Why do I always get raped?

[Armfelt]

So I start my game as Sweden in 1530 (so that I'm through the reformation) and start building workshops, getting advisors, adjusting the economy and generally being a nice guy towards the other nations. My distant dream is to make the Baltic Sea sort of a Swedish "Mare Nostrum".

Then after five years Poland declares war and assault Väst-Götaland, Småland and Finland (proper). I try to raise an army and try to keep what I have left. So to get peace I had to release Finland as an independent nation and give them Väst-Götaland and Småland. And now I'm pretty much ruined.

[Enemy of the State]

How long have you been playing?
Heh i get this a lot to, many times i just quit out of frustration and cant get a decent game going.

Actually, ive only had 2 games that have lasted over 50 years. Brandenburg and Castille. Continuing with the latter one now, and doing fine

[Spart]

I admit, I gave up my first game as Sweden. My manpower pool was just sucked dry. National conscripts idea is pretty necessary. Getting into wars as Sweden in the start is quite annoying, unless you have lots of allies nearby.
So, right national ideas and quick expansion whenever possible is recommended to get you a capable army.

[Armfelt]

I admit, I gave up my first game as Sweden. My manpower pool was just sucked dry. National conscripts idea is pretty necessary. Getting into wars as Sweden in the start is quite annoying, unless you have lots of allies nearby.
So, right national ideas and quick expansion whenever possible is recommended to get you a capable army.

I restarted today and once I got on my feet without getting attacked this time I decided to start a war. I saw that Russia was weak (Teutones and Poles had invaded about 1/3 of it's territory), they were allied with Dannmark who was in a union with Norway so it'd be a three front war.

All of the sudden after I've invaded Kexholm and Neva the Russians brought those famous Siberian reserves to the front and they took back Kexholm and Neva and assaulted Savolax and Viborg. My war in Scandinavia was going better and I managed to take Halland, Skåne and Jämtland. Then I got a white peace with Russia and Halland from Dennmark.

Great game

[John I Tzimisces]

When land tech improves, you certainly will be able to tailor your army to your needs. As if "eastern offensive muskateers" and "eastern defensive muskateers" weren't blunt enough

[Carach]

So I start my game as Sweden in 1530 (so that I'm through the reformation) and start building workshops, getting advisors, adjusting the economy and generally being a nice guy towards the other nations. My distant dream is to make the Baltic Sea sort of a Swedish "Mare Nostrum".

Then after five years Poland declares war and assault Väst-Götaland, Småland and Finland (proper). I try to raise an army and try to keep what I have left. So to get peace I had to release Finland as an independent nation and give them Väst-Götaland and Småland. And now I'm pretty much ruined.

sweden are a weak faction by that time in the game tbh, their populations and economy in general cant support the larger armies neccessary to fight off bigger factions like poland (they are often in a gangbanging alliance with lithuania too...)

make sure u make friends with austria or someone powerful on their doorstep first to stop them pulling that shiz

[Scipio Afracanis]

Sweden needs good diplomacy,good leaders and good luck to be any kind of credible power.I have none of those quailtys so I don't play that country.

PS: I hate the Poland-Lith Alliance and almost any game I try to beat them or at least annoy them.

[Carach]

yea they attacked me in my mecklenburg campaign, which was disheartening considering lithuania were on a far higher land tech level than me, luckily i managed to focus on knocking poland out which occured quickly, then lithuania agreed to a white peace.

the good thing (at least when fighting them) is that they never seem to have many armies, due to population? other factions like austria pump out nothing but armies heh.

[Kretchfoop]

Disclaimer: I've never actually played as Sweden, but here are some general strategies I've used to great effect.

I would recommend allying with a strongish neighbor. Maybe one of the Russian nations or another Baltic nation, you can always break the alliance and fight them later if you wish. But at the start it will help out a lot to have someone else to siphon off some of the enemy forces.

Also, the winters in that neck of the woods are absolutely brutal. If you're fighting in winter let the enemy armies besiege your provinces. The attrition will devastate them. You can get up to 20% attrition in that area (higher if you use spies). This will quickly even out the manpower advantage. Bleed them white while minimizing your losses then counterattack. It sure ain't pretty but I've used it to great effect when fighting superior enemies. Usually France and Austria as I mostly play German minors.