Victoria 2

[jimmy olsen]

Yes, at this early stage in the game my military is about equal to Austria and wars can be costly in terms of manpower and finances. So I've been avoiding going to war also, and playing the diplomatic/influence game similar to what you say. Interesting point about investing in Saxony - I hadn't thought of that or realized it.

The score might be the same, but I don't think it takes into account technology. Given the huge differences in literacy, you'll out gun them pretty soon.

[Ed Anger]

There is nothing funner than swamping your enemies with waves of troops from occupied Korea and colonial blacks.

Eat that, you beaners. One America, ruled by the white man. With the blood of inferiors paving the way. HEIL LINCOLN.

[Razgovory]

Yes, at this early stage in the game my military is about equal to Austria and wars can be costly in terms of manpower and finances. So I've been avoiding going to war also, and playing the diplomatic/influence game similar to what you say. Interesting point about investing in Saxony - I hadn't thought of that or realized it.

To get dominance over Germany as either Prussia or Austria you really need a major ally.  Russia works best, but France works well for Austria and Ottomans make a good ally for Prussia.  Spain is surprisingly powerful.  Start a war where you force the liberation of a country.  Taking Silesia, Rheinland and Westfalen from Prussia can really hobble their growth.  Austria needs Bohemia.  I'd focus on the coal and iron producing areas.

[KRonn]

In my first game and first as Germany, after some stumbling a bit, and I still have a lot to figure out, I got the three hurrahs and formed a united Germany. I had sphere of influence over all the German states except for Bavaria, and had been keeping up the SOI's (which can be a bit of a hassle). I think once I researched a certain tech of nationalism the unification kicked in. Then I was glad to see that infamy from that was only about ten, where I think in the first Victoria game infamy would be somewhere around twenty which made it pretty certain that you'd have war declared by a couple or more other nations.

I haven't had war declared on me but went on a building spree of military units since my available manpower and number of units is a lot larger now. Hoping to stay out of war and want to get better relations, especially with Russia and England. England  because as I start to colonize I'll be in some competition with them so want to try and avoid that. Russia because I don't want to be at war with them if I wind up in war with Austria or France. I was allied with England earlier in the game. Austria just got an event that united it and Hungary.

Now to try my hand at colonization, as I just got the tech that will give me the life rating to colonize some areas. Also got the navy tech earlier to allow invention of ironclads and I'll want to build a stronger navy with iron ships to help defend colonies. If this game is similar to the first Vic game then I figure I'll be in colonial wars with France more than most other nations, if I keep good relations with England.

[Razgovory]

Almost finished my game as Russia.  Israel formed... it is 1.8% Jewish.  India is a superpower and Britain is Fascist.  Russia dominates Eastern Europe ruling over all Slavs except for Yugoslavia and Bulgaria which are allies.  Currently buidling a navy to destroy the British empire then the French one.

[Queequeg]

How do you deal with 1880s rebels? 

[Razgovory]

How do you deal with 1880s rebels?

1890's guns!  I'm not having much problem with rebels.  I get German revolters occasionally in the conquered West, but no big massive revolts.  I have used order focus on the new territories.  I avoided options that increase militancy such as "the Means of Production", and "Flaws of Democracy'.  Orthodoxy and Autocracy are the rule in Raz's Russia.  Currently I'm leading in Prestige, Military and Industry.  After I got my literacy up to about 20-30% the game became a lot easier.  Russians don't have any rights, I passed no reforms, and rescinded the right to hold meetings, but they seem happy enough.  Or at least that's the Secret Police tell me.  Next time I'll post a screen shot or two.

[Queequeg]

Are you doing Concert of Europe?

[Queequeg]

I feel like Gilbert and Sullivan is the only thing to listen to while playing Victoria 2. 

[Razgovory]

Behold the power of unshakable autocracy!

[Queequeg]

Do you have tips? Education and whatnot?

[Razgovory]

Drop out of school and spend the next ten years being a worthless layabout.  As for the game I'm using POPdemand mod and the Concert of Europe Start.  I started the game raising the number of clerics and bureaucrats (they both help literacy in POPDM), but only to a certain level.  Like 2% for each (I don't recall the actual number).  Note: For some reason I had a real hard time increasing clerics and bureaucrats in Moscow. Don't know why.  After several years I just focused on the other states.  I allied with Austria against the Turks to build up Greece (which I allied with) and more importantly against Prussia.  I found stealing Prussia provinces resulted in me getting some good factories and increased literacy.  After Prussia had been hobbled I turned on Austria.  When I started the game I set my government to reactionary till I had over 20% literacy which is when I shifted to conservatives.  I didn't bother trying to build factories before that.  I never promoted liberalism or reform.  My economy didn't get going until the 1850's or '60s and the most industrialized area is still Bohemia.  I'd focus on culture techs to begin with and a few of the commerce ones that increase research.  You'll probably want a few on military tech, but you'll still lag behind.  Once you get to 20% literacy you can start with the industrial tech,  Pops won't become factory workers unless they have at least 20% literacy rate.  They won't become clerks unless you have 40%.  You get decisions to change ideologies that give more prestige but increase consciousness and the later ones increase militancy.  I didn't have a problem with consciousness ones, but I did not chose anything that increases militancy.  In the early game your military will be very poor.  You'll want at least a 1:2 ratio against the enemy 1:3 is even better.  Later when my literacy went up I made my army the envy of the world.  My make up of armies is five regulars, one engineer, two artillery one cuirassier and one one hussar for a total of ten brigades making 30k for each army.  I built no navy, though I am now in the late game.

Early years were lean, I had to defund military maintenance and max taxes to keep from going into debt.  I tried to keep up education and bureaucrats funding as high as could.  Once industrialization kicks in the money problems go away.

[Razgovory]

A crown from the gutter can be a fine thing indeed!

[Queequeg]

How'd you do that?  48? 

[DGuller]

What did you do to Finns?!?