WC: How to manage in time?

[secretchief]

Right. Thanks for that equation @bly08, that will help in future decisions! The screenshots are a bit outdated now, having taken almost all the Channel Provinces now, I have 87 % and 14 Frigates protecting. My monthly trade income is a healthy 305 ducats as we speak, which is more or less my net income as well, although I now I'm in the process of cleansing my armies to having manpower artillery and merc infantry consistently. I'm actually not really sure where to expand next. I might take on Holland as they are allied to Russia and also have much of South Africa, the three remaining channel provinces and a few colonies around the world. However, I should perhaps just finish off Kilwa, Brahmanis and take out the Mamluks?

edit: I've also started Improving with Sweden to see if I can get in on the No-Legal-Heir-King-Karl action, but having NO knowledge on how to create PUs and play the Dynastic game, I don't know if I should. I could just feed Sweden to vassal Norway bit by bit through war instead (which would feel good, seeing as I myself is Norwegian in real life, haha).

 

[secretchief]

For anyone still following this thread - which has turned into an AAR, more or less - here is an update anno 1676.

My last update mentioned I had taken most of the Netherlands, apart from a three Dutch provinces, as well as much of coastal India. I also finally got the 2nd Admin Idea, which is clearly essential. Since then, I annexed my Catalonian vassal (which started to get uppity), took the remaining rump of Aragon (which also was allied with the Swiss, leading me to capture a few of the western Swiss provinces. Finally, on the African scene, I have now also annexed Oyo (to free up a Diplo space) and had my 2nd Kilwa war and fed Ceylon mostly (I need my admin points). Ceylon has now been fed into the annexation grinder, in its early stage.

On diplomacy, I still have Denmark and Norway as vassals, but plan on annexing Norway quite soon, just to free up even more space and acquire a number of North American provinces. Denmark is still useful, as they give me CB on Russian provinces and first needs to be made whole again, since German principalities have taken much of Jutland. Timurids is my large ally in central Asia, but that has been a double-edged sword, since they are allied to a number of nations whom I want to conquer (e.g. Indonesian, Arabian and Indian ones). By the way, on this map, Ceylon and Kilwa have almost the same colour, but Kilwa has only the interior of SE Africa and the coast of southern half of and western Madagascar.

BUT the best thing that has happened recently, has been the creation of a PU with a massive Sweden My aged king Maximilian III died recently, leaving me a 2/5/2 king in George I with a strong claim, but without consort. I have had a marriage with Sweden for 10 years, and their king has been without heir for the whole period (succession war between Great Britain and Bohemia on monarch death). But with my newly anointed king George I, I formed a new marriage link with Sweden, and very soon after they just fell into a PU with me as junior partner! Fantastic development I guess their heirless king died, in the prime of his life at 41 years old.

Now, I think I gotta take out the Mamluks, seeing their only allies are a two-province Tunis and Morocco, and a smallish Sind. But they do have a rather large Californian CN and a number of islands (and one inland Australian province). And here are my relevant number panels:

I will appreciate any comments or tips

 

[Vulkandrache]

I need my admin points

leaving me a 2/5/2 king

Was that your Heir or did you get him randomly?
Could you not just disinherit such a terrible ruler?

BUT the best thing that has happened recently, has been the creation of a PU with a massive Sweden

Thats cool, grats. But that Sweden is just a small piece of the World.

Denmark is still useful, as they give me CB on Russian provinces and first needs to be made whole again,

Are we roleplaying here?
You are 10 years from Imperialism. Why do you care about Central Europe at this point?

Now, I think I gotta take out the Mamluks,

I see a huge Timmy, a massive Russia, India very united.
The Mamluks seem like one of the lowest priorities right now.

And here are my relevant number panels:

Why are your Diplo points yellow?
What kind of policy do you have active?

Why do you have a Tarrifs Advisor active?
No DipRep Guy around?

Why is your Admin Advisor not half cost from the Clergy?
Either Unrest or MS depending on preference, the other one if Mister Choice isnt off cooldown yet.

Ceylon has now been fed into the annexation grinder, in its early stage.

Making Subjects in TC land is not a good idea and should be a last resort against high OE.

 

[Hessian Mercenary]

Why do you have a net gain of over 300 ducats a month but only two thirds of your force limit filled? Imperialism unlocks on next diplo tech, you want to be ready to go on a killing spree then, starting with that giant Russia. You can give Sweden some land there, PUs are good for feeding. But you will also need to hit Ming, which you can do repeatedly via attacking tributaries. Make sure your next ruler is better in admin, George is a joke

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Quality was a strange military pick but w/e.

Drop humanist and pick up diplomatic, you still need to fill administrative and after getting DIP 23 you can afford to fill out diplomatic ideas. Blast Mamluks and pick up Jerusalem/Mecca and religious itself will get you through the game. You can work in Rome at some point in the near future too.

 

[bly08]

I would vassal feed until you're caught up in ideas and adm tech.

 

[secretchief]

Thanks for all the input. Just to remind you, this is my second try on WC, so I definitely do a lot of things more experienced players find weird, impractical or downright stupid.

Regarding the ruler, I didn't find him to be ALL that terrible, I mean he did have 5 diplo at least. But perhaps I should have disinherited him. My heir now is 5/0/3, so he has an even worse total score, but at least high admin? I would hang my slight focus on Europe now onto the peg of inexperience. If you say I should leave Denmark and Sweden as is, and never mind about Holland or the HRE, I can do that. I haven't really played enough to realize how Imperialism and other late game stuff impacts the game. I still feel I have ALOT of ground to cover still to get to WC

Thus, Timmy (still my ally), Russia, India and Ming are the ones I should hammer onward? I recently joined Timmy in a war against the Russians and Dutch, where they were smashed. I peaced out slightly early, although when Timmy peaced out Holland, I got the rest of their Cuban provinces and Trinidad. With Russia, I released Circassia (to have a vassal to feed in Caucasus, vs. Russia AND Timmy) and gave a swath of land to my partner, Sweden. I still need to vassal feed as I never get ahead in Admin it seems - also my ideas need points.

I dunno why my points are yellow, I guess because I focus on administrative points, giving me a -1 malus on the other two? I have Integrated Admin and Military Zeal Acts going. I did drop Humanism for Diplomatic on the advice of @TheMeInTeam recently. Regarding Quality, I chose it ages ago, so I'm kinda stuck with it. Too big a loss to take to drop it now it seems. My advisors I have kept around not for their mechanics bonuses but because I have invested in them to get +5 points. With such a large empire, I more often than not get non-accepted cultures in my pool, which I cannot improve on. Also, I forget a lot during all the micromanagement. I have recently swapped both those advisors toward one cheap one giving -2 Unrest (probably what @Vulkandrache alluded to with the later comments) and one giving +10 % Trade Efficiency, both advanced to +5 points.

Finally, I have filled up my ranks more now, so my armies are much bigger. No financial issue with that at least.

Either Unrest or MS depending on preference, the other one if Mister Choice isnt off cooldown yet.

Making Subjects in TC land is not a good idea and should be a last resort against high OE.

I didn't get what you meant here @Vulkandrache?

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Yeah no need to change a MIL group you've filled out, marginal value of other groups is less than just using extra MIL to boost absolutism or do artillery barrage.

In WC runs you'll basically always wind up with a ton of unaccepted cultures. Once you convert the provinces and the separatism dies down the unrest won't be too bad unless you're doing > 100% OE plays. Try to avoid having OE that takes provinces w/o separatism over 0 unrest. > 100% OE is a hassle but doable. If you get large revolts in literally every wrong-culture province it's more than just a hassle.

 

[Vulkandrache]

With such a large empire, I more often than not get non-accepted cultures in my pool, which I cannot improve on. Also, I forget a lot during all the micromanagement

At this point in the game im used to having 5-6 digit money so just hiring an Advisor for a month, promoting him to 5 and dismissing the rest completely to get a new set hoping for a better bonus is common practice.

I didn't get what you meant here @Vulkandrache?

You dont want full cores in TC land, waste of points. Core it yourself at 50% and then give it to the TC.
Keep the Vassal feeding for other areas.

I recently joined Timmy in a war

Why would you do that at this point.

when Timmy peaced out Holland, I got the rest of their Cuban provinces and Trinidad

That war lasted how long? How not many provinces did you get out of that?
You might want to start picking up a pace of several provinces a year, atleast.

I released Circassia

https://eu4.paradoxwikis.com/Circassia
The only tag in the Area you dont want to use.
Caucasus doesnt need a Vassal anyway. The Culture group is small, the provinces are low Dev.

Finally, I have filled up my ranks more now, so my armies are much bigger. No financial issue with that at least.

Yet, you still write as if you only do one war at a time?
How many wars did you start while the Timmy war was going on?
How many wars did you start in the last 50 years?

 

[Hessian Mercenary]

Tough luck with that heir. How old is Georgie now? I mean theoretically you won't need to take another diplo tech after 23 so the 0 dip wouldn't hurt that much, on the other hand how far are you with filling diplomatic idea group?

Keep feeding Sweden, get rid of Circassia NOW. They have +50% Hostile Core Creation Cost, which makes them 50% more expensive to annex

Military Zeal Act just why? You have filled your ranks and you have Quality ideas, no need to run that policy. I mean siege ability is nice and so, but there's also artillery barrage for higher level forts

Take Mecca, Jerusalem and Rome for 3 additional missionaries, since you don't have Humanist ideas for now you will need them to at least somewhat keep up conversion with conquest or you will simply drown in rebels

You should prepare now to fight a lot of wars simultaneosly for the rest of the game.

You should pause the game more often and check things so you don't forget important stuff

 

[secretchief]

Hm, so many stumblings only since my last post it seems. Ok, so Circassia is a no-go? Damn. I mostly do one war at a time unfortunately, but clearly gotta ramp it up then. The Russian War provided 5 Caribbean provinces and 7-8 for Sweden, but clearly I wasted a lot on releasing Circassia. Regarding George, he's 53 and the heir is 6, so I could disinherit him and hope for something better. I guess the prestige hit will bounce back pretty soon with several wars.

I recently finished a war with Bahmanis, taking 15 provinces and vassalizing Pegu (for Indochinese feeding), which sent me straight into a fortunate war with Malacca (ca. Sumatra, Malaysia, Thai/Burmese coast). I have taken Mecca and Jerusalem at least. Now then, which theatres are essential to focus upon now? I guess Ming?

One more thing: I don't have to core TC provinces? Only up to 50 %? This is new to me and would have saved me ALOT of points!

edit: By the way, how the bejebus do one keep up with the tech advancement while still having to core and core and core from constant warfare? Ming has passed me by, as have many of the smaller states (I have 22x3, Ming has 23x3, while a number of others have 23 in one or two techs and 22 in the other). I've taken your advice to heart and attacked Milan (bordering, no allies) and Malwa (no allies, bordering on my Indian provinces), while still just about to peace out a 100%-ed Malacca.

 

[PhoenixG]

You don't have to keep up with the tech. At least try to keep up with the mil. For dip you need to have 23, the rest is nice to have but don't need to. For admin is tech 27, but having 23 is fine too.

 

[secretchief]

Well, the three wars concept I had going doesn't seem to be optimal, as my OE becomes massive after concluding them, and thus I cannot go on a new rampage for some time (rebels all around the globe, independency rising stopping annexations etc). How do one deal with those situations? Keeping on warring until the OE is down from one war, then peacing out to raise OE again, constantly hanging around 100 %?

 

[PhoenixG]

Well, the three wars concept I had going doesn't seem to be optimal, as my OE becomes massive after concluding them, and thus I cannot go on a new rampage for some time (rebels all around the globe, independency rising stopping annexations etc). How do one deal with those situations? Keeping on warring until the OE is down from one war, then peacing out to raise OE again, constantly hanging around 100 %?

pretty much. You want your next war finished before your batch for cores are finished. Unless you vassal feed, you pretty much chaining the wars.

 

[secretchief]

I see. Seems extremely hectic, but I guess that's the heavy load with WC. Just now my emperor George I died actually, and I hadn't disinherited his heir before the consort took Regency. She's decent though 3/4/3, but now I can't start any wars for 5 years. D'oh!

 

[Ultima_Ratio]

Consorts can start wars.

 

[secretchief]

Consorts can start wars.

Oh, they can? Naisu. I thought that was a thing with regencies, but I guess as long as it is a consort rather than a council, no worries?

 

[Ultima_Ratio]

Oh, they can? Naisu. I thought that was a thing with regencies, but I guess as long as it is a consort rather than a council, no worries?

Yeah, that's pretty much the reason they added consorts.

 

[secretchief]

I don't get the AI sometimes. Why in the world would Timurids, one of the largest nations on the planet, call me to arms, the greatest empire on the planet, to fight... Mushasha, a one-province nation fully surrounded by Timmy. Do they WANT me to break the Alliance? Well, I probably should.

 

[PhoenixG]

I've no idea how you blow away 90k manpower in 4 years. Did you merc hard enough?