Prussia

[HMS England]

I feel like this is a very redundant question, but does anyone have any help or advice on the vh/h Prussian campaign of the coalition?

Im currently on my third try. The first time I didn't expand much, disbanded my military, and built up my infrastructure significantly, as well as intellectually enlightened, and "sided" with the French. After about 15 turns the coalition declared war on me and it was downhill from there.

the second time I immediately allied with the coalition and pushed the French as far back as Flanders and Alsace-Lorraine; however, my substantial military left me broke and highly undeveloped industrially. And after 15 turns, despite being in the positive with every other country in the 100s, Great Britain declared war and the others soon followed suit. I knew it was over then because I was bankrupt, and my armies were all the way in France and even then couldn't match the French pumping out stack after stack.

Now, on my third attempt, I kept good relations with every nation, and kept my armies divided evenly on both fronts and have turned every acquisition into protectorates as buffer states. I digress that every minor nation for some reason, having one or two regions at most have been highly developed and have pumped out stacks that match my own armies in both quantity and quality as time goes on despite me having seemingly more vast land and resources to draw from. I simply can't compete with their unmeasured strength and wealth along with that of all the other major powers. They are also very aggressive. This applies to all campaigns. In the first, the Batavian Republic somehow beat me back all the way to Berlin. And in the second, the Swiss confederation single handedly held back the Austrians with three full stacks. I digress further that the major powers, only when on my side, have proven ultimately useless in support and just sit there leaving me to take on the enemy alone.

Anyways, now on my third attempt, having made no allies, everyone has grown in animosity against me and have all declared war on me. I just can't win. I'm now pushing into the poorly defended Russian-Austrian front and holding off the French and British with only a few weak protectorates in the West.

Any ideas? Excuse this poorly written thread, I'm doing this off of my iPhone on a long, bumpy bus ride.

[Tongera]

This is what I do basically:

Don't build no units for the first 20 turns. This will save money.

Build up everything you can, infrastructure, barracks, mines, theatre etc. This can then support a large and modern army.

Research army and then industrial techs.

Keep an eye on France. Especially when it seems they may try and capture Vienna.

Build up an army then, a substantial one.

Put them in position.

Attack Meckleburg. Make peace with Denmark soon as possible.

Make alliance with Saxony.

Attack France while calling in allies.

?????

Profit.


Hope that helps.

['Gunny]

Also, replace krakows secret society with a university.

[Tongera]

Also, replace krakows secret society with a university.

Actually, I try and take Amsterdam and use that university. Waste less money then.

[Highlander of Scotland]

blitz mecklenbur and saxony. For the first year build up infrastructure then attack hamburg and vassalize the dutch and go for the french surrounding regions, I would vassalize them so that you surround the french

[klesh]

Don't forget to stay out of Hannover or GB will declare on you no matter what. It's one of their victory conditions.

[HMS England]

Don't forget to stay out of Hannover or GB will declare on you no matter what. It's one of their victory conditions.

Oh yea, I forgot about that. However, when they declared war on me the first time, Hannover was already in their possession. Now in my current campaign, they're sending Nelson over with a full stack to Stettin every 10 turns. It's a bit of a nuisance, especially since Prussia couldn't even hope to touch GB naval wise. I just have to keep a full stack in Berlin on standby.

[HMS England]

Oh my goodness, I feel like such a nerd for saying this, but that was exhilarating. I looked for help on this vh/h campaign on arguably the toughest nation to play as, even on youtube, but alas found nothing. I was having such trouble at first being poor and surrounded on all fronts with constant invasions, but I decided to suck it up and go on the offensive, so I industrialized and built up my bank, made protectorates out of all surrounding nations, and went on the offensive. I have a few astounding things I'd like to point out. Firstly, the protectorates I established stayed neutral against the French and Austrians, even maintaing good relations with with them acting as a barrier on all fronts so the enemy had no way of getting into my lands. This gave me quite a bit of time to build up and develop an army. Then, I made mini campaigns fighting for every mile after bloody mile (I can't even tell you how many "heroic" major battles I've had so far, but somehow I held back all the major nations who have formed an alliance against me, for no reason, long enough to submit the Russians to the East.

I strategically kept my armies nearby every town in a defensive manner while I slowly inched my way to Moscow. Then I took a risk and left all my acquisitions undefended while I pounced on Moscow -- best decision I could have done. After I took the city, I looted it for 75,000 gold and opened up diplomatic negotiations with them heavily favoring my terms. I offered to give them back what remained of Moscow in return for them breaking all of their alliances, forming an alliance with me as well as a trade agreement, and full military access. I doubt they'll be a thorn in my side any longer while I'm free to send my armies combined Westward to Napoleon's doorstep. FINALLY a breakthrough in this hellish campaign.

Obviously I'm bragging right now, but I just thought I'd share for any others who had previously lost hope in beating this campaign.