Whats your top 10 hardest factions on ETW?

[poa]

I think so too. Attacking Italy as Austria in the first turn is inappropriate, as you will have to leave Praha, Silesia and Croatia exposed

i sell off silecia on turn 1, tho i cant remember if its to poland or preussia, but i think i sell to poland, i'm really hard pressed as austria, and eventually poland will declare too, but it buys time

[Freeed]

hello freeed, you only mentioned preussia as hard, so try out this strategy, it makes preussia a breeze http://etw.heavengames.com/articles/...ampaign-guide/ ......... it also eludes me how you can say UP is easy on VH, at least if you adhere to the principle of not giving military access which makes AI unable to declare war, because i have not ever made it 5 turns without france declaring. ........... england attack me as soon as their navy can arrive no matter what faction i play as, for as long as they can make an amphibious assault, not just in europe, but as any faction in india too ......... i'm almost starting to wonder if we are playing the same game, because you mention attacking italy as austria, as if austria isnt attacked by poland & ottoman within 10 turns

The problem isnt if France will declare war on you. The point is that you SHOULD fight France, but that should not be a problem for you. Hell you should even attack them on first turn while their navy is divided and their colonies are weak. I told you already to stack up a sizeable force in Amsterdam that would easily crush any invading force. A good strategy is to make best friends with Westphalia and maybe give them Beligum, so you are complete sealed off. I clearly stated that the game of UP is NOT to advance in Europe, but to collect colonies from France and Spain in the Americas, and make sure you stay on top as a naval power. Try to seal them off from the Americas completely. You then gain enough trade posts around the globe to gain a massive income. If France tries to attack Amsterdam during your conquest of the Americas, then thats their problem, not yours.

And about Austria. I dont think you really know what you are doing. I have played Austria on Very Hard so many times, and I am able to blitz and capture nearly all italian territories within less than 10 turns. There are no diplomatic damages from doing this, as they have no allies, and the italian cities are very rich and provides a good income, has no frontiers, and they have the same religion as yours. This is a big contrast compared to advancing south on Ottoman, with the low income territories, civil unrest, and overall fruitless gains and a waste of time cause you're giving minor nations time to mass armies and thus harder to conqer.
Poland and Prussia will be tempted to attack you during virtually the entire game. They may even declare war on you. But as I said, Silecia is the key. You must mass infantry at silecia as deterence, with a smaller but equally important infantry garrisson in the Hungary city. If Poland or Prussia does attack Silecia or Hungary, make sure you have at least 50% infantry stationed in Silecia than their attack force. Even if they do attack they will be crushed (unless you suck at siege battles, but thats your problem and you shouldnt be playing on Very Hard).
Ottomans may attacks you, but their armies are mostly puny and pathetic. You can quickly mobilize an army in Vienna and Hungary to deal with them if they interrupt your conquest in Italy. But seriously, it should not be that hard to conqer Italy fast, and then steamroll south on the ottoman. Its really that simple, Shield yourself off from Poland and Prussia the best you can using walled cities, and steamroll Italy and then Ottoman.

I think the most major problem you guys have is that you panic and lose faith when a nation declares war on you. Let them. Why should you care? Have a mobile army or use your walled cities as defence (it is nearly impossible to lose a siege battle) while your main thrust continues as planned elsewhere.

[poa]

no, the problem is that every faction with a border attack me within 10 turns, except italians that for some reason wait til turn 20 or so. if i go into a castle my school gets destroyed along with everything else. if i sell silesia to poland, then at least i get preussia to fight poland before both declare on me

[Freeed]

no, the problem is that every faction with a border attack me within 10 turns, except italians that for some reason wait til turn 20 or so. if i go into a castle my school gets destroyed along with everything else. if i sell silesia to poland, then at least i get preussia to fight poland before both declare on me

If they attack you then whats the problem? I mentioned that you should have a garrison of at least 50% of Line infantry more than the Line infrantry the enemy army has that is massing at your border. If he attacks your walls, his army will suffer a crushing defeat. You school is in Vienna region, it wont be reached. If you sell Silesia region, you are giving away your main barrier as Silesia has walls around it and is a perfect choke.
Italian states eventually attacks you because you have allowed them to grow stronger. Minor nations tend to be much more aggressive, and can mass forces far beyond what their economy should allow them. Therefore its almost a golden rule when you play as any faction to destroy the minor ones that will become your enemy as early as possible. Take the Italian regions early, what the problem? You have captured the entire peninsula (including spains possessions) within 10 turns, sufficient time before Prussia and Poland starts to harass you. And even during this time, you should have had enough spare cash each turn to train and deploy some line infrantry at Silesia.

Honestly... I am going to make a video of my strategy soon if you keep insisting its bad or not even possible, because its the best strategy I have to win with Austria quick and easy.