Fiddling with Genoa - some questions from someone unfamiliar with EU4 specifically

[unmerged(90762)]

So I managed to take Provence as Genoa, and the Ottomans didn't laugh me out of constantinople when I demanded trade rights to Crimea.

On the whole, things seem to be going well, but I'm really unsure of my country's direction right now. I'm coring Provence, which is a pain in the neck. I see enemies on all sides - Tuscany is apparently a Lucky nation, but they're also my ally. Aragon and Savoy both hate my guts for reasons unclear. I'm Allied with Ferrara, Tuscany, and Lithuania. I feel like a closer-to-home alliance would benefit me, but anyone who seems likely either hates me (Aragon) or has rivalled me, with the exception of Venice, who I have been working on getting as an ally.

Anyway, some questions:
I have my first idea coming up, but I'm really not sure which idea group I should select. Any thoughts? I'm trying to form a western mediterranean power base, and maybe, just maybe, if I can rival Aragon and win wars in Africa, start colonializing the hell out of Africa.

I see that every elector gives me a -1000 for Emperor. The game isn't really explicit about it, but apparently it's because I'm not eligible to be emperor. I assume that's because I'm a republic?

Anything I should be watching out for, by the by?

 

[Hakairyu]

Yes, you are a republic so you cannot get elected; you can only be a republican emperor if you switch from a monarchy to a republic after proclaiming erbskaisertum as it locks emperorship.

Colonizing Africa as a mediteranneal power is something I have yet to try, but as long as you don't fight someone allied with the Ottomans (probably Algeria), go for it. Also, try to capture Alexandria before the Ottomans. Basically, assuming you don't wanna go ahead and invade everything, you want to figure out what trade nodes you require to steer trade towards your node and capture at least the key points and if possible the entirety of that node. If you can capture where the Suez Canal currently is and build a second navy, you can go ahead and try to claim India before anyone else, basically you will get early access to Asia. Not sure what else can even be done as Genoa anyway.

I wouldn't go for Castile/Aragon until I had a strong powerbase. Also, if you can get a province in Europe (includes Anatolia in the game) that you can directly connect to your African holdings, take it and make it capital to make it so that your African holdings are full provinces and not colonies.

You want religious as an admin group since you wanna invade Africa, and definitely a lot of diplo ideas. If you want to be the HRE at any point though, you wanna transition to a monarchy for now by reelecting over and over, and then you have the right to switch back to Merchant Republic as soon as you want to if you have completed trade ideas for the virtue of being Genoa/Venice/the Hansa.

 

[unmerged(90762)]

Aragon worries me - they've taken a claim on Genoa, and are extremely hostile. I really have no idea what to do about them, I don't want to lose Corsica as that feels like a setback for my whole plan.

Also, colonization and expansion in Africa feels a long way off, short of picking at Tunisia for their trade node. I'm more concerned about the threats approaching Genoa from all sides. It's a very concerning situation.

 

[Hakairyu]

Well, Genoa is one of the weaker nations in the game. Think of it as an OPM + two provinces in the black sea. I never even considered colonizing Africa with them, but I guess that's what a trade republic should attempt. In fact, that's the only thing I think you can do now seeing as how the HRE agressive expansion is. Have you tried allying France? If they inherited Burgundy, they will remain as the strongest nation on Europe until the end of time (in 1821). Lest Spain attacks them early on.

 

[mgoetze]

I see that every elector gives me a -1000 for Emperor. The game isn't really explicit about it,

I'm rather certain that the game actually is explicit about this, you need to hover over the -1000 to get an explanation. Hovering over numbers is a good idea in general.

 

[delra]

My best games with Genoa always included trashing Aragon early to move in into Iberia. And then playing as if I was a republican Aragon with better NIs.

 

[Sousuke123]

Since i'm doing my Genoa run i might give you some useful hints:
1. Do NOT ally useless countries vide what you already did. First i allied with Savoy and attacked Milan to vassalize him, then same happened with Tuscany as well. At that point my "ally" set me as rival and dissolve alliance. Then i allied with France -> they might be great ally but it might be risky since i so far had ~5 world war 2 "thanks to them". Despite this i had only them as ally almost to this point, rest were vassals - Siena and Papal States later (Now are Naples, soon Savoy and Venice)and was doing quite well. Don't ally Austria since sooner or later they will hate since you annex HRE countries to grow fat.
2. If it comes to idea groups i so far took Naval, Offensive, Religious probably next will be Quality to buff my godlike troops and navy even more, next would be Administration to buff last Italian NI then i don't know since it all depend on circumstances.
3. If you want to be Emperor you need to switch to monarchy. I simply decreased my RT and got event about Andrea Doria and he became king or rather sultan with nice stats 5/5/5. If it comes to me i wouldn't care to be Emperor. Better is to grab Italian holdings and leave HRE.
4. If it comes to colonization you might want to grab islands form Portugal or Castille, though myself didn't care much so far. Securing Italy was more important.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Well, Genoa is one of the weaker nations in the game. Think of it as an OPM + two provinces in the black sea. I never even considered colonizing Africa with them, but I guess that's what a trade republic should attempt. In fact, that's the only thing I think you can do now seeing as how the HRE agressive expansion is. Have you tried allying France? If they inherited Burgundy, they will remain as the strongest nation on Europe until the end of time (in 1821). Lest Spain attacks them early on.

Genoa isn't even in the bottom 50% of nations in terms of strength. It is stronger than every single Indian/Asian minor, every nation in Africa and the Americas, and quite a few other European minors.

 

[Thund91]

I allied with France early in my current aar and its been working great. I dint need to aid in all the wars they've dragged me in and no one will be willing to attack u with such a strong ally.

Since I'm doing an aar and taking all of Italy is so been there done that, I'm focusing more on creating a sprawling med. trade empire. Dealing with Aragon eventually is a must though. Both Barcelona and Valencia give them a lot of trade power. You need as much trade power as you can get to both make money and prevent it from leaving to Sevilla where the Portuguese and Spanish love steering it.

You'll eventually want to expand into africa to bring in Asian trade. If you can monopolize ivory coast you're basically set. Let the europeans steer for you then ship that all to timbuktu then tunis then Genoa

 

[pkderek]

Genoa isn't even in the bottom 50% of nations in terms of strength. It is stronger than every single Indian/Asian minor, every nation in Africa and the Americas, and quite a few other European minors.

In the hands of a player that knows what they're doing yes, otherwise Genoa falls into the exact same spot as any other OPM surrounded by bigger countries. In fact worse because half of Genoa's power, Kaffa and Azov, are both isolated and prone to revolt. Now that I think about it every single one of Genoa's provinces are not connected. Combine that with an Aragon that wants Corsica and they're in one of the most hostile spots to start.

I mean there's a reason AI Genoa is usually gone or a vassal of Crimea by 1470.

EDIT: DOesn't mean you cannot be successful. My Genoa game was extremely successful, and I would have eaten all of Italy had Tuscany not allied Austria at start. Ugh....