Europa Universalis IV announced

[Drakken]

Ugh, just had Brazil turn into Portuguese Brazil.  I really wished Colonial Nations were more a decision Decision, a compromise when colonies become rebellous or too hard to rule, kinda like "Create Vassal".

[crazy canuck]

Ugh, just had Brazil turn into Portuguese Brazil.  I really wished Colonial Nations were more a decision Decision, a compromise when colonies become rebellous or too hard to rule, kinda like "Create Vassal".

Yeah, I gotta say I keep trying to like this game but having auto colonial nations wrecks it for me.  The colonizing countries had considerable power over the colonies - not just in terms of taxation levels.

[Josephus]

Quick questions. When I roll over the figures in the trade window, I frequently see a red -10 for absent advisor...even where I have one. Not sure what that's all about.

Two. Mercantalism. I keep seeing decisions with do this and lose +1 mercantalism. What does that do, again?

[Viking]

Quick questions. When I roll over the figures in the trade window, I frequently see a red -10 for absent advisor...even where I have one. Not sure what that's all about.

Two. Mercantalism. I keep seeing decisions with do this and lose +1 mercantalism. What does that do, again?

Mercantilism incresese trade power in land provinces. iirc 1% of mercantilism increases your land base trade power by 2%. So 50 mercantilism gives you 100% trade power from provinces.

[Josephus]

So it's a good thing to have then.

What about the absent advisor thing?

[Viking]

So it's a good thing to have then.

What about the absent advisor thing?

You mean Absent Merchant which gives a minus to merchant trade power.

[Josephus]

Right. What is an absent merchant? I get it sometimes in areas where I have a merchant

[garbon]

Right. What is an absent merchant? I get it sometimes in areas where I have a merchant

Typically I think it is an effect that comes via an event you would have got (random event).

[crazy canuck]

So it's a good thing to have then.

Yeah, it is one of the main reasons to stay Catholic now - you get to turn in 100 papacy influence for +1 mercantalism.

[Josephus]

So it's a good thing to have then.

Yeah, it is one of the main reasons to stay Catholic now - you get to turn in 100 papacy influence for +1 mercantalism.

good to know.

[Josephus]

So my first game in a year, playing as England, ended in ignoble defeat sometime around 1720.

The problem was and I suspect will always be the colonies. I had a few colonies in North America, Newfoundland and English Canada or something. And that's fine. I like that aspect of the game. Trouble is these colonies were constantly at war with other colonies in Canada. Especially Nova Scotia, which was allied with France. So every five years I kept getting dragged into wars with France and Scotland, which I was unable to sustain.  My manpower was sinking, and I could never raise new troops.
First problem I had with the game mechanics is the ability to make peace. The "suggest peace offer" button is always greyed out. The -1000 negative is a hindrance.  Look I'm offering you my virgin daughters, dammnit, take them.
In addition to big wars, my Canadian colonies also started claiming independence. Which I was fine with, even will to offer it to them, except in the peace window it's always a -1000 penalty because their war goal is to defend their capital which Im not even attacking.
Soon I had rebellions at home, and soon Scotland saw this as a good opportunity to wage direct war. They were able to chase my dwindling armies to Cornwall and annihalted me. After they occupied all Britain, they asked for a peace that was more than generous. I think they claimed Wessex. But I was unable to stop my provinces from revolting and soon about four provinces rose up with 35K troops each, and there was just no way to deal with it.
I quit.

Question...is there a way out of joining your colonies in these stupid wars? Otherwise I'm really thinking it's not worth the hassle of having colonies.

[Viking]

No way to avoid that. Can't you vassalize scotland and trigger the union decision to end this pita?

[Josephus]

Certainly not anymore. 

I should have attempted it earlier, but was mostly focussing on colonizing, and tried to avoid wars with france.

[Josephus]

Religious zeal. Can you stop it, or is it a time thing? (trying to convert reform provinces back  to Catholic)

[Viking]

Religious zeal. Can you stop it, or is it a time thing? (trying to convert reform provinces back  to Catholic)

Check the tool tip, it's a time thing.