Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun

**thrashaholic** · 03-04-2005, 09:01

I recently bought this game, yesterday to be precise (well actually I ordered it from amazon a couple of days ago and it arived yesterday, but that's neither here nor there), and as soon as I started playing it I was astonished by the scale and depth of the thing. It was much bigger and more complex than I expected, even after doing a bit of research into it. I'm afraid to say it, but this game puts the TW series to shame. I can tell this is going to be one of those games that eats into my social life...

Now to get down to the heart of the matter. I remember a thread about this game being here a while back, so I know there some veterans lurking out there somewhere. I've printed off 'November's Brazil Guide' off VickyWiki and that got me started quite well, but I was wondering if there were any other good, preferably concise, guides for new players? Also, which in your opinion are the best countries to start off as being a new player? And one last question, how does one turn those blasted rectangles that represent the armies into the little groups of men that you see in the manual?

Oh, and I almost forgot, what are people's opinions on this stunningly detailed game?

**Stefan the Berserker** · 03-04-2005, 09:45

Originally Posted by thrashaholic

I recently bought this game, yesterday to be precise (well actually I ordered it from amazon a couple of days ago and it arived yesterday, but that's neither here nor there), and as soon as I started playing it I was astonished by the scale and depth of the thing. It was much bigger and more complex than I expected, even after doing a bit of research into it. I'm afraid to say it, but this game puts the TW series to shame. I can tell this is going to be one of those games that eats into my social life...

Now to get down to the heart of the matter. I remember a thread about this game being here a while back, so I know there some veterans lurking out there somewhere. I've printed off 'November's Brazil Guide' off VickyWiki and that got me started quite well, but I was wondering if there were any other good, preferably concise, guides for new players? Also, which in your opinion are the best countries to start off as being a new player? And one last question, how does one turn those blasted rectangles that represent the armies into the little groups of men that you see in the manual?

Oh, and I almost forgot, what are people's opinions on this stunningly detailed game?

HEY! That's currently my Favorite!

Discovered VickyWiki? Good.

It'll help to react on the Events as best and also give hinds how to put the taxation.

Maybe we could make a Multiplayer together, since I got DSL for a while. You wanted to find out what happened if Britain and Germany allied and isolated France... I think with us two we can simulate quite realistically.

**Efrem** · 03-04-2005, 10:03

This game was too much for me.

I honestly tried, but there just wasn't enough explosions or scantily clad women to be enjoyable.

**dessa14** · 03-04-2005, 10:43

yeah i love this game, go to the victoria forums, there is heaps of great stuff there, it keeps me occupied for hours on end, planning great war strategies, then the strategies being wrecked by a small group of blokes sneaking past, or a lost naval battle.
i really love fighting unified germany, it really is a challenge as any other european power other then russia or england, russia just has nearly limitless manpower and fields millions of men and england has such a good navy its impossible to hit the mainland.
thanks,
dizzy

**lancelot** · 03-04-2005, 12:27

@thrash.

I love this game too!
Patience is the one thing you will need to get the most out of his game. I can say without shame that it took me a good few weeks to understand this game in any helpful sense...

The brazil guide is a good start, as for other countries...people suggest sweeden or portugal...UK is a handful but you can mess up and still come out all right...

You can afford to set all taxes to 49.9 % and increase tarrifs to pull in more money at the start. I usually research culture, industry and economic techs before army or navy. Culture can give huge prestige bonuses if you invent them first. Higher prestige=easier time in obtaining goods off the world market..

Anyway I could rant for hours, but post again or PM with any questions once you decide who to play next and Ill try and help.

**SwordsMaster** · 03-04-2005, 12:36

Hmm... Good places to start with:

Portugal, Sweden (really quiet), Belgium (my personal favourite).

In the early game as any european country, your aim is to ally yourself with UK, France, Prussia and/or Russia. After that you can do pretty much anything in terms of expansion as long as you dont piss off any of the above.

Japan is a great place to colonize as it has a huge population and thus cheap "colonial" artillery that is really cost-effective.

Industry and Trade are your most important research areas, and try to keep the "literacy" growth in the positive. Also, in the early game you can forget about crime fighting. What I usually do is set it to 0 for, say 5 years. Then set it ti 100% for a year and then to 0 again. That keeps it under control.

Ah, and also watch your BB rating. If you get too cocky, the big powers will smash you with no hesitation. I still remember my second game with belgium when I was at war with the Uk and all their allies, France, and Prussia.... Nightmare. I had to give up 70% of my colonies and return Livonia, Dublin and the Baltic islands....

**Pausanias828** · 03-05-2005, 17:35

I do like the game, although I spent more time playing EU II, than Victoria, and so far spent all my time playing as the British in Victoria. I only bought it about 2-3 months before RTW came out, and once that was released have only played EU II, and BFME, of which BFME was uninstalled after about 2 hours. The Paradox games do have a very strong appeal to me, as I love the scale and depth of their games. The others I have are EU and Crown of the North, although CotN is a much simpler game than the others, as it's not on the same scale.

Now, if only we could actually fight the battles ourselves, they would be able to tempt me right away from the TW series.

On a related theme, has any one played Hearts of Iron, or HoI II, and if so, do they stand up to, or indeed, are they better than EU II and Victoria.

**ShadesWolf** · 03-05-2005, 18:21

Im curretnly playing as Austria, so that would be good....

What will the starting date be and when do we propose to play ?

**Stefan the Berserker** · 03-05-2005, 21:57

Originally Posted by ShadesWolf

Im curretnly playing as Austria, so that would be good....

What will the starting date be and when do we propose to play ?

I think every body should say when he has got time, the next Weekends I have a lot of Time. Maybe tomorrow?

But we must arrange who gets which Country?

I want Germany/Prussia or Austria, the Factions where I can act out my Continental Politics.

As thrashaholic has said he doesn't want to take Britain, maybe ShadesWolf?

It is also possible to give him a trainer country if the Britain-Player creates a Dominion and just after it the Host makes a Save, the Host can just then load the Save an thras can choose the Dominion. The Junior-Parnter style might help him to get started.

**thrashaholic** · 03-06-2005, 09:41

I'm free most Friday and Saturday evenings from about 8:00 pm (GMT), unless of course I have a lot of college work, so either of them would be fine for me.

I don't mind which country I play, I'll take what I'm given (so to speak). I've had a bit of success with Sweden in the Grand Campaign, so maybe them? I also quite like this idea of playing as a British dominion, although I'd have to have one with a reasonable economy, as I still haven't figured out all the ins and outs of it yet (although I'm getting better).

Finally, I hate to sound impatient by asking the same question twice, but does anyone know how to switch from the little rectangles, that look like envelopes, that represent the armies on the campaign map to the little clusters of soldiers that one sees in all the screenshots and in the manual?

I'm not a graphics fiend, but I would like to spice up the map just a little by changing this, so help would be appreciated.

**Stefan the Berserker** · 03-06-2005, 16:56

Originally Posted by thrashaholic

Finally, I hate to sound impatient by asking the same question twice, but does anyone know how to switch from the little rectangles, that look like envelopes, that represent the armies on the campaign map to the little clusters of soldiers that one sees in all the screenshots and in the manual?

You must do this in the Countryselection Screen by clicking Options and choose "No" at the Point "Use accurate Military Symbols". Thats where you can change between those little soldiers and the historical Symbols for Divisions in Wargames by the Staff.

Are you avarible today at 8 o'clock?