How to play small nations

[arvedui78]

Simply put: is playing very small nations supposed to be such a boredom simulator 2021? I mean, you accrue 1,00 maybe 2,00 gold per month. It takes decades for any major project to come to fruition, like building certain buildings; not to mention the inability to support an army without incurring in deficit. Thoughts?

[EpicD1CK]

Forget spending money on buildings. The best way to get buildings as a small nation is to take the buildings of other nations. Stock up on cash, and invest all of it only in your wars.

[Akim]

I guess they simply didn't consider anyone would play them.

[David McMurdo]

The nations in Paradox games have never been designed like balanced factions. They have their place on the map and you either want to deal with the hand that they're dealt or you don't.

[Isiloni]

Well, very smal nations aren't supossed to survive. But if you want to try it you have to sit on your a** saving money waiting to your neighbours to be at war to attack them by hiring mercenaries

[Rooter]

Timing and strategic land grabs.
Plenty of opportunities early games to expand while the majors fight.
Remember they dont like giving access to each other, so use that to take isolated pieces of land nearby.

[Komisarek]

If you play as a tribe, you might have a small button on the province view, that allows you to raise a huge army with no upkeep :) Look for it! (it's near the button to create a holy site).

[Fnord]

When playing a small nation in pretty much any Paradox game you need to be an opportunist. Don't sit back and build up, instead look for weak opponents. Someone just got their behind handed to them in a war? Well, maybe you could go in and grab some of their land? Your neighbour is having economic trouble? Why not alleviate their economic trouble by making them not exist anymore? You need short, decisive wars that can help you grow. Remember, you're a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.

[arvedui78]

Thank you all for the replies, lots of insight! I don't know, there is something that pulls me to these underdogs... :-P

[EpirusWarriorμολὼνλαβέ]

I'm currently playing as Epirus is not small perse but underdog. Is most balanced country and if you have good plan or play your cards right you can even take Rome latter and conquest the entire world. The key is to take Illyrian countries [Adriatic colonies mission or our cousins] unify under Epirus first before even looking into Greece. Than take revenge on Macedon, befriend Sparta Than rest of Greece is much easier, I usually spare Sparta. Make sure that Salting Carthage is done either by Rome yourself, Last step is taking the Glorious Rome.

[Fnord]

Originally posted by arvedui78:

Thank you all for the replies, lots of insight! I don't know, there is something that pulls me to these underdogs... :-P

If playing as a tiny nation is getting a bit too frustrating (it really is quite tough to do), why not go with the biggest fish in a small pond approach? Look for a relatively small nation with smaller/weaker nations surrounding it, and try to build up from there. You'll get something to do in the early game, with less waiting around, but you'll still get the small nation experience

[skausmaus]

I always start as a small to medium nation in any Paradox game as I don't see how I can
learn the game otherwise. Playing a large nation is just too overwhelming until you can "feel" the flow and rhythm of the game. At least that is how I find it.

[Jad]

Originally posted by skausmaus:

I always start as a small to medium nation in any Paradox game as I don't see how I can
learn the game otherwise. Playing a large nation is just too overwhelming until you can "feel" the flow and rhythm of the game. At least that is how I find it.

totally agree i just played a game as Icenia/Albion to relearn the game after the recent updates still cant manage to form Albion before 500 though

[Rooter]

Just got Kingdom of David achievement as Judea, middle to small kingdom starts as vassall of Antigonids.
Enjoyed it as well

[Saeko]

Originally posted by Rooter:

Just got Kingdom of David achievement as Judea, middle to small kingdom starts as vassall of Antigonids.
Enjoyed it as well

Can you give tips on this run ?! i want try after my learning run for 2.0 !

On OP, small nation is very have depend where you start or just right impossible, they just there for feed big nation !

[Ham]

Its possible and not so frustrationg to play small nations. Depends on your starting position. I start with Ivernia a two territory nation in ireland.

First: Set up your economy. Destroy your fort or lower the cost. Rise your Tax. You will be able to hire a small army of mercs and you can keep them. Next you attack a small neighbour with your troups and the mercs. You will easy win. After getting a win over their troops they will hire mercs to, but till they are in the right position they have no moral and are easy to defeat. Now you got 4 territorys. Destroy the forts and start the next war. After that you should be able to get a secound merc army. Other Countrys will now your trading goods. Give them all and set up your economy to rise up the income from export.

Now things are fine and you can rise up by war till you got enough territory to invest in buildings / technology and so on.

After 100 years iam now in the region of mediterranean Sea. Got the most parts of gallia and prepare to war with rom. Got now 400 territorys / 80K Mercs / 20K own Legion - and still a income of 20 - 30 Gold.

In my opinion the importend part is to hire mercs from the beginning and rise up fast.