Busting the "Prussia is hard" myth

[Blaudonner]

Since I didn't know that Prussia is supposed to be a tough play, I chose it as my first campaign, playing normal campaign/hard battle. After completely wrecking the economy and getting attacked by Poland and Austria by 1711, I started all over again, making new but different mistakes.


The reason for all the many red nations, is my recent revolution and my neighbours dislike for the republican type of government.

Since it's now 1744 and Prussia is still alive and kicking despite being played by a n00b, I think the statement "Prussia is hard" is a mere myth, at least on normal campaign difficulty. Of course, this might be because of extreme luck or a natural talent, but I don't believe that either of those alternatives are realistic. Especially not the second one...

Starting small seemed like more fun and that was the reason I chose Prussia. That and those legendary Prussian grenadiers and guards .

[eXistenZ]

Yeah normal difficulty is a bit too easy for me, but hard is then just too hard (except as marathas) . I played france on hard, and when i got into india, i got constantly kicked by massive stacks of marathas. I defeated them most of the times, but they gave me no chance to replenish my troops.

[Blaudonner]

Yeah normal difficulty is a bit too easy for me, but hard is then just too hard (except as marathas).

That holds a good promise for replayability - the same faction on hard will be a totally different game.

[Elmar]

The AI can't play it's own game in Strategic and Tactical modes , showing only nominal competency in the naval battles. So with this in mind "Prussia is hard" is a very relative turn. It's harder then most other countries.

Prussia and the UP are the only countries where I came even close to being challenged. Playing Prussia initially sees you with more enemies then you have cash for a military sufficient to beat them. Once you get up and going, a few dozen turns in, it's a breeze. The UP is slightly less hard but keeps that level of difficulty up longer as you need to keep protecting your overseas trade. Fail to do that and bankruptcy is near immediate.

[FAB0L0US]

I find Poland by far the most challenging campaign. The worst one was a hard campaign where I was bankrupt for like 30ish turns straight and was marching steadily south against the Ottomans to try and escape the Swedes. Only way I made money was selling provinces and the only way I kept the Swedes from keeping to chase me was erecting a barrier state of provinces I gave to Courland. Friggin terrible campaign. Every time I thought I was in the clear someone new declared war on me.

I never find much trouble with the Prussians, just ally with the Poles or Austrians and you are good.

[RootsKW]

playing normal campaign

Every faction is easy while while playing normal...

[Lumina]

You didn't conquer Germania! Thats insulting. Going to war with all the Germanic Factions and taking it all is the best part playing as Prussia. Poland/Russia are easy to fight against.

[Blaudonner]

You didn't conquer Germania! Thats insulting.

Yeah, I planned on taking all German speaking states, but ended up in the east and north as the guys up there declared war on me. Very, very unhistoric...

[Lumina]

Yeah, I planned on taking all German speaking states, but ended up in the east and north as the guys up there declared war on me. Very, very unhistoric...

Thats odd normally all of Germania declares war on me when playing as Prussia so i have an excuse to take over all of Central Europe.

Right now I'm playing as Saxony, yet my favorite faction since it's so Generic and I love green/vanilla uniforms, has a nice natural color to it. I created the Central Alliance I named it myself. Composing of me Saxony, Austria, Bavaria, Westphalia, Wurttemberg, Denmark, and also including Great Britian and one Protectorate under my leesh, I've limited myself to just three Regions composing of Saxony, Brandenburg and Hanouver, I had to have two ports.

[eXistenZ]

Well i started a campaign as prussia on hard. I took saxony and west prussia, and offcours Austria declares war on me. So i took Prague from them. Only now the income is a bit of a problem. i only make 3000 a turn, and i have to leave some troops in Dresden and Gdansk, otherwise they riot. Although i'm building a school in saxony. I've just discovered canister shot, and now i'm going for the enlightment techs, so i get +15% research rate. And hopefully i can sell some techs.


Any advice? Should i go for Bavaria or for Silesia?

[dutch81]

Yeah the UP is the hardest in my opinion ... there is little money ... your finances depend on trade and your port is small and keeping it open against Spanish and French naval opposition is difficult ... the fluyts help but they are no match for the galleons that Spain can generate. If your capitol falls game over! Also capturing the cities of your enemies is hard because of your different form of government and religion create alot of unrest.

Prussia has excellent troops, finances based on tax revenue not trade and it will be well into the game before Prussia needs to even bother with trade ... as tax revenue in all the German states is very high. Also taking cities in the German sphere cause almost no unrest so your troops don't need to garrison but can remain in the field and expand.

[Inhuman One]

When playing as the United Provinces, Westphallia and Wurtenberg usually are good targets to get some more provinces in Europe, making it more difficult for anyone to destroy you.

[HomelessDepot]

Prussia is by far my favorite 'standard' nation, mostly because it allows you to specialize. Want to rule the seas? Grab an alliance with Britain, go to town. Want to fight a never-ending land war in Europe tooth-and-nail? Go for it. Or ally with Poland, split Austria beteeen you and invade Turkey.

It was even better when you could first-turn protectorate all the small Western states, I thought that was really fun. But they made that impossible in 1.4 or 1.5 .

-HD

[british_general]

Prussia ain't hard! What kind of **ity myth is that? I mean, all campaigns are fine with me, except for the hopeless native americans and the barbary states. Other than them, they all got decent troops at one point of time or another.