Chapter 12: To go west is to go east is to go west?
If you are a battle-scarred veteran of EU3, you will recall that Westernization was relatively simple; you simply needed a Western neighbor, the proper leader, and the ability to survive a massive stab hit for a few years. It is a much more gradual process in EU4. All you need is to be 8 tech levels behind a Western neighbor. You both need cores on the neighboring provinces. Thus, in the last chapter, Spain and I having colonies next to each other wasn’t sufficient, because they weren’t cored. It took the province next to Portugal to begin the process.
So, what happens next? Over the next few years, you will have your monarch power drained each month (up to a maximum of 30 per month). Once a certain number is reached (it depends, of course, on where you start, relative to the Western technological group. We need 3200 power in total to gain western units. All else being equal, the process would take a little less than ten years. But units aren’t everything, of course. We really did this for the tech, and here’s the result:
Now, if I were to redo this process, I would probably not have spent this power right away. On occasion, during Westernization, you get lovely events like this one:
There are always two choices, both of them bad. One is always a loss of four months of Westernization (that is, 120 points). The other, in this particular event, is -30 legitimacy. I had 92 legitimacy at the moment, so that was not a difficult choice. However, other events can trigger revolts or cost monarch power. Like everything else in strategy games, it’s a matter of making a choice. On the whole, I did everything I could to avoid the loss of progress.
Oh, one other nice benefit of the Westernization occurs immediately:
Moments after Westernizing, Spain embargoes me, because they’re jerks. Portugal also rivals me, which means I’ll never finish my present mission (to get Portuguese relations over +125), so I cancel it. I discover more of the New World (there’s a map at the end of the update of what I know). So, maybe some kind European is giving me maps? If so, I haven’t the foggiest idea who is doing it. Maybe Ulm? I’d like to think duckie is watching out for us.
I can’t quite colonize the New World – I’m a mere four whatevers short in range (is there actually a unit?), but with another tech or an advisor, I’ll be able to do it. I discover, in passing, that I have the most trade power in four Trade Nodes – Nippon, Mexico, Philippines, and Australia – although I’ve yet to discover Mexico and Australia.
In 1639, I start disbanding some Early Carracks to replace them with Carracks. (These Carracks, much like wizards or the patches of Johan, are apparently neither early nor later, but arrive precisely when they mean to.)
Majapahit offers me an alliance, which I accept. I’ve decided to try to diplo-vassalize them, if possible, simply in order to avoid getting AE, since if you recall, Spain is their neighbor.
In 1641, Russia DOWs Ayutthaya with the CB “Overseas Expansion”. This war will come to nothing; Russia starts about a half dozen wars around this period and settles for a concession of defeat in every case. I hire a new Admin advisor (+2% to Missionary Strength). My diplomat dies in 1642. I could choose a colonial range guy, but he’s a +2 advisor, which is out of my price range.
Oh yeah, that’s another way westernization likes to kick unwesternized nations in the naughty bits.
In 1643, I can choose a new mission – I choose to turn Demak into a city. (You have to love +1 to base tax.) Sulu goes Catholic; Awa follows a few weeks later. This is becoming a bit of a problem, but we’ll discuss that later too.
In 1644, I discover there is something of a shift in Asian politics. Why? Oirat Horde now wants to be my friend. (Probably because Russia keeps attacking for them concessions of defeat.) I decide it would be a fine thing to have them as an ally, so I get an RM. This actually pushes me over the maximum for diplomatic relations, but I can accept that for the time being, until I can absorb Brunei.
In 1645, I pick a new mission: to colonize Banten (which neighbors Demak). There’s a huge revolt in Awa – 17 regiments – and the province reverts to Shinto. (I’m running over budget on screenshots, or I’d show you the event.) In 1646, my army goes to stomp out the revolt, and…
Goodbye, only army I actually had in the Home Islands. Since Westernization is nuking my economy with the advisor costs, I can’t afford to get more. I might actually have to take out loans. I also finish the mission to colonize Banten – now I have to turn it into a city. This event fires, which is kind of nice.
That gives me +20 to relations with Portugal, -10 to legitimacy, and +10% to National Tax for 5 years. Might be enough to help me eventually rebuild my army. Awa proves itself even more irritating.
Echigo goes Catholic. (I’m going to stop mentioning these; they happen frequently enough that they’re irritating to write about.) By August 1646, I’m 80% of the way done.
There goes another army. Stupid rebels. This happens in 1648, though:
The difference between a Protectorate and a Vassal is pretty clear. Protectorates help other nations westernize faster, in exchange for foreign policy dominance and trade power. Vassals give you the diplomatic benefits, but it’s more one-sided, as the Vassal also coughs up money from its coffers. I’d prefer Majapahit become a Vassal, but they’re resisting because I’m Shinto.
A few months later…
I hire a Navigator. Japan has reached the New World!
(Oh yeah, I guess there’s a civil war in Brandenburg too. Who cares about them, though?)
I also replace my military advisor, exchanging a dead one for a living one (who gives a bonus to reinforce speed). I start building up an army in Korea, since I had to take the one from Korea to put down the revolt in Japan. Then I get to thinking. They keep expanding. Korea is always expanding. That means I’ll never be able to simply vassalize them. But I could make them a protectorate, with improved relations, which is better than nothing. I de-rival them and send a diplomat to do just that. The goal is to, eventually, pull the army out of Korea permanently. It would be a fine army to conquer the New World, for one.
I get Admin tech 8 in 1651. This fires in early 1652:
Seems the ancestors think I’m doing the right thing too. Works for me! The other part of my “eventually abandon the Asian mainland strategy” comes to fruition.
The one thing I don’t want is a united China. That’s the only power in Asia that might give me pause. So the Oirat Horde makes a nice cat’s paw. Plus, if Russia gets uppity, the Horde will play the “waves and waves of men” to my Zapp Brannigan. Russian soldiers have a kill limit, right?
Diplo tech 11 is achieved in August 1652. Not a huge deal, but it does mean I have enough colonial range to go farther in the New World, even without an advisor. I get superb news a bit later.
I get a new mission in 1653, to improve relations with Korea. Pfft, I was doing that anyway. At the end of 1653, I decide to begin absorbing my only remaining vassal.
I get military tech 16 at the end of 1654, and an alliance with Korea in 1655. I get a new mission to colonize Whangarei. Originally, I think “maybe I should pick another mission”. Then I took a look at the province.
I couldn’t load up troops fast enough. In 1655, Haida becomes a full fledged province, and I DOW the Shoshone. I’m leaving the war out because, well, it’s dull and easy. I do colonize the New Zealand province – the new mission is to improve prestige, which works for me, since the reward is a rare +1 to stability. I get admin 9 in 1656 – good for a 10% boost to production efficiency, and one step closer to a new group of ideas. Diplo 12 follows in 1657.
We close this update in 1658 with my victory and annexation of the Shoshone. I give you, a reasonably complete picture of the New World!
Here’s a map of Asia.
Finally, Europe.
Another update with no ships sinking!
So, I have one question and important choice to make. My question is: in order to form a colonial nation, I need five cored provinces, correct? Are there any other requirements? I have no real desire to conquer North America myself; I’d rather let “New Japan” do that (and possibly preempt the invention of professional wrestling, as compared with OTL.)
My choice is the next group of ideas. I’ve got it narrowed down to three – Religious, Naval, and Quality. Right now, I’m at about 72% religious unity. I actually kind of want to convert to Catholic (partly for fun, but partly to make it easier to find a friendly European power at some stage), but as far as I now that’s not possible. In any case, without religious ideas, either converting all of the Catholics or converting everything from Shinto to Catholic will be tricky. Naval is obvious. Quality helps ships and soldiers.
I’ve also briefly considered Expansionism, Offensive, and Innovative, but apart from Innovative, none of those seem to be pressing. I’m leaning towards Religious at the moment, but I’m curious to hear what you folks think. Am I perhaps overstating the danger of a disunited religious establishment? I also have to consider that using an admin group means I will much more slowly get through the admin tech group, which I am quite far behind in.
