Help with Prussia? broken alliances, weird wars

[Sabra]

So i started game as Brandeburg (first time game as HRE nation) with goal become form Prussia -> Germany.
Game went bit different than i expected, with extreme Austria blobbing (Burgundy event and PU-inherit Hungarz and making fast Imperial Reforms. So after Austria diplo-annexed Saxony and and making more vassals I changed my tactics and eventually become Emperor myself. Then, my young king died, got replaced by Prussian Queen (!) which was 16 years old and became my longest ruler ever (she died at 76, during her reign also 5/5/5 heir died.). Next King become eventually Emperor as well. Anyway, most of time when i was actually bit mad on game was a problem in North America.

As you can see from screen, i basically colonized some Carribean and North America. But my crazy colonial nation went full crazy and start to declaring every 10 years or so war on Castille Canada, and get eventually almost annexed by Castille. Problem is, I was always dragged automatically to this war, and so do was my allies, which refused to join so they got dishonored alliance. It basically totally destroyed my effort to finish making HRE nation... I dont know how i cant prevent this, obviously except making colonies, but i felt it will be nice free money.

Around 1730, i finally make Proclaim Erbkaiserturm reform, and i had enough vassals/allies to continue with Revoke Privilegies when i get enough Imperial Authority. Then, my faithful allly Austria declared holy war on Ottomans which they won, but Ottos somehow managed to sneak their doomstack through Lithuania and destroyed my 60k army. Now the fun part: immidiately after war end, Austria BROKE alliance with me, even we had +150 relations. 1 month after alliance been disolved, Russians declared purge of heresy to me, getting helped with France and pulled me back to Stone Age (I had only one 45k army in Arabian Peninsula trying to get Mecca from Hedjaz). I was forced to convert to Orthodox, so nobody now doesnt want to vote for reforms anymore.

This doesnt mean to be QQ post, more like my experience with EU4 is small (its my first Paradox game and i did played only 100 hours or so), so i am more like asking if i can do anything better next time, or i these are things which cant be avoid...

Screens from game:

 

[wolffrnd]

There are some major bugs with colonial nations right now. I would simply say that I would avoid colonizing in future games until they are fixed. Don't know what to tell you for this game though.

 

[dav77-b]

For the next game as Prussia some help:

1. You need faster expansion in Europe.
For the start:
I. Ally Poland and Bohemia day 1. Keep relations high with them. These 2 nations are your diplomatics nukes. No need for other relations.
II. Fight with the help of your nukes the Teutonic order ( reclaim Neumark Mission). Get Neumark and Danzig. If you can let Poland annex one Province ( chelmno) of Teu. Its ok if they get it later too.
III. Fight Pommern ( Hinterpommern Misssion) &. Vassailze.
IV: You can sell Pommern Danzig now. They core it for you.
V.Diplo annex POM asap. Keep relations high with Poland and Bohemia.
VI.Attack Teu again after you annexd POM. Vassalize or Annex and release (as Vassal) after.
VII. Diplo-Annex TEU. Always keep rleations with Bohemia and Poland high.


Now we look at the HRE. Claim a Province of a country next to you which is allied to a Elector
Why? Most times electors are allied with Austria. Attacking them directly means you have to fight Austria.
Vassalize all the the electors.

Try to get reform and look for expansion outside the HRE. Good options are Poland or France. ( yes France)
If you ally Poland(-Lithunia), Bohemia and Austria/Hungary and drag them to a war, you can beat everyone.
Only get provinces where some small nations have cores, so you can release them(and diplo-annex) and save admin points.

If you fight Poland ally France.

Important ideas are: Diplomatic ( for HRE), Defensive,Offensive, Innovative.

 

[Master_Squadron]

Honestly? If this is an iron man game I don't mean to sound gamey but if you are trying for a German campaign as soon as it starts in the first 50 years if you see Austria as a blob monster, I would say restart. It's a somewhat waste of time when you have to fight against that behemoth and if you become emperor early enough you should be able to achieve a WHOLE lot more, like integrating parts of France into the hre and then those little castille colonial*disputes will be a walk in the park with a land connection. Just like Byzantine play through you just have to keep restarting until you get a favorable outcome while as a minor. Major nations can take a setback or two but minors are one and done.

 

[Sabra]

I would say i did half of these things.. Had enough vassalised electors to keep me in, but as i said 60 years reign queen was bit setback. But what u saying for start, is definately way better than i did.
I picked Diplomatic, then expansion (was rly curious about colonies as Prussia).. From millitary i picked Defensive, Offensive and Quality. My major problem was that problem i was getting dragged to colonial wars, which i didnt start.. So i guess avoiding colonies is best way..

Yes, its Ironman.

 

[Master_Squadron]

Pretty much how the CN system works right now is a CN will see an opportunity to expand into another CN, not taking into account the overlord threat and when he starts winning, the opposing overlord gets called in and then the CN is in a world of hurt, calls you in and there's one big pile of doo doo on your plate.