Manpower

[Flammehav]

As Portugal I have a really crappy manpower. Can anyone please tell me how to raise it?. I know how to raise the maintaines number, but now it's 1472 and my manpower is still only 8000, with 4000 a year. Please help.
I want to try the war aspect a little bit, but I would have to wait years just to build of a half decent army. So far I only tried out for the Lenape(for the trade senter) and the Aztec (for the gold). Do I have to take on European nation to get more manpower? And if so which country, what provinces are best to go at? I just reached trade 3 and infra 4, but landtech is just 2. Shoul I put som money in that before I go to war. Most of the other European in also 2, but I expect some countries like France to hit 3 anytime now.

 

[unmerged(29041)]

Your only solution for increasing manpower as Portugal is to conquer provinces in Europe, esentially from Castile. Good luck.

 

[Flammehav]

Your only solution for increasing manpower as Portugal is to conquer provinces in Europe, esentially from Castile. Good luck.

I'm allied with Castile to prevent them from taking my TPs and colonies in the ToT that is supposed to happen in 30 gameyears or so. Or du I have a real chance of eliminating them by then. I never attaced a country that is bigger than me, unless they are back in landtech, and Castile is about my level.

 

[Lurken]

I think that Spain/Castile and Portugal CAN'T take provs from eachother according to ToT, only from other nations.

 

[ForzaA]

alliance won't help you in protecting your colonies and TP's anyway- only being in a war together vs. a third party, or some other reason why they would be allowed in your land (you give them MA, you are their vasal) will prevent that. You could try, together with them, to conquer some manpower rich areas of France, but Castille/Spain itself is the best area to get MP from, if you can win.

 

[~~|maiq|~~]

Well, another posibility if you don't feel strong enough to battle castile, is to conquer, mmm... for example... provinces in Ireland, or in Italy. So that you will gain some manpower, and in the future and if you enter in a alliance with france, you'll be able to defeat to spain, I think.

Oh, and for the question of the thread: you can only acquire manpower from provinces that are in the same continent as your capital or that are land connected with your capital. So, if you conquer andalucia and gibraltar, then you can conquer the moors in the north of africa and link your portuguese colonies in west coast of africa with your home land, thus gaining manpower from this colonies too.

 

[DSYoungEsq]

I think that Spain/Castile and Portugal CAN'T take provs from eachother according to ToT, only from other nations.

No. No. No.

Portugal and Spain can take provinces from ANY Catholic nation without declaring war, so long as the province is one "granted" to them by the ToT. So if Portugal is colonizing in, say Argentina, Spain can waltz in anytime it wants and strip those colonies.

 

[Hastu Neon]

No. No. No.

Portugal and Spain can take provinces from ANY Catholic nation without declaring war, so long as the province is one "granted" to them by the ToT. So if Portugal is colonizing in, say Argentina, Spain can waltz in anytime it wants and strip those colonies.

... so state-convert your Portugal to Protestantism

 

[unmerged(29041)]

If you want to take on Castile, the time is now. Castile only grows with time until it becomes overwhelming. You can wait to see if you can get her while bussy in a difficult war and half eaten by rebels, but in general 1419 is better than 1430. Hint: ally with France or Aragon, or whoever is close and doesn't like Castile.

If you are not going to figh Castile (wimp ) going after the poor irish is a very poor substitute.

If you are not going to be a warmonger you can enjoy a more peaceful colonization and trade game. But then you have to forget about manpower. Once you trade a lot of grain, you can support a bigger army and manpower becomes less of an issue. But then you have to manage well your diplomacy and is usually wise to be in Castile/Spain good side.

 

[unmerged(25609)]

Trade. Control COTs, and especially place merchants where grain is traded. Your manpower will rise. If you don't go to war with Castille, you really don't need much manpower. Wait a little while before going after established states. Colonize nearby; set up bases for your ships and troops. Soon enough, your tech level will be way beyond theirs, and you can waltz over their armies with ease.
You'll never have enough money as Portugal; maintaining a large army is just a drain on your finances.

 

[Flammehav]

alliance won't help you in protecting your colonies and TP's anyway- only being in a war together vs. a third party, or some other reason why they would be allowed in your land (you give them MA, you are their vasal) will prevent that. .

QUOTE from Daniel A
By experience I can say that an alliance is 100% safe. In all my games as an early heavy coloniser I ally with Spain and Portugal up to the middle of the 17th century when the ToT ceases to exist. Never ever have they taken a province from me because of the ToT. QUOTE

I'm getting confused here. Will an aliance help me or not?

 

[unmerged(29041)]

Your manpower will rise.

Only with population increase (very slowly) and by random events until he can build CCs. It will not raise because of grain.

 

[Flammehav]

Just to clearifi one thing. Since I havn't changed sex in the last two weeks, I'm still female. Not planning on making a swithc in the near future either.

 

[unmerged(2934)]

I think you will only gain manpower from North Africa is there is a land connection to there from your capital. This (strait between Iberia and North Africa) is only in place for the latest beta's. Another change from the original product is there is now some sort of manpower bonus from vassals, and if HRE (not possible for Portugal?) you get a bonus for each HRE state you have good relations with.

Contrary to one of the above posts, I'm pretty sure that grain produced and traded influences only your supportable amount rather than manpower.

 

[unmerged(29041)]

QUOTE from Daniel A
By experience I can say that an alliance is 100% safe. In all my games as an early heavy coloniser I ally with Spain and Portugal up to the middle of the 17th century when the ToT ceases to exist. Never ever have they taken a province from me because of the ToT. QUOTE

I'm getting confused here. Will an aliance help me or not?

Theoretically it will not protect you, in practical terms Spain may never try to grab your colonies. I would still keep an eye on them if I were you (fortress 1 + some troops not too far).

 

[Toom]

The easyest way is to bribe the HRE electors to become emperor to get some manpower from them.

Also conquering or vasalizing(if centralization is low) european countries helps, but i agree with maiq when he says the best way to get manpower as portugal is to conquer morocco and andalucia to link your capital with your african colonies, provided you use the latests betas, of course.

 

[unmerged(29041)]

Being fully land will increase your manpower by 25% over fully naval, but it is kinda stupid being fully land as Portugal, since fully naval gives you so much.

 

[unmerged(25609)]

As Portugal I have a really crappy manpower. Can anyone please tell me how to raise it?. I know how to raise the maintaines number, but now it's 1472 and my manpower is still only 8000, with 4000 a year. Please help.
I want to try the war aspect a little bit, but I would have to wait years just to build of a half decent army. So far I only tried out for the Lenape(for the trade senter) and the Aztec (for the gold). Do I have to take on European nation to get more manpower? And if so which country, what provinces are best to go at? I just reached trade 3 and infra 4, but landtech is just 2. Shoul I put som money in that before I go to war. Most of the other European in also 2, but I expect some countries like France to hit 3 anytime now.

Sorry - I didn't read you initial post carefully.

But I would rather have, as Portugal, a higher support limit. The vast majority of your wars will be ones that you plan and prepare for. If you're not ready for a war with Zimbabwe. Stay allied with Spain / Castile, and you won't be caught short of troops ...

 

[unmerged(25696)]

Being fully land will increase your manpower by 25% over fully naval, but it is kinda stupid being fully land as Portugal, since fully naval gives you so much.

Full Land gives +25%, while full Naval gives -25%, so the total advantage is 50%. Quality vs Quantity yields the same modifiers, so a full Land/full Quantity will have thrice the manpower of a full Naval/full Quality (but better morale is better in SP, and Naval is a must-have for any colonizer).

With Portugal, start in 1419, ally to (at least) Aragon (and if possible Navarra, to fully encircle Castile), wait for them to DoW Granada, and backstab them. Try to take Andalusia and Toledo in the first war (and other provinces too if possible), and force-vassalize in the second. 30 years later (that is, before they even get the chance to change to Spain, tough that wouldn't change anything for you), DA them. And it's done (take over Aragon later too).

 

[unmerged(3931)]

With Portugal, start in 1419, ally to (at least) Aragon (and if possible Navarra, to fully encircle Castile), wait for them to DoW Granada, and backstab them. Try to take Andalusia and Toledo in the first war (and other provinces too if possible), and force-vassalize in the second. 30 years later (that is, before they even get the chance to change to Spain, tough that wouldn't change anything for you), DA them. And it's done (take over Aragon later too).

That is similar to what I do. I like playing a few early years of Portugal between more challanging games. But, in the first war, I wouldn't take a single province from Castile. I would force vassalize them. In addition to the good advice on making war in 1419, once all of Castile's provinces are covered, I recommend provoking a revolt in Algarve. Algarve doesn't defect until the war is over, but it's better to try to provoke the revolt before you gain control of too many other Catholic provinces. Once you gain 100% victory over Castile, hold control for a long time to get lots of peace cash. Once peace is made, allow Algarve to defect. Wait for war exhaustion to abate. Break truce against Castile with troops in your vassals' territory.

In 1510 you want Andalusia.