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I have found a path. A Russian path to 200 Prestige (Large, Admiral's Mode, AI+, hardcore, the rest defaults). Probably not THE path, but A path.

Status: 158 Prestige, Dec. 1946. So on path. So far, so good.

How I got here:

I sent all Bs out East immediately, along with (crap) cruiser support. This deterred the Japanese and reduced tensions early on, on more than one occasion. Even with historical enmity, I have avoided war with Japan (which effort cost just a bit of prestige opportunity).

In the early game, you can take on Germany or Spain unassisted, France/Britain, not so much. You badly want allies. Even so, you will want at least a "bounce-off" war to reset tensions.

I expanded the docks in Murmansk to 70, so, with Iceland acquired early, I have 100 Base capacity in Northern Europe (which at least allows for repair, though not rebuild). I never got Norway, so that has been vital. And, very important, I expanded Vladivostok until it was over 200 (250), so I could refit out East.

Then, I built up a cruiser force (CAs at first built abroad for sufficient guns and tonnage) to defeat blockade in the west. Fought seven wars, so far, all in the West, mostly against tough coalitions and sometimes without allies.

I have survived the BB age, and am closing in on missiles. Tech is Backward, despite maximum efforts, but most of my cap ships are built abroad, and I have the essentials.

GENERAL COMMENTS
-- You need to follow foreign relations very carefully. You will badly need allies. You will fight under blockade much of the time, but you can turn those tables, esp.with an ally. Keep an eye on other nations' tensions with each other, and play those edges to your advantage. Always know whom and when you can and cannot fight.

-- Never get caught in a war with Germany that will leave your fleet locked in the Baltic and you will be under blockade. Get your ships outta there before the hammer drops. (And know you will be cut off from new builds in the Baltic.) Don't refit, rebuild instead, to keep your fleet in the North Atlantic when fighting Germany after they get those mines.

Short war with Britain (with allies). Missile tech came late, but I managed to get completely missiled up before my next war (with France), which was short and decisive. Then another war with France/Austria and suffered one of my worst defeats ever, ending in 1962. losing 3 carriers for a BC. The later advent of missiles meant I was up against advanced air without SAMs and even my enhanced CAP couldn't hold. But there were victories and the war was still a win.

So I put my remaining western carriers in mothballs and redistributed their air. But I got thrown into a final war with Germany in 1967. It was so sudden, I got trapped in the Baltic. Worse yet, I had had to let the Baltics go and Fascist Germany had pulled a Blitzkrieg,and the Baltic States are so important in terms of position. One bloody stalemate, but much victory. I ended it with a white peace, but with several more prestige victories. Then went all-out on peacetime prestige during the postwar pacifism interval.

I was way behind in tech, despite max. expenditures, and my economy was mediocre at best, but that is just part of playing Russia. Most large ships built abroad (but NOT in Britain).

Status, Russia.
Final Prestige: 230.

So we give Japan that other try. So far, so good. April 1907, 66 Prestige after war with Russia/Spain/China and two more against China, all with a western ally. Some casualties, but only to legacy fleet.

With two full racks of maxed out CLs and a nice troop of CAs, things are going just fine. As Japan, I will probably want to go with a full cap ship line, but I could go either way at this point. With Night Fighting resulting in surprise and therefore no closing fire, heavily armed maxed out CAs can overwhelm and defeat true cap ships.

So on the verge of the missile age, Jan. 1946, 179 Prestige. Maybe we make 250?

Many wars, one with Spain. As they had nothing left to invade, I simply sailed halfway around the world to N. Europe, put them under blockade, ate a BC for a 2 prestige breakfast, and graciously accepted their surrender.

I went the Very Heavy Cruiser route on the premise that Western powers will be reluctant to send all their cap ships out east. No cap ships at all. Assuming command check, CLs can be rearranged to join CAs pre-combat at will, but CAs cannot join BCs except if added as an extra ship. If I could freely add CAs to a short BC troop, I'd have gone with the BC/BBs.

Japan, Final: 263 Prestige. Big Fish, small pond syndrome.

Japan gets very big if you take reparations. The Surprise Attack function is working just fine, now. I was granted an invasion of the "uninvadable" Far East Russia, but unfortunately, the war resolved before the battle did. DId very well with carriers, never suffered one hit all game.

Important Note: When the army starts purloining your funds, the effect is not an absolute cap. It will occur maybe once a year, but in the late game, you can easily blow way past it, and funding the army becomes only a bit of a drag. You need more than 200k to fight a war with a big fleet in the last three decades of the game. Not unlike the drag on unused docks: if you keep expanding them, they will grow, even if they reduce you by 500t from time to time. (As Japan, I needed 40k+ docks for carriers, but they often went unused. But they were easy to keep at par.)

So, what next?

Giving the USA another shot. Fairly slow progress to 1900 (only 40 prestige), Wars with France and Germany/Spain.

But then, things took off. A Six-year war with Germany/Spain, and two wins against Great Britain, then short wars with France, Germany, and a big win over Britain/Japan has put me at 132 Prestige by 1931. So far, so good.

Definitely went with capital ships this time (unlike what I did with Japan), but carrier development has been slow, and we will be catching up with that,as the economy is roaring. Even so, I relied on 15-17kt CAs until 14" guns and proper TP became available. The survivors still serve me well.

Footholds in Asia, West Africa. With Iceland as a critical base is N.Europe.

Playing the US (or any power if it becomes predominant) means that if you want war (which is when you capitalize on prestige), you have to press for it very hard. Or else everyone will be too chicken to fight, and a tragic bout of peace may wreck your prospects.

Some time later . . .

And now I am at Feb. 1935, 140 Prestige. And just dragged into war (Aw, shucks!) by my German ally. This after I have already wrought recent havoc on the British fleet. Call it the Right war at the right time with against the right enemy. Well, I'll split my fleet. I've already cleaned off the US East Coast, so I'll finish up the Carib with one force, then send it to ensure a nice blockade. The other travels east to feast on British colonies.

Note on Panama.

I didn't get it until after 1930 (by event), but I was able to use the canal -- during times of peace. So it's not the complete end of the world if you don't get it early -- or even at all. (Yet it is beneficial to have it to oneself.) I'd taken Jamaica in case I had to take Panama by force, but, as it turned out, it was not necessary.

Final USA: 253 Prestige.

It gets tough to get in a war with a fleet so large. I mostly contrived to get dragged in by allies, in the late game, by Japan. Perhaps next time I should trim the fleet down just a bit. It's not like playing a smaller power.

Giving Spain another try, seeing as how the USA pushed Spain (202 Prestige) off the Hall of Fame.

Philippines skipped, but that was okay, as it was worth the economic hit to calm Japan down. No naval treaties, this time. War, 1893-4, with the USA, Germany as ally. Britain joined in and I got out while I was ahead for a white peace and 3 prestige victories. Next war with Britain/China, with Japan, France and Germany as allies. Win with 10 prestige victories and 6 in reparations. From 1907 1909, I got thrown in a bruising war with Britain and lost three 1-point prestige battles, winning only 4. But winning, with 10 more in reps. Then a grand war with Italy (1919-1921). Two -1 prestige losses, but 8 wins, many of them two points, with a huge 18-point reparations bump. Then peace for a while, as alliances realigned which ended with a 1-year war with Austria with two big prestige wins and 6 more in compensation. Then, all allies having turned away, I was thrown into a solo war with Germany. I wiped out the German fleet except for carriers, gaining much prestige and six more in reps.

Night Fighting rules!

The reps are what have sustained me, throughout. He who defends everything,defends nothing. (Besides, you ARE defending everything if you can get the enemy under blockade.)

I fought that last one very cautiously, accepting battles near Spain, under my land-based air (and none in the North sea in the teeth of vastly superior German air cover).

Current status: May 1936, 136 Prestige. So well on the way.

Losses have been real but not excessive. I have three troops of 8000/10,000-ton CLs, a full troop of murder CAs (20.5-26kt) which has cut down all cap ship opposition, and a lesser CA div which is also fairly strong. 59 DDs, second only to the US. I only built one light carrier aside from the conversion. I lost the (crappy) converted CVL during a Bull Halsey moment in a momentous victory over Germany, no real loss, but now is the time to build a real CV force. One that will eventually carry many jets.

My tech remains backward, despite all efforts-, but I build abroad in allies until my own capabilities caught up. Backwards tech looks fatal on the Almanac. But it most definitely AIN'T if you prioritize correctly..

Note: I am informed that Hidden Flaws is a national trait, not a localized one. HF does not apply to foreign ships built in British yards (and the Brits are not made immune if they build abroad, for that matter). So ignore all my earlier admonitions on the matter.

As for Spain: BTW, I ducked out of that Austrian war (1929/30) a bit early because I got thrown in and the US was allied with Austria. I managed to narrowly avoid a wider war.

Anyway, Britain and France hooked up, so I was looking for a one-on-one war with Italy or, just maybe, Germany. Turned out to be the latter, not my first choice.

It started out with disaster. I lost both my carriers and suffered much damage to my cruiser fleet. That threw me way behind in VP. So, like a desperate fool, I desperately accepted a North Sea convoy raid. Except it didn't turn out to be so foolish. And from that moment on, I thrashed Germany while ducking its air. Much victory, minor losses other than that CVL and CV. 6 points in reps.

The US joined me as an ally during the war, so I took the immediate postwar opportunity to lay down 2 seriously large carriers. (Which means one must budget for the air.) But after all those reps, my base economy is up to over 32k, and I need at least enough naval air to CAP my fleet. 3 full land-based air groups, shifting as needed, should turn the trick. I hope.

But, overall, things are looking up, though I could use an ally, as the US has departed. I have weathered the worst of the BB/BC age with a tough line of CAs and three troops of maxed-out CLs. I have lost a number of CLs, but only 2 large CAs so far.

Current Status: Nov. 1943, 161 Prestige.

SPAIN SURVIVES THE BB/BC AGE.

A brief war with Italy/Germany (1944), France as ally. I screwed up deployment and lost prestige, but I made it up and it all went quickly. 4 Points in reps. This gave me the opportunity to lay down a very large carrier, far larger than I could have made, myself. That gave me 3 very good CVs. Then, missiles made their appearance. I missled up my CAs and CLs and a large bulk of my DDs.

Then I contrived to get in a war vs. unallied Italy (1940), France as ally (who ultimately dragged me in (yay!). And the missiles are flying. (Always go "plentiful" on those things and damn the expense.)

Status: Aug. 1949, 174 Prestige.

Well, that was fast. A 3-month war and out. Too bad, I would have liked it to continue. 6 more reps, lost only one DD.

Laid down my last CA. If air budget allows, I might add another carrier, but I have ~350 carrier air. Or I may well go for a troop of 12kt CLs covered with missiles. Budgets becomes unstable at this point as they get larger. With all those reps, budget is at 38.9, well ahead of everyone but Britain (within 1k) and the US at its usual massive amount (66k). In any case, if you can get a war-winning battle line, one can prosper, even as a small country. And it's not even necessary to prosper to achieve well over 200 prestige, as play of Russia and China demonstrates. Win enough wars and it is clearly possible, though not necessarily inevitable, for a smaller nation to break into the top economic tier.

Ditched Night Fighting after radar appeared, Damage Control is all we need from now on.

At any rate, so far, so good. If I can break 214, I push Germany off the Hall of Fame, soooo . . .

Current Status: Spain, August 1950, 180 Prestige.

So, a nice war with Germany/Austria (1953-4), Britain as co-belligerent, then ally. More victories, 6 more reps.

Built that troop of 12k CLs, getting the second round of missiles (and SAMs) fitted on the fleet. France has joined the alliance, so tensions with Germany and Italy are encouraged . . .

SPAIN Status: Apr. 1958, 200 Prestige. Onward and upward.

Given a war with Italy by ally France. 1958/9, resulting in the destruction of the Italian fleet, CVs included. More reps. Much glory. Base economy is 49.2k. Getting those heavy jets in place, easing them in to remain within budget.And, of course, getting more ships more missiles -- a heavy CA can carry at least 16 SSMs/full reloads and a brace of heavy SAMs/full reloads.

But I am no longer thinking about Espana Pequena. I am thinking about the world's solid #2 economic power, nearly tied for #2 in tonnage. (And far superior in quality than our nearest rival, Britain -- rustbuckets, all.)

Status, Dec. 1959, 211 Prestige.

Got fleet into more or less final shape, then a war with Brtain/AH, allied with France and the US. France never joined, and the US only did so near the end. Things started out inauspiciously, with the Med fleet losing 3 of its very best CLs. Sic semper hubris. But from that point on it was a different story. I got both of them under blockade and won a whole string of victories. I was, however, losing, like, 300 in merchants per turn. I had the ASW under control, but the UK raiders were devastating, even though I devoted a troop of CLs to TP.
But there were so many victories, unrest never got above 2. Took Malta, but the war ended before I could win in Gibraltar. 13 in reps (although I could easily have afforded to map paint this late in the game), and took Cyprus for 1. Lost my weakest CA, but triumphed in the carrier engagements. Wiped out almost the entire UK carrier force using 3 carriers with ~100 planes each. Took concerning losses from subs on my way back to port, though; I will need to see to that. Base Economy is 54.6k, which is no means slouch, for Spain. (I am not playing harsh treaties, as I feel that would be unfair to the AI and would artificially drive up my prestige.)

SPAIN Status: Jul. 1965, 233 Prestige.

Got armed up with a massive number of M SSMs on the CLs, and pushed hard for war. Found one at the very end against Austria (brought in by ally France) and picked off a nice 35k-VP raider in an absolute hail of missiles. Had the game not ended . . .

Final Status: Spain, Admiral's Mode, AI Advantage, Large, hardcore, the rest, defaults: 247 Prestige.

Well that pushes Germany off the HoF, so we'll try that again, next, i think.

Best Prestige for each country, so far:

Austria Hungary: 302
Japan: 263
USA: 253
Spain: 247
China: 241
Great Britain: 233
Russia: 230
France 218
Italy: 217
Germany: 214

Very Well. I am now trying to push my previous Germany game (214 prestige) off the Hall of Fame. If I make 217, I push Italy off the bottom, and that's one I am happy to try, seeing as how I have that much more experience by now.

Initial fleet had only two 7.1k Bs, some (relatively) good CAs, and several pretty bad CLs. Two more good CAs in queue. Not a bad start. I was force to build 2 Bs, so I built 6000-ton minis with as many 6" secondaries as it would carry. Cost a mere ~800/turn. I even did an uncustomary cheap rebuild of my two originals to carry lots of 6" secondaries. With that scuzzy line, I gave out much worse than I got from enemy Bs for over a decade. One got torpedoed between turns, the other 3 currently reside in Baltic mothballs, awaiting 1940, when they can be scrapped. But they served well for a small extra expense.

No arms limitations this time around. Germany has a slow start with prestige and I wanted to press things. First war I intended to be a simple bounce-off war with France (1892/3). I was slugging it out under blockade (of course) when Britain joined in. But I ultimately lucked out with a white peace and a couple of prestige wins (against the British). And tensions reset, with the usual postwar pacifism. (I had forgotten to activate Night Fighting, but did so as soon as I noticed.)

Shortly afterwards, got the golden opportunity to get rid of the Cautious Trait, which cost a measly 2 prestige. Then formed an alliance with the US, which dragged us happily into a war with Spain (1897) that ended before I'd have liked. Only one prestige win, 4 in loot. But not bad. I broke custom and grabbed the Carolines, Marianas, and Guam and took the other 3 points in reps.

That left me with 40 Prestige by the end of 1900. About par, generally, and better than that for "slow start" Germany. Got well built up both fleetwise and aggressionwise (maxed out CLs and the biggest CAs I could manage (starting at 14k tons), but it took the US to get me in my next war (1903-1905), again with Spain, with France jumping in (again) quite out of the blue. There were two prestige defeats, but 8 victories, and 6 points, 4 for reps, 2 for Iceland. I like reps, but budget is not Germany's problem, and Iceland is very desirable.

I pressed hard on hostility and got into a fine old war with Britain (1812). 8 unanswered prestige victories and six in reps. Faithful ally US got me out from under blockade in that one, and we turned the blockade tales on them. I made large use of raiders, which can produce a lot of effect, but some of them will attrit . . .

I was not allied with the US at start of the war. I saw the US declare war on Britain, and then contrived to provoke the Brits into war. This was not only very helpful during the war, but afterwards as well. My one lack at the time was guns, despite all research efforts. Nothing over 12". So I when I provoked Britain into war, I had it in mind that the US would offer an alliance, which it did. And that freed me up to build my first two real cap ships in the US, with ten 15" guns. (Lower than youse guys on armor, but high on those secondaries. Nothing lights up enemy superstructure at night like zillions of 6" guns . . .)

At this stage, I build at home, but that brace of BCs served well when I went to war with France in 1916. France was totally outclassed, and after one big defeat, they chickened out of the war. The 4 reps were not necessary, but nice.

Current situation: The carrier age dawns. Base Economy is currently 39.3k, Fleet tonnage 465k tons, both #1 in the world (till the US decides different). Pushing hard for war in Europe with just about anyone.

Status: Oct. 1918, 102 Prestige.

War with Russia, 1919. Foolishly got dinged for insufficient forces present, which was foolish. Won two crushing victories, but Russia ducked out via a mediated peace. Loads of funds to be carefully spent . . . I scrapped all my legacy and minimal CLs and I may need a few more . . . CVs are not yet an option, but I will add at least one CVL (ultimately, it will not strike, but carry Light Jet Fighters for extra CAP).

Must not let events fall into the doldrums. Time to stir the pot as heavily as necessary.

Status: Sep. 1919, 109 Prestige. So far, so good.

WOAH! The peace compromise failed! I misread that. So the war continues.

GERMANY

So that war with Russia went just one more month, one big victory, then a white peace imposed by interfering outsiders. But, all in all, it went well.

At that point the alliance structure went all against me. After some profitable artful dodging, I wound up at war with Britain (1927), which was immediately joined by France, and then shortly after, by Italy, which was at war with Austria, which was at war with France and allied with The US. You can see the problem, here . . .

But after several striking victories, the war ended with another white peace which I did not discourage, as America was on the way to joining in against me. I did have Austria as an ally, but that only goes so far. That has reset tensions, but the unfavorable alliance structure remains. Russia is the only Euro power not tangled up in that alliance web, so they would be my next preferred target. At least until that Gordian knot unravels.

Current Status: Oct. 1928, 140 Prestige. Still the largest fleet and Base Economy on the map . . . And welcome to Let's Not Blow It City.