A gameplay tutorial AAR needs YOUR help. Please

[Rhadok]

Hey all,

All those questions here on the forum, a CB here, a troops transport there. Nevermind the inevitable 'how do you beat [put country name here]?' 'Why would I join a trade league?' 'How come my insta killer stack of 60k dies horribly when going through my enemies land?' 'How do you make money when losing each month!?' Questions questions questions...

I think I speak for the majority of the forumnites here that we dont mind answering all those questions. Even better, we like to do so! I come to think that this board was made for just these questions, though I havent been around that long. So in pursuit of the goals of this board, I'd like to start my very first AAR. Not just any AAR, but a 'how the heck do you play this game' (linky link) kind of AAR. This in recognition of the AAR made by our HoI2 brothers. I just need some of your help in the process.

The piece will be made for people who just starting playing in mind. Everything will be explained as clearly as possible. The one thing I love about EU3 is that every game goes different with only some major events to hold on too. The purpose is not how you are supposed to play, but how you can play and how to interact with gameplay mechanics. How to seize opportunities and how to recognize them.

I have thought about this AAR quite a bit already. I just dont know with what country to start it. I'd like a nation which has a bit of everything but should not play too difficult.

My nominees are:

1. England. Has everything, from exploration to war, trade and unification.
2. Burgundy. Has a bit of everything but will be more war-like. Colonization is possible but limited.
3. Castille. Has everything from a exciting war on the first day to colonizing the entire world.

Now my first consultation: what do you think is a good nation? It must be a western European country.

Oh good to know is that this will be for HT³ with the latest patch attached to it. I'll write in a gameplay manner but will add some AARnissh into it so it wont be a manual.

I hope to find some support for this AAR among you . I'd like to start posting this weekend.

ps. From time to time I need information about specific gameplay mechanics. I hope I can build on the info stored in your memory and game experience.

 

[naggy]

I would suggest England, Castille, or Portugal, because they're early colonizers, and it's helpful to explain how to colonize without going broke.

A tutorial AAR would rock, and I'd be glad to help out if you want.

 

[A_Dane]

Great idea Rhadok. Personally I'd go for England, and perhaps do a 2 way initial game, one where you leave France behind and go colonizing ASAP and one where you fight (and hopefully ) beat France, stop it there, and point it to the colonizing game? (it's just a thought). Doing the Kill France version, might help reduce the "how do i defeat France/XXX country" threads.

Likewise i'll be glad to help

 

[sjones25]

I like England for this AAR. You can get some nice easy wars against Scotland and Ireland to show the basics of building armies and combat (not to mention answer all the "How do I load my troops onto boats" threads) I also agree with A_Dane that an early war with France would answer a lot of questions.

I think you'll need to explain all the basics in the first two or three updates, people who just want to get an idea of how to play will not want to spend hours reading a whole AAR. They want to start playing the amazing game that is EU3! But they may come back and finish reading it later to pick up some more tips about advanced concepts they still don't understand.

 

[Silenalex]

A magnificent idea! My vote is for England or Burgundy...England because she has a bit of everything from war to colonization. Burgundy because 60% of the questions are the like of "How can I defeat the BBB?".

 

[unmerged(176171)]

Castile, Unification of Iberia, Colonisation, and teaching you how to deal with France.

 

[Kapt Torbjorn]

I'd say a Holland -> Netherlands game because you have all the things mentioned above (unification of a country, surviving against France, trade, colonization) but you also get to deal with the Holy Roman Empire mechanics and can go into depth explaining those. And you get to tackle the 'How the hell do I get out of a personal union?!' question from the get-go.

 

[TheCheeseMaster]

castille everytime. its easy, fun and simple. take out Granada, then aragon. fight morocco and colonize the americas. simples and has everything.

 

[Darth Moose]

Castille, forming Spain. It was my first EU3 game ever, and it has everything except Westerneziation. It has plenty of custom missions, which are probably the best missions in the game. It is best played as a Catholic nation, due to the very slow spread of P & R, not a Protestant one, so you'd need to explain the pros & cons of turning Protestant or Reformed separately.

My second choice would be the Ottoman Empire actually, to include Westernization. I've played it similar to Castille, colonizing the new world faster than Portugal and Spain, doing almost everything I did with Spain, but ~ 50-60 years later.

 

[Rhadok]

Crap, definitely some good ideas are posted here! I think I just hoped that everyone would be suggesting England for simplicity sake, but some discussion is good. I want this tutorial being written by paradoxians for paradoxians, something like that .

AnweRU has some fine arguments for both Castille and the Ottoman Empire (never thought about those). However I tend to keep the game as accessible as possible so the Ottomans are ruled out for a tutorial.
The Netherlands are suggested. Yes it would be a good one however you wont be allowed -game wise- to make mistakes. This is surely something to avoid for newcomers.

Im in doubt as to choose England or Castille. The two separate England games would be ideal but I think it is a too much of a strain on my free time to do both games. As my goal is to keep a high quality Im inclined to ask someone else to take one of those paths.

Castille is doable as it easy fixes the French/Burgundian question and safely colonizing is possible. I'll sleep over it to make a decision. Every advise though will be considered.

 

[Lysander13]

I'd say a Holland -> Netherlands game because you have all the things mentioned above (unification of a country, surviving against France, trade, colonization) but you also get to deal with the Holy Roman Empire mechanics and can go into depth explaining those. And you get to tackle the 'How the hell do I get out of a personal union?!' question from the get-go.

Seconded!! IMO, a Holland -> Netherlands game would be perfect for a gameplay AAR. Sure it would be perhaps a tad bit more difficult than the usual "starter" type countries...ie... Castille, Portugal, England. But you could cover just about every aspect of gameplay with the Netherlands. From trade, to colonizing, to surviving wars vs countries much bigger than you, HRE politics, reformation, to playing as a Monarchy and then perhaps make the switch to a Republic. A Netherlands AAR would be tailor made for gameplay mechanics.

 

[A_Dane]

While i agree that Castille is one of the easier countries, i still think England makes for a better Tutorial. England gets missions to conqueror Scotland and Ireland + missions that makes it easier to fight France, while still being in a great position for colonizing. Castille dosn't get any help with uniting Spain mission/CB wise...

Oh and if you find yourself with limited time, you could alternatively just do the France--> colonizing game/let someone else do a "conquest" of France entry`?

 

[JKNUBZ]

I don't like the idea of England as a tutorial country because her position is rather unique. As England, there's not the same need to maintain alliances and watch your back when expanding--all you have to do is keep your navy up to date, and you're pretty much unassailable. Almost no other country can afford to act unilaterally right off the bat with such impunity.

Burgundy or Castille offer a bit more typical EU3 experience. Netherlands is also good, but might be a little tough for a first-timer. I suppose I'd vote for Castille, because it's virtually impossible to screw up.

 

[naggy]

Well, i could say all that about France aswell ! And they are closer to HRE, and Burgundy is already member, so Burgundy might be even better idea.

Except that in HTTT, France and Burgundy are definitely not newbie-friendly countries - France starts off fractured and doomed for a war with England she usually can't get anything out of, and Burgundy is generally on France's hit list and has to tiptoe around the Emperor for a while.

 

[TheCheeseMaster]

France is quite a hard game for newbies, its tortured with vassals and doomed to wars with aragon, burgandy and England.

 

[A_Dane]

I don't like the idea of England as a tutorial country because her position is rather unique. As England, there's not the same need to maintain alliances and watch your back when expanding--all you have to do is keep your navy up to date, and you're pretty much unassailable. Almost no other country can afford to act unilaterally right off the bat with such impunity.

Burgundy or Castille offer a bit more typical EU3 experience. Netherlands is also good, but might be a little tough for a first-timer. I suppose I'd vote for Castille, because it's virtually impossible to screw up.

The reasons you mention against England as the tutorial country is what in my eyes makes it the best target. For a total newcommer ceclusion is probably the best idea, just to get the hang of things, but you still have the opportunity to go to war with nations much weaker than yourself.
Castille often ends in a situation where Aragon and Portugal ally, and this can really hamper a unification of Spain, as they both large enough to pose a threat.

 

[GregElSho]

Now, come on, Castille isn't very difficult, even if the portugese and aragonese ally.
And England is safer, for sure, but will the newbie asking for advice be able to apply the same strategy in is own game, with no ocean to shelter him from his foes?
Unless he happens to play England, nope.

So, aside from playing a continental England, I don't think it would be the most suitable choice to answer as many questions as possible.

And neither of them approaches the HRE mechanics, anyway.
I'd be more with Burgundy or the Netherlands.
Maybe Milan, but they tend to colonize less than the Netherlands (although more than Burgundy, if this one doesn't end up being France).


(Then, if covering every aspects of the game is too complicated -as this discussion is slowly but steadily proving-, you could always divide between very short and gradual AARs.
With help if necessary.

You start with an "isolationist" England for the very basics, then you move on with Burgundy for advanced tips and HRE things, then maybe an eastern/muslim nation having to fight for survival against big ones for the top advanced tips (I recommend to avoid gamey tactics, though. It's bad, and you don't want to do it ).

That way everyone has an answer to what they're searching for, and doesn't have to wander on countless pages to find the solution to their particular problem.)

 

[Rhadok]

Great, discussion in heating up! I do take note of the objections with a England tutorial AAR but I believe those can be circumcised by proposing the following, which is A_Dane's idea, and is a bit more limited than the separate AARs which includes a multitude of nations.

1. An England game will be started explaining the basics. A link to the youtube tutorial will be provided but everything will be explained in text. Including 'message settings for beginners' which is actually pause -everything kind of way.
2. The game will commence with certain goals. Those will be: lose the French lands, unite Great Britain, make London a CoT, colonizing the new world, become reformed of religion and how to keep naval supremacy.
3. A split-off will occur when some colonies are created and England is once again ready to take on the French/Burgundians to retake some mainland lands. This split-off will explain war and tactics and a much broader fashion and empathizes on getting the HRE crown. The original AAR will follow a peaceful game and making a big trading empire. [edit] Furthermore the peaceful game will be a republic.

I believe that if we proceed with this plan the best of both worlds are taken together. The only downside is that I cant write both AARs myself so I appeal to one of you guys write the war-focused AAR. Remember that its a commitment, you have to fulfill certain goals and play the game as its supposed to be.

I firmly believe EU3 + HT³ has a learn as you go attitude. All we need to do is help people establish a base for themselves. From there on out players can find their own way.

 

[A_Dane]

That sounds like a good idea. To be completely honest, the HRE mechanics arn't as extensive as in MM and can be explained without actually having the focus there. You could do a "HRE chapter" explaining emperor and mechanics perhaps?

 

[naggy]

Once you get to the split point, I can take a break from my Hansa AAR and write the war tutorial, unless someone better at warfare is willing to write it.