France attacking

[unmerged(79826)]

I have a wee little problem, and would like some advice. France is goign to attack me and kick my buttocks. They have a huge army, 250-300K soldiers. And I... don't.

PLaying Spain at 1602. Doing well enough eocnomically, but my empire is scattered across Europe and the New World. The French want Algarve and Rusillon back NOW. My allies betrayed me (stupid backstabbing POLES!). The trouble is that Genoa and France wil roll up my isolated provinces. I could invade southern France, but I'm outnumbered hugely. The only thing I can think of is to go back a year, build up huge forces, and send them out in 5000 man detachments to seige every city I can find, running wherever they are attacked.

 

[The Swert]

I've found myself in a similar situation recently except it was England attacking me. Try to quickly claim some of their undefended colonies if possible and try to get enough warscore to get a white peace before their huge armies can capture/assault any of your provinces.

Or if France isn't the alliance leader go for the leader, especially if they are weaker. That way even if France captures a few provinces you might still be able to get a white peace which will atleast give you 5 more years to prepare.

 

[BurningEGO]

I have a wee little problem, and would like some advice. France is goign to attack me and kick my buttocks. They have a huge army, 250-300K soldiers. And I... don't.

PLaying Spain at 1602. Doing well enough eocnomically, but my empire is scattered across Europe and the New World. The French want Algarve and Rusillon back NOW. My allies betrayed me (stupid backstabbing POLES!). The trouble is that Genoa and France wil roll up my isolated provinces. I could invade southern France, but I'm outnumbered hugely. The only thing I can think of is to go back a year, build up huge forces, and send them out in 5000 man detachments to seige every city I can find, running wherever they are attacked.

1602? Perfect date... Isnt that when our dear Spinola spawns?

Just give him about 60k men and you will be able to defeat most armies.

 

[Kal Torak]

No panics. They will melt away, when AI puts all 300k to siege one province.

 

[Octavio]

my case was a bit different. playing spain and beeing allied with strasbourg, genoa and austria, france declared war upon strasbourg. since i dont like betraying anyone, i joined the big war and sent all troops available, about 60k.
what first seemed to be a 4 vs 4 war or something, resulted in a duel of me against them...

while i besieged their french territories, they invaded my african provinces, the baleares, azores and so on. i was lucky to have duque de alba under my control (4/5/5 i think) because i was able to quickly siege and defeat any enemy cities/troops.

the final result: warscore of 74%, i gained 5 provinces from rousillon to helvetia, therefore separating france in two parts

i was always afraid of fighting france, but it seemed it wasnt that terrible after all.

 

[Mygreatlord]

I have a wee little problem, and would like some advice. France is goign to attack me and kick my buttocks. They have a huge army, 250-300K soldiers. And I... don't.

PLaying Spain at 1602. Doing well enough eocnomically, but my empire is scattered across Europe and the New World. The French want Algarve and Rusillon back NOW. My allies betrayed me (stupid backstabbing POLES!). The trouble is that Genoa and France wil roll up my isolated provinces. I could invade southern France, but I'm outnumbered hugely. The only thing I can think of is to go back a year, build up huge forces, and send them out in 5000 man detachments to seige every city I can find, running wherever they are attacked.

250-300k?????? why did you let france get THAT STRONG?

and you are spain in 1602? normally spain is the worlds superpower in 1602... (especially in oversea: maybe not at home in europe)

well i guess i would give up some provinces but strike back as soon as possible. it's not that hard kicking frances ass with castille... IF you prepare well


OH SRY i thought this is EUIII, but it's EUII - well in EUII 250-300k isnt that much, i would say.

 

[unmerged(15247)]

I have a wee little problem, and would like some advice. France is goign to attack me and kick my buttocks. They have a huge army, 250-300K soldiers. And I... don't.

PLaying Spain at 1602. Doing well enough eocnomically, but my empire is scattered across Europe and the New World. The French want Algarve and Rusillon back NOW. My allies betrayed me (stupid backstabbing POLES!). The trouble is that Genoa and France wil roll up my isolated provinces. I could invade southern France, but I'm outnumbered hugely. The only thing I can think of is to go back a year, build up huge forces, and send them out in 5000 man detachments to seige every city I can find, running wherever they are attacked.

since doing good economically, it means you can affiord mercenaries for very QUIK invasions

seriouslly now, france NEVER worries me no matter how big armies (if ai)...they make the mistake to have only small fort, even minimal many times, in their capital.......and i gurantee you they will accept at least WP if you take it

using things like this i find france one of the easiest nations to grab land from in DEFFENSIVE wars..... even if lower tech then them s minimal fort provides no problems....also france ALWAYS GATHERS troops in ORLEANS to eliberate their capital...something very STUPID as they need to cross a RIVER to do so

 

[unmerged(79826)]

Well thanks all .I have no idea how France got so strong so quickly. A few years ago, they were in the middle of vast rebellions with a -3 stability. Now thery're back to +3 with a vaster army than ever. My armies are so scattered I think I must let them seige my eastern provinces (Algarve, France-Comte, and the ones near Genoa) and then beat them in France. If I win I can take my territory back anyway.

Genoa is going to be a thorn, but I may be able to just take her over anyway for this one. And of course, I'm the one who's going to suck a huge BADBOY rating for this.

 

[Dell19]

No panics. They will melt away, when AI puts all 300k to siege one province.

Probably not when they have so many troops as they will be able to assault and win a lot of the time and the border is narrow which doesn't help a human player. France may always accept a peace treaty for all your gold if you keep on offering it. I would probably try and land several small armies in Northern France and then try and pick off their stacks one by one with a large army in Spain.

Generally I ignore my cities that are spread out as they are too difficult to defend. Particularly if you have to do naval assaults and with the risk that you may have no where to retreat to and lose all your troops.

 

[unmerged(75349)]

The AI is usually bad at colonial and naval warfare. If France has unfortified colonies, you can probably snatch most of them for some easy WS.

 

[unmerged(79826)]

After a brutal marathon session fighting against France, Genoa, Venice, the Papal States and tiny little Naples. I won. I vassalized France and Genoa, and will pursue a diplomatic path to annexing them. I may hold off on Genoa. Trying to take Corsica is sheer torment. I never did conquer the fortress even after a two-year seige with +1 Seige leader, 15000 men, and 70 cannon.

Since neither Venice nor France has a vassal now, I can feel free to annex them at leisure. Getting relations up will be fun and relaxing after this mess.

 

[unmerged(15247)]

After a brutal marathon session fighting against France, Genoa, Venice, the Papal States and tiny little Naples. I won. I vassalized France and Genoa, and will pursue a diplomatic path to annexing them. I may hold off on Genoa. Trying to take Corsica is sheer torment. I never did conquer the fortress even after a two-year seige with +1 Seige leader, 15000 men, and 70 cannon.

Since neither Venice nor France has a vassal now, I can feel free to annex them at leisure. Getting relations up will be fun and relaxing after this mess.

do not beat on it; must wait 50years to diplo depending on your/her size and your/her monarchs and france gets the best monarchs in second part of game per opposite of spain...still after 100years vassal suerlly will accept

 

[BurningEGO]

I never did conquer the fortress even after a two-year seige with +1 Seige leader, 15000 men, and 70 cannon.

Get some ships near the port to blockade it. Usually helps.

 

[th3freakie]

Since neither Venice nor France has a vassal now, I can feel free to annex them at leisure. Getting relations up will be fun and relaxing after this mess.

What's that got to do with it?

 

[Dell19]

I've always felt that nations that have a vassal are less likely to want to become vassals.

 

[th3freakie]

I've always felt that nations that have a vassal are less likely to want to become vassals.

Yes, but not to be anexed.

 

[unmerged(79826)]

Well, I wanted to annexx them a while ago. BUT since they each had a vassal the whole time, I could never get a vassalization out of them. So I let relations fall and, well...

Another question: I have a very nice pair of armies in China, and all those rich Chinese provinces are so very sweet looking, especially as I have +2 army CRT (and ten tech levels) over them and 51 ships hanging around with my 60,000 soldiers. I'm looking to get China to DOW on me. Will insulting them repeatedly garner this? The other countries around seem to be reconciled to the Chinese monster sitting over there. I plan on trying to force-vassalize them or just rack up their coastal provinces.

 

[unmerged(75349)]

That probably won't work. Once you get to the huge size you already seem to have, provoking other countries to DoW is nearly impossible, and you're not even one of China's neighbors. I fear you'll have to settle for an offensive war.

 

[unmerged(79826)]

Actually, I am one of their neighbors. I own Guandong, which I got when I annexed Portugal.

 

[unmerged(4344)]

They will eventually attack you are militarily weak, that is, if you disband most of your armies.

Of course, this raises other problems.