Lyla Lindsey
There are several ways to gain imperial lands in EU4 without involving Austria. One strategy is to vassalize a non-HRE nation bordering the empire, such as Burgundy, and feed them HRE land. This reduces the hatred you will receive from the HRE. Another strategy is to release smaller nations from big ones, as your main source of income is new nations in the empire. You can also take advantage of the Shadow Kingdom incident by warring against, allying with, or subjugating the Northern Italian princes to keep them in the empire, which will grant you a large amount of Imperial Authority. Additionally, when playing as England, you can capture HRE land without worrying about the Emperor declaring war as long as you have a full core.
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What You'll Learn
Declare war on Northern Italian princes to keep them in the Empire
When the "'Shadow Kingdom' incident happens around 1460, you must declare war on the Northern Italian princes to keep them in the Empire. This will grant you a significant boost in Imperial Authority, enabling you to solidify your position by implementing Imperial reforms. It is advisable to act swiftly and take diplomatic and religious ideas as soon as possible.
To maintain control of Northern Italy within the Empire, you can utilize the "Rein in Northern Italy" decision, which immediately adds the emperor's Italian provinces to the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) and permanently prevents the Shadow Kingdom event. This option provides flexibility, allowing you to take provinces through vassals or PUs without direct control. However, it sacrifices the potential Imperial Authority bonus from adding those provinces through standard means.
When dealing with Italian nations, you gain the "Italian Wars" modifier, granting you bonuses like cheaper and more disciplined mercenary companies. You can also rival Savoy, providing a "Humiliate Rival" CB, and take advantage of opportunities to use the "Excommunicated Ruler" CB or the "Restoration of Union" CB on Milan.
To successfully declare war on the Northern Italian princes, focus on building alliances. Ally with Aragon, Burgundy, and/or the Papal State, and aim for 10 favors to secure their support in your wars. Most Italian princes are allied with one another, so declaring war on one may bring their allies into the conflict as well. Check their alliances and look for opportunities to declare war on their allies, such as Ferrara, who may be allied with one or two Italian princes.
Additionally, consider rivaling and fabricating claims against Venice and the Papal State. Improving relations with small Italian princes like Saluzzo and Siena can also be beneficial, as diplomacy may be more effective with them than war. Aim to maintain at least a +150 opinion with them until 1460. Remember that victorious wars against Italian princes will permanently keep them in the Empire, even if you only achieve a white peace.
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Release smaller nations from big ones so they can join the Empire
To gain imperial lands in EU4 without involving Austria, one strategy is to release smaller nations from larger ones so they can join the Empire. This approach can help you gain imperial authority and strengthen your position. Here are some detailed instructions on how to execute this strategy:
First, identify large nations within or bordering the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) that you can target, such as France, Poland, Spain, or the Ottomans. You want to look for nations with a high number of base taxes, as only small nations with a low amount of base taxes can join the HRE. By releasing smaller nations from these large ones, you create new potential members of the HRE that can join the Empire.
To release these smaller nations, you can use diplomatic means or go to war with the large nation. Fabricate claims on provinces bordering your own, allowing you to set up a claim network across the HRE. This will help you avoid aggressive expansion and the associated negative consequences. Once you have established these claims, you can work to release small nations within the larger one, which will then be eligible to join the HRE.
Additionally, keep in mind the importance of maintaining good relations with the Emperor and the electors. As mentioned earlier, having positive relationships can facilitate the process of joining the HRE. Consider forming alliances and working on diplomatic relations to strengthen your position and increase your chances of success.
When it comes to Italy, you have a few options. You can choose to abandon Italy, which may be safer, but you will lose some Imperial Authority. Alternatively, you can focus on taking over the Venice node provinces and forming alliance webs in Italy. This will give you a strategic advantage and ensure that you are well-positioned for potential conflicts.
Remember, by releasing smaller nations from larger ones, you create potential new members of the HRE, which can help you gain imperial lands without directly involving Austria. This strategy requires careful diplomacy, strategic warfare, and a good understanding of the game mechanics.
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Take over Venice node provinces
To gain imperial lands in EU4 without involving Austria, one strategy is to focus on taking over the Venice node provinces. This involves targeting the provinces in Northern Italy, particularly those around the Venice trade node.
The Venice trade node is considered an "end node", which means that trade flows into this node but not outwards. This makes it a significant location for trade, especially in the early game, as it controls much of the trade on the west side of Italy. However, it is considered the worst of the three main European end nodes, which include Genoa and the English Channel, as it has few trade routes that don't also feed into one of the other two nodes.
To take over the Venice node provinces, you can follow these steps:
- Strengthen your position by making imperial reforms and taking diplomatic and religious ideas. This will help you gain influence and potentially prevent the need to involve Austria.
- War against, ally, or subjugate the Northern Italian princes to keep them in the Empire. This will give you a chunk of Imperial Authority and strengthen your position.
- Utilize alliance webs in Italy to ensure you have a strong position in the region. This will help you beat other competitors in a war and secure your expansion zone.
- Fortify the surrounding areas of Venice to gain exclusive control over the region, while other powers fight over Genoa and the English Channel. This will help you secure Venice's strategic value in the long run.
- Secure nearby provinces such as Valencia to maximize your profit and further strengthen your position.
By following these steps, you can gain control over the Venice node provinces and establish a strong economic and strategic position, all without directly involving Austria.
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Use the transfer subject age ability to fabricate claims
The "Transfer Subject" age ability is a powerful tool in Europa Universalis IV that can be used to acquire imperial lands without directly involving Austria. This ability, available during the Age of Exploration, allows players to fabricate claims on provinces bordering their existing claims, providing opportunities for strategic expansion. Here's how you can effectively utilize this ability:
Understanding Claims and Their Benefits:
Claims provide a casus belli for conquest, giving players a legitimate reason to go to war with the province's owner. They can be acquired through various means, such as the "fabricate claim" covert action, events, or missions. There are two types of claims: temporary and permanent. Temporary claims last for 25 to 28 years and disappear if the claimant doesn't own the province by then. On the other hand, permanent claims are granted through specific nation formation decisions, events, or the mission system and can only be revoked through war or certain events.
Fabricating Claims with Transfer Subject:
The Transfer Subject age ability enhances your claim fabrication strategies. With this ability, you can fabricate claims on provinces that border your existing claims. This allows you to set up a network of claims across the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). To fabricate a claim, you'll need a spy network. The base spy network size required is 20, plus an additional 5 for each pre-existing claim you have on the target's provinces. Keep in mind that claims only last for a limited time, so time your fabrication accordingly.
Strategic Claim Fabrication:
When using the Transfer Subject age ability, focus on claiming provinces that are bordering your existing claims. This allows you to create a chain of claims, expanding your influence across the HRE. Look for opportunities to claim provinces that are adjacent to multiple powers, as this can give you more options for future expansion. Additionally, prioritize claiming provinces that are part of your highest-priority expansion zones. For example, targeting the Venice node provinces can provide both strategic expansion and strong alliance webs in Italy.
Vassalization and Claim Transfer:
The Transfer Subject age ability also reduces the cost of taking a nation's vassal as your own by 50%. This means you can more easily acquire vassals, such as Norway and Sweden, by transferring them from other powers with reduced diplomatic consequences. Keep in mind that forcing vassalization may result in a small relations penalty, which will disappear once the claim expires or 25 years pass.
Preparing for the Reformation:
The ability to fabricate claims bordering claims becomes especially valuable when preparing for the Reformation. By setting up a network of claims in advance, you can be ready to declare war on states that flip Protestant or have Centers of Reformation. This will strengthen your position and allow you to more easily win the League Wars.
In summary, the Transfer Subject age ability in Europa Universalis IV provides a strategic advantage by allowing players to fabricate claims on provinces bordering their existing claims. This ability facilitates expansion within the HRE, strengthens your position in preparation for the Reformation, and makes vassal transfers more feasible. By understanding the mechanics of claims and strategically utilizing the Transfer Subject ability, players can effectively expand their imperial lands without directly involving Austria.
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Strengthen your position by making Imperial reforms
To strengthen your position in EU4 by making Imperial reforms, you can employ a range of strategies and mechanics. Firstly, it's important to accumulate Imperial Authority (IA), which will increase the support of princes for your reforms. This can be achieved through various means, such as taking advantage of the monthly tick, which is your main source of IA. Additionally, you can gain IA by adding small nations to your empire, either through war or by improving relations with them.
Another strategy is to focus on diplomatic and religious ideas. When the Reformation appears, declare war on states that have converted to Protestantism or have Centers of Reformation. If they are one-province minors, force a religion change in the peace deal. If not, take the province with the Center of Reformation and convert it yourself. This will strengthen your position and make winning the League Wars much easier.
Furthermore, you can manipulate the Shadow Kingdom incident to your advantage. War against, ally with, or subjugate the Northern Italian princes to maintain them within the Empire, as this will provide a significant boost to your Imperial Authority. Additionally, you can make Lucca and Sienna free cities to keep them within your realm.
Maximilian I of Austria, elected King of the Romans in 1486, provides a historical example of strengthening his position through Imperial reforms. At the 1495 Diet, he requested contributions, an imperial tax, and troops from the representatives of the estates for his campaigns against the Ottomans and the French. He supported modernizing reforms, such as the adoption of Roman law, improved administration, and better record-keeping, but he wanted to retain personal control, particularly through permanent taxation, which the Estates opposed.
In addition to historical strategies, you can also employ in-game mechanics to strengthen your position. For example, you can release smaller nations from larger ones, allowing them to join your empire and providing you with an income of IA. You can also use the transfer subject age ability to fabricate claims on bordering provinces, creating a network of claims across the Holy Roman Empire. This will prepare you for the reformation and save you from the pain of no cb.
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Frequently asked questions
One way to gain imperial lands is to vassalize one of the low country nations under Burgundy and feed them slowly. This approach works well for counties that are mostly HRE land within the English Channel trade node.
You can also work to increase your relations with the Emperor. If you have a +150 relationship, you won't be asked to return unlawful territories.
Another strategy is to release smaller nations from big ones, allowing them to join your empire. This can be done through diplomacy without resorting to aggressive expansion.
Yes, you can also focus on securing a PU over Bohemia, Hungary, and Milan. This can help you position yourself for the reformation and expand your influence.
When the Shadow Kingdom incident happens, you can war against, ally with, or subjugate the Northern Italian princes to keep them in the Empire. This gains you Imperial Authority, strengthening your position.
