Europa Universalis 2 for beginner

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Well, someone asked for tips to play Europa Universalis and getting started in this wonderfull addictive old game.

So here it is; an explanation of the main screen; that shall help getting started and provide seom explanation on some of the concepts the game is based on.

First thing first;

Paradox has a very good patch policy. Follow up of their game is impressive, and they keep patching, patching and patching again. If you make a good proposal and back it with facts, chances are it will make its way to the next patch.

Download the latest patch They really improve the game a lot

Patch 1.07 for EU2 (http://www.paradoxplaza.com/downloads.asp)

And the latest Beta patch (22nd beta after patch 1.07 since April 1st... and the game is 3 years old).

Beta patch (http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80424)

That being said; what is this game about;

You rule a country of your choice (100+ countries; you can select a different country to play by right clicking on selection shield at start). From there, well, your rule can have different objectives; that's pretty much up to you. The game keeps track of Victory points (that you score with victories, peace treaty, colony, monopoly, etc...); but honestly who cares? You can conquer the world if you see fit. Or have any other objective of your liking. It's an open game; play as you want.

How do you rule your country?

Well, we'll see that in the next few topics

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Main screen;


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23545-EU2MainView.JPG


On the right part of the screen you have a map oversight; you see your armies, ennemy adjacent armies and land type (forest, wood, hills). Frontiers are seen with the red line.
Land type affect battle outcome (cavalry rules overs plains, and infantry get better in wood / hills).

On the left side of the screen; we see the town of moscow. With its population, outcome and buildings. EU2 is not a city management game; there are 3 civil buildings (all tax oriented)+ 2 military buildings (improving your recruiting capacity) + 5 different kind of manufactories (economic bonus + research boost; very valuable)+ fortress (more on that later) and that's it. Moving your mouse over the different part of the cities will tell you what you can build for how much. Expensive but usually worth it.

Above and below moscow overview, different buttons that will toggle between different actions / map overview. More on that latter.

Above the general map is a small bar with stange synbols / numbers;
the Gold bar followed by a 1; number of merchant available. That's the number of merchant you can send to any Center of Trade you know. Trade is one of the best way to boost income, more on trade later.
The Boat followed by a 4; number of settlers available; people you send in unknow territories hoping that they will survive, thrive and give you tax revenue.
the Scroll followed by a 6; number of diplomats available; diplomats you send to other countries for different purposed; Royal Marriage, Alliance, War, Trade Embargo, Trade Agreement...
The Strange guy followed by a 6; number of missionaries you can send. Religion is an important factor in the game; missionaries will convert people to your state religion.
Center of the bar; the date. EU2 is kind of real time... But actually it's more like 365 turns per year * 400 years. You don't actually see turns happenning. You can pause the game, if you feel overwhelmed and control speed with Ctrl + / Ctrl -.
Then you see the Russian flag; that's because I play Russia
The number just behind the Russian flag is the Stability of Russia. -1... Not really stable (ranks between -3 and +3).
Stability is VERY important. High stability provides boost to income. Low stability will increase chance of revolts. Trade is greatly affected by stability. If your stability is negative don't even bother sending merchant; loss of time and money.
At -3 stability, your country is so unstable you can't even declare war on another country (you are considered pretty close to civil war yourself). Stability is affected by budget, religion, culture, diplomacy...
Then you have small figurines with 114; thousand of men in Russia military pool. I can recruit 114 000 thousand men Depending on how large your country is, your religion and culture, and your policy, you might recruit more or less men; Russia can recruit a lot Portugal on the other hand might only be able to recruit 10 000 men at this stage...
Gold coins followed by 88; treasury; money available to do whatever fancy you.

...

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Next view the political map.

http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23610-EU2Politicalmap.JPG

You can select this view by clicking on the two flags within the green circle (green circle is an addition of mine to help http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif )

On the previous map, the red line is the frontier, but you don't really see countries as they are.

This map, gives a different color to different countries helping to understand who is who and where. I am the bieg red guy

You can also see small yellow shields on some provinces. Those are the provinces on which Russia has a legitimate and recognized claims. Those claims depend on which country you are playing, and sometimes events. You have a casus belli on anyone who hold a province on which you have a claim. More on casus belli in diplomacy.

I got a Casus Belli on the Orange nation Poland).

The grey Nation is Crimea. The pale green in the south is the Ottoman Empire (quite scary).

...

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Now, I click on the anchor (left up corner).

That gives me an overview of my naval capacity...


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23645-EU2Naval.JPG


Well.... Navy is not great yet.... Hey, I'm Russia, not England

Late Medieval 5; is my current naval technology level... It has not been my priority... Depending on tech level, navies can have different abilities; but mainly will fight better

Schock / Morale / Fire with small colored dots is about how good this navy is. No Comment please.

Research is a sum up on how far are we from the next navy tech level.

Supportable amount; how many boat you can have at low maintenance cost; more than that will be at extra cost (quite matters in the beginning, less important later).

Totals; 0 5 0; means 0 warship 5 galleys and 0 transport. Again no comment http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Maintenance level / 0.1; cost of my 5 galleys / month. The slider will increase / decrease the effectiveness of the 5 galleys at a cost.

Below that is a sum up of what the technology achieve. CRT means a qualitative change; your troops will fight much better at those levels.

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[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Now I click on the soldier head (right of the anchor)


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23674-EU2Land.JPG


This is the equivalent of the previous screen for Armies.

I have around 80 000 men for a support limit of 150 000+, and I can recruit 114 000; life is good.

Support limit depends on many different factors; to see which one just keep your mouse over the support limit for a second, and you'll see what is in your support limit

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[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Next is what I call the Monarch screen

http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23701-EU2Monarch.JPG

In the pale red circle, you see a yellow shield with a two headed eagle... This will get us on the policy slider.
Next on the right; #1 is my rank among the nations in victory points. 935 is my number of victory points.Create Vassal enable you to create vassal; you give your territory to a new nation that will be your vassal; might be interesting for nations with troublesome culture/ religion. Is also interesting if other nations looks at you as a bad neighbour.

Next rigt is an orthodox crux in a yellow circle; this will get us to the religious (in)tolerance screen. The sign you see here is your state religion (orthodox).

Monarch; those are the characteristics of the current Russian Monarch Ivan IV Grozny "the Terrible". The green / yellow/ occasionally red dots tells us how good Ivan IV is... And he is pretty good http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif, although just average for economy.

In the blue pale circle, you see Cultures; those are the state cultures of Russia; Russian and Altai. Russian and Altai provinces will accept our rules easily... Other cultures well... Might be more prone to rebellion and will pay tax hum... reluctantly (-30% tax collection)... Not to mention they won't give you as many men to support any war effort. State cultures provinces are good

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[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Domestic Policy sliders;


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23753-EU2DS.JPG


Here is where you'll influence what your country will look like in the long term.

For a complete sum up of what policy sliders do; please follow this link.

FAQ; Domestic sliders setting (http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21665)

Domestic policy sliders will affect multiples aspects of the game; how many merchants / settlers / missionaries you have. But also your research speed, your stability cost, military cost, manpower, etc, etc...
You can change your policy by 1 notch every ten years
You can't have everything; if you want a lot of missionaried because you have a lot of 'wrong' religion provinces and need to convert them; chances are you will be narrowminded; but then your research speed will be low.

Russia is not the greatest place to live on Earth; it's a completly centralized state, completly narrowminded, and all are Serfs Serfs Serfs But well, it's Ivan "the Terrible"
I like it that way Ahah

Depending on what your goals are, change your policy accordingly
One move every ten years It's very slow to change the policy of your country

...

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Clicking on the religious symbol get us to the religious tolerance screen.

http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23788-EU2ReligiousTolerance.JPG


First is the State religion; well for Russia, not much choice really; we are Orthodox and that's it. Catholic nations can change with Protestant and Reformed. Muslim can either be Shiite or Sunni.

Religion will affect, tax and trade income, number of diplomats, settlers... Changing of State religion can be... quite painfull.

Below the state religion you have sliders will all known religions. For Russia so far; Orthodox, Catholic, Reformed, Protestants and Muslims (which from a Russian standpoint is both Shiite and Sunni... but if you play a muslim countries, you will have a Sunni and a Shiite slider).
The further on the right, the more you tolerate the religion.
I like Orthodox a lot. Then Protestant and Catholic... I quite don't like Muslims... And Reformed are not wellcome in my kingdom at all
This is an overall 0 sum slider; you can't like everyone
Religious tolerance change the behavior of other nations; if you tolerate thier state religion they'll become more friendly. It also change the Revolt Risk in your provinces. If I were not tolerant at all with Orthodox, chances are that many orthodox russian would be unhappy about it

...

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

OK, let's get serious now Let's talk money

Money in EU2 can seem a little strange.


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23856-EU2Finance.JPG



The 1st thing to understand is how you collect money.

Basically, you have two different incomes;

1/ monthly tax; coming from trade, production and census taxes... And other sources of income (vassal gives income too... and so does manufactories... and gold mines... ah well http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif ).
This monthly tax will be spent... or not... On different research and maintenance items.
The financial summary gives you an approximation of your monthly income.

2/ yearly tax; on January 1st; you earn what is called the census tax (which basically do not include trade and manufactory income).


You manage your monthly budget in this screen;


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23821-EU2Budget.JPG


Investing monthly income on Naval will increase naval techonology. Same thing for Land, Trade and Infrastructure. Trade will increase your trading efficiency (your merchant will give your much more money) and a few additional trading option (such as monopoly, embargoes...).
Infrastructure will allow you to build new buildings/ manufactories in your cities and boos production income.


2 sliders are specific;
1/ stability; do not boost a technology but will boost your stability. Stability cost increase with the number of provinces, and if those provinces are wrong religion / wrong cultures.
2/ treasury; amount that will get added or subtracted to your gold (and that you can spend to build new buildings, colony, armies... etc).

Warning

See the inflation numbers down the financial screenie? 7.0%?
Well the more money you put in your treasury the higher inflation is.
Inflation makes EVERYTHING more expensive. Troops. Colony. Technology. Forts. EVERYTHING.
Inflation over 20%/30% is worry some. Over 100% you are in deep deep trouble.
Having loan will also increase your inflation.
Some events will also impact your inflation.
Governors (building you get at infra 5 will decrease your inflation... slowly)
If Gold is a significant part of your revenue, it will also boost your inflation.
Inflation is the absolute ban of your economy on the long term

If possible, run a negative monthly budget and try to live with the yearly money But also try to avoid bankruptucy and or taking loans


...

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

How to improve your economy?

On the long term, city building (tax collectors, governors, judge) are great. So are Manufactories (+manufactories boost research and some efficiency factors) and so are colonies.

The major source of revenues, to make cash in a quick and dirty way is trade. (although the real and dirty way to make money is pillaging ennemy provinces when at war)


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-24198-EU2Trade.JPG



How trade works?

A few provinces are also Center Of Trades. Those are places where goods are exchanged; thinks major market place.

To make money on trade, click on the gold bar (left part of the screen) select a center of trade (by clicking on it), then click on 'place merchant' and there goes your merchant

Tip; do not use autosend merchant.Send merchant by wave of 2/3. Try to spot Center of Trade with not too much competition and room available.
If your merchants are not great (low trade technology bad policy sliders for trade) and you are at negative stabilty with a poor monarch economic skill, chances are you will fail; so focus on easy Center of Trade (such as the on you control if any).

...

[TheSilverKnight]

This game looks fun. Is there a demo for it?

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Another source of income are colonies. The payback is much longer than merchant, but colonies also have some nice side effect; usually your colonies will trade in your center fo trade, hence the merchants you have in your center of trade will make more money. Also, colonies are populated with good, right religion, right culture people


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-24323-EU2Colony.JPG


To send settlers in colony, click on the boat on the lower bar in the left part of the screen. Then select a province in pale green or dark green. Then click on send settler.

Succes is far from automatic, it depends on how the local behaves and the number of unfinished colonies you already have. You need a lot of settler before your colony reahc the city level

You can also send trader.... although cheaper it is not recommanded. Trade generates trade income only, but do not give you a city; so no fort, no port, no tax... nada.

...

But before sending settlers to new provinces, you need to know about those territories Most of them are unknown Two specific leaders will help you going in uncharted territories; explorer (naval) or conquistador (land). Send them to blank zone and discover the world

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Religion is VERY important.

Provinces with a religion different from your state religion will give you less income (30% less...) and less soldiers.
Also, provinces with non state religion will increase stabilty cost.

Therefore, well, we need to convert people of different religions to our state religion.

We can do that using missionaries.

Click on the strange looking guy on the left isde of the screen.

http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-23911-EU2Conversion.JPG


you'll see a religious map of the world with different state religion in different colors and province with religions different from the state one.

In my case, well after a successfull war versus Sunni steppe Khans, I end up with lot of Sunni provinces. Not good.

So I sent Missionaries at work

Succes of missionaries depends on; culture of the province (if a culture state = good, if not chance of success divided by 2), monarch rating, and possibly population size.
It is a long expensive process. But it is worth it. Empires with 4/5 different religions are 'quite difficult' too manage. So convert 1st the easy picking (provinces with the state culture), then the rich one, and then the one you have in few numbers If you have 20 protestants and 1 reformed, go for reformed first It will help you setting your religious tolerance sliders (see above).

...

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Last but not least; diplomacy.

This is really different from the way TW works and in a sense much more formal.

If you click on the Scroll on the lower left side you see;


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-24029-EU2Diplomacy.JPG


This is a sum up of your formal relation / alliance with other nations;

Well first I am at war with Danemark, Scotland and Venice. Oh well.
To be at war in MTW, you send an army in an ennemy province and there you go At war
In EU2, you need to send a diplomat. War declaration will have a cost in stability; your people may or may not like the idea of going to war. If you have a casus belli (ie a good cause to go to war; ie a claim on ennemy land, you have been embargoed by another nation, result of an events), it won't be a problem... If you don't have a casus belli... Bad news... And if you had good relation, or are of the same religion; additional bad news.
If you delcare war, other countries will start to dislike you and trust you less.
Going to war in EU2 is not a trivial matter.
In my case, Danemark declared war on me. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I have a casus Belli against Venice (because of an embargo), Poland, Sibir, Nogai and Astrakhan (because they have lands on which I have a claim = small yellow shield on political map).

I also have temporary casus belli... Sometimes on nation on which I already got a permanent casus belli... That might depends on specific events, or specific actions (such as annexions of another nations gives a casus belli to anyone else).

On the map a color code indicates who are the friend and the foes... All my neighbours dislike me http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

On the upper left you also see in small character "you have a very bad reputation" (and 31.3/45 number appears when keeping the mouse on the reputation statement). I have been hum... quite agressive and have accumulated some 'bad boy' rating. Declaring wars, annexing provinces on which you have no claims, etc... will make your reputation worse. If I ever go to 45/45, then everybody will declare war no me (if in Very Hard). EVERYBODY. They got really upset with me annexing people right and left

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

On the sae screen, you cna clik on another nations and you will have a sum up of their alliances and relation with other nations;


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-24075-EU2DiplomacyTreaty.JPG


Also, you will the chance to send a diplomat. A diplomat can;

- declare war; see above. How to be a bad bad guy

- offer royal marriage. Relation will improve. DOW (Declaration Of War) will cost more stability.

- offer vassalization; if you have real good relation, are in the same military alliance and with a good diplomat monarch, you might be able to vassalize the country; greyed ouy because it is obviously not the case with poland...

- Annex; if you have very good relations with a long term vassal, and are much much bigger than him, you can annex him right away. You don't have to do war to annex other nations

Then we got the Alliance part; Poland is already in an alliance so I can't create a new alliance with them. But I can ask to join their alliance (not likely that they accept).
Depending on your status in an alliance (leader or not), you can invite other nation to it, or ban existing members. If you are not alliance leader; your only option is to leave existing alliance (and that does not come for free...)

When declaring a war, or when being declared war on; if you are member of an alliance you will choose wether you want to call your allies for help or not.
There are some good reasons not to call allies; if you are not the alliance leader, the alliance leader can make peace for the whole alliance; so if your alliance leader is losing but you are winning, he may mkae peace on your back.
Also if you are getting at war with a nation that has good relation with your alliance members; they might not answer positively to your call... (and if you have been a very very bad boy, it's likely they won't support your cause... if you don't ask them they won't have a chance to say no ).

Last some trading option; embargoes would forbid Poland to trade in Center of Trade we control. Trade agreement means that our merchant would not compete against each other.
Exchange discoveries exchange know territories between nations.
Offer loan; well; what it says; give money vs interest.

As you can see, I got -200 relation with Poland. Even if I want to do something constructive with them, they are very likely to be negative about it.

...

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

-200 with Poland... How can I improve that?

Even if Iask for a Royal Marriage, they will say no... hum...

Well let's click on relation (see on top you have view alliances and view relations).


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-24111-EU2DiplomacyRelation.JPG


Relations work on a simple premise; bribery. Send money.

Relation will change slowly other time with other factors; such your religious tolerance to their state religion, your reputation, mutual land claim.

You also got a few other options; send warning will give Russia a Casus Belli against Poland if Poland attack another neighbours.
Send insult will give Poland a Casus Belli against Russia.
Claim their throne; if you had a royal marriage with a nation, you can later claim their throne, which will give you a casus belli... but also has other pretty bad consequences (such as; other nations with which you had royal marriages starts getting worried a bit).

Proclaim Guarantee; will give Russia a Casus Belli against anyone who attack Poland.

[frogbeastegg]

Quote[/b] (Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe @ Dec. 20 2003,15:54)]Well, someone asked for tips to play Europa Universalis and getting started in this wonderfull addictive old game.
I think that's my cue to get my printer working overtime Not at all what I expected when I asked for some tips - thank you http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif This should really help me out. I tried the tutorials again and the arrows still point to the wrong things, I read some of the forums you pointed me at (spotted you on them ) and while it was very helpful most of the advice shot straight over my head. You know how you said France could survive most disasters inflicted by the player and keep going? Er well not when I'm in charge it seems

It took me over a year to learn Alpha Centauri because of all the numbers and stats, I can see EU2 being similar.

For anyone out there wondering if this is a good game I can wholeheartedly recommend it despite the fact I have had it for nearly 4 months and still don't understand it in the slightest While it is complex it is the numbers and small print writing that mess me up, rather than the game being overly complicated or poorly documented. It is also quite cheap these days, at least in the UK.

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Remember the war with Danemark?

Unlike MTW, sending an army in ennemy provinces and controlling them, while helpfull does not mean you own the provinces.

A few words on army movements; in ennemy provinces, your armies are likely to suffer from attrition, and if in winter it can get pretty ugly.
Army will battle each other... If an army is an ennemy province, it will start to siege it (pretty much like MTW). You can assault ennemy fortress to hurry up a bit and avoid painfull attrition.
Once you have the control of the fortress, you control the province.
But control means nothing... You don't make any money on it, you can't get troops there....

Nothing really happens in terms of province ownership until you get your ennemy to sign a peace treaty. The more victories in battle you have, the more ennemy province you control, the more favorable the peace treaty.

To make a peace proposal; send a diplomat to the nation;

http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-24162-EU2DiplomacyPeace.JPG

I end with +6% with danemark after winning a few battles.

In a peace treaty, you can ask for gold, provinces ownership, vassalization, change of religion and military access.
What you want is pretty much up to you.
I will ask for no tribute vs the Danes; I don't want any of their provinces (cold, full of protestant danes, and resentfull danes going to war on me at any other occasion; no thanks, I got other stuff to do).
Also note that on the top it says; Russia as alliance leader negociate peace vs Danemark as Alliance leader. I am at war vs Danemark alliance. As Danemark is the alliance leader, this will end the war.
If I make peace vs Scotland, i'll still be at war vs Danemark and Venice (that would be a separate peace).
Depending on what you want from the war, it might or might not be a good idea to target the alliance leader, or to try to get separate peace.


You don't have to win every war. The game last 400 years. Sometimes it's better to give one province and comes back later than staying years in a losing war.

That's pretty much it to start I might add a few words on armies... But I think moving armies is pretty much straightforward http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
So that might be unnecessary.

Have fun,

Louis,

[TheSilverKnight]

Louis, is there a demo for this game? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Quote[/b] (frogbeastegg @ Dec. 20 2003,13:52)]
Quote[/b] (Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe @ Dec. 20 2003,15:54)]Well, someone asked for tips to play Europa Universalis and getting started in this wonderfull addictive old game.
I think that's my cue to get my printer working overtime Not at all what I expected when I asked for some tips - thank you http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif This should really help me out. I tried the tutorials again and the arrows still point to the wrong things, I read some of the forums you pointed me at (spotted you on them ) and while it was very helpful most of the advice shot straight over my head. You know how you said France could survive most disasters inflicted by the player and keep going? Er well not when I'm in charge it seems

It took me over a year to learn Alpha Centauri because of all the numbers and stats, I can see EU2 being similar.

For anyone out there wondering if this is a good game I can wholeheartedly recommend it despite the fact I have had it for nearly 4 months and still don't understand it in the slightest While it is complex it is the numbers and small print writing that mess me up, rather than the game being overly complicated or poorly documented. It is also quite cheap these days, at least in the UK.
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif


I don't crunch numbers when I play EU2 at all... I go for the intuitive feeling.

Yes there is a lot of number... But honestly what can you change im the financial summary? Well not a lot, you play around the budget, but most of the time, it won't move much, you send settlers and merchant, and slowly income increase...

In some way unit optimization for MTW MP is more unmber crunching than EU2... The difference is that EU2 for sure got more 'dimensions'.

Let me know if there is anything else you need help for; possibly moving armies around, and maybe the ledger (big book down the screen close to the world map).

SilverKnight; I don't know if there is a demo for the game... But that's a less than 10 USD game now.

Louis,

[frogbeastegg]

Thanks Louis, all 16 pages with pictures are printing now. I shall try again tomorrow, this evening I have got a lot of unit guide fixing to do. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif If I ignore the numbers in games like this I go bankrupt inside of half an hour I just need to learn which ones I can safely ignore, which ones I need to translate into froglish (my version of number heavy language, it removes most of the numbers and replaces them with vague discriptions like 'not enough' and 'thingy that controls army people' ).

SilverknightI couldn't find a demo for either EU2 or EU1 when I was looking so there doesn't appear to be one. It's one of those cases where you have to take a risk. Try buying it from shop where you can take it back if you don't like it.

[TheSilverKnight]

thanks. I'll go check it out http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif looks fun http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

And one more screenie


http://www.thiep.com/~ffmtw/iB_html/uploads/post-19-43875-EU2Province.JPG


I shall post that a little earlier, along with Muscowy province description.

If you click on the city hall in your city screen, you have access to province information as seen above.

What matters?

Revolt Risk kind of matter (but that depends on which patch you play). Is the % of chance a province would revolt. If you put your mouse on the numbers an explanation on the numbers will appear.

What affect revolt risk?
mainly
- stability
- religious tolerance
- buildings (tax collectors, etc...)
- cultural difference
- events
- war exhaustion (if you raise a lot of troops, stay in war for a very long time, with a lot of battles, then people will start begin unhappy about it)
- other (capital status, other revolters in other provinces...)

Supply limit; will determine if your troops will suffer from attrition. Usually a high number in your rich provinces, and a low number in ennemy poor provinces. Avoid staying in ennemy poor provinces in the snow

Religion; see religion symbol
Culture; the text under the religious symbol.

Small note on religion on culture.

You can change the religion of one province by sending missionaries. Also, some random events will change religion.

You cannot chance a province culture. Well, almost.
A few rare events will do it.
If you send a missionary to a Pagan province, the missionary will change both the culture and the religion.
If you send a settler to a small colony (size of colony depends on patch version), it will change both the religion and the culture.

Louis,

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

How to avoid bankruptucy?

Bankruptucy happen when you got more and more loans and that interest run higher than your income, and bang Bankruptucy.

If your gold (number next to stability/ manpower right high corner) go negative, the game will automatically take a loan for you.
You can also take a loan in your budget screen. Too many loan = bankruptucy.

Why is your gold going negative? Well you got a problem between your income and expenses; the 1st thing to do is to cut expenses;
1/ drop maintenance to 50%, and / or dismiss troops if above supply limit (and no war plan in mind...). See the financial screen? You have a first income line, and then a fixed expense line (ie armymaintnance and + loan interest); if your fixed expenses are higher than your income you are in trouble
2/ move the treasury slider to the right (in budget screen); this will create inflation and screw your country in the long term But well, it'll help in the beginning; use the money to promote tax collector.
3/ if you play the latest beta, be sure you have tax collector everywhere It's worth taking a loan / adding money to treasury to build them at the beginning. without tax collector, no tax
4/ don't autosend merchant; pick up your trade fight.

Louis

PS: that's tip for beginners; I'll ignore alternative 'I go bankrupt on purpose' strategy http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Bevan of Hertfordshire]

Chris i found Europa Universallis II in game a while back and i got in a 3 for £20 thing, jolly good stuff in GAME.


Thanks for the guide thats very helpful, what do you guys think of the Fantasia Campaign? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[el_slapper]

Fantasia campaing is a joke, 'cause it's not the way the game was meant to be played.

Note that Paradox did edit Hearts of Iron(WWII GRand strategic wargame) & Victoria(EU-like in 1835-1920 era, with more economic depth). HoI is different, but really enjoyable with the latest patches. Victoria, at patch 1.02....mmmh, well, I'll wait for 1.03.

[Leet Eriksson]

how about a strategy for oman or other smaller states,they are really tough to play http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[Bevan of Hertfordshire]

Fantasia was cool because you always ended up with several superpowers.

HoI is really cool though, great fun. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

Quote[/b] (faisal @ Dec. 21 2003,17:18)]how about a strategy for oman or other smaller states,they are really tough to play http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif
Oman you say?

In 1492:
Not really small, 2 COT and Ispahan is next door waiting to be taken from the kingdom of the white sheep/ shall be easy...

On top of that you have arabic culture right? And you are Shiite: ie you have CB on allmost all your arab neighbours.

I'd ally with the mameluk and attack Ak Kyonlu to get Basrah and Ispahan. Then, you are rich, so life is easy, money will flow, you will outtech your oppponent... Are you aiming at conquering the world with Oman or do you have any other goal in mind?

Louis,

[frogbeastegg]

Can someone boot this thread over to the arena please? Thanks http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/ht_bow.gif

[A.Saturnus]

Done