Is it just me, or is Milan coded to mess with the player?

[unmerged(390989)]

I may just be imagining things, but it seems like Milan is a huge and constant problem unless you're able to control the HRE. They seem to nab a large number of powerful alliances, and those allies always seem to come to their aid - particularly Austria when it's Emperor. The only reason this seems odd to me is that I've seen them get an unusual number of powerful allies. I frequently see France, Austria and Hungary running to their aid, and Austria in particular seems eager to let them attack other HRE states. Which is proving to be a nightmare for my efforts to become Italy, as the one thing I can't do is take Lombardy. Milan often does managed to grow and field a decent-army itself, but unless it completely pisses off Austria, its almost impossible to break them.

(In this particular campaign, Austria gobbled up Burgundy and hence has a lock on the HRE *and* fields an 80-regiment army with top-tier tech, and if they start hunting me I'm screwed. May have to restart, but this has happened several times.)

Does anyone have a suggestion for dealing with them? Not sure how to pry them away from Austria without a couple centuries of grinding misery and way more patience than I have. I'm almost thinking of restarting and using ideas to advance into astern Europe and Asia, then colonizing eastern asia.

 

[mgoetze]

(In this particular campaign, Austria gobbled up Burgundy and hence has a lock on the HRE

That's a non sequitur, in my Mughals game Austria inherited Burgundy but the Emperorship is alternating between Savoy and Bohemia.

Anyway, in response to your question, no, Milan does not have any special AI code that other nations don't have, you're just witnessing random variation in outcomes. Now go bait them into attacking you in the Alps.

 

[delpiero1234]

Austria will take eventually the mission to conquer Milan and by that point they'll break the alliance. Just drag Milan into a war (for example if they are allied with Genoa, Mantua, Venice, Ferrara, Savoy or anyone else that doesn't have powerful allies) where they don't become war leader and take some provinces from them. Do the same once the truce expired and annex them. I don't think it's possible to annex Milan in one war because of Lombardia's tax value. Could be wrong though.

 

[AtomicTank]

When I am Austria, it is my personal mission to make sure that Lombard is an accepted culture in the HRE. So many good income provinces. Banging away on Milan is a good way to get annexable vassals. Release, befriend, vassalize, annex. Why would one actually annex Milan before you have the rest of northern Italy?

 

[unmerged(390989)]

Because it's miserably hard to take northern Italy without poising off Austria.

 

[unmerged(65679)]

I've always remembered Milan as a bitchy little state that has definitely cropped up in my EU games beyond its size and influence....I think however despite the fact it may SEEM coded to F with the player that it is infact just in "one of those positions".

Its at the top of Italy, happens to be one of the stronger states there and as a result everybody takes an interest in that area. Thats what causes the situation. Nobody is really a friend to Milan the alliances are always shifting based on who's mission is what or who wants to try an Italian conquest this time and the various other great powers who'd like to stop it.
Italy is a major PITA.

As Savoy and now Sardinia-Piedmont I'm pleased to report I'm close to becoming Emperor by force as I'm tired of waiting and Milan is but one of my many vassals. I intend to keep them that way for a while ;-)