Advice as Austria

[WhiskyGlen]

With over 700 hours into the game, I have just completed my first playthrough as Austria since EUII. It was a major success in that this is the only game I've ever played where I've never taken a single loan. Though the vast majority of my games are with much weaker starting nations.

Anyways, while it went well, I think I went about it all wrong. As Austria, I converted to Protestant... I just don't like Catholic mechanics, but of course, I lost being emperor and never got it back even though Protestants won the League War. Maybe losing being emperor is not a bad thing as there is a chance to become an elector, but without being made an elector (I never was even with great relations with the new emperor and spots available), it's sure a pain without that third diplomat. Seriously, why can't the emperor upgrade their kingdom? Makes little sense to me.

So I think the biggest mistake I made was gobbling up occasional HRE minors. Weakens the empire and makes passing the reforms nearly impossible. I managed to get the Burgundian inheritance and wanted to connect those lands. Guess eating France would have been the easiest way to do that, but they allied with Castille and it took me a while before I was able to break that alliance.

Also believe I took admin ideas first followed by the diplomatic one that allows cheaper integration (since I had a PU over Hungary) second.

Seems to me for a second play through, the best goals would be to expand through France, remain Catholic (even if it is boring), ignore HRE wars unless I want some easy cash, and work on eating the Ottomans/Poles. What do you all suggest?

 

[Sfan]

Take Diplomatic ideas. That strikes me as something you did not do if you were stuck with 2 diplomats and did not reclaim emperorship. Austria is one of the only countries where I would not start admin. Diplo/Influence-Admin/Religious-Influence/Diplo is the starter you should always have when playing as Austria. It makes expanding in the HRE easier because of less AE and more BROT, and makes getting PUs and retaining emperorship easier. The choice between Admin and Religious depends on whether you want to pass reforms by quick expansion outside of the HRE, or counter reformation inside the HRE.

Usually, going protestant should not prevent you from reclaiming emperorship. There is a thread made this week about someone else asking advice for Austria, check it out, some great stuff there.

 

[Dominion]

What do you all suggest?

I suggest telling us what you want to do or else you end up with one guy giving you a guide for fast-revoking, the other one telling you to nocb circassia and the third one telling you to go for a jewish one faith.

 

[Aythne]

It was a major success in that this is the only game I've ever played where I've never taken a single loan.

Yeah, you're going to need to elaborate on what your goals are and how you enjoy playing. Because the above sentence would be proof of a really bad campaign for a lot of min-maxers. (Self-flagellating sickos like our beloved game director aside.)

 

[WhiskyGlen]

Take Diplomatic ideas. That strikes me as something you did not do if you were stuck with 2 diplomats and did not reclaim emperorship. Austria is one of the only countries where I would not start admin. Diplo/Influence-Admin/Religious-Influence/Diplo is the starter you should always have when playing as Austria. It makes expanding in the HRE easier because of less AE and more BROT, and makes getting PUs and retaining emperorship easier. The choice between Admin and Religious depends on whether you want to pass reforms by quick expansion outside of the HRE, or counter reformation inside the HRE.

Usually, going protestant should not prevent you from reclaiming emperorship. There is a thread made this week about someone else asking advice for Austria, check it out, some great stuff there.

Thanks for the suggestions. Less AE may be a very good reason. And yes, i did take Diplo, but it wasn't until probably my 5th or 6th idea group so wasn't really necessary. I eventually just left the empire last time.

I suggest telling us what you want to do or else you end up with one guy giving you a guide for fast-revoking, the other one telling you to nocb circassia and the third one telling you to go for a jewish one faith.

Yeah, you're going to need to elaborate on what your goals are and how you enjoy playing. Because the above sentence would be proof of a really bad campaign for a lot of min-maxers. (Self-flagellating sickos like our beloved game director aside.)

Yes, I should have provided some detail. My goal is always just to expand as much as possible while keeping it fun. In other words, world conquest doesn't interest me as I enjoy the occasional breaks from war and don't like to micro manage quite that much. Also not a fan of colonization. Even when I play games as Norway with the free colonist, I don't focus on colonies. So I guess I am looking for the most efficient way to expand. Which is why I was thinking passing the reforms is probably more efficient in the long-run than eating up the HRE one by one.

 

[Dominion]

My goal is always just to expand as much as possible while keeping it fun

Grab all three PUs and punch the Ottoman Empire then.

Marry Bohemia, Ally+marry Hungary.
After a while you sit on Bohemia's throne. Declare on them, call in Hungary with promise of land. Don't give them any, they break the alliance. Grab Hungary as your PU junior either per event or by claiming their throne+declaring.

Start punching the Ottoman Empire, wait for the Castille event to fire, grab that PU as well.

Eat Poland+Lithuania+Muscovy.

Barely any AE, lots of provinces to conquer.

 

[Sfan]

Austria is an odd country to play for these goals then.
Passing reforms requires massive minmax/tagswitch exploits/WC-like level of microing/luck, or else you might be frustrated like the player on the other thread.

Austria's strength, apart from the Empire, lies in their wonderful events. Burgundian Inheritance, PU on Bohemia easily, PU on Hungary, and potentially PU on Spain. I would do as Dominion suggests and ignore the Empire if you don't care about roleplaying or minmax a fast revoke but just want to expand.

 

[davej]

Seems to me for a second play through, the best goals would be to expand through France, remain Catholic (even if it is boring), ignore HRE wars unless I want some easy cash, and work on eating the Ottomans/Poles. What do you all suggest?

I wouldn't mess with France, in fact I wouldn't even inherit Burg. Try to ally France and kick you know who out of Europe.

Why is Catholic boring? You got the exciting curia lottery.

 

[Dominion]

I wouldn't mess with France, in fact I wouldn't even inherit Burg. Try to ally France and kick you know who out of Europe.

Why is Catholic boring? You got the exciting curia lottery.

Ally your historical rival?

 

[Sfan]

Does it remove historical rivals if you tagswitch to something like Italy? Still seems a bit tedious for a second game as Austria.

 

[davej]

Ally your historical rival?

it's surprisingly effective if you can pull it off. You can dominate very quickly with France on your side.

 

[Sfan]

But how is the question. How do you override the negative modifiers? Tagswitch? Do you have a recent screen?

 

[Dominion]

it's surprisingly effective if you can pull it off. You can dominate very quickly with France on your side.

Yea, but why?

It's France....
You can't ally France as Austria. That's disgusting.

What happened in your childhood that you'd commit such an atrocity?

I don't think I can talk to you ever again. Please refrain from tainting my aura by quoting my comments.

I need a shower...

 

[CharlieMRCR]

Reman's Paradox on YouTube has a really cool feature video about Austria. It's more of a guide, but if you're not averse to save scumming, Austria can get absurdly OP. Would be an interesting watch if you're curious about unlocking Austria's potential.

 

[Ixal]

Well if you play for expansion then grab the PUs and play like normal swallowing everything in your path, just watch the AE in the HRE.

Playing in the HRE is different. Start with diplomatic, never fully annex a member (always leave at least one province), get nations to release princes they swallowed. And when you stack Dip Rep like you should you have a good chance to get your line on the throne of Poland which should not only secure your eastern flank but can also lead to a PU later.