New player, have a couple of questions.

[Dron]

Bought this game years ago, but never got round to playing it properly.
I played other paradox games like EU2,3 and 4, Vicky 1&2 and all HOIs, so I know some basics how to play. I am tempted to just try and play as France first.

1) Should I invest any money in building development, given that the game is quite short? Or just build army units and supply depots?

2) Take loans? Normally in paradox games I rarely took loans, but this game is short term, so I guess the focus should be solely short-term and winning the war.

3) When to annex conquered territory or create a satellite as historically done? Its unclear how useful satellites are in the game, aside from sending you some money, maybe doing some fighting and keeping the place free of rebellion.

4) I noticed a decision to create the kingdom of Italy, but it requires I control provinces that are already owned by French satellites? Or is that for later after defeating Austria?

[Centurion74rus]

1) I spent some to develop provinces, but it seems not very effectively because it cost too much. Better focus on army/fleet/depots.

2) Check your income first, if you have 20 income and 2 as payment for each loan you can get 9 loan with no problem (you can pay it in theory).

In my gameplay situation now next - i win the game, and now have land dominance and - 80 income because take too many loans for upgrade provinces (it now was effective). And i cant disband army because i have land domination and any enemy form coalition against me, I can only start a war to got some money.

3) I'm only annex territories. Not check other options.

4) I dont know.

[Dron]

Originally posted by Centurion74rus:

1) I spent some to develop provinces, but it seems not very effectively because it cost too much. Better focus on army/fleet/depots.

2) Check your income first, if you have 20 income and 2 as payment for each loan you can get 9 loan with no problem (you can pay it in theory).

In my gameplay situation now next - i win the game, and now have land dominance and - 80 income because take too many loans for upgrade provinces (it now was effective). And i cant disband army because i have land domination and any enemy form coalition against me, I can only start a war to got some money.

3) I'm only annex territories. Not check other options.

4) I dont know.

Thanks. Можно и на русском.
How much did you conquer as France?

[Centurion74rus]

I'm play as Russia. За остальных пока не пробовал.

[Dron]

Понятно. Спасибо

[Ghadaro]

A bit late to help you in the game you asked about but hopefully this will help with future plays or anybody else with similar questions:

Roads
None: -10% move speed
Track: +1000 supply limit
Road: +10% move speed, +1500 supply limit
Major Road: +25% move speed, +2500 Supply limit

Development
Wild: -1000 supply limit, -10% move speed, -10% manpower
Cleared: +10% tax, +10% manpower
Normal: +500 supply limit, +20% tax, +20% manpower
Civilised: +1000 supply limit, +10% move speed, +25% tax, +25% manpower

Fort -1 revolt risk and +20% defensiveness per level (larger fortresses are harder to assault)

Port -10% ship build time, -5% ship cost, +1 ship repair, +20 overseas supply throughput per level

Depot Supply limit +2500, Recruit time -10%, troop cost -5%, manpower +5%, reinforce speed +15%, supply production 20.

You can set the map to highlight tax income or manpower production with the minimap buttons. Developing high tax provinces or high manpower provinces will give the best return (depending on which you need most)
Having lots of depots is advised especially overseas and having multiple ports can be a lifesaver overseas for keeping armies in supply.



With regards to annex vs satellite its usually better to just annex unless they are isolated from your main territory, with larger nations forcing them to release a nation that doesn't exist will create that nation as your satellite.
Foreign cultures do get a higher revolt risk when annexed but unless you have a particularly high war exhaustion you'll likely only see a handful of 2k rebel stacks by the end of the game if at all.


Looking in the game files the required triggers to create the kingdom of Italy are:
Control: Milan, Verona, Padua, Treviso, Venezia, Belluno and Gorizia
And the year is 1805

[Dron]

Originally posted by Ghadaro:

A bit late to help you in the game you asked about but hopefully this will help with future plays or anybody else with similar questions:

Roads
None: -10% move speed
Track: +1000 supply limit
Road: +10% move speed, +1500 supply limit
Major Road: +25% move speed, +2500 Supply limit

Development
Wild: -1000 supply limit, -10% move speed, -10% manpower
Cleared: +10% tax, +10% manpower
Normal: +500 supply limit, +20% tax, +20% manpower
Civilised: +1000 supply limit, +10% move speed, +25% tax, +25% manpower

Fort -1 revolt risk and +20% defensiveness per level (larger fortresses are harder to assault)

Port -10% ship build time, -5% ship cost, +1 ship repair, +20 overseas supply throughput per level

Depot Supply limit +2500, Recruit time -10%, troop cost -5%, manpower +5%, reinforce speed +15%, supply production 20.

You can set the map to highlight tax income or manpower production with the minimap buttons. Developing high tax provinces or high manpower provinces will give the best return (depending on which you need most)
Having lots of depots is advised especially overseas and having multiple ports can be a lifesaver overseas for keeping armies in supply.



With regards to annex vs satellite its usually better to just annex unless they are isolated from your main territory, with larger nations forcing them to release a nation that doesn't exist will create that nation as your satellite.
Foreign cultures do get a higher revolt risk when annexed but unless you have a particularly high war exhaustion you'll likely only see a handful of 2k rebel stacks by the end of the game if at all.


Looking in the game files the required triggers to create the kingdom of Italy are:
Control: Milan, Verona, Padua, Treviso, Venezia, Belluno and Gorizia
And the year is 1805

Thank you. Don't worry, I had not gotten yet to play properly. I slightly started a game as France. It got a bit messy since I just conquered some bits in what is today West Germany, then made all of South Italy my satellite, then went for Portugal and forced them to be a satellite as well. Not sure if I wasted time because Austria probably got stronger in that time. So what is normally the way to start? Should I look to attack Austria? And will I be able to make them a satellite?
I seen the event for Kingdom of Italy, but some of those territories are already controlled by my ally.

[Ghadaro]

Left of the minimap theres a stats button, the second tab in there can be sorted by military size to get a rough idea of how different countries compare for military strength.

As France you start with a lot of divisions at 10-30% experience which increases their defence by the same amount.
You also have a large pool of skilled generals, good mobility and higher morale so I wouldn't worry about what Austria might have been doing in your absence.

Portugal have one of France's naval objectives and getting them as a satellite will count it as yours for victory purposes so that will save you from having to get it later.

Southern Italy I would have annexed personally, but having the extra satellite states around italy should give a good source of 10k allied armies you can take control of by requesting an expeditionary force from them.
Thats enough to besiege a level 1 fort or makes effective bait when supported by armies nearby with march to the guns.


Taking a country as a satellite has a cost based on their size. Austria at its current size will cost too much to take.
I would suggest as a first priority with Austria to get them to release the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, take some provinces for yourself ideally including their southern coast, release italy or a combination of those if you have a high enough warscore.

The Grand duchy of Warsaw being to the north east of Austria is a useful asset in future wars with Austria as it either splits their military or leaves their eastern cities vulnerable to an expeditionary force. When a country is created by you forcing their release they will automatically become your satellite.

Getting at least 1 port + depot built east of Switzerland gives a good reinforcing, resupply and repair point for that area.

Releasing Italy is somewhat counter-productive as its takes 2 Austria held coastal cities and gives them to a satellite but can save you from a potentially lengthy siege of 2 forts depending on your luck with siege events.

[Dron]

Originally posted by Ghadaro:

Left of the minimap theres a stats button, the second tab in there can be sorted by military size to get a rough idea of how different countries compare for military strength.

As France you start with a lot of divisions at 10-30% experience which increases their defence by the same amount.
You also have a large pool of skilled generals, good mobility and higher morale so I wouldn't worry about what Austria might have been doing in your absence.

Portugal have one of France's naval objectives and getting them as a satellite will count it as yours for victory purposes so that will save you from having to get it later.

Southern Italy I would have annexed personally, but having the extra satellite states around italy should give a good source of 10k allied armies you can take control of by requesting an expeditionary force from them.
Thats enough to besiege a level 1 fort or makes effective bait when supported by armies nearby with march to the guns.


Taking a country as a satellite has a cost based on their size. Austria at its current size will cost too much to take.
I would suggest as a first priority with Austria to get them to release the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, take some provinces for yourself ideally including their southern coast, release italy or a combination of those if you have a high enough warscore.

The Grand duchy of Warsaw being to the north east of Austria is a useful asset in future wars with Austria as it either splits their military or leaves their eastern cities vulnerable to an expeditionary force. When a country is created by you forcing their release they will automatically become your satellite.

Getting at least 1 port + depot built east of Switzerland gives a good reinforcing, resupply and repair point for that area.

Releasing Italy is somewhat counter-productive as its takes 2 Austria held coastal cities and gives them to a satellite but can save you from a potentially lengthy siege of 2 forts depending on your luck with siege events.

I have not been able to defeat yet Austria yet. The area on border with Italy has mountains and attacking is very costly even if I win. They also tend to get Russian armies that help them.

[Ghadaro]

Russia usually join Britain's coalition against France so that would be why they are coming through Austria.

Are you using a lot of cavalry? Cavalry get their attack reduced in unfavourable terrain:
Mountain: -75%
Hills -50%
Forest -50%
Attacking Breached Fort: -50% attack, -30% defence, 4 initiative penalty
Attacking Fort: -50% attack, -50% defence, 4 initiative penalty

All units suffer a penalty when attacking across a river.

Artillery get a bonus against forts both for the siege events and in a direct assault.


The main thing is to make sure you win battles, capturing cities is the fastest way to build war score but victory in battles also adds to it as does blockading ports but Britain tend to respond to blockade fleets and its too far away from your ports to take Britain on at sea so only use blockades to help siege coastal forts and move the blockading fleet to an Italian port as soon as a British fleet nears if you do.

There should be a city owned by the HRE near to your main territory cut off from Austria, as the HRE are a satellite of Austria taking that will count towards your warscore although it will probably have too large of a garrison to assault directly without a breach so you might need to sit about 16k troops on it until you win the siege or take about 30k-35k and hope for an early breach so you can assault.
Personally I would just leave a 16K stack on there and wait it out.

Once warscore reaches around 30-35 they will usually accept a peace deal for a few provinces.
Getting your own provinces on their border does make it a lot easier as reinforcement is a lot faster in your own provinces than it is in satellite provinces

[Dron]

Originally posted by Ghadaro:

Russia usually join Britain's coalition against France so that would be why they are coming through Austria.

Are you using a lot of cavalry? Cavalry get their attack reduced in unfavourable terrain:
Mountain: -75%
Hills -50%
Forest -50%
Attacking Breached Fort: -50% attack, -30% defence, 4 initiative penalty
Attacking Fort: -50% attack, -50% defence, 4 initiative penalty

All units suffer a penalty when attacking across a river.

Artillery get a bonus against forts both for the siege events and in a direct assault.


The main thing is to make sure you win battles, capturing cities is the fastest way to build war score but victory in battles also adds to it as does blockading ports but Britain tend to respond to blockade fleets and its too far away from your ports to take Britain on at sea so only use blockades to help siege coastal forts and move the blockading fleet to an Italian port as soon as a British fleet nears if you do.

There should be a city owned by the HRE near to your main territory cut off from Austria, as the HRE are a satellite of Austria taking that will count towards your warscore although it will probably have too large of a garrison to assault directly without a breach so you might need to sit about 16k troops on it until you win the siege or take about 30k-35k and hope for an early breach so you can assault.
Personally I would just leave a 16K stack on there and wait it out.

Once warscore reaches around 30-35 they will usually accept a peace deal for a few provinces.
Getting your own provinces on their border does make it a lot easier as reinforcement is a lot faster in your own provinces than it is in satellite provinces

Thanks. I see, so there is no need to be historically accurate in any way?
Also I noticed Spain tends to make peace with Britain soon. Although they agree to declare war again later. Do you invade Spain and make them a satellite like Napoleon did historically?

[Ghadaro]

You don't need to be historically accurate and due to balancing of game mechanics there are limitations in how accurate you can actually be.

The ultimate goal of the game is to control enough naval and land strategic locations to be considered both naval and land dominant.
You also need to make sure nobody else has enough of their dominance objectives so for France that means taking a naval objective away from Britain.

The 4th button above the minimap (shortcut: r) turns the map white with land objectives shown green and naval objectives shown blue. (The 10 map filter shortcuts are q, w, e, r, t, y, u, i, o, p)
Clicking one of your territories will show the objectives for you, clicking a territory owned by somebody else will change it to highlight their objectives.

You started land dominant and probably have 1 naval objective at the moment (Lisboa)


To make spain a satellite at its current size would require a warscore of around 230% so it simply can't be done without taking ownership of some of the Spanish cities first to reduce the size of Spain, and optionally force them to release some.

For Austria you would need to both reduce their owned provinces by taking territory and also force them to release the HRE to you as they can't become a satellite if they have their own satellite.

In game terms the most important provinces around Spain are Barcelona which is a naval objective for France and the British Fort at Gibraltar which is a British Naval objective.

You only need to take 1 British naval objective away from them to remove their naval dominance so unless they capture any more its up to you whether to go for Gibraltar or invade Britain (Dublin is the best one to start with in Britain as it also counts for France)

[Dron]

Thats unfortunate, so you cannot conquer most of Europe like Napoleon did. I don't care about the game set objectives and score, I just want to do a conquest campaign and build an empire of annexed land and some satellites.

[Ghadaro]

You can conquer Europe but you need to take most of it direct into your own control rather than making it a satellite.

Large nations tend to have several cities that only require 4-6 warscore to take so if you have 50-100% warscore when you negotiate peace you can take a decent chunk of land when demanding tribute.
After making peace you have a 1 year truce (theres a notification at the top you can mouseover to see when they end)
After the truce ends you can declare war and take more territory.

[Dron]

I thought it depends on culture. Satellites still give money, but annexed land also give manpower. Right? I figured France has enough money, and manpower is more important.

[Ghadaro]

Benefits of a Satellite:

• Provides a small army usually around 10-20k troops.
  
• You can request expeditionary force to control their armies yourself.
  
• Pays tribute
  
• Allows throughput of supplies
  
• Takes less warscore to create a satellite than to completely annex.
  
• Satellites can upgrade infrastructure at no cost to you
  
• Satellite uprising is less likely than rebellion in an owned province.

Benefits of Annex/taking cities as tribute:

• Tax income will be higher than the tribute paid by satellite
  
• Owned cities provide manpower
  
• Units replenish supplies and reinforce faster in own territory than allied territory
  
• Can build the infrastructure you need where you need it.
  
• Rebellions are quicker to deal with than uprisings