Favorite "uncivilized" nation to play?

[Bolkonskij]

The weekend is coming up and it looks like I'll turn it into a FtG party with the wife and kids away

After my latest game as Brandenburg, I'm looking for good suggestions on what "uncivilized nation" to play? Any good ones with events and a realistic chance to develop?

What's your favorite?

 

[Shinkuro Yukinari]

Define "uncivilized", this isn't Victoria 2

 

[MichaelM]

Are you playing vanilla or AGCEEP? AGCEEP, despite its reputation for historical railroading, has some interesting alternate history events. For example, Inca can get an explorer in 1471: http://agceep.org/eventdoc/AGCEEP_Specific_IncaEmpire.txt.htm#evt81006
and switch to a better tech group in 1536: http://agceep.org/eventdoc/AGCEEP_Specific_IncaEmpire.txt.htm#evt81026.
That's just one example. There are many others.

Vanilla does have a few interesting ones. A good Timurid->Mughal Empire game is always fun, for instance.

 

[Bolkonskij]

Thank you very much! Playing AGCEEP, I for one like the "historical railroading" very much.

Decided to start an Inca game and see where it'll lead me. Hope I can either negotiate with the Spanish or keep them otherwise at bay. 50 more years or so until first contact

 

[Unknown Unknown]

I take it you're playing AGCEEP 1.60 on the latest beta?

 

[Shinkuro Yukinari]

Thank you very much! Playing AGCEEP, I for one like the "historical railroading" very much.

Decided to start an Inca game and see where it'll lead me. Hope I can either negotiate with the Spanish or keep them otherwise at bay. 50 more years or so until first contact

Unfortunately war is inevitable. You can only prepare for it.

 

[Bolkonskij]

Wow. Playing as the Inca Empire feels like a severe punishment! :-D

Seriously, the Spanish keep DoW'ing me every chance they get. Add the internal destabilization (heirs fighting each other) and you get what must be one of the hardest FtG experiences !? Crazy.

I managed to hold out until 1540 by fighting, retreating, paying tribute in every war with them, just to get another few years of truce. But around 1530 they started fielding like 20 divisions in the New World, which my lvl 2 infantry is hopelessly outclassed.

Still, it's a tempting scenario. Any tips / advice from you guys on what the best Inca strategy might be? What's the way to survive?

 

[Shinkuro Yukinari]

Wow. Playing as the Inca Empire feels like a severe punishment! :-D

Seriously, the Spanish keep DoW'ing me every chance they get. Add the internal destabilization (heirs fighting each other) and you get what must be one of the hardest FtG experiences !? Crazy.

I managed to hold out until 1540 by fighting, retreating, paying tribute in every war with them, just to get another few years of truce. But around 1530 they started fielding like 20 divisions in the New World, which my lvl 2 infantry is hopelessly outclassed.

Still, it's a tempting scenario. Any tips / advice from you guys on what the best Inca strategy might be? What's the way to survive?

If you can use the explorer you can get from the event, discovering other countries and map trading to rid yourself of the isolation penalty should speed things up. Granted, its still a very difficult endeavour.

 

[Unknown Unknown]

Wow. Playing as the Inca Empire feels like a severe punishment! :-D

Seriously, the Spanish keep DoW'ing me every chance they get. Add the internal destabilization (heirs fighting each other) and you get what must be one of the hardest FtG experiences !? Crazy.

I managed to hold out until 1540 by fighting, retreating, paying tribute in every war with them, just to get another few years of truce. But around 1530 they started fielding like 20 divisions in the New World, which my lvl 2 infantry is hopelessly outclassed.

Still, it's a tempting scenario. Any tips / advice from you guys on what the best Inca strategy might be? What's the way to survive?

You can play as the Inca in the 1546 scenario, which represents the Neo-Inca State which is a Spanish vassal. This means you could wait a while, build up your forces, and then try breaking vassalage (unless Spain do it first) and reclaim your empire. It may not be as hard as you imagine if Spain is getting bogged down in multiple European wars and ends up running high war exhaustion.

 

[Bolkonskij]

@Shinkuro Yukinari - how would I do this? I used my explorer to sail a bit to the north but lost it in bad weather almost immediately after meeting the Aztecs ...

@Unknown Unknown Great suggestion, thanks! I may go back and try that after I'll finish my current game, though I have to admit that the 1412 scenario is really a tempting one to try again.

I've since started a new game with Ethiopia (AGCEEP). This is a fun minor to play! I thought playing as Inca is punishment, but Ethiopia in the 1500s is even worse. You're basically this poor schmuck surrounded by enemies keen on taking from you what little is left. Add internal disputes / feuds. The first hundred years you're really just running around with a fire extinguisher. I somehow managed to stay alive until 1624 now and finally seeing some power consolidation. Fun experience, recommend it!

 

[Shinkuro Yukinari]

how would I do this? I used my explorer to sail a bit to the north but lost it in bad weather almost immediately after meeting the Aztecs ...

Discover a tile, go back, constantly rebuild your navy etc. You want a big navy exploring, like with the Treasure Fleet

I would recommend sailing around South America and getting to West Africa. If you discover any land provinces it will make subsequent exploration much easier, and from West Africa you can exchange maps to make things easier

 

[Bolkonskij]

Very interesting / tempting plan. I'll try that next after my Ethiopia game. Thanks!

 

[Shinkuro Yukinari]

Very interesting / tempting plan. I'll try that next after my Ethiopia game. Thanks!

You're welcome! I noticed you picked up Ethiopia in 1520. Why not 1419?

 

[Unknown Unknown]

@Bolkonskij Try Majapahit in 1399!

 

[Unknown Unknown]

Actually, if you want an 'interesting' (difficult) start. have you considered Socotra?

The plus side is they do get several starting cultures.

 

[Bolkonskij]

Discover a tile, go back, constantly rebuild your navy etc. You want a big navy exploring, like with the Treasure Fleet

I would recommend sailing around South America and getting to West Africa. If you discover any land provinces it will make subsequent exploration much easier, and from West Africa you can exchange maps to make things easier

I started my Inca game again. I just got the explorer, but I noticed I cannot build any ships in my provinces. The port / shipyard is greyed out. Naval tech is 1, in theory I should be able to build them. Does it have to do with the policy slider still being full on land (10) ?

You're welcome! I noticed you picked up Ethiopia in 1520. Why not 1419?

Actually that was more accidentally as I wanted to "take a look around" and then I kind of got stuck in the game ... maybe you can relate

@Bolkonskij Try Majapahit in 1399!

Aha, thank you!

Actually, if you want an 'interesting' (difficult) start. have you considered Socotra?

The plus side is they do get several starting cultures.

No, I haven't yet but it sounds definitely intriguing. I put it up on the list too

 

[vjwua]

I started my Inca game again. I just got the explorer, but I noticed I cannot build any ships in my provinces. The port / shipyard is greyed out. Naval tech is 1, in theory I should be able to build them. Does it have to do with the policy slider still being full on land (10) ?

Can't build cavalry too? Then it's a whiteman

You can play as the Inca in the 1546 scenario, which represents the Neo-Inca State which is a Spanish vassal.

Try Majapahit in 1399!

Sounds like a new challenge! I'll play if I have the patience

 

[Bolkonskij]

Yes, no cavalry either. So this appears to be a dead end, sailing to Africa appears impossible or a huge lucky shot with a single warship.

I've since tried to sail into different directions and after losing the ship reloaded my save game:

- Up north I can get to the Mexican coast and - if lucky - discover the Aztecs. There were three pirate ships (!) hanging out in the Mazatlan sea. Oh those pirating natives ...

- If sailing towards Australia I end up as fish fodder some 3-4 provinces away from my coast.

- If sailing south trying to round the cape (like Magellan, just the other way around) I usually sink there. (given it's reputation in real-life, it's not very surprising)

My good Inca people are stuck. Feels like I'm doomed to sit and wait for the Spanish to arrive.

 

[MichaelM]

- Up north I can get to the Mexican coast and - if lucky - discover the Aztecs. There were three pirate ships (!) hanging out in the Mazatlan sea. Oh those pirating natives ...

Thanks for the reminder. That sort of thing isn't hard to fix, but it's minor enough that I never seem to remember it. Pirates shouldn't bother countries that can't build ships in the next beta patch.

 

[Bolkonskij]

@MichaelM cool, so this isn't there "by design" to stop the Inca from discovering?

Am I right in my observation that there is some kind of naval distance multiplier working in the background, increasing the chances of one of your ships sinking the further away you move it from your coast?


In my Inca game it's about 1490 now. I've been sailing the coast of modern day Chile up an down and discovered two land provinces that way. Colonizing them now. Who knows, might be a useful retreat once the "Spanish plague" strikes again soon. Still, fun experience to play.

EDIT: OK, I need to admit, the only gripe I have with FtG is ridiculous stuff like Spain fielding an army of 19,000 men in Chile in 1520 that gets reinforced by another 10,000 and by another 10,000 after that. They've lost about 35,000 men in our first fight in 1520 to battles and attrition but keep coming and coming ...