundy aside and got the Trade Center of the peace deal (Awers something). Brittany immediately signed a separate peace and left France and their vassals alone against me... again we could do nothing against each other after some minor skirmishes, we signed for White Peace.
Thus begins the more bloodier of the matchups, the 4th and 5th wars of French aggression. In the 4th war France fought the Alliance of Brittany and England and overran the Brittany provinces but refused to land troops on my islands in fear of my naval superiority. So they attacked Calais... the first time they attacked an English province since we began the game. They were easily repulsed by reinforcing armies from England. So I launched an offensive, only to get crushed by French armies that easily exceed 30,000 troops. Their largest army easily outnumbers the total number of soldiers in my entire force. Nonetheless I was able to hold Calais and sued for a White Peace which was accepted.
Knowing the French would declare war again, I began a mass buildup of troops and invasion fleets. I created 5 different armies, each numbering close to 15,000. Each with a dedicated fleet of 10 warships and 15 transports. My plan was to attack the French at 5 locations, with my alliances in Castile and Portugal attacking from land, I fully believed that France would be crushed. As expected France declared war on me, as expected Portugal and Castile stood by me and began their invasions. At first the French armies were steamrolled and practically destroyed following every battle, I was feeling great. My mortal enemy was in their death throes, their capital was under attack and France has lost nearly 50% of their provinces. Yet somehow France was able to muster a monster force of 50,000 troops and quickly forced Castile and Portugal into withdrawing from the war with no gains and losing provinces in Iberia. Leaving me alone to face a powerful French army, undetered I ordered all my armies to meet at Paris which fell recently to bring my total force to nearly 60,000 combined troops under the command of my greatest general to date. (Not to mention the largest battle I have ever fought in an EUIII game)
Needless to say the army was crushed and I was forced to retreat back to my islands humiliated and defeated. In the peace deal I was forced to accept White Peace. The war would have turned out differently if I didn't have my fleet. Every time I left the Straits of Dover a French fleet leaves and an army prepares to board, but because the English fleet was set on Patrol mode, they were back quickly and the French fleet retreated back to port.
Does anyone have any idea how to beat the French? I have tried every tactic I know and still fail miserably, only the tactics in the 5th War of French Aggression, the above story, was the only one to see some hope of succeeding. France now has provinces in Iberia. (Map to come soon.)
So I started a new game as the English, after uniting the British isles and now on track to create Great Britain, I have a slight problem though. France. I shall explain my situation in further detail:
I have fought France 5 times in the first 50 years of the game... I sold my southern French territories that I started with to Brittany and kept Calais. I established my goal as to never lose Calais and attempt to avoid the French whenever possible. The first war ended in a stalemate, neither of us really did anything, I conquered Scotland, minus Lothian (the capital), and accepted white peace with France. The 2nd time we fought I annexed Scotland and began my Irish unification. France and I again did nothing to each other, and ended the war on White Peace. The 3rd war began after I took the last Irish stronghold, this time France was joined by Burgundy and Brittany, I easily swept Burgundy aside and got the Trade Center of the peace deal (Awers something). Brittany immediately signed a separate peace and left France and their vassals alone against me... again we could do nothing against each other after some minor skirmishes, we signed for White Peace.
Thus begins the more bloodier of the matchups, the 4th and 5th wars of French aggression. In the 4th war France fought the Alliance of Brittany and England and overran the Brittany provinces but refused to land troops on my islands in fear of my naval superiority. So they attacked Calais... the first time they attacked an English province since we began the game. They were easily repulsed by reinforcing armies from England. So I launched an offensive, only to get crushed by French armies that easily exceed 30,000 troops. Their largest army easily outnumbers the total number of soldiers in my entire force. Nonetheless I was able to hold Calais and sued for a White Peace which was accepted.
Knowing the French would declare war again, I began a mass buildup of troops and invasion fleets. I created 5 different armies, each numbering close to 15,000. Each with a dedicated fleet of 10 warships and 15 transports. My plan was to attack the French at 5 locations, with my alliances in Castile and Portugal attacking from land, I fully believed that France would be crushed. As expected France declared war on me, as expected Portugal and Castile stood by me and began their invasions. At first the French armies were steamrolled and practically destroyed following every battle, I was feeling great. My mortal enemy was in their death throes, their capital was under attack and France has lost nearly 50% of their provinces. Yet somehow France was able to muster a monster force of 50,000 troops and quickly forced Castile and Portugal into withdrawing from the war with no gains and losing provinces in Iberia. Leaving me alone to face a powerful French army, undetered I ordered all my armies to meet at Paris which fell recently to bring my total force to nearly 60,000 combined troops under the command of my greatest general to date. (Not to mention the largest battle I have ever fought in an EUIII game)
Needless to say the army was crushed and I was forced to retreat back to my islands humiliated and defeated. In the peace deal I was forced to accept White Peace. The war would have turned out differently if I didn't have my fleet. Every time I left the Straits of Dover a French fleet leaves and an army prepares to board, but because the English fleet was set on Patrol mode, they were back quickly and the French fleet retreated back to port.
Does anyone have any idea how to beat the French? I have tried every tactic I know and still fail miserably, only the tactics in the 5th War of French Aggression, the above story, was the only one to see some hope of succeeding. France now has provinces in Iberia. (Map to come soon.)
Spoiler :
Love
Deity
I think that you should wait until they are busy with a) A war against the HRE or austria or something b) Low stability with rebels pooping out everywhere, then just make a D-Day invasion with your massive army.
Love
Deity
What's to your advantage is that france can't blob up much more without getting a extremely bad stability recover meaning that spies lowering stability is worth their gold.
That alone might not be enough (the speed at which France is able to completely defeat Bohemia or Austria is scary...). Bring powerful allies, and hit them repeatedly with spies.
On the bright side, Castile lost their northern territories.
Wiki has an article (link) (a bit outdated though)
germanicus12
First Citizen of Rome
Thanks for the tips... shall try them out. As for powerful allies, there are few of them left, Castile and Portugal are now weak and no longer show much promise against France, my only other option is to ally with Austria and hope France attacks them so I can sneak into their backdoor, while using spies to wreak havoc in their core territories and possible ignite patriot uprisings in Iberia.
Northen Wolf
Young Hunter
My experience with france was to use my navy to transport troops and function as retreat point - pick the battles I could win (outnumber enemy with 2 to 1 soldier) and retreat back onto ships if I could not defeat enemy. Also, don't be afraid to let them use their navy to transport troops to england - once they have troops on board, just destroy France invasion force together with its fleet - two flies with one hit. Or you could let small armies to land on england and wipe them out with small defense force, that you left behind to quell the rebels.
Quickly siege provinces, wait France to share its army into smaller units and then defeat most counter-sieging 1k-7k units with your (larger) army.
Also forcing them to fight on hostile territory - austria, castille whatever is a good idea, as they'll get little to no reinforcements.
--------
I've never had short wars with france . My goal has always been to cause as much War Weariness as possible - once france hits 10+ war weariness, revolts will weaken france even further, making it easier to siege more provinces. I've always gone for max war weariness, as it continues to weaken france even after war ends.
Simply surviving would be tough, though I've heard it's possible.
Love
Deity
I want to play tripoli suppressing any rebels.
I still think that more people should try the Byzantine Empire
As far as I know, the Byzantine Empire is one of the most played countries.
I started the game as Morocco by making an army (first objective to gain a bit of prestige, but I reduced my maintenance fees for now) and increasing my stability enough to make enough money to bribe Castille. I'm only 10 years into the game but yeah, focusing on bribes. Not sure it'll do anything. Everything I do turns out to be a stupid idea in this game anyway. My mid-term goal is to control the whole of North Africa, but I'm not sure about how to proceed. I have to get casus belli on my neighbours and attack them probably before the crusades destroy them. Because I'm guessing it'll be easier to tackle Tunis Algiers and company than to tackle North African Castille? Eh.
