United States

Primary culture

American (British)

Capital province

Manhattan (965)

Government

Constitutional Republic

State religion

Protestant

Technology group

Western

American ideas

Traditions:

+1 Merchant

+10% Marines force limit

Freedom of Religion

+5 Tolerance of heretics

Bill of Rights

−2 National unrest

Manifest Destiny

+1 Colonist

Lessons of Valley Forge

+10% Morale of armies

Workshop of the World

+15% Goods produced modifier

Shining City on a Hill

+1 Yearly prestige

Empire of Liberty

−0.025 Monthly autonomy change

−10% Minimum autonomy in territories

Ambition:

+0.3 Yearly republican tradition

The United States is a nation born from the fires of European colonialism. Instead of owing allegiance to a European monarch like so many other colonies, its capital and heartland are in North America. Once ties are cut with nations across the Atlantic, the United States may fulfill its manifest destiny for all future Americans.

Missions[edit]

Main article: American missions

United States's missions focus on the revolutionary war and expansion in North America.

Events[edit]

Main articles: American revolution events, American Dream events

The US' events mostly focus on the American revolution. The American Dream DLC adds many other historical events. Below are events added on free DLC Women in History:

id

Eliza Lucas

Born in Antigua, Eliza Lucas moved to South Carolina as a teenager with her family. She soon assumed a position of responsibility for managing the plantation and its slaves at this early age and experimented with a number of different seed in an effort to diversify the South Carolina farming industry which, at this point, was heavily dependent on rice. Indigo proved to be the saving crop and would enrich South Carolina for years. She married a wealthy planter named Pinckney and raised two sons who would be Founding Fathers of the new American republic.

This event happens only once during a campaign.

Trigger conditions

The country:

is either United States or the country:
- has a British primary culture
- owns a province in North America
- does not have the North American technology group.

The year is between 1722 and 1800.

Mean time to happen

200 months

Her knowledge would be useful for us, we should consider her as an advisor.

The country:

gets access to the discounted female American natural scientist (skill 2) named ‘Eliza Lucas’.
If this country is the Emperor of China,
then it gains 5 meritocracy.

She is a great example to us all.

The country:

gains 10 prestige.
gets the modifier “Eliza Lucas” for 20 years with the following effect:
- +10% national tax modifier.

id

Abigail Adams

The first Second Lady and the second First Lady, Abigail Adams is the wife of John Adams, the first Vice President, and second President, of the United States. She is an erudite lady with an open mind and great intellect whose husband often seeks her advice on political matters and government. Political opponents refer to her as 'Mrs. President' as she is very politically active, especially about women's rights. There is a letter from her to John Adams that says: '...remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.'. She advocates for married women's property rights, believes that women should not be content with only being companions to their husbands, that they should not submit to laws not made in their interest and that women should be educated.

This event happens only once during a campaign.

Trigger conditions

Is United States.

The year is at least 1744.

Mean time to happen

200 months

She is already an advisor to her husband, now make her one for the country.

Gain access to a female discounted statesman advisor with skill 2 named Abigail Adams.
If this country is the Emperor of China,
then it gains 5 meritocracy.

We hope she'll be able to influence our great country.

Gain the “Abigail Adams” country modifier for 20 years, giving:

+1 diplomatic reputation.

id

Sacagawea

Lewis and Clark hired Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife Sacagawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman, as interpreters and guides to accompany them on their expedition. They hired them when they discovered that Sacagawea spoke Shoshone, which would be helpful when they needed help of Shoshone tribes. She soon proved her worth when the expedition tried to trade for horses to cross the Rocky Mountain and used her to interpret. The tribe's chief was Sacagawea's brother Cameahwait. He agreed to let them buy horses and provided guides to lead them over the Rocky Mountains. Besides her role as interpreter and guide, Sacagawea's mere presence with the expedition showed their peaceful intent, as it was a token of peace.

This event happens only once during a campaign.

Trigger conditions

Either:

Is United States
Is a western technology group nation that owns any province in North America.

The year is at least 1780.

Mean time to happen

200 months

Let us offer her a role as conquistadora.

Gain a new female conquistador named Sacagawea with:

1 fire,
2 shock,
3 maneuver,
1 siege.

Offer her a position as advisor.

Gain access to a female discounted diplomat with skill 2 named Sacagawea.
If this country is the Emperor of China,
then it gains 5 meritocracy.

id

Nanyehi

The Beloved Woman of the Cherokee Nancy Ward or Nanyehi - One who goes about - sits in councils and makes decisions together with other Beloved Women and chiefs. She is known to us as a peace negotiator and ambassador who believes that we should live in peaceful coexistence with people from other countries and cultures. Her first husband was Kingfisher, who died in the battle of Taliwa. Nanyehi continued the fight and led her people to victory. Her bravery was awarded with the title of 'Ghigau' which made her a member of the tribal council of chiefs. The Women's Council of Clan Representatives named her their leader and she became the ambassador and negotiator for her people. From Mrs. Lydia William Bean, who Nanyehi spared when the woman was captured after an attack on Bean's settlement, she was taught a new loom weaving technique after having nursed Bean back to health. The new weaving technique changed the roles of women in the Cherokee society. The men was left to do the planting, traditionally a woman's job, when the women took on the weaving. Two dairy cows were rescued from the destroyed settlement by Mrs. Bean, who then taught Nanyehi to raise the cattle and to eat dairy products. This proved helpful as the dairy could sustain the Cherokee when hunting was bad. Chief Attakullakulla taught Nanyehi the art of diplomacy and she was much surprised when she met European diplomats as there were no women negotiators among them. Their leader was appalled, such important work should not be given to a woman! Nanyehi replied: 'You know that women are always looked upon as nothing; but we are your mothers, you are our sons. Our cry is all for peace, let it continue. This peace must last forever. Let your women's sons be ours, our sons be yours. Let your women hear our words.'.

This event happens only once during a campaign.

Trigger conditions

One of the following is true:
- is United States and Cherokee exists,
- is Cherokee and borders any nation with capital in Europe.

The year is at least 1738.

Mean time to happen

200 months

She has a point in that...

Gain access to a female discounted diplomat with skill 2 named Nanyehi.
If this country is the Emperor of China,
then it gains 5 meritocracy.

This is something we must ponder.

Gain the “Nanyehi” country modifier for 20 years, giving:

+1 diplomatic reputation.

Formation[edit]

The United States can be formed by any former colonial nation with its capital in ‘Colonial Eastern America’ (colonial region).

id

Form American Nation

Long have these proud colonies been subject to the greed and oppression of the European powers, but no more! The surge of liberty in the colonies has granted us an opportunity of forming a proud federation of independent states free from tyranny. The United States of America!

Potential requirements

is not playing with random New World.
has not enacted a colonial nation formation decision before.
is not an end-game tag.
is not a nomad nation.
Either:
- is a colonial nation.
- is a former colonial nation.
- Capital is in the Colonial Eastern America region.
  - is not in a native American technology group.
owns a province in the Colonial Eastern America region.

Allow

United States does not exist.
Administrative technology is at least 10.
is not a subject nation other than a tributary state.
is not at war.
Capital is in the Colonial Eastern America region.
owns at least 10 cities in the Colonial Eastern America region as cores.

Effects

The country:

changes to United States.
gains a permanent claim on every non-owned province of:
- Colonial Eastern America region.
gains 25 prestige.
gets the modifier “Increased Centralization” for 20 years:
- −0.05 Monthly autonomy change
- +1 National unrest

If the country:

is a member of the Holy Roman Empire and not an elector or the emperor
- then all its provinces are removed from the HRE.
is a duchy
- then it becomes a kingdom.
if primary culture is in the British culture group:
- change primary culture to American.
does not have custom ideas
- then it gets the ‘New Traditions & Ambitions’ event.
gets new missions.

Strategy[edit]

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

Forming the United States by Releasing a Colonial Nation[edit]

This strategy requires players to behave a little unnaturally for the first century or so of the game, but if done correctly, it will produce an American empire stretching "from sea to shining sea" many years before 1776. Playing as a colonial European power such as England, Portugal, Castile, or France, focus on colonizing above all else. Access to the Eastern America region may be gained most often through Iceland and the Azores leading, respectively, to Greenland and Bermuda. The Azores and Iceland are low-cost military targets, but are often hard to fabricate claims on, so another casus belli must be used.

Ideas[edit]

The first idea group acquired should of course be Exploration, followed by Expansion, though it can be wise to wait until reaching Diplomatic Technology Level 7 before investing any monarch points in ideas. The third idea group needs to be a military idea group. As of 1.28, only Plutocratic Ideas unlocks a policy that boosts settler growth. However, completing Humanist Ideas along with Exploration unlocks a policy that gives a +50% bonus to native assimilation, which can be very useful if paired with the Native Trading Policy.

All policies benefiting colonization should be implemented as soon as the requisite idea groups are completed.

Gameplay as the Mother Country[edit]

Complete every mission and take every event decision that grants the Colonial Enthusiasm modifier or otherwise helps colony growth. For example, a player can boost Global Settler Increase by +10 by granting the "Grant New World Charter" privilege to the Burgher Estate. Colonial Eastern America is usually a low priority for other nations' colonization efforts; wise players will use this to their advantage and get the Pope to recognize their right to the area before anyone else has arrived. (This can result in a Catholic United States, but it's worth it to discourage competitors from colonizing provinces the United States will want later on. Alternatively, a player can embrace the Reformation early to avoid dealing with the Treaty of Tordesillas altogether.) Countries with a parliament, like England, should use it to get an extra colonist as often as possible. Resolving parliamentary debates immediately will shorten the length of time a player must wait before the Charter Colonies debate option comes up again. If playing with the Golden Century expansion, a player can take advantage of expelling religious or cultural minorities to the colonies to give them a development boost.

Colonize the entire Eastern America region, focusing on the coastlines first. Conquer any Native American tribes in the region as soon as the fledgling colonial nation can successfully absorb them. With the incentive of an adjacent province, the colonial nation may declare a few of these colonial conquest wars on its own. Note that as of 1.18.3, these tribes will embrace institutions quickly, losing their status as "primitives" and therefore the Colonial Conquest causus belli. If left alone for too long, a player will need to fabricate a claim on their provinces like any other nation.

It can be helpful to establish tiny colonial nations in adjoining regions like Canada and Mexico. These will give a Catholic mother country a Treaty of Tordesillas claim on these areas to keep rivals out, but at the same time will leave plenty of open land for the United States to expand into once it's independent. To prevent giving these nations any land the future United States might desire, use the subject interactions in the Subjects tab to grant provinces to the correct colonial nation. Note that a player may only grant provinces that are directly controlled, not provinces belonging to another colonial nation, so the single day when a colony is self-sustaining but not yet granted to its normal colonial nation is often the only possible day to grant it to the future United States. Note also that it is not possible to grant provinces while at war, so time wars carefully!

During all this colonizing, do not neglect European expansion. A player needs to maintain a strong European power base so that the colonial nation’s liberty desire stays below 50% until the player is ready to release it. For the same reason, it’s best to keep tariffs as low as feasible. Granting provinces will also decrease liberty desire, as will investing in the colonial nation's development. A wise player will do a lot of both to give the future United States the best starting position possible. If playing with the Mandate of Heaven DLC, don't be afraid to take a Golden Age as the European power; since the United States will be a new nation, it will be able to have a golden age of its own later on.

Releasing the Colony[edit]

Once the entire Eastern America region is colonized (or more, if a player is intent on gifting provinces outside that colonial region) and the nation is ready to be released, a wise player will make sure that the newly independent United States doesn’t have to immediately compete against the colonizing powerhouse of the mother country. It is therefore best to send all the mother country’s colonists to the most remote, slow-growing, uncolonized land within reach (jungle provinces in Africa, for instance), or to abandon the Exploration and Expansion groups altogether and use the regained monarch power to further develop the colonial nation. If the newly released American nation is likely to come into quick conflict with its mother country, it is possible to sabotage the European country before releasing the colonial nation. If the two are likely to be allies because of their shared cultural ties, however, it’s often best to leave the European power in as strong a military position as possible before releasing your colonial nation. If other colonizing nations have established colonies that America will want to absorb, it can be helpful to have the European mother country rival the owners of those colonial nations.

If the mother country has, as this strategy guide suggests, established small colonial nations near the United States, it's advisable to release these nations as well, just before releasing the United States (make sure not to play as them, though!). This allows America to have some neighbors to interact with, and possibly vassalize and annex.

Now it's time to release the colonial nation. Make sure to check the box to play as the released nation!

Gameplay as the United States[edit]

Once in the driver's seat of the newly independent nation, a player has a lot of important decisions to make. The first is to get the right idea groups. The colonial nation should already have completed Expansion Ideas and Plutocratic Ideas, but the extra colonist and the colonization-boosting policies from Exploration Ideas will help America reach the Pacific before other nations do (or, at least, in time to keep their colonial nations in California and Cascadia small). It is worth abandoning two of the uncompleted idea groups in order to access Exploration and Quantity Ideas immediately. Don't worry about the loss; these idea groups can be chosen again later if needed. Abandoning these idea groups should refund a small amount of monarch power that can then be spent on the new idea groups. It may be wise to get the first few ideas in these groups before forming the United States—a colonial nation's generic national ideas include one that reduces the cost of ideas; the American national ideas do not. Instead, they grant an extra colonist, which will be needed, so don't delay forming the United States for too long. (Plus, once the United States is formed, a player gets access to all the fun events from the American Dream DLC, almost all of which are helpful.) Later on, the +5 states bonus granted by completing Administrative Ideas and the +1 attrition for enemies bonus from Defensive Ideas can both be extremely useful.

If a player has followed this strategy guide and colonized the entire Eastern America colonial region and the coastal provinces of Louisiana, all of the United States' nation-specific missions will be automatically completable once the nation is formed, giving instant access to their bonuses.

If the United States is Catholic, a wise player will seriously consider changing the country’s religion to either Reformed or Protestant. As a Catholic nation, colonizing any colonial region that's already claimed by another Catholic power, including America's mother country, will damage America’s relations with that country and hurt settler growth in that region. As a Protestant or Reformed nation—even if the majority of America’s provinces are still Catholic—the United States faces neither penalty. (And if a Protestant United States adds the Heretics Deported aspect of faith, her colonies will grow even faster.) The relations penalty for being a different religion than most of Europe is much more easily overcome than the penalty for repeatedly breaking the Treaty of Tordesillas. Keep in mind also that provinces must be the state religion before their culture can be changed.

For the moment, America’s focus should be the same as it was for the mother nation: colonize, colonize, colonize. With luck, the nation's colonists may have already encroached into Louisiana or Canada before the nation was even released. Expand upon this advantage. Focus on coastlines; if other nations can't get an easy foothold into a region, they're likely to leave it alone. The four coastal provinces of Louisiana are the first priority; after that, consider cutting off expansion into Canada. Then make a beeline toward the Pacific. Try to prevent the Europeans from colonizing California if at all possible. If someone else gets there first, make sure they can't expand eastward through Arizona or Oregon. Conquering native tribes can be very helpful in getting west quickly. Focus on choosing event options that boost your colonies' growth, and make sure to core provinces once they reach 1000 inhabitants.

While colonizing, try to stay out of fights with European powers until America’s technology is at least equal to theirs and the United States has a stalwart European ally who can keep most of a European enemy’s troops busy. Often, the mother nation is the best bet for such an ally. It can be useful to delay declaring rivals for a time to avoid being called into European wars before America is ready for them. Quantity Ideas are essential for America to defend her vast borders from European invasions and internal insurrections.

An Alternative Strategy[edit]

Colonial overlords are not called in to defend colonial nations when they are attacked by another nation in the Americas, including the United States. America can take advantage of this fact by allowing other nations to colonize California, Alaska, and Mexico and then cheaply and easily conquering those colonial nations before they gain independence. While this allows North America to be colonized more quickly overall, it does so at the cost of having to deal with different religions and cultures in the conquered provinces. Provinces directly colonized by the United States do not face these penalties.

Institution Spread[edit]

Colonial nations have a generous bonus to institution spread while under the control of their mother country. Once the mother country embraces an institution, its colonial nations will do so shortly thereafter. This bonus ends the moment the colonial nation is released. A wise player will plan proactively to embrace future institutions by building the appropriate buildings—trade buildings for Global Trade (if playing with Dharma, upgrade Centers of Trade instead); manufactories, plantations, and trade stations for Manufactories; and universities for the Enlightenment. Much of this can be done as the European power developing its subject. Make sure the requisite buildings are built in at least 10 percent of the country's development, ideally before the institution is even born. With aggressive colonization, America's economic base should expand sufficiently to cover the costs of all this construction (and the construction, in turn, will boost America's economy—especially the plantations and trade companies). Even so, the United States will likely have to save up two or three thousand ducats to fully embrace the institution—that's the downside of colonization: each province added to the nation increases the cost of embracing institutions. It may be necessary to take out loans to embrace an institution and avoid falling behind Europe technologically, but it is usually worth the cost, if for no other reason than obtaining or maintaining great power status and the benefits that come with it.

Manifest Destiny[edit]

Done correctly, the United States can reach the Pacific and potentially colonize parts of Siberia, Australia, Indonesia, and Oceania before turning its attention inward and settling the Great Plains of North America. (Once all the available land is colonized, owners of the Dharma expansion can employ their colonists to improve settled provinces.) By this time, especially if America has conquered another colonial nation or two, the United States should be a great power able to compete directly with any nation in Europe. Support the Independence of any large New World colonial nations that America doesn't intend to invade (such as ones in Brazil or La Plata), and America can gain some consistent, reliable allies who probably have some of the same European rivals that the United States does. It can be very hard for two or even three European powers to invade the combined territory (and military might) of the United States, Chile, and Brazil. Eclipse enough European rivals, and America may even find herself in a cold war with Russia—a century and a half early.

Starting at the 4 July 1776 Bookmark[edit]

Getting Started[edit]

Obtaining the achievement “Liberty or Death” is actually fairly easy, in large part because the starting scenario is somewhat ahistorical. Before unpausing, a player has several decisions to make, such as adopting policies and starting diplomacy. Select policies that will be most beneficial to the war effort, such as the Land Inheritance Act, Local Army Organization, and The Fleet Is our Wooden Wall. The United States also starts with an overabundance of generals. Fire the lowest-ranked three (at least) and hire an admiral instead—he will be needed.

Don’t bother sending out colonists or missionaries; the Revolution will require taking out loans, and superfluous expenses like these should be eliminated to minimize the debt. Do, however, send America’s currently idle merchants to nearby trade nodes to maximize trade revenue. Promoting English to be an accepted culture will also benefit America’s balance sheet.

A player can send diplomats to improve relations with Great Britain’s European rivals, such as France, Spain, and the Netherlands, but don’t expect them to lead to an alliance without the help of an event—the distance between borders penalty is simply too great, especially when American army and navy strength declines as the United States takes casualties. Luckily (and ahistorically), a player doesn't need them to win.

Military Maneuvers[edit]

The first order of business would seem to be taking care of the rebel stack in the Ticonderoga province. But before sending the American Army stack north, split off one unit and send it to capture the two British provinces in Illinois. This will prevent a player from being harassed in Kentucky and allow the player to claim those two provinces at the end of the war. Then go crush the rebels.

Defeating the rebels will leave the US Army near the border with Newfoundland. Unlike the historical American invasion of Canada, which ended in disaster, this campaign doesn’t have to result in defeat. Newfoundland usually gathers their army in the province of Quebec. Superior American numbers can force them to retreat to Halifax. Lay siege to the fort at Fundy, using bombardment to shorten the time (and casualties) required to capture it. Then annihilate the Newfoundland Army. Capture Newfoundland provinces to amass warscore.

The US Navy is at least as important as the Army in winning this war. Before unpausing, a wise player will use the Burghers interaction “Draft Ships for War” and will also begin construction on 3-5 other heavy ships. The first order of business is to destroy the small blockading fleets from British Florida and the British West Indies; this can usually be done before ships from the British Navy proper appear in American waters. The British usually begin the war by sending a task force of 30 transports to land a 30k army in North America (usually in Nova Scotia or Massachusetts). Preventing their landing is critical. It is far easier to destroy a British regiment by sinking its transport than it is to defeat it in a land battle. Usually, however, the British transport fleet will retreat to Bermuda at the first sign of an approaching American Navy. Bottling up British troops on the island (where they will often suffer attrition from being over the supply limit) is a viable strategy, though using the fleet to blockade coastal forts in Canada is useful as well. But do not engage the British Navy in an even fight; if the British sink too many American ships, they will be able to land troops with impunity, which is the worst possible scenario for the United States.

Another important decision is whether to ask for military access from Creek, and if so, when. British Florida (oddly called “Thirteen Colonies” in-game) is completely separated from the United States by the Creek nation. Without military access, they can be safely ignored; with it, their provinces can be occupied for some extra war score. Their level-1 capital fort in Mobile is a particularly soft target, and capturing it will cause the nation’s war enthusiasm to plummet. But if America’s forces will be engaged elsewhere, count on a 5K enemy army besieging Savannah, Augusta, and Charleston. It can be worthwhile to hire a small mercenary unit to defeat that army and capture the Gulf Coast.

By preventing the British from landing and keeping the Newfoundland Army busy in Canada, a player can easily achieve the war goal of defending Philadelphia and the full 25 warscore that comes with it. Conquering a Canadian fort or two will allow the player to demand several neighboring provinces in the peace deal (including those two in Illinois). Congratulations on completing the Liberty or Death achievement!

After the War[edit]

After peace is signed, the remaining thirty or forty years of the game consist of repaying war loans and figuring out the right order in which to conquer the neighboring Native American tribes. There is just enough time for an ambitious player to finish the unique missions on the American mission tree.