Conquering Allies: Brandenburg's Austrian Strategy

When playing as Brandenburg in Europa Universalis IV, it is important to ally with Austria to prevent them from demanding your HRE conquests. However, Austria will not ally with a weak nation, so it is necessary to build up your army and improve relations with Austria before attempting to ally with them. One strategy is to first ally with Poland, who can help you expand your territory, and then work on allying with Austria.

Ally with Poland first

When playing as Brandenburg in Europa Universalis IV, it is important to form strategic alliances early on to secure your position and expand your territory. One suggested strategy is to ally with Poland first and then use that alliance to leverage an alliance with Austria.

Poland is a strong potential ally for Brandenburg, as they can provide military support and help secure territories. By allying with Poland first, you can work together to take on mutual rivals like Pomerania and the Teutonic Order. Declaring war on Pomerania can help you expand your territory and connect your provinces. You can also call on Poland to help control their truce timer with the Teutonic Order. This strategy allows you to establish a strong foothold in the region and set the stage for further expansion.

Additionally, allying with Poland can help you secure the province of Neumark. By promising land to Poland or calling them into a war for Neumark, you can gain their support and potentially gain control of the province. This can be a crucial step in forming Prussia as Brandenburg.

Once you have established a strong alliance with Poland, you can work on improving relations with Austria. This may involve improving relations over time, royal marriages, or other diplomatic maneuvers. By allying with Austria, you can avoid any potential unlawful imperial territory claims against you. Austria is a powerful ally within the Holy Roman Empire, and having them on your side can provide significant benefits.

It is important to remember that these alliances are tools to help you achieve your goals. You can also snipe territories you want or prevent them from falling into your allies' hands during wars. This strategic approach can help you expand your influence and secure the resources you need to form Prussia.

Strengthen your army

Strengthening your army as Brandenburg is essential for deterring potential enemies and securing advantageous alliances. Here are several strategies to achieve a formidable military force:

Firstly, focus on building a robust economy. A thriving economy provides the necessary resources to invest in your army, ensuring you can equip and maintain a powerful force. Attacking neighbouring nations within the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) can help bolster your economic position, but be mindful of the aggressive expansion (AE) limit. Alternatively, you can attack nations like Poland to seize their resources and wealth.

Secondly, exploit any opportunities to gain power through rivalries and strategic alliances. Rival Wolgast and some minor nations, and then ally with powerful countries like Austria, Poland, and Saxony. This will provide you with leverage and potentially deter aggression from other factions.

Thirdly, take advantage of vassalization. Consider vassalizing nations like East Frisia to divert trade and boost your economy, or target nations like Livonians to strengthen your military position.

Additionally, keep a close eye on diplomatic relations and be ready to act when truces expire. For example, wait for Poland's truce with the Teutons to end, and then declare war to seize Danzig. Strengthen your army during periods of peace and improve relations with neighbours to avoid forming coalitions against you.

Finally, focus on military ideas and ensure your troops are significantly stronger than those around you. This may involve investing in military technology, training, and equipment to gain an edge over potential rivals.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively strengthen your army as Brandenburg, making your nation a force to be reckoned with and fostering favourable alliances.

Declare war on Teutons

To ally Austria as Brandenburg, you must first declare war on the Teutons (also known as the Teutonic Order). Here's a step-by-step guide:

• Rival the Teutons: Set them as your rival, which will help you generate power and gain an advantage over them.
• Pick the Recover Neumark Mission: Choose this mission to reclaim Neumark, a land originally part of Brandenburg but lost to the Teutonic Order.
• Declare War on the Teutons: Officially start the conflict by declaring war. Promise Poland and/or Lithuania land once the PU (Personal Union) event fires. This will encourage them to join your cause.
• Siege and Vassalize: Be strategic in your military approach. Siege down the territories you want before Poland can, as they also desire the same land and won't transfer occupation to you. Focus on vassalizing Pomerania and gaining control of their provinces connecting you to the Teutons.
• Peace Treaty and War Restart: Wait for the peace treaty with the Teutons to expire, then declare war on them again. Stack wipe them and carpet-siege their provinces before Poland declares war on them. If Poland beats you to any provinces, make sure to siege the capital first so you can vassalize TO (Teutonic Order) and gain defensive advantages.
• Form Prussia: With your allies and defensive position, you can now focus on forming Prussia. Aim for tech 10 while maintaining strong relations with your allies, especially Austria.
• Ally with Austria: By following these steps, you will be in a favourable position to ally with Austria. Use your improved standing and the potential marriage alliances suggested in other sections to solidify your alliance with Austria.

Remember, this process requires careful management of your relations with Poland, Lithuania, and Austria, as well as strategic military maneuvers. The ultimate goal is to gain control of the provinces needed to form Prussia and establish strong alliances with these major powers.

Rival Teutons

Rivaling the Teutons is a crucial step in forming Prussia as Brandenburg. Here are some strategies to keep in mind:

First, focus on building a strong foundation. Improve your relations with key allies like Poland, Saxony, and Bohemia. Get instant cores by declaring war for Neumark and calling in Poland to control their truce timer. This way, you can expand your influence and secure resources.

Next, keep an eye on Pomerania. Build a spy network, claim their capital, and improve relations with Austria. Once Austria is ready to ally, take the Pomeranian Succession mission and declare war. Utilize your troops and fort to stackwipe Pomerania and siege their provinces. This will help you establish a stronger presence in the region.

Additionally, don't forget about the Teutonic Order. Fabricate claims and declare war when the time is right. Call in allies like Poland to help you siege the desired provinces. If you can, buy Neumark from the Teutonic Order to strengthen your position.

Expanding your influence is also essential. Aim to connect with Danzig and Konigsberg by acquiring Stolp and other key provinces. This will provide you with strategic advantages. Remember to expand slowly and prioritize promising land to your allies to maintain good relations.

Lastly, keep a close eye on your aggressive expansion rating. Take advantage of periods of peace to reduce AE and lay low if needed. This will help you avoid coalition wars and give you time to prepare for your next move.

Royal marry Austria

In the game Europa Universalis IV, players can ally with Austria as Brandenburg by improving relations and getting a royal marriage. One strategy is to start by improving relations with Austria, which can be done by building a spy network in Pomerania and claiming their capital while also coring Neumark. Typically, by the time you're done coring Neumark, Austria should be ready to ally.

Another strategy is to get a royal marriage with Austria by allying with Poland first and using them to help gobble up the Teutons. This requires being smart about sieging everything you want before Poland can, as they also want the land. You can also royal marry Austria/Poland and try to get an alliance with them immediately. The alliance with Austria doesn't need to be immediate but should be done before going to war with Pomerania. Once Austria has an heir, you can switch your vote to them for a small boost in relations.

In real life, there have been several royal marriages between Austria and other nations. For example, in 1770, Marie-Antoinette, the Archduchess of Austria, married the Dauphin of France, aged 15, to strengthen the alliance between the two nations. More recently, in 2021, Eleonore von Habsburg, the Archduchess of Austria and Royal Princess of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia, married Belgian racing driver Jérôme d'Ambrosio in a civil ceremony in Monaco.

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