Is joining the Holy Roman Empire a good idea?

[KHANMANE]

I am France, ~1430, adequate power in Europe right now. No major rivals. I can add multiple of my territories to join the HRE. Does this weaken me at all? What good can come from this? What bad? This is my first EU3 playthrough.

[Osaka_amd]

depends,

Mostly if you have a CB (reconquest) on burgundy but dont want the emperor (whos ussually Bohemia, Milan or Austria) to come in. Join them, as long as you have a CB, emperor wont join the war.

Needless to say you have a good chance to become the emperor (big country bonus) and if your infamy isnt to high or have less then zero DP. If you are allied or vassaled some of the electors, your chance increasse alot, (theres 7 electors, Bohemia ussually votes for its self that makes six) all of the electors are right there near your borders, excluding Brandenburg.

You also get a tech speed increase.

The bad? IF the emperor gets to the last two decisions (revoke something and the last decision forms the HRE, and has near 40 IA. Leave you dont wana fight bohemia or any nation unless its a OPM and its vassals.

But yes, I would join the HRE if you want those burgandian provinces in flanders. just remember to take ONLY your cores or the emperor will drop the Unlawful territory hammer on you.

[KHANMANE]

Hmm... interesting. What do you mean: " just remember to take ONLY your cores or the emperor will drop the Unlawful territory hammer on you."? I allowed two of my minor territories to join the HRE. Please explain. Thanks.

[eye81]

The emporer asks you to give the territory you took that you dont have cores on back to its rightful owner. if u refuse i believe you get a -50 to the current emporer and i think they get a CB on you but im not sure

[Osaka_amd]

Originally posted by Psychonaut:

Hmm... interesting. What do you mean: " just remember to take ONLY your cores or the emperor will drop the Unlawful territory hammer on you."? I allowed two of my minor territories to join the HRE. Please explain. Thanks.

By imperial unlawfull territory, non-cores are considered this. An event will come sooner or later asking you to cede the province back to the emperor, if you accept you lose the province, but if you do the other option (clearely the emperor underestimates us) you will get an automatic CB from the emperor lose 10 prestige and 1 stability

Anything thats a core of your nation wont get it.

Example: I took over Bar as france, via excommuicated leader CB, I was also in the empire, so Bohemia didt intervene, that means I won easily, however I got the unlawful territory flag on me so I decided to give it back.

[TristanDerp]

how about another suggestion if your military power/Army is big enough take over the emperors country and the electors countries and disband the HRE. Every time ive played the only positive you get from being in it is a prestige bonus unless your the emperor.

[Grancheater]

Before anything you should consider IF you can join the empire. Though the decision to add provinces to the empire is always available, the AI emperor still has to decide if they let you. This might be an issue with France if Bohemia didn't take the opportunity to expand into horde territory, because the emperor will NEVER accept adding a province from a country larger than his, and France already starts pretty big.

Also, in addition to the "Unlawful Territory" event, you also get 0.25 infamy per year per non-core imperial province you control.