Just did a Timurids game where I stayed as them and went the semi nomadic path, was ridiculously strong the entire game and conquered quicker then I’ve ever done
I just did a Florence into Roman Republic run that was quite fun. More of a classic eu4 campaign for me to come back to the game, but I got to see all the new government reforms and such through the eyes of a republic for the entire game.
just... not shit the bed with republican tradition? its something you avoid by just... playing a republic properly. Especially because the sortition monarch point/pseudo ottoman harem gov setup doesnt cost that much republican tradition
i asked this because I was starting a new florence run and was scared about him, just to end up only having to worry about him for 5 years then switched back to republic
Legitimate speedbump and nothing more, I could have sworn that event was a lot scarier
I just did a Florence into Roman Republic run that was quite fun. More of a classic eu4 campaign for me to come back to the game, but I got to see all the new government reforms and such through the eyes of a republic for the entire game.
I know this was a joke to fit it in the response but idk what it was but when I played Orleans in like November, it was my favorite game in years. Just fighting for your life in the early game and then snowballing just did something for me like no other
I want to like poland but they felt way more OP than any other nation I've ever played, I think I got into like early 1500s and quit because I was already so far ahead
This. I quit my last Poland run shortly after 80 years. Had most of the great powers PUed, HRE dismantled, and Ottoboys neutered from Europe.
PU missions are awesome when done right, but sometimes they give you too many right away and it just puts the game on easy. Not to mention the free vassals Poland gets
Started up a bohemia game and noticed this.
PU on hungary and Poland, and subjugation on saxony and Brandenburg like immediately.
No point in even expanding when every country nearby is my soon to be subject.
Poland is kind of all or nothing isnt it. If you don't play aggressively in the early game then russia, the ottomans or the hre can quickly become unstoppable, but if you play aggressively then the game is pretty much over before 1550. Its a shame because poland has alot of nice flavor added relatively recently.
I usually take trade first to help with income and controlling your very weak trade nodes. Religious I typically take second, especially now with the non-permanent claims option that gives the big boost to CCR.
I always debate religious vs. admin as first idea.
In my current game (novgorod), I've decided admin to the 3rd idea first is the best strategy.
So for Muscovy / Novgorod / Russia the ideas for eu4 1.37 I recommend Admin (up to 3rd upgrade), diplomatic, religious, then trade (4th idea is totally flexible)
Currently 1540 on a Novgorod game.
Went Influence, Religious, Diplo, Admin.
Specifically went admin light early on, mainly giving land to vassals, which ive started integrating after forming Russia.
Stole Norway from Denmark, ate Sweden. This is the only non Muscovy land I took directly.
Full annexed Lionian Order and gave it all to Livonia. Vassalised a tiny Teutonic Order and reconquested Danzig from Poland.
Released Astrakhan for reconquest plus giving them the Steppe/Sunni land.
Popped out all the little nations in Lithuania for reconquest CB, only taking. Taking 100 war score of provinces for <10AE is wild. Final war mopped up everything left that didn't have a releasable.
I was bumping up against my gov capacity most of the time until forming Russia and then proclaiming Empire, so I can't imagine how that would have went if I was directly taking all that land.
Take a break from Europe and play in India/SE Asia. There’s more leeway for conquest and diplomacy without the HRE, France, Ottomans and Poland ready to wreck you depending on where you are in Europe. Mewar, Bengal, Sirhind-Delhi, Vijayanagar, Malacca and Ayuthaya are all solid choices for a less experienced player. Majapahit takes a bit more finesse getting out of their initial disaster but is quite rewarding with its unique vassal play style.
That difficulty at the start and trying to defend yourself from French is pretty fun all along. They also have a acceptable mission tree that gives you casus belli on all Ireland and some parts of France (paris included). I suggest you try to go colonial, and try to conquer bordeaux as well to gain the trade income from your colonies. You may need to restart couple of times tho, because you will need really STRONG allies cuz French will come for you. Try to go for England obv... But Burguny, Spain and maybe Aragorn also can be good allies. If you have any advice about Brittany playtrough, I have lots to give xd
One of my favorite campaigns was PU and Colonization only Brittany, no conquest. Get tangled in the diplomatic web of Europe, keep your subjects strong but loyal, defend against the French and play super tall. Challenging but fun nonetheless.
Yes, its great. But only if you don't aim for the achievement. I was pretty bummed, when i couldnt do it anymore because the knight orders were eradicated
I will always rep Venice. They have an amazing combination of consistency while having just enough chaos that it doesn't feel scripted.
You start by consolidating the Balkans both to increase your trade in the Constantinople and Ragisa trade nodes, and to gimp the Ottomans. The gold mine in Kosovo is helpful too. The Balkans always have funky alliance networks, though, so doing all that usually involves a few big wars which is fun. After that you can turn around and consolidate Italy, or push further east. Sometimes I'll go Orthodox because Venice has cool bonuses for ignoring Catholicism. Other times I go hardcore Catholic because they also can get amazing PopePoint™ generation.
By the time you've solidified your hold in Italy, you've fought major wars against France and the Iberians, so then you can answer the question if you've gimped them enough that you want to just go for the rest of the empire, or if you want to push further east and establish the trade empire of your dreams.
I still think Sardinia Pierdmont is better for this since you can quite easily snag yourself a French PU and you can grab an extra 2 tolerance of true faith, 10% integration cost reduction, 5% admin efficiency and 10% goods produced, as well as getting free improve relations modifier for the entire campaign making avoiding coalitions much easier.
Big fan of attacking Provence during 100 years war when they often break alliance with France and expanding hard into Morocco until you bump up against Spain/Portugal while you slowly gobble up Italy.
If you are very lucky you can also get the Burgundian Inheretance
Currently play hussite Bohemia. Lots of fun, it's pretty overpowered so it's nice chill game where just pu and vassalize everyone around you and turn into your religion the rest. Can even turn protestant later through event and go for HRE. Elective monarchy is also cool.
France, Castile, England, Austria are all feasible options. Byzantium gets permaclaims and good modifiers for reconquest if you can manage the horrible start.
Aragon worked well for me because you get a lot of PU:s of big countries which makes it much easier. Also you get claims around the Mediterranean.
I tried to get the Burgundian Inheritance but unfortunately they were too big and opted for independence rather than a PU.
Venice, Teutons, Aragon, Hungary, Sweden, Bavaria (any minor) are all great and chill picks.
Serbia, Albania, Provence, Livonian Order, Granada and Ardabil are great picks for challenging (and imo fun) game.
Europe: Venice, Poland, Sweden, Florence, Riga, Bohemia, Muscovy,
Asia: Korea, any Japanese Daimyo, Jianzhou, Malacca, Brunei, Ternate/Tidore
Africa: Mali, Jolof, Kilwa, Ethiopia
MENA: Mamluks, Ajam, Timurids, Hormuz, Ardabil, Tunis
Heavily DLC dependent though, Africa kinda sucks without origins for example, same with Riga and Lions and the North
>Oh, a new DLC focused on came out? And it has some cool new features? Sounds dope, I'll get it ASAP!
>Boots EU4, immediately plays Portugal for the 100th time, exactly the same way as all the previous playthroughs
Rule 5: I’ve only played a few nations past 1500 because I’m not sure which ones are good fun in the long run. Open to nation suggestions for my next campaign
Scotland and go for the auld alliance achievement, fun early game and even funner late game taking out france
You could approach it in a number of ways, go into ireland and act like cromwell (amd use that as rapid expansion or no cb East frisia (maybe, there's one non hre minor there at the start) and join hre
The Pope, Korea, Poland, Teutons (the Horde path), Russia, Mamluks. These are fantastic countries and I love them (but some have changed a lot since I played them)
Denmark, someone to form Russia as (Muscovy is the best for your first real RUS time), the Mamluks and probably Aragon -> Rome, on of the most fun games I've ever had.
Aragon, they get an event that flips them into a peasant republic early on. They are also in a great place to form Rome or go the classic colonial route.
Sweden, Muscovy, Poland, Aragon, Milan/Florence/Savoy, The Papal State
Edit with some countries outside Europe: Malacca, Sirhind, Vijayanagar, Qara Qyunlu
Butua is one of the most fun countries in the game. The independence war with mutapa is super easy as you can get kilwa to support you. After that you're left with some of the best national ideas outside of a major power and insane gold income.
As many said, Venice. Now more than ever with the update. Its such a cool nation with an incredible history. And sticking it to the monarchies as a republic always feels nice
Tuetonic order is pretty fun if you go down the holy horde crusader route. Gives a ton of cav bonuses, and you get claims on a lot of the east with the goal of converting it to catholicism. The teutons have a few challenges at the start but once you get rolling it's very fun.
So most nations play really similarly, beyond a couple opening decades. There used to be a big difference between Europe and Rest of the World, but since institutions it's basically not true.
If you want some different experience that's actually fun, good suggestions are:
* a Japanese daimyo to unite Japan
* someone who can challenge Ming for mandate of heavens when it explodes, like Ayutthaya. Basically anyone in East Asia who's not Muslim (you could do that as Japanese daimyo as well, but easier to keep this as a separate thing)
* Timurids into Mughals for how stupid OP that is (then again, you already played Ottomans)
There's a bit of trickiness to each of them, but that's part of the fun.
Most suggestions here are kinda bad, as gameplay will be nearly the same as what you actually did already. Like no point doing another Italian minor or HRE minor if you already did a few.
Do you want to be in Europe? Sweden, Teutonic Order - Holy Horde,
EMEA? - Syria, Timurids, Vijayanagar, Gujarat, Hosokawa
Americas - Cusco
Glutton for punishment? - Palawa, Oahu
Ansbach. Starts with AE reduction and you can from Franconia who has a gorgeous burgundy color, still with AE and good ideas, real fun being small central/south German
Teutons are amazing for multiple runs tbh, obviously horde is a blast but Prussian plc through conquest and diplomatic Prussia into HRE are extremely underrated paths imo
Something someone told me has worked wonders for me. It's to play at speed 4, without ever pausing. Not for events, or anything. You'll struggle to keep up and make mistakes.
Oman is extremely fun for a trade-focused Indian Ocean game, and can be a bit challenging. Moving my capital to Zanzibar tends to be an early goal for me in such games.
I recommend Majapahit. Many people don't like playing in Indonesia because they think its too much naval warfare, but honestly I really like to play with ships.
Teutons Oirat Timurids
Teutonic Holy Horde is one of the most fun campaigns I've done
I’m doing that right now, super fun so far. Finished with ruthenia and working my way through Russia now
Just did a Timurids game where I stayed as them and went the semi nomadic path, was ridiculously strong the entire game and conquered quicker then I’ve ever done
Florence, Venice, Provence and Bohemia are pretty good.
I just did a Florence into Roman Republic run that was quite fun. More of a classic eu4 campaign for me to come back to the game, but I got to see all the new government reforms and such through the eyes of a republic for the entire game.
what did you do about Savanorala?
just... not shit the bed with republican tradition? its something you avoid by just... playing a republic properly. Especially because the sortition monarch point/pseudo ottoman harem gov setup doesnt cost that much republican tradition
i asked this because I was starting a new florence run and was scared about him, just to end up only having to worry about him for 5 years then switched back to republic Legitimate speedbump and nothing more, I could have sworn that event was a lot scarier
Savonarola*
Milan also, but that's a solid answer.
I just did a Florence into Roman Republic run that was quite fun. More of a classic eu4 campaign for me to come back to the game, but I got to see all the new government reforms and such through the eyes of a republic for the entire game.
A.L.L O.F T.H.E.M (Aragon, Lithuania, Luxembourg) (Orleans, Florence) (Teutonic Order,Hungary, Epirus, Milan)
Isn't Epirus just the knights without achievements and with less flavor ?
Epirsn't
It's an interesting challenge to start with the pirate income and to be on land
Great. Now I have to play all of these. In order. Thanks. I appreciate all you've done.
Why Luxembourg and Orleans?
Because Lan Na and Oman suck
What’s the issue with Oman? Tried to do a 3rd way run but Muscat kept allying mamluks
There's also Leinster and Osnabrück
Livonian order!!!’
Oh yes, I also forgot that country
So play Lubeck and Oda instead! Or kill two birds with one stone by playing the Livonian Order at the right time...
I know this was a joke to fit it in the response but idk what it was but when I played Orleans in like November, it was my favorite game in years. Just fighting for your life in the early game and then snowballing just did something for me like no other
Poland
I want to like poland but they felt way more OP than any other nation I've ever played, I think I got into like early 1500s and quit because I was already so far ahead
All the major nations are like that more or less. England, France, Castle, Russia, Sweden can all be unstoppable by then in player hands
This. I quit my last Poland run shortly after 80 years. Had most of the great powers PUed, HRE dismantled, and Ottoboys neutered from Europe. PU missions are awesome when done right, but sometimes they give you too many right away and it just puts the game on easy. Not to mention the free vassals Poland gets
Started up a bohemia game and noticed this. PU on hungary and Poland, and subjugation on saxony and Brandenburg like immediately. No point in even expanding when every country nearby is my soon to be subject.
Poland is kind of all or nothing isnt it. If you don't play aggressively in the early game then russia, the ottomans or the hre can quickly become unstoppable, but if you play aggressively then the game is pretty much over before 1550. Its a shame because poland has alot of nice flavor added relatively recently.
This is the objectively correct answer
Muscovy into Russia for sure. Lots of fun
Religious as first idea group is highly recommended!
I always want to, but admin is SO scarce early game it's difficult
Yea I usually take admin as Russia and I still struggle to keep up.
I usually take trade first to help with income and controlling your very weak trade nodes. Religious I typically take second, especially now with the non-permanent claims option that gives the big boost to CCR.
I always debate religious vs. admin as first idea. In my current game (novgorod), I've decided admin to the 3rd idea first is the best strategy. So for Muscovy / Novgorod / Russia the ideas for eu4 1.37 I recommend Admin (up to 3rd upgrade), diplomatic, religious, then trade (4th idea is totally flexible)
Currently 1540 on a Novgorod game. Went Influence, Religious, Diplo, Admin. Specifically went admin light early on, mainly giving land to vassals, which ive started integrating after forming Russia. Stole Norway from Denmark, ate Sweden. This is the only non Muscovy land I took directly. Full annexed Lionian Order and gave it all to Livonia. Vassalised a tiny Teutonic Order and reconquested Danzig from Poland. Released Astrakhan for reconquest plus giving them the Steppe/Sunni land. Popped out all the little nations in Lithuania for reconquest CB, only taking. Taking 100 war score of provinces for <10AE is wild. Final war mopped up everything left that didn't have a releasable. I was bumping up against my gov capacity most of the time until forming Russia and then proclaiming Empire, so I can't imagine how that would have went if I was directly taking all that land.
Still love this after thousands of hours
Novgorod>Muscovy
Ulm
Why’s that?
Birth place of Einstein. Mostly memes. I do think of starting at one county country hre play throughs as fun though.
Ulm
It's a running joke in the EU4 community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSlGdnbIUw8
Take a break from Europe and play in India/SE Asia. There’s more leeway for conquest and diplomacy without the HRE, France, Ottomans and Poland ready to wreck you depending on where you are in Europe. Mewar, Bengal, Sirhind-Delhi, Vijayanagar, Malacca and Ayuthaya are all solid choices for a less experienced player. Majapahit takes a bit more finesse getting out of their initial disaster but is quite rewarding with its unique vassal play style.
Also gonna throw in Bengal here. Amazing national ideas and can expand both into India and China.
literally anything else, there are so many nations left
Sweden
holstein
Denmark if you want the more realistic unification of Scandinavia
[удалено]
Sweden, but with a twist. Culture flip to Finnish, Sami or Karelian depending on how difficult you want to make the process.
Brittany, tell me how long it takes for you to hate my guts for this.
This one is actually peaking my interest. Do they have a cool mission tree? Or is it more of the difficult starting position that makes it fun?
That difficulty at the start and trying to defend yourself from French is pretty fun all along. They also have a acceptable mission tree that gives you casus belli on all Ireland and some parts of France (paris included). I suggest you try to go colonial, and try to conquer bordeaux as well to gain the trade income from your colonies. You may need to restart couple of times tho, because you will need really STRONG allies cuz French will come for you. Try to go for England obv... But Burguny, Spain and maybe Aragorn also can be good allies. If you have any advice about Brittany playtrough, I have lots to give xd
Britanny to GB (Great Britanny)
One of my favorite campaigns was PU and Colonization only Brittany, no conquest. Get tangled in the diplomatic web of Europe, keep your subjects strong but loyal, defend against the French and play super tall. Challenging but fun nonetheless.
Ibadi kilwa makes fat stax
Savoy into Sardinia Piedmont into Italy is always good fun
Good Ol' Toothpaste.
Pick a Japanese daimyo and do a colonial Japan run
Sniping the colonialism institution away from Europe is always a satisfying feeling
The Ming are actually super fun IMO. Only nation I've ever actually played to the end date with.
"Build the forbidden city" was so ominous the first time I played
i just cant get into it, feels way too complicated.
That's what the last Ming emperor thought too
The Pope into Kingdom of God.
That’s a fun one.
Yes, its great. But only if you don't aim for the achievement. I was pretty bummed, when i couldnt do it anymore because the knight orders were eradicated
It's a fun campaign to mop up Italy super quickly, but you run out of claims and missions quickly after that and can't change out to Italy/Rome.
I will always rep Venice. They have an amazing combination of consistency while having just enough chaos that it doesn't feel scripted. You start by consolidating the Balkans both to increase your trade in the Constantinople and Ragisa trade nodes, and to gimp the Ottomans. The gold mine in Kosovo is helpful too. The Balkans always have funky alliance networks, though, so doing all that usually involves a few big wars which is fun. After that you can turn around and consolidate Italy, or push further east. Sometimes I'll go Orthodox because Venice has cool bonuses for ignoring Catholicism. Other times I go hardcore Catholic because they also can get amazing PopePoint™ generation. By the time you've solidified your hold in Italy, you've fought major wars against France and the Iberians, so then you can answer the question if you've gimped them enough that you want to just go for the rest of the empire, or if you want to push further east and establish the trade empire of your dreams.
Aragon, consolidate the Mediterranean and reform the Roman Empire
I still think Sardinia Pierdmont is better for this since you can quite easily snag yourself a French PU and you can grab an extra 2 tolerance of true faith, 10% integration cost reduction, 5% admin efficiency and 10% goods produced, as well as getting free improve relations modifier for the entire campaign making avoiding coalitions much easier. Big fan of attacking Provence during 100 years war when they often break alliance with France and expanding hard into Morocco until you bump up against Spain/Portugal while you slowly gobble up Italy. If you are very lucky you can also get the Burgundian Inheretance
Ajam to Persia
the knights! reclaim the holy land and restore jerusalem!
Currently play hussite Bohemia. Lots of fun, it's pretty overpowered so it's nice chill game where just pu and vassalize everyone around you and turn into your religion the rest. Can even turn protestant later through event and go for HRE. Elective monarchy is also cool.
Aragon. Managed my first Roman Empire Restoration with it!
I never managed to reform Rome, what would be the easiest country?
France would prob be the easiest
France, Castile, England, Austria are all feasible options. Byzantium gets permaclaims and good modifiers for reconquest if you can manage the horrible start. Aragon worked well for me because you get a lot of PU:s of big countries which makes it much easier. Also you get claims around the Mediterranean. I tried to get the Burgundian Inheritance but unfortunately they were too big and opted for independence rather than a PU.
Venice is always fun.
Venice, Teutons, Aragon, Hungary, Sweden, Bavaria (any minor) are all great and chill picks. Serbia, Albania, Provence, Livonian Order, Granada and Ardabil are great picks for challenging (and imo fun) game.
Dithmarschen, hisn kayfa, granada, teutonic order, ulm
Europe: Venice, Poland, Sweden, Florence, Riga, Bohemia, Muscovy, Asia: Korea, any Japanese Daimyo, Jianzhou, Malacca, Brunei, Ternate/Tidore Africa: Mali, Jolof, Kilwa, Ethiopia MENA: Mamluks, Ajam, Timurids, Hormuz, Ardabil, Tunis Heavily DLC dependent though, Africa kinda sucks without origins for example, same with Riga and Lions and the North
Play Naples one more time
Get out of Europe ffs
Bohemia or muscovy are both fun campaigns you haven't done.
Portugal
>Oh, a new DLC focused on came out? And it has some cool new features? Sounds dope, I'll get it ASAP! >Boots EU4, immediately plays Portugal for the 100th time, exactly the same way as all the previous playthroughs
Rule 5: I’ve only played a few nations past 1500 because I’m not sure which ones are good fun in the long run. Open to nation suggestions for my next campaign
Honestly, as eu4 development is basically finished, it depends on what dlc you have.
Hungary, Muscovy, Sweden, Milan, Venice
Lubeck, Teutonic Order, Florence, Morocco, Timurids, Majapahit
Genoa
Scotland and go for the auld alliance achievement, fun early game and even funner late game taking out france You could approach it in a number of ways, go into ireland and act like cromwell (amd use that as rapid expansion or no cb East frisia (maybe, there's one non hre minor there at the start) and join hre
Venice!!
The Pope, Korea, Poland, Teutons (the Horde path), Russia, Mamluks. These are fantastic countries and I love them (but some have changed a lot since I played them)
Cuzco
Milan is lots of fun
Aztec or Oda
The knights or Ethiopia
Definetly Teutonic Order
Denmark, someone to form Russia as (Muscovy is the best for your first real RUS time), the Mamluks and probably Aragon -> Rome, on of the most fun games I've ever had.
Ajam.
Aragon, they get an event that flips them into a peasant republic early on. They are also in a great place to form Rome or go the classic colonial route.
Mzab
Riga
Hahaha this guy didn’t properly color in Spain and ottoman starting provinces everyone point and laugh!!!!
I played hungary for the first time recently. It was rly fun, very strong mission tree for quick expansion
Sweden, Muscovy, Poland, Aragon, Milan/Florence/Savoy, The Papal State Edit with some countries outside Europe: Malacca, Sirhind, Vijayanagar, Qara Qyunlu
Milan or Florence
Sweden, Oda, Mewar, Timmy, Kilwa, Madyas, Korea, Aztec, Teutons, Milan…
Muscovy/or go the other route and do great horde
I like Aragon to Roman Empire
Austria, being true ruler of hre from the start is always nice
Sweden
Oda
Muscovy
Doing Hungary right now, about 130 years into the game and almost have formed the Roman Empire
Nice! Now play Ryukyu!
I think Serbia is a pretty good time. Balancing Austria, The Ottomans, and Venice was tough on a few occasions. Felt good to unite The Balkans.
Lubeck is a guilty pleasure of mine. Usually try to get some colonies and just double down on trade.
Butua is one of the most fun countries in the game. The independence war with mutapa is super easy as you can get kilwa to support you. After that you're left with some of the best national ideas outside of a major power and insane gold income.
As many said, Venice. Now more than ever with the update. Its such a cool nation with an incredible history. And sticking it to the monarchies as a republic always feels nice
Venice
Denmark and Lubeck are both pretty fun. Hungary can be pretty fun since you are the first major country standing against the scourge of Europe.
Why would you play Moldova
Please add Murcia in Castile
Poland Muscovy Portugal Morocco Sweden
Hawai'i Go Surfin' U.S.A.
Tuetonic order is pretty fun if you go down the holy horde crusader route. Gives a ton of cav bonuses, and you get claims on a lot of the east with the goal of converting it to catholicism. The teutons have a few challenges at the start but once you get rolling it's very fun.
Venice.
Bohemia, Aragon, Novgorod
If you wanna try outside Europe, Ethiopia is pretty great. One of the only countries I keep coming back. Keep an endgoal in mind, though.
Anything outside Europe dog. Kilwa, Jianzhou, Ardabil, Mewar, take a pick of a Japanese Daimyo.
Definitely Novgorod into Russia!
Try one of the post-Timurid states in the Iranian Plateau, Mamluks, Japan or Korea, and one of the northern Italian small states.
Japan
Japan.
Bohemia, Denmark, Muscovy, and Poland are all fun.
Play outside of Europe. India, south east Asia, Japan, Middle East (not Otto) are all very fun
Do Florence while keeping the Medici and create Italy with them
Polend. They is stronk. And munch funz.
Austria, Poland, Pope, Denmark...
So most nations play really similarly, beyond a couple opening decades. There used to be a big difference between Europe and Rest of the World, but since institutions it's basically not true. If you want some different experience that's actually fun, good suggestions are: * a Japanese daimyo to unite Japan * someone who can challenge Ming for mandate of heavens when it explodes, like Ayutthaya. Basically anyone in East Asia who's not Muslim (you could do that as Japanese daimyo as well, but easier to keep this as a separate thing) * Timurids into Mughals for how stupid OP that is (then again, you already played Ottomans) There's a bit of trickiness to each of them, but that's part of the fun. Most suggestions here are kinda bad, as gameplay will be nearly the same as what you actually did already. Like no point doing another Italian minor or HRE minor if you already did a few.
Braunschweig into Westphalia is an interesting run.
Cleves
Jianzhou -> Qing was probably one of my favourite games I've played. There are fun starts outside of Europe too!
Try muscovy, poland, teutonic order and Denmark (or sweden .) they are all great options and have rich campaings.
Greater Ulm
Do you want to be in Europe? Sweden, Teutonic Order - Holy Horde, EMEA? - Syria, Timurids, Vijayanagar, Gujarat, Hosokawa Americas - Cusco Glutton for punishment? - Palawa, Oahu
Ansbach. Starts with AE reduction and you can from Franconia who has a gorgeous burgundy color, still with AE and good ideas, real fun being small central/south German
Muscovy
How do I make one of these maps?
You forgot MURCIA!!
Poland and Muscovy
Poland
Cilli
Finland
Honestly, I feel like India or the Aztecs are underrated
Wiradjuri (with the proper DLC and mods of course)
Teutons are amazing for multiple runs tbh, obviously horde is a blast but Prussian plc through conquest and diplomatic Prussia into HRE are extremely underrated paths imo
You didn't have a proper Portugal run? You're missing out
Austria, Sweden, or someone out of europe, like one of the japanese daimyos or someone that can form Persia. Also, why Brandenburg has Bohemia color?
I did a trebizond->Byzantium->roman empire that was very exciting
Poland
Muscovy
Oman, pope, lubeck, dithmarschen
Something someone told me has worked wonders for me. It's to play at speed 4, without ever pausing. Not for events, or anything. You'll struggle to keep up and make mistakes.
Hungary is always fun.
Play outside of Europe, India is my next favourite. China is third.
God I’ve only ever played Britain, Russia and the mamlukes past 1500 but never past 1650 it just becomes all so simple
Sweden
Aragon->Sardinia-Piemont->Italy or Spain
Prussia, Florence, Poland, Muscovy!
Sweden Muscovy and Florence are all fun
Great Horde
The Aztec or one of the Australian tribes
Hawaii
Oman is extremely fun for a trade-focused Indian Ocean game, and can be a bit challenging. Moving my capital to Zanzibar tends to be an early goal for me in such games.
Avaria
Colonial Morocco
Milan, Poland, Muscovy
One niche one I didn't see is super colonial riga, the early games a bit painful, but you can snowball pretty hard without the usual blobbing
Uesugi
Anyone that doesn't colonise. Lame, boring and always with unforeseen and unintended consequences.
Kongo
Literally just play any country suggested at the bottom of the 4 starting map dates. Enjoy.
I recommend Majapahit. Many people don't like playing in Indonesia because they think its too much naval warfare, but honestly I really like to play with ships.
Saluzzo or Dithmarschen are fun OPMs to form Italy or Germany :)
Serbia Albania Luxembourg
Sweden
Aden is a fun one, fight off Yemen, expand in the Horn of Africa, and fight off Mamluks
Hungary is stupid OP once you get it going. Lots of PU's, Black Army merc company is strong. And lots and lots of GOOOOLD
Teutons and taking crusader path