Europa Universalis 5 Colonization Guide

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about Colonization in Europa Universalis 5 (EU5) and how you can get good at it.

Colonization guide for Europa Universalis 5 or EU5 (Image via Paradox Interactive)
Colonization guide for Europa Universalis 5 or EU5 (Image via Paradox Interactive)

Colonization is one of the most intricate and complex mechanics in Europa Universalis 5 (EU5). Getting good at colonization will require you to get familiar with various different mechanics of the game.

A beginner will need a quick crash course to get started and master colonization in Europa Universalis 5. This guide aims to get you up to speed as fast as possible.

Colonization Guide For Europa Universalis 5

The world could be yours (Image via Paradox Interactive)
The world could be yours (Image via Paradox Interactive)

Colonization is not a single act or button in Europa Universalis 5 (EU5). Instead, it is a combination of well-timed and efficient resource management. A successful colonization will require proper knowledge of money control, army formations, timing your movements, and picking the right countries.

All of this, and more, will be explained below.

Timing Is Everything For Colonization in Europa Universalis 5

As you are playing the game, the timeline advances. The march of time brings forth advancements in various corners of the world. The key to a successful colonization would be to be present in the right place at the right time.

There will be various world-altering events that take place over the timeline. Your aim will be to target these events to reap maximum benefits. For instance, preparing your nation with certain items may let you take better advantage of an upcoming event. The key is to be best prepared for the future.

Picking the Right Countries

The countries you choose will be very important for colonization in EU5 (Image via Paradox Interactive)
The countries you choose will be very important for colonization in EU5 (Image via Paradox Interactive)

Your starting country will greatly affect how the rest of your run flows. Therefore, you must step forward prepared to deal with any consequences. Ideally, some of the best countries to choose from are England and Venice.

Some nations will require more work to be built, while others will already be established. However, almost every choice will have some pros and cons that you will have to manage carefully.

Army Composition

The type of army you focus on making will determine the type of conquests your nation will be capable of. If you have a purely land-based military, then advancing via sea might prove troublesome. At the same time, the contrary is also true.

Naval warfare lets you dominate various trade routes which a garrison would never allow. You can find a more detailed guide on the best army formations here.

Money Makes the World Run

Levy taxes (Image via Paradox Interactive)
Levy taxes (Image via Paradox Interactive)

Money is one of the most important resources you can manage in Europa Universalis 5 (EU5) if you wish to get adept at colonization. This is primarily done through trading goods. Early on, you can also automate this process so the AI will perform trading for you. However, you should not blindly rely on this method.

Other good sources of money would include taxes and even more colonization. However, you must carefully manage your resources and ensure that your people are always happy. An unhappy populace could easily turn on you.

Best Colonization Tips and Tricks in Europa Universalis 5

Pick your battles carefully (Image via Paradox Interactive)
Pick your battles carefully (Image via Paradox Interactive)

These are some tips you should keep in mind for colonization in EU5:

  • Manage your colonial charters carefully. Before you reach a decent population size, you must keep investing money into the colony to keep it running.
  • Exploring the map will let you get a feel for the events unfolding nearby. However, this will also cost a considerable amount of resources.
  • Establish peace and trade pacts with countries too powerful for you to face directly. Focus on conquering weaker countries, which will not incur much cost.
  • Migration is a stellar tool to redirect population and resources from one colony to another.

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Europa Universalis 5 (Paradox Interactive)

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