Provence candidate for a WC

[Tijean]

I have to thanks Paradox for adding ideas to Provence. In EUIII Provence was a great nation to play. Now I feel it even better.

I want to point at some ideas in particular for the main strategy.
+1 Diplomatic Reputation : Great for annexing vassal quicker
+1 Legitimacy : Weak bonus in general, but Legimacy is a rare bonus to get. Just take it.
-20% Fabricate Claims Time : Quicker means less chance to get caught
-1 Unrest : Less rebellion
+2 Diplomatic Relations : More free Vassal/PU

Combine those ideas with Influence ideas and you got :
-55 Fabricate Claims Time : Half a years for a claim. Great!
+3 Diplo reputation
+3 Diplo relation
-20 AE impact
-25% Diplomatic annexation cost

The ideas is to get a lot of vassal and annex then for 75% of the cost.
You also have to core yourself. Quick claim give you -25%, Adaptability -25%, Reform the Hofgericht -10%.
For a total of 60%, great but not perfect.

Overall strategy:
Vassalise Britany during the 100 years war
Improve relation with Austria
Peace out England, Sell 2 province to your vassal, allie Austria and join the HRE.
Improve relation with Castille and try to allie then too.
Annex Britanny after the third ideas of influence
If France is in difficulty attack then otherwise hope for a defensive war when Austria is not busy. Austria would always drag is allie in the war if it defensive and you stay as the War Leader!!
In any peace treaty with France, give more land to Loraine.
Take nice and Liguria
Vassalise Genoa for a foot hole in asia.
Use the Genoa claim to expand event more in Asia.
Try to get PU with any great power.

Main Ideas :
Influence
Religious
Administrative
Expansion
(very late) Exploration

Optionnal ideas :
Diplomatic(Flexible negociation look awsome but never try it)

 

[uishax]

Lel? I don't even think Ottomans can do a WC anymore, way too many provinces to siege through. You also can't inherit CNs anymore because they break off after the overlords get devastated by WE.

 

[Frungy78]

Most of the new provinces are in Africa and Asia, which can be protectorated. Ottomans might be tough, but a western nation can probably do WC's still.

 

[powerguy]

Lel? I don't even think Ottomans can do a WC anymore, way too many provinces to siege through. You also can't inherit CNs anymore because they break off after the overlords get devastated by WE.

PU's mean that WC's are never off the table tbh. If you get lucky and manage to PU Spain and/or France early in the game then its definitely still possible. There was a thread pretty recently where as Spain the OP had managed to kill Portugal, get the Iberian Wedding event (with Naples still under Aragon), trigger the Burgundian Inheritance to take the low lands and the somehow managed to get Austria in a PU as well. From that start if you keep pressure on France, prevent England from crushing Scotland and stop Russia from colonising then WC is definitely possible.

Note when I say WC I am assuming we are talking about World Domination (i.e. the achievement) which requires you to be the last independent nation in the world. A single tag WC would be incredibly difficult even with some lucky events to help you along.

 

[Tijean]

I'm talking about the achievement definition or just a global domination. I must say the extra province in Africa make the achievement a bit harder, but it not impossible. The new province in asia doesn't change anything since the easiest way to protectorate.

I tried two times to run game with Provence and this strat rely on Austria. If Austria is powerfull it gonna be very easy take France position. After that you are basically France but with a different set of ideas.

 

[mgoetze]

-20% Fabricate Claims Time : Quicker means less chance to get caught

I doubt coalitions are even a major stumbling block to WC in 1.8, you just need to do some work staggering truces and stay in fighting condition at all times.