EU4: Beginner’s Guide for Ming (Ultimate 2024)

Welcome to Europa Universalis IV, where history and strategy converge! In this guide, we’ll take on the mighty role of Ming, an empire that once shaped the destiny of East Asia.

Whether you’re a newcomer to EU4 or a fledgling strategist looking for a fresh adventure, this guide is your gateway to unlocking the full potential of playing as Ming. Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of Ming, where your decisions will shape the course of history.
Your journey begins now!

1444: Ming’s Epoch Begins – Charting Your Path to Greatness

Diplomacy

• Nurture Your Alliances: Start by maintaining a close alliance with nations like Korea and Mong Yang. These alliances provide security and deter potential threats from other Asian powers.
• Improve Relations: Focus on improving relations with Ming’s neighbors, such as Korea and Jianzhou. Seek alliances and establish strong diplomatic ties for mutual defense.
• Optional Alliances: Consider forming alliances with nations like Oirat or Tibet for additional security or potential support in expansion.

Economy and Military

• Economize During Peace: During peacetime, reduce army maintenance to save resources. However, be prepared to swiftly increase it if confronted with hostile neighbors or rebellions.
• Invest in Your Navy: Ming’s vast coastline makes its navy crucial for trade, exploration, and safeguarding your interests abroad. Ensure your fleet is fully funded and ready for action.
• Construct Junks: Boost your naval power by constructing Junks, especially in provinces with high naval force limits. Deploy them to protect trade in the Canton and Hangzhou trade nodes to maximize your income.

Technology and Ideas

• Embrace Confucianism: Ming starts as a Confucian nation. Focus on improving your Confucian harmony to maintain stability and reduce unrest.
• Prioritize Administrative Technology: In the early game, prioritize Administrative Technology to unlock administrative ideas. This helps with managing your vast empire and increasing administrative efficiency.
• Select Exploration as a Strategic Choice: While not typically an exploration-focused nation, Ming can still benefit from exploration ideas. Consider selecting Exploration as your first idea group. This will enable you to discover new lands, gain colonial opportunities, and unlock more trade routes.
• Expand Your Horizons: As Ming, consider exploring and colonizing the islands of Taiwan, the Philippines, or even parts of Southeast Asia to secure valuable trade routes and resources.

1444 – 1450: Setting the Course for Ming’s Prosperity

Early Diplomacy and Consolidation

• Establish Diplomatic Relations: Begin by nurturing friendly relations with neighboring nations, such as Korea and Jianzhou. Consider improving your diplomatic reputation to secure alliances.
• Stabilize the Realm: Invest in your domestic stability. Reduce unrest by embracing Confucianism and promoting Confucian values. Use harsh treatment and deploy troops if necessary to maintain control.

Expansion and Expansion Management

• Expand Southwards: In the early years, focus on expanding into the southern provinces, particularly in Southeast Asia. This will help secure valuable trade nodes and resources.
• Colonize Taiwan: Consider colonizing Taiwan early on to establish a foothold in the region and secure a critical trade route.
• Handle Newly Acquired Territories: After each successful conquest, make sure to core the newly acquired provinces. This will help integrate them efficiently into your empire and reduce the risk of unrest.

Trade and Economy

• Maximize Trade Income: Focus on dominating trade in the Canton and Hangzhou trade nodes. Build trade buildings and deploy light ships to protect trade routes and maximize your income.
• Economic Development: Invest in economic infrastructure by building marketplaces, workshops, and production buildings in key provinces.

Innovative Technology and Ideas

• Prioritize Administrative Technology: In the early game, allocate resources to boost Administrative Technology, which will aid in managing your vast empire and increase administrative efficiency.
• Select Exploration Ideas: As Ming, consider choosing Exploration as your first idea group. This enables you to embark on overseas exploration and colonization, expanding your horizons and securing valuable resources.
• Expand Your Knowledge: Engage in cultural exchange missions, foster diplomatic relations with neighboring nations, and keep an eye on technology developments to stay ahead of the curve.

1450 – 1465: Ming’s Ascendancy and Regional Influence

Expanding into Southeast Asia

• Secure South China Sea: Focus on expanding your influence in the South China Sea region by annexing coastal provinces. This area is vital for controlling trade and projecting power.
• Annex Southeast Asian Nations: Look for opportunities to vassalize or conquer smaller Southeast Asian nations to strengthen your position in the region.

Trade and Economic Growth

• Empower Trade Nodes: Continue to develop the Canton and Hangzhou trade nodes. Build marketplaces, manufactories, and trade depots to maximize your trade income.
• Invest in Infrastructure: As your wealth grows, invest in the development of key provinces, particularly those with valuable trade goods. This will further boost your economy.

Continued Technological Advancement

• Advance in Administrative Technology: Keep prioritizing Administrative Technology to unlock advanced government reforms, further enhancing your administrative capabilities.
• Consider Diplomatic Ideas: As your empire expands, consider selecting Diplomatic ideas as your second idea group. This will aid in managing diplomatic relations and avoiding aggressive expansion penalties.

Diplomacy and Geopolitical Maneuvers

• Assert Regional Dominance: As a major power in East Asia, diplomatically engage with neighboring nations, like Korea or Japan, to ensure regional stability and minimize potential threats.
• Cautious Expansion: While your empire continues to grow, be mindful of overextending yourself. Avoid unnecessary conflicts with major powers and focus on consolidating your gains.

Exploration and Colonization

• Expand Overseas: Continue exploring and colonizing islands in the South China Sea and beyond. These colonies can secure valuable resources and establish trade routes.
• Colonize the Philippines: Consider expanding your colonial presence to the Philippines, as they provide an excellent stepping stone for further exploration in the Pacific region.

1465 – 1480: Ming’s Global Aspirations

Expansion and Territorial Consolidation

• Secure the South: Continue expanding your influence in Southeast Asia, focusing on annexing or vassalizing key nations in the South China Sea region.
• Expand into India: Consider directing your expansion into the Indian subcontinent. The rich trade nodes and resources there can significantly boost your empire’s wealth.

Trade and Wealth Management

• Dominate Key Trade Nodes: As your empire expands, ensure your control over trade nodes such as Malacca and Bengal. Construct trade buildings and use light ships to protect trade routes for maximum income.
• Economic Prosperity: Invest in the development of your wealthiest provinces, particularly those with high-value trade goods, to further strengthen your economic prowess.

Technology and Ideas

• Advance in Administrative Technology: Maintain your lead in administrative technology, unlocking advanced government reforms and increasing your administrative efficiency.
• Consider Innovative Ideas: As your empire continues to grow, consider selecting Innovative ideas to reduce technology costs and enhance your nation’s adaptability.

Diplomacy and Geopolitical Strategies

• Engage with Regional Powers: Diplomatically engage with significant regional powers like the Timurids or the Bahmanis. Seek alliances or non-aggression pacts to ensure stability in your expanding territories.
• Manage Aggressive Expansion: Be cautious of your aggressive expansion. Balance your conquests with diplomatic maneuvers to avoid coalitions forming against you.

Exploration and Overseas Expansion

• Explore the Pacific: Expand your exploration efforts into the Pacific Ocean, discovering and colonizing the islands that can secure vital trade routes and resources.
• Secure Taiwan: If you haven’t already, consider fully securing Taiwan as a core province, strengthening your control over the region and protecting your interests.

1480 – 1495: Ming’s Path to Global Supremacy

Expansion and Consolidation in the East

• Annex Southeast Asian Rivals: Focus on bringing Southeast Asian rivals under your control, expanding your influence and securing valuable trade routes.
• South Indian Dominance: Expand your territorial reach into South India, capturing key provinces and trade centers to further boost your income and power.

Trade and Economic Prosperity

• Trade Node Dominance: Maintain your dominance in trade nodes like Malacca and Bengal, ensuring they remain integral to your wealth and trade income.
• Infrastructure Investments: Continue investing in the development of your core provinces, enhancing their economic potential with marketplaces, workshops, and production buildings.

Technological Advancement and Innovation

• Advance in Administrative Technology: Stay ahead in administrative technology, using it to unlock essential government reforms and increase the efficiency of your administration.
• Consider Additional Idea Groups: Think about selecting a third idea group that complements your strategy. Economic, Expansion, or Trade ideas can be valuable choices depending on your goals.

Diplomacy and Regional Stability

• Regional Diplomacy: Engage with neighboring powers in East Asia, ensuring your diplomatic influence extends across the region. Form alliances or vassalize nearby nations as needed.
• Maintain a Balance: Continue to manage aggressive expansion carefully. Keep a close eye on potential coalitions and work diplomatically to prevent them from forming.

Overseas Expansion and Exploration

• Pacific and Indian Ocean Exploration: Extend your exploration into the Pacific and Indian Oceans, colonizing islands that bolster your trade network and provide strategic advantages.
• Secure the Spice Islands: Expand your reach into the Spice Islands, establishing a firm presence and controlling these valuable trade centers.

1495 – 1510: Ming’s Quest for World Dominance

Expansion and Hegemony in Asia

• Indian Subcontinent Mastery: Continue expanding into the Indian subcontinent, consolidating your hold on key provinces and trade centers. The wealth and resources gained will fuel your ambitions.
• Southeast Asian Supremacy: Secure dominance in Southeast Asia by annexing or vassalizing rival states, further strengthening your trade network and territorial control.

Trade and Prosperity

• Trade Node Monopoly: Ensure your control over critical trade nodes like Malacca and Bengal remains unwavering. Invest in trade buildings and protect trade routes to maximize income.
• Economic Investment: Dedicate resources to the development of your most prosperous provinces, fostering economic growth and reinforcing your position as a global economic powerhouse.

Technological Advancement and Innovation

• Advanced Administration: Stay at the forefront of administrative technology, unlocking advanced government reforms and streamlining your administration for greater efficiency.
• Complementary Idea Groups: Select a third idea group that complements your strategy. Consider options like Economic, Expansion, or Quality ideas to further enhance your capabilities.

Diplomacy and Global Influence

• Global Diplomacy: Expand your diplomatic reach to nations across the world. Form alliances or establish vassals in regions far beyond Asia to exert your influence on a global scale.
• Coalition Prevention: Continue to manage aggressive expansion effectively. Use diplomacy and strategic warfare to prevent the formation of powerful coalitions.

Overseas Expansion and Exploration

• Pacific and Indian Ocean Mastery: Broaden your exploration into the Pacific and Indian Oceans, colonizing islands that bolster your trade network, enhance your naval power, and secure your global presence.
• Control the Indonesian Archipelago: Solidify your dominance in the Indonesian Archipelago, securing control over the Spice Islands and further enriching your trade empire.

Key Tips and Considerations for Ming

* As Ming, keeping your empire stable and harmonious is crucial. Embrace Confucianism and prioritize improving Confucian harmony to reduce unrest in newly conquered territories. Use harsh treatment or deploy troops when necessary to maintain control and avoid rebellions.

* Leverage your vast territory and control over valuable trade nodes like Canton, Hangzhou, Malacca, and Bengal to become a trade powerhouse. Build trade buildings, deploy light ships to protect trade routes, and invest in provinces with high-value trade goods to maximize your income.

* Expand cautiously and strategically. Prioritize regions with valuable trade goods, such as Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Keep an eye on aggressive expansion and utilize diplomacy to manage potential threats, forming alliances or vassalizing nearby nations as needed.

What are The Best Idea Groups for Ming in EU4?

For Ming, focusing on dominance in Asia, it’s essential to choose idea groups that complement your expansion, economy, and diplomatic influence. Here are three idea groups that align well with Ming’s objectives in Asia:

Best Idea Groups for Ming Focusing on Dominating Asia

Domination Ideas: Domination ideas are a great choice for Ming as they enhance your ability to control and manage a vast empire. The bonuses provided by this group, including reduced aggressive expansion impact, increased diplomatic reputation, and improved relations over time, are highly beneficial for diplomatic maneuvering and expansion.

Economic Ideas: Economic ideas can help Ming maximize its economic potential. The reduced development cost, increased production efficiency, and additional merchants boost your income and allow you to further strengthen your economy. This is especially useful for sustaining large armies and fleets.

Expansion Ideas: Expansion ideas are ideal for Ming if you aim to expand your empire into new territories, particularly in Asia. The extra colonists, reduced colonist maintenance, and increased settler growth can facilitate your colonization efforts, ensuring you secure vital trade nodes and resources.

Best Idea Groups for Military Ming in EUIV

Quality Ideas: Quality ideas focus on enhancing the quality of your military forces, making them more effective in battle. The increased discipline, combat ability, and army morale boost the performance of your troops. This is crucial when dealing with rival Asian powers or potential European threats.

Offensive Ideas: Offensive ideas are a strong choice for Ming to bolster its military capabilities. Bonuses such as increased land force limit, reduced army attrition, and additional leader pips make your armies more formidable on the battlefield. This is particularly useful when expanding aggressively.

Defensive Ideas: Defensive ideas provide a solid foundation for Ming’s military strategy by increasing your army’s resilience and reducing war exhaustion. The reduced attrition, fort maintenance cost, and extra army tradition help your forces endure long conflicts and maintain their effectiveness.

How can I reduce unrest in Ming’s vast empire?

To reduce unrest in Ming:

• Embrace Confucianism and promote Confucian values for religious harmony.
• Improve Confucian harmony through events, decisions, and state interactions.
• Use harsh treatment strategically to suppress rebellions.
• Keep a standing army ready to deter unrest and respond to rebellions promptly.

How can I maximize Ming’s trade income?

To maximize trade income in Ming:

• Dominate key trade nodes like Canton, Hangzhou, Malacca, and Bengal.
• Develop provinces with high-value trade goods like spices and silk.
• Assign merchants to steer trade toward your home node.
• Utilize trade policies like “Collect from Trade” and “Protect Trade” strategically.

How do I expand aggressively as Ming without facing coalition wars?

To expand aggressively as Ming without facing coalitions:

• Maintain a positive diplomatic reputation by improving relations with neighbors.
• Be mindful of aggressive expansion and avoid taking too many provinces in one war.
• Form alliances with nations that can influence potential coalition members.
• Prioritize fabricating claims and insulting rivals for expansion to reduce diplomatic cost.

Conclusion

This Ming Guide is written for the vanilla version of EUIV – if you want to add up the fun of playing Europa Universalis IV, consider adding DLCs and content packs to your game.

As we conclude our exploration of the Ming Empire in Europa Universalis IV, it’s evident that guiding this formidable dynasty requires a delicate balance of diplomacy, economic mastery, and strategic expansion. From expanding your influence across Asia to managing the intricate web of international relations, Ming offers a captivating and rewarding gameplay experience.

We trust that this guide has shed light on your journey to success and kindled your fascination with the captivating world of Europa Universalis IV. Now, the reins are in your hands: What unique strategies or unforgettable moments have you encountered in your Ming campaigns? Share your tales in the comments below, and together, let’s continue to shape the epic narrative of EU4!