easiest nation to form Italy with?

[CharlieSheen123]

The thing is that it's kinda impossible to get to the new world in time as Italy because of colonial range. You're about 170-200 colonial "distance" farther than Portugal, Spain and France are =/

Keep in mind that the distance is calculated as sea route and not as a straight line across the map. So, as Italy, it's going all the way around the bottom of the Iberian Penninsula. You're really far from America compared to them!!

 

[abedfo]

what's the easiest nation to form italy with?

i've never played in the italian region so i don't know.

I just did it with Urbino, Joined the HRE had strong alliances with Austria, Aragon and Burgundy which made it quite easily specially when other italian minors constantly squabble amongst each other. Did the usual Diplo-Annex to avoid nasty coalitions!

 

[sgt.stickybomb]

You can easily do it with Tuscany, the thing is Tuscanys' ideas are better than Italy's and Tuscany is a republic which means you are forced to become a monarchy when forming Italy, which flipping sucks.

 

[RMcD94]

Pretty easy as Venice I think

 

[sgt.stickybomb]

Pretty easy as Venice I think

you only have Austria and Ottomans breathing down your neck

 

[Leninade]

The Italian colonial empire is Asian, not American. You can't steer trade effectively from America to Venice or Genoa except through the massive chain from Mexico to the Gulf of Aden, and even then that's not much territory. Your time is better spent in East Africa and South Asia for sure.

 

[RMcD94]

you only have Austria and Ottomans breathing down your neck

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?738691-Thoughts-on-Venice-in-HRE-Strategy

true for the ottomans tho

 

[trojan1234]

Tuscany is at the right position to form Italy. It is a HRE state bordering non HRE states in the South. It is more easier to beat Naple and to get the Sicily cores from Aragon before Iberian wedding. As soon as Iberian wedding fires, there would be no threat from the south anymore. Plus you can create Aragon as a vassal from Sicily cores then conquers Iberia for dominating Genoa later. I am not sure I could do that from Milan position on time.

In culture wise, the conquest toward Sicily would help to have umbrian and sicilian as accepted. The culture penalty is significant at that stage. But it is much easier for Tuscany to solve the culture problems while waiting for adm tech 10.

 

[unmerged(26764)]

I was delighted to pop by to see this old thread back again. Because I now have a different answer.

The best nation to form Italy is neither Milan nor Tuscany (and I've done it with both). It's Savoy.

As Italy, your biggest challenge is always going to be France. France is going to rival you and then attack you again and again all game. Once they get that mission to take Milan, good luck. And they'll have more manpower and forcelimit and better ideas than you do. Fun.

If you start as Savoy, however, you can cut France down to size before it gets going. Your first move is to ally Burgundy and Aragon, both of which will be happy to have you. Then you attack France as often as you can until Burgundy gets inherited. You want to take out Provence and expand into Occitania. Ideally, you will also set up a buffer state somewhere like Toulouse that you will feed border provinces so you no longer have a border with France.

By the time Burgundy disappears, you have a much weaker France that you no longer get border penalties with. You will also control most of the Genoa trade node by yourself without having to deal with France diverting your trade. If you're lucky, France won't even rival you because you don't share a direct border. Now go expand into Italy.

Over the medium and longer term, this makes for a much easier and more enjoyable game. Plus the Savoy ideas are pretty decent. Savoy was by far my favorite Italy of the three main choices. And it's historical!

 

[Mr. Methyl]

I was delighted to pop by to see this old thread back again. Because I now have a different answer.

The best nation to form Italy is neither Milan nor Tuscany (and I've done it with both). It's Savoy.

As Italy, your biggest challenge is always going to be France. France is going to rival you and then attack you again and again all game. Once they get that mission to take Milan, good luck. And they'll have more manpower and forcelimit and better ideas than you do. Fun.

If you start as Savoy, however, you can cut France down to size before it gets going. Your first move is to ally Burgundy and Aragon, both of which will be happy to have you. Then you attack France as often as you can until Burgundy gets inherited. You want to take out Provence and expand into Occitania. Ideally, you will also set up a buffer state somewhere like Toulouse that you will feed border provinces so you no longer have a border with France.

By the time Burgundy disappears, you have a much weaker France that you no longer get border penalties with. You will also control most of the Genoa trade node by yourself without having to deal with France diverting your trade. If you're lucky, France won't even rival you because you don't share a direct border. Now go expand into Italy.

Over the medium and longer term, this makes for a much easier and more enjoyable game. Plus the Savoy ideas are pretty decent. Savoy was by far my favorite Italy of the three main choices. And it's historical!

I completely agree. My first "successful" playthrough was with Savoy -> Italy -> HRE and its location vis-a-vis beatin' up France can't be beat. I've since enjoyed playing it again. You start with plenty of powerful states willing to ally you, your ideas are decent (not great, admittedly) but Liguria is easy to snatch early for trade. It's also relatively easy to help out Venice or whomever and keep Austria a second-rate power, and claim the HRE (then beat up and take Venice once they're even more isolated)

As Savoy, as an HRE member with sea access, you can move troops easily, you have Piedmont and some Alps to defend, and you are in a position to make France and Austria fight for your allegiance early in game.

You even have a decent shot at the Burgundian inheritance, which is historically accurate, and they should Royal Marriage you right away. Keep them in constant war with Austria, and snatch the Netherlands! If that happens, it's your game from that point on.