Stuck as Austria

[unmerged(140901)]

Ok I’ve been playing Vicky for some time now and currently I’m enjoying my first successful Austrian campaign. I have however come to a difficult crossroads in the year 1885 and would like some input from veteran players.

To sum up the campaign to date:
- Allied papal states early on to maintain the balance of power in Italy
- Intervened on behalf of the Germans in Denmark
- Helped the papal states take all of central Italy (Tuscany, Modena)
- Won 3 successive wars in the Balkans while Russia was beaten in the Crimea against the Ottomans and their satellites

Now here’s where my balance of power plan fell apart. Some time in the early 1860’s I was bored and invaded Panama; the war ended up dragging out and while I was busy the Papal States (allied) declares war on Sardinia-Piedmont. At first the plan is to accept the call to arms and do nothing, aside from letting the two sides bloody each other up. Unfortunately France entered the war and I could see that all of Italy might fall. I had wanted to avoid a unified Italy but the French forced my hand since I had to choose between a French backed Italy or a friendly Italy. The war ended in victory by 1865 but killed my plan to buddy up to France before the Franco-Prussian War.

I then had to rush and get ready for the inevitable Austrian-Prussian war of 1866; but to my luck the Prussians avoided the war via event. This effectively saved me from having to fight the rest of Germany in order to keep it fragmented. Between 1866 and 1870 the Papal States and I gobbled up the Two Sicilies who had no one to protect them. Then in 1870 the Franco-Prussian war broke out; even with Sardinia’s and Spain’s help France still got steamrolled. In the midst of the war the Papal States again attacks Sardinia and I backed them again. By 1971 we had a unified Italy (allied to me), peace with France and a unified Germany.

Between 1871 and 1885 all I have been doing is buddying up to the Germans, developing my industrial capacity and puppeting Switzerland. Here’s the problematic Scene in 1885 however:
- Germany is a big bad scary monster with twice the amount of divisions I have
- The Russians have finally recovered from the Crimean War and are parking troops near the border
- France has most of its troops back
- I have the second largest navy with 60 ships to the UK’s 529
- I have the second largest amount of exports but the UK easily doubles me
- The UK has over four times the population I have

I frankly have no clue what to do now. If I fight Russia it’ll be a bloody war, if I take on Germany I won’t fair much better than France, I can’t fight the UK with their 500+ ships and I can’t fight the Ottomans because they are guaranteed by the British. I’m hemmed in with only the Italians to assist me if need be. The only thing I can think of is sacrifice my economy and double or triple my divisions, then fight an all out war with Germany or Russia to get breathing room. A very risky prospect either way.

Any advice is appreciated.
kilarious

 

[kingofthebay]

Another idea. Expand your horizons west, enter the colonial game. Take out Tunis or some other north african state, or start near the congo and create a glorious German speaking land. Or strike the weak Saudi Arabia, or indochina. These choices are easier, and create more economy in the long run. Long live the Hapsburgs.

 

[unmerged(140901)]

I thought about the colonial game, even Saudi Arabia. Problem is that colonies won't provide raw manpower and any military resources I spend there will weaken me at home when war breaks out..... and it will.

I currently have 37 spare manpower to the Uk's 2000+ so supplying a colonial empire isn't that desirable. I have considered annexing Korea, but it is awefully far away so getting troops from point A to B when at war won't be easy.

 

[MannheimCouncil]

The colonial game is not without military benefits, even if you play V:R. What is the status of Korea and Annam in your game? I don't remember whether the former gets guaranteed by Japan, China an Russia in Vanilla, too (it most often is in VIP). Both countries need a sizeable invasion force to to conquer them, but you can keep them under your thumb with 3-5 cuirassiers each at most.

If you can avoid destroying each and every of their divisions they should net you a decent amount of colonial manpower. Of course, this is a bit gamey, but if your enemies are Russia and Germany that should be the smaller problem.

Generally, it's better to get into the unciv-bashing early as Austria to get a base for raw materials and extra manpower. Germany uniting is a worst-case scenario. I generally don't worry too much about Italy. They can be beaten by a well-prepared Austria even if they unite.

If you like playing Austria, you might want to give VIP a try. It makes the game a lot more difficult for the monarchy, but it also gives you great rewards if you manage to defeat Prussia.

 

[unmerged(21897)]

Make friendly with the Germans and Russkies.

 

[unmerged(140901)]

Making nice with the Russians ain't happening; currently we have about -197 relations. They apparently didn't like my aggressive policies in the Balkans. The Germans are nice for now, but holding 3 of their cores might change that eventually; I would hate to have done so well only to get destroyed late game by super-Germany.

I think I'm going to grab Korea, they are the softest target right now. I will have to use the extra manpower to cover my borders with at least the Russians.

 

[unmerged(210804)]

If you're still a great power, befriending the Russians, though long and tedious, might still be interesting. An alliance would be very dissuasive with the german (and Russian-Austrian coalition could try and sandwich Germany).

 

[unmerged(140901)]

I might try and befriend the Russians despite 15+ divisions sitting on my border (vs. my 12 divisons). It's gonna cost a lot of diplomatic points but may well be worth the investment.

Just fyi I see 4 alliance blocks forming in game:

1. Britain + Indian Allies + Germany + Ottoman Empire
2. Austria + Italy + Switzerland
3. France + Spain +Belgium
4. Russia + Sweden + Denmark

 

[unmerged(21897)]

You can always try and make friends with both. Form an alliance with Germany excluding Russia and one with Russia excluding Germany.

 

[unmerged(140901)]

I just got an hour or so in and sadly after I had raised the 4 additional divisions for the Korean campaign I saw that Japan had completely beaten me to the punch. I settled for the Hedjaz and Yemen; hopefully it pays off.

I also secured a defensive alliance (however temporary) with Germany, exception France. The French and Germans can have at each other all they want. Plus I managed to raise 8 new divisions and reploy my German border troops to my Russian front. Bring it on Russia, just bring it.

I hope they declare so I can seize Poland with German help and reclaim my awesome status. The darn Brits have shot way past me, I only held #1 ranking for about 2 years by my count.

Fingers crossed.... and toes.

kilarious

Edit: I really want to be gamey and land 200,000 troops on Britain in a surprise landing but it seems too implausible.

Edit 2: The rest of Arabia is mine. If I ever end up at war with Britain I might as well just hand over Arabia though; they can so easily cut me off via the Suez Canal now that they took Egypt.... sigh.