Annexing Austria: Victoria's Strategic Expansion

Annexing Austria in Victoria 2 can be a tricky task, but it is possible. One way to do it is by forming the Danubian Confederation, which requires sphering all cores of Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, and Württemberg. Another strategy is to puppet Austria before forming Germany, but this may result in massive population loss. Alternatively, you can siege Austria down to death and then influence them, but this method may be considered cheesy and can make the map look odd. To avoid war, you must have Austria in your sphere before forming Germany, as you cannot annex someone in your sphere.

Puppet Austria before forming Germany

Puppeting Austria before forming Germany in Victoria 2 can be a challenging but rewarding strategy. Here's a guide to help you achieve this:

Lower Austria's Power

To add Austria to your sphere, it needs to be less than a great power. This can be achieved by weakening Austria through warfare or influencing its internal affairs. One strategy is to ally with France and fight for Hungarian freedom, causing Austria to drop to a second-rate power. During the truce cooldown, you can then proceed to take Alsace-Lorraine or focus on sphering Austria. Be cautious, as Russia may compete for influence over Austria.

Sphere Austria

To successfully sphere Austria, you'll need to invest in their country and research influence techs. This will help you gain control over Austria and its surrounding regions. Ensure Hungary exists, as it is often a requirement for annexing Austria. Additionally, focus on keeping your literacy rate up and developing your factories by utilizing national focuses.

Form the Danubian Federation

As Austria, you can form the Danubian Federation by sphering all cores of Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, and Württemberg. This can be challenging, as you may need to fight Bohemia and Burgundy. Alternatively, get lucky with sphering, but be aware that the AI tends to keep Germany under its control. Researching influence techs will aid in this process. Forming the Danubian Federation strengthens your position and provides a foundation for German unity.

Annex Austria

Once Austria is in your sphere, you can proceed to form Germany. This will trigger an event allowing you to annex Austria, creating a "Super Germany." Be mindful that this process may take time, as the event has a mean time to happen (MTTH) of 12 months. Additionally, you can release parts of Austria you don't want as puppets to retain only the desired territories.

Expand and Consolidate

After successfully annexing Austria, you can focus on expanding your influence and consolidating your power. This may include acquiring additional German lands, such as Danzig, Alsace, and Memel. Be prepared for potential containment wars with other great powers in Europe, as a united Germany will be a significant force on the continent.

Sphere Austria and trigger the decision to form Germany

To Sphere Austria and trigger the decision to form Germany, there are a few prerequisites and strategies to keep in mind. Firstly, ensure that Austria is less than a great power. This can be achieved through warfare, potentially with an ally like France, and by releasing Hungary as an independent nation. During the truce cooldown period, you can strengthen your position by taking Alsace-Lorraine or waiting to sphere Austria. Be cautious of potential competition from Russia.

Once Austria is in your sphere, you can proceed to form Germany. The primary way to do this is through the "Three Hurrahs for Germany!" decision, which has specific requirements:

• Have a prestige of 45
• Have researched State & Government
• Be at peace
• Be a greater power
• Own all German national core provinces or have their owners in your sphere, not as vassals, and ensure they are also at peace

This decision will grant you a +20 prestige bonus and add North German and South German as accepted cultures. It is important to note that any Germanic nations that are part of your sphere will automatically accept the "German Winds" annexation event.

Additionally, if you are playing as Prussia, it is recommended to sphere Austria before forming Germany. This will allow you to form "Super-Germany" or "Greater Germany" after the war ends.

Keep in mind that all German states in your sphere must be at peace for the decision to form Germany to appear. If you encounter any issues with the decision not appearing, you can try checking the decisions file in the Mod Files for specific requirements.

Fight Austria, force them to free Hungary, then influence them

To annex Austria in Victoria 2, you can fight them, force them to free Hungary, and then influence them. Here's a step-by-step guide:

First, you need to weaken Austria by engaging in warfare. This can be done by sieging them down and potentially allying with other countries, such as France, to support your cause. The goal is to reduce Austria's power and potentially turn them into a second-rate power. During this process, you can also work on increasing your influence by bordering and encircling them, as well as building railways and factories in their territory.

Once Austria is weakened, you can force them to release Hungary as a separate country. This can be done through peace negotiations or by demanding their freedom as a condition of surrender. It is important to note that for the next steps, Hungary must exist as a separate entity.

After freeing Hungary, you can now focus on influencing Austria. To do this, you should prioritize increasing your influence with them by setting a high "influence priority" in the country listing. This will allocate more of your influence to Austria, speeding up the process. Additionally, you can continue to build infrastructure and invest in their country, which will also increase your influence over time.

While influencing Austria, you should also ensure that they are in your sphere. This can be done by having Austria as a puppet before forming Germany. Being in your sphere will make it easier to annex them later on. However, it is important to note that Austria needs to be less than a great power for this to work.

Finally, once Austria is sufficiently influenced and in your sphere, you can proceed to annex them. This can be done by forming Germany and then triggering the event to annex Austria. By following these steps, you will be able to successfully annex Austria in Victoria 2.

Sphere all cores of Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, and Württemberg

To sphere all cores of Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, and Württemberg, you will need to form the Danubian Confederation. This can be done manually by sphering all cores of these countries. However, this will likely involve fighting both Bohemia and Burgundy, which will be difficult.

To increase your chances of success, consider the following strategies:

• Take influence techs, which will help you with sphering.
• Research standard medicine and justify taking the capital of Illyria. Encourage bureaucrats and intellects briefly, then rapidly increase soldiers to 5%.
• With this strategy, you should be able to become a Great Power (GP) by 1840 and start sphering.
• Bavaria is relatively easy to sphere quickly, while Württemberg and Switzerland generally require more investments and influence techs to be sphered.
• Form the Danubian Federation before 1848, as you will lose all your German spherelings after this date.
• As the Danubian Confederation, you can expect Bohemia and Burgundy to attack you to cut you down to size.
• To create a force that will dominate Europe, you will need to fight Burgundy for the Rhineland, Scandinavia for Holstein, and Bohemia for their Elbian lands.
• If you are playing as Prussia, you can also try to puppet Austria before forming Germany. However, this will result in a massive population loss. You can then release the parts you don't want as more puppets.

Get France to ally with you in a war for Hungarian freedom

To get France on side in a war for Hungarian freedom, you will need to appeal to their interests and find common ground between your goals. Here are some steps you can take:

First, assess France's current situation and foreign policy. Are they already hostile towards Austria? Do they have any claims or cores on Austrian territory? If so, this could be a potential casus belli to bring them into the war. France may be more inclined to join if they have their own grievances with Austria, especially if they stand to gain territory or resources.

Identify and highlight shared interests between your nation and France. For example, if you are playing as Hungary, you could emphasize the desire for national self-determination and freedom from Austrian rule. Frame the war as a joint effort to liberate oppressed nations and establish a balance of power in Europe. Appeal to France's sense of justice and their revolutionary history; they may be sympathetic to the plight of a people seeking independence.

Offer concessions and incentives. France is more likely to join the war if they stand to gain something. Offer them favourable terms, such as territorial concessions, trade agreements, or diplomatic alliances. For example, you could propose a post-war division of Austrian territory that gives France control over strategic areas or resources they desire. Alternatively, propose a long-term military alliance to ensure their continued support and protection.

Foster good relations with France in the lead-up to the war. Improve your relationship through diplomatic actions, such as sending gifts, establishing embassies, and improving relations through events and decisions. A strong relationship will make them more receptive to your proposals and less likely to betray you during the war. If possible, arrange marriages between your royal families to strengthen the bond between the nations.

Seek opportunities to exploit France's rival, such as Prussia. Play on France's fears or ambitions regarding their rival and portray the war as a means to check their power. For example, you could suggest that a weaker Austria would lead to an imbalance of power in Prussia's favour, threatening France's interests. Emphasize the potential benefits to France's position in Europe if they join the war and help tilt the balance of power in their favour.

By following these steps, you can increase the chances of France allying with you in a war for Hungarian freedom. It is important to be mindful of their interests, offer incentives, and frame the war in a way that appeals to their desires, whether it be territorial expansion, maintaining a balance of power, or simply upholding their revolutionary ideals.

Frequently asked questions