Religious league War

[swilhelm73]

I'm playing as Sweden and trying to get the Lion of the North achievement achievement. Its 1577 and I'm the only major Protestant power, though I am allied with Catholic Poland-Lithuania, Catholic Hungary and Protestant Austria.

I see Saxony is the leader of the Protestant League even though they are quite weak - the mouse over says being at war dramatically reduces my score which I guess is why Saxony is leader (but...that's ridiculous I have the 4th strongest military in the world).

I got dragged into a war with Muscovy by Poland that we'll win easily but Saxony apparently keeps triggering the religious war event.

I assume I need to go back to an earlier save if I gave one and force the religious war myself to stop Saxony from ruining my run? I had been waiting because my alliance/the protestant side had been getting stronger relative to the Catholic side.

[dbond1]

You could white peace out of your current war? That might install you as evangelical league leader.

[Mr.M]

...did the protestant league form during this war of yours and they instantly attacked the emperor? I dont get it...?

[swilhelm73]

The league existed for maybe 10 years or so. I decided to not attack since the Catholics were stronger. My ally Poland DOW'd Muscovy and I honored it. This made Saxony the leader and shortly after they attacked the Catholic league.

[Mr.M]

Originally posted by swilhelm73:

The league existed for maybe 10 years or so. I decided to not attack since the Catholics were stronger. My ally Poland DOW'd Muscovy and I honored it. This made Saxony the leader and shortly after they attacked the Catholic league.

The thing about the league is. Members that are at war wont join the league war.

So when the Ottomans are part of the Catholic League and carry its strength with 150k troops... The protestant leader AI just attacks once they cant join. So there is no way to guarantee the league war not firing if you arent leader.

[swilhelm73]

Went back to an earlier save and started the war myself. And...this is terribly scripted. My allies immediately either commit suicide against the biggest AI doomstack they can find or run off into Siberia to siege Muscovite provinces leaving basically me to do all the fighting.

[Marquoz]

There's no special scripting for the League war. You're just experiencing totally standard EU4 military AI. Your allies are idiots, your enemies are idiots, your enemies' allies are idiots. You control the only competent military in the game. It's one of your biggest strengths.

[RCMidas]

Standard EU4 Reminder #404: Never start a war you cannot finish by yourself.

[swilhelm73]

Well the problem is pretty much the whole catholic league army sticks together. My allies and the protestants are literally scattered across the map. So its my 85K vs perhaps 200K of the catholic's total 250K.

[RCMidas]

Warscore is best gained by sieging provinces, not through battles. Let the enemy chase after your allies or grind to a standstill against your own fortifications. Use expendable mercs to draw their attention or to assault breached walls. If you actually want to win the Religious War, you'll need to repeat the same basics as at the start of the game - go into debt, allow a breakthrough here and there, only move to reinforce your allies when together you can beat back whatever stack has caught them. Or just sign a white peace the moment you can and thus ensure any Christian ruler can become HREmperor and save yourself the trouble.

[Marquoz]

He's going for Lion of the North. White peace is not an option.

But yeah, to prepare for it, he should have grown enormously, constructed a great fort system, made powerful allies like Poland (which he did) and France, the Ottomans, and Spain (which he didn't mention), and so on. The more total troops, forts, and provinces the enemy has to deal with, the more confused it gets and the worse it does.

[Mr.M]

...just full siege small nations and force them out of the war with a white peace. Assault forts if necessary.

[bri]

Originally posted by Mr.M:

...just full siege small nations and force them out of the war with a white peace. Assault forts if necessary.

This is the best way to win the league war (you also need to keep the ai from doing the same to your side until you gain a strong upper hand)

He's going for Lion of the North. White peace is not an option.

Does it require enforcing protestantism or just a win (i.e. any peace deal better than wp)? My one Sweden run I got booted out of the league war even though I was the protestant side leader due to a poorly timed succession war triggering in the middle of it...

[swilhelm73]

Why white peace the smaller enemy nations versus keeping them occupied for war score?

[Mr.M]

Because you dont want to get overrun? Wasnt the entire reason you didnt attack yet the fact your side is weaker?

If you keep them in the war their armies still run around.