I've played England in the Grand Campaign game at the Normal, Hard, and Very Hard levels. In each case, I've followed the same strategy. I did my best to stay out of wars until I became the baddest boy on the block. I converted to Lutheranism as soon as the Reformation hit, and then I aggressively colonized. In the 'very hard game', by the late 1600's I was well into first place and proceeded to take most of Germany after the Hansa offered to let me annex it. I had a huge colonial presence in North America and significant presences in Africa and Asia. I reached the end of one tech tree by about 1650 and the end of all of them by 1700. By the end of the game I had over 5700 points and France was second with about half that number. In short, it was way too easy.
I could play some other country, but I like the colonization aspect of playing England, and I like the isolation that you're able to maintain early on. I find this most disappointing. This is a very good strategy game, but the ease with which you can win with some countries, even at the most difficult levels, reducings it replay value.
I could play some other country, but I like the colonization aspect of playing England, and I like the isolation that you're able to maintain early on. I find this most disappointing. This is a very good strategy game, but the ease with which you can win with some countries, even at the most difficult levels, reducings it replay value.
. I do not take loans, keep inflation to 0.0 or slightly above and maintained my allinace with spain until I had built my fleet up and the first cabot shows up, then I left my allinace with spain and formed one with hannover, brandenburg and some of the other german states. I then focused on building my economy via the bailiffs and naval/ art academy as they became available, oh I also conquered scotland in a two year campaign when france declared war on spain, thus I had no fears of a coalition forming against me. I used a very oppertunistic strategy in that id declare war either against france if spain attacked or spain etc to attempt to prevent the growth of these powers, the game in large part is proceeding historically in respect to colonization by spain france and the portugese. I have restarted the game a number of times after getting my butt kicked by a scottish spanish or french coalition, there are a number of nuances to the game especally in diplomacy that one will need to master to align events in thier favor, as it was historically. I personally love the game and pissed away this past weekend playing it. It has room for improvement, stronger AI better use of military assets by AI, better inflation management, for example spains inflation level is off the chart in the game im currently playing 
