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[Opinion] French Nemesis or not?

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Europa Universalis III 46143 EU3 - After Action Reports (AAR)
Gallowglacht

Gallowglacht

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Sep 21, 2006
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Hi guys, can I get an opinion?
I uninstalled EU3 last year due to college work and reinstalled yesterday, so it's been a while since I played.
I want to play as England, but I'm unsure how to proceed versus France.
I don't know whether to admit defeat in the 100 years war and build a strong economy, or fight a frustrating but fun death-struggle with plummeting relations and 400 years of butting heads.
I know there is the 3rd option of straight up winning the 100 years war and taking down and dismembering France (often with the help of Burgundy and Austria) but that just leaves you with a hyper powerful blob that just autopilots it's way to domination.

So which is more fun, economic might & colonisation or being declared on roughly every 5 years and at most taking back Normandy, maybe Caux, spreading the war to colonies all over the map?
 
Never played England or particularly against France but I tend to be a fan of economy building and consolidation first and then attack. England is an island and has a navy after all - those are its' major strengths.
 
I've done both. It depends on what you feel like doing. Winning the 100-year-war is a tough fight, especially if France doesn't get hammered by Burgundy or Castille or something. But it is quite rewarding as it turns you into an absolute superpower in Europe. It can be a bit of an "I win" button, as you said.

Colonisation is maybe not as exiting as fighting massive wars, but it can be a lot of fun trying to outrun your opposition. It also takes more time to turn that into a superpower than Occupy Paris, I think.

So in short, it depends on which kind of gameplay you feel like. Both can be fun I think.
 
*sob* my beautiful, beautiful kingdom.....

So I decided to concentrate on my economy and colonisation, a bit of diplomacy here and there, but steadfastly refuse to give my rightful lands in France to the dastardly Gauls. I forgot some important lessons as I hadn't played in a while. Such as build up the army because even though I know I'm safe behind the navy, the AI calculates strength on number of units. I was attacked an awful lot, and my allies were flaky until I remembered and fixed it. The people of Gascoyne and Labourshire, now speak English like right-minded civilised people, as do the people of Wales and Cornwall. The only suspect groups are some Norwegians in Iceland, Irish in Meath and the French of Calais. English merchants were a wealthy and common site in the trade centres of Europe, including in Lancashire. Canada was colonised and the French thoroughly blockaded every time they raised arms against my fair land. All was well with the world.

*sigh*

But now, Merrie England faces dark days. The economy faces ruin, colonisation has stalled, the people who once were so happy are rent by religious strife and even *gasp* rebellion. Presiding over this calamitous, tumultuous realm is a foreign King of allied Portugal, with little understanding or love for his English subjects. Where English monarchs extended mercy and patience when dealing with heresy, eager to avoid the fratricidal chaos befalling other European kingdoms, this foreigner has imperiously declared that the counter reformation be embraced and England returned to a single faith. He cares little for the misery that will be heaped on good English peasants, or the effect this will have on our allied, yet Protestant northern neighbours in Scotland. The spectre of the Protestant threat of France will no doubt be used to turn Englishman on Englishman.

We can but pray that God returns an English monarch to the throne and all may yet be put right in His most beloved kingdom.


[edit]

:eek:

He, he ... gave, them away..... 160 years of defending them from the French....and he just gave them, away.....I'll probably never get them back now....he, .....

Well it looks like the King of Portugal is going to get his wish. England has decided on one faith... Protestantism. All treaties with Portugal have been torn up and war will surely follow sooner or later. This game can be pretty heartbreaking when you role-play it and let it get under your skin.
Calais, Labourd and Gascogne are in French hands now, but it was Portugal and Castile that betrayed us.

Ouch....I feel.....ouch...
 
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Smash the French (with the help of Burgundy/Spain/Denmark), take their lands, and force them to release their vassals! That's what I did in my current ongoing EU3 game.

Now though, I have an overpowered and relatively unchecked Spain and Burgundy to deal with. Oops.
 
Once the Portuguese king died I got an English king again. Whose first act was to declare war on France. And nearly every power in Europe dogpiled on them too. The French have clearly made themselves unpopular. I took back Labourshire and Gascoyne. The Emperor forced them to release Normandy and Flanders. I had hoped that this would give me a chance to take back Calais, but I almost instantly lost all my French cores. I though being at war with France would reset the timer and I would have 50 years to claim them, but alas I was wrong. Now they are just non-culture provinces I don't have cores on. Meh, they can have them.

I haven't converted enough provinces to shake off religious turmoil yet, but I am colonising again, fighting colonial wars and have replaced France as the richest nation. There is a chance that France are entering a death spiral. Perhaps I should teach Portugal a lesson for messing up my kingdom instead??

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm enjoying the game.
 
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