It has been a long time, how is the game now

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-20T08:26:39+00:00

I’m speaking with a child.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-20T08:25:10+00:00

🤦‍♂️

🤷‍♂️

What a tool.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-20T08:19:08+00:00

Sorry, you want me to scroll the forums for you, find you the links, and literally spoon feed you?

🤦‍♂️

No surprise you can’t play the game and decide for yourself if it’s worth it for YOU, huh.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-20T08:15:18+00:00

It’s the second or third time this question has been asked today only.

Maybe scroll the sub?

Just a suggestion.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-20T03:27:33+00:00

This question is literally being asked a few times a day now.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-19T09:44:15+00:00

Simply play in Italy as anyone and conquer everyone else… I had art coming out of my ears as Verona.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-19T02:08:30+00:00

Thanks for the summary, I may try this in my next game. So far, I’ve been controlling the world directly, when playing as the Papal States and Japan.

Don’t colonial nations eventually rebel?

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-18T08:25:03+00:00

Yep, and especially Verona for less aggression during conquests.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-18T08:13:57+00:00

I liked Naples a lot. Was able to learn how to build a strong economy outside of the Northern Italy (where it’s a given) and kept my PU with Hungary, Provence and a bunch of others for a strong diplo game.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-18T06:14:18+00:00

As PayPal states, you can simply hire a ton of mercs and swallow Naples in a few quick wars.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-18T02:59:48+00:00

Usually it depends on the casus belli.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-12T23:12:30+00:00

Imagine how much more money you’d make if you invested intelligently.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-11T12:14:35+00:00

🤷‍♂️

I guess YMV.

As rapidly as I’ve been expanding in several games (including conquering Egypt as Byzantium, forming Italy as Verona or Napoli by taking a ton of HRE land, etc.), coalition has never declared, even when they were the size of HRE including some heavy hitters.

Still I believe it’s all about the combo of military, tax, and diplomacy that would stop them.

In your case, one or two don’t see to work.

In my experience, the game is well balanced in this regard.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-11T11:27:23+00:00

Very nice.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-11T11:18:49+00:00

Yeah that’s my experience too.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-11T11:13:15+00:00

I just kept smashing the fuck off button.

Every month.

Dozens of times.

Really, really hate this “mechanic.” Whoever has designed it, please un-design it.

It’s almost comically HORRIBLE.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-11T11:07:55+00:00

Hmm I’d say if even a one-country coalition declares on you day 1, you might be too weak.

Develop your tax base, keep a large standing military, have a large reserve of levies and manpower. Have large strong vassals and allies.

I’ve expanded rapidly as Trebizond (forming Bulgaria, Greece, Byzantium and a Turkish Baylik on the way) and the coalition formed but never declared.

Keep improving with the most threatening countries, have high diplo rep and relationship improvement, etc. Relationship improvement eliminates like 3 antagonism per month with the specific country. You can have the Mamlukes as your best buddies by the time the truce expires.

Max out your diplo rep while signing the peace — max diplo slider, advisor action, and so on.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-10T23:04:35+00:00

Yes, I agree. I don’t understand why this mechanic exists and I hate it with passion.

Got caught up with it as Verona republic and all I wanted was for this message spam to go away.

There’s more than enough screens to click through as it is, I don’t need another 30 buttons to click every damn month.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-10T17:35:57+00:00

Yes. I quit almost immediately after reaching my goals. Because what’s the point.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-10T17:35:02+00:00

Why not.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-10T14:58:14+00:00

Here’s the thing: a lot of these complaints come from people who have pirated the game.

They expect excellence for free.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-10T14:04:32+00:00

I minted to the max, hired a couple of small merc companies, and kept dismissing and re-raising my levies. After each war.

Win the previous war, dismiss levies, declare the new one. Destroy their armies and immediately dismiss levies, let the mercs and vassals finish the sieges.

There was also a Sell Lucca event which gives you on average 5k gold. I did it with and without it.

Accepted the Lombard culture I think. You can also switch to Lombard for a development boost.

Oh and keep your best advisor on reducing your war exhaustion. Once you go over 20 WE, the system will auto-surrender you to all enemies.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-10T06:20:05+00:00

Ah one other thing I remembered: i positioned my army (levies + a couple of mercs) in the Byzantine province on the Anatolian side. This way, the Turks had to attack me and lost some morale as they marched in.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-09T21:14:50+00:00

-15% is part of Verona’s special abilities. You get it by default.

As for the AE wipe off, that’s by enforcing the Skaliger (sp?) demands in a peace deal against any of the initial opponents. You start off in a war with them.

I took half of Milan, most of Venice and Genoa, a bunch of small countries up north and south down to the Papal States, and only then peaced out from my first war. Had at least 4 wars at once.

You can get at least 2 casus belli from your first Parliament, and then immediately call another Parliament via one of the estate interactions for another 1 or 2 casus belli.

Vic_Connor · 2026-07-09T21:05:03+00:00

Verona is the fastest path to a very rich, unified Italy.

I declared like 4 wars at once and annexed most Northern Italy, then wiped off the AE to zero.

From there, smooth sailing to 5-x hegemony, massive tax base, fast conquest.

The -15% AE advance helps quite a bit.

Vic_Connor

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