What House Rules do you Use?

[Hickz]

Just wondering what everyone house rules are to get a challange out of the AI.

I usually wait until the 20th turn min.

Anyone else wait longer?

I am looking for suggestions.

[mapper2]

I rarely declare war on another faction. I just wait for them to declare war on me then hand them their ass on a platter.

[Rockstone]

In my UP and Brittain campaign, I took Paris before turn 10. Really clears up Western Europe.
I guess, my house rule is take the capital province of the nearest big neighbour. As for challenge, well... its pretty challenging to take Paris with half an army...

[Zeboim]

Grenadiers can't throw Grenades
2 mortars maximum in any army
5 cavalry max in any army
No trade theaters
Don't invade India until at least 1750
Don't play GB.
5 schools max
No revolution, have to stay Monarchy

[linuss]

I play to have fun... nothing more, nothing less.

[Mechstra]

4 schools researching at once, max. That's my only one, after seeing how you can power through the tech tree by 1750 if you're expansionist.

[Rogue]

I don't play by any house rules per se, but I try to take actions that are more reasonable in a historic context. For example, when I captured Paris as the Dutch, I sold it back to the French for cash, the Windward Islands, and French Guyana. (It didn't work out so well though, because then Savoy destroyed France a couple turns later )

[GaMMwl]

I don't play by any house rules per se, but I try to take actions that are more reasonable in a historic context. For example, when I captured Paris as the Dutch, I sold it back to the French for cash, the Windward Islands, and French Guyana. (It didn't work out so well though, because then Savoy destroyed France a couple turns later )

My style too. I also seek to influence power balance in europe by stationing troops in allied regions and pump money into certain allies to see if they can convert that into military success- very ineffective so far... go modders!

[OTZ]

Every second battle, I'll play while wearing my wife's Sleep Mask. It helps sometimes, but other times the AI just gets unlucky.

I've also mentioned this before, but putting Temptations cat treats on your keyboard (if you have a cat, otherwise that's just weird) or peanut butter on your keyboard (if you have dog, and, *very important*, if you don't have a nut allergy) can sometimes help the AI.

Otherwise, more "traditional" methods include limiting the number of Stacks per continent to 1, leaving cities undefended, and one important one - never trade an island to the AI - it tends to fill it to the brim with useless, money draining armies.

[REQUIEM]

i only lay down house rules in multiplayer called 'gentleman rules'

2 art Max
no mortars!
not allowed to shoot at enemy general with arty.
and allow enough money for a decent army without the spamming of elites/experience.

[Frost, colonel]

I'm not allowed the sound turned up on my 7.1 when my wife is at home.

[nicotine]

Rule 76: No excuses. Play like a champion.

[aeoleron9]

Don't destroy any faction, make everyone my protectorate, and stay in Monarchy.

[EmperorJulian]

I play by the same "rules" I use in EU3. One thing I never do is rush the AI and conquer 40 regions by 1710. This seems to be something alot of people do, and then they complain that the game (ETW) is too easy. I sit back and generally let my enemies come to me. In my latest Russian campaign, I ceased expansion entirely between 1715-1727, opting to just build infrastructure and research technologies. When I did expand again, I only took two provinces and once again returned to my normal building/tech-oriented existence. I am heading for a Revolution, but my final goal is Constitutional Monarchy, which I feel fits better with this period in history.

I'm also found of doing the following:

* Propping up factions by giving them techs and money early in the game.
* Using no more than four schools/colleges
* Sending Rakes/Priests to selected areas to incite revolt, i.e. to release (or try to release) emergent factions.
* Building an Empire with reasonable and consolidated boundaries, this can be hard to do when you have a victory condition like Russia which requires you to hold a compact empire... AND Sweden. Sort of have to make do with the situation you're in.
* I also never accept absurd offers of territorial trades from the AI. I'm not going to ruin AI factions by, for example, trading Courland for East Prussia and 5 techs. Yeah it's great for me, but it kicks the AI in the face.
* Finally I don't exploit the AI's tactical weaknesses by deploying armies of unique composition that the AI can't handle. I tend to produce what the AI produces, such that when I fight it out with them at least it's not over in 5 seconds. As an aside here, I do usually kill as many routers as I can, not because I want to, but with the siege bug that we're dealing with its become somewhat mandatory. If it didn't exist, I'd let the fleeing men go.

[Tullaris]

I play with one hand only and without my glasses on, just so that the AI has a 'fair' chance.

[OTZ]

I play with one hand only and without my glasses on, just so that the AI has a 'fair' chance.

Rookie. A real man will get his other hand amputated and then use the severed hand to poke his eyes during the game.

[herb0815]

Always help allies actively

Attack of capitals only after all small cities in the region are occupied

Leave the pirates islands alone

[Hansel]

I just set phasers down to stun, oh and grenadiers throw koosh-balls

[Irishmafia2020]

Leave the pirates islands alone

That's a good rule... I might commit to that one myself...

I only use one school. Just one. I can't imagine how easy it must be to play with four schools (how could that even be a house rule?).

[OTZ]

Always help allies actively

Attack of capitals only after all small cities in the region are occupied

Leave the pirates islands alone

Leaving the pirates alone helps a lot in terms of impact on trade.

One other suggestions - somewhat related - keep the straits of Gibraltar cleared, even it means DOW on Morocco. It should help with the saling regattas that take place there almost continuously.

EDIT - for schools, as a future wish - I would increase the amount of dissent/clamour for reform for each one - or at least limit the number per faction. It's way too easy too accumulate them.