Should I give up?

[GentlemanVBG]

First time playing and I love it. Im playing "Deutsches Reich". Some questions:
1. Shouldn't it be game over for me regarding their victory score?
2. Is it possible to reverse this situation or should I start over? (playing on normal)
3. We are friends with Austerlitz, I read somewhere that we can share the victory? If not, can I reduce our relation så that I can declare war?

Thanks in advance!

[Soar_Slitherine]

Yes, there is a strategem for a shared victory pact, it should be generated by the Foreign Affairs Council.

[Axelius]

As said, Victory Pact is probably what you want, but if you do want to try and go for the war there are also several Foreign Affairs Council stratagems that reduce relationship. Provocation reduces relations straight out, while Limit Trade, Limit Science Coop and Cancel Pact Clause allow you to cancel pacts you have with them. Ask for Help also reduces relations when you ask for Credits or PP.

[GuardsmanGary]

ORIGINAL: GentlemanVBG
2. Is it possible to reverse this situation or should I start over? (playing on normal)

It might be but it's hard to say without knowing your situation in greater detail. Can you upload your save so I can take a look?

[zgrssd]

It is worth pointing out that the AI tends to recruit way too many people. Especially on higher difficulty, the cities are often depopulated down to 0 Private citizens and 50% of the required workers - all the rest was drafted into the military over drawn out fight.
so even just fighting him a little or on a stalemate will propably have him loosing population, bringing him further and further away from victory.

[deMangler]

ORIGINAL: GentlemanVBG

First time playing and I love it. Im playing "Deutsches Reich". Some questions:
1. Shouldn't it be game over for me regarding their victory score?
2. Is it possible to reverse this situation or should I start over? (playing on normal)
3. We are friends with Austerlitz, I read somewhere that we can share the victory? If not, can I reduce our relation så that I can declare war?

Thanks in advance!

Because you say first time playing I will give some thoughts about giving up in 4x's and Shadow Empire.

Usually when I give up a game in a 4x it is primarily because I don't anticipate enjoying playing any more. This is usually because I either know I will win or know I will lose and also pretty much know how that will unfold.
Sometimes it is because it is a game start I am not in the mood for or other times it is because something just went the wrong way and I do not savescum.

Now - in pretty much every game from Distant Worlds to Sins of a Solar Empire to Civ to Anno... etc these reasons are borne out through experience.

Shadow empire seems to be an exception though. (I will say another game which breaks the mold here is AI War by Arcen games. That also is unique in that playing on even when losing is just as much fun in surprising ways, but that is another story.)

However - either because I have not played enough or because Shadow Empire is genuinely different, I have found that I do not know in advance how the game is going to go. I can of course have a good idea but I am pleasantly surprised more often than not when I carry on even though I may have been tempted to write a game off. Also losing in Shadow Empire is just as much fun as winning... mostly.
Disclaimer - I always play random start and 'drop me in a game' so I guess if I always played a particular start I might get bored with it....

[GentlemanVBG]

It was game over the next turn. Now with some experience I can see what a lousy start position I got, I'm eager for revenge [:)]

Thanks for your feedback!

[deMangler]

ORIGINAL: GentlemanVBG

It was game over the next turn. Now with some experience I can see what a lousy start position I got, I'm eager for revenge [:)]

Thanks for your feedback!

Hehehe...
Revenge is a dish best served... over and over again...

[misterprimus]

I really wish there was a way to play on or change victory conditions to be higher. I once "lost" because I beat another major! The remaining major, as a result, ended up with a higher than half percentage.

[newageofpower]

ORIGINAL: misterprimus

I really wish there was a way to play on or change victory conditions to be higher. I once "lost" because I beat another major! The remaining major, as a result, ended up with a higher than half percentage.

Yeah its kinda game-y but you gotta not fight the second-place Major and instead just attack the frontrunner in that situation.