Whether nations are a must or not I think is decided much on how much space the GM wants to leave other nations. For example, in your ENG+FRA+SPA+AUS combination, Austria will get a lot more powerful than usual because it will essentially have a free run towards Germany, the Balkans and Poland. SPA and ENG will probably go on as usual, with the risk of SPA declining a lot less because it will still be able to trade properly in end game. FRA can be considered to be a loser in this set-up with its usual neighbours/enemies stronger than they commonly are. However, France will also enjoy some benefits of enhanced trade and colonization possibilities, so I don't really know if any nation is at a disadvantage here.
Let's say though that if any nation in this game is likely to be annexed, it is prolly France. Will it happen? No, people will probably consider it essential like you say, despite the fact French territory is rich and Catholic.
In fact, annexations are fun
, too bad they don't happen that often. They should be the part of a strategy for some nations; though they seldom are because it's quite an emotional issue as you say. The economic validity is not always there either. Brandenburg provides a much more compact and rich target than Russia. Even if Sweden gets insanely powerful in one game compared to Russia and annex it there's no sense in doing so, unlike the opposite case; Sweden has so many more valuable provinces, and considering Russia has a culture of Finland.
A possible solution always is for an annexed player to jump to a previous AI nation (as long as there aren't insanely many players in the game). After some edits this AI nation ought to be viable, if still not as powerful as had it been played by the same player from the beginning. Good candidates for reintroduction are the Asian nations such as China, Persia or the Mughals; nations in Europe just gets eaten all too quickly.
To make my views clear; everyone should have the right to be annexed! However, once it becomes obvious they will become annexed or abhorrently small the player in question should also have the right to quit the game. And like usual, it may not be the smartest thing for his neighbours to allow his annexation considering no one can see into the future and countries gaining on the annexation may become enemies.
I generally try to ease for newbies in whatever sense I can though, the risk is they quit EU2 MP altogether. I don't see any other way to learn by getting raped though. It happens in other online games such as Counter-Strike too; it is just that in EU2 it hurts a lot more because you spend more time with it.
Let's say though that if any nation in this game is likely to be annexed, it is prolly France. Will it happen? No, people will probably consider it essential like you say, despite the fact French territory is rich and Catholic.
In fact, annexations are fun
, too bad they don't happen that often. They should be the part of a strategy for some nations; though they seldom are because it's quite an emotional issue as you say. The economic validity is not always there either. Brandenburg provides a much more compact and rich target than Russia. Even if Sweden gets insanely powerful in one game compared to Russia and annex it there's no sense in doing so, unlike the opposite case; Sweden has so many more valuable provinces, and considering Russia has a culture of Finland.A possible solution always is for an annexed player to jump to a previous AI nation (as long as there aren't insanely many players in the game). After some edits this AI nation ought to be viable, if still not as powerful as had it been played by the same player from the beginning. Good candidates for reintroduction are the Asian nations such as China, Persia or the Mughals; nations in Europe just gets eaten all too quickly.
To make my views clear; everyone should have the right to be annexed!
However, once it becomes obvious they will become annexed or abhorrently small the player in question should also have the right to quit the game. And like usual, it may not be the smartest thing for his neighbours to allow his annexation considering no one can see into the future and countries gaining on the annexation may become enemies.I generally try to ease for newbies in whatever sense I can though, the risk is they quit EU2 MP altogether. I don't see any other way to learn by getting raped though. It happens in other online games such as Counter-Strike too; it is just that in EU2 it hurts a lot more because you spend more time with it.
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