Europa Universalis V confirmed

[Syt]

Biggest conundrum for me to wrap my head around at the moment is diplomacy. Glancing at the map it appears to be covered with teeny tiny entities, begging to be conquered.

But then you look at it and they're vassals or fiefdoms of someone who has a personal union with someone and is also allied with someone else who has vassals etc. and it quickly becomes a crazy game of Jenga where you have to figure out which block you (i.e. your country and army) you can safely remove. That list is longer if you're, say, France, less so if you're Holstein-Rendsburg or Meissen or other midsized country.

It's also confusing how some interactions work in personal unions or regencies. The countries are separate entities, so when I was playing Brandenburg and the ruler of Lower Bavaria died, it created a personal union, but while I initially had leadership, Lower Bavaria took it over within months (since they are much stronger in 1337 start).

Which feels weird; it's a bit hard for my brain to internalize that I'm running the country, and its ruler is one factor of many in that - and just because they are also ruling another country, it doesn't mean I can do whatever towards them. I am not playing as the ruling dynasty.

Similar with Holstein-Rendsburg. Your count starts is also the regent of Denmark at game start. But at least at first glance I couldn't see many direct benefits (it was my first game, so didn't look into diplo bonuses etc. that it might give).

[crazy canuck]

My advice is stop thinking about blobbing like you did in the EU I-IV.  You need to think through your expansion carefully and consider all the cultural, religious, economic, political and tactical reasons for expanding or you will end up with a bunch of useless territory. Or worse, territory you cannot hold. 

[Valmy]

I haven't had to worry much about the dynastic angle being the only dirty pagans left in Europe. But I can see how  it could be baffling doing it while trying to remember you are playing the country and not the dynasty you are also controlling.

Inching towards 1500. It is so crazy how far Vilnius feels from the coast as I desperately try to get enough control to build fleets and establish strong trade in the Baltic. I am only 300 km from the coast but it might as well be 1,000,000 km as far as 15th century tech is concerned.

But the thing about this game is...everything feels like you are so close to achieving your goal. Just one more month and you will have enough research or ducats or whatever. Very addicting and fun.

The diplomacy thing is very true. Countries blob without blobing. Declaring war on any country will start a coalition war. And your diplo strength is limited so you can only make your club so large. I usually end up annexing vassals not because I want to, but because I have to.

[Valmy]

My advice is stop thinking about blobbing like you did in the EU I-IV.  You need to think through your expansion carefully and consider all the cultural, religious, economic, political and tactical reasons for expanding or you will end up with a bunch of useless territory. Or worse, territory you cannot hold. 

And man...territory is very useless without control. I think I get zero tax or anything from some of my largest cities. The most they contribute is a few hundred levies for wars.

[crazy canuck]

My advice is stop thinking about blobbing like you did in the EU I-IV.  You need to think through your expansion carefully and consider all the cultural, religious, economic, political and tactical reasons for expanding or you will end up with a bunch of useless territory. Or worse, territory you cannot hold. 

And man...territory is very useless without control. I think I get zero tax or anything from some of my largest cities. The most they contribute is a few hundred levies for wars.

Yep, and when you consider the cost of suppressing rebels when those Cabinet positions could be used for far better purposes, and just the cost in manpower of putting down rebellions.  It's just not worth it.

I love how the game has created real constraints on expansion beyond just an arbitrary Bad Boy modifier.  Also, if you have a country with a strong economy and can trade for or produce what you want/need.  There is no need to go expansionist.

[Valmy]

My advice is stop thinking about blobbing like you did in the EU I-IV.  You need to think through your expansion carefully and consider all the cultural, religious, economic, political and tactical reasons for expanding or you will end up with a bunch of useless territory. Or worse, territory you cannot hold. 

And man...territory is very useless without control. I think I get zero tax or anything from some of my largest cities. The most they contribute is a few hundred levies for wars.

Yep, and when you consider the cost of suppressing rebels when those Cabinet positions could be used for far better purposes, and just the cost in manpower of putting down rebellions.  It's just not worth it.

I love how the game has created real constraints on expansion beyond just an arbitrary Bad Boy modifier.  Also, if you have a country with a strong economy and can trade for or produce what you want/need.  There is no need to go expansionist.

There are important reasons though that I, much like historical Lithuania, are compelled to hold that territory anyway. For one thing, they are all cores. But I sure don't feel the need to get any more 

[Sophie Scholl]

Event/Mission trees are gone I believe someone said earlier. How are things like... historical events or missions or whatever? Is there some actual flavor you're seeing in the game popping up throughout the years?

[Valmy]

Event/Mission trees are gone I believe someone said earlier. How are things like... historical events or missions or whatever? Is there some actual flavor you're seeing in the game popping up throughout the years?

Well I am still only in the 15th century but there are things like Poland and Lithuania getting a bonus to relations because of historical flavor.

During a brief goofing off game with Byzantium just to check it out I saw many events of doom threatening to fire if I didn't take dramatic steps.

[Tamas]

During country selection you can see somewhere how many custom events they have.

[Syt]

Also,you get custom techs/laws etc. based on culture, government type, religion ...

[Valmy]

Yep. I got a special Tech just for my Lithuanianness.

[Zanza]

I have a new machine now, but EU V does something that causes the GPU or CPU fans to rotate at maximum speed. No other game I tried (Stellaris, Civ 7, Victoria) does this. It's super annoying as my computer is then very loud.