How to stay pagan as Aztec and survive?

[Denkt]

Trying to stay pagan as the Aztec is not easy then powerful European nations get a great CB on you even after you are western tech.
Alliances are hard to get because of the different religion penalty, immigration or exploits are not a option, can the Aztec survive as a independent nation if not the most powerful nation in the world?

 

[Varesz]

Set sail to europe and find yourself a weak minor nation who'll make you a protectorate.

 

[Denkt]

Set sail to europe and find yourself a weak minor nation who'll make you a protectorate.

I did say that exploits are not allowed, why would the might Aztec empire ask a little unkown nation that it should have half of the Aztec trade power and be just a little bit above a vassal in status?

 

[yerm]

Not trying to be a jerk, but if you're hoping to be pagan Aztec and the most powerful nation on earth, and not use any exploits, you might wanna define what counts as an exploit.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Use Caribbean money to build a lot of heavy ships. Conquer a colony and avoid a border so you can't get conversion event while going western. Lean on your navy until you catch up in mil tech.

In 1.7 I had the whole new world and british Isles as animist Maya. I also had and converted Rome to animist, though that took like ten years and needed a policy it was nice for the missionary.

If you use your navy to snag an island in Europe you can ally nations like Otto or Austria that don't go exploration. You can actually do the achievement as animist easily.

Not trying to be a jerk, but if you're hoping to be pagan Aztec and the most powerful nation on earth, and not use any exploits, you might wanna define what counts as an exploit.

100% exploit free:







It was a friendly MP game with usual lucky nations on. The key is in the early game, you need money and ships:



Edit: It wasn't enough for me to stay pagan. I had to make my faith the #1 faith in the world:

 

[VolitionNewlove]

Not trying to be a jerk, but if you're hoping to be pagan Aztec and the most powerful nation on earth, and not use any exploits, you might wanna define what counts as an exploit.

Where did the OP say that they wanted to be the "most powerful nation on earth?"

 

[Denkt]

I did say, if not the most powerful nation in the world.