Victoria 3

[Solmyr]

I recommend a bunch of soundtrack mods to get into the mood while playing:

Sounds of the Centuries: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3493390182
Romantic Music: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2890995527
Victoria II: Songs of the Civil War: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2979093868
German Marching Music: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3520419672
Civilization Industrial Era Music Pack: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3472557637

[Syt]

I tried some music mods, but some had bad recording quality or had unbalanced volume. Not to mention events interrupting the music all the time (even if you turn off event sounds; though you can theoretically switch the "can be interrupted" flag in the text files that have the soundtrack tracks to "no", but not exactly ideal). I've taken to listening to classical music (and/or the Vicky soundtracks) on Spotify instead.

Another beta patch. Only one item, but it addresses maybe the most annoying remaining bug from this patch:

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/victoria-3-opt-in-beta-1-9-8-updated-july-22nd.1851538/

Fixed "Transfer Subject" and "Liberate Subjects" wargoals not being enforced when the overlord capitulates (as opposed to accepting a peace offer, or giving in before war breaks out)

[Syt]

Been doing a US run, with the aim of becoming a capitalist run oligarchy with no workers rights.

I found it surprisingly easy to create a trading Power Bloc that includes Central America (sans Mexico), Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Peru (Bolivia became my protectorate when Peru asked for my help in their struggle for independence, Cuba/PR I transferred from Spain, and Haiti became my protectorate when I aided them against France). Also added Dai Nam to my trade bloc, finished the Oregon journal entry and bought Alaska. And it's only 1861. Also been working on getting rid of slavery without civil war (disempowering southern planters, getting institutions/laws that lower radicalism). Haven't run into any real cash flow issues so far, despite running low to almost minimal taxes. Though legitimacy of the ruling Whig Party is perpetually low because it includes so many interested disparate groups. Stupid two party system. I'm friendly with Britain (Allies, but I have no declared interests in India to avoid getting pulled into that nonsense) and France.

Seemed a tad easy so far.

[Norgy]

The United States is a dreamy good starting country, I found. If you can do an early Civil War, it's a walk in the park. Of course, there is some RNG there too. I had only two states rebelling in 1849, but for the reconstruction journal entry to be successful (it wasn't), 12-13 states had to be reincorporated. 

Mexico backing down and just giving you the primary war goal is beyond annoying as well. IT IS MANIFEST DESTINY, SANTA ANA, NOT PIECEMEAL DESTINY!

The US has the potential to have a GDP curve that always goes upwards, and that European immigration is a huge boost.

In my last unmodded run with the US, it just got boring as my laissez-fairy economy just couldn't stop growing. But it also exposed my two weak points in Victoria 3.
1. Army. I seem to always forget to recruit a decent sized army. By 1880, as a GP, you should probably have 200 brigades plus.
2. Treaties. I don't understand them.

[Syt]

With Mexico I made them ALL primary wargoals. I also started the diplomatic play over a state (Texas) that no other GP had declared interest in (unlike, say, California, which has a chance of bringing in Russia and Britain - I feel if you expand wargoals it should take into account interests over every wargoal, not just the first one ).