Is militarization even worth it?

[Raven Frostborn]

I'm currently doing an Ironman Brandenburg>Prussia>Germany game, and I'm wondering if staying small is actually worth it as Prussia. I currently own 25 provinces (all from before I formed Prussia), so I have 0% militarization. My question is, is it actually worth staying small (I think it's around a 12 province cap without spending mil points), or are the bonuses not good enough to justify it? I'm not even considered a great power right now (the only reason I survived 1500-1540 was because I allied with Poland and Denmark), and I can't see how being small would work for me right now. I've had to take quantity as my third idea because my manpower was so bad, and I feel like losing more than half of what I've conquered would cripple me. So is it actually worth it?

[Jorde]

The way I see militarization is to pump military points into it right before a big war, as the 10% discipline alone significantly improves your army. It's not really worth it to intentionally cripple yourself to maintain militariazation.

I will admit that could make for an interesting alternative style of play, a "tall" Prussia. But in any normal scenario, I'd say it is better to have more land.

[Raven Frostborn]

Originally posted by Jorde:

The way I see militarization is to pump military points into it right before a big war, as the 10% discipline alone significantly improves your army. It's not really worth it to intentionally cripple yourself to maintain militariazation.

I will admit that could make for an interesting alternative style of play, a "tall" Prussia. But in any normal scenario, I'd say it is better to have more land.

That's what I was thinking. I suppose a tall Prussia would be historical, but it really does seem like I'd gimp myself by releasing those provinces as vassals or something. Would you say that you get enough military power to pump into militarization without falling behind in tech? So far I've had consistent 1-3 military stat rulers (I think after my current King dies I get 3 guarenteed), so I'm only just managing to keep up in tech while still needing to complete offensive and now quantity.

[Jorde]

Originally posted by Duskwalker68:

Originally posted by Jorde:

The way I see militarization is to pump military points into it right before a big war, as the 10% discipline alone significantly improves your army. It's not really worth it to intentionally cripple yourself to maintain militariazation.

I will admit that could make for an interesting alternative style of play, a "tall" Prussia. But in any normal scenario, I'd say it is better to have more land.

That's what I was thinking. I suppose a tall Prussia would be historical, but it really does seem like I'd gimp myself by releasing those provinces as vassals or something. Would you say that you get enough military power to pump into militarization without falling behind in tech? So far I've had consistent 1-3 military stat rulers (I think after my current King dies I get 3 guarenteed), so I'm only just managing to keep up in tech while still needing to complete offensive and now quantity.

I'd say use it only when you need it. Say the league war or Austria declaring on you bringing in Poland and Denmark.

[Raven Frostborn]

Originally posted by Jorde:

Originally posted by Duskwalker68:

That's what I was thinking. I suppose a tall Prussia would be historical, but it really does seem like I'd gimp myself by releasing those provinces as vassals or something. Would you say that you get enough military power to pump into militarization without falling behind in tech? So far I've had consistent 1-3 military stat rulers (I think after my current King dies I get 3 guarenteed), so I'm only just managing to keep up in tech while still needing to complete offensive and now quantity.

I'd say use it only when you need it. Say the league war or Austria declaring on you bringing in Poland and Denmark.

Yeah that's what I was thinking. Might be useful since the Leagues are about to form, though I think it'd actually be relatively easy. Denmark is Protestant (intergrated Norway and has a loyal Sweden), over half of Germany is Protestant (only a small portion is Catholic), and the Ottomans have blobbed and are my ally. As long as Poland (who lost the union after losing to Ottomans) doesn't betray me and join the Catholic League. Thanks for the help!

[tonypa]

Countries can join either league no matter what religion they follow. For example in my current game both Spain and France joined Protestant league with Denmark while being Catholic. Same time, Muscovy and Ottomans went into Catholic league with Austria and Hungary. I have my doubts if the actual war will even start since I have only seen league war to start when Protestants are much stronger.

[Speckjaeger]

Originally posted by Duskwalker68:

So is it actually worth it?

Brief answer: Militarise + Short = yes, militarise + long = no.

Militarisation is very, very powerful, but, don't consider it a modifier that must constantly be maintained. As others have stated above militarise just before a large conflict, the short term investment of MP is cost effective measured against long term gain, in my opinion.
Mid to late game as Prussia I was stack wiping Ottoman armies almost twice as large as my own, just glorious.

[Raven Frostborn]

Originally posted by tonypa:

Countries can join either league no matter what religion they follow. For example in my current game both Spain and France joined Protestant league with Denmark while being Catholic. Same time, Muscovy and Ottomans went into Catholic league with Austria and Hungary. I have my doubts if the actual war will even start since I have only seen league war to start when Protestants are much stronger.

Oh, I know. The war might start, assuming France, Spain and Denmark are strong. But if the Ottomans have been blobbing then the Protestant League probably won't have the strength to fight them.

Originally posted by Speckjaeger:

Originally posted by Duskwalker68:

So is it actually worth it?

Brief answer: Militarise + Short = yes, militarise + long = no.

Militarisation is very, very powerful, but, don't consider it a modifier that must constantly be maintained. As others have stated above militarise just before a large conflict, the short term investment of MP is cost effective measured against long term gain, in my opinion.
Mid to late game as Prussia I was stack wiping Ottoman armies almost twice as large as my own, just glorious.

What you said at the end there truly is glorious!

Thanks for the answers everyone!