Tell Us Your Favorite Play Strategies!

[Garbon]

Hey all, it's been a long time since we've had a chance to chat. As you may know, 1.3 has been going under a long development period and although updates have been sparse, never fear that the team has been working on it.

As a mini-part of our ongoing efforts, we thought it a good idea to do some housekeeping of issues that have remained oustanding since the EU2 development cycle. We've been cleaning up the scenarios to fall along with the history that occurs between each start and adding new nations/cultures as appropriate.

In that EU2 inheritance, we have a flurry of countries that have no descriptions and virtually no nations (beyond the majors) have any included in-game strategy text. I've taken out my writing hat (a lovely raspberry beret, wouldn't you know? ) and set to rectifying those omissions.

Now though I've now nearly 11 years of experience with EU2/FtG, I in no way can claim to be an expert strategist with all of the various nations. We were thinking it might be fun to open this up to the community to share with us their play strategies for their favorite nations. Or maybe you'd like to try your hand with coming up with strategies for some of the upcoming nations (e.g. Florence, Khmer Empire, Oyo, and Urbino). Inspired strategies might even make it into the game with due credit.

Here's an example currently featured in-game (although hopefully "loose" will be "lose" when all is said and done...):


So share with us your favorite play strategies!

 

[Samorim]

Oh, I'd love to give my input but I'm the most monotonous player around I bet. All my games are reduced to investing in infrastructure until I reach level 5, while avoiding every possible war in the process, and then have plenty of money getting in so that I'll have as much liberty in the many wars/colonization/trade that'll follow. But this will be an interesting and informative thread I'm sure. Looking forward to read about the different strategies players use and compare them with mine.

(BTW, good tips on how to play the US-of-A)

 

[Garbon]

(BTW, good tips on how to play the US-of-A)

Oh, that's from EU2. I noticed the loose regard for spelling when I took the screenshot.

 

[Ober]

Oh, I'd love to give my input but I'm the most monotonous player around I bet.

It's not that bad I believe
Oww, I've played a lot of games at EU2 vanilla, Abberation and AGCEEP mods, then FtG going with various mods...I think that, even if I played lots of countries, my strategy seems to be similar, like...

Damn, I've written much things again...damn, yo:

Part One: Da Freakin' Ragin' Warlord - beginning of the game is just the best time to conquer the best spots, cores, provinces with your cultures, etc. etc. What I want to say, you don't need an actual tactics to win the battles - you need cavalry. Or maybe it's not like "you need cavalry", it's like YA NEED DA CAVALRY DUDE. Then life is much easier, yes it is. If - in addition - you have plains in your area, it seems almost impossible to fail. Almost. However, this is the time when you are setting up further game. When you are playing Poland, make sure you vassalized any enemies from HRE. When you are playing Moskva/Russia be sure to take as much provinces from Lithuania as it's possible. When you are playing England, this is the time to take Netherlands, etc. etc. Part One ends when world reaches 11, or maybe 14LT. Then it's time to switch strategy...

Part Two: Da Peaceful Colonization en Refinery Time - soon the first conqs and explos are joining the game - Quest For The New World (or Siberia/Africa/Asia/whatever) begins. Now it's time to drop BB when building refineries (only some of them for now) and to colonize some things. Wars are not needed - but money is. Soon, as another trade levels are reached, Trading begins. Yes, Trading. For now it's not that great money boost, but it's for the sake of the future, man. Peaceful building with only some minor wars at borders or colonial fights. Century of chilling out I say.

Part Three: Mixed Approach - slowly I'm back to killing. But slowly, because of two things. A Big Mint and The Great Building should appear there. But also, some asses needs to be kicked - they need to know their place, damn. Once manufactories and major colonization are done, it's about time - you are bloody rich, merchants are making more and more money, manufactories are working, country is stable as a lot of provinces were converted - Mixed Apporach is a little bit short part of the game. Soon 41LT is on, it is highly about time to...

Part Four: Madman Grand Rage Of Doom - and that's all what I'm waiting for guys. Like I don't care about nothing now, man - I just want to conquer everything omnomnom roar! About 1750 you will have 51LT in no time - now you have to strike! Mwahahaha, pain! Now I'm finishing Russia at Plvs Vltra, 1815. What I'm doing now is constantly beating up China, conquering like a boss - screw cultures and religions, dude. Poland fallen already, Sweden is about to (Finland). I'm thinking about bringing down both Austria and Prussia (my allies for now), maybe I would invade France? Who knows, who knows...yeah, it's only five years, but I don't mind playing longer. TBH at EU2 I was always finishing game at 1836, as I was converting all my games to Victoria. Maybe I'll try here as well.


Anyway, as you can see my main goal is to create such BEAST COUNTRY, so I can bring down other major powers at the end. After all, whole game is funny to me - you need to do everything, not only killing, and not only colonization. That f.e why I cannot stand playing Portugal (and I've tried so many times). As I've said I played lots of countries and it's not always the same, but the pattern seems somewhat similar, no matter if it's Russia, France, Bukhara, or China. China is sneaky one, I haven't played it for a long time. It's really interesting, but...it's the topic for another...topic...wait wha...


Apart from the strategies it'd be good to see how many people are still playing FtG. I mean, if we are talking about just gaming now - why no AARs my friends? It deserves much love, eh. Is it like everyone is lazy and cannot begin (me), or just no one cares? Hey. Hey.

 

[Jontejonte]

Just about the same as Ober

Part one i start with maybe some minor wars, and full tech on Trade and infra. trying to get tax offices as fast as possible. Trying to steal as many provinces as i can.

Part two still full tech on trade/infra, now is the time to start making some colonies and exploring (if you play those countries). Otherwise diplo-annexing minor countries, as well as building different manufactories.

Part three now you should earn enough money to do more or less whatever you want, now is the time i go full out on military tech and start some wars, (if i play a country that has lots of colonies in america i usally try to conquer other colonies form countrys).

Part four now its only about 100-50 years left, time to go all in and try to conquer the world

I've recently trying to play in other ways and setting up different goals for myself, like trying to make most of Europe Ortodox or any other religion, playing as a narrowminded country and so on.


As for AARs can anyone start them? or do i need to get approval from someone before i can start one?

 

[Samorim]

After all, whole game is funny to me - you need to do everything, not only killing, and not only colonization. That f.e why I cannot stand playing Portugal (and I've tried so many times).

But that's the strongest point of Portugal, in my opinion. You can choose which wars you want to fight, they don't just hit you. You have an entire continent to expand to and trade to dominate in Asia, why bother with Europe anyway? In front of it there's a huge ocean, leave those entangling continental affairs to those who don't have a choice.

why no AARs my friends?

Oh, I've thought about doing one. I just don't trust myself on finishing it or making it interesting enough that it's worth doing it. But I've been farther from it.

As for AARs can anyone start them? or do i need to get approval from someone before i can start one?

You can start one any time you like.

 

[Ober]

But that's the strongest point of Portugal, in my opinion. You can choose which wars you want to fight, they don't just hit you. You have an entire continent to expand to and trade to dominate in Asia, why bother with Europe anyway? In front of it there's a huge ocean, leave those entangling continental affairs to those who don't have a choice.

I know it man and I really wanted to play like you just said, but somehow...I can't. I just don't know really. But I'll try again then. You know, I'm just a warlord (lol ) and I have to fight from time to time. But you probably have a point, I'll check Portugal out once again yo.

Oh, I've thought about doing one. I just don't trust myself on finishing it or making it interesting enough that it's worth doing it.

You know man, it's not really good excuse...
I mean that almost everyone is like that unless he tries it. And then everything changes.

 

[unmerged(145825)]

Dont mean to sound so negative about this, but...

I would think that most people who still play FTG are EU2 players from years back and are well versed in our own way we like to play... thus, countries strategies and history texts are pointless as we dont read them anyway.

 

[deadmeat1471]

Dont mean to sound so negative about this, but...

I would think that most people who still play FTG are EU2 players from years back and are well versed in our own way we like to play... thus, countries strategies and history texts are pointless as we dont read them anyway.

I must have played EU2/FtG for ?10 years now?

I still suck at it. Always interested in strategies

Personally I use the:

Get historical cores. Vassalise as much shit as I can.

strategy.

 

[Pied-Noir]

I think he means general strategies for specific countries.

 

[Cliges]

This is a little hard to decide upon, because strategy depends largely on your personal goals. When we talk strategy, the question is "strategy for what?"-especially for the player satisfied with a VP count victory, this can be very open ended. What Samorim and Ober suggest is a pretty sound strategy for that; just wait until you're strong enough economically to support doing whatever imposes your will on everyone else.

If a player is looking for a historical outcome, the process is somewhat less open-ended, but is still straightforward. Portugal ought to focus on navy and stick within its ToT area, and Russia should colonize to the east, etc.

Otherwise, just make sure you're on good terms with your immediate neighbors until such time that they do not pose too much of a potential threat. What might require a more complex strategy would be those small nations whose existence requires some expansion or else extreme caution until they're in a more stable position. Most-possibly all- majors are in a position that isn't precarious enough to threaten their very existences.

But that's the strongest point of Portugal, in my opinion. You can choose which wars you want to fight, they don't just hit you. You have an entire continent to expand to and trade to dominate in Asia, why bother with Europe anyway?

I agree; Portugal is unique in that it can essentially ignore the rest of Europe if the player wants to do so and focus its attention elsewhere. It's also good for learning how the navy works because it is almost certainly the closest thing to a purely naval power in the game. One figures out quickly that since you can keep your empire from being invaded simply preventing opponents landing in your country by having more ships and higher naval tech that Portugal doesn't need an army quite so much as practically any nation, major or not.

 

[unmerged(145825)]

Personally I use the:

Get historical cores. Vassalise as much shit as I can.

strategy.

Heh Although valid. Somehow I dont think that will make it into game.

 

[pgroves]

Apart from the strategies it'd be good to see how many people are still playing FtG. I mean, if we are talking about just gaming now - why no AARs my friends? It deserves much love, eh. Is it like everyone is lazy and cannot begin (me), or just no one cares? Hey. Hey.

I play FTG more than any other game even now, has just the right balance of complexity and playabilty, and I get to learn new things about history all the time - I very much hope support for it continues. Have considered doing AARs, but with a busy working life too, I don't think I'd have the available time to stick at one, though might consider it the next time I play a manageable minor...

I do wish there was a native Mac version though, it sucks having to boot into Windows just to play the game. I have tried running it under Wine, but Mac OS X will only run in 24 bit colour mode, and FTG won't play ball with that :-(