Best first Ideas for Brandenburg?

[✪ Maguro Man]

Trying for a Prussia game. Only have El Dorado, Common sense and Art of War DLC if that matters

[The Void Boy]

now I'm not entirely sure because I usually play with more DLC than that.but I would recommend either Innovative or Administrative. now unless you're lucky and both Poland and Denmark end up being stupid you probably won't be expanding fast enough to justify Administrative, I just recommend it because if I don't all the toxic "elite gamers" will crucify me if I don't. Innovative will help save you points and help you get points by helping you get better advisors on the cheap.

[Psychotic Fury]

I usually went quality first. But that was before institutions etc. Then innovative for the 20% infantry bonus. Orbwas that offensive and innovative? Which ever gives the infantry policy with innovative.

[The Void Boy]

Originally posted by Psychotic Fury:

I usually went quality first. But that was before institutions etc. Then innovative for the 20% infantry bonus. Orbwas that offensive and innovative? Which ever gives the infantry policy with innovative.

either that or Innovative and quality

[JDSMuffinMan]

I went for colonies and ignored coalitions.

[Ì Õ M P Æ Ø Ë]

I don't think military group ideas are good as first pick for Brandenburg because they will delay your military tech (crucial in early game), it's much better to get Administrative ideas imo.

[Psychotic Fury]

Originally posted by Vinegar and Salt:

I don't think military group ideas are good as first pick for Brandenburg because they will delay your military tech (crucial in early game), it's much better to get Administrative ideas imo.

True. But there is no need to max out the idea before teching. Simply see how far ahead of time you are. If your 6 yrs ahead for example. Take a idea. Then save the rest or spend it as you go makin sure u will always have enough to tech up ontime or within a year. Though some mil techs can be postponed as not all give major bonuses.

[RedT3rror]

the challenges of prussia are weak/undeveloped provinces and slow expansion due to high ae in the HRE, therefore following ideas are best to tackle these issues.

Influence -> easier vassalization and less ae
economic-> boosts your weak economy and lets you develop provinces cheaply
quantity -> army becomes much cheaper and bigger. You will also never run out of manpower.

[Yaldabaoth]

Best idea when trying a Prussia game is to get Rights of man first.

[Medicles]

I go Humanist first, so i wont have any religious problems when changing to protestant. Then i go for Influence/Quality.

[equinox1911]

Originally posted by Tea Age:

I go Humanist first, so i wont have any religious problems when changing to protestant. Then i go for Influence/Quality.

I knew someone would suggest humanism ....

[Victrixy]

I think the biggest problem for Brandenburg at the beginning is money and AE. So choose an idea that suit your situation. For example, choose influence first if there is quite a bit of expanding opportunities, like countries in your surrounding regions are weak and doesn't have good allies, choose economic first if your neighbours are too strong to handle.

[Yaldabaoth]

Originally posted by Tea Age:

I go Humanist first, so i wont have any religious problems when changing to protestant. Then i go for Influence/Quality.

The only nations that humanism is an option for are confucian ones. For everyone else it's just a waste of a slot.

[epicpantsryummy]

Originally posted by Yaldabaoth:

Originally posted by Tea Age:

I go Humanist first, so i wont have any religious problems when changing to protestant. Then i go for Influence/Quality.

The only nations that humanism is an option for are confucian ones. For everyone else it's just a waste of a slot.

What in god's name are you talking about? This is next-level stupid. Jesus ♥♥♥♥♥♥' christ.

[Medicles]

Originally posted by AN:

Humanist -first-?

What?

You have or are closing in on your third idea group by the time religion becomes an issue.

Always Influence first, if you want to get big and strong. Otherwise, Diplomatic for the HRE emporer route, or Innovative for a tall Prussia game.

Administrative is a good second idea group after Influence, for forming fast Germany, followed by your favorite military idea group. Innovative is also fine for a second idea group, or going military second. If you plan to go hard in on military ideas, consider making Aristocratic your first mil idea group, possibly even your first idea group; it's actually good now and offers a mil tech discount almost immediately.

If you're doing something out of the ordinary and focussing east, religious can make a good second idea group for fighting the Orthodox and Sunni nations, and converting their provinces afterward. If Poland doesn't go for the PU, or you get 2 out of Denmark, Bohemia, and Austria as allies, attacking Poland early can be very lucrative since the Polish culture is one of the richest in Europe; if you take that route you'll probably want to eat them as much as possible, as quickly as possible, before the Ottomans pounce on their weakened state, and religious'll help convert those southern Orthodox provinces, as well as turn your relatively, compared to a primarily HRE expanding run, bloated corpus fully Protestant when the time comes to convert.

What? You want to tell me, that you finished your third idea group in the first 60 years? Not to mention, how much diplomatic points you need to annex your vassals in the first place, so how would you get to the AE reduction in time to be relevant in the early game. I dont need admin points as Brandenburg early on, so i use them for humanism, so i get that out of my way. Brandenburg already has enough AE reduction to vassalize your way through germany early on, take an advisor with diplomatic reputation and thats it.

Infact, it doesnt even really matter which one you take first, since you can get the first two idea groups pretty fast. It doesnt make a huge difference at all.

[equinox1911]

It seem we have a few very confused people in here, no HUM isn't good and it is a horrible choice for first IG.
It looks nice until you realize that all the problems it solves can be solved at a much cheaper opportunity cost.