Quick questions / Quick answers -- EU3

[EJG]

Is it worth it to westernize with the Ottomans or Russia, I can keep pace in tech with the Western countries fairly easily so dropping behind 20 places in tech doesn't seem like its worth it. What do people usually do in these situations? Also is there any other way to fall behind in tech besides minting a ton?

[Choccookies]

Is it worth it to westernize with the Ottomans or Russia, I can keep pace in tech with the Western countries fairly easily so dropping behind 20 places in tech doesn't seem like its worth it. What do people usually do in these situations? Also is there any other way to fall behind in tech besides minting a ton?

If you want to fall behind focus all your research in one tech and dont change it, you will get ahead of the time and it will slow your research speed down. The main reason to change is for the better military units, it really depends on how dominant you are whether or not this is necessary

[GaiusC]

Having not tested every single government type long enough, I was wondering about elections in Republic: I take it you can only choose one kind of ruler if you have a fixed election cycles (every 4 / 8 years), and you don't have any election for any type of government where your Republic's leader rules for life? (which is frustrating since, contrary to monarchies, you don't even know what kind of ruler you'll get next and have no means of picking a good one)

[ajsciri4]

Having not tested every single government type long enough, I was wondering about elections in Republic: I take it you can only choose one kind of ruler if you have a fixed election cycles (every 4 / 8 years), and you don't have any election for any type of government where your Republic's leader rules for life? (which is frustrating since, contrary to monarchies, you don't even know what kind of ruler you'll get next and have no means of picking a good one)

Well, that's why it's called a Presidential Dictatorship isn't it? Even dictatorships can have good (not good morally, but administratively) leaders or bad leaders. Though he was a horrible person, Hitler was a good leader. Kim Jong Il wasn't, however.

[ajsciri4]

When playing historical lucky nations, exactly which ones are lucky? I know England, France, and Castille must be, but I'm not sure who else. The other ones that come to mind are Sweden, Muscowy, Portugal maybe, and Brandenburg maybe. Savoy might be, since they formed Sardinia-Piedmont and thus Italy, right? Is there a list?

[GaiusC]

When playing historical lucky nations, exactly which ones are lucky? I know England, France, and Castille must be, but I'm not sure who else. The other ones that come to mind are Sweden, Muscowy, Portugal maybe, and Brandenburg maybe. Savoy might be, since they formed Sardinia-Piedmont and thus Italy, right? Is there a list?

Piedmont unifying Italy is too late an event to be taken into account. Italian nations in EU3 timeframe should rather be considered unlucky, I'd say

Here are the ones:
http://www.paradoxian.org/eu3wiki/Lucky

[PdoxNewbie]

How do you stop, or combat, major nations constantly huaranteeing your neighbours? It is extremely annoying that when playing anything less that a world power, you can't declare war on an OPM without a major power being dragged into the war and your country getting invaded by wave after wave of invasions, all for one province.

[brifbates]

Is it worth it to westernize with the Ottomans or Russia, I can keep pace in tech with the Western countries fairly easily so dropping behind 20 places in tech doesn't seem like its worth it. What do people usually do in these situations? Also is there any other way to fall behind in tech besides minting a ton?

If you are keeping up in tech without it then there is no real reason to westernize in SP. The western units don't start getting to be better than the others until the late 20s and by then you will generally be the dominant power even if your units are slightly worse. At least that's been my experience playing those nations.

[ajsciri4]

How do you stop, or combat, major nations constantly huaranteeing your neighbours? It is extremely annoying that when playing anything less that a world power, you can't declare war on an OPM without a major power being dragged into the war and your country getting invaded by wave after wave of invasions, all for one province.

That's just part of the game. You have to keep checking around for a hole in the diplomatic web. Historically, countries were interested in a) their own welfare and b) status quo, so I suppose it's reasonable, but I will agree it's exceptionally annoying. You can't really do much about it besides check any possible routes of expansion. Also, it seems that if you attack with a proper casus belli, nations are more inclined to abandon the country they guaranteed - kind of like how the emperor won't come in a war inside the HRE if you have a casus belli.

My question: will be being behind in land tech by 2-3 levels make me at risk from getting slaughtered by the Hans with much higher tech (they're small and rich)? As Sweden, my empire is huge (I own Scandinavia and refuse to form it) plus the Caribbean and the East Coast of the US proper, some territory in Africa. It's really difficult to keep up in tech and keep my army maintenance up. I'm behind in EVERYTHING.

[ANO1453]

My question: will be being behind in land tech by 2-3 levels make me at risk from getting slaughtered by the Hans with much higher tech (they're small and rich)? As Sweden, my empire is huge (I own Scandinavia and refuse to form it) plus the Caribbean and the East Coast of the US proper, some territory in Africa. It's really difficult to keep up in tech and keep my army maintenance up. I'm behind in EVERYTHING.

There must be something you are not doing properly. With the income from the Caribbean and the East Coast, you should be, at least, at par with everyone else.
Are you minting? Are you trading? Are you narrow-minded?

[Iwanow]

Well Sweden is not very rich, actualy whole scandinavia is very POOR. I would not conquer scandinavia, unless i would want to make a world conquest, or be a scandinavian nation.

[springel]

I am playing France and the Reformation is happening.

I have 3 provinces converted to Protestant, and 3 provinces Reformed.

I want to use the decision Edict of Nantes, but it doesn't give the 3 province requirement the green asterisk.
What can be the cause?

Edit: disregard: after a month the decision was enabled. Sorry about that.

[ajsciri4]

There must be something you are not doing properly. With the income from the Caribbean and the East Coast, you should be, at least, at par with everyone else.
Are you minting? Are you trading? Are you narrow-minded?

Well, I'm only behind a few levels on each. Iwanow has the reason - nearly all of the provinces in Scandinavia are poor. There are a lot of provinces in Scandinavia and they're dragging down my research!

I'm trading in CoTs I own - Stockholm, Mohawk, and Benin, because I'm full mercantilism. I'm minting about a third of my budget (where the inflation change is zero) to pay for new buildings yet maintain a decent income.

Oh, and yes, I'm +1 or +2 narrowminded (to return everyone back to Catholicism) but I'm also +1 or +2 free subjects (for the tech cost reduction)

[ANO1453]

Well, I'm only behind a few levels on each. Iwanow has the reason - nearly all of the provinces in Scandinavia are poor. There are a lot of provinces in Scandinavia and they're dragging down my research!

The Caribbean, if developed, should have it more than covered.

I'm trading in CoTs I own - Stockholm, Mohawk, and Benin, because I'm full mercantilism.

How many empty trader slots do your CoTs have? You can kick people out until you have 13 free spots and get income for all of them. Usually I'm happy with 10 empty spots.

I'm minting about a third of my budget (where the inflation change is zero) to pay for new buildings yet maintain a decent income.

That is also not helpful. Minted money is money not used in Research. It is OK if monthly income is negative, as long as yearly income is positive.

[GaiusC]

I'm minting about a third of my budget (where the inflation change is zero) to pay for new buildings yet maintain a decent income.

This is a serious drain on your research and explains most of your lower tech levels, I'd say.
You don't have to build every single available building, you know. If you have to mint to build any building, just ust build the ones that will provide an obvious and sizable benefit.

[Castios]

Is there any maximum of provinces that we shoudn't exceed? Like GB having whole NA, is that good?

[ajsciri4]

This is a serious drain on your research and explains most of your lower tech levels, I'd say.
You don't have to build every single available building, you know. If you have to mint to build any building, just ust build the ones that will provide an obvious and sizable benefit.

Well I was making sure I had at least level 1 forts in every province but there's a lot of new colonies so that's what I've been building, on top of trade buildings (up to road network) on all slave, fur, and gold provinces. That's still a lot of provinces :/

@Cartios - that's not a problem, but be aware that poor provinces (like base tax 2 with grain) will drag down tech

[jdrou]

Is there any maximum of provinces that we shoudn't exceed? Like GB having whole NA, is that good?

There is an overextension penalty for having too many non-core provinces but overseas provinces don't count towards the limit. There's no actual size limit; just that many things get more expensive the larger you are.

[Iwanow]

Well I was making sure I had at least level 1 forts in every province but there's a lot of new colonies so that's what I've been building, on top of trade buildings (up to road network) on all slave, fur, and gold provinces. That's still a lot of provinces :/

@Cartios - that's not a problem, but be aware that poor provinces (like base tax 2 with grain) will drag down tech

You do not realy need to build forts in colonies. Actualy you can build no buildings there, and still benefit greatly from them.

Also, grain provinces can get events that will add +2 to tax or a certain amount to manpower of your chose. So actualy grain is not so bad. Wool for example is much worse (but on the good side it can increase income from manufactory - but without manufactory, wool provinces are quite worthless).

[ANO1453]

Well I was making sure I had at least level 1 forts in every province but there's a lot of new colonies so that's what I've been building, on top of trade buildings (up to road network) on all slave, fur, and gold provinces. That's still a lot of provinces :/

Don't build trade buildings in Gold provinces!! It's useless, it doesn't increase your income.

Personally, my focus is getting a marketplace on every province that doesn't produce Grain or Gold. Forts are really not necessary, except in those special places (CoTs) or if you have lots of revolts.
Marketplaces are essential to the price of trade goods such as coffee, tobacco, sugar and cotton. Which are also the most important trade goods in the game, with special attention to tobacco and coffee. That is where you should be building stuff, it will end up worthing much more than slaves, fur or gold (as an example, my fully developed - up to road network - tobacco provinces produce more than 100d in trade value).