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i've got another question

Why do all my factories go bankrupt?!

Every time I turn around one of them is closed and even if I reopen it it just closes again!

what the heck man like all my factories suck....

Specifically as Belgium my starting Ammunitions, Armaments, and canned food factories just go belly up every five seconds

What am I doing wrong or not doing right?
Those industries are likely already supplied in quite large numbers by both artisans (who form the backbone of industry in the early Europe game), as well as by factories in the UK, so you might simply be being outcompeted for the number of wars going on. Protip: Sell/export arms in wartime, and switch to consumer goods when the world is at peace. Goods such as fabric, glass and liquor are great early-mid game choices.

You might have such high tariffs as to prevent your factories from importing goods they need. Make sure tariffs are at most ~0 if they're importing stuff, but they shouldn't be high anyway.

How high have you set your military stockpile to be? If the Belgian Army isn't buying Belgian rifles, then who will? (Disregard that Belgian small arms in the 21st century are exported around the globe).
 
well another thing that happened now that confuses the hell out of me....

i have taxes really low for the middle class but apparently the artisans are not getting their life needs...they have no taxes!!! How can they be destitute

Again any tips for industrializing would be appreciated, should I subsidize factories and try and reopen them when they close? That kinda bankrupts me quick though
 
well another thing that happened now that confuses the hell out of me....

i have taxes really low for the middle class but apparently the artisans are not getting their life needs...they have no taxes!!! How can they be destitute

Again any tips for industrializing would be appreciated, should I subsidize factories and try and reopen them when they close? That kinda bankrupts me quick though

If they can't make money selling what they make, even 0 taxes won't keep them alive...
 
You might have such high tariffs as to prevent your factories from importing goods they need. Make sure tariffs are at most ~0 if they're importing stuff, but they shouldn't be high anyway.

Is this true for all nations? What about a country like the USA, which can be largely self-sufficient once its industry gets going? Wouldn't higher tariffs be appropriate to encourage local buying? (And to replicate the historical situation?)
 
Two Sicily's can be fun, Taking over African Territories with ease, but you want to get to Algeria and Morocco before Glutton France eats them up. The only hard part can be Uniting Italy. U.S can be tricky in the 1830's and 40's, Mexico is equal to you in military power, but once you Annex Texas and achieve Manifest Destiny It's a breeze. Once you take care of Mexico, have some fun Annexing Pacific Countries. I don't know, I tried the U.S but the Mexican Troops were On Steroids, they blew away my Doom Stacks like they were nothing. My only guess is that I didn't have Generals for the Armies. Santa Anna was Trolling me Hard.

I'm playing as Spain currently and everything seems to be going fine, my Economy is good, I don't go Bankrupt when I order Ships Built. Trying to Industrialize them is tricky and I'm Encouraging Capitalists. Don't Recommend Spain for beginners. Morocco, Tripoli, Algeria are basically Suicide Nations. Unless You're a god at playing Vicky 2 or use cheats, you'll be dead by the 1850's, 40's for Tripoli.
 
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Is this true for all nations? What about a country like the USA, which can be largely self-sufficient once its industry gets going? Wouldn't higher tariffs be appropriate to encourage local buying? (And to replicate the historical situation?)
It's hard to get to a point where you are truly, totally self-sufficient, even as the USA, and until that point tariffs will just hurt you by making your pops and factories pay more for imports.

As far as encouraging local buying... no, because pops already buy from local sources first.

The only time you should ever raise tariffs is if you desperately need money.
 
I'd start with Peru or Brazil. They're out of the way of the big powers, have cores to fight over, and are a good "beginner's game". Just don't make the mistake of trying to force industrialization too early, and you'll have a pretty easy game, though getting to GP status is unlikely.
 
I liked playing South American countries in Victoria1 as I have not had much success with warfare. I recently got Victoria2. I picked Venezuala as it is a democracy and it is easy to comprehend what is going on in a small country. First thing I noticed is that the population is declining. I realised that many POPS were not getting Life needs satisfied and the auto-trade facility was not supplying anything. So I started manually stockpiling basic items according to needs and was pleased to see that soon afterwards the population started increasing. I am now getting a steady flow of immigrants. But beyond this I have not been able to accomplish much. Cant build factories, no capitalists, cant change government, cant enact social reforms. It is not a problem of Prestige; all buttons are simply inactive. By the way, the manual doesn't even list which items are Life needs, which are Everyday and which are Luxury. Any hints on how to progress?
 
I started my first game as Korea, which was hard to play at first but I learned about pretty much everything in the game in that one game which lasted 8 hours straight >_>

You start off a Satellite of the Chinese Empire, this gives you time to learn how other nations work until you become free, either with a revolt or another nation wishing to free you, I was lucky enough for Belgium wanting to Free me, which was weird. You then gain a lot of money from the research of the Freedom of Trade, I then took over Japan with Britain and the USA's help and I became a Great Power by about 1896.

Up to you if you want to play this way but I understand the game pretty well from that one game.