Starting my first campaign, need some advice

[SlickWilhelm]

Hi guys, I've owned CoG for about a year, but I'm just now getting around to really diving into it. I've got the manual handy, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed in starting the campaign as France. What's a good choice for a smaller country to play that will give me a good chance to survive for long enough to get the hang of playing?

[Max 86]

Try Sweden

[Gil R.]

Great name and avatar! Ericbabe and I have been working through the DVD's. Just two episodes away from the two-parter in which the king visits Max and KAOS sends in the tarantula...

[Fallshcirmjaeger]

Played my first CoG game as Britain. Utter noob at the whole thing. Followed many of the tips from Ralegh. Good stuff.
 
Got blown out by France in March 1807. The won by Glory. Couldnt really tell where they were getting all the glory from though, as it seemed to me the Spanish were rampaging all over the map while the French mostly lay around sipping wine! Nelson pretty much rendered the French Fleet to a non factor early, although the Spanish got lucky later and managed to cripple my Home Fleet. Gibraltar fell shortly thereafter, mostly due to my own incompetence.
 
Had an awful time with my economy. Sheesh! (can I get a bailout pleeze?) Flipped the switch on a few Experts and they had me fixed up shortly, but it was more painful than a Congressional hearing! And the Merchantmen! Good grief! Is there nowhere they can harvest a few bucks for more than a turn or two? Gracious! Guess next time I'll have to assign some fleet coverage to those guys. Something.
 
Diplomats were fun to dance with. Had the Low Countries all up in arms with Goodwill, Charm, Malign, Insurrection etc. Was great. Saxony came over to my side, which really irritated Prussia. No problems. Sent Robertson in to assuage their feelings, but couldnt quite get the Alliance. Almost had Denmark ready to go when France rolled out the Glory card.
 
Tried almost every treaty in the book that didnt hurt me. Some worked, some didnt. Amazing how everyone in Europe thinks England is Mr. Moneybags! (I believe this is correct - hee hee - another reason to learn how to manage the balance sheets!) Some really awful trade offers! Exception - Lower Egypt is a pretty sweet deal!
 
All in all, was a pretty fun 5 hours, even though I had almost zero clue what I was doing. Actually, I had a pretty decent idea of what I was supposed to do from experience with some old board wargames (War & Peace), but almost no idea how to accomplish things. Oh well. Live and learn. Go cross-eyed poring over the manual again and again. Internalization is where its at!
 
So, after getting my butt spanked by a mostly inert Napolean, I sat and stared at it for a few minutes, looked at the clock, and said, "what the heck. Fire up another game!"
 
 
 ~  

[Gil R.]

Good to see.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, COG:EE will have ten video tutorials, and even though there will have been plenty of changes since COG, these should definitely help you figure out a few things. Stay tuned...

[Mickrocks201]

I did try Britain as a learning tool. Bad choice. Just as soon as it started to get interesting France won with Glory pretty earlier in the game. What's up with that? Looks like they had only like 400 glory and then 10000 real quick. I tell you it is pretty discouraging.

[Joram]

Try setting French down one power to "weaker".  If that doesn't work, try even weaker still.  France in 1805 is extremely strong, especially thanks to Napoleon.  If you're just starting out you can play a country like Britain, Sweden, or Russia without worry too much about being pounced but you won't win very easily because France will win on glory long before you figure out what you're doing.  Setting them weaker will tend to draw the game out a bit more.

[Max 86]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

Great name and avatar! Ericbabe and I have been working through the DVD's. Just two episodes away from the two-parter in which the king visits Max and KAOS sends in the tarantula...

A little late on this response but....I chose this name and avatar some time ago because of the cell phone I purchased. So there I am looking at the new (then new) slider-type phones (LG Chocolate) and the first thing that pops into my head is Max and his shoe phone. [&o]

In reply to Joram's last post, I thought the latest patch removed the ability to adjust power settings of the nations (1.226)? I will look around and see if there is a beta or later than 1.226 patch. I haven't played in awhile and am about to start again as France this time. Ironic, the game is about the Napoleonic era and I have never played France. Love playing England though.

Anxiously awaiting COG:EE[:)]

[Hard Sarge]

ORIGINAL: mickrocks

I did try Britain as a learning tool. Bad choice. Just as soon as it started to get interesting France won with Glory pretty earlier in the game. What's up with that? Looks like they had only like 400 glory and then 10000 real quick. I tell you it is pretty discouraging.

not trying to be a smart ### but, as England, that is part of your job, to keep France from gaining Glory, you are suppost to be a thorn in there side, a pain in the butt

your suppost to make treadies that screw them over, to upset things going on, around them, break up there Protectorates, start wars

what you don't want to do is go toe to toe with them, unless you can