Europa Universalis is an intimidating strategy series, bringing with it its fair share of stats, percentages, and mechanics. Once willing strategists break through this barrier, Europa Universalis 4 can be an extremely satisfying experience, and doubly so for fans of its highly active creator, Paradox Studios.
While many strategy games have a high skill ceiling, Europa Universalis 4 sports a near-infinite climb in the quest to paint the map in the player's color and a mechanic for every campaign an aspiring pro’s heart could desire. With all these mechanics, and the game recently released for free on Epic Games, it begs the question, what are the best ways to enjoy this mammoth undertaking of a game?
Updated on October 24, 2021, by Collin Westbrook: While many core aspects of Europa Universalis 4 remain unchanged since the release of this article, players continue to refine their playstyles and DLC continues to be released regularly.
This article has been updated to reflect the former, relying on some of the core mechanics of the game to avoid becoming dated due to new DLC and frequent patches. The article has also been simplified to allow for newer players to grasp some of the advice given by veterans, as well as some of the more practical tips for starting out in this extremely dense strategy experience.
15 Pick Wars Wisely
After picking their nation and going through the opening notifications upon any game of Europa Universalis 4, a day 1 war might seem tempting against smaller, weaker neighbors. But, alliances are formed very quickly in this game, and an aspiring conqueror might find themselves hemmed in on all sides by diplomatic maneuvering.
Most ambitious players wait to see how the diplomatic situation develops before jumping into conflict, and if not, they at least check the troop numbers using the in-game spreadsheets before dedicating to a war that may cost them their empire.
14 Avoid Exceeding The Force Limit
The force limit of a nation in Europa Universalis 4 is determined by the total development of a nation, as well as any additional modifiers from ideas, technology, etc. While even experienced players might find it tempting to build a huge army to steamroll their opponents, experts know that their money, manpower, and war exhaustion will be destroyed by this decision.
Great leaders learn to use their current troop numbers to their maximum effectiveness before making more. Efficiency is key in such a complicated, yet rewarding game.
13 Maximize Income
Europa Universalis 4 is a game, fundamentally not about conquering new territory, but about using the territory to its maximum effectiveness. For instance, if a new player wants to maximize the area conquered, they may be tempted to take, in a peace deal, one of the biggest provinces available. While this has its niche uses, specifically for acquiring borders with nearby small nations, it is not the best way to maximize income and prestige.
Rather, experienced players, not just of Europa Universalis 4, but also of many other great strategy games, prioritize rich areas and maximize growth by taking important trading ports, estuaries, and high development areas.
12 Deal With Pop-Ups And Events
Although many experienced empire builders know which pop-ups and events can be put off or ignored, for everyone else, the best way to become a pro quickly and easily is to deal with them all as soon as possible.
Most countries start off with several pop-ups at the start date, and it’s always worth looking at them and considering all the options. Ignoring one pop-up often leads to others, or a hit against the stability of a nation, or both.
11 Always Be The Defender
Wars are extremely precarious in Europa Universalis 4 when between equally powerful empires, and as such players have found ways to make every bonus count in these situations. One of the best ways to do this is to always force the opponent into unfavorable battles. Mountains, river-crossings, and importantly, defensive battles, are a great way to do this.
Troop maneuverability is important for players to prioritize in these cases, but if an aspiring emperor can actually enter a defensive battle, they will gain a flat bonus to dice rolls in said battle.
10 Ally The Strongest Country
In Europa Universalis 4, even the smallest countries can become empires with proper strategy and political maneuvering. Many countries are too small to expand even once, but with a large and powerful country behind them, even the smallest state can cause quite a stir.
For Paradox games set in Europe, including upcoming titles like Victoria 3, this usually involves France, England, or the Ottomans, but there are equivalent countries for every region. Keen eyes look to the map and decide who best to manipulate to expand.
9 Test Each Nation's Limits
Every country, principality, and empire in Europa Universalis 4 has its own set of ideas, technology, and priorities in-game. The key to understanding each nation in Europa Universalis 4 is to play as them, see who they are allied with, where they have cores, and how they attempt to stay alive in the hostile world that is presented to both the player and AI.
Every game in Europa Universalis 4 is different, but some constants remain, such as historical friend modifiers, or the powerhouses on a per-game basis. Eventually, after a rough few initial playthroughs, patterns will emerge that are useful for future sessions.
8 Prioritize Trade Nodes
Estuaries, centers of trade, and other significant regions are marked on the trade map mode. Looking at this map mode will give any aspiring conqueror the best idea of where to attack, what regions to occupy, and how best to cripple their opponent. While it might seem to a new player that these are only important for financial success, Europa Universalis 4 veterans know that the best way to ensure military success is to ensure stability in the financial realm as well.
Remember, there are only a few max-level centers of trade, and these are both exceedingly valuable, and highly expensive in terms of war score. Unlike Civilization 6, there is no cultural victory or trade in Europa Universalis 4; the best ideas aim right at the heart of enemy nations.
7 Avoid The Holy Roman Empire
While the plethora of extremely weak one-province-minor nations in the Holy Roman Empire might make this region a tempting target, the tangled web of alliances as well as the massive aggressive expansion penalties gained when conquering here make this a highly dangerous area to expand into.
In general, even if they are playing in Europe, veterans of the series save the Holy Roman Empire for last. Starting in this region can give a new player a good idea of when to attack and who they can take. But, there's very little profit to be gained in this highly-populated region.
6 Troop Ratios Are Key
Europa Universalis 4 is a complex game, and the modifiers given to troops on the battlefield make this an intimidating series to get into. The battle lines are possibly the most important, but most overlooked aspect of combat.
Artillery, infantry, and cavalry form up on opposing sides during any battle, but miss any of these types of units and a new player can end up being flanked and receive a massive penalty. Some research on a per-nation basis is required here, but even veterans of the series won't regret it.