Most fun Indian nation to play?

[C.N.]

I have started to consider the next nation to play, and have narrowed it down to India.

Furthermore, it should be a nation that either have an unique mission tree, or can become Delhi fast.
(So, one of these: Delhi, Jaunpur, Sirhind, Bengal, Orissa, Malwa, Mewar, Gujarat, Bahmanis, or Vijayanagar.)

Which one do you recommend as the most fun?

 

[Nirmara]

I had a blast with Mewar, their national ideas are awesome and they can really make use of the Rajput regiments (special government reform + poor land that is pretty much only good for an extra Rajput regiment). They also start out as Hindu so you get more unique flavor out of it.

Only downside is that their start can be challenging if you don't know what you are doing since they are surrounded by enemies and have very few potential allies.

Once you start rolling and get enough Rajput regiment, Mewar feel like playing as an Indian Prussia.

 

[Muelleri]

Mewar! It has two achievements too!

 

[schaedel]

Well, I had a great run with Mewar too, but OP wants to fulfill the Delhi mission tree and "Mewar never changes" takes quite some time (alas, at least it did for me, but I am probably a slow-ass player), so I would probably recommend Sirhind. They are a vassal of Delhi but way stronger than Delhi itself and you will have formed Delhi yourself by 1450 at the latest (probably by 1445 as you can immediately overwhelm and annex your overlord) and from there it's just snowballing. I think you can then convert to Sikhism and form Punjab (Sikh Pun Achievement) around 1490 and Punjab has nice Military ideas too

 

[C.N.]

but OP wants to fulfill the Delhi mission tree

I think you misunderstood me. I want to fulfill any unique mission tree. The only thing unique about Delhi's is that Sirhind or Jaunpur can become Delhi quite fast, and hence get a non-generic mission tree.

 

[schaedel]

Ok, sorry for the misunderstanding! In this case I have to vote for Mewar too, it's a real blast!

 

[User29]

Personally I think it's Bengal, but that's because my campaign with them was so good, A ramping up competition with China and a Game of Thrones in India meant I was always on my toes through the whole campaign, The permanent modifiers they get at the end of their mission tree are really cool and pretty strong too. While I was Humanist I still ended up converting all of East Asia with the Trade policy and Bengal has a special government reform granting more trade power and an extra merchant early game

 

[Gratak]

Mughals are probably missing on the list. Granted you have to start outside India, but you become Indian as soon as you form them (which can happen very fast as Transoxiana or Timmurids). The Heir of Timur achievement is also a fun one, though it can be a bit frightening with a seemingly insanely tough limit.

But I also have to agree that Mewar is a good one. Though the start is indeed harder than one would expect from the only Indian nation with a gold (or rather silver) mine that starts in the best Indian trade node.

 

[schaedel]

Mewar and a tough start? I only had some problems, after Sirhind swallowed up Delhi, formed Delhi themselves, seriously blobbed and allied to Belutschistan and some other countries, but that was a tad later. The immediate start for Mewar is not that hard I think? You will almost certainly be able to ally Bahmanis and hit Gujarat (your natural rival) hard from the (near) get-go. And there will always be some of the minors around you without too big a protection. Mewar starts with that 10(?)% ICA, take some Rajput-regiments and you are a real powerhouse.

 

[Gratak]

Mewar and a tough start? I only had some problems, after Sirhind swallowed up Delhi, formed Delhi themselves, seriously blobbed and allied to Belutschistan and some other countries, but that was a tad later. The immediate start for Mewar is not that hard I think? You will almost certainly be able to ally Bahmanis and hit Gujarat (your natural rival) hard from the (near) get-go. And there will always be some of the minors around you without too big a protection. Mewar starts with that 10(?)% ICA, take some Rajput-regiments and you are a real powerhouse.

I was unable to get an alliance with anything bigger than 2PM. Got a war-dec from Gujarat+Sind very early. Won the war, but it was a very close call.

 

[El_Cid_]

1.26 Mewar for 120% discipline rajput infantry day 1

 

[kakatua]

The start as Mewar is pretty easy, tbh. Many times Bahmanis declare on Gujarat, which creates an opportunity. Spam alliances with minors to get more men and no way AI will declare on you.

 

[fireduck]

Have to vote for Mewar as well, though Vijayanagar was also really fun when I tried it. Vijayanagar also has many play styles - you can either go and conquer India as a land power or go more colonial and dominate the Indian Ocean.

 

[Rabid]

Jaunpur, Sirhind and Bengal are all very easy starts, Malwa is slightly more difficult since you're kind of blocked in.

Bengal has the unique advantage of having a huge unique mission tree which you can complete for permanent bonuses, then you can form Delhi and get claims on basically all of India and free cores on a bunch of the northwest, then you can form Hindustan for even more missions!

 

[ElGranCapitan]

Going through your list from my perspective as an achievement hunter

Delhi, Jaunpur, Sirhind: All these are basically the same, except for the start. Sirhind has a god king, but Delhi has a unique and fun achievement. If you don't mind the 1/1/1 ruler of Delhi I'd recommend them as the achievement is basically the same as following the mission tree

Bengal: Haven't played them yet, but interesting starting position. Also a rather easy achievement (conquer Samarkand)
Orissa: They are fun to play and have a great starting king, but their achievement kinda sucks (have every tropical wood province).
Malwa/Gujarat: Never played them, no unique achievement though
Mewar: 2 unique achievements. Interesting start with a good ruler. I don't think they are challenging, yeah they are no Vijayanagar, but still not too difficult. They have a great military
Bahmanis, Vijayanagar: The 2 strongest nations in India. Vijayanagar is way easier though as they are stronger and you aren't in danger of a multifront war. They share an achievement (play as one and kill the other). Also Hindu vs Shia

All of them are strong picks, but I'd probably play Mewar or Vijayanagar first. They have unique missions and achievements and their ruler does not suck (which is always annoying when playing away from Europe). Plus Hindu is cool.

 

[Foefaller]

I had a lot of fun with Mewar and Bengal when I played them, though I'm going to have to do Mewar again because I picked the wrong ideas (need to be able to hit at least 125% disipline, and I had already taken and invested into Quantity and defensive before I took a hard look at it) and wasn't able to finish the mission tree for the chevo before I was ready for something new. Plan on doing Delhi soon for their achievement, in between attempts at getting True Heir of Timurd.

While the RotW additions might have been less than desirable for some, Dharma really made playing as an Indian nation in India pretty fun.

 

[El_Cid_]

I had a lot of fun with Mewar and Bengal when I played them, though I'm going to have to do Mewar again because I picked the wrong ideas (need to be able to hit at least 125% disipline, and I had already taken and invested into Quantity and defensive before I took a hard look at it).

Have you considered the +10% discipline event from having a level 3+ discipline advisor?

 

[Less2]

Vijayanagar is definitely the easymode tag of the region. Everything to the south is easy to eat with permanent claims day 1 if you check the mission conditions. This also monopolizes your trade node, something almost no other tag can accomplish as quickly. Bahmanis is Shia in a sea of Sunni/Hindu and therefore also easy to eat with no AE. Some decent truce management to avoid coalitions and all the Hindu east Indian minors and Orissa are easily eaten without the world caring. Should be able to ally some decent Sunni powers and use them in your conquests and later as an AE shield when you start picking on Sunnis. If you aren't the #2 GP with 600 or so development by 1470-80 you've done something wrong.

 

[Foefaller]

Have you considered the +10% discipline event from having a level 3+ discipline advisor?

Did not know such an event existed.

Save's already gone though, so it will he starting over either way.

 

[User29]

Did not know such an event existed.

Save's already gone though, so it will he starting over either way.

all level three advisors have this somewhat uncommon event that generally doubles whatever their effect is +1 stab or +50 prestige to boot, there are some weird exceptions like theologians and inquisitors have the same bonus rather than doubling the theologians bonus to -4 unrest, but it's the main reason a lot of people like to go from level 1 to level 3 advisors cause the event is common enough that if you hire an age 30ish level 3 guy you can reasonably expect to get this event in his lifetime, with a wee bit of luck anyay.