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Anyone else got missing images at the end of the previous post?
I loved your other AAR and this looks to be just as good, KUTGW
I loved your other AAR and this looks to be just as good, KUTGW
EUIV is bringing a lot of my old favorite authors out of the woodwork; great!
Aw, thanks Avindian, much appreciated!
Indeed, DarthJG, indeed...Oirat Horde and the Manchu expanding. Trouble looms in the North!
Anyone else got missing images at the end of the previous post?
I loved your other AAR and this looks to be just as good, KUTGW
My mistake, I have fixed it.
Nice to hear you enjoyed my previous work, but I have to ask: KUTGW?
Great start! Ming has some pretty serious penalties to start with. Has the extra -1 to monarch points had much effect yet?
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Thanks, buddharebellion!
I see. Thanks!
Well, a -1 MonPon penalty hurts continously, so it's difficult to say what exactly its effect is. It does make getting those 1200-point-costing techs rather difficult, though
Eunuchs actually make tech somewhat cheap
Shh, you're spoiling the plot! Here I am trying to make things dramatic and hopeless and all that good stuff, and you're ruining it!
Shh, you're spoiling the plot! Here I am trying to make things dramatic and hopeless and all that good stuff, and you're ruining it!
Sorry
Episode 2: first faction change, first tech, first Idea
Jim: Hello everybody! It's another fine episode of Single Domination which we, Jim and Bob, will commentate with pleasure.
Bob: Indeed, Jim, indeed.
Jim: So we are at 1460 Local Time. And we start with an event improving relations with Ming's neighbors.
1460-09: warm and fuzzy feelings all around
Bob: Good move, Ming cannot afford pointless wars right now. It needs internal development!
Jim: Manchu seems to disagree. They insult the Emperor!
Bob: Weird. More important, however, is that the financial situation is worsening. Sure, Ming has more than 600 ducats in the bank, but its comfortable surplus has dried up.
1461-09: Economy could be better
Jim: Seems the cost of advisors is rapidly rising. We are only 17 years in and their are already noticiably more expensive. If the team does not grow the Chinese economy, they will be in trouble sooner or later!
Bob: Indeed, there is a stability drop already. With the lower tax income, Mings runs at -2 ducats per month.
Jim: Hopefully they can improve sooner than later. But for now, let's watch the action!
<crickets chirping>
Jim: Ah, finally, something happening!
Bob: On the other hand, it's the death of the heir to the throne.
1465-09: Hunting should be banned
Jim: Painful. But do not mourn, a better heir takes his place. While the old one had 0 ADM, 0 DIP and only 1 MIL skill, the new one has 0 ADM, 4 DIP and 4 MIL!
Bob: I get messages that something big is going to happen.
Jim: You're right, they are up to something...
Bob: The Eunuchs have taken over! The first faction change of the game!
1465-10: those Eunuchs have balls
Jim: The first thing they do is to hire a naval reformer, lowering diplomatic tech cost by 10%. Together with the Eunuch's reduction of tech costs...
Bob: Yes....
Jim: They research their first tech! Costing more than 1200 before, they only had to pay 780 ADM points to get Medieval Administration(3)! They also get Early Carrack(3) for 690 DIP points! Do they go for broke?
Bob: Yes they do! They get Earthen Rampart(3) for 750 MIL points. This tech gives a morale bonus of 0.5, which the Chinese military sorely needs.
Jim: Wow! Three techs in a row!
Bob: What's more, even with the loss of the Bureaucrat's bonus to tax income, finances have improved considerably! This is because 90% of Ming's expenditure was on advisors, which now cost only half as they did under the Bureaucrats. Also, due to the Eunuch's extra merchant and trade efficiency, trade has become a significant part of the economy.
1466-03: Eunuch economy
Jim: Again, I must state, Wow! They should have switched to Eunuchs earlier!
Bob: Well, maybe. Stability costs are much, much higher now and the chance of getting an heir is zero.
Jim: By the way, isn't it odd that advisors, whose costs are mostly due to the extensive bureaucracy they represent, are so expensive under the Bureaucrat faction?
Bob: I don't know, I'm just a humble commentator.
Jim: Right. But there is yet another exciting development!
Bob: Yeey! Another military tech, Pike Square(4), has been researched. It gives another +0.5 morale bonus, a very important +0.25 tactis and Ming can now build armories to get more manpower.
1466-04: Current tech
Jim: Seems the current military advisor doesn't want to put up with this newfangled pike nonsense and resigns. In its place a +3 Grand Captain is hired, providing +0.30 morale. Together with the tech bonus to morale, +1, this means that the Ming armies now can comfortable march around even on low maintenance.
1466-04: Current military
Bob: To give the audience a bit of context, the current Monarch Point income is 5 ADM, 4 DIP and 6 MIL. Ming's score is 204, placing it at 7th.
Jim: Some good news! The Oirat horde, the greatest foreign threat, has entered a Peasant's War!
Bob: Nice. Too bad they conquered the Mongol horde.
1468-01: Northern borders. Where's the Night Watch when you need them?
Jim: Korea and Manchu keep on hitting each other. A bit worrying if Manchu gets the upper hand, as they have made many claims on Ming's soil.
Bob: On the other hand, more stability!
1468-07: stability is good for you
Jim: Very nice, as that point would have cost 160 ADM points under the Eunuchs. Now the chance of losing the Mandate of Heaven is a bit less again.
Bob: And more good news, another tech has been researched. Market and Dock(4), at the cost of 720 DIP points, will give Ming the ability to, well, construct markets and docks.
Jim: Still, it seems our contestants do worry about the neighboring states, as they are expanding the army from 27 regiments to 37 regiments.
Bob: A bit overkill, as the Oirat horde has a massive rebellion on its hands, while its army and manpower are depleted. Still, having a big army is always nice.
Jim: Wow, the good news keeps coming. Yet another tech, the sixth so far, is researched: National Ideas(4), for 780 ADM points. This means...
Bob: Idea group unlocked!
Jim: That's right, Ming can finally get some Ideas. And they go for...<drum roll>
1472-07: defense is the best offense
Bob: Interesting choice. Going defensive is not a bad idea with such a large nation. It lets Ming wait for enemy forces and rebels to sit at their fortresses while they can march reinforcements in.
Jim: The contestants immediately buy their first Idea, Battefield Commissions, which gives +1 military tradition each year. Due to Chinese Tradition, this costs only 360 MIL points.
Bob: It encourages our military adisor to help increasing stability, increasing it to +2! A rejected sales of titles makes the nobility so happy, that stability now roars to an excellent +3.
Jim: This makes the monthly surplus 25 ducats per month, with cash reserves over 2300 ducats, Ming is doing nicely.
Bob: Certainly. They already gained their second Idea, Military Drill, which increases land morale by 0.5. Morale is now a bit more than 2 without maintenance.
Jim: Perhaps that's why they now have entered an alliance with Korea, as our contestant probably feel a bit more confident to face a war.
Bob: The fact that it was a mission giving 25 DIP wouldn't have hurt either.
Jim: Wait a minute...this just in: the Emperor has died. He is succeeded by the 25 year old Emperor Mo I Zhu, rated as a 0 ADM, 4 DIP, 4 MIL monarch.
Bob: A big improvement, if you ask me, except for the stability loss for losing a monarch.
Jim: I think this is a nice moment to call it quits, Bob.
Bob: Indeed. It has been an exciting episode, with lots of firsts for Ming!
Jim: See you all next time!
1478-07: map of the Far East. Note the expansion of the Oirat Horde, the Japanese Emperor and Korea
Jim: Hello everybody! It's another fine episode of Single Domination which we, Jim and Bob, will commentate with pleasure.
Bob: Indeed, Jim, indeed.
Jim: So we are at 1460 Local Time. And we start with an event improving relations with Ming's neighbors.
1460-09: warm and fuzzy feelings all around
Bob: Good move, Ming cannot afford pointless wars right now. It needs internal development!
Jim: Manchu seems to disagree. They insult the Emperor!
Bob: Weird. More important, however, is that the financial situation is worsening. Sure, Ming has more than 600 ducats in the bank, but its comfortable surplus has dried up.
1461-09: Economy could be better
Jim: Seems the cost of advisors is rapidly rising. We are only 17 years in and their are already noticiably more expensive. If the team does not grow the Chinese economy, they will be in trouble sooner or later!
Bob: Indeed, there is a stability drop already. With the lower tax income, Mings runs at -2 ducats per month.
Jim: Hopefully they can improve sooner than later. But for now, let's watch the action!
<crickets chirping>
Jim: Ah, finally, something happening!
Bob: On the other hand, it's the death of the heir to the throne.
1465-09: Hunting should be banned
Jim: Painful. But do not mourn, a better heir takes his place. While the old one had 0 ADM, 0 DIP and only 1 MIL skill, the new one has 0 ADM, 4 DIP and 4 MIL!
Bob: I get messages that something big is going to happen.
Jim: You're right, they are up to something...
Bob: The Eunuchs have taken over! The first faction change of the game!
1465-10: those Eunuchs have balls
Jim: The first thing they do is to hire a naval reformer, lowering diplomatic tech cost by 10%. Together with the Eunuch's reduction of tech costs...
Bob: Yes....
Jim: They research their first tech! Costing more than 1200 before, they only had to pay 780 ADM points to get Medieval Administration(3)! They also get Early Carrack(3) for 690 DIP points! Do they go for broke?
Bob: Yes they do! They get Earthen Rampart(3) for 750 MIL points. This tech gives a morale bonus of 0.5, which the Chinese military sorely needs.
Jim: Wow! Three techs in a row!
Bob: What's more, even with the loss of the Bureaucrat's bonus to tax income, finances have improved considerably! This is because 90% of Ming's expenditure was on advisors, which now cost only half as they did under the Bureaucrats. Also, due to the Eunuch's extra merchant and trade efficiency, trade has become a significant part of the economy.
1466-03: Eunuch economy
Jim: Again, I must state, Wow! They should have switched to Eunuchs earlier!
Bob: Well, maybe. Stability costs are much, much higher now and the chance of getting an heir is zero.
Jim: By the way, isn't it odd that advisors, whose costs are mostly due to the extensive bureaucracy they represent, are so expensive under the Bureaucrat faction?
Bob: I don't know, I'm just a humble commentator.
Jim: Right. But there is yet another exciting development!
Bob: Yeey! Another military tech, Pike Square(4), has been researched. It gives another +0.5 morale bonus, a very important +0.25 tactis and Ming can now build armories to get more manpower.
1466-04: Current tech
Jim: Seems the current military advisor doesn't want to put up with this newfangled pike nonsense and resigns. In its place a +3 Grand Captain is hired, providing +0.30 morale. Together with the tech bonus to morale, +1, this means that the Ming armies now can comfortable march around even on low maintenance.
1466-04: Current military
Bob: To give the audience a bit of context, the current Monarch Point income is 5 ADM, 4 DIP and 6 MIL. Ming's score is 204, placing it at 7th.
Jim: Some good news! The Oirat horde, the greatest foreign threat, has entered a Peasant's War!
Bob: Nice. Too bad they conquered the Mongol horde.
1468-01: Northern borders. Where's the Night Watch when you need them?
Jim: Korea and Manchu keep on hitting each other. A bit worrying if Manchu gets the upper hand, as they have made many claims on Ming's soil.
Bob: On the other hand, more stability!
1468-07: stability is good for you
Jim: Very nice, as that point would have cost 160 ADM points under the Eunuchs. Now the chance of losing the Mandate of Heaven is a bit less again.
Bob: And more good news, another tech has been researched. Market and Dock(4), at the cost of 720 DIP points, will give Ming the ability to, well, construct markets and docks.
Jim: Still, it seems our contestants do worry about the neighboring states, as they are expanding the army from 27 regiments to 37 regiments.
Bob: A bit overkill, as the Oirat horde has a massive rebellion on its hands, while its army and manpower are depleted. Still, having a big army is always nice.
Jim: Wow, the good news keeps coming. Yet another tech, the sixth so far, is researched: National Ideas(4), for 780 ADM points. This means...
Bob: Idea group unlocked!
Jim: That's right, Ming can finally get some Ideas. And they go for...<drum roll>
1472-07: defense is the best offense
Bob: Interesting choice. Going defensive is not a bad idea with such a large nation. It lets Ming wait for enemy forces and rebels to sit at their fortresses while they can march reinforcements in.
Jim: The contestants immediately buy their first Idea, Battefield Commissions, which gives +1 military tradition each year. Due to Chinese Tradition, this costs only 360 MIL points.
Bob: It encourages our military adisor to help increasing stability, increasing it to +2! A rejected sales of titles makes the nobility so happy, that stability now roars to an excellent +3.
Jim: This makes the monthly surplus 25 ducats per month, with cash reserves over 2300 ducats, Ming is doing nicely.
Bob: Certainly. They already gained their second Idea, Military Drill, which increases land morale by 0.5. Morale is now a bit more than 2 without maintenance.
Jim: Perhaps that's why they now have entered an alliance with Korea, as our contestant probably feel a bit more confident to face a war.
Bob: The fact that it was a mission giving 25 DIP wouldn't have hurt either.
Jim: Wait a minute...this just in: the Emperor has died. He is succeeded by the 25 year old Emperor Mo I Zhu, rated as a 0 ADM, 4 DIP, 4 MIL monarch.
Bob: A big improvement, if you ask me, except for the stability loss for losing a monarch.
Jim: I think this is a nice moment to call it quits, Bob.
Bob: Indeed. It has been an exciting episode, with lots of firsts for Ming!
Jim: See you all next time!
1478-07: map of the Far East. Note the expansion of the Oirat Horde, the Japanese Emperor and Korea
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Great update!
The Eunuch faction had a massive impact. Would you say they're the best of all?
The Eunuch faction had a massive impact. Would you say they're the best of all?
Ming is, like in EU3, slow at the start. I expect to intensify the game later on.
Thanks, Ashantai.
The Eunuch are indeed a nice faction, especially as I spend so much on advisors. Their tech bonus is plain necessary. But are they the best? Well, it depends on the situation. I've already encountered a situation that required me to switch to Bureaucrats and the Templar faction has certainly its uses.
But I do think that the Eunuchs, with their economical and technical bonusses, are probably the best "default" faction, for when you're not warmongering or doing something special. In EU3 I found the Bureaucrats to be the "default", but EU4 has switched that a bit.
One thing I like about the new faction system is that you can always do everything: specifically, you can always declare war. This makes the choice of faction much more relaxed. Switching faction is also much easier, as you just pay Monarch points (although it's too expensive to do it regularly).
Great, i want to play as ming with their interesting faction system and celestial empire, just hoping there is a strategy guide for me since i am new to eu series, having only played ck2 before.
Subscribed.
Subscribed.
The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the expanding needs of the bureaucracy.
Anyways, the way you're developing the internal strength of Ming China makes EU4 ever more tempting.
Seems you got your affairs in order, time to go out and subjugate All Under Heaven, starting with those Mongols, Manchus, Tibetans and whatnot...
TIP: Move your capital to Nanjing and grab trade ideas (switch to eunuch, ofc) just direct trade from beijing and canton and disband your entire navy for lightships and you would be rolling in so much money its obscene. (u are sitting on 2 of the best nodes in the game, afterall)
i would have taken exploration ideas. you have no competitors for colonization and you can pretty much colonize eastern russia, asian isles, and australia before europeans get there.