Yesterday I completed my very last IN game, as Japan. It took me absolutelly ages to complete, but I have not felt like quiting and going HTTT since it was a fun game.
The benevolent Japanese Empire, 1805:
My goals I set up for my self as the game developed were to first survive against Ming, as well as westernize as soon as possible, and also to play a fair game, that is never be a bad boy nor doublecrossing a friend.
From my start in 1399 it took me some 15-20 years or so for my first idea. During this period I used warnings and guarantees to vassalize a couple of south east asian minors. As soon as I could, I picked Unam Sanctum and went on a vassalizing spree, conquering all the nations on the mainland and the island states. The only nation I annexed was Malacca for the CoT, and all provinces except Malacca itself I gave away to my other vassals. As I said I would play benevolent and after all, I vassalized all these people for their own good, had I not they would soon have been annexed by Ming.
When I got to western India (same borders as today) I met up with the Mameluks who was annexing everything that got in their way. I stoped here and did not ever get into trouble with them.
Around 1440 Ming Dows one of my subjects and I declare on them, bring my 20+ minions into the match. A very long battle starts, Ming occupies loads of territory from my subjects, but my huge fleet is protecting all of my own holdings. By luring their fleet out of harbour I destroyed them all. After many years of war of attrition I settle for some 50% WS peace, grabbing some provinces for my allies (giving them back core provinces), and some for myself.
The following 100 years or so Ming continuesly attacks me or us, allied with Korea and/or Manchu. I grow stronger and stronger, and eventually end up conquering it all, and using rebells meanwhile to split up Ming. At the end I vassalize a 4 province Ming, but surviving peacfully are still a farily large Wu that broke loose.
At the mean time I start westernizing. After QftnW I sailed to Europe and found a one province papal state in Rome. It made for a perfect conquest, with all the innovative I hade made for westernizing I needed the missionaries later on. After Rome I stayed peacfull in Europe for a very long time, After all the steps towards Latin tech group my next aim was colonizing all of the Pacific ocean, and did so on every singe island (even if not always economically correct), as well as the entire American west coast, all the way from Alaska to the Incas. After relieving all the central American tribes and Incas of their gold, I annexed and converted.
By this time all the European bullies start Dowing me or my friends, and in every single war my huge fleet keeps us safe, and I start taking first strategic American and African provinces from them, then in a huge war I take a great chunk of Portugal and Castille homeland. My liberation of Europe had begun. In every single war France, Castille, Protugal or Great Britain starts, I punish them swiftly. Milan constantly Dows Rome, and I conquere half Italy from them, also releasing Naples as a vassal of mine.
Austria was a huge white blob all over east Europe, and allied to me in the Milan wars, and staid loyal all through all the west European wars, and did marvels against France. For some extremelly odd reason they Dows me and are then fair game. By that time Castille and Portugal had relocated to north America, France to south, and Great Britain to Africa.
I break Austria (HRE) in craploads of minor nations, but being part of their old masters empire they are still fair game.
During the late 18th century I chose to release Colombia, Venezuela and Peru as vassals as soon as they started appearing. They are all Japanese culture, Shinto nations (to stay benevolent I needed the -30 bad boy this gave me)
Towards the end it is clear to me that there cannot be peace untill all of Europe is liberated from the evil European leaders, and my final goal in the game was to vassalize all of Europe. I had no interrest in owning most of these provinces, so I ended up selling very many provinces to my vassals, and yesterday I finally liberated the very last part of Scandinavia, and can at last quit this game.
And I am off to download HTTT!
forgive me my stupid question, but what was your challenge/objective for this particular game? 
