I'm new to EU2.

[Das_Luftwaffle]

I got a question for those of you who are adept at EU2. I just want to know, what are your secrets to getting a good ecomomy going? I usually play the Fantasia level btw.

Thanks.

[Havard]

I would start with scraping the fantasia scenario...

Top two:

1. Trade
You should try to get a foothold in every Center of Trade (CoT) you know of. 5 merchants in each. Go for monopoly if possible, but if the competition is too stiff it's usually not worth it. To keep your share here you need to invest in improving your trade levels.

2. Watch the supply limit
When you build more troops than you can supply you pay huge penalties. When you have a small economy excessive troopbuilding can break you totally.

[Janbalk]

I agree about ignoring the Fantasia and keeping a look on supply limit. But trade is in my humble opinon not wortwhile (except in own Centers) until you reach level 4 or thereabout in trade tech.

[Havard]

Originally posted by Janbalk
But trade is in my humble opinon not wortwhile (except in own Centers) until you reach level 4 or thereabout in trade tech.

That depends on who you are. If you are France - ok, you can ignore it. But try Albania...

[Kyle]

Manual trading helps too. Remember, it costs money to send out merchants. Early on when you're short on cash, stick to trying to control the CoT that your province(s) is a part of. And let your mechants build up; you don't have to place them every year.

[Havard]

Originally posted by Kyle
Manual trading helps too. Remember, it costs money to send out merchants. Early on when you're short on cash, stick to trying to control the CoT that your province(s) is a part of. And let your mechants build up; you don't have to place them every year.

Oh, yes. I forgot that... NEVER autosend merchants. (unless you're filthy rich, in that case you don't need it anyway...)

[Janbalk]

Originally posted by Havard

Oh, yes. I forgot that... NEVER autosend merchants. (unless you're filthy rich, in that case you don't need it anyway...)

Good avdice, very good advice.

[Janbalk]

Originally posted by Havard
That depends on who you are. If you are France - ok, you can ignore it. But try Albania...

Not really, the return is in my experince to low (at least on Trade tech 1 and 2) for any COT where the cost of your merchants are more than 3 or 4 and not seldom even for those. So you could go bancrupt as Albania trying to place merchants. Use the money to increas you trade tech fisrt then it is worthwhile placing the merchants.

[Palaiologos]

The best tip i have to offer is: Sign a trade agreement with everyone, literally everyone. Then try and place 5 merchants in each CoT by sending them in groups of six. The AI will not target your merchants as competitors while your merchants will drive out even those with whom you have a trade agreement if the CoT is full.
Invest ONLY in land tech and a bit in naval tech. COMPLETELY IGNORE infastructure and trade. Try and operate your Empire with the annual incomes only. And set Gold to treasury to 0.0 each month. Hessittate not to take loans to fuel the war effort. And finally continious LEBENSRAUM!. In the 400 years of the game i rarely have 30 years of peace.


With these as my guidelines the Roman armies have reached Isfahan and Vienna by 1578AD. (Byzantium-Normal difficulty and AI agressiveness).And crushed the Aztecs and neighboring savages by 1756AD.

[Sandman]

Hints:

With the latest patch, the value of products is counter-intuitive. Furs and naval supplies are worthless, for example, whilst sugar is staggeringly valuable.

Your stability costs will go up and taxes will go down if you own provinces which aren't your state religion. Conversion is well worth it in the long run, especially if the target province has your state culture.

Grain provinces give you extra maximum supportable troops if you own them, and also if you trade with them.

There is a bug in the centralisation slider. Currently, going decentralised INCREASES your production incomes.