Who Wants To Go To California?

[unmerged(26044)]

When I play a GC as the USA, I always see immigrants pile into California (and Alaska, strangely enough, when I take it from Russia.) :wacko: Yet I usually end up in third place, behind the UK's big empire, and Germany's population growth, prestige and aggressive industrialization.

So I decided to try a little experiment as Prussia. Early in the game while Mexico and the USA were busy, I attacked Mexico from behind and annexed California (and I took Baja and Sonora for good measure, since a couple provinces in Sonora usually become mega gold mines.) The Mex-US War ended status quo, so I figure it'll be a while before the USA can turn its attention to Prussian California.

So It's about 1846, I have war debt with 50 pounds/day interest payments, the rest of Europe thinks I've been naughty, and the liberal revolutions are about to start, but as a seasoned Vicky player I think I can handle it all. My reasoning was that if Germany ends up second place in the game on its own, then having California with all its immigration and industrial potential should help propel Germany to the stratosphere in game score.

Has anyone else tried annexing California as a non-USA player? What were the results? Does it indeed help a lot, or does it just get you in trouble from the USA? Does it become a non-stop pain in the neck from revolts? What's the best way in my position to feed the golden goose of immigration, or at least avoid killing it? Thanks in advance!

 

[unmerged(210804)]

To get as much as you can out of immigration, it's better to be a democracy with a liberal party in power, a full-citizenship minority policy and available jobs (preferably in factories)
The Americas, the US and California all have added immigration bonus. However, your immigrants will not come back to Germany once settled in German California.

 

[henryjai]

Actually, annexing California is the BEST WAY for any European country that seriously want to increase their national population dramatically. You could do it with very few badboys in a gamey way:

instead of taking the province directly, try taking instead Mexico's national provinces, since if you satellite Mexico in your peacedeal, you could trade those province back for 5 of their non-national provinces, that means you only spend 1/5 of the badboy per province.

after that, it is obvious that you need immigrant to get your newly conquered land working, a way is to conquer some minor European states, like those Italian states, Chinese Coastal province would work also. Make the people there jobless, and they'll rush to the new world and being assimilated, remember to have full citizenship party in control so your assimilation cap is 10k. Or else you'll have difficulty assimilating catholics/chinese, especially if the influx is massive. Actually, since Prussia is protestant it is a bit difficult to assimilate because most immigrants would be non-protestant.

Be warned, you might not want to annex Chinese province with large amount of population because, their natural growth would went out of control and your economy would suffer if you have too many non-national population.

 

[unmerged(26044)]

To get as much as you can out of immigration, it's better to be a democracy with a liberal party in power, a full-citizenship minority policy and available jobs (preferably in factories)

Thanks for the tips. I don't remember, does having lots of generous social benefits improve immigration at all? I don't want to go liberal too soon, I haven't unified Germany yet, and the liberal party puts too low a cap on reserve divisions.

The Americas, the US and California all have added immigration bonus. However, your immigrants will not come back to Germany once settled in German California.

I don't want them to come back! My German California is intended to be a permanent part of the nation. Sort of like an overseas department.

 

[unmerged(26044)]

instead of taking the province directly, try taking instead Mexico's national provinces, since if you satellite Mexico in your peacedeal, you could trade those province back for 5 of their non-national provinces, that means you only spend 1/5 of the badboy per province.

WOW! Thanks, maybe I'll reload and try it that way. But wouldn't I have to have all of Mexico occupied before I could force such a generous deal on them? That would lengthen the war and increase my debt. I suppose I could partly compensate by forcing indemnities, but Mexico's not a rich country, and I'd like them to be able to stand against the USA for a while. I'd also cancel the satellite alliance right away, because if the Mex-US War restarts, I don't want any part of it.

after that, it is obvious that you need immigrant to get your newly conquered land working, a way is to conquer some minor European states, like those Italian states, Chinese Coastal province would work also. Make the people there jobless, and they'll rush to the new world and being assimilated, remember to have full citizenship party in control so your assimilation cap is 10k. Or else you'll have difficulty assimilating catholics/chinese, especially if the influx is massive. Actually, since Prussia is protestant it is a bit difficult to assimilate because most immigrants would be non-protestant.

Maybe I'll try that too. And after the immigration source is reduced to an empty shell, I guess release it as a satellite or sell it to whoever wants it for some quick cash. However, in my USA games I often annexed the Chinese island provinces just to deny them from Japan, and I don't really remember immigrants pouring into the USA from those. Of course, I did keep expanding the RGOs there whenever there was an unemployed surplus.