• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

naggy

Field Marshal
85 Badges
Oct 23, 2003
5.755
5
Visit site
  • Cities: Skylines
  • March of the Eagles
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • Europa Universalis IV: Res Publica
  • Europa Universalis: Rome
  • Semper Fi
  • Sword of the Stars
  • Victoria 2
  • Victoria 2: A House Divided
  • Rome: Vae Victis
  • Warlock: Master of the Arcane
  • War of the Roses
  • 500k Club
  • Majesty 2
  • Crusader Kings II: Holy Knight (pre-order)
  • Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado
  • Mount & Blade: Warband
  • Crusader Kings II: Way of Life
  • Pillars of Eternity
  • Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense
  • Crusader Kings II: Horse Lords
  • Europa Universalis IV: Cossacks
  • Crusader Kings II: Conclave
  • Europa Universalis IV: Mare Nostrum
  • Stellaris
  • Stellaris: Necroids
  • Divine Wind
  • Cities in Motion
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Crusader Kings II: Charlemagne
  • Crusader Kings II: Legacy of Rome
  • Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods
  • Crusader Kings II: Rajas of India
  • Crusader Kings II: The Republic
  • Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham
  • Crusader Kings II: Sunset Invasion
  • Crusader Kings II: Sword of Islam
  • Europa Universalis III
  • Europa Universalis III: Chronicles
  • Hearts of Iron Anthology
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Europa Universalis IV: Art of War
  • Europa Universalis IV: Conquest of Paradise
  • Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations
  • For the Motherland
  • Hearts of Iron III
  • Heir to the Throne
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • King Arthur II
  • Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition
I gave up on a WC with Castille, because it was booooring.

I'll try a shorter timeframe - namely, I will try and unite Germany starting with the ascension of Friedrich the Great on May 10, 1668.

Goals:
* Form Prussia (I start as Brandenburg, and can form Prussia as soon as I get 20 prestige)
* Connect the Prussian Lands
* Form Germany
* Become Holy Roman Emperor

Bonus goals:
* Take the Austrian provinces from Austria
* Humiliate France
* Make inroads into India

What will not happen:
* Taking land in America. The cost of doing anything in America outweighs the utility of anything I could gain there against major powers.
* Any aspirations to naval greatness. Again, cost issues.
 
Im a fan of all Germany Games, so, Subscribed ;)
 
Chapter 1: A crappy starting position

It does not take a long look at Brandenburg's situation in 1688 to see that a late-game start to try and unify Germany is going to be a hard slog.

Friedrich the Great ascends the throne...
P1_001_Friedrich-the-Great.jpg


The starting tech is based on the starting year - in this case, Level 33 is 1690. Research is moved to Government for another Idea. Our income...sucks.
P1_002_Income-and-Tech.jpg


Our starting units: Latin Knights in 1688? Might as well be using African Clubmen too. A switch to Gustavian Infantry and Gallop Cavalry is in order. Our starting army size is...anemic. We might be able to take candy from a baby...
P1_003_Starting-units.jpg


Our starting Generals. Our best general dies before we can use him (within a year), because that's what generals do.
P1_004_Generals.jpg


Starting ideas. At this stage in the game, there are no military ideas worth having, so of course, Brandenburg has 6. We switch out Glorious Arms (increased prestige from battles) for Smithian Economics. At this size, stab hits are nothing compared to the horror of having a crap economy.

Worse, Brandenburg starts "sliderly challenged".
Decentralization 4 - in 1688 this is going to HURT.
Aristocratic 3 - plutocratic is better late game.
Serfdom 4 - Ow.
Narrowminded 1 - This is one of those sliders where being in the middle is like laying down on a 16 lane highway.
Mercantilism 3 - Real useful when you don't own a CoT. Might be better if I can take Lubeck and Danzig.
Offensive 2 - Ve don't need no steenking forts!
Land 4 and Quality 3 - Our best slider positions.

A quick slider move to Free Subjects loses us 1 more stability. Starting off at -3 stability - woot!
P1_005_Ideas-and-Sliders.jpg


Buildings: A 1688 start means that all available buildings (except War College/Admiralty) have been built. We have 2 shipyards, and a Naval Equipment Manufactory in Ostpreussen.

Decisions: We're 20 prestige away from forming Prussia. We could eat 5 stability to Accept Cultural Shift to Prussian...kinda silly since forming Prussia does that anyway. Licensing of the Press isn't worth it, but we can pass the Anti-Piracy Act. Pirates suck - we'll legislate them away!

Time to unpause and start the game!
P1_006_Mission-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Looking forward to this! Those sliders are appalling and the NI's not great although I do like National Conscripts.
 
Always liked late start games, but then again, you do have the Sun King to worry about :0
 
As maybe you can tell, I'm a huge Prussia fan, so -- go for it! ;)

Rensslaer
 
PhilleP: Thanks!

Hitmanalex: I'll need it.

PrawnStar: The best NI I had was National Trade Policy. National Conscripts and Grand Army will be the last ones I switch out, since I need manpower badly.

elbasto: If the AI were in charge, they'd be doomed.

Milites: Yeah, that's going to suck. I need at least 50 years before I want to try to even think about tangling with France, especially given the fickleness of AI allies.

m0rbid86: Yup.

aldriq: Poland or Austria, I think, are my natural first targets. I really want to ally with OE.

sprites, Hitmanalex, Unibrow: Unibrow is correct. It's National Trade Policy.

Didaa: Thank you!

Rensslaer: Prussian aggressiveness may be rewarded with being drawn and quartered, but you can't win if you don't try!

Beamed: The Prussian Eagle is surrounded by a lot of hungry dogs. I just had better not roll in the steak sauce first.
 
I gave up on a WC with Castille, because it was booooring.

Didn't follow that AAR much, but this one looks promising. I've never tried a game starting after 1453, so I am interested.

(but please, no cavalry only stacks ;) )
 
Last edited:
Winner: A cav only stack in 1688 would be hamburger.

Teep: He'll be the great by the time I'm done! (we hope). But you are correct - too many Friedrichs.

oddman: As am I. Right now, the only neighbors I could take in a straight fight are all in the HRE and protected by Austria.