Ever wondered which country has the best sliders? Has the best missions? Is overlooked and underloved? There's a load of countries in the game, but most of us end up playing just a select few. So this is a thread, that hopefully, will give a one line description of what's great about our favourite country; so old-timers can see if they agree, and newbies can get an idea or two.
So a couple of lines, about your favourite country. Each country can have a max of 2 descriptions, and I'll add the best descriptions for each country into this initial post.
Hopefully we'll enjoy reading other's descriptions, and also learn a thing or two about how we each play the game!
Aachen
Great sliders for trade Johnbarnshack
Aragon
Nice missions, and in an ideal position to control all western mediterrannean Sea ...plus fun challenge, as you have to face both France and Castille. Quite a fun middle power to play. Gamera
Bavaria
Middle power with really bad sliders, but great missions (4 out of 5 are giving cores)... perfect for playing in the HRE without playing the big usual ones (Austria, Burgundy, Bohemia). You'll spend your time PU people or vassalize them. Gamera
To be fair to Bavaria, once you recover your jaw from the floor at the sight of the Mercantilism 5 and Decentralization 4, they're not actually that bad. The only thing wrong with Aristo 3 and Land 3 is that they aren't Aristo 5 and Land 5, Narrowminded 1 is nothing special, Serfdom 4 is better than Burgundy players think it is, and Quality 0 and Off/Def 0 let you make your own mind up. grommile
Brittany
i love brittany videonfan
Brunei
Start off as a realtively powerful island nation with good expansion options. Try to form Malaya and Westernise fully so I'm ready to keep the Europeans out of Asia. This did become harder with the advent of Hordes and Snakehemia happening. Dauth
Burgundy
+2 Free trade so they can move to either direction rather easily. Several early easy missions to expand into the Netherlands. Once those missions are completed a string of subjugation mission in the HRE usually follows. Plus once they eat France they can take can form France and do all the French missions as well. chgrogers
Byzantium
It's The Little Empire That Could. I love the feeling when a rag-tag army wins against the odds, and the satisfaction at the provincial renaming when the Theme system is re-enacted swiftly followed by all the Turks becoming Greek. yabba
Byzantium starts poorly, but it got a great form of Government (Empire) and has everything necessary for a fast expansion: tons of cores, deadly missions, holy war casus belly.... it's well known that if you succeed to get 10 provinces by 1420 you can steamroll the world.Gamera
Chagatai
Never played them, but they have amazing sliders for a steppe nomad (0 cent, 0 innovative) and really mountainous land that's perfect for defense.Taiisatai64
Denmark
Quite a strong situation to begin with (you leads 2 personnal unions)...that is if you can keep Sweden from insulting you. Quite a poor country, you'll have to fight to inherit Norway and Sweden and eventually form Scandinavia. Plus you start with the yummy Sound Toll modifier. And like anyone bordering the HRE, you'll want to meddle with it.Gamera
After the HYW ends you can troll england with help of swedish and norwegian fleet and you can take enough provinces so that sweden doesn't insult you. videonfan
England
Possess the ability to be unreachable on an island surrounded by the most powerful navy in the world. They really allow the player to shape how they are going to play the game. They also have decent sliders, and pretty good missions and decisions. jnt.mullen
Finland
If starting in 1399 as a Swedish vassal, you can't even afford an army. Your sliders are dire, land poor and neighbours unhappy. You are in one of the worst culture groups in the whole world, have no missions and your options for expansion all involve fighting those much bigger and stronger than you.
You are however the Easternmost Western Tech country and have Swedish protection for as long as that lasts. DDR Jake
France
I don't think anybody has any love for France. jnt.mullen
France is also interesting, especially if you want to recreate the 100 Years War or reconquer Jerusalem, which i have done both of.
Last but not least, Vijayanagar is the best Indian nation to play as. Good chance to form Hindustan and a powerful army. doom44
Golden Horde
...is a lot of fun when you are in a bad mood and just want to beat something up. A powerful army that can deal with TSCs quickly and destroy the small russian princepalities, and good chance for expansion in all directions. doom44
Hansa
Trade league cb abuse allows easy vassalition which turns into easy cores with missions and you get a run at Germany/HRE Dauth
Holland
I constantly have tons of fun playing as Holland.It may be because I love to jump right into the action and conquer the uncivilized nations all over the world as early as possible(with intense trade tech investment you can get tech 7 by 1418 or so,and govt 4 will research by itself in the meantime,so QFTNW that early is awsum). Tudyboss
Mecklenberg
Great sliders for trade and good North American colonizer. Johnbarnshack
Moldavia
Just started a game (well, three... took a few tries to survive) with these fellows. There's nothing super-special about them other than their start: you're a 2PM, Eastern Tech, vassal of Poland, who borders Poland-Lithuania, Hungary, the Ottomans... and the Golden Horde. By all rights you should be completely boned. You can try to ride out the vassalization with Poland, but odds are either Hungary or the Horde will put a forcible end to it. Then you're left as a 2PM bordering the Horde. "Yay". So you either have to survive with Poland guarding you until the Horde is in remission, or you'll have however long your remaining truce time with the Horde is to build up enough troops and grab enough land to get them to accept tribute rather than all your land. Bonus points: you've got a fun bull-head flag. Shame forming Romania and taking the torch from the Byzantines is too tempting! EDIT: Oh, and did I mention all your starting trade resources are wool? Nothing says "Golden Horde killer" like wool. The rest of potential Romania? Even more wool! And then a single fish and grain resource each. Maybe the Ottomans will fear your economic might when you've got those fish (which I totally do). Comradebot
Muscovy
Horrible starters, terrible starting position, but there is nothing more satisfying than finally overcoming the Golden Horde, dismantling them piece by piece, going on to form Russia and becoming the bane of western Europe. jnt.mullen
Because it's freakin' Moscow! Comradebot
Mutapa
Best Sub-Saharan start... well, my favorite. A flavor of Paganism (which is rare outside of the crappier Native American nations), you're rich in gold, ivory, and slaves, and with some smart play you can very easily Westernize by 1500. Do that, and the entirety of South Africa and the Indian Ocean is your playground to colonize. Your Pagan-ness can be allowed to continue as you can use your riches to create an army no European landing force will be able to handle. Comradebot
Ottoman Empire
Bigest muslim power of the world,although its under constant threat,the christians declare crusades over you and attack you all the time,you will have to face austria,which can be really painful.Also other muslim states such as mamluks,timurids and persia will be a constant danger.You will have to decide,either go east to join all muslims in the world,or west to punish the christians. lordaugus
Pommerania
You're slightly larger than most of the rest of the HRE minors, you've got the best flag in the game, nifty green color to paint the world with, you can form Prussia (but lose the awesome culture and color, so why would you?), and you're a true dark horse for control of the Baltic thanks to the HRE's protection. Comradebot
Pskov
Impossible to play as, but i love them. I don't know why, it's just that they are radiating with awesome. doom44
Teutonic Order
You don't have the raw power of some of your neighbors, but that just means a target-rich environment. Your country is very solid and well-placed to meddle with the Empire, overrun Poland and Russia, or sail into Scandinavia if you're feeling like something different. I especially favor conquering Poland-Lithuania while they're distracted by the Golden Horde; if you can do that, the Teutonic Order is well-placed to break the Horde and snake into Russia like Bohemia's bigger, badder brother. In addition to this, being a Theocracy means that you don't have to play the legitimacy game and won't be distracted by royal marriages early on, and gives you a leg up in the Curia race; the Teutons can usually count on a cardinal or two to salve the pain of infamy. For added fun, the Order can form Prussia later in the game, at which point it should be a trifle to seize the Imperial crown, form Germany, or both (if you're feeling redundant). Ramidel
Styria
They're only available if you start in 1430 or so, but they have 0 cent, base tax 5 and 7 gold producing provinces, and cores on 3 Austrian provinces.Slym
Sweden
Starts off not in a great position, but later on it can become a powerhouse. It has a good military decision (Hakkapelitia i believe it's name, which decreases costs for cavalry) and good missions for taking over the Baltic. Cpl Wilding
Switzerland
Starts with 6 or 7 provinces and is a trade/tech powerhouse. Max free subjects/plutocracy and an admin republic. Free trade is at 0 so after about 60 years and 5 slider moves you can be the strongest trader of the world, and before that you won't have trouble keeping 5 merchants in most COTs either. It gets great subjugation missions too because it has lots of 1 or 2 province minors around it.
It does start out with 5 decentralisation though, and it's ofcourse landlocked at the start. I found both to be pretty easy to overcome. preordain16
Ulm
Same government and sliders as Switzerland, but with only one province and located almost directly in the center of the HRE. You can dominate trade, but expansion is difficult due to being in the HRE and your small neighbors are often guaranteed by Austria or Bavaria. Also the subject of an amazing AAR. Y2Jonathan
Venice
Great decisions and missions combined with a great strategic location and a rich CoT. While bordering the dreadful Austria, you have several missions to conquer the rich university provinces in Northern Italy. Perfect trader/coloniser and/or for forming Italy.Grubnessul
Thanks for the input so far!
2 descriptions for each country. If you can best a description already in, yours will replace that one. Let's get a definitive play list!
So a couple of lines, about your favourite country. Each country can have a max of 2 descriptions, and I'll add the best descriptions for each country into this initial post.
Hopefully we'll enjoy reading other's descriptions, and also learn a thing or two about how we each play the game!
Aachen
Great sliders for trade Johnbarnshack
Aragon
Nice missions, and in an ideal position to control all western mediterrannean Sea ...plus fun challenge, as you have to face both France and Castille. Quite a fun middle power to play. Gamera
Bavaria
Middle power with really bad sliders, but great missions (4 out of 5 are giving cores)... perfect for playing in the HRE without playing the big usual ones (Austria, Burgundy, Bohemia). You'll spend your time PU people or vassalize them. Gamera
To be fair to Bavaria, once you recover your jaw from the floor at the sight of the Mercantilism 5 and Decentralization 4, they're not actually that bad. The only thing wrong with Aristo 3 and Land 3 is that they aren't Aristo 5 and Land 5, Narrowminded 1 is nothing special, Serfdom 4 is better than Burgundy players think it is, and Quality 0 and Off/Def 0 let you make your own mind up. grommile
Brittany
i love brittany videonfan
Brunei
Start off as a realtively powerful island nation with good expansion options. Try to form Malaya and Westernise fully so I'm ready to keep the Europeans out of Asia. This did become harder with the advent of Hordes and Snakehemia happening. Dauth
Burgundy
+2 Free trade so they can move to either direction rather easily. Several early easy missions to expand into the Netherlands. Once those missions are completed a string of subjugation mission in the HRE usually follows. Plus once they eat France they can take can form France and do all the French missions as well. chgrogers
Byzantium
It's The Little Empire That Could. I love the feeling when a rag-tag army wins against the odds, and the satisfaction at the provincial renaming when the Theme system is re-enacted swiftly followed by all the Turks becoming Greek. yabba
Byzantium starts poorly, but it got a great form of Government (Empire) and has everything necessary for a fast expansion: tons of cores, deadly missions, holy war casus belly.... it's well known that if you succeed to get 10 provinces by 1420 you can steamroll the world.Gamera
Chagatai
Never played them, but they have amazing sliders for a steppe nomad (0 cent, 0 innovative) and really mountainous land that's perfect for defense.Taiisatai64
Denmark
Quite a strong situation to begin with (you leads 2 personnal unions)...that is if you can keep Sweden from insulting you. Quite a poor country, you'll have to fight to inherit Norway and Sweden and eventually form Scandinavia. Plus you start with the yummy Sound Toll modifier. And like anyone bordering the HRE, you'll want to meddle with it.Gamera
After the HYW ends you can troll england with help of swedish and norwegian fleet and you can take enough provinces so that sweden doesn't insult you. videonfan
England
Possess the ability to be unreachable on an island surrounded by the most powerful navy in the world. They really allow the player to shape how they are going to play the game. They also have decent sliders, and pretty good missions and decisions. jnt.mullen
Finland
If starting in 1399 as a Swedish vassal, you can't even afford an army. Your sliders are dire, land poor and neighbours unhappy. You are in one of the worst culture groups in the whole world, have no missions and your options for expansion all involve fighting those much bigger and stronger than you.
You are however the Easternmost Western Tech country and have Swedish protection for as long as that lasts. DDR Jake
France
I don't think anybody has any love for France. jnt.mullen
France is also interesting, especially if you want to recreate the 100 Years War or reconquer Jerusalem, which i have done both of.
Last but not least, Vijayanagar is the best Indian nation to play as. Good chance to form Hindustan and a powerful army. doom44
Golden Horde
...is a lot of fun when you are in a bad mood and just want to beat something up. A powerful army that can deal with TSCs quickly and destroy the small russian princepalities, and good chance for expansion in all directions. doom44
Hansa
Trade league cb abuse allows easy vassalition which turns into easy cores with missions and you get a run at Germany/HRE Dauth
Holland
I constantly have tons of fun playing as Holland.It may be because I love to jump right into the action and conquer the uncivilized nations all over the world as early as possible(with intense trade tech investment you can get tech 7 by 1418 or so,and govt 4 will research by itself in the meantime,so QFTNW that early is awsum). Tudyboss
Mecklenberg
Great sliders for trade and good North American colonizer. Johnbarnshack
Moldavia
Just started a game (well, three... took a few tries to survive) with these fellows. There's nothing super-special about them other than their start: you're a 2PM, Eastern Tech, vassal of Poland, who borders Poland-Lithuania, Hungary, the Ottomans... and the Golden Horde. By all rights you should be completely boned. You can try to ride out the vassalization with Poland, but odds are either Hungary or the Horde will put a forcible end to it. Then you're left as a 2PM bordering the Horde. "Yay". So you either have to survive with Poland guarding you until the Horde is in remission, or you'll have however long your remaining truce time with the Horde is to build up enough troops and grab enough land to get them to accept tribute rather than all your land. Bonus points: you've got a fun bull-head flag. Shame forming Romania and taking the torch from the Byzantines is too tempting! EDIT: Oh, and did I mention all your starting trade resources are wool? Nothing says "Golden Horde killer" like wool. The rest of potential Romania? Even more wool! And then a single fish and grain resource each. Maybe the Ottomans will fear your economic might when you've got those fish (which I totally do). Comradebot
Muscovy
Horrible starters, terrible starting position, but there is nothing more satisfying than finally overcoming the Golden Horde, dismantling them piece by piece, going on to form Russia and becoming the bane of western Europe. jnt.mullen
Because it's freakin' Moscow! Comradebot
Mutapa
Best Sub-Saharan start... well, my favorite. A flavor of Paganism (which is rare outside of the crappier Native American nations), you're rich in gold, ivory, and slaves, and with some smart play you can very easily Westernize by 1500. Do that, and the entirety of South Africa and the Indian Ocean is your playground to colonize. Your Pagan-ness can be allowed to continue as you can use your riches to create an army no European landing force will be able to handle. Comradebot
Ottoman Empire
Bigest muslim power of the world,although its under constant threat,the christians declare crusades over you and attack you all the time,you will have to face austria,which can be really painful.Also other muslim states such as mamluks,timurids and persia will be a constant danger.You will have to decide,either go east to join all muslims in the world,or west to punish the christians. lordaugus
Pommerania
You're slightly larger than most of the rest of the HRE minors, you've got the best flag in the game, nifty green color to paint the world with, you can form Prussia (but lose the awesome culture and color, so why would you?), and you're a true dark horse for control of the Baltic thanks to the HRE's protection. Comradebot
Pskov
Impossible to play as, but i love them. I don't know why, it's just that they are radiating with awesome. doom44
Teutonic Order
You don't have the raw power of some of your neighbors, but that just means a target-rich environment. Your country is very solid and well-placed to meddle with the Empire, overrun Poland and Russia, or sail into Scandinavia if you're feeling like something different. I especially favor conquering Poland-Lithuania while they're distracted by the Golden Horde; if you can do that, the Teutonic Order is well-placed to break the Horde and snake into Russia like Bohemia's bigger, badder brother. In addition to this, being a Theocracy means that you don't have to play the legitimacy game and won't be distracted by royal marriages early on, and gives you a leg up in the Curia race; the Teutons can usually count on a cardinal or two to salve the pain of infamy. For added fun, the Order can form Prussia later in the game, at which point it should be a trifle to seize the Imperial crown, form Germany, or both (if you're feeling redundant). Ramidel
Styria
They're only available if you start in 1430 or so, but they have 0 cent, base tax 5 and 7 gold producing provinces, and cores on 3 Austrian provinces.Slym
Sweden
Starts off not in a great position, but later on it can become a powerhouse. It has a good military decision (Hakkapelitia i believe it's name, which decreases costs for cavalry) and good missions for taking over the Baltic. Cpl Wilding
Switzerland
Starts with 6 or 7 provinces and is a trade/tech powerhouse. Max free subjects/plutocracy and an admin republic. Free trade is at 0 so after about 60 years and 5 slider moves you can be the strongest trader of the world, and before that you won't have trouble keeping 5 merchants in most COTs either. It gets great subjugation missions too because it has lots of 1 or 2 province minors around it.
It does start out with 5 decentralisation though, and it's ofcourse landlocked at the start. I found both to be pretty easy to overcome. preordain16
Ulm
Same government and sliders as Switzerland, but with only one province and located almost directly in the center of the HRE. You can dominate trade, but expansion is difficult due to being in the HRE and your small neighbors are often guaranteed by Austria or Bavaria. Also the subject of an amazing AAR. Y2Jonathan
Venice
Great decisions and missions combined with a great strategic location and a rich CoT. While bordering the dreadful Austria, you have several missions to conquer the rich university provinces in Northern Italy. Perfect trader/coloniser and/or for forming Italy.Grubnessul
Thanks for the input so far!
2 descriptions for each country. If you can best a description already in, yours will replace that one. Let's get a definitive play list!
Last edited:
), and Quality 0 and Off/Def 0 let you make your own mind up.
