Is Conquering really really hard? I'm having trouble.

[Sava]

What is the best strategy for expanding militarily? I'm able to conquer one or two neighboring provinces. But then I can't seem to get any more. I even tried waiting for friendly neighboring countries to be made into vassals. I followed the instruction manual to the letter, and I'm still not able to vassalize them. Anyone have any thoughts or strategies to help me?

[uglyduck]

This can be quite complex.
I would direct you to the official forum that is in my signature where lots of help is available and strageties outlined.
However - doing so appears to upset a certain member of this Board so I cannot do that

[RobRoy]

Originally posted by uglyduck
...doing so appears to upset a certain member of this Board so I cannot do that

Wouldn't upset people if you hadn't banned them from said site. Without cause, as YOU know perfectly well.

"Cannot do that"? Huh? Did someone say that? Or is your overactive imagination at work, again? And didn't you just do that, anyway?

[RobRoy]

Sava, expanding by physically seizing neighboring provinces requires you to have a much greater victory percentage (in the Peace Resolution screen) than you need to annex the desired provinces. Usually 20-30% extra will get you what you want. If you wait, sometimes the AI will offer peace on more attractive terms than you can get (won't necessarily give you the provinces you want though). The victory percentage is a function of occupying provinces and winning battles (land or sea).

Expanding by vassalizing can be trickier. Forced vassalization is usually tough unless you have 99-100% victory. It helps to have completely wiped out their army and navy too. Diplomatic vassalization requires 190+ relations, being bigger than your target (and your target being pretty small), same religion, royal marriage, etc. Plus no other country should have better relations with the target, and vassalizing someone who already has vassals seems impossible. Having a neighboring province isn't a requirement, but sure seems to help (it becomes a requirement for later diplomatic annexations). Some people report that having lots of cash or a neighboring army seems helps them, but neither help me much. High diplomatic rating will increase your success rate dramatically, as a low one will decrease it.

Note that tech and stability costs rise significantly for each new province (up to eight or ten, IIRC, after which there are still smaller incremental increases in tech costs). So it often makes sense not to annex someone, but keep them as a vassal. Sometimes the most technologically advanced nations will be the one-province wonders - which can be a fun way to play, also, somewhat analagous to OCC.

[Havard]

Originally posted by RobRoy
Expanding by vassalizing can be trickier. Forced vassalization is usually tough unless you have 99-100% victory. It helps to have completely wiped out their army and navy too. Diplomatic vassalization requires 190+ relations, being bigger than your target (and your target being pretty small), same religion, royal marriage, etc. Plus no other country should have better relations with the target, and vassalizing someone who already has vassals seems impossible. Having a neighboring province isn't a requirement, but sure seems to help (it becomes a requirement for later diplomatic annexations). Some people report that having lots of cash or a neighboring army seems helps them, but neither help me much. High diplomatic rating will increase your success rate dramatically, as a low one will decrease it.

Some countries are equipped with a set of highly diplomatic competent monarchs - these are great for peaceful expansion through diplomacy. Playing Savoy I united Italy (-Veneto) through only diplo-annexations

Note that the diplo. level of the target country monarch also counts...

Note that tech and stability costs rise significantly for each new province (up to eight or ten, IIRC, after which there are still smaller incremental increases in tech costs). So it often makes sense not to annex someone, but keep them as a vassal. Sometimes the most technologically advanced nations will be the one-province wonders - which can be a fun way to play, also, somewhat analagous to OCC.

Mechlenburg spring to mind... One province, CoT... If Flanders forms they are pretty amazing too (even richer).

[Havard]

Originally posted by Sava
What is the best strategy for expanding militarily? I'm able to conquer one or two neighboring provinces. But then I can't seem to get any more. I even tried waiting for friendly neighboring countries to be made into vassals. I followed the instruction manual to the letter, and I'm still not able to vassalize them. Anyone have any thoughts or strategies to help me?

What country are you playing? Strategy often depends on that...

[Dauphin]

Sometimes the most technologically advanced nations will be the one-province wonders - which can be a fun way to play, also, somewhat analagous to OCC

So conquering the world with Muscovy/Russia is not you cup of tea.