In this article, we’ll explore how to form Italy as quickly as possible in EU4. Italy is a powerful nation with great ideas and missions, but forming it can be quite challenging.
We’ll be using Naples as our starting nation, as they begin with 11 provinces, making it a bit easier to reach the 20 required for forming Italy.
Starting Off with Naples
To form Italy, we need a few provinces and 20 cores in Italy. However, the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) and Italy’s location can make this process difficult. Initially, we’ll have to wait for Austria to remove Italy from the HRE.
While waiting, we can occupy ourselves by dealing with our cores in Aragon. We’ll also build up our forces, start a spy network on Aragon, and construct a few galleys. In the meantime, we can ally up with Castile to help with potential wars.
Gaining Independence and Conquering Provinces
Eventually, the King of Aragon will die, granting us independence. After gaining independence, we can focus on rivaling Florence, Genoa, and either Milan or Aragon. We’ll then get some free claims and wait for the truce with Aragon to end.
Once we’re friends with Austria, we can join the HRE and start our conquests earlier than normal. Keep an eye on Florence, as their provinces are important to our expansion plans.
Managing Aggressive Expansion and Diplomacy
Throughout the conquests, managing aggressive expansion (AE) and diplomacy will be crucial. We can decrease our early AE by adopting the espionage idea, though it might be an unusual choice. We can also work on improving relations with neighboring tags to ensure they don’t turn hostile.
Additionally, it’s essential to keep an eye on the HRE and wait for your enemies to leave the empire before attacking Florence. This can save us from unnecessary aggressive expansion and speed up our progress.
The Final Stretch
As we approach the end of our conquest, we’ll need to conquer Rome, which will be a challenging and significant battle. Once Rome is captured, we’ll have to survive long enough to core it.
However, we should avoid taking Rome before reaching Admin Tech 10 to prevent penalties. The optimal strategy is similar to the one discussed here but with a slower pace to minimize aggressive expansion and potential penalties.
Conclusion
Forming Italy in just 36 years is a challenging but rewarding task. The key is to manage aggressive expansion, diplomacy, and timing your conquests effectively.
By following this strategy and making a few adjustments, you can successfully form Italy and enjoy their powerful ideas and missions. Just remember to be patient and cautious during your conquests to avoid unnecessary penalties and setbacks.
