Getting booted Customs Unions ruins the game

[Haybob]

Playing as Bavaria, economy is snowballing things are looking up. Prussia declares war on Austria end result I get kicked out of the customs union. Revenue tanks from +5k to -30k. I can only join the French customs union, but that does nothing for my revenue. What am I doing wrong? Or is the game broken?

[argentus]

Customs unions are a trap for the player, because you cannot force the AI into them and they exist to basically siphon off your economy and give the AI an advantage, while also making you dependent on the 'union' to keep functional. the moment you leave you are punished by having lost ALL trade agreements made before that union, including the nation you were in the union with, and having to start over diplomatically

[ORION]

You should have been Prussia

[Thamalandis]

After getting independence from Russia to safe my economy I joined Scandinavias union. As I grew they went cautious and booted me out. My only salvation was to join Germany, which didn't want me in the union unless I am a protectorate.

Turns out being a protectorate is the most broken thing you can be in the game outside of being a great power. So Germany now fights my wars for me and we grow together.

That being said:

Custom Union break ups should have an EARLY warning and a way to prevent them. I fully agree. Those can kill a nation if they don't own 3000 convois to repair this.

[Thamalandis]

However in wars you should not side against your trade partners or union overlords. That asks for a painful breakup.

There is a reason "economic warfare" exists. Once you are dependent you better stay in line, you naughty nation.

[argentus]

Yeah, at best you need to save before leaving, see what you need to make so survive and then buidl that before hand so hopefully you can last.

[Thamalandis]

In real life countries take harsh setbacks and decline very good deals to not be dependent... or you build two gas pipelines to Russia.

Economic ambiguity - having many suppliers - or autarchy are the main things you need to have diplomatic freedom. This means you may have less profit, but also less pain in conflict. Resilient economies are the true winners. Victoria 3 is good in simulating this.

It is bad in simulating pop... which all are modern "work is murder" spoiled brats that cry if they only earn 30 pound per week in your country while the neighbor country is happy if it can pay 9. But they want to burn yours to the ground since they now can only eat meat 6 times a week.