What are the Most Op or very strong Nations this expansion and recent updates? (2024)

The usual suspects from outside Europe are all still there:

Ottomans, Timurids, Oirat (hordes we’re nerfed a decent amount but the TCs are great for their economies) at the top.

Within Europe it can be more questionable. In 1.30.1 Austria was the most OP tag I have ever seen and they are still much better than in 1.29. But after the HRE was fixed I still think Castile is the best European, with their power location and PU options just combining really nicely especially if you get an early enough wedding to keep Naples.

I don't think the ottomans are even close to being the strongest nation. They are as good as any major faction that starts the game in a comfortable position. But I'd say that any european major who benefitted from an immersion pack can do more interesting things with their missions than the ottomans can with a temporary edge in pips combined with lack of morale ideas in the late game. Case in point Austria inheriting all of europe and Castille harvesting the entire world's gold surplus forever.

Timurids > Mughals is imo the best thing in the game rn.

Delterius said:

I don't think the ottomans are even close to being the strongest nation. They are as good as any major faction that starts the game in a comfortable position. But I'd say that any european major who benefitted from an immersion pack can do more interesting things with their missions than the ottomans can with a temporary edge in pips combined with lack of morale ideas in the late game. Case in point Austria inheriting all of europe and Castille harvesting the entire world's gold surplus forever.

Timurids > Mughals is imo the best thing in the game rn.

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The Ottomans are extremely strong in the hands of a player, the early pip advantage being the very least of it. I do believe that if they remain active throughout the game, as is their birthright, there's no nation that can stand against them. Spain is the only one who might have a shot, Austria wouldn't be able to survive long enough to revoke, and I doubt Timmy could hold them off while conquering India.

henriqueb1 said:

The Ottomans are extremely strong in the hands of a player

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As opposed to what other major, a Portugal who goes full colonial and doesn't force PU over the rest of Spain?

henriqueb1 said:

I do believe that if they remain active throughout

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That also applies to any other major. People can't stand up to you once you have 2k dev.

EU4 is a game where world conquests are achievable by just about every OPM, complete with requirements like single culture and religion. Once you're asking yourself which is the strongest tag in the game, it really is a matter of picking the best of the best. The prettiest card in a hand of aces. And the Ottomans are an ace. Just like every other major. But I don't think the Ottomans have had anything special about them for quite some time now. Nowadays it seems that half of central europe has missions to impose a PU over the rest, seizing the most prime real estate in the game, not to mention with a chance of inheriting Burgundy while they are at it. Austria can keep the HRE hold over Italy while taking over half the european continent as the Ottomans wage multiple wars to fully assimilate the Mamlukes.

To say nothing of the AI. Nine times out of ten the Ottomans will just ignore their own missions and mistakenly attack the HRE for a province in Wallachia. If they get lucky Poland will be weak and they'll get to snipe provinces in the Ukraine. Generally they don't grow past Greece-Anatolia. Nowadays you are better off hoping that France fully inherits Burgundy if you want a 'final boss blob' of any sort. Their national ideas can actually make for a dangerous enemy past the early game.

In short, EU4 is an old game and there's been a power creep of sorts. Wether that's a good thing or not is another discussion entirely. But it happened. And things have changed.

Delterius said:

In short, EU4 is an old game and there's been a power creep of sorts.

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I agree. Now, with a bit of help from the missions, most majors can be the Ottomans. If they had great missions and events like Austria and Spain, they would be the undisputed top dog and we would see threats complaining about it every other day.

Delterius said:

Once you're asking yourself which is the strongest tag in the game, it really is a matter of picking the best of the best

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Exactly so, my point is that in a MP session the Ottomans would have the upper hand, the point also being that they are already the Ottomans by the time they kill the byzantines in the very first year, everyone else has to work for it (despite what you seem to believe, Austria does not inherit Europe well until the 1500's, and that's if they can curb the reformation). The Ottoman government is amazing, they stand at the very center of the world with great early game military, etc.

Delterius said:

I don't think the ottomans are even close to being the strongest nation. They are as good as any major faction that starts the game in a comfortable position. But I'd say that any european major who benefitted from an immersion pack can do more interesting things with their missions than the ottomans can with a temporary edge in pips combined with lack of morale ideas in the late game. Case in point Austria inheriting all of europe and Castille harvesting the entire world's gold surplus forever.

Timurids > Mughals is imo the best thing in the game rn.

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That would depend on the definition of strongest. I don’t think they have nearly the potential as the Timurids, let alone Oirat’s potential for conquest. However they are possibly the best tag for newer players.

The Ottoman government means you should have solid leaders most of the time. Good expansion paths in various directions into different religions makes AE management easy. Great lands for an economy. Lots of early minors to eat and no real rival to threaten you. Sunni religion.

The best countries for WC are not necessarily the strongest or easiest at the start.

I'd say Austria, Oirat and Timurids/Mughals would be my top 3 in terms of potential, but they all have major challenges for a newer player.

Austria, well, that initial Bohemia war isn't actually the easiest, you often have to fight Poland for Hungary, and the Reformation can totally ruin your campaign if it spawns in bad places (not in a capital, or in France). Don't forget, you can lose your emperorship if you die without an heir until you pass one of those last reforms.

Oirat, Horde Mechanics can be difficult to get used to and you must know how to deal with Ming ASAP imo.

Timurids/Mughals...that initial Ajam war can be tough if Shah Rukh dies and you need to get strong quick. You're far away from institutions, your units suck compared to Europe and a strong Ottomans/Russia//Ming can really block your progress.

I'd also say that France incorrectly gets labelled as OP at the start. Your vassals are useless, England has better troops in 1444 and the Burgundian Inheritance is far, far too rigged for Austria.

For me, safe, strong nations to start with are England (the PU war over France is honestly easy, you're instantly the strongest country in Europe by a long way and your missions give you claims on half the waorld), Muscovy (yeah your income sucks to start but you can snake into India eventually), Aragon (everyone likes you and you'll get two PU's easy).

Travis_Bickle said:

Muscovy (yeah your income sucks to start but you can snake into India eventually), Aragon (everyone likes you and you'll get two PU's easy).

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I tried Muscovy before my Austria campaign (on Hard - hubris?) and was completely frustrated midgame by the Ottoblob to the point of giving up... was actually hoping for an easy game and did not get it.

First game ever unmodded was England though and yes super friggin easy... 2300 ducats in income by 1740ish. Pretty standard?

Travis_Bickle said:

Austria, well, that initial Bohemia war isn't actually the easiest, you often have to fight Poland for Hungary, and the Reformation can totally ruin your campaign if it spawns in bad places (not in a capital, or in France). Don't forget, you can lose your emperorship if you die without an heir until you pass one of those last reforms.

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I'd honestly like some feedback on this. I just gave Austria a whirl again and it reminded me why I really hate playing as Austria and find it the weakest contender for a WC. Reformation in 1482, two centres not in a capital despite the fact I kept the empire VERY fragmented.

I've had this every single Austria campaign I attempt. Am I doing something wrong?

Anyway, I much prefer the Mughals or a non HRE European country. Yes, you don't get the HRE vassal swarm, but you also don't have to worry about the reformation breaking your game or losing your empire because you don't have an heir. Austria is extremely RNG dependant.

I've genuinely had a much higher success rate becoming the Shogun as Ryukyu than getting a decent Austria game.

EDIT: I also thought that by taking a provinces and releasing it as a vassal, then enforcing religion, it would crush the CoR but it didn't for some reason.

Played by whom and for what goal?

If its ai for strength The Ottomans, France and, Spain.

If it's a top EU4 player for WC the top countries starting from west to east are: Crimea, Great Horde, Kazan, Nogai, Uzbek, Chagatai, Yarkand, Oirat, U, Tsang, Sogir Yogir, Mongolia, Korchin, Yeren, Haixi, and Jurchen are the best countries to pick hands down.

Brand new EU4 player for survival: Portugal, Castile and, The Ottomans in that order.

Average EU4 player for first WC: Austria and The Mughals.

klingonadmiral said:

Bast-revoke Hungary is probably the best tag in the game at the moment.

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Have you successfully got the Bast-revoke done? I've been thinking of giving it a go.

Travis_Bickle said:

Have you successfully got the Bast-revoke done? I've been thinking of giving it a go.

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No. Haven't actually played EU4 in quite a while, and even then I've no interest in giving the HRE Kindergarten anything but a swift yet painful death.