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Almost a decade into its existence, Europa Universalis 4 remains one of the world's best strategy games. With so much to learn about trade, military, colonizing, and politics, and with so many DLCs to choose from, jumping into it can be overwhelming. But it's worth it, especially if you're after a kind of experience that's a bit grander than Civilization.
And it is grand. The game spans almost 400 years of human history across the entire world's map. And since colonization is a large part of that history, nations like the Thirteen Colonies can go on to form the United States once freed from their overlords. But is the United States worth it? And what are some other powerful colonial nations you can form in Europa Universalis 4?
It's usually best to form these countries through powers like Spain, Portugal, France, or Great Britain. Unless you lose colonial nations through revolution, you can choose to release them from the Subjects tab. To play as a colonial nation, you'll need the Conquest of Paradise DLC.
10 Vermont
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An independent country from 1777 to 1791, Vermont is a formable colonial nation in EU4. It's also a representative of New England as a whole since one of its ideas is The Boston Tea Party, which occurred in Massachusetts. This idea gives you bonuses in yearly prestige and in the efficiency of your embargoes.
But Vermont is blessed with good ideas all around. A great one for settling further into the North American interior is American Frontier, which reduces the chance of Native uprising by 50 percent and blesses you with a 50 percent chance of Native assimilation. A former colonial nation in the Vermont area can form Vermont.
9 West Indies
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Don't play as the West Indies if you're looking to be a military powerhouse or to blob. The West Indies are best played tall. Their ideas are mostly economic, which means you could soon be rolling in ducats.
The West Indies start with an additional merchant and colonist, decreased construction costs, increased production, and bonuses to trade range and global trade power. If you manage to seize control of the Caribbean trade node, which includes Venezuela, you have the chance to starve Europe by steering the trade winds to your tiny group of islands.
8 Brazil
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Brazilian ideas provide increased attrition for enemies, higher infantry ability, +1 yearly legitimacy, and decreased core creation costs, among other benefits.
Even though Brazil gained independence in 1822, one year after EU4's canonical gameplay ends, it's still possible to form it before then. Any former colonial nation with its capital in Colonial Brazil may form Brazil. If you're playing as Portugal and your game collapses to the point that you trigger the unfortunate Flee to Brazil event, then that's another way to do it.
7 Canada
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Like Brazil, Canada saw independence after EU4's game timeline, but that shouldn't stop you from forming Canada if you want to. Also like Brazil, any former colonial nation with a capital in the Colonial Canada region is capable of forming the country.
Canadian ideas grant the player bonuses in land attrition and trade efficiency. Canada also starts with an additional merchant and colonist, discounts on shipbuilding, a strong yearly naval tradition, an increased 15 percent in trade steering, and a 10 percent production efficiency bonus.
6 United States
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The United States is available to play at a 1776 start, so you don't have to go through the trouble of forming it if you don't have the Conquest of Paradise DLC. That being said, the United States can be formed from the Thirteen Colonies.
Through the Manifest Destiny idea, the United States is granted an extra colonist. The Bill of Rights lessens unrest by two, and its Ambition idea increases republican tradition by 0.3 every year. Militarily, the United States benefits from the Lessons of Valley Forge idea, which grants a 10 percent boost to army morale.
Best of all, the United States gets permanent claims to the entire eastern coast of its potential borders. And, if you have the Golden Century or Rule Britannia DLCs, you're granted 50 percent extra marines past your limit.
5 Quebec
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If you're playing as a former colonial nation in eastern Colonial Canada, you'll have the option to form Quebec. Quebec's strengths really lie in its ideas. Militarily, Quebec is granted a 10 percent boost to its infantry combat ability and an additional leader without upkeep.
Economically, Quebec is granted boosts in its goods produced and in its tax income. To maintain relations with European powers and First Nations people, Quebec begins with an additional diplomat. Quebecois ideas also benefit the player through strengthened missionaries, increased institution spread, and stronger forts.
4 Alaska
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It's actually better to form Alaska via an Asian power like Japan or Korea since they're much closer to northwestern North America than the Europeans. Right off the bat, you'll benefit from colonizing Alaska because of a high chance of striking it rich with gold mines.
But Alaska's ideas are the best part. The Alaskan naval ideas are particularly powerful: 20 percent to the morale of navies, 10 percent better heavy ship combat ability, and 15 percent added to the combat ability of light ships. Alaska also benefits from boosts to its sailor number and naval force limit.
3 Australia
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Australia gets permanent claims to New Zealand and has some highly beneficial ideas. As Australia, you begin with an extra colonist and a higher global settler increase rate. To take advantage of the continent's vast size and to nab New Zealand, you can also build ships with construction time reduced by 20 percent.
Australia's harsh outback provides severe attrition for any invaders, but your own forces will endure less of it, too. Best of all, Australia's development costs are reduced by 15 percent after you've completed your ideas. Any former colonial nation with its capital in Colonial Australia can form Australia.
2 Zealandia
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Zealandia is similar in formation to Australia, but your former colonial nation needs a few territories in New Zealand for it to come into existence. Zealandia benefits from diplomatic, economic, and military ideas.
Diplomatically, Zealandia starts with a +2 diplomatic reputation and suffers no penalties from heretic or heathen religions. Economically, you'll enjoy a 10 percent modifier on goods produced and an additional 10 percent on global trade power. Militarily, Zealandian troops provide 10 percent extra shock damage and have a 15 percent bonus in morale.
1 Texas
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Texas is easily the best military power in the New World, and it's relatively easy to create. Any former colonial nation in the Rio Grande area can form Texas. Texas does not, however, hold permanent claims to the entire Colonial Mexico region.
The Texan Revolution idea provides you with an additional 10 percent damage on land. Texan troops also enjoy boosts to land movement speed and decreased attrition in foreign territories. Additionally, Texan troops take 10 percent less fire damage also dishing it out by an extra 10 percent. Their troops also come equipped with a 15 percent boost in morale.
With additional yearly increases in prestige, reduced development and stability costs, and boons to goods produced, Texas is a country guaranteed to make you shout "yee-haw!"
