Do different daimyos offer different flavor?

[RichardOlcese]

If I start a campaign in Italy, be it as Milan, Venice, Naples, Florence, the Papal State, etc., each nation offers a different playthrough, different styles, situations. The same happens when playing in the HRE: Austria, Brandenburg, Bohemia, a Bavarian minor, they all offer a variety of possibilities. But is it the same in the Japan region? I know playing as Ashikaga or as a daimyo is really different, but playing as different daimyos, say one day Otomo, the other day Shimazu, Hosokawa, etc., is it really a different experience each time, or are they all the same? Is it worth it to try different campagins as different daimyos, or will I just repeat what I have done the last time?

 

[Nostalgium]

In my own experience, the difference really only plays out in the post-Sengoku period. You unify Japan mostly before National Ideas come into play, but the ideas of your chosen Daimyo really shapes your post-Sengoku play. Once you've conquered Japan, how you maneuver after is largely shaped by the national ideas you have - as it should be.

 

[iClipse]

Not really.

You pick a Daimyo for the ideas you want to play with (many/most are better than Japan's ideaset). However, that ideaset might change the way you play. Also, Japan has a lot of different ways to play. You have animist provinces in the north, so you can convert to animism and then choose any religion to switch to, if you can conquer one province of that religion. Hindu? Coptic? Ibadi? Anglicanism?

Access to theocracy or republic through Shinto events. Access to Confucianism, Catholic and Mahaya as well. Want to play Tall? Naval only? Colonial? Expansionist.

Japan can do all.

So, your Daimyo doesn't change much, but you still have a ton of options.

 

[Guibou]

I think theres only So that is different, you have an early event to become pirate.

Japan is Split into 2 culture if that matters to you but that doesnt affect gameplay.

As other said, the starting national idea is good to chose depending what game you want once Japan is unified. There's a few acheivement for japan and you cant get them all in the same run so try different play style, tall isolationist, open border colonial power or imperial militarist.

 

[funkyfreshrat]

There are also a handful of events that are specific to certain Daimyo but they also tend to not change gameplay too drastically.

 

[Zander]

The ideas genuinely are different, and if you're keeping them post-unification (or somehow not unifying), that can make a difference. Otherwise, basically no.

 

[sjobenrit]

ideas dont, starting position does. No daimyo has a colonist in their ideas and only So can become a pirate so thats the only daimyo with a really different flavor in terms of playstyle

unless you wanna roleplay really hard where you only conquer kanto or northern honshu or similiar you play (in) japan just the same

 

[Secuter]

Japan is unfortunately left in a rather shallow state. Perhaps understandable considering its relative small size in the scope of EUIV, but a bit unfortunate nonetheless. If you play as Ashikaga, its primarily a race to integrate all your vassals (standard overlord play), playing as a Daimyo - regardless of which - is also very much a standard experience of straight up conquest. So, in essence, pick whatever Daimyo you want, and play with it. They don't have different flavors like the prominent powers in Italy.