Thinking about playing as France

[Palatinus Germanicus]

I've never played France in EU4, just always seemed pointless. Last time I played France, it was EU3, and my goal was to stop the European powers from ever exploring or colonizing. I was the self-titled, "Protector & Defender of all Native Peoples & Primitive Lands". I was going to save them from the 'Universal Europe' that the game's title implies.

In 2 wars, Portugal was gone (convenient -- that's what you get for allying ENG)... they never even had a chance to get 'quest for the new world'. I brutalized England quickly, and barely managed to get a marriage after I retook the cores, which I then used to force a PU, (PU was only 2nd war w/ them, which also saw the final demise of Portugal). Then I PU'd Castille also, but only after taking all their coastal provinces. Just to be safe, I took out Aragon, and anyone else that I even suspected might be thinking about exploring... low countries, etc. And now I'm watching you... Kalmar Union. Don't even think about it.

I thought I had done it. Saved the world. No one will ever even discover the Atlantic, if I have anything to say about it.

Then a game-ruining nightmare happened. ENG (PU under me), got 'quest for the new world', WAY earlier than I ever could have anticipated (their 2nd idea). I was outraged. I couldn't stop it. They were out exploring... and within 50 years, all that stuff would spread to other Europeans... and they would all go out and slaughter the natives themselves, instead of the Iberians & English. "Europa Universalis", indeed. It was inevitable.

I couldn't stop it. I had failed.


But now... it's 1444. Even less time. Vassals are integrated, great. But MORE land has been lost to England? Ridiculous.

Anyway, I think maybe I want to try again. How should I go about it? Ruthlessly annex all coastal provinces of the offending (or potentially offending) colonizers? Will I have enough time? Should I true-break? I want one last, desperate attempt at saving the world. But I need a good plan... strategy...

 

[Meleya]

Portugal and castile are the first ones to get on the colonization game. Then england and norway. Scotland is also known for doing it, if they have cash. Yes its possible to rip apart all of the would-be colonizers before they colonize but you'd need to be quick. castile and portugal will be easy since france is better than both of them. just ally aragon and its gg no re for them. Also, when grabbing your cores back from england, you should maybe attempt to grab the province of Kent from england so the next time you go to war with them, you can land your stack there and won't need to deal with their big navy. And norway, I guess you can get a CB off of them from faroe island or something if you get to scotland

 

[makaramus]

here is the tip:AI will not colonize if he dont have money
if you cant annex them make sure they are in huge debt

 

[Badesumofu]

Another tip: subjects will never take Exploration or Expansion (exception is that CNs will always take Expansion, but if there are CNs you've already lost so, meh). Castile and Portugal are likely to take Exploration first and Castile get a colonist from their NIs, so Africa could be a problem. England rarely but not never take Exploration first. You probably have to straight up annex them, but you likely have some time to get that done. Don't worry about Aragon, they never colonise.

Norway is potentially a problem. They get a colonist from their NIs as well and often show up in the New World. I don't think they actually get an explorer, though, so maybe if the new world is just never discovered it won't be an issue.

What will eventually happen is that someone in Asia will likely colonise from the West Coast. Also there is always a chance the Ottomans will decide to colonise because why the heck not? Ottostralia is sight to behold, let me tell you.

 

[makaramus]

Another tip: subjects will never take Exploration or Expansion (exception is that CNs will always take Expansion, but if there are CNs you've already lost so, meh). Castile and Portugal are likely to take Exploration first and Castile get a colonist from their NIs, so Africa could be a problem. England rarely but not never take Exploration first. You probably have to straight up annex them, but you likely have some time to get that done. Don't worry about Aragon, they never colonise.

Norway is potentially a problem. They get a colonist from their NIs as well and often show up in the New World. I don't think they actually get an explorer, though, so maybe if the new world is just never discovered it won't be an issue.

What will eventually happen is that someone in Asia will likely colonise from the West Coast. Also there is always a chance the Ottomans will decide to colonise because why the heck not? Ottostralia is sight to behold, let me tell you.

they get an explorer But as I said if they dont have enought money(usually they dont) they wont colonize

Oh man even I was about to give up about colonizing as norway THEY ARE SO POOR XD

 

[eon47]

Ottostralia seems surprisingly common. They also have a thing for the Kuriles, because why wouldn't they?

 

[makaramus]

Ottostralia seems surprisingly common. They also have a thing for the Kuriles, because why wouldn't they?

I wanted to do a joke but I cant here

 

[PhoenixG]

I've never played France in EU4, just always seemed pointless. Last time I played France, it was EU3, and my goal was to stop the European powers from ever exploring or colonizing. I was the self-titled, "Protector & Defender of all Native Peoples & Primitive Lands". I was going to save them from the 'Universal Europe' that the game's title implies.

In 2 wars, Portugal was gone (convenient -- that's what you get for allying ENG)... they never even had a chance to get 'quest for the new world'. I brutalized England quickly, and barely managed to get a marriage after I retook the cores, which I then used to force a PU, (PU was only 2nd war w/ them, which also saw the final demise of Portugal). Then I PU'd Castille also, but only after taking all their coastal provinces. Just to be safe, I took out Aragon, and anyone else that I even suspected might be thinking about exploring... low countries, etc. And now I'm watching you... Kalmar Union. Don't even think about it.

I thought I had done it. Saved the world. No one will ever even discover the Atlantic, if I have anything to say about it.

Then a game-ruining nightmare happened. ENG (PU under me), got 'quest for the new world', WAY earlier than I ever could have anticipated (their 2nd idea). I was outraged. I couldn't stop it. They were out exploring... and within 50 years, all that stuff would spread to other Europeans... and they would all go out and slaughter the natives themselves, instead of the Iberians & English. "Europa Universalis", indeed. It was inevitable.

I couldn't stop it. I had failed.


But now... it's 1444. Even less time. Vassals are integrated, great. But MORE land has been lost to England? Ridiculous.

Anyway, I think maybe I want to try again. How should I go about it? Ruthlessly annex all coastal provinces of the offending (or potentially offending) colonizers? Will I have enough time? Should I true-break? I want one last, desperate attempt at saving the world. But I need a good plan... strategy...

On day one Ally Scotland and Castile (if can) and start shipping units to Scotland. If you able to ally Castile you can leave only a few stacks of units on the mainland or else you need around 10-12k.. After you done shipping, declare ware on England and call in Castile with promise land that we won't give him.. Castile will take care of the mainland, while you deal with English isle. When Portugal is ready to peace out, take one cheap province to be able to claim the next one and have a short truce. On England you want to take as much as possible on the English isle west coast, so their colonial range will be longer increasing the chance to pick it later. After that your main focus will be on Portugal and Castile. Since they will be first that get exploration ideas.

 

[korodikrisz]

On day one Ally Scotland and Castile (if can) and start shipping units to Scotland.

Doesn't that exile your units right off the bat?

 

[PhoenixG]

Doesn't that exile your units right off the bat?

Well ally and ask for access if you want to nitpick.

 

[korodikrisz]

Well ally and ask for access if you want to nitpick.

I kinda remember all units are exiled that are not in your area, and you declare a war.

 

[PhoenixG]

I kinda remember all units are exiled that are not in your area, and you declare a war.

that doesn't apply on allied land. That is the reason you need to ally Scotland.

 

[Dominion]

Or you just have them in your ships and get fleet+mil acc.
As soon as you DoW, you pull your transports into port, which is faster than any possible seatile>seatile movement.

Not really necessary in the case of Scotland, just a general hint. Troops don't get exiled while on ships.