A step-by-step beginner's guide for EU5, focused on starting in Ireland, optimizing game settings, managing estates, conquering land, integrating provinces and vassals, and building a strong coastal economy. Includes advice on government reforms, market management, navy construction, and late-game expansion.

This comprehensive EU5 beginner's guide demonstrates how to transform your humble beginnings in Ireland into a thriving kingdom within 100 years. Designed for clarity and accessibility, this guide expands upon each phase of the gameplay, providing step-by-step instructions, strategic advice, and detailed mechanics explanations. Use the structure and checklist to follow along for a successful campaign.

Phase 0 – PreGame: Settings, Rerolling Rulers, Saves

Customizing Game Settings

Before starting your campaign, adjust your settings for optimal play:

Open the settings tab.
Navigate to the Interface section and scroll to the tool tips subsection.
Disable map tool tips to prevent UI clutter and unwanted popups.
Adjust input bindings: set "Rivers" to 'Alt+R\, avoiding overwriting defaults. River modes are useful later in the tutorial.

Starting Location Choice

Rather than choosing a recommended start, select the northeastern single-province area of Iva. Despite seeming like an uphill struggle, the strategic simplicity makes it ideal for beginners.

Ruler Rerolling and Stat Optimization

Each game you start in Iva randomizes your ruler's stats: Administration, Diplomacy, and Military. Aim for at least 50 Diplomatic skill (preferably 60–70).

If your ruler has poor stats (<50), return to the main menu, start a new game, and reroll until satisfactory.
Accept higher stats in diplomacy and administration; military is less critical for Ireland.

Saving Your Progress

Organize your save files for flexibility:

Name the main save chunk (e.g., "Grandma Guide").
Create saves before and after major decisions to easily revisit key points or test different actions.

Message Settings for Efficient Play

Modify war message settings:

Enable popups and pauses for army and navy attacks, victories, etc.
Ensure the game pauses during military actions for full control.

Phase 1 – Before Unpause

Economy Tab: Maximizing Early Resources

Focus on efficient initial economics:

Set minting to avoid red-highlighted inflation. Higher inflation increases all expenses.
Automate taxes for chieftains and commoners to maintain equilibrium. Set clergy tax to zero (Catholics cannot be taxed).
Set clans tax to zero, as they offer no income.
Maximize Cost of Court to increase tribal cohesion.
Raise Diplomatic Spending to maximum for increased loyalty, capacity, and diplomats.
Maximize Stability for rebel prevention, estate satisfaction, and promotions. Temporary stability losses may be necessary for certain reforms.
Delete your fort in Wrath Froling to stop unnecessary upkeep costs.

Note: Early deficits are acceptable as war income will compensate.

Government Tab: Managing Estates and Reforms

Address potential issues:

Ignore agenda popups at game start.
Focus on possible reforms and estate privileges.

Estate Power Dynamics

Crown: Start with ~48% power, strive to maximize for estate satisfaction.
Chieftains: Powerful early, aim to reduce below 25% for taxation and control.
Clergy: Cannot be taxed, maintain satisfaction.
Commoners & Clans: Weak, manage privileges carefully.

Assigning Estate Privileges and Reforms

Give pasture access to clans (temporary, minor impact).
Revoke peasant levy penalty from commoners (costs stability but crucial for army size).
Add common militias (+20% peasant levy size, combat efficiency).
Add communal lands (reduces noble power, pushes decentralization).
Add religious administration and religious diplomats to clergy for stability and diplomat cap.
Add share of the spoils privilege to chieftains for temporary satisfaction and manageable power.

Assign your own reform: Diplomatic Traditions for vassal management and reputation (temporary, to be replaced later).

Cabinet Actions

Assign two actions:

Stabilize Country (+0.05 stability investment).
Strengthen Government (+0.10 tribal cohesion).

No cabinet members needed initially; recruit after first conquest.

Research Tree

Queue critical early techs:

Alchemy (life expectancy, disease resistance).
Universal Christianity (monthly diplomats).
Devotion to the Virgin Mary (stability investment).
Expand Archives (diplomatic capacity).
Institution Growth (Renaissance spread).

Use the tree view for strategic research; queue multiple advances for efficiency.

Handling Unhappy Estates and Alerts

Manage estate dissatisfaction:

Chieftains and clans may rebel if below 50%; automate taxes to balance.
Address inefficient minting and unmet population needs over time.
Prepare for strategic expansions to meet the needs of nobles and clergy.

Marriage Mechanics

Right-click your ruler to arrange a marriage. If limited options (older clan members), opt for marrying a lowborn peasant (young age, ensures offspring). Accept prestige and cohesion loss for lineage expansion.

Setting Rivals

Identify your first target: send an insult and declare as rival (e.g., Clan de Boy).

Building Spy Networks and Fabricating CBs

Build spy networks on targeted countries (e.g., Tyrone and Mayo) for future Casus Belli (CB) war justifications.

Build spy networks until reaching 20 points.
Fabricate CBs before war to avoid stability penalties.

Avoid attacking large neighbors (Pale/England) early.

Phase 2 – Conquer Land & Take Vassals

Preparing for War

Create a save before unpausing and before every major action.
Wait for 1 month after unpausing to allow diplomatic actions.

First War: No CB War Declaration

Declare war on Clan de Boy.
Raise army levies.
Assign the ruler as general (avoid noble generals for estate control).
Fight the army before sieging to secure your capital.
Split forces to cover provinces and optimize siege speed.
Merge and siege province capitals. Take note of terrain modifiers for battle advantage.
Loot all province for maximum war profits.

Peace Deal and Post-war Actions

Sue for peace: annex all land, take maximum money, accept antagonism.
Disband levies post-war.
Delete captured forts to reduce ongoing costs.
Switch cabinet actions to Integrate Province for new territory.
Set new rivals strategically for future expansion.

Expansion Planning and Spy Networks

Target small neighbors, avoid Pale and its vassals.
Use spy networks to fabricate CBs.
Check alliances and avoid attacking friendly nations.
Send insults and embargoes to reduce relations before wars.

Assigning Cabinet Members

Recruit clergy for non-military roles.
Avoid giving chieftains more influence.
Plan assignments based on upcoming integration or diplomacy tasks.

Understanding Control Mechanics

Control decreases with distance from capital and poor infrastructure.
Build roads and increase cabinet actions for higher control.
Higher control means more levy troops and tax income.

Creating and Using CBs

Pause the game when spy network totals hit 20.
Fabricate the appropriate CB for targeted conquests and vassalizations.

Second War: Using CB for Subjugation

Declare war on target with appropriate CB.
Victory leads to vassalization options rather than land annexation.
Manage vassal opinions and loyalty for efficient future annexations.

Rinse and Repeat Expansion

Continue spy networks, wars, vassalizations, and annexations.
Use separate peace agreements for maximum money and prestige.

Parliament, Laws, and Efficient Law Changes

Utilize parliament to change laws and improve government structure (e.g., switch from Brehon to codified power for estate satisfaction).
Change estate and admin laws for increased tax rates and control.
Monitor parliament debates and take penalties when failing votes is cheaper than direct changes.

Annexation and Province Integration

Integrate vassals and provinces.
Use cabinet actions for assimilation (culture conversion) and increased control.
Build and downgrade towns strategically to maximize resource gathering and tax base.

Phase 3 – Unite Ireland & Build Up Economy

Final War: Conquering Pale & England

Ensure England is distracted by war before attacking Pale.
Raise levies selectively to avoid losing troops needlessly.
Use supportive vassal stances and group armies for large engagements.
Take small, easy battles first, then the final big stack.
Watch out for England’s intervention; reload saves as needed.

Upgrade Country Rank: Duchy

After uniting Ireland, upgrade your country rank for increased culture capacity and diplomatic abilities.

Moving Your Capital for Maximum Control and Economy

Move capital to a coastal town with 100% natural harbor suitability (e.g., El Corka).
Integrate and annex nearby vassals to ensure contiguous control.
Build roads connecting key provinces.

Economic Development Strategy

Focus on coastal towns and ports for trade and accessibility.
Maximize RGO (Resource Gathering Operations) size based on population.
Build granaries and settlements for population growth.
Construct marketplaces, wararfs, and libraries for trade advantage and literacy.

Maximizing Crown Power; Estate Management

Revoke privileges from nobles as their power decreases.
Expand the crown population via strategic marriages.
Replace cabinet members with crown descendants for sustained control.

Inflation and Tribute Management

Reduce inflation by lowering minting temporarily.
Cancel unwanted tribute agreements for increased profits.

Market Access and Trade Node Optimization

Create a central market in your capital and remove the Dublin market as needed.
Regulate trade flow and maximize market access for all provinces.
Use Entropo trade buildings for increased market attraction and resource siphoning.

Building a Navy & Maritime Presence

Research docks, barks, and protected harbors.
Build docks and wararfs in all major port cities.
Recruit a navy and assign admirals with high diplomacy for increased maritime presence.
Spread maritime presence throughout all coastal provinces to reach 100%.
Clear out privateers and optimize sea tile coverage.
Control all naval provinces to maximize ease of trade and internal resource flow.

Expanding Industry and Streamlining Production

Optimize industrial buildings by matching resource inputs with local RGOs.
Streamline production chains for each province, deleting inefficient buildings.
Plan for future expansion by targeting high-demand resources.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you will:

Rapidly unite Ireland
Establish strong estate and crown control
Build a powerful, trade-focused economy
Maximize control, tax income, and military strength
Optimize for late-game expansion, colonization, or conquest of neighboring lands

Continue expanding by annexing vassals or exploring new territories. Focus on economic diversification, maximizing market attraction, and maintaining naval superiority for long-term success.

If you have further questions or face uncommon scenarios, refer back to each section or consult community support for advanced strategies.

Checklist

All of this article is referenced from this

References