I play the HRE / Early / Expert / G.A. and did not see a strat guide in the Table of Contents, so started this.
I have been using a two-prong approach to my wee empire. The two prong approach addresses my three main concerns: Money, Mobility & Mojo.
IN THE NAVY.
This is the Money and Mobility part. Right off the bat (for Europeans, that means "first thing"), the HRE drives North to Denmark and assimilates them and all their viking cohorts into the HRE.
Denmark now becomes the foremost shipmaking capital of the HRE. Norway and Sweden, aside from BIG garrisons, get the lesser ship-building technology. In a pinch, 3 ships a turn can be churned out. Start sailing to the Med, young Viking.
HEARTLAND
This is the Mojo part: It gets the HRE quality units faster than it's enemies.
The heartland is Swabia, Switzerland, Bohemia and Fanconia. With a few "key aquisitions" (Champaign and Silesia), the heartland will always be at least one province away from the enemies front.
This means that, Allah Forbid, an enemy attacks you, you won't lose any technology should you suffer a loss.
Basically, those four territories are ALWAYS being teched up. Each one follows a different path: Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery & God Squad (preachers, assassins, etc.).
Eventually, by use of Mojo and Mobility, you can grind your enemies down and always have the technological advantage on them. Anytime someone attacks you, you have the option of fighting or falling back (that's what the forts are for). Then you can counter-attack with your Big General.
My Big Generals are always centrally located. This does two things: It lets them use Interior Lines and also does not subject them to the Fast Runner vice (face it, sometimes that computer just out-stacks you...)
DIPLOMACY
The HRE makes it a point to finish off Aragon and leave the Spanish strong. They are a nice buffer to the Orange Alohmeds.
Other than that, just wait for Poland and France to get ants in their pants and then grab the two provinces that "round off" your empire.
CONCLUSION
It's 1187 and the HRE has been excommunicated for most of the game... (one glorious achievement is to remake the HRE down in Italy... "sorry pope!").
The HRE's Navy stretches, uncontested, from the Baltic to Atioch along the north coast of Afrika. The HRE also owns all of the East Med. The only problem is Byzantium and the Greek area; however, the HRE's Navy is sinking the Byz' navy left and right.
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POINT COUNT
Coming up on 1204, and the HRE hopes to get "Homelands", "Drang Noch Ost", and "Holy Roman Empire". The whole excommunication thing is putting a damper on the Crusades - still, those arabs are keeping the Spanish and Byziantiums busy - so whose to complain.
//black
