I've just played my most frustrating EU4 ironman game. I started as Burgundy in 1444, and wanted to play a continental game -- that is remain Burgundy, not switch to Netherlands. After taking a few of the small independent provinces (Barrois, Loire, Metz), I started making slightly bolder moves. I took out Calais from England in the aftermath of the HYW, then I knocked down Austria and took Liege and other HRE provinces that are rightfully Burgundian.
With France embroiled in a war with Castille, I made my real move and declared war on France. This was extremely difficult because my manpower was lower than France's but having taken administrative as an idea, I was able to deploy large mercenary armies funded by many loands. After the first war was just barely won and I repaid my loans, subsequent wars against France became easier and I eventually took Paris.
At this point it's just after 1500, and I now have a gigantic army limit, though manpower cannot quite sustain such an army for long periods of time; I also have the largest income, through owning a lot of rich provinces, and am able to easily sustain +2 advisors. Everything is looking great until Reformation hits. Paris and two of my highest income provinces quickly switch to Protestant. Although I'm quite comfortably in command of the Curia, I decided to switch to Protestant since it appeared impossible to convert the provinces back to Catholicism. After I switch to Protestant all hell breaks loose -- gigantic rebellions including many externally funded constantly spring up. Normally, my army wouldn't have a problem beating these up, but my income has now plummeted to the point where I had to reduce my army from 80 regiments to 10 (!!), and am still bleeding money doing so even after firing my advisors and reducing the fleet maintenance. My missionary is constantly working and I've enacted every decision that increases missionary strength; no other provinces switch to Protestant by themselves after the initial wave, and the conversion process is extremely slow; I've even set free a few Catholic vassals. It's now 1600, I only have about 30% religious unity and after about 100 years of knocking down religious (and increasingly nationalist Flemish/Dutch) rebels I have just declared bankruptcy. My 10 regiments have 0.5 morale and I now have a backlog of 80 rebellious regiments on my lands. I seem pretty doomed.
I don't understand what I was supposed to do to make the transition easier. Am I just not supposed to switch to Protestant and doing so is a death trap?
With France embroiled in a war with Castille, I made my real move and declared war on France. This was extremely difficult because my manpower was lower than France's but having taken administrative as an idea, I was able to deploy large mercenary armies funded by many loands. After the first war was just barely won and I repaid my loans, subsequent wars against France became easier and I eventually took Paris.
At this point it's just after 1500, and I now have a gigantic army limit, though manpower cannot quite sustain such an army for long periods of time; I also have the largest income, through owning a lot of rich provinces, and am able to easily sustain +2 advisors. Everything is looking great until Reformation hits. Paris and two of my highest income provinces quickly switch to Protestant. Although I'm quite comfortably in command of the Curia, I decided to switch to Protestant since it appeared impossible to convert the provinces back to Catholicism. After I switch to Protestant all hell breaks loose -- gigantic rebellions including many externally funded constantly spring up. Normally, my army wouldn't have a problem beating these up, but my income has now plummeted to the point where I had to reduce my army from 80 regiments to 10 (!!), and am still bleeding money doing so even after firing my advisors and reducing the fleet maintenance. My missionary is constantly working and I've enacted every decision that increases missionary strength; no other provinces switch to Protestant by themselves after the initial wave, and the conversion process is extremely slow; I've even set free a few Catholic vassals. It's now 1600, I only have about 30% religious unity and after about 100 years of knocking down religious (and increasingly nationalist Flemish/Dutch) rebels I have just declared bankruptcy. My 10 regiments have 0.5 morale and I now have a backlog of 80 rebellious regiments on my lands. I seem pretty doomed.
I don't understand what I was supposed to do to make the transition easier. Am I just not supposed to switch to Protestant and doing so is a death trap?
Playing as France in Ironman I'm running in a similar situation. I've got the Anjouan heritage, am safely installed as one of the strongest powers in Europe. But I alas decided to convert and rebellion rebellion everywhere... even though I'm winning battles my manpower is plummeting... XD I don't mind, I've failed so many ironman sessions. That's what it is: ironman.
