Settings?

Not that I understand the mechanics as well as most on this forum, but wouldn't raising the diplomacy skill of the monarchs of these one-province states (or lowering those of the bigger states) help in returning the balance? I haven't tried a hands-off scenario yet, but even playing as Japan or Bijapur, I've noticed some messed up Europes around 18th century.

That's partly why I'm posting. Are the tests showing that those 2 or 3 games I've been playing are abnormal results? Or does the independence of the German and Italian states usually last for most of the tests?

Tomas the Great said:

There is hardly any hope you will see five major powers of 19 centrury in place (Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, Russia) at about that time. And you complain about minors?
Survival of mere 50 procent of HRE minors borders on impossibility on the original map, try MyMAP - a blatant difference.

Click to expand...

I... don't think you really understood...

I wanted to know whether it was normal, as in, does this often turn out this way in tests too, that Germany is divided between France and Austria while all the HRE minors were swallowed up by the 17th century (halfway though the GC, mind). Neither of which are Emperor because of all the hits to their international relations for swallowing up the minors in the first place, usually leaving a 3-province Brandenburg as the Emperor most of the time, making the HRE integrity event not so helpful for the Germans.

Maybe you could have the HRE integrity events apply to an AI Austria too (emperor or not), so as to help ensure Austria becoming Emperor past 1550 (something I have never seen in several games). Maybe even with a Habsburg Spain.

In any case, I was trying to ask a question, and maybe throw around a couple ideas on solving a problem. Not "complain" or tell people what they should be doing.