A simple question

[Heresson]

When it comes to me, I've just subdued Sweden.

[Nikolai]

I have played OE for some days, and my empire got big! I had almost all of the Middle East, most of Northern Africa, some of south eastern Europe near Kaukasus, and all of Balkan with half of Austria with. All of my provinces is muslim, except for some of the ones in the Balkan area. Of course, the stab cost is killing me...

[Heresson]

Well, my Grenadian game is crushing, so I started a new, Japaneese, one. At the start, I had many successes, conquering larger part of China and some provinces in Indochina. But later... With +3 stability and 100% tolerance, revolts are starting in Japan as if I had -3 stability... Now it's even worse, as I have converted to Christianity, to protestantism to be exact.
(I don't know how did it happen, as the guy who came to me was a catholic).
Oh well.
The game is vvvvvveeeeeerrrrry hard, also because i can't have mercenaries, and I get +1 soldier a month only. Still, I would have crushed China completely, but I can't risk going down to 0 stability, can I.
Suprisingly, Chineese priovinces at least used to be quite peaceful. These are my own Japaneese that are revolting.

[Nikolai]

That's not surprisingly at all. The Japanese has a lot of RR in their home provinces in the early game, because of the long Civil War they had historically. You can't do much with it, other than shortening it a bit, but I don't know how unfortunately....

[Main_Brain]

@Jules:
Why didnt you aim for the Trade Center in Novgorod?
Too much Trouble? ;=)

[Heresson]

As the game became tedious, my new choice shall be the papal state.

Leading wars in the name of God is fun

[St Leo]

BTW, don't forget to marry off your many nieces and nephews.

[Heresson]

I do that. I have 2 royal marriages right now
Anyway, the game is pretty hard. I started with allieing with Genoa and Modena, and easily annexed Mantua and Florence. That was the end of the simple things,
as I was stucked between hostile Lombard, Venice, Austria, Switzerland on one side, and as dangerous Naples on the other. Modena was destroyed by Lombard during the war. Eventually, I managed to destroy Naples in two wars and vassalise Lombard (taking Modena as my province), but it took me some time. The same time I think, I took entire Sicily from Aragon (unf. later it rebelled, which I didn't notice in time, and now Messina is my "Sicilia" vassal).
Later on, my only loyal ally was Genoa, and it was pretty useful. I managed to take all Austria but Wien, but it was hard, as I was being constantly attacked by Bayern and Czechs. But I managed to reduce Hungary to one province as well. But then, the era of great rebels started. Anyway, I moved, vassalised and reduced Moldavia, and later, when it was attacked by Great Vallachia (consisting of Vallachia, two Serbian and two Bulgarian provinces), I reduced it in two wars to
a 1-province vassal. But due to its problem, I stopped my lithuanian campaign, taking just 4 provinces.
When Genoa left me, eventually annexed by France (now it resurrected), I tried to ally with someone. But without success. Everyone hated me despite lavish gifts I used to send them. Eventually I allied with great Byzantine empire, consisting of practically all Anatolia,
Armenia, Kurdistan, Circassia, and 4 european provinces.
Meanwhile, I reduced by 2 provinces and subdued protestant Poland, which annected Czechs and Pomerania. Later it annexed Lithuania (which annexed Teutonic Knights), so my vassal is almost as strong as I am. It converted to catholicism, which was nice, but now I am afraid it would convert to protestantism and I would have to lead a war against it again. It happened to me with great Brandenburg (Br, Mekl, Sax, other).
Now it is reduced to Brand. and Mekl. I helped it fight the rebels. I crippled Burgund, and reduced (with big Byzantine help) Venetia to 1 province, which I plan to annex the best suitable time. I also lead two wars against Aragon, destroying it hand to hand with France.

[Heresson]

England is no more, Spain reduced to 1 province in Europe, Sweden, Dahomej, Uzbek Horde and Russia severely crippled, France, Puritans, Ireland, Burgund vassalised, etc

[Heresson]

OK. I quitted France with some 20 years to the end, with several 1-province vassals and some independants;
-Incas (crippled)
-Mexico (1 trade point. sic!)
-some Indians in the west of USA
-Zimbabwe
-Kongo
-Mamluks 1 p
-Ashanti
-Uzbeks 3p
-Mataram, Brunei and something
-CHina (reduced to shreds)
-Hospitaliers
-Scottland 1p
that's all I guess.
But my friend conquered entire world (no vassals), and that's what I'm going to do as England. I'm on a good way.

[Heresson]

Well, I played England, and there is just 1 1-province state left in the word except for me, and some 100 years more to play. It became boring, just colonising and converting (I was just finishing converting Orthodox to Catholicism after I got rid of all those protestants and reformates).
I started playing Brandenburg. It was pretty hard at the start, and alliance with Poland and Lithuania helped me a lot. Right now, I have most of northern Germany (with three 1-province vassals), all of Modern Poland but Krakow, all Lithuanian posessities but Vilnius, Budziak, all Hungarian posessities but Buda and all Czech posessities but Praga,
with three trade centers (Mechlin, Gdañsk, Ryga)

[Heresson]

(a return of the longest thread in this forum's history I guess)

Tired with conquering the world, I decided to have a more a challenging game. I played Netherlands, and I restricted myself not to go out from historical borders of them, colonies and something in between in needed. Well, I broke my promess because when England offered me Normandia and Caux, and some other civ Oldenburg, I thought I'll take them and make my vassals, but it didn't work. I really enjoyed the game. Lately in it, I made France my vassal, attacks by it were pretty annoying.

My more consequent game was a game by portugal. For hungreds of years, I stayed out of any wars, just colonised, colonised. Only lately, I decided to take other Iberian posessions, meaning - Spain. They have the same culture, so I guess I can treat them as colonies.
My empire is really nice.

Have You ever managed to colonise all the provinces available? I would be close to that, if not for the update that made 9 colons needed to build a town instead of 7. Annoying.

[Main_Brain]

Tedious I agree.

[Heresson]

I thought I'll bump my beloved thread with some maps.
It's been a long long time, hasn't it!

Here's a map of my Aztec game. I allied with the Spanish, which costed me a lot, but paid of when France's attacked me.
The hardest wars was against Iroquees, two big wars against England, and against Quebec - all ended in great victory, though.
I converted to catholicism, practically all of my provinces are converted, and as such have Aztec culture as well

[Heresson]

ANd here is my Viyanagar game. I didn't convert to Islam.