Hamburg

Primary culture

Lower Saxon (Germanic)

Capital province

Hamburg (44)

Government

Free City

State religion

Catholic

Technology group

Western

Hamburger ideas

Traditions:

+10% National tax modifier

+10% Light ship combat ability

Hanseatic City

+15% Global trade power

Burgher Republic

+0.3 Yearly republican tradition

Walls of Hamburg

+25% Fort defense

First Constitution of Hamburg

−1 National unrest

School of the Johanneum

−10% Idea cost

Berenberg Bank

+10% Production efficiency

−0.5 Interest per annum

Shipyards of the Elbe

−10% Ship cost

Ambition:

+25% Naval force limit modifier

Hamburg is a free city of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 1444 start it is in a trade league under Lübeck.

Decisions[edit]

id

Form Westphalia

As the ideas of the Enlightenment are sweeping through Europe, we may choose to embrace them ourselves in Westphalia. Our future model state will feature ideas as revolutionary as equal rights for all male population, freedom for serfs and emancipation for the Jews, as well as enabling of free enterprise through abolition of socage and the guilds.

Potential requirements

The country:

plays with normal or historical nations
has not been an end game nation.
has not form any German nation
has not form Westphalia yet
is not an AI or playing a custom nation
is not the Holy Roman Empire, Hanover, the Papal State, Germany, Prussia or Switzerland.
Westphalia does not exist
is not the celestial empire
has Westphalian or Hessian as primary culture
is not a colonial nation or a former colonial nation
owns its core provinces Westfalen (82) and Kassel (1762)
owns at least one of the following core provinces:
- Cologne (85), Trier (80), Mainz (78), Munster (86)

Allow

The country:

- has an administrative technology of at least level 10.
- is not a subject nation other than a tributary state.
- is not a nomad nation.
- is not at war.
- owns its core provinces Westfalen (82) and Kassel (1762)
- owns at least one of the following core provinces:
  - Cologne (85), Trier (80), Mainz (78), Munster (86)
- owns at least 12 (out of 22) core provinces in North German Region with Westphalian or Hessian as primary culture

Effects

The country:
- changes to Westphalia
- if Westphalia
  - is not a kingdom
  - is either an elector of the Holy Roman Empire or is not a member of the HRE
    - then it becomes a kingdom
- if Hessian culture is not primary culture or accepted culture
  - then Hessian becomes an accepted culture
- gets the modifier “Increased Decentralization” for 20 years with the following effects:
  - +0.05 monthly autonomy change,
  - −1 national unrest.
- gets permanent claims on all not owned provinces of Westphalia, North Westphalia, Hesse (area), Palatinate (area), North Rhine and Lower Rhineland
- gets permanent claims on all not owned provinces in Europe with Westphalian or Hessian culture
If does not have custom ideas
- then it gets the event ‘New Traditions & Ambitions’
gets new missions (which are Westphalian missions)

id

Form German Nation

Regardless of the absence of a strong, central authority, our nation is prospering. The Hanseatic League, formed by hundreds of towns in northern Germany, has contributed to the prosperity of our nation. Intellectual growth, combined with sea and overland trading, has also helped spur the development and transform our country into a wealthy manufacturing center.

Potential requirements

Germany does not exist.
The country:

was never an end-game tag.
is not The Papal State, Holy Roman Empire or Roman Empire
is not a colonial nation.
has a primary culture in the Germanic culture group.
does not have Dutch as primary culture.

If the country is AI-controlled then it:

has at least 15 cities
has an administrative technology of at least 20.
can not be a former colonial nation.
can not be a theocracy.
can not be a custom nation.

Allow

The country:

has an administrative technology of at least 20.
is not a subject nation other than a tributary state.
is not a nomad nation.
is not at war.
is not the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
All of the following must be true:
- Owns Berlin (50)
- Owns München (65)
- Owns Brunswick (57)
- Owns Augsburg (1868) or Stuttgart (70)
- Owns Nürnberg (67) or Frankfurt (1876)
- Owns Niederhessen (1762) or Köln (85)
- Owns Königsberg (41) or Straßburg (75)
- Owns Hamburg (44) or Lübeck (45)
- Owns Dresden (61) or Erfurt (63)
50 owned core provinces in:
- North Germany
- South Germany

Effects

The country:

changes to Germany.
gets empire government rank.
leaves the HRE.
gets new missions.
gets permanent claims on all provinces of North Germany and South Germany that are not owned by Germany.
gains 25 prestige.
gets the modifier “Increased Centralization” for 20 years with the following effects:
- −0.05 Monthly autonomy change
- +1 National unrest

If the country does not have custom ideas

then it gets the event ‘New Traditions & Ambitions’.

The emperor of the HRE:

gets the opinion modifier “Left the Holy Roman Empire” towards Germany worth −150 opinion with a yearly decay of 1.
gets the event ‘Germany breaks out of the Empire’.

Strategy[edit]

The below is one of many player suggested strategies for Hamburg. Bear in mind, due to the dynamic nature of the game, it may unfold differently for other players.

Hamburg has many advantages that allow the potential for it to become a major power; including its trading bonuses as a Hanseatic Trade port, naval ideas, its position near the edge of the Holy Roman Empire and its access to the New World.

It is one of the 8 starting free cities in the Holy Roman Empire. This means the Emperor will normally defend it from attack by other empire members, as well as those from outside. Free cities also have a development bonus that allows it to grow rapidly. The City of Cities achievement is quite doable with a Free City. Free City status is lost if the nation grows to more than one province. In the early game, it is usually best to maintain these benefits and grow the city significantly before expanding. If this is done after the Renaissance triggers, growth can also be used to greatly accelerate adaptation long before it makes its way there from Italy. Since the Austria Expansion, it is important to keep an eye on Burgher Estate influence. It will be high to start due to the estate's high land share, Free City status, and high trade power. Growing past 30 development will bump it 10 points higher still, and it can easily surpass 100 and initiate an estate disaster if one grants too many privileges and diets, and/or does not confiscate some Burgher land.

As a Free City with both an estuary and an entrepot, Hamburg starts with considerable trade power. Unfortunately, as a member of Lubeck's trade league it shares half of this. Unless the emperor is weak, it is advisable to immediately leave the league as it is not needed for protection and seriously hampers your trade income.

Free City status can be maintained if the player vassalizes a neighbor in a war and then grows the vassal by making claims, transferring them to the vassal, and pressing claims in wars. Just be sure to only use one vassal, as it will be difficult for Hamburg's single province to maintain the loyalty of two expanding vassals. Care must always be taken to not expand within the empire too quickly, especially by annexing nations (eliminating a prince usually draws the Emperor's ire and brings penalties). Expanding up into Denmark is a good play, supporting Sweden's independence to weaken it and gain an ally. Note that this alliance is not likely to last once Sjælland is taken by Hamburg (or its vassal), as Sweden will covet it and is likely to become a rival.

By this time Hamburg will likely have to expand itself and lose Free City status, and can diplomatically annex its vassal.

Hamburg can use it's naval and trade strengths and ocean access to become a Colonial power using the exploration ideas. It first needs trade node access to the New World. The easiest is through the North Sea trade node and its access to Canada. Taking Norway's Bergenhus should be a priority if this is the desired strategy. The first New World provinces to come within colonizing range are in the Amazon Delta. There is typically enough time to set up colonial nations from there to the Caribbean, Eastern America and finally Canada before anyone cuts you off. The player can then try for a trade port or two in the Ivory Coast node and on to Asia. In this way, Hamburg is a good pick to get the Market Control achievement. An extensive trade network is also necessary to get the Bunte Kuh achievement.