England, France or Castille in the 1492 start is my suggestion. The political situation in 1492 is more stable than in 1444, and you can get right on with colonizing if you want instead of waiting for technology to allow it.
Best Beginner Countries?
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The Byzantine Empire. Nah, kidding.
The aforementioned England, Portugal and Castille are all great starters for beginners. I think I'd also add Sweden to that list. It starts as a vassal under Denmark's Kalmar Union and the Scandinavian Pensinula is rather well isolated from the rest of Europa by snow and water. While Denmark can get into a few fights, the combined forces of Norway, Sweden and Denmark will generally prevent any outright conquest. If you mismanage Denmark can take you down, but otherwise you're pretty safe. You'll spend some time under Denmark, but after awhile you should be able to get free. By that time a beginner will have learned the ropes and he will be able to stand on his own. You then have multiple options to expand. You can try to annex Norway and/or Denmark or go east and take some land in Russia or the Baltics.
Another one, but more for a beginner with a game or two under his belt, is Muscovy. The 1444 start gives it a lot more territory than EU3's 1399 start and the Mongol hordes are weaker. You don't have to worry about choosing what to do, as the only true course is forming Russia. Ryazan is easy to conquer and after that you only need Novgorod. Which you have nearly a 2:1 advantage over. The hordes to the South can be bought off and once you form Russia, they'll form easy prey for your expanding empire. While you not be as impervious to war as the other examples, you'll have a lot of land to give up in case something goes wrong.
The aforementioned England, Portugal and Castille are all great starters for beginners. I think I'd also add Sweden to that list. It starts as a vassal under Denmark's Kalmar Union and the Scandinavian Pensinula is rather well isolated from the rest of Europa by snow and water. While Denmark can get into a few fights, the combined forces of Norway, Sweden and Denmark will generally prevent any outright conquest. If you mismanage Denmark can take you down, but otherwise you're pretty safe. You'll spend some time under Denmark, but after awhile you should be able to get free. By that time a beginner will have learned the ropes and he will be able to stand on his own. You then have multiple options to expand. You can try to annex Norway and/or Denmark or go east and take some land in Russia or the Baltics.
Another one, but more for a beginner with a game or two under his belt, is Muscovy. The 1444 start gives it a lot more territory than EU3's 1399 start and the Mongol hordes are weaker. You don't have to worry about choosing what to do, as the only true course is forming Russia. Ryazan is easy to conquer and after that you only need Novgorod. Which you have nearly a 2:1 advantage over. The hordes to the South can be bought off and once you form Russia, they'll form easy prey for your expanding empire. While you not be as impervious to war as the other examples, you'll have a lot of land to give up in case something goes wrong.
Another tip I would like to share: Lose. Or at least be prepared to lose a lot in the beginning. Each time you make a decision which ends up with you losing a war, or affect you negatively in some other way, is a learning experience for next games. In general, save often, especially when making a decision which may turn out badly, such as declaring war. (Of course, when you're a little more advanced you shouldn't reload saves anyway, but as beginner, it's a good way not to get too discouraged too soon)
If you are a beginner, the best for you would be Portugal, England, Castille, France, in that order.
Portugal has only one border, and relationship with Castille is the only thing you need to manage, so you can keep away from the mess that's going to unroll in the center of the continent. You trade, you colonize, you grow big, slowly, surely, without any stress.
England, similarly, can do the same, if you do some conquering on your islands and sell all that land in France to, well, France. You could choose to remain on the continent, but oh how troublesome that is.
Castille. You're big, you're powerful, and you only have one dangerous neighbour - France, and it will take time for them to have any reason to molest you. You can still come up with a huge chunk of trade and colonies, and you can conquer the hell out of the Mediterranian. The down side is that this way you get involved in all the mess, since you're so big and important, and especially if you get a big ally in Central Europe.
As France, even a poor player such as myself is capable of becoming a huge pan-European superpower, and it is in many ways easier than any of the three nations above, but it is also more troublesome - vassals that need to be annexed, Burgundy that needs to be crushed, England that needs to be chased away - in other words, there is a whole lot of things that you NEED to do, whereas for example as Portugal if you don't want those Brazilian colonies - fine. Go for the Carribean insted. Or just do the Oriental, for that matter.
Of course I do not claim any universal wisdom, but this held for the majority of my games in EU3.
Portugal has only one border, and relationship with Castille is the only thing you need to manage, so you can keep away from the mess that's going to unroll in the center of the continent. You trade, you colonize, you grow big, slowly, surely, without any stress.
England, similarly, can do the same, if you do some conquering on your islands and sell all that land in France to, well, France. You could choose to remain on the continent, but oh how troublesome that is.
Castille. You're big, you're powerful, and you only have one dangerous neighbour - France, and it will take time for them to have any reason to molest you. You can still come up with a huge chunk of trade and colonies, and you can conquer the hell out of the Mediterranian. The down side is that this way you get involved in all the mess, since you're so big and important, and especially if you get a big ally in Central Europe.
As France, even a poor player such as myself is capable of becoming a huge pan-European superpower, and it is in many ways easier than any of the three nations above, but it is also more troublesome - vassals that need to be annexed, Burgundy that needs to be crushed, England that needs to be chased away - in other words, there is a whole lot of things that you NEED to do, whereas for example as Portugal if you don't want those Brazilian colonies - fine. Go for the Carribean insted. Or just do the Oriental, for that matter.
Of course I do not claim any universal wisdom, but this held for the majority of my games in EU3.
Denmark is pretty nice. Your king is also the ruler of Norway and Sweden so you start relatively strong. If you let the Swedes become independent, the game gets harder but also more interesting. You can build trade and colonial power which is awesome or simply expand in Europe. There are unlimited possibilities as Denmark.
I think France is best, because it allows you to experience a whole breadth of the EUIV experience like EUIII experience with France helped me. It's not as EASY as the other candidates, but since there's so much you have to do, it forces you to think on your feet and figure those things out. Though I imagine EUIV France will be harder, because I used Austria to counter a Bohemian HRE Emperor from the 1399 start so I could solo-fight Burgundy (Who was already more or less dead from a long war with England.) I will suggest though as England versus France, don't play like an AI that tends to run up war exhaustion to the points of max with both countries. In fact, my France Game, that previous England vs. Burgundy war was much longer than any war I had with England, though I did kick them out of France without having to invade England.
One thing to be said about the England/Castille/Portugal trio though is that it might not be the most exciting to play as if you play them standard, England and Portugal especially. While I suggested England and Castille I do not like playing them myself, some other good options for more action filled games are France, Sweden, Brandenburg, Muscovy, Austria or the Ottomans.
I would also add Brittany, the Portugal of France. If you can keep France on-side, or if France is dismantled by Austria and Burgundy (not uncommon), then Brittany is in an excellent place to trade and colonise. Alternatively, you can try to take advantage of a French collapse to expand on the continent. It's a small starting country, so you won't be overwhelmed, but still quite an enjoyable one to play.
At least, that's how it was in EU3. Things might be different in EU4.
At least, that's how it was in EU3. Things might be different in EU4.
I think Castille is the best starter country.
You are big enough that no one can steamroll you right at the beginning, & you are in a nice location for colonization, & for warring as there are Muslim nations in Africa that you can stomp with Holy War CBs.
You are big enough that no one can steamroll you right at the beginning, & you are in a nice location for colonization, & for warring as there are Muslim nations in Africa that you can stomp with Holy War CBs.
Yes. "His periods of insanity and his inherent benevolence eventually led to the coining of the term 'doofus', and required his wife, Margaret of Anjou, to assume control of his kingdom, which contributed to his own downfall, the collapse of the House of Lancaster, and the rise of the House of York."
This.
Also, I'd make a point of playing several nations as a beginner. Play Portugal to learn colonizing and trade, Ottomans to learn war, Austria to learn how to stay confused all the time, and France to learn to do anything you want. I just wouldn't set out to learn "the game" from one country. Learn a bunch about one thing, then play another game as another country to learn other things. Finally, let go of concerns over success or failure as much as possible. If you're learning the game, you're succeeding, even if your particular plan goes badly wrong and your country gets smaller every decade.
Or play as France and kick everyone's butt, pausing long enough so they don't all hate you at the same time.
I should note that giving up your French holdings is generally a bad idea. You want to sink the French fleet at every opportunity as it removes one rival from colonizing (EU3). I do not know how EU4 works here, but in EU3 if you sink the French fleet, they will eventually just White Peace. I never land troops in my lands or the French, but if you get Military Access to Burgandy and Spain or Navarra you can put a couple troops on the border and watch the French constantly lose troops to attrition until they peace out. Then sometime when they are at War elsewhere, preferably with troops on ships you declare war, sink their ships and win. It's a rare game where I do not own all of the Southern French provinces and have recaptured the British cores (except the capital), in a second or third war.
Try not selling them, it's very easy (in Eu3).
Still, to the OP, I would go with Castille, just ally with Portugal or England and you can mostly ignore Europe, where the grand power resides, if the Africans have been beefed up as I've been reading, you won't want the distraction of warring with France or the HRE anyway.
Try not selling them, it's very easy (in Eu3).
Still, to the OP, I would go with Castille, just ally with Portugal or England and you can mostly ignore Europe, where the grand power resides, if the Africans have been beefed up as I've been reading, you won't want the distraction of warring with France or the HRE anyway.
Portugal is best to start with I think. Hardly any wars against you unless you start them. Just ally Castille/Spain instead of England so you dont get dragged in to war with France. With Portugal you are in the front row seat to experience trade, colonisation and holy war fun.
To be honest the way I learned to play the game is through cheating with the console for more cash so if everything went wrong it could easily be solved. After one campaign like this with I believe burgundy I knew most tricks and had no troubles playing the game fair.
To be honest the way I learned to play the game is through cheating with the console for more cash so if everything went wrong it could easily be solved. After one campaign like this with I believe burgundy I knew most tricks and had no troubles playing the game fair.
The demo countries are excellent beginner choices.
England isnt. You dont want to start with a 0-0-0 king as a newbie.
England isnt. You dont want to start with a 0-0-0 king as a newbie.
War with France doesn't matter and being Allied with the English means you have the most powerful navy in the world at your side. Just because you are at War doesn't mean you have to do anything. France can't send troops to you because England and you sink their ships and Spain is unlikely to give them military access. Alliance to Castille drags you into a bunch of wars in the Med and they suck at prosecuting them.
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