Estates are confusing but they don’t have to be. This guide will show you how to get all the insane benefits without having to baby sit them.
Introduction
Right at the start, Estates can give you a +3 mana generation, up to a 2000 income according to your nation. A +10% tax and trade income with a -5% army maintenance and -5% development cost to name a few.
The only trade off is 25% minimum local autonomy for 20 years. Extremely powerful for any nations.
Day 1 moves
1. If your nation does not have 30% crownland, development your cheapest province to get to it
2. Give all three privileges that provide you with +1 mana
3. Now use the seize crownland action followed by the sell crownland action for a fat sum of cash. Do not worry about the penalties of 0% crownland. You will get an event soon that will get you at 30% instantly as long as you stay below 1%
4. Give the supremacy over the crown to the nobility since it gives +10 loyalty to all your estates.
5. Give other privileges to your estates but leave 1 slot open for the nobility. Good choices are the ones that gives them monopolies on your resources. You get +10% loyalty and 1 point in mercantilism every 10 years which is really good. You can also give the ones that give 10% loyalty and 10% influence.
6. Now that your estates have a 70% base loyalty, start the game. You will get the Estate Statutory rights event really soon. Once you get it, take the first choice. It will give you 30% crownland just like that.
This event also give a privilege to your nobility. You will be able to remove it in only 20 years without penalties. You will have 25% minimum local autonomy. This will minimally impact your income and army force limit for that time. However – The money you got will allow you to wage war right away with mercenaries on your neighbors. So the army force limit is not an issue. And you will get more money from selling your crownlands that first time than the 25% local autonomy will make you loose in 20 years.
And you get to sell crownlands again in 5 years. You’re rich!
Getting to the mid game (to absolutism)
At the start of the 1600’s, you will need to start removing privileges from your estate to not suffer the penalties on maximum absolutism. If you do not know what absolutism is or how to farm it, look for a guide on that or do not care about it. You could keep going the way you were, just note that the absolutism mechanic is what allows you to conquer more, faster, cheaper. It makes a world conquest possible.
With that in mind you have two goals:
1. Stop early enough from selling crownlands to get your crownlands as close to 100% as you can.
2. While keeping your estates loyal enough, start removing their privileges. You will usually try to keep the suppremacy over the crown privilege and the ones that generate mana. You may want to prioritize the ones that give you governing capacities.
And that’s it. With this, you get to enjoy the best of the Estates without having to give a care to it during your game except at the start and in the mid game if you want to build your absolutism.
Enjoy!
Credit to: Best Waifu