Possibility to Defeat France

[Poppydo]

I play EU III: Complete (In Nominee).

Anyone know of there are a Youtube Video that explain how to defeat France? I try it with Castille when France not so weak in early game (50K troops) with no luck. Even when I use scorched earth, still no luck. I think because I ally only Portugal. I sent Royal Marriege offer to Burgundy & England and getting rejected. So they wont accept alliance.

Can't even use Infiltrate Administration. Always failed even though undetected.

Luckily I only spent 3 bucks for this game, wont add another 10 bucks (5 bucks each) for last 2 DLCs (HTTH & DW).

I know something is wrong when I saw AI can pump so many troops. From what I read in another thread AI pay no upkeep.

Even Crusader Kings 2 (CK2) not as bad as this game. In CK2 I never get DOW by HRE, France or Byzantine Empire (ERE), not even when I played as Apulia (Sicily) where ERE has dejure claim on me.

 

[TheArchMede]

France is quite a lot tougher than you so you either need powerful allies or skilful play. The AI in EU3 is very reluctant to give up a siege once its started so you let them come to you, establish sieges, and then pick off their armies one by one once they are no longer mobile. France is very rich so it'll take quite a long war to drain its resources, you may well need to wipe out something like 300k troops before they haven't got the manpower for their own troops or the gold for mercenaries. I'd want them drained by a long war war with someone else or 100k of my own army before taking them on. If you can get them bogged down sieging in scorched Pyrenees it can be very effective at draining their manpower, but its not that easy to set them up so they keep a big force sitting on the scorched earth.

 

[Kovax]

A lot depends on the diplomatic skill of your ruler, and a positive modifier from an advisor can help (you can use your Culture points to create and hire at least a one-star advisor). If England or Burgundy won't accept a RM, try again a month or so later, or guarantee them first for a small boost in Relations. If that still fails, you might be able to launch your own war against France while they're at war with Burgundy and/or England, and that's STILL a VERY difficult prospect. Portugal fields a decent navy, but they won't help you much against a land power like France. Austria, Bohemia, Naples, or Milan might be the next best bets for an alliance, if England or Burgundy won't play ball. France is likely to declare war on Provence at some point, putting them at war against Naples as well due to their Personal Union. Note that Burgundy cannot expect to take on France and its horde of small vassal states alone with any hope of success, and England can use its navy to force a stalemate but cannot beat France on land during the first few decades of the game.

Castille can support a moderately large army at roughly half supply rate, as long as you have enough cash reserves to be able to boost supply to full for a year or so in the event of a war. If your army is too small (as in less than half of your maximum support limit shown in the military screen), it invites attack, and countries like France will be all too eager to take anything that's poorly defended. They will out-tech you, outnumber you, and bring a heap of annoying little vassals into the war, which will carpet-siege you.

Basically, you need to concentrate on Aragon and/or Navarra until your own situation is improved, as an early war against France isn't going to end well. Until then, researching the Production tech to build Constables in your richest provinces ASAP will give you more money to afford everything else.