Austria Hardest Nation to win. Long Thread..

Hello everyone. I just wanna share my xp playing again this game after months.
I have decided to take Austria this time. Having completed the Grand Campaign in H/VH with Russia (Nice defending start positions) and Later with France (Best armies) I said, let’s give a try and test Austria.
I remembered that long time ago I had some fail campaigns with Austria, so I said lets be more focus and rule Europe...
Starting position is awful. Really Sandwiched. From the West Napoleon and his General are the Number 1 Threat. I have to defend all my west frontiers from Prague to Vienna, up to Venice. Talking about Venice, except France, I have to deal also their allies which are Milan and Switch land.
Of course all my Forces have been split among these 3 western regions leaving my east frontier wide open. Thankfully Russia was a trusty ally and Prussia also made alliance with me. The problem was the Ottoman Empire that was playing a Guerilla war and managed to take 2 territories from me (Transylvania and Galicia) just before Prussia declare war with them.
Austrian infantry are piece of crap in the beginning. German Fusiliers have the lowest stats and even minor nations have better Line infantry. Battles were non but easy and need to bleed heavy to stop France armies.
Not Mentioning about Austrian Cavalry. Ulans and Chevauxlegers are only for flanking enemy Artillery.
France's Chasseur a Cheval always managed to decimate (fire first, then melee).It's the best starting Cavalry unit you can have.
So I had to stick to cannons (4 cannons 12lib) putting as much infantry as I can with the support of 2 light infantry (jaggers or Grenzers) Until I can manager to be able to have some Hungarian Fusiliers.
The outcome of the above was that in 2 years (middle 1807) to manage and take Papal states (Becoming Rome Protectorate) and also take Milan destroyed (pain in a**s) and take Corsica.
This leaded me to unlock the military technology and be able - thank God- to train Hungarian Grenadiers, which can face direct the simple France Fusiliers!! I'm not taking about more advanced units!!
And while that I'm the only one that I'm fighting France really well (Great Britain is nowhere to be found, Prussia is only at war with the Ottoman Empire, and Russia is lost somewhere north..)
Suddenly all the major nations starting to broke alliances and trade agreements’ with me !
Without an obvious reason! The Pick was a secret alliance between France and Prussia !!! I clicked and saw that they allied without an announcement.
Next step, was a declaration of war from Prussia, who btw,is becoming very strong. Having conquering all the Ottomans regions including Constantinople.
At this time, I have saved the game and I'm wondering if has a meaning to continue playing this campaign? Sure I cannot afford facing 2 opponents near and front. Not having trade agreements to give me enough money and being disappointed how things involved, instead of having a full support from Prussia and Russia against Napoleon.

Just be unfair..

Well, during the Napoleonic Era, Austria was weak and defeated everytime so it makes sense that this nation is crap to play.

Another thing making it hard to play is the lack of safe harbors.

If you don't rush constantinople from the beginning then it will be very difficult for you.

Originally Posted by Faiakas

Hello everyone. I just wanna share my xp playing again this game after months.
I have decided to take Austria this time. Having completed the Grand Campaign in H/VH with Russia (Nice defending start positions) and Later with France (Best armies) I said, let’s give a try and test Austria.
I remembered that long time ago I had some fail campaigns with Austria, so I said lets be more focus and rule Europe...
Starting position is awful. Really Sandwiched. From the West Napoleon and his General are the Number 1 Threat. I have to defend all my west frontiers from Prague to Vienna, up to Venice. Talking about Venice, except France, I have to deal also their allies which are Milan and Switch land.
Of course all my Forces have been split among these 3 western regions leaving my east frontier wide open. Thankfully Russia was a trusty ally and Prussia also made alliance with me. The problem was the Ottoman Empire that was playing a Guerilla war and managed to take 2 territories from me (Transylvania and Galicia) just before Prussia declare war with them.
Austrian infantry are piece of crap in the beginning. German Fusiliers have the lowest stats and even minor nations have better Line infantry. Battles were non but easy and need to bleed heavy to stop France armies.
Not Mentioning about Austrian Cavalry. Ulans and Chevauxlegers are only for flanking enemy Artillery.
France's Chasseur a Cheval always managed to decimate (fire first, then melee).It's the best starting Cavalry unit you can have.
So I had to stick to cannons (4 cannons 12lib) putting as much infantry as I can with the support of 2 light infantry (jaggers or Grenzers) Until I can manager to be able to have some Hungarian Fusiliers.
The outcome of the above was that in 2 years (middle 1807) to manage and take Papal states (Becoming Rome Protectorate) and also take Milan destroyed (pain in a**s) and take Corsica.
This leaded me to unlock the military technology and be able - thank God- to train Hungarian Grenadiers, which can face direct the simple France Fusiliers!! I'm not taking about more advanced units!!
And while that I'm the only one that I'm fighting France really well (Great Britain is nowhere to be found, Prussia is only at war with the Ottoman Empire, and Russia is lost somewhere north..)
Suddenly all the major nations starting to broke alliances and trade agreements’ with me !
Without an obvious reason! The Pick was a secret alliance between France and Prussia !!! I clicked and saw that they allied without an announcement.
Next step, was a declaration of war from Prussia, who btw,is becoming very strong. Having conquering all the Ottomans regions including Constantinople.
At this time, I have saved the game and I'm wondering if has a meaning to continue playing this campaign? Sure I cannot afford facing 2 opponents near and front. Not having trade agreements to give me enough money and being disappointed how things involved, instead of having a full support from Prussia and Russia against Napoleon.

Just be unfair..

chasssuers a cheval may be better, but your cav is cheaper. Not to mention almost ALL your units are cheaper. My suggestion? Make greece, and the city right above constantionple (forgot its name) protectorates. They will give you steady income and protect your western border with spam armies. take constantinople because the ottoman army is easily defeated as it is mostly made up of crap units. While doing that just hold onto your eastern provinces and rebuff any french advances. If u are able take munich and piedmont and make into protectorates because once again spam armies protect your borders. also recruiting some ships to place on the trade nodes around africa doesn't hurt, but be prepared to lose them. Once you are secure, i.e have steady income and are able to support say 3 armies (1 army stationed say hungary-vienna to protect against russian backstab or for an emergency) and one in italy and one in germany, launch your assault against france. I personally also made a rhine army so I had 4 before I attacked but in the end I didn't need that one. I beat it on Vh/Vh. gl!

ADDED: on the note about crappy units, your men are better in melee, and are decent in firefights. True the french are superior, but as you are human u have an instant advantage over the AI. I suggest to fight smaller scale battles with your armies (i.e. against papal states, ottomans, naples) until they are decently experienced. Your main focus should be on your line infantry, army composition should be about: 12 line inf, 4 cav, 3 cannon, 1 general.

ADDED 2: For advice on your current campaign; wage a defensive war against France, and focus on wiping the Prussians out of Constantinople and surrounding area (don't know how/why u managed to let them get those areas). You need 3 armies here. 1 on the northern border with prussia, which can also cover against a french invasion if necessary, another in italy to make sure u don't lose venice, but this doesn't have to be big, exspecially if u have protectorates around there, and a final to actually attack the balkan areas and this should be the best one as it is the most important area of battle for you.