As many will know this game is about governing a nation during the period from the Renaissance to the Enlightment. War, diplomacy, discovery, colonization, (macro)management.

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It's somewhat of an oldy by now I guess, but it created a new strategy sub-genre/franchise and Europa Universalis II was completely screwed up IMO.

I'm playing right now. I'm playing as Spain so I'm not after expansion, I'm after Global Dominance. :devil: Just after conquering Granada I went on for some easy conquests in Libya, but then my "ally" England asked me to honour my alliance and declare war on France, omg. I didn't give the issue much thought, I didn't consider that France's armies appallingly outnumbered mine, that England wouldn't have honoured the alliance if it had been my asking; I guess the Catholic fanatic boy scout I was impersonating in the game just talked on my behalf and said, "Of course how you dare ask!!" :titan:

Fortunately I know France from previous games and although at the beginning her numbers are just brutal, she's very predictable. I can afford to fortify only a few provinces, but I know the one the French will be attacking so I fortify it so that they get stuck at it. Why? Simple, because it's called French Comté, so it MUST be theirs right? No it's mine, and they can't stand that, they can't help themselves, the buggers, L0L. In the meantime all the French territories including Paris had symbolic fortifications (just like most of mine which the French weren't interested in) and I was able to take them faster with far fewer men:

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Plus just after one of their unsuccessful assaults I attacked the 40,000 Frenchmen before they had time to regroup, with just 6,000 men, and kicked them out of the French Comté relieving the siege, so France had to resume it from the beginning and I earned a lot of time and that's what saved the day. (In this game the most important factor in battles is morale/organization and that's always rock bottom just after losing a battle or assault.)

I was even able to recruit a small detachment in Sicily and use it to kick the Pope's behind (yes you heard right) because he was allied to France and threatened my ally and vassal Naples. Navarre on the other hand took advantage of my strain and managed to take one of my provinces. But as soon as I took Paris I could force the French king to sign peace and returned to pre-war Status Quo. I was enraged because I wasn't able to take advantage of this war to conquer and annex tiny Navarre, but considering the desperate starting situation it was a very good outcome.

Since this was not my war but England's, she and the rest of my allies continued the war but the outcome couldn't have been more convenient for my interests. My allies Austria and Naples were unharmed, the latter paid a very small monetary retribution to the Pope. And of course England got cut to pieces and lost a lot of territory to France, but I couldn't be happier about that since England won't be my ally for long, but the contrary, and France will hear from me soon enough and a couple of poor Irish territories won't make a difference.
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So this is a very recommendable game, if you like strategy you'll love it. I might be posting more stuff about my current game if there's greater than 0.00 interest. :D

Oh boy, I love the entire tactical table-top games by Paradox. I play HOI2 Doomsday the most.

I tried HoI and I think the Paradox model worked bettern in EU. Maybe a matter of personal taste. But the AI was worthless, don't remember what difficulty setting I chose but the lack of challenge from the AI ruined the game.

Hehe called a crusade and conquered Alexandria. Now God is happy an I've got another center of trade. :devil:

I tried EU 2, 3, Crusader Kings, HOI 2 Doomsday, HOI 2 Doomsday Armageddon, Victoria and Victoria: Revolutions

HOI 2 series is my favourite because the combat is the best system. Then it's a toss up between EU and Victoria. I don't really like the combat systems. I wish they had HOI 2 combat in vicky and EU and then those games would pwn.

I played EU2 for XYZQ hours, it's one of my favorite games, what I did with Byzantium was amazing! :ok:
EU3 is good but it's still need one GOOOD patch! :ph34r:

BTW you can buy europa universalis 1 on www.gamersgate.com for $1. Well worth it.