Paradox Interactive’s Europa Universalis IV has a well-earned reputation as a very difficult game with an extremely steep learning curve; it’s a common joke within the fanbase to post pictures of their Steam playtime in the thousands and comment that they’ve just about completed the tutorial.
While some players seek out the strongest nations with which to paint the world map their favorite color, some players seek out the weaker nations or the nations in the most precarious political standings. These nations provide a more challenging experience than the likes of France or The Ottomans and for many will be a more rewarding way to play the game.
10 Novgorod
While this nation initially seems like it would be a pretty decent choice, it is hampered mainly by its precarious position in the world. To the south is Muscovy, which deeply craves the province of Novgorod so that it can form Russia, and the western front is occupied by Denmark and its hard-to-traverse Scandinavian bloc.
Expanding as Novgorod can be as difficult as it is to even survive, but with the ability to form Russia itself and ideas that promote a healthy balance of military and navy, they can be a rewarding nation to thrive as.
9 Brittany
Brittany is notable in that it is easy to see how it could become quite the colonial powerhouse (especially with the upcoming Leviathan DLC) thanks to its position on the western coast of Europe alongside the other likely colonial suspects, but it relies on luck to even get its feet off the ground.
Provence and their ally France will be a big pain in the early game, and even if that alliance breaks down, getting a foothold in mainland Europe will be an uphill battle with Brittany’s small army and economy.
8 Cyprus
Playing as a One Province Minor in Europa Universalis IV is difficult enough, but starting as an island is a whole other problem. Add to that the fact that some of Cyprus’s immediate neighbors are the Ottomans and some other powerful nations and the island nation is in a bit of trouble.
Players who wish to achieve the ‘King of Jerusalem’ achievement by forming Jerusalem as Cyprus will be very thankful that they start the game with their independence guaranteed by the Mamluks, but if this guarantee breaks down, prepare for frustration.
7 Granada
Granada starts with a hefty truce with Castile at the beginning of the game and it’s probably thanks to this that they ever survive past the initial few years. Players who pick Granada must use the early days of the game expertly to shore up great alliances that will allow them to take on the rest of the Iberian peninsula.
Granada is another nation that has an achievement for succeeding as them, with ‘The Re-Reconquista’ being granted to players who manage to form Andalusia while playing as Granada.
6 Albania
Albania starts between two powerhouses of the game, Venice and the Ottomans, who each own one of its core provinces. Attacking either of these two nations is a death sentence at first, and Albania must secure great alliances if they want any hope of surviving past the initial melee.
With great luck and strategy, Albania players may have a chance of expanding greatly and even taking land from the Ottomans, consolidating an Albanian empire. Thankfully, they start with a fantastic ruler who can make things run a little smoother.
5 Yas
As a One Province Minor situated near the Horn of Africa and surrounded by two larger nations, Yas begins the game in quite a tricky predicament. Players will have to wrangle with being poor and being an easy target, compounded by the drought of viable ally selections to protect them.
With a generic idea set and not having Feudalism embraced at the beginning of the game, Yas is likely one of the hardest nations to play in the entirety of Europa Universalis IV. Players may need the full roster of DLC options available to them to wriggle their way out of this one.
4 Norway
While Norway is rather large on the map, it has a few pretty major drawbacks that leave it as the weaker of the Scandinavian three. First, it has a lot of land, but it’s not very well-developed land, leaving Norway without much in the way of money or manpower. Second, Norway begins the game under a personal union with Denmark, much like Sweden.
For a player to be successful as Norway means not only finding someone to support their independence but making sure they retain that independence. Until Norway can claw some developed lands from their neighbors, it’s an uphill struggle.
3 Byzantium
A true classic of this game’s history, making Byzantium survive is a common goal among a large portion of veteran Europa Universalis players. Their main issue is being able to survive the early-game onslaught from the Ottomans as they make war for their capital of Constantinople.
If the player manages to ward off the Ottomans while taking some of their land (usually with the help of Venice or Hungary), the game gets quite a bit easier, but it’s one heck of a hurdle to overcome.
2 Hisn Kayfa
Hisn Kayfa starts off in a quite precarious location (noticing a running theme here yet?) where it is surrounded by three larger nations whose land is very attractive. Surviving as Hisn Kayfa almost always requires making valuable allies with stronger nations such as the Ottomans or the Mamluks.
Having a mastery of military strategy is key for Hisn Kayfa, as one wrong move can mean a lost game in its entirety. Those who persevere, however, have a chance at acquiring the achievement ‘Saladin’s Legacy,’ which requires the player to form the Ayyubid Empire while playing as Hisn Kayfa.
1 Sukhothai
Succeeding as Sukhothai is one of the most daunting prospects a player can have in Europa Universalis IV. Not only do they begin the game as a vassal of Ayutthaya — possibly the strongest nation in the immediate region — but if they manage to break free, they must deal with the imposing terror that is Ming.
Being able to ward off these larger nations and develop themselves freely is like catching lightning in a bottle, and requires a precise alignment of the stars and perfect timing. As a result, growing Sukhothai into an empire is a perfect goal for the most steely of Europa Universalis veterans.
NEXT: 10 Most Powerful Nations To Start As
