Lexi Webster
Playing as Austria in Europa Universalis IV is considered one of the most difficult challenges for beginners. Austria is a unique nation in the game, as it relies more on diplomacy than war to achieve world domination. Players must be cautious of their enemies and use diplomacy to navigate the rich lands of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). While Austria has weaker military ideas than its rivals, it offers players distinct advantages. One strategy is to ally with Poland early on and focus on conquering Venetian provinces to establish a trade hub. Players must also navigate the Reformation, preventing northern Italy from leaving the HRE.
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What You'll Learn
Use diplomacy more than war
Playing as Austria in Europa Universalis IV is not for beginners. Austria is surrounded by powerful nations at the start of the game, and it requires a lot of diplomatic skill to navigate this challenging position. A good first step is to get on friendly terms with Germany. While Germany is unlikely to attack you, it's important that they see you as an ally and keep you informed of any potential threats.
It's also crucial to keep Italy as part of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). If Italy leaves, you'll lose out on the monthly Imperial Authority (IA) gain, and your force limit will decrease. To keep Italy in the HRE, you can offer them a neutrality pact or use the expand HRE CB. When the Shadow Kingdom incident happens, you can choose to go to war with, ally with, or subjugate the Northern Italian princes to maintain their presence in the Empire and gain a significant chunk of IA.
Another key diplomatic strategy is to constantly break up large HRE states and release nations to keep the number of princes as high as possible. This will help you maintain your position and make reforms. You should also aim to conquer any provinces belonging to the Empire but controlled by external forces. Additionally, ensure you are elected Emperor each time for the bonus 10 IA.
Finally, pay attention to the centers of reformation. While some can be ignored, such as those in Portugal or Brittany, it's crucial to destroy important centers in Germany, Italy, the Low Countries, western Poland, and eastern France as soon as they appear.
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Focus on Imperial Authority
Playing as Austria in Europa Universalis IV is a unique challenge, and one that tests your diplomatic skills to the limit. Austria has weaker military ideas than its major neighbours and rivals, so you must adapt your playstyle to succeed.
One of the key focuses when playing as Austria is to maximise your Imperial Authority. This can be achieved through several means. Firstly, your main source of Imperial Authority is the monthly tick; keep the number of princes as high as possible. You can do this by constantly warring to break up large HRE states and releasing nations. It is also important to keep Northern Italy in the Empire, as losing them will result in a loss of monthly IA gain. When the Shadow Kingdom incident happens, you must war against, ally with, or subjugate the Northern Italian princes. This will grant you a large chunk of Imperial Authority, allowing you to strengthen your position through Imperial reforms.
Another way to increase Imperial Authority is to secure a personal union over Bohemia, Hungary, and Milan. This can be achieved by following the events and mission tree. Additionally, you can gain Imperial Authority by conquering every province in the Venetian node and using it as your collection point. Taking over the Ragusa and Constantinople node provinces will also allow you to funnel trade into Venice.
It is also important to adapt your ideas to suit your playstyle. Taking Diplomatic and Religious ideas quickly will benefit you. When the Reformation appears, you can start declaring war on states that have flipped to Protestantism or have Centers of Reformation. If they are OPMs, force religion in the peace deal; if not, take the CoR province and convert it yourself. This strategy will help you win the League Wars and strengthen your position.
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Declare war on states that flip Protestant
When the Reformation appears, start declaring war on states that flip to Protestantism or have Centres of Reformation. If they are One Province Minors, Force Religion in the peace deal. If not, take the CoR province and convert it yourself.
To declare war, you will need a diplomat. You cannot declare war on an ally, subject, guaranteed nation, or a nation transferring commercial power without first breaking that relationship. The aggressor may pick a casus belli when declaring war. This determines the war goal and the options available in the subsequent peace deal, as well as their associated costs in warscore, aggressive expansion, and diplomatic power. Declaring war without a casus belli will result in -20 aggressive expansion, a -2 drop in stability, and +2 war exhaustion. A country declaring war on another whose opinion of them is higher than 100 will cause -1 stability and +1 war exhaustion. If the opinion is higher than 150, the penalty increases to -2 stability and +2 war exhaustion.
Each casus belli has a particular war goal associated with it, generally either controlling a particular province or winning a certain proportion of battles. Meeting the war goal will cause the warscore of whichever side has achieved it to gradually rise (up to a max bonus of 25% at a rate of +0.4% per month). The casus belli also determines what peace terms may be demanded at no or reduced diplomatic power cost; some CBs disallow some peace terms entirely.
During a war, you cannot return, sell, or buy provinces, or grant them to your subjects. However, you can still seize land from your vassals and marches. The war leader is the country that may call in its allies and may negotiate peace on behalf of all their war allies, simultaneously ending the war for everybody. They may negotiate a separate peace with each of the hostile belligerents, except subject nations or coalition members. They may surrender territory belonging to their war allies, but not their allies' treasury.
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Ally with Poland
When playing as Austria in EU4, allying with Poland can be a beneficial strategy, especially when considering potential conflicts with the Ottomans. Poland is often suggested as a potential ally due to their proximity to the Ottomans and their tendency to rival them. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when pursuing this alliance.
Firstly, Poland starts the game as neutral towards Austria. This means that increasing relations to the level required for an alliance can be challenging due to the cooldown period, during which Poland may form too many other diplomatic relations. One strategy to mitigate this issue is to focus on improving relations with Poland early in the game. This can be achieved through various diplomatic actions, such as sending gifts and improving relations over time.
Secondly, Poland and Castile as allies can be detrimental to your relationship with Hungary and France, as these nations tend to be disliked by Poland and Castile, respectively. This could result in Hungary and France being less willing to aid you in wars and more likely to break their alliances. Therefore, it is essential to carefully consider the potential impact on your relationships with other nations when deciding whether to ally with Poland.
Additionally, Poland can be a valuable ally in conflicts with the Balkans and the Ottomans. With their assistance, these lands can be conquered and added to the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). It is recommended to only add provinces to the HRE when you are at peace and can pass the next reform. Maximizing Imperial Authority (IA) gain per month can be achieved by releasing princes within the HRE, such as Styria, Tirol, and Holland.
When allying with Poland, it is also worth considering their potential conflicts with other nations. For example, Poland may attack during their interregnum, so it is crucial to be prepared for potential wars and to have strong allies, such as Bohemia and Hungary, to support you. Overall, allying with Poland as Austria in EU4 can be a strategic choice, but it requires careful management of diplomatic relations and a consideration of the potential impacts on relationships with other nations.
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Avoid decentralisation reforms
Playing as Austria in EU4 can be a challenging but rewarding experience, especially when it comes to navigating the complex web of imperial reforms. One crucial aspect to consider is avoiding decentralisation reforms, which can have significant impacts on your empire's future. Here are some strategies to keep in mind:
Understand the Mechanics: Firstly, it's important to understand the mechanics of centralisation and decentralisation in the game. As the emperor, you have the power to enact reforms that either centralise power or grant privileges to the princes, shifting the spectrum towards decentralisation. Each reform passed or revoked will impact this spectrum, so careful consideration is necessary.
Focus on Centralisation: As Austria, it's generally advisable to prioritise centralisation reforms. While making concessions to the princes may seem tempting, granting them too much power can lead to a loss of authority and make governing your empire more challenging. Aim to push for centralisation whenever possible to consolidate your power.
Manage the Princes: The princes play a crucial role in the decentralisation-centralisation spectrum. Before passing reforms like "Landfriede," focus on force-converting as many princes as possible to your religion. This will help prevent the spread of heresy within your empire and maintain stability. Additionally, consider using diplomatic means to manage the princes, such as allying with them or engaging in wars to weaken them without directly attacking your HRE-princes.
Prevent the Shadow Kingdom: One of your primary goals as Austria should be to prevent the Shadow Kingdom event. To achieve this, ensure that you beat Venice and the Papal States and vassalise the Papal States before the event triggers. This will allow you to release them after the truce, preventing the formation of the Shadow Kingdom.
Utilise Missions and Bonuses: Keep an eye out for missions that grant bonuses, such as the one providing +10% IA for 10 years. These bonuses can significantly aid your progress towards centralisation reforms. Additionally, consider using PU Bohemia and Hungary as your army when policing the HRE, as they can provide much-needed military support.
By carefully navigating the political landscape, managing the princes, and prioritising centralisation reforms, you can successfully avoid decentralisation as Austria in EU4. Remember that each decision can have consequences, so always weigh your options and adapt your strategy accordingly.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some general tips for playing as Austria:
- Your main source of imperial authority is the monthly tick. Maximize it by keeping the number of princes as high as possible.
- Constantly go to war to break up large HRE states and release nations.
- Do not let northern Italy leave the HRE.
- Conquer every single province in the Venetian node and use it as your collection point.
- Ally Poland on Day 1.
- Take Diplomatic and Religious ideas as quickly as possible.
Here are some good starting steps:
- Eat Venice to move your trade hub to that node.
- Follow the events/mission tree to PU Bohemia, Hungary, and Milan.
- When the Shadow Kingdom incident happens, go to war against, ally with, or subjugate the Northern Italian princes to keep them in the Empire. This will give you a big chunk of Imperial Authority.
Here are some good long-term strategies:
- Vassalize Byzantium (if it still exists) and use its cores for a reconquest war.
- Get the expansion idea to get the Expand HRE CB on Italy.
- Get Exploration due to the Australia mission.
- Get Diplomacy and Influence idea groups.
Austria is a unique country to play as in EU4, especially in a multiplayer setting. Austria has much weaker military ideas than its major neighbors and potential rivals. However, Austria also has some very unique and distinct advantages. Austria will put your diplomatic skills to the test, as you cannot let your potential enemies carve up the rich lands of the HRE.
