first country to start as?

[Tapochki]

all this talk about sweden and colonization got me to thinking ... I believe that i will play sweden and be the first to colonize the north pole. Then perhaps start the exploration route to the south pole and try to colonize antarctica before game's end.

antarctica has regions!?!!

[k_merse]

No, Antarctica is not part of the game.

[JWSIII]

First non-tutorial game will be... Portugal again lol - I love playing portugal more than any other country; they are small enough that other countries can still present some form of threat long into the game, can fight in foreign areas without there home being overrun early on, and I prefer trade/colonization to war regardless... also, they feel like one of the most obvious "could have been" cases in the world; rose from nothing to be a borderline world power and then blew it in a bunch of weird ways in a short time... making a larger/longer-lasting portuguese empire feel plausible if you can build one.

After that, I think the Mamluks... they are a country I learned to love playing while Beta testing MMU at Ubik's request; in MMU from a 1399 start date you have enough time to "fix" them before the mamluks if you can weather the various modernization/reneging the past/strained administration storm (usually with 1-2 civil wars and a good regency war thrown in), eventually emerging 60-120 years later as a real power, and then being able to build a large pan-arabic empire, with alot of trade and colonization/imperialism and such in East Africa/Arabia if you work it right.... no idea how they'll play from the later date in this version, but just from all the fun I've had with them in MMU, I'll give them a shot.

[Aulus]

No, Antarctica is not part of the game.

But, but... I wanted to conquer the world as Penuinia!

[Clophiroth]

But, but... I wanted to conquer the world as Penuinia!

Maybe, after the next expansion... Mundus Penguiniorum?

[eliphas8]

Post tutorial I will play a game as Chagatai horde with the ultimate goal of taking over all of China.

[Covertops22]

I will probably start as one of the Russian powers, Muscowy if they are available. My goal when I always start a game with them, is to unite the Russians under one flag, either through peaceful diplomacy, or through war. Then, to develop and consolidate for the eventual wars against the hordes and Poland-Lithuania.

I do plan to play the tutorial for awhile, probably as my first game just to get a feel for the game. Will be fun.

[DanubianCossak]

Sry Covert, but Moscovy and peaceful diplomacy just... sounds... wrong... In Russia, when winter comes, its WAAAAAGH!!!

[Tapochki]

Lucky for you, soviet russia didn't exist in this time period, so the russian reversal does not apply.

However, muscovy and diplomacy not working together? Why in blazes would it be "wrong", perse? Even ruskies can be approachable...

"Yesli horoshenko napitza"

[DanubianCossak]

Im not sure what youre talking about, but i was referring to my personal play style, i just cant help myself from dowing minors around me and owning them, specially in winter (most of Russia is set to harsh winter) when attrition goes high into double digits, and WE rises all across your country, then everyone else around you decides to gang up against you, fun fun fun + annexation of more provinces with reduced bb cost.

Diplomatic expansion is just meh, too much effort + it doesnt work if target country has over 2 provinces in 99% of situations from my experience, and even 2 provinces countries will refuse until your much bigger than them.

[k_merse]

Bad news for you then: Too forceful expansion can make the other countries around you gang up against you in an all-out campaign. So careful!
On the other hand, with our diplomatic system it becomes more possible to expand through diplomacy.

[Sensational]

Venice with the goal of forming Italy or Colonization, a Japanese clan, Brandenburg > Prussia, a new invasion of Europe by the horde, Sweden and turning the Baltic into their own private Mare Nostrum, the Malaccan trade giant, a French continental Europe, a Georgian or Serbian Byzantine Empire, how do you decide what to attempt? It's le impossible!

[froek]

Huron.
Just be a sitting duck like I always play the game.

To get beaten into submission.

[k_merse]

It will be tricky as there is no such country

[mudcrabmerchant]

a Georgian or Serbian Byzantine Empire, how do you decide what to attempt?

Are the Byzzies going to be a formable nation for Orthodox countries in the region?

It's le impossible!

Urge to kill... rising...

At least I can count on the Otto's to handle it for me.

[Sensational]

Are the Byzzies going to be a formable nation for Orthodox countries in the region?

I believe I saw someone say that somewhere... but at least you could attempt it even if there is no actual nation forming to be done.

[froek]

It will be tricky as there is no such country

A South American country then :I

[Zolotaya]

A South American country then :I

You may also try one of the countries in the Mexican/Yucatan areas ... they should be an extreme challenge.

[Zolotaya]

Are the Byzzies going to be a formable nation for Orthodox countries in the region? ...

Georgia, Trezbiond(sp), Morea and one more greek minor (which is escaping me at the moment) will allow you to eventually reform Byzantium ... others such as Athens, Cyprus, or the KoSJ will not without significant internal change - all of this is subject to change as we continue to tweak things.

[RhoDaZZ]

Georgia, Trezbiond(sp), Morea and one more greek minor (which is escaping me at the moment) will allow you to eventually reform Byzantium ... others such as Athens, Cyprus, or the KoSJ will not without significant internal change - all of this is subject to change as we continue to tweak things.

Well historically there were the tiny remnants of Epirus and Theodoro as well, but maybe you're referring to Naxos (even though that would be Italianisque)?