An honest discussion about RNG

[Ruian]

Try playing slower. Every new month think to yourself, what can I be doing to further my goals? Am I doing everything possible to have the fastest conquest of desired land possible? In Europe your primary concern is going to be AE, so make sure you are building spy networks- they reduce AE.

Check your trade policy and put it on improve relations +15% to burn more AE. Use improve relations advisor. Keep high prestige. Pick Diplo, Espionage, or both. Release vassals to get reconquest CBs. Truce lock neighboring countries that will join a coalition and improve relations with other countries so they don't join. Don't take HRE land unless you have to. Invest in becoming the Papal Controller, you get reduced AE. Don't forget that unlawful territory gives you an opinion hit with every HRE tag, possibly putting people into coalition range- also annexing a vassal that is in the HRE.

There are some advanced players that will restart Nov 11, 1444 25+ times to get AI nations picking the correct rivals or alliance chains. Don't feel bad about restarting, a day doesn't even need to pass.

 

[Atlanteax]

Do regular backup saves of your Ironman games if trying to aim for specific accomplishments.

Example if first two years goes perfectly, then you do a save and copy & rename it to “Start” so that you can use that as a reboot start point. Then when/if the Burgundian succession is early and gives you what you want, create a new/another save for that ‘checkpoint’ of your progress.

This way, if certain strategic moves are a dud or event RNG borks you, can then ‘rollback’ to a prior checkpoint and and resume an otherwise perfect game.

If game events were more static/dynamic and less dependent on RNG, then save-scumming probably would not be so imperative.

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In the meantime, I still see AI Burgundy declare war on Leige not fully appreciating that AI Emperor Austria has England as an ally and Hungary in PU; leading to Burgundy being broken up when otherwise doing very well.

 

[EarlKonrad]

There is always another option: hunt down a save game where the player got all of the starting RNG stuff right.

You know, this thread isn't an honest discussion of RNG, it is just OP venting its frustration trying to get the Perfect game as France (again).

 

[Beagá]

It´s hilarious because after a LOOOONG time not playing EU 4 in my fourth attempt I got everything right, including getting Burgundy as a whole under PU and then.... ROFLMAO

In the end you always can use Aragon and destroy Castille in their silly moroccan wars; you can make it liberate Asturias and then you feed it. The tricky part is colonies. It´s not easy but doable. Except Caribbean. Portugal, ewww...

 

[hayseed]

I’ve played France several times, once in 1.30 without Emperor.

Some thoughts.

Take your time. Play the long game, not the “its 1550 and I’ve painted the world blue game.” The long game is much more fun. Take the variability of the world as an opportunity. Your goal should be to make France the most powerful power in the world. How you get there depends on the lemons and the candy that the game randomly offers you. The most direct path is frequently a mine field. Find a work around.

More direct thoughts.

Castile is a fabulous ally. If you are thoughtful, you don’t need to have overlapping interests. And they protect your back door. And, they will keep your enemies from enriching themselves in the new world.

Denying land/money/opportunity to your rivals is as important as controlling land and money. You can do that with allies and with vassals. As France, the opportunity to have six relationships is amazingly powerful. Find a vassal in Italy and feed it Italy. Non HRE Italy. You don’t need to conquer Italy to keep its wealth out of the hands of others.

Gradually absorb your French culture vassals. You don’t need to hurry but you want to consolidate France under your control.

Move your trade capital to Bordeaux when you can. Dominate it and collect trade there. There is a direct trade link from Bordeaux to Ivory Coast. Get there as soon as you can and fight the Portuguese if you have to to dominate it. Castile will be happy to join that fight in exchange for a few choice bits of Iberia. From Ivory Coast, you can control the wealth of the Indies.

Fight whatever wars you need to fight to consolidate France. Then stop expanding in Europe. Pick a winner in the lowlands and back them. A strong Netherlands or Flanders or whoever, does more for your security than spending blood and treasure fighting to own the provinces. If you don’t believe me, ask Louis XIV. Same with the Germans. Keep them divided and weak. Do what you can to slow down the consolidation.

If you have Castile and a northern neighbor as allies and an Italian vassal, you can devote your energy to building a lucrative trade empire in the Indies.

Enjoy.

 

[Tsavong]

I do not aim for the perfect start and all rng being in my favour any more. I rather go with whatever rngesus throws at me.
Of course it is fun to check out how fast you can achieve certain things, but I often felt bored then soon.
For example I played a game as france after the emperor update:

I soon had milano in PU, parts of england in my realm and on top of that got burgundy as complete Pu . Then pressed this mission Pu Naples stuff , conquered the rest of great britain, expanded into africa, pushed around the cape, then wanted to go on for better then napoleon, but lost interest cause i was just too powerful
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