full image - Repost: How to early France (from Reddit.com, How to early France)
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I flaired this as 'question', but 'meta' might be just as appropriate?I'm a perpetual restarter. I'm quite confident I've started playing France over a hundred times. I can't recall seeing the absolution mechanism in play (other than mentioned in privileges). This is just tangent of the point.What I want to know is, how do you play France in the early phase (at start and after the Maine war and until let's say 15 years has passed (1460 maybe).What I do now,nearly every time (sigh):1 Court.Advisors. France can afford level 2 advisors if they're 50% off. Otherwise level 1 advisors. National Focus: Military is highly prized and it seems like a good idea. But France needs Admin power for all that coring, yes? I notice it was set to Diplomatic this run. I clicked that off and have to "suffer" a balanced distribution for 20 years. :)3 Diplomacy.Rivals: England. Probably Burgundy and Aragon too. If Spain has rivaled you (rare), would you restart? I think I would.Ally Spain. At day 1 or right after England has decided to keep Maine?Dissolve alliance with Provence. Removes the chance of you getting denounced(?) by the Pope and let you attack Provence after 5 years. Especially sweet if Provence is denounced by the Pope. -I don't bother with Savoy, even if they seem to be denounced often.I can't see mission claims for Brittany any more, so start on that Spy network against Brittany ASAP, yes? (can't claim much of their lands until you've defeated England and taken Cotentin). Depending on Brittany's allies I like to take them quickly after the war with England.Check for subjects/allies you can have a Royal Marriage with that costs you merely 2 Legitimacy. If you find one then you can marry the others for -2 as well, I think. How many marriages do you go for?Scotland: upgrade to alliance and get Military Access and Fleet Basing rights. I start ASAP with one of the two first. The Fleet one costs money so I wait until Maine event happens. I then ferry my troops up to Scotland, ask for F.B.R.. I have time for 4 stacks before the event times out and the war starts.Portugal: I've tried Improve Relation with them. It seems that if I manage to make them friendly they won't join in on the war. But is that a good tactic? Can usually have them pay lots of money for peace. Their fleets can be a pain, but the Spanish troops needs something to do :)If England cedes Main I'm likely to restart.I repeat: I ASAP dissolve alliance with Provence. Spy on Brittany. Work with Scotland. Either ally Spain quickly or wait for Maine event.Later (after England war) I may:War with Brittany. I find this dangerous for AE, though.The Papal State: Improve releations for a while. Sooner or later I need Avignone.Provence: Later I may build spy network for Barrois (excellent place for a fort, if one can afford it?), but not Verdun as it's part of HRE.Aragon: I am likely to claim Rosselló (damn irritating fort) and Mallorca and be satisfied with that in first war. The main point is to get Mallorca so I can work on claims in Africa (damn raiders are so irritating this version). Later I'm likely to take more of their land. I'll probably release vassals I guess.Naples (if free from Aragon) is a great ally for whopping the Papal State or other Italian states. After I've Annexed at least one vassal (have to wait 10 years for that).When 10 years has gone I'd like to annex at least one vassal, preferably more. I need Diplomatic Reputation for that, which one can get +1 from specific diplomats, and +1 if got a Legitimacy of at least ... 75(???), +1 from Papacy's 'Send Papal Legate'. Any more?4: Economy.Minimize Army– and Fleet Maintenance. (or do you keep Fleet M. high and send out ships for trade?)5: Trade.I don't understand Trade. Uhm... collect from Bordeux and steer trade from ... somewhere?k Estates.ASAP: Seize land. Summon the Diet. I go for ones I can finish quickly and which does not cost me "mana".Privileges: This is quite a bit. I tend to go for:Clergy: Religious Diplomats, Monopoly on Wool, Monopoly on Wine and .... Church Sanctuaries? Nobility: Supremacy over the Crown and Monopoly on Livestock. I reserve last slot for Nobility Integration Policy as I'll need it in 10 years time (or is it best to enact it at once? hmm..). I don't dare taking 4th privilege as I am not sure I can revoke one in order to make space for N.I.P.Bourgeoisie: Patronage of the Arts and to of these four: Monopoly on Paper, Monopoly on Textiles, Private Trade Fleets, Free Enterprise. Saving room for Indebted to the Bourgeoisie. Apropos IttB: When to take it?At once, for building 4 Heavy ships (and after Maine event troops?)Wait for Maine event, then purchase troops? (risky to transport them to Ireland/Scotland)Wait for tech for buildings? (marketplace).Anything else?Map.Castles: I suppose Destroy the one in Haute–Poitou. What about Chartres? But Dauphiné and Narbonnaise can be nice. I can't tell if the Army Tradition is worth this quite hefty expense.Give Leadership to ruler and heir. If you're lucky one of them get 1 siege and one is good for combat or moving troops.____________________________________________________________________________________That's what this noob does. What do you do? I'm eager to learn more for my next France run (until I restart next morning).
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