Ahistorically big armies in EU2

[Chaingun]

Troop numbers is one thing. I can live with these hordes. What irks me is the number of cavalry you can raise. IRL the ratio used to be 100 infantry, 10 cavakry, 1 gun.

But then again, EU II is not "history", ir's historical. And has the right flavour.

Not necessarily with regards to cavalry. In many battles there were more cavalry than infantry (for various reasons). It's true though cavalry was obviously more costly.

 

[Kochtopfhelm]

I see 10-40K armies owned by each of the german minors nearly every time i play. Even 1000-4000 would be too much in 15th or 16th century. They might get 1000 mercenaries, maybe even 2000 or 3000, but even a short war with that many hired guys would consume the income from decades. Beside France or Burgundy a central european ruler in that time had a great standing army with two dozen bodyguards able to hold a sword and only hiring mercs in war times. In 17th and 18th century it's another story not to mention napoleonic army sizes but 25000 troops loyal to the duke of pommerania in 1419 especially in peace times is unhistorical.
But it's a game. The byzantines would had been very happy if someone turned forced annexations off and getting huge trade income from indonesian COTs as austria even without a fleet is fun. I like it the way it is.