Which countries are good for having in your sphere? And which are not?

[Dron22]

I gathered so far from experience that sphering Japan and China is almost never a good idea. Is there any other nation that you would never want to have in your sphere?
And what about those that are good to have in your sphere of influence?

 

[marnues]

No. Once you have some serious techs (after 1870 imho) China and Japan become great spherelings. It all depends on whether your factories can outsell their artisans. Naselus can provide better details, but the problem is local markets. Your spherelings are considered part of your local market (75% of civilized, 50% of SP). This affects them selling to you as much as you buying from them. Early on China's huge artisan POPs will out produce your factories keeping them from profit. I believe this is due to factories and artisans splitting profits, which early on hurts factories. However, that eventually swaps with your factories out earning their artisans. Once that happens China and Japan become huge markets for your goods. Japan will probably westernize around that time, but you have the Chinese Empire, Guangxi, and Yunnan to buy up all you can make.

 

[falloutboy14]

It depends on what you're looking for from your sphere.

Brazil, Egypt and Southeast Asia have Rubber in late game.
Netherland/Portugal will give you naval bases throughout the world.
China/Japan have large populations for buying goods. Korea has a good population, but sort of boring RGOs (stuff you can find in europe).
Spain/Italy/Sweden should all have decent armies if you want allies. Persia is useful in this regard for Ottoman/Russia wars.

 

[SDSkinner]

Sphere Mexico and us them as a base to beat up the United States- damage them enough to spawn rebels so that their democracy dies and the immigrant flow stops.

If you beat up Russia/It falls from its position, I'd recommend sphering them as well for their population.

 

[Krautkopf]

Most time I look for sphering Egypt. It has cotton, and the province needed to build the Suez Channel.

 

[Dron22]

Most time I look for sphering Egypt. It has cotton, and the province needed to build the Suez Channel.

I always bring Egypt and Colombia into my sphere because of the Canal building projects. By the way it's called the Suez Canal, not Channel.

 

[the_Hussar]

I'm playing as Russia, and I industrialized real early (1838), and sphered China real early (1840s), and it was a MAJOR boom to my economy, as China is buying everything. I saw a massive jump in my budget surplus as soon as I sphered China. It went from +200 to +3,200 in less than a month.

 

[Dron22]

I'm playing as Russia, and I industrialized real early (1838), and sphered China real early (1840s), and it was a MAJOR boom to my economy, as China is buying everything. I saw a massive jump in my budget surplus as soon as I sphered China. It went from +200 to +3,200 in less than a month.

You are playing the original Victoria 2 without AHD expansion I guess. When in AHD I sphere the Chinese Empire and some of its substates so early in the game as Russia, their artisans ruin my industry by flooding my domestic market, while their POPs are too poor to buys some of the goods I produce.

 

[The Starfox]

My experience has been bad when sphearing the Chinese early as well. At first I thought it would be great to have access to the silk and tropical wood, but it killed my industry with a quickness. Now early on I focus on conquering colonies to gain access to vital resources, like Madagascar, and SE Asia, where the pops are a lot smaller, but the areas are very rich in resources, especially tropical wood. This enables me to make a lot of money early on as luxury furniture and luxury clothes are real cash cows. Haven’t been able to solve the silk problem as easily till late game, cause silk is only produced in the spheres you want to avoid.

 

[falloutboy14]

I don't think Japan would be a problem to sphere. Japan's pop is only like ~8m. You can sphere the less-populated portions of China also (Mongolia/Manchuria, and the regions further west.

 

[KPJ]

I usually look at my factories' needs and make sure my sphere includes the resources necessary. I also focus on goods that are 'top 3 imports'.

I always find my capitalists like to build luxury clothes factories, and therefore I want silk in my sphere. Unfortunately it can be quite difficult to get Japan, Guangxi, Chinese Empire, or Yunnan before the other great powers get in on it (especially if you start as a non-great power).

I find Korea is a good sphereling for many games because they coal, iron, and timber. These 3 resources can become scarce in the mid-game, as everybody gets sphered but before technology increases production to overflow the sphere.

Beyond the above tips, I focus on regional and strategic goals i.e. arranging for allies in case of war.

 

[delra]

Everybody producing sulphur, rubber, fuel, tropical wood or silk.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

I prefer to sphere South America - no real competition for most nations and they provide decend RGO goods. Brazil with tropical wood / rubber is quite nice.

Apart from that I usually try to get other tropical wood / rubber nations - Egypt for example, and the many asian minors. As for china, Guanxi is a good choise.