Summary
- Beginner-friendly nations include Portugal and Castile which offers either lessons on trade and exploration or military conquest and expansion.
- If you’re looking for more challenging starts, England and the Ottoman Empire should be your go-to and perfect the warfare mechanics.
- Alternatively, you can choose Venice, Hungary, and Norway depending on your playstyles as it offers mastery in trades and diplomatic union.
Choosing where to begin your campaign will either lead you to success or breakdown in Europa Universalis 5. There are hundreds of nations immediately available at the 1337 start date that offer unique challenges and opportunities. That’s why it is better to consider several factors like political, economy, and military dominance before locking in. But let’s make it easier with this guide helping you determine the best Europa Universalis 5 nations to play as!
Portugal
Starting the selection with Portugal who stands as the most ideal beginners choice for many. If you’re interested in expanding your trade and exploration mechanics then choose this nation. It is nestled safely in Iberia’s corner with Castile as its natural ally.
Because of this, you’ll rarely face any immediate military threats that could derail your learning experience. Normally, Portugal begins with essential resources such as wool, iron, and lumber. Meanwhile, it also has superior tax efficiency that provides you with steady income to focus on establishing coastal infrastructure and trade routes.
Your natural progression leads you toward North African territories which suggests easy early conquests. Moreover, its focus on maritime will teach you fleet management and comfortable expansion pace.
England
Now, if you’re looking for direct action then England offers the best crash course in warfare and naval dominance. Here, you’ll immediately engage with the Hundred Years’ War against France and learn the combat mechanics. Alongside, it’ll teach you how siege warfare occurs and to decide under pressure.
Definitely, this isn’t for any faint-hearted as it puts you straight into learning how military systems work. England is considerably in an advantageous position after having secured their borders. It has natural defensive strengths and a dominating naval presence.
Moreover, this also focuses on the Crown Power system to display how governmental reforms impact your nation. It is your best option if looking for a balanced gameplay experience between military, politics, and economics.
The Ottoman Empire
But if you deemed yourself prepared for non-stop fast-paced action gameplay, then start with the Ottoman Empire. Since EU5’s start date is over a hundred years earlier than EU4, expect the Ottomans to begin with less land. It challenges you to solidify your control in Anatolia before expanding to Constantinople and Europe.
You’ll get an opportunity with the Rise of the Turks event to rapidly expand territories while learning conquest mechanics. The Ottoman has a strong military position that lets you act boldly and balance aggressive expansion with diplomatic considerations. Further, its naval development offers challenges during expansion toward Constantinople and the Mediterranean.
Crown of Castile
Besides Portugal, Castile is also one of the best starter nations in Europa Universalis 5. This is the largest kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula and emphasizes conquest mechanics. It is easier due to its power advantage over smaller regional states such as Aragon, Granada, Navarre, and Portugal.
You can easily take these out to form Spain which became one of Europe’s biggest powers during the Renaissance. Once you build up your navy, you can start conquering other regions and sail to America’s for exploration and colonization. Starting with this region gives unique flavor and rich history given Spain’s influence in the coming eras.
Alternative Choices For Beginners
Other than these mainstream recommendations, there are other nations that still offer unique learning experiences. Despite having smaller landmass, they teach valuable lessons with the resources and advantages they have. For instance, the Republic of Venice provides excellent trade-focused gameplay as a small Italian state.
You can learn some economic mechanics here with fewer buildings to manage. Meanwhile, Hungary is in the strategic center of Europe that gives them access to diverse resources and expansion routes. Norway, on the other hand, has advanced diplomatic systems with its alliance with Sweden.
They’ll introduce inter-state politics and union mechanics, ceasing immediate existential threats. Ultimately, if you prefer the quieter learning experience then turn away from nations in Europe. Instead, choose Japan, Korea, or Vijayanagar that offers stable resources but limited warfare.
Final Thoughts
It’ll be a tough job to narrow the list of the best Europa Universalis 5 nations into one. These selections are outstanding on their own, focusing on different aspects of development. Whether you pick Portugal, Castile, Japan, England, or the Ottoman, it’ll still teach you valuable lessons.
Writer’s Recommendations
Hi there, it’s Stal! If you loved that article, make sure to check out these other articles I’ve written just for you. See you there!
