Thanks for the response.

I'll try your advice tonight....especially the parts concerning making more money.
Do you have any particular strategy that you're looking to use?
I ask because now that I'm sitting back and looking it.....
1. As you mentioned, HRE's lands are too small to provide much in the way of agricultural value
2. Not many of them are "Trade Giants", offering a lot in the way of trade options
3. There's no sea that they will be able to just take full control over and rely on for trade income that way
4. They will not be favored in any war they start with any of the Catholic factions around them
5. There aren't any non-Catholic neighbors immediately available.

That's a whole lot working against them right off the bat.

I really think the best plan is to try to get West and gobble up all those provinces over there that can put out some serious cashflow. Lithuania, Kiev and Livonia (and up to Sweden and Norway if you get the chance) can provide ample trade revenue but means that you have to secure Pomerania and Prussia before Poland can (which, in turn, means that eventually Poland will come after you as they have no other options....so will the Danes if you get Norway and Sweden but that's not a big deal, really). If you go that route, though, you eventually have to plow through Poland.....there's just no way of dealing with them being a pest in your path for too long which brings us back to the problem of always being excommed in a war against a Catholic faction :(

Well, sounds like we're kinda in the same rut at the moment but I will try a few things and will get back to you if I find a good strategy to get going early on.