I am playing EU4 as Uesugi and MING always tries to take my territories. Any tip to deal them? ( I have DLCs)

[FrostNova]

Firstly, I colonized Taiwan Provinces but they showed me the hostile attitude so I sold all provinces. Then 100 years later, no matter how I tried, they declared on me to take ' Satsuma' province.

I guess I ♥♥♥♥♥♥ it up because I spent too much points in developing the provinces, also I took some territories at Manchuria zone, but it didn't help me at all.


My fatal failure in my opinion was that I spent too much points in developing provinces, but apart from it, I exactly don't know what was other mistakes for me.


Could you give me some tips for playing as Japan?


I have almost all DLC to play EU4, and it is the first time for me to play as Japan. ( and Asian country, I played in Livonia, Bizantium, Sweden, Brandenberg, and I got accustomed to the european countries, but for Asian countries, I think I need to learn a lot of things.)

[Medicles]

When you play Japan, you always get attacked by Ming. Stay on your island and ♥♥♥♥ up Mings navy. Colonize spice islands. ♥♥♥♥ up Ming.

[tonypa]

Ming has no rivals so any country nearby which will grow big enough gets automatically assigned to rival slot. When playing without MoH they tend to explode in nearly every game so it is just amatter of waiting the breakdown happen. With MoH that rarely happens.

As said above, you should be able to protect your island with navy and continue colonizing toward Spice Islands.

[FrostNova]

in my opinion, I spent too much diplomatic points to the province developments, and it was a really really terrible decision. Yeah I think I need to my navies stay strong rather than developing the armies.

But I spent too much points to the diplomatic things ( production stuff) and it was abysmal for me.


Is it able to keep the same technology level with MING when I don't spend too much points to the province developments?

[Medicles]

The only reason to develope your provinces in japan would be the fast unlock of institutions. Besides that, development of provinces only when having a surplus on monarch points. With the unlock of institutions you are also able to keep up with Mings technology.

Again, Ming will always attack Japan, you can somewhat see it as a reliable event and you already should prepare for it during the unification of Japan, because its likely that Ming will attack soon after. But still, all you pretty much need is naval supremacy, if you stay away from the mainland. When Ming attacks you but cant get to your islands, you will get more warscore over time and eventually can peace them out for whatever reason you may like. After three lost wars, Ming shouldnt be able to act properly anymore, whereas you conolized and annexed the spice islands, for even more navy. Thats the safest point to attack Ming and destroy them for good.

[Scrapper-Lock]

I played as Japan and did not get attacked by Ming... I think I got lucky with some alliances. It also took me forever to unify Japan so maybe that is part of it. Ming had other things going on by then (fighting Oriat for instance).

One thing I wondered... is there any way to become a tributary of Ming? It seems to me this would be the way to go. As a trib you can war the other tribs and Ming stays out of it... so you gradually grow big enough to fight him by swallowing up Korea, Yeren, etc. It sounds viable but I have never tried it.

[Saeko]

I play as uesugi, i make the mistake to colonise taiwan too haha, i give them my colonie and then go in philippines but they still attacked me for get my colonie in philippines, but i was able to defend that, and i make white peace.

[tonypa]

In my last game as Korea I allied Ming from the start and then went on to conquer Manchu tribes in the North. I had 200 relations and marriage with Ming until one bright day they decided to rival me and ally Japan instead.