Tolking for a nation to play? Want a special challenge? Wanna know how to complete an achievement? Then this guide is for you
Seeing that both CKII and EUIII have had threads for this thing, I thought EUIV should have one too. Anyway here is a list of recommended countries and recommended ways to play them sorted by difficulty and continents.
You're welcome to post suggestions
Countries
Easy
Europe
Austria - Playing the emperor is one of the funnest games in my opinion. There is so much management to do within the HRE and you have really awesome missions that can give you PUs over Bohemia and Hungary. And you can spread the Habsburg dynasty all over Europe
Castille->
Spain - Classic trade and colonisation country. Conquer Portugal early on then try to fight competitors for the new world and/or battle your way through Africa and Asia to fill your coffers. And beware the BBB!
England->
Great Britain - Two ways to play this - Either win the HYW and then spread your tentacles over the mainland or retreat and try to form an historical British empire with lots of colonisation and perhaps the British Raj
Guides: Patch 1.4 100 Years War with England (Success) (still works)
France - You can't say easy without immediately thinking of France. France has a bit of everything, conquest, diplomacy and colonisation. Your most important neighbor is the HRE you can either become the emperor, dismantle it or slowly fight your way through it. There is also the Azur seme de lis or achievement.
Muscovy->
Russia - For mother Russia! Kind of a shaky start but once you tread that you're easily one of the strongest nations in the world. The special thing about Russia is that it is ideal in conquering Asia. Because you have a land bridge to your capital you won't get the distant overseas malus and you can vassalise chinese tech group. Definitely a country you have to play once
Ottomans - The game isn't complete without the Ottoderps. A very expansionist state with lots of ways to play it. Do one or more of the following things: 1. Unite islam 2. Conquer Rome, Constantinople and Moscow to become the indisputable sultan of Rum 3. Convert to orthodox and aim for a WC 4. Aim for the master of India achievement 5. Colonise and conquer Africa
Poland - Another european nation with a great potential for expansion. Join the HRE early on to become emperor, fight Russia to stop them from colonising and dominate all eastern europe
Portugal - Alternative colonisation and trade country if you don't want to fight on the mainland. Or maybe once you get strong enough you can show your big brother Spain that nothing lasts forever and destroy them
Medium
Europe
Bohemia - An HRE prince with lots of potential. Also following the legacy of Jan Huss and joining the protestant reformation can be fun
Brandenburg/
Teutonic Order->
Prussia->
Germany - Prussian ideas are probably even better than Sweden's. Once you get your ambition your armies are likely to be unstoppable. Expanding in the HRE is pretty challenging as coalitions are very likely to form.
Burgundy->
Netherlands - Nice Ideas, events and provinces make the Netherlands a really good nation, and who is more likely to form it than the house of Bourgogne (historically, pretty much anyone). Anyway beware France as they will probably chase you even after they took all their cores.
Crimea - Arguably the best horde to play, apart from the Timurids. You have a very good starting position, next to Genoa so you can westernise easily once you reformed your government. You should probably conquer your way east, killing other hordes and creating a nice Crimea river
Denmark->
Scandinavia - The only reason Denmark is not easy is that Sweden and Norway can break free of you. Otherwise you have tons of subjects who ensure you become a superpower quite early. You can join the HRE early on and work your way to be emperor, or make yourself a massive colonial empire, possibly beating Russia along the way and colonising siberia by yourself. Anyway you will have tons of ducats due to your rich trade nodes, especially if you conquer in Lubeck.
The Hansa - A very nice trading nation. You control all important parts of the rich Lubeck trade node, but they are not connected. Good luck trying to bring more wealth home
The Papal State - It's always nice to play as the pope. Especially if you become Sunni, or protestant, or something else. To do that, simply stay small (under 100% warscore to annex) then declare war on an infidel, fully occupy them and offer to change your religion. The kingdom of god is also nice although not very rewarding. You can mess with the HRE to further defy history by dismantling it or even somehow changing your government then becoming the emperor
Sweden - Really nice ideas make Sweden have great potential. If you can defeat Denmark and win your independence, the world is yours to take.
Tuscany - You have a phenomenal starting leader and some of the best Ideas in Italy, Unite Italy, Form a Trading Empire, Humble France and Austria, or form the Mythical Mare Nostrum (Mediterranean Lake) or all the above!, Europe is just waiting to be bought.
Venice->
Italy? - Venice is the strongest of the Italian minors. It is a nice candidate to form Italy. Alternatively, you can focus on trade. Get key provinces on nearby trade nodes and dominate your home one to get lots and lots of ducats
Guides:
Venice: A Guide
Asia
Japan(Shogunate) - The easy way to play Japan. Defeat your warmongering vassals then go WWII style 500 years earlier, conquering east asia and colonising the pacific and more
Ming - The Celestial emperor of China. All their flavor and the factions system make them quite interesting. If you want to survive, westernise early on. Then go and conquer more Asia
Oman - The muslim trading nation, stealing trade from europeans since 1550. Hijack european trade and/or make your own colonial empire
Qara Qoyunlu - You're Shia, probably the best religion in the game, but also one of the smallest. Form Persia and show everyone who is Muhammad's true successor
Tibet - Be the only noble republic in Asia and bring the teachings of Buddha to the subcontinent. Expand into Mongolia and India then go for Indochina and carve up Ming
Timurids->
Mughals - Really fun nation. Bring the true faith to the eastern heathens and conquer pretty much all of Asia as rightful successors of the mighty Genghis Khan! Take Delhi in two wars while fighting Persian rebels is not easy, but once the Mughals are formed there's nothing that can stop you.
Vijayanagar - The unpronounceable nation. Form Hindustan and drive the muslims out of India.
Africa
Mali - Easiest option to conquer Africa as a sub saharan.
Morocco - The classic Muslim coloniser. Eat up your Berber neighbors, colonise Africa and maybe America, fight the Iberians.
Americas
Iroquois/
Cherokee/
Pequot/other NA minor(CoP) - This is a really fun one. Take a native tribe and conquer all NA, then westernise and beat the s**t out of the Europeans, and then maybe you can invade their homes as revenge. Iroquois are recommended because they have nice diplomatic ideas and Shawnee can give you the no trail of tears achievement, while Pequot have a really nice flag and color and since they are an OPM they can migrate. These are all recommended if you have CoP. Otherwise, only Cherokee are interesting, and only because of their achievement
USA - A nice short campaign, especially if you have the American Dream DLC. Beat the british then walk away, there's not much more to do. I recommend turning off CoP for this, it doesn't go well with the American Dream
Hard
Europe
Irish minor->
Ireland - Conquer Meath while the english are still in trouble to form Ireland. From there you should probably try to get the luck of the Irish achievement. Either Make yourself a colonial empire and move your capital to america or immediately move to conquer GB. Recommended minors are Connacht and Munster. Connacht neighbors all other minors and so can conquer them quicker and have a better starting king, while Munster have higher base tax.
Novgorod - Form an alternative Russian Republic! You have really nice ideas increasing Republican tradition (You can constantly re-elect rulers if you change to Noble Republic) among others. Ally Lithuania and attack Muscovy before they get PU'ed. Exhaust Muscovy and then you will be able to win the next wars against them.
Wallachia - Home of count draculesti and the best option to form Romania. It's not gonna be easy. Fight the other Balkan states to gain the strength necessary to fight Hungary, Poland and finally the Ottomans and form Romania.
Asia
Daimyos - Very recommended. Overthrowing the Shogun is much more fun than being him if you can manage that. Potential Daimyos by difficulty:
1.
Oda, 1570 - Easiest choice with your godlike ruler and your plentiful territory.
2.
Hosokawa, 1444 - Easiest if you want to start at 1444
3.
Otomo, Eighty years war bookmark - If you're really up to a cool challenge, this is it. Otomo are Christian, so nobody likes them, and they're an OPM going against a shogunate who rules about half the island. If you manage to do it, you're a christian shogun!
Guide:
Things to Know About Playing Japan
Malaya - Malaya have awesome ideas, an awesome position for forming a pacific colonial empire and most important: an awesome color! Recommended countries are Brunei and Aceh. Brunei have higher base tax but Aceh can move quicker to conquer Malacca, because if you don't Ayutthaya do and you'll have a hard time driving them from there.
Manchu->
Qing - Can a puny norde defeat the great Ming? Conquer your way through Korea and Mongolia and then challenge Ming. Utilise scorched earth and looting to win then conquer them by conquering select provinces, releasing Shun, Xi, and Zhou then returning their cores.
Africa
Ethiopia - Probably the most interesting sub-Saharan nation. you're an orthodox in a sea of heathens, good luck with that. Accept the protectorate from the Mamluks and conquer and colonise your way around the cape to control all of Africa, then westernise and betray your overlord
Kongo - Pretty isolated nation, but they get a nice event chain allowing them to convert to catholic and they can get the african power achievement.
Guide:
Kongo Turbo Start
Songhai - Have more flavour, better ideas and more challenge than Mali.
Very hard
Europe
Albania - probably one of the hardest start of the game, but not impossible. you have generic NIs which is quite bad and you start the game at war with the ottoderps which has very strong start. but you have amazing general and king. Greg Skandenberg Kastrioti probably is the best king/general at the start 1444 game.
you could survive by using scorched earth tactic and declaring war without CB to serbia and bosnia. you could conquer/vassalize one of them while avoiding land border with the ottos. if you survive the opening move, you could try to make austria love you and join HRE. after that you could expand into HRE or beat back the ottomans.
Gudies:
this,
Albania as HREmperor
Byzantium - You are the last remnant of the great Roman Empire. Yet, you are now a 3PM about to be eaten by the Ottomaniacs. Fight your way through the fire and flames to restore the Roman Empire to it's true glory! Anyway, you'll probably need guide.
Guides:
Byzantium 1.5 Cheese and
Byzantium 1.3
Granada - For hundreds of years the puny Iberians have been undermining the great Andalusian kingdom, with it's rich and developed cities. It is now time to take our revenge. There are three strategies: Run to america, run to India or be a man and fight! (and fail, probably)
Guides:
Granada - Reconquista Survial Guide 1.5.1 (with only a little cheese)
Discussions:
Early survival of Granada
AARs:
Let´s Play Granada Rereconquista AGAIN!
French Vassal - With a bit of cheese and gameyness even this is possible. DOW France, then DOW every big nation and peace out with France. France will now be stomped by all the wars you started. Now you can either hope someone will release you or break truce and win this time.
AARs:
DDR Jake as Foix
Navarra - You're Basque. An ancient culture, dating to pre-roman times. A culture with no brothers, sons and fathers. A language isolate. You have a long history of gender equality and your nation has been ruled by many queens. You're caught in the crossfire between France, Castile and Aragon. Either ignore the mainland and colonise the Americas or ally Castille then Invade Aragon to gain more territory
AARs:
Navarra played by DDR Jake
Naxos/
The Knights/
Trebizond - quite to similar to Byzantium, as you will be focusing on defeating the Ottomans and Venice. But there a couple of twists. Naxos is probably the hardest and coolest one. You are a vassal of Venice and even once you break free Ottomans and Mamluks will come after you. But screw Livonia, Malaya or anyone else, I think Naxos have the best f**king color in the whole game. But you probably never seen it properly because they're too small
(don't worry you can fix that). Also the Knights of st. john are a really cool nation and the greek empire of Trebizond are not really an empire...yet.
Norway (Norwegian Wood) - The Norwegian wood, requiring you to own every naval supplies province on the planet is a very hard one. You'll need to have foothold in pretty much every corner of the world.
Guides:
1.51 Norwegian Wood Achievement
Russian minor - You think you're tough? Try taking Russia with Perm, Tver, Ryazan,Pskov, Yaroslavl or Perm. I'd recommend Perm.You're the only Uralic nation in the game and your cultural kin is in Finland, far from you. Colonise Siberia and maybe even convert to Shamanist.
Asia
Kingdom of Jerusalem - To play as them, you must defeat the Mamluks as a christian nation, conquer Judea and then you get a decision for it. Progressing from there can be really hard but some benefits from your mother nation can ensure you make it. Defeat the Mamluks and then maybe go on a quest to destroy all Muslims
Kochin - An OPM in pink, Surrounded by Vijayanagar, you must make your move quick if you want to survive take . This very manly nation is guaranteed to strengthen your manly (or womanly) ego if you succeed. Conquer Venad and Ceylon and then you should probably take a stab hit to fight Sind and move on to conquer the easy parts of India. Fight Vjajajaja then you're out of competition
Najd - really tough start in the middle east. everyone hates you, you have low base tax and low FL. you need to make mamluks love you and then try to ally them. after that slowly conquer Haasa and Yemen/Oman/Hedjaz. after that you could conquer Asia/Africa/India by war/colonization. remember that you should get rid of mamluks as ally and turn to their natural enemy, the ottoman when you are big enough. Najd is interesting to play but quite frustrating. it's national ideas are really good to convert the heathens and heretics. if you want more challenge, try the Jihad achievement which require you to have 500 sunni provinces by 1821.
Disscusion:
Jihad achievement
Mongol Khanate - Recreate one of history's greatest empires! There is no better start in the game to learn unit control, as diplomacy is meaningless here. All you have to do is repeatedly defeat double your forces and superior generals without running out of manpower...simple right? You start as a 9 base tax vassal surrounded by hostile nations and will only RARELY have Chagatai support your independence (assume not). Manchu will almost always declare on you close to the beginning; reinforce when Oirate Horde engages so you don't lose territory, and then use the truce time with Manchu to declare independence. Military access with Ming, scorched earth to damage Oirate, and precise unit control can win the war w/o loans. From there, do the same thing to Manchu during the truce with Oirate, and keep rotating them until you have both as vassals and a bit more of Oirate's territory. Colonize towards Muscovy to block them while taking down Ming. The Khan is alone, outnumbered, and loving every minute of it. If you're really doing well, you can beat Muscovy before tech 12 and truly approach reclaiming the great khan's empire.
Ryukyu - The legendary Ryukyu are famous for one thing: Being as lame as lame can be. A pagan OPM who neighbors no one with a base tax of 1. Can you rule the entire world with Ryukyu? Probably not, but you can try, and it's sure fun
AARs:
The Iron Mountains: A Ryukyu AAR
America
Chimu - You're an OPM and your only neighbors are the (relatively) mighty Incas. Maybe by playing with the local mountains or scorching earth until you can colonise you can survive. Good luck, you'll need it.
Disscusion:
How to play as Chimu?
Aztec (Sunset Invasion) - The Aztec gods are hungry for blood. And what's better than foreigner blood, rich with the suffering you inflicted to them. Build your new world empire, westernise then conquer Europe's important cities to show them who's the boss
AARs:
DDR Jake as Aztecs
Challenges
Various goals and house rules to set to yourself to make the game more interesting
World Conquest - For every Grand Strategy game the classic goal has alway been to conquer the world. But before you do that make sure you know something: It's not fun. I mean you can enjoy it, but there's lots and lots of micromanagement and cheese in it, so be sure you're up to it. The basic strategy is this: Take a strong European nation, Expand everywhere you can, stop the colonial forces early, become the HRE emperor, revoke the privilegea then when you conquer land induct it into the HRE and you can release it as a free vassal. At the end of the game you'll have to have a last push where you fight everyone, break truces and ignore overextension
Recommended Countries: Ottomans turned Orthodox, England (winning HYW),
Minghals anyone else in the easy section
Discussion:
What (idea) Groups Are Best For World Conquest?,
Failed World conquest and a couple lessons
Tag Changing - Take a nation and try to form nations as many times as possible. Mind that some tags prevent you from changing culture, use
this list as a guideline(it may be outdated, Westphalia and Hannover have been added as formable nations in 1.4). Also, some nations prevent you from forming others (Prussia-> Germany, Hannover->Westphalia). It is recommended to become HRE emperor and revoke the privilegia to have the support you need to conquer territory (You will have to sell your territory to be small enough to culture shift).
Recommended Nations: Burgundy, Timurids
Stay Small - Take a small nation and conquer nothing or almost nothing. Try to avoid threats to your independence.
Recommended Nations: Any HRE minor
Random - Take a random nation and change to another every random number of years. Makes late game very interesting
AARs:
Random World Order
Religion Change - Go crazy. make a Sunni nation in the middle of europe, a Shia Indochina or whatever.
Recommended Nations: Papal State, Japan (Catholic)
AARs:
I Am Become Russia, Uniter of Islam,
Pilgrim's Progress : Religiously Questionable Gameplay AARs
Long - The rule is this: None of your provinces can border more than 2 other provinces you own. try to make the longest contiguous empire.
Recommended Nations: Dai Viet (A long country with Thang Long as it's capital), Crimea (river)
AARs:
Viet Long: A Border Gore AAR
Thalassocracy - A variation of the long challenge. You are allowed to control only coastal provinces. Can you conquer the seven seas?
Recommended Nation: The Hansa
History Assister - Help Prussia form. Assist Byzantium against the Turkish menace. Make the Mughals conquer India instead of Vijayanagar. Make everyone convert to Protestant or become a republic. Or maybe just create a nice historical British empire. Anything to create a nice historical (or alternate historical) world.
Passive Aggressive - You are not allowed to keep any army. Let your vassals and allies so all the work
