Country for colonialism focused game in 1850

[HidekiTojo]

Apart from Britain and France and the American West.

France sounds good but it almost feela like cheating because they are already so powerful in the colonial game.

Of course this is about a thousand times more so for Britain.

U.S.A hasn't really interested me in PON. I wanna fight natives develop territory and compete viciously with other countries trying to do the same.

Also since its been awhile since I've played this and ive come back bc of the recent patch, I cant remember the basics about getting my country moving along in the 1850 scenario.

Alternatively I would be interested in 1880 but by then everything is mostly divided up.

[vaalen]

I am playing France right now because I really wanted to focus on the colonial game, and I have really enjoyed it.

Prussia is very limited in what it can do colonially until Germany is formed, but it then has some opportunity in Africa and the pacific, around Cameroons, Southwest Africa, Tanganyika, Togo, New Guinea, new Britain. The pacific island chains will be gobbled up before them. Morocco is also possible, though it quite likely will mean war with France.

Italy, once formed, has opportunities along the red sea, in Somaliland, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. Libya and Tunisia are also available, though France most likely will have gobbled up Tunisia by then. You may have to fight the Turks for Libya, and fighting Ethiopia can be quite a challenge.

I have enjoyed some fantastic colonial experience as Russia. The main opportunity is towards Afghanistan, and the nations between you and it, such as Khiva. Some great wars can be fought. If you colonize Afghanistan, you might even be able to try to take India from the British. And, if you want a real challenge, you can fight China for Manchuria and Korea, though getting them in a treaty is very tough, it can be done. Be ready for a very long war, if you try this.

Belgium pretty much gets the Congo by event, and can develop it and fight the natives there. It will be a long time before that happens.

The Turks have a lot of opportunities in the middle east and part of Africa. I have never played them, but I have thought it might be interesting just to see if I can colonize Iraq, the Arabian peninsula, and east Africa.

Hope this helps.

[James D Burns]

I have played Britain, France and the Ottomans recently and am really enjoying the new changes. AI powers are very active in colonial affairs now, so it makes playing large powers like Britain or France much more challenging now as you have so few cards to play compared to all the cards the combined AI powers are playing. It's impossible to gobble everything up like you used to be able to do so conflicts arise quickly as AI powers move in on regions you have or eventually have victory cities in. As France I had two crises occur in the first 5 years, neither led to war but the one with Spain over Morocco was about as close to war as you could get without it actually occurring.

Jim