Forming Yuan

[pttaylor]

Most achievements aren't available to custom nations; generally a good idea to check the achievements tab whenever you first start a game if you're achievement hunting.

 

[The Good Shepherd]

Most achievements aren't available to custom nations; generally a good idea to check the achievements tab whenever you first start a game if you're achievement hunting.

In all honesty I had my doubts at first, but the Ironman choice at the start of the game did say "achievements can be earned" - so I assumed this was fine. I know I've completed it, its just I don't have the icon to prove it.

 

[PhoenixG]

You can't get most achievement with custom nations

 

[Ninaran]

5) MOST IMPORTANTLY - Do not form Yuan too early!!! If you rush into then you will be trapped in the downward spiral of no mandate, mainly due to bordering non-tributaries (I.E Ming, possibly Russia). I made this mistake at least twice. Sadly, it seems the only way to keep your previous power as emproer is to wait until you pretty much have most of China conquered

I'm not a big fan of the "be Emperor of China" requirement to forming Yuan. When you blobbed to the point of challenging Ming and taking the Mandate from them, you'll be bordering so many nations (that will also also hate you due to AE), that keeping Mandate is more of a chore than anything (if at all possible in most scenarios).
After culture and religion shifting from Kazan to Vajrayana/Oirat, I bordered people from the HRE, to the Ottomans, an almost unified India and up to China. I'd probably lose at least 0.5 Mandate per month, so after all that it's just not worth it. Which is a shame.

 

[makaramus]

After many attempts at the Yuan achievement here's some input:
1) Oirat is probably best placed to start with, although starting without feudalism and disloyal vassal mongolia is slightly annoying. Korchin can quickly embrace feudalism through conquest of Haixi and can weaken Korea early if the opportunity arises.
3) In order to defeat ming you require AT LEAST 500 development; without the frontier disaster debuff to mandate, is is extremely costly and difficult to chip away at his mercenary meat army of death - breaking tribuary state before this is extremely risky, unless you have some a number of strong Indian allies (even then it is down to luck how they back you up in the war).
4) Adding Sunni as syncretic faith seemed to be quite powerful (escpecially coupled with humanist ideas). You'll need to unite the Altaic lands either way, and a good half of these are Sunni. The former timurid heartland (samarkand trade node) can provide you with a solid economic base.
5) MOST IMPORTANTLY - Do not form Yuan too early!!! If you rush into then you will be trapped in the downward spiral of no mandate, mainly due to bordering non-tributaries (I.E Ming, possibly Russia). I made this mistake at least twice. Sadly, it seems the only way to keep your previous power as emproer is to wait until you pretty much have most of China conquered.

In the end to finally crack this nut, I created a Tengri custom nation with a grassland capital of Tashkent, a small number of provinces, but powerful military and conquest ideas. Although its quite a "gamey" solution, I decided to resort to this so I could eventually weaken Russia, who had thwarted my last run as Oirat, and to team up with the Ottomans.
Although the start-menu assured me that achievements could be gained with this custom nation - the Yuan achievement didn't actually fire, atlough ALL the bloody requirements had been met.

In hindsight; I became obsessed with this one, more so than any other achievement in the game. So many bloody hours. Hollow victory. But I guess this sums up this game in a nutshell.

yea only SOME of achivements can be gained with custom nations wish you knew ^_^'''