Oh well in that case I might need to leave him where he is, since I have one downstream in Brazil and then another downstream from there in Ivory Coast. I’ll tinker with it when I get home and see what works

Huh? Like, his trade power in Zanzibar steers stuff away from Zanzibar, even without a merchant there? I don't think I've observed that to be the case, or maybe I'm not understanding your post in the right context.

Checkout the wiki article for the Girolamo guy. (Spoiler alert, noone expects the spanish inquisition) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girola...tion_and_death

Heh my trusted ally. Somehow I've not been asked to join this ****storm (yet)

Yep he's right, look at this, I have no merchant there atm nor any provinces near it

What you have there is a good old religious league war, I'd assume; if you look at who Austria's at war with it will be similarly amusing.

It's a great time to snipe some European stuff if you're in the mood to do so.

My usual response to the religious wars (unless I have a strong reason to be in them) is

There are couple of benefits to be in league war though. You get the prestige/-military cost modifier for 100 years and the 3rd age splendor requirement, so if you notice one side is much stronger than the other, it is probably fine to join if you can't take advantage of it in other ways.

That’s probably quite true. (I don’t have the dlc that has splendor and age stuff, so that doesn’t apply to me.)

I mean, you must have some provinces near it given that you have some provinces in that node and a trade company.

Finished my Prince of Egypt run last night. It was really easy and I got it done in about 100 years. Totally ignored colonization and just went back and forth wrecking everyone in sight with the swarm.

Started a Luck of Irish (basically become Great Britain from an Irish country). I was doing really well and had Scotland allied. As I was waiting for France to go to war with England.... this happened.



5 hours later, I had -100 war score and a pile of loans.

Rage quit.

Then realized I spent a big chunk of my entire 6 day vacation in Antigua trying to become the Prince of Egypt.

The view has been awesome though.

HAHAHAHAHAHA awesome.

The only one I have that is kind of close is the uppermost eastern province of what constitutes South Africa, I think (sorry I don't know the name atm I'm not in front of the game). It was the only unconquered province in that company other than the islands off Madagascar, which I'm targeting next. I think there's an inland trade node that is closer to me than Zanzibar but can't recall the name of it. I'm pretty sure it's at 1/1/1 development or at least it was when I took that screenshot.

In any case I definitely do not have a merchant there as you can see.

I took your advice and conquered all of Cuba/West Indies other than a couple of islands held by Castile and Holland. Kicked the Brits' CN out completely. It was prettay easy to do since GB is tied up with that war.

But it's worrisome in that France is basically my only ally in Europe atm. I need France to be STRONK on the off chance I may one day actually have to fight Aragon in something other than a trade war and they may actually answer a call to arms and help me. Silly to think that, I know. Maybe I should join in? I am seriously concerned that France doesn't survive, at least not as a Great Power.

I'd have kicked Aragon out of Iberia already if I could get some ****ing French help. I could do it alone right now but for the fact that Papals, Hungary and Poland are all allied to Aragon and don't seem keen on quitting her.

Yeah my problem is the country getting dogpiled happens to be the only ally I have involved in it.

Although I now have a truce with GB, hmm......

nice grizy

Don't worry about France. Worst case peace out early later and give up the minimum. With all of Caribbeans infinite mercs will soon be ready to die for you on the front lines.

I mean, is Aragon in the league war on the other side maybe? Perhaps their army is off making sure the nasty Protestants in Pomerania or some **** are put down? That's an awfully long walk against a prepared player...

well never mind they all decided to make nice before I could stick my beak in

Trade power comes from provinces upstream, I think nations transfer 20% of their upstream trade power downstream. For example, even if nation has no provinces or ships in Sevilla, if they have provinces in Genoa, they get some trade power downstream.

Nonetheless, this doesn't change the point that trade is steered away without merchant.

France finally tried to call me into one of its stupid, endless wars. I politely declined as I'm trying to do Africa stuff and don't have time for that nonsense. Now I have zero continental allies and two rivals (GB, Aragon). I should probably address that. Maybe I'll re-ally France after their ticking butthurt falls a bit.

Can you ally ottomans or who ever happens to be strong in east Germany? It's more for deterrence than anything else.

Ottomans are my 3rd rival atm. Their choice. It's hella inconvenient too because I could take Tunis and Dzerid or whatever it's called, which constitutes the bulk of what remains in North Africa, without much trouble except they're both allied to Ottomans and Ottomans are never not saying yes to defending them from me.

(ETA: Ottomans are also the #1 great power in the game right now; I'm #2, but last time I looked it was a VERY distant 2. Ottomans are crushing currently, Mamluks gave me 20x the trouble that they're giving AI Ottomans this game)

Meanwhile Aragon is still crushing it on diplomacy, they always seem to be allied to the most inconvenient Euros whenever I consider fighting them, currently Poland, Savoy and Hungary. Well Hungary is on its last leg but Poland and Savoy are strong.

Nobody seems to like GB, for like 100 years their only allies were their CNs in Mexico and Caribbean (which I took from them, sorry bout that GB). They also have ONE stinking province in South Africa and ONE in eastern Africa which mostly just annoys me when I look at my map.

I'll be sending out feelers in tonight's session to see who wants to get with the winning program.

What are other powers? A non continental power can still be deterrence and may mean you dont have to fight even when called into wars. Honestly you sound strong enough to fight even the Ottomans. It's a bit gamey but you could always wait for ottoman troops to walk to anatolia then block bosporus strait and siege down constantinople. If you keep strait of Gibraltar blocked too you can basically ping pong ottoman troops in Africa until they give up.

it goes Ottomans, me, Russia, France, Ming, GB, Aragon and Poland

France is really the logical choice but they're just such a hot mess this game. At least two excommunicated rulers that I know of so far and everyone seems to hate them

Heh I started improving relations with ming and they rivaled me