The "help Mount Suribachi play EU2" thread

[Mount Suribachi]

I've decided to try and give EU2 another go.

1st time round I read all the FAQs, did the tutorials, asked around the forums & started as Sweden, which was the most popular beginners choice.

So the game started, and I had no idea what I was doing. The game was so immense, and so much was going on around me, yet at the same time so little seemed to be going on in Sweden. After a couple of years of not doing much, and not knowing much about it, I ran out money and gave up. I think part of my problem was that I didn't really have any particular aim, whereas most of the AARs I've seen seem to start out with a particular goal in mind. So Sweden was just bumbling along without a care and without an idea. I couldn't even attack anyone cos they were either

a) Bigger & stronger than me

b) I didn't have a CB on them

I was also rather timid in my gamestyle. I guess you could say I fear change So I was scared to try things in case it screwed up my game when maybe I should have just done things for the hell of it to see what happens. But thats just my gameplay style - I'm not much for experimenting (says the bloke with the chemistry degree http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif )

So here I am again. I've read the EU2 thread that Froggy kindly dug out, and TBH it didn't tell me much that I didn't already know so...

Now, froggy says she struggled with SMAC - which I found to be intuitive and easy to get into. But she managed to get into EU2, so I still hold out hope MTW is so much easier. But then again, MTW lacks the depths of EU2........

So my questions are

1) Who should I play?

2) What scenario?

3) What should be my goal?

4) What kind of things do I need to be doing/building at the start?

5) What else do I need to know?

6) Thank you very much.

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-help.gif

[Snowhobbit]

1. I'd say Sweden http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif , mainly because it gets alot easier after 1521.
2. Umm, dont remember what they're called, but if you want tp do it right you should start with the Grand Campaign (that's what I did), otherwise if you play Sweden you could start a little later
3. I prefer to build up a massive economy in the beginning, and then crush the whole world with my massive army http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif .
4. I would build taxcollectors, mainly in provinces that have a taxvalue of 6 or higher.
5. If you're Sweden colonize Lappland, but nothing else, Sweden is not a nation that should colonize (although I found it alot of fun to conquer Canada as Sweden http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif but perhaps you should get some more experiance before you try that).
6. You're welcome

[frogbeastegg]

Quote[/b] (Mount Suribachi @ May 17 2004,19:48)]1) Who should I play?
I started to get the hang of the game as France, 1419. I thought that was an easy start, but I got my dates mixed up. France 1491 is easy, France 1419 is hard becasue you are lsoing the 100 years war. However I found I learned very quickly, even if I did have to restart several times. England 1419 is also supposed to be very easy, with potential for easy expansion into France.


Quote[/b] ]2) What scenario?
I'd say grand campaign, 1419. That way you can do pretty much anything.


Quote[/b] ]3) What should be my goal?
As Louis said to me What do you want it to be? In EU2 you set your own goal. Choose a faction and then get back to us, I can offer tips if you choose France or England.


Quote[/b] ]4) What kind of things do I need to be doing/building at the start?
Depends on who you are. If you are France/England then you need troops to win/finish your war. If you are at peace you can look into other options, diplomacy for example. Building relations (aka sending chocolate), arranging royal marriages (aka sending doggies), waiting 10 years then diplo vassalising states, that kind of thing. Tax collecters are really neat, so build them when you have the cash to splash.


Quote[/b] ]5) What else do I need to know?
Loads Loads of stuff, including a lot I don't know myself.

It is a very slow game, I found I was trying to do too much too soon, and thinking things were going wrong if nothing was happening.


The tutorials are crap, the manual is worthless, the forums are um, to be honest they vary from very nice to extremely arrogant. I found that even the newbie help threads were far too advanced, in the end Louis got plagued with questions by email, which he kindly answered and that was invaluable. Poor chap, he offered to teach me MTW MP and ended up doing a side line in EU2 http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-grin.gif

Anywho pick a country, start date and a scenario, and I'll pass on any relevant tidbits I can.

[Trax]

Building tax collectors is absolutly vital when playing 1.08.

Also, if you want a clear goal try small nations - your goal will be your survival.
My first game was with Scotland and I almost went mad trying to survive http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif Had to do 10+ restarts http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/flat.gif

Another choice with clear goal of survival is Byzantium My struggle for survival (http://www.legiontotalwar.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2440&st=0)http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-curtain.gif

[hrvojej]

Quote[/b] (Mount Suribachi @ May 17 2004,14:48)]1) Who should I play?

2) What scenario?

3) What should be my goal?

4) What kind of things do I need to be doing/building at the start?

5) What else do I need to know?

6) Thank you very much.
1) IMHO, Castille. Your political situation is not too complicated, you're not at a massive war immediately, and you can always squash Granada for practice. You also get to experience colonization, get all kinds of goodies once you become Spain, and are strong enough to fend off anyone who wants to bother you. In my first game, I managed to conquer over half of the world by 1819.

2) Grand campaign for me, but it would depend whether you like to play the same game for a long time or not.

3) It depends again. You could play as a diplomatic powerhouse, mad conquerer, colonizator, or everything inbetween and put together. Whatever suits your style.

4) If you're playing with the latest patch, build tax collectors as soon as you can, otherwise you won't get census taxes at the end of the year. Other than that, whatever you intend to do; you should always have some armies, ships and invest in research, but how much of each depends on what you choose to be your focus.

5)Quite a few things, but you'll get them as you play along. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

6) Cheers, http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[Leet Eriksson]

I do not have problems with major power like european countries,but anyone has any tips on making Oman a super power? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif its a small 3 provence country,i dunno i might wanna go for the African Horn and probably bully Aden after that...but my religion is shiite wich messes up the experience of conquering the sunnis http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[hrvojej]

Quote[/b] (faisal @ May 17 2004,21:00)]I do not have problems with major power like european countries,but anyone has any tips on making Oman a super power? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif its a small 3 provence country,i dunno i might wanna go for the African Horn and probably bully Aden after that...but my religion is shiite wich messes up the experience of conquering the sunnis http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif
Never tried Oman as such, but a few tips:

Spoiler Alert! Highlight to read. - go for the Persia - trade centers, and most of their provinces will turn Shiite later on (if they aren't so already). Get Isfahan for sure.
- You have CB on all other muslims - use it
- once you're big enough, annex either Mamluks, Persia, or both
- go for the Africa in colonization, and also go for the pagan nations to annex them; another thing to do would be India for its richness; you'll be full naval anyway, since you don't need ground morale due to Shiite bonus and deserts, so you'll get explorers; play like you would with Portugal - colonize and sink all who dare to threaten you

[/QUOTE]
Hope this helps somewhat.

[Leet Eriksson]

Thanks,i just applied the patch,Oman has Dhofar so i do not have to contest it with Yemen as it was pre-patch,Also Quattar and Dammam is mine,it'll be a much easier game now mwahahahah http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[NagatsukaShumi]

Okay, seen as I've just started to really get into EUII I thought I'd try and help out here.

1) Who should I play?

Well, if your looking for a fairly easy campaign so you can get to grips with the game I would suggest the French.

2) What scenario?

Grand Campaign, there is nothing more satisfying than playing for 400 years and winning.

3) What should be my goal?

Primarily it should be to take all your lands, don't worry however, everybody who owns your national lands are factions you have CB on. After you've done that just build up you manufactories whilst teching up and keeping an eye out for any explorers you get, then I suggest you rush over to either America or Africa and start colonising. War in europe isn't really a great idea, attacking Indians in America however is because you can annex them straight away by taking their lands and you lose NO reputation for doing so.

4) What kind of things do I need to be doing/building at the start?

Right, at the start you are thrown straight into war against Brittany, Burgundy and England, don't worry however as the rest of France is on your side as well as Scotland. I suggest you take Artois from the Burgundians and then demand that as part of the peace process, they buckle easily. Give Brittany a White Peace, later on they become your vassals via an event and you can deal with them then. Attack the English, they will occupy themselves with the minor factions and leave ALL their lands free to attack, ignore the fact that they will attack Venedee, its dispensible considering you'll conquer far more amounts of lands before they take Venedee. Seal a peace for as much English land as you can. Then build Tax Collectors in every province, don't worry about revolts as the conquered provinces are rightfully yours and so you will not get Nationalism as a stability issue in them. After you've stabilised declare war on Aragon, take the one province of yours that they have and then do the same on Bearn, try to seal peace with the Spanish (Castile). From then on just tech up whilst making the odd war with England to get the lands they'll still have off them.

5) What else do I need to know?

Don't attack Burgundy, infact totally ignore Burgundy after gaining Artois from them as pretty quickly you will Annex them in an event and gain their lands that are yours, you will however lose Franche-Comte in a Brittany event so attack Austria and take it back as quickly as you can before waiting 10 years and annexing Brittany and the rest of the french factions. ALWAYS watch your reputation, you should at the very least have a respectable reputation before declaring war, if you don't watch it carefully you could become hated and then people will continually declare war on you. When colonising the New World remember to use you Explorers as juch as you can til they eventually die, same goes with Conquistadors, don't worry about them dying through attrition, just push them into finding as much as they can do, then I suggest you rush into Colonising as the Spanish and the English will be colonising themsleves, especially the Spanish. When you can put your Centralization up, it will decrease you technology cost. Don't worry about cash, the French get bags of the stuff, remember to build the appropriate manufactories in your provinces, Wine is plentiful and building the Brewery in these provinces will bring you great amounts of cash.

6) Thank you very much.

Always a plesure http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Leet Eriksson]

Argh i'm going bankrupt on my Omani campaign... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif 200 gold is not enough for me,i'm probably spending things pretty fast....

[SwordsMaster]

Want a challenge?
try Victoria. If EU2 is hard, Vicky is immediate death.
In my 5th game as Belgium, I own Alaska, a good bit of Africa, Kuriles Islands, New guinea, Timor, and some of the Bahams, but Im at wqar with Prussia, France, and Russia. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif


For EU2, build everything that reduces revolt risk.Then upgrade your army a little, build up your economy another little.Dont go for colonies from the very beginning.Usually if you go to war against some colony-heavy nation, you will get some colonies as war indemnities...

Have fun http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Mount Suribachi]

Ah well. Looks like I won't be doing much EU2 playing in the next few weeks after all http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-help.gif

Thanks for the replies anyway.

[frogbeastegg]

You can play as the Empire of Harassed Parents, ruling alongside your wife and having diplomatic problems with the principality controlled by a certain crying bundle of 'joy' http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Just revive this thread when you have time to play again...in 20 years time http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-grin.gif

I hope everything's going well, with nothing more probelmatic than a lack of sleep http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Mount Suribachi]

Wife and baby are still in the maternity home. Me and the cat are getting a full night of unbroken sleep tonight http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-2thumbsup.gif

[Mount Suribachi]

Just revive this thread when you have time to play again

Well, I've decided to have a 4th stab at this game (as my PC sure as hell won't run RTW ~:mecry: )


Be prepared for questions....lots of questions.....

[lonewolf371]

I'd suggest playing as Austria, all the annexations and wars you have to fight to stabilize yourself as France can be confusing if you're new to EU I and II. As Austria you get a bunch of weak nations around you, a slow-paced game, and lots of oh-so-wonderful events, such as the inheiratence of Burgundy and Hungary. All the nations around you are weak as well, so it's not hard to get all your national provinces.

At least in my French game I might actually have a challenge this time... Something I've never before seen happen in any EU game, Austria has gone diplo-annex trigger-happy and taken just about the entire Holy Roman Empire, and they've surpassed me in land military technology... Well, sooner or later I'll have to tone them back down, but it's going to be a lot more difficult than anything else I've done.

[Mount Suribachi]

Hmm, I've seen Austria suggested elsewhere as well......

BTW, I just realised I started this thread the day before my son was born. Foolish me! ~:joker: The little monkey was 4 weeks early mind ~:p

[lonewolf371]

BTW, probably a rather basic question, but how do you play nations other than the "main" ones listed in each scenario?

[Louis de la Ferte Ste Colombe]

I don't remember if it's right or left click on the shields... Probably right click ~:p

Louis,

[frogbeastegg]

lonewolf371, if EU2 is the same as Vicky in this, and I think it is, you right click on the shield you want to replace and choose from the humongous list.

It took you this long to realise your timing was poor, Mount Suribachi? I realised that on the day you posted it :tongueg:

[Mount Suribachi]

Well, 1st babies are normally about a week late, so I figured that gave me about 5 weeks to get stuck in to EU2 ~D

Anyway, I have decided I want to play an Island nation so I can happily mess around with my country - at least until some nasty naval power decides to invade me ~:(

So, playable island nations. We have Ireland? Nippon? Cyprus? Any others?

[frogbeastegg]

Playable island nations? Um...let's see, there is one...now what's it called? Um...oh yes - England! :tongueg: Well, ok so Scotland is nearby but I always found it very easy to ignore them without problems.

Nippon is supposedly quite hard, I played it once in my own baffled newbie days and I got precisely no where. Ireland is always very poor in Paradox games and I find sitting around for 5 game years just to build one simple refinery very boring. No idea about Cyprus.

[Michiel de Ruyter]

So far, I have only been playing as England in the Grand Campaign.

My goal: Eliminate France. or reduce it to a fraction of it's former self.

Playing as England, if you succeed in cutting Brittany of from the French lands (capture Vendee and Orleans), they will NOT turn French due to the events... otherwise they will eventually be absorbed.

So the first thing I try to do is gaining some French territory (as much of their coastal provinces as possible), and their vassals/allies. Then eliminate Scotland and build up the economy fast. And start exploring.

Then I tend to try and colonize North America, and go into Africa. Just as a tryout, I ended up with most of France, most of what is today the US, parts of Canada, some African countries, parts of Indonesia and the Phillipines, and was in the proces of conquering the of both India and the remnants of Indonesia.

[Mount Suribachi]

So I started a game as Eire as I didn't want to be surrounded by 15 different nations (like when I tried Austria and went ~:eek: ), just to try and get a handle on the game and learn from my mistakes.

Anyway, I've invested in tax collectors in a couple of provinces, got half a dozen merchants at a couple of CoTs and reduced my army support to 50%, stab is +3, yet I'm still losing 1.5d per month. Now its January 1421 and I'm under 100d and still losing money. What do I need to do to get my economy going?

Also, I took Meath from the English, then went to offer them peace. I had 4% to play with, but Meath was 8% and I could only ask for a 1% cash offer (25d) ie the + button was greyed out after 1 click.

Also, what can I do with all my missionaries and colonists? I have no unexplored territory to send them to. Do I just have to keep 6 in the "stash" until I can explore some territory of my own?

Thanks.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

So I started a game as Eire as I didn't want to be surrounded by 15 different nations (like when I tried Austria and went ~:eek: ), just to try and get a handle on the game and learn from my mistakes.

Anyway, I've invested in tax collectors in a couple of provinces, got half a dozen merchants at a couple of CoTs and reduced my army support to 50%, stab is +3, yet I'm still losing 1.5d per month. Now its January 1421 and I'm under 100d and still losing money. What do I need to do to get my economy going?

Also, I took Meath from the English, then went to offer them peace. I had 4% to play with, but Meath was 8% and I could only ask for a 1% cash offer (25d) ie the + button was greyed out after 1 click.

Also, what can I do with all my missionaries and colonists? I have no unexplored territory to send them to. Do I just have to keep 6 in the "stash" until I can explore some territory of my own?

Thanks.

You always lose ducats each month no matter how much money you make. The cash button greys out before you demand more money than the country actually has...in the pre-patch version you could settle peace for 300 ducats and find that you only got 2... ~:doh:

Yup just keep them in stash.

I would think Eire would be a poor start country...france or spain in the age of exploration would be the best, they are so powerful you can afford mistakes.

[Slyspy]

I've been playing EU2 for ages. If you are running out of money then you probably have some or all of these problems:

1) A poor country with low population (like Eire) will never be rich even with tax collectors unless you expand. Get into alliance with a powerful colonial power and try to grab some bits of the New World, Africa, Far East etc.

2) Inflation is your enemy. It makes everything (including tech research) cost more and is created by minting money. Make sure you keep your income slider to as far to the left as possible. Take monthly losses if your yearly income can cover it, or a monthly income of zero if you need your yearly revenue.

3) The biggest drain on revenue is the army. Due to rules changes all nations start with an army larger than they can support so use it or disband it quickly. Never ever have an army larger than your support limit (the cost escalates sharply), and keep it well below the limit in peace time.

4) Concentrate in infrastructure research. This will help you generate more money, have less revolts and eventually combat inflation.

5) If necessary research trade to boost the income gained from your merchants.

Other hints:

I recommend the Grand Campaign with England or Sweden for new players. England is relatively secure with great potential. Sweden has been given lots of great leaders and events by the (Swedish) developers.

Don't worry about keeping stability at +3 all the time. +1/+2 is fine.

If countries were enemies in RL the chances are they will be in the game as well. Try to join an alliance with your greatest potential enemy. At the moment, for example, my large but week Poland is in alliance with Austria. They hate me but need the other alliance members in their wars with France so they have left me alone.

Be very careful when conquering - too many non-core culture and different religions will up stability costs and the risk of revolts and civil war. Relgions can be converted with luck and money but cultures usually cannot.

Try that lot!

[tombom]

Play AGCEEP ;). Much better in my opinion. If you want sometihng unhistorical do abberration. I know you didn't really want this response but still.

And didn't you post something over on the paradox forums about this?

[Qilue]

While the suggested island nations are good, you will do best playing THE REAL island nation - England.

January 1 1419 - send diplomat to france offering most of your continental possessions for peace. They don't usually refuse. You'll probably have to keep Calais but you can get rid of it later.

While waiting the requisite 5 years, go conquer/force vasselise/annex or conquer/force annex Ireland. Then build a big navy and mass troops on the scottish border.

Once Truce period expired, if it's not already obvious, invade Scotland. Make a separate peace with France giving away the rest of your continental possessions. The french minors who joined in are too weak to be more than a nusance and are are already prepping for war against whoever dishonoured when you DoW'ed Scotland.

Brittany will generally cancel the vasselage (goodbye, good luck, good riddance) so you don't have to worry about taking a stab hit, although you could do it yourself for the -1 BB after your brutality in Scotland and Ireland.

Basically your objective is to completely own the British Isles. Then avoid all alliances after dishonouring when Burgandy starts atacking his neighbours. The rest of europe will ignore you and your navy will keep them from getting ambitious.

Then vegitate until you get your first explorer. You'll have around 20 years lead on france to the new world and around 40 years for north america (since they go for the caribean first) so colonise ALL of NA.

Finally, make sure you go full naval and free market. This raises the chances for explorer events as well as giving more colonists. Plus, take the stab hit and switch to protestant when the event occurs as this makes your colonies immune to the Treaty of Tordesillas. You should switch back to catholic for Mary, but she doesn't rule long and you can switch again for Elizabeth.

The constant religion switching also annoys most of europe, but since your navy is so much bigger, they can't do anything.

Anyway, that's how I usually play England at the start but others may have different strategies.

[frogbeastegg]

That's an interesting outline, Qilue. A question though - why drop France? Why not conquer the whole caboodle and then colonise without their opposition?

I've just picked the game back up after a very long break and I'm trying to play England GC. I've been trying to conquer France with no real success ... er, but that's mostly because I can't remember how to play. Took me several days just to remember how to switch to a higher resolution than the default :inquisitive:

How's it going, Mount Suribachi? Getting anywhere, or are you doing as well as I am (i.e. appallingly)?

[Slyspy]

There's something rather satifying about turning France red. My best ever game in the early days was the one where as England I vassalised a powerful France after conquering half of it. They were my bitch! Ah entente cordiale
:knight: :charge: :duel: :skull: :surrender: :whip:

[Qilue]

That's an interesting outline, Qilue. A question though - why drop France? Why not conquer the whole caboodle and then colonise without their opposition?

Conquering France means you have to go full land, otherwise you'll never have enough manpower in the event of a war with Austria, sPain or both. This is in addition to maintaining a significant army as a show of force. By exiting the continent the way I described above, leaves France quite strong, and big enough to keep sPain and/or Austria busy and they'll usually leave you alone since you no longer have any of their national provinces.

After the nationalism in Scotland and Ireland goes away, Britain is generally a peaceful place (except during the civil war), so you only need a token army thus saving gold. The real defence being the navy which also helps with colonization.

As for NA, you want to colonize biloxi, arkansas and missisippi. The along the coast to at least sagenuay (conquering Lenape) as well as the islands near there. Then do nueltin, eskimalt, winsk, attawapiskat and chisabi which seals off the centre. Only if you get time, do the rest of the coast. A few of the natives have high agression but small numbers, so those ones are easily 'pacified' ~;).

While most of them are base tax 1 provinces, they are split between furs and fish, both of which have good production incomes with furs having high trade value. You can build naval manufactuaries in the fish ones for even more income, ship support and naval tech research. Leave the centre until Elizabeth so only the coastal colonies are mostly catholic.

Lastly, 1776. In this year, some ungrateful colonists start running around ranting something about "no taxation without representation" and other such nonsense. Now, the United States is not pre-ordaned, meaning if you put down all the revolts, you can avoid losing those colonies and always choose expensive fortifications.