Why is JAPAN this STRONG in EU4 1.35?

EU4 1.35 and EU4 Domination bring with them massive changes to EU4 japan. Every eu4 japan guide is now obsolete with EU4 1.5 Japan. Amongst other things, it introduced eu4 samurai units, a special unit just for japan. New eu4 1.35 japan missions are focused on stealing the mandate of heaven from EU4 ming. You can get a special mandate as Japan this way!
Why is JAPAN this STRONG in EU4 1.35?
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#eu4

[@TheSocialStreamers]

I wasn’t going to clarify, but it seems I have to prove like 50% of you wrong regarding samurai. A lot of you are saying “nah, they were different to the rank and file” and I’m agreeing - the point I’m making is that a nation like England, which would have had knights which were functionally (militarily) the same as samurai doesn’t get special military units. I’m happy to be disagreed with but it’s strange to me that one nations nobility gets a military unit and another doesn’t - janissaries for example were a whole separate entity incomparable with other military units owing to the unique nature of them; thus it makes sense for them to have a special unit with different qualities.

[@lorrdy7640]

Laith Vs the weebs

[@kaltaron1284]

Hi Laith, as far as I can tell Samurai were fielded as separate units that didn't have much to do with the Ashigaru levies. So the split kinda makes sense. A few other notes: The Oda being at war with the Matsudaira (who would become the Tokugawa) at the time makes sense. Their alliance happened towards the end of the Sengoku Jidai. And the Matsudair actually had a numerical advantage but still lost to Nobunaga. Iyeyasu actually spent much of his early life as a "guest" of the Oda. Katsura Aya is a perfectly fine Japanese name. Nothing to do with Arabia. And there's too many possible Kanji for it to list. Also could find a historic figure with that name. The gold mine in Echigo is actually on the small island north of it called Sado. It was a popular place to exile unwanted court nobles. Mining operations of gold actually only started at the beginning of the 17th century in earnest. Japan was relatively peaceful after the Sengoku Jidai had ended and the Tokugawa established the rule. Before that and during the Bakumatsu which marked the end of the Tokugawa... Not so much. And after the Meiji Restauration they really went for a ride.

[@alexanderhorne7164]

@@kaltaron1284 That's what he's saying though. Knights were not feilded like peasant levies all throughout Europe, but there isn't a French Gendarme special unit.

[@aqvamarek5316]

My guess, you shouldn't form Japan, better culture convert to Korean and form Korea as Japan starting OPM, if this is possible. Than go Korea mission tree, and take there mission and government on top of your, tha n claim mandate and become China, and use China mission next. 100% sure you can stack insane Modi this way.

[@RagnellAvalon]

incomparable with other military units except, ironically, samurai

[@henryglennon3864]

Fun Japan History Fact: once a year, at midsummer, in the Toyama prefecture, they celebrate the festival of Sanpatsu. The main ceremony of this festival, is the planting of a ritual tree. To do this, participants find a patch of damp earth, part a furrow in it with their hands, and dig out a weird divet to right of the furrow in which to plant a seed. Laith did something similar this morning to his hair.

[@kawaiitoiletpaper6908]

LOL

[@kindadumb916]

Jesus Christ every time Laith thinks he is safe from his hair getting slandered you completely destroy him again

[@chriswhinery925]

*SLAM* EMOTIONAL DAMAGE!

[@henryglennon3864]

@@kindadumb916 Yeah, I feel kind of bad. I didn't check til now, but the last time got way more attention than I thought. Pease be upon your doo, Laith.

[@Tedger]

At least he has hair.. 😢

[@lordfluff2394]

Hopefully one of these days Paradox will release a mission tree so OP that Laith will be able to defeat his student loans.

[@marcobisi7768]

Impossible

[@Ceendru]

It makes sense to have Samurai be special units before or after the Sengoku period but it is weird to have them as separate special units during that period since it was somewhat defined by the breakdown of the distinction between Samurai and peasant soldier.

[@TheMonkeystick]

yeah IMO it should be like caroligans, unlocked by a post-unification mission

[@winster6257]

There were both Peasant and Samurai soldiers in the Sengoku Jidai, I feel like the nuances of Japanese social structure are handled enough in the neo-Confucian and other events

[@Red_Scales]

You get a really neat hidden buff with picking the female general, if anyone else plays japan check your buffs afterwards ;)

[@ironclad184]

I just did a game of Japan and made the mistake of becoming the overlord of ming after they exploded, and then feading them all there Provences back. I had control over a Ming that was 6 Adm levels behind, stuck at duchy rank and didn’t have the governing capacity bonus from celestial empire. That killed my campaign as an endless stream of rebels spawned causing my whole country to be dedicated to systematically eradicating all human life in china to stop it from exploding again.

[@PrinceOfDolAlmroth]

Based post 1890's Imperial Japan experience

[@humppi.2304]

The most authentic Japan experience one could have

[@unseenjc]

Sounds like you role played Japan perfectly

[@Peryite7]

The meta for taking over china is to seize mandate in the first war, ideally taking canton, beijing, and nanjing as well. In the second war, use unify china which gives free territorial cores on everything you occupy, meaning zero autonomy and zero separatism, as well as half off full coring. Make sure you build forts covering every single province or devastation will tank your mandate

[@pandabear4565]

Been there brother

[@valnira1147]

The 'regular' soldiers are conscripts or Ashigaru while the Samurai are the elites. It's the same thing with the Russian Streltsy or the new French Musketeers or Spanish Tercios

[@lapisdragon1237]

Japan is strong because they are the country which made the Fire Emblem franchise. Day 40 something, please play.

[@boyarbeloved]

it makes sense to have specialized samurai units, because the samurai were much like the janissaries in that they were a both a political entity as well as a military entity, and there really was a huge difference between the average soldier and the average samurai

[@bioemiliano]

Knights were also a military and political unit, but there isnt any knight unit

[@boyarbeloved]

Samurai's exists into the 1850s and were active in a military sense in the 17th century, knights stopped fighting in the 1520s

[@boyarbeloved]

knights are a relic from the middle ages and have no place in a rennaisance and enlightenment game, samurai's were essential to the sengoku jidai and the edo period of japan

[@techelitesareadisease8816]

@@boyarbeloved yup you're exactly right. Knights as a social class aren't relevant in the vast majority of eu4's timeframe. Just a relic like you said. The Samurai are the foundation upon which the Shogunate is built.

[@resentfuldragon]

@@techelitesareadisease8816 Also a lot of japan's armies were peasant ashigaru at the time so the samurai were still somewhat specialized, though they weren't uncommon and were used by even the weaker daimyo during the sengoku jidai.

[@thepopeofpineapples6275]

Day 37 of asking for an eu4 Austria into Germany (Not HRE) run.

[@lsdrad]

Day 70 asking for a warhammer 3 total war vid

[@Kasaaz]

I guess, from a historical standpoint, the way they've implemented Samurai as a unit ... kind of ... is weird. But from a gameplay standpoint, they want you to feel like you get really cool troops, so I guess it accomplishes that better than a bunch of abstract modifiers might. It's more concrete and visible.

[@arminius416]

i think Knights should be a special unit for every western europe country, more expensive, but better

[@kazaddum2448]

Makes less sense there tho. Knights lost their military advantage fast during the EU4 timeframe, turns out some disciplines guys with longs sticks and guns can stop heavy cavalary very well. Samurai stayed relevant in Japan until the Meiji restoration.

[@FrederikJolle]

Bro you been on a mad grind lately with the shorts and video's remember to take a break if you ever fell burned out much love from Denmark

[@MuppetLord1]

Well most of Japans army were not Samurai so it makes sense to have them as a limited elite unit. :)

[@cultistcat3635]

For a next campaign idea you should try great Britain, I feel like Noone plays them because they wanted to try out angevin empire. But great Britain became very strong too as you can make the whole cape produce gold.

[@alexpruitt3568]

Ghost of tsushima is an amazing game. Go for it.

[@lovablesnowman]

It certainly has its problems but its a very decent game yeah

[@epicnesssss]

This is Day 53 of me asking you to do a mega campaign from ck3 to hoi4. (Vic 3 to hoi4 converter is out!)

[@CherriPicking]

is the conquer china cb the same one that chinese nations get? cuz that one grants cores on provinces you occupy, so it feels like it woulda been way better to expand in other ways while chomping through korea, then eat up china with those free cores.

[@enderhauschen6340]

Basically the normal units are yari-ashigaru, which is a unit purely made out of civillians with just spear, yea, they gave spear to the god damn fools and sent them to the fight. Samurai on the other hand, is a special unit. They are also administors, goverment workers, but they know HOW to fight, rather then normal units which can be easily broken, so basically this is the difference with them, they also dont use katana alot. They only use it to duel or when their spear, nagita or anything is broken or non-useable in a close space. Theres also monks, i dont know why paradox didnt add them since they are actually great, nuns, sisters, womens that defend the fortresses of japan. This is the difference and yes, i play total war shogun and yari-ashigaru is the best god damn unit.

[@chandlerarredondo6501]

I would recommend Battle Brothers. It'd be interesting to see you play it imo

[@darkpurpleinsanity9461]

I don't know how common it is, but whenever I unite Japan I always do it as So--both because it's incredibly fun to play as pirate republic Japan, but also because it's in my opinion the easiest daimyo to unite it with, since you never have to take any loans or use up manpower since you're just spamming mercenaries bought with stolen gold. I'm curious to see if that'll have changed any with the new update

[@shararm]

I know what I'm gonna try next

[@brycedolishny4138]

With all the possible permanent buffs in their mission team based off isolation, it seems like going Kristian Japan is scuffed?

[@Zimojovic]

What game doesnt tell you is when you pick the option to allow woman on military, you actually gain perma modifier

[@danthemantis3878]

play Napoleon Total War its great I think you'd like it

[@Hemoplapher]

I enjoy the variety content but almost like how you come back to eu4.

[@shawnb1649]

I just united Japan as Oda. Their ideas are pretty good.

[@imspudus]

During some periods of Japanese history there were peasant levies and others exclusively samurai though at those times samurai’s weren’t just full time soldiers but also general government officials or rich nobles

[@stormwolf8770]

Damn Co-Prosperity Sphere 400 years early

[@monkeydetonation]

Make another just so we can see Hungary pop off

[@galdorofnihelm6798]

I think Samurai makes sense to have as a separate unit in a sense, as the Samurai wasnt like the normal troops, Samurai was more like elite mercenaries, in a way comparable to Janissaries, that they arent the same. Though I think maybe Samurai should have been some unique special mercenary group or something

[@PartofHistory214]

Samurai were nothing like mercenaries. In fact, they had a special name for samurai not bound to serve a lord, "Ronin." Samurai was a position of warrior-class nobility that was hereditary. They were basically well-paid knights that served a Daimyo.

[@mranything01]

It is nice to watch you play other content from time to time, as long as you are enjoying yourself and we get to see you suffer, it's fun! That wartales video though, you definitely need to do another video on

[@Piratejoe44]

Day 52 of asking for a National Supremacy Oranje Free State Playthrough of Vicky 3. Officially been doing this longer than Burgurking, AKA the Colonial Novgorod guy.

[@Stevonicus]

I personally don't have a problem with samurai being added as a special unit. There's already streltsy and banners so a new unique unit isn't that unheard of.

[@AGrumpyPanda]

Having Samurai as a distinct unit would make more sense if they were playing with the 'modernisation'/westernisation of Japan as mechanics you had to deal with. IRL during the time period the game takes place in, the Samurai went from the only people allowed to wield weapons, to elite heavy infantry supported by ashigaru (peasant professional soldiers), to taking the backseat entirely before being disbanded as a social class. There's interesting gameplay there in the same way that there's gameplay in the Ottomans for their Janissaries, they just haven't done anything with it. Maybe alongside the isolationism mechanic, you also have traditionalism versus westernalism, the more traditional you stay you get more samurai and they fight better, but the more western you go you might eventually swap unit list entirely to western?

[@TheDartFrog]

hey Laith, I've noticed that your voice is awkwardly a bit too quiet compared to the music and game sounds for the past few videos, maybe we could have your mic be a bit louder please?

[@browningcm]

You joked about it, but various special troops throughout the world would be sick. Various knights etc based on region giving various bonuses.. would be fun imo and add some more flavor

[@theorixlux]

14:56 your paradox stuff is VERY cookie cutter. If you've seen one laith euiv video, then youve seem them all. Back when that other guy also did shit on social streamers , diversifying your content, it was great.

[@theorixlux]

Take this more as artistic critiqué than a personal attack; your current formula works very well for me personally, but I can easily see why you wouldn't get as many views: there is a fundamental lack of genuine creativity OUTSIDE of your own persona. Playing other, non PDX games and/or inviting other sentients to your ur channel have been some of your best videos. You are a great networker.

[@SoulBro12]

@@theorixlux Yeah I got to watch his videos because his multiplayer games were fun to watch. I don't see a lot of interesting multiplayed based playthroughs on paradox games.

[@Cairo752]

Watching Laith play ghost of tstushima sounds fun. Hearing history facts about japan sounds sick

[@thenightqueen0]

"You gotta get those weeb sales" BANZAI!!!!!!! *fires gun that shoots katana at you* I just got the DLC and played as Japan (Rule Japannia, Fuck Britannia), but I started as the Uesugi. Sengoku Casus Belli really helps with being able to expand quickly and the Uesugi are pretty powerful in the East. Though I took the route of invading Taiwan and got some of China from that war cause of the Ming-splosion. And just colonized the Phillipines. Sadly couldn't figure out how to deal with the Koreans who allied to every Chinese state on the coast. Clever play.

[@sizanogreen9900]

Showing off what japan can become would be neat. As would a So run.

[@11DNA11]

If you didn't distinguish samurais from normal troops... That's just stupid. Samurais were the premium force at that time. Ashigaru were the fodder.

[@derkreuzritter6789]

I'm surprised you didn't play Oda with their insane military ideas

[@aqvamarek5316]

Nothing beats ottoman AE free vassal swarm on OPM diplomatically, or new mission tree on fast expansion. With diplomatic idea and influence idea, you can leech and take over the world with nearly no conquest, thx to vassal, dip slot free development, which pay 75% of there yearly income to you as overlord in income, forcelimit and ma power with influence idea group, exspecially with the tax and manpower bonus, even a ppm gets. Ottoman are so overpowered at the moment. P.s. it is even worth to release all vassal possible at gamstart, and simply leech them try

[@jia-syuchen3422]

playing as japan, facing 80 ming fleet, 130k infantry, 31k cavalries, 18k artillery and 22k of them trying to attack my main land for my first time conquering korea, not an easy one.

[@zondor8123]

At least he didn't chose the cowards Tokugawa lol imagine Japan control Siberia before Russia there, Huge Nippon!

[@theendoftheworldhasbeenqui2485]

Laith mate, I watch this stuff to watch you, not just to watch paradox games. like yeah, I like paradox games and play them for thousands of hours, but if I just wanted paradox stuff, there's a lot more people I could watch. so hell yeah, play what you want innit

[@popdartan7986]

Special samuraj soldiers because KATANAS ARE THE BEST WEAPONS BETTER THAN TANKS

[@mopa5385]

Did a my first japan run in 1.35 and forgot to take the mission to ave perpetual claim on korea before unifying Japan lol I thought the new tree would have got me that but no ? Even with the perpetual claim you would need to make some to get all korea and unlock the mission for China no ?

[@OoBlueThunderoO]

Damn, you should have played So and gone pirate republic Japan... That said, i doubt the new content accounts for that

[@BieBie98]

Is it just me or is the in-game audio slightly overpowering Laith? The general recruitment horn just completely drowns him out

[@azh698]

You could always consider the non-samurai troops to be ashigaru, conscripted peasants. Just disregard the models.

[@domii2098]

Paradox try not to make new focuses overpowered challenge (Impossible)

[@thatponybro6940]

hey Laith, if you would like some pain, EU4 but I/We recreate the Sengoku Jidai

[@sahilhossian8212]

Lore of Why is JAPAN this STRONG in EU4 1.35? Momentum 100

[@Sperenza2b]

I’m always destroy by Korea because Korea is so strong with technologies research bonus so I always have two less military tech than Korea so he declares always war against me and Korean army is unstoppable

[@serdikcraig6307]

Laith bro, your biggest base is paradox but you're just entertaining! Keep up the content, paradox or not!

[@blogovitchxyz]

Was hoping for a little explanation and commentary. Nothing helpful.

[@Mewtwo-hy6jw]

Did you guys know that you can know restore the Japanese Emperor as the leader of Japan and end the Shogunate?

[@tertmade9769]

You mean restore the Yamato Dynasty?

[@Mewtwo-hy6jw]

@@tertmade9769 yes

[@tertmade9769]

@@Mewtwo-hy6jw Nice, still I wished they would add Yamato as a nation in this patch tho

[@masonhales]

Samurai are exactly like knights, and the peasants made up the bulk of the army.

[@iseeyou5061]

14:48 Probably because your non paradox content require us to watch in full you doofus. :p

[@bricelevai8520]

I feel like games in Asia are boring now because Ming collapses early everytime and is not threat anymore

[@bartoszchronikarz6972]

It would be more than great to see you play Ghost of Tsushima, and to hear your historical Rant

[@verde629]

Just doesn’t feel right without playing as Oda. Not to mention that red is amazing

[@kristianbritton5435]

Do it again but as an ikko-ikki republic or ikko theocratic government 😂

[@johnconnor8206]

Day 39 of asking for you to play Victoria 2 as cuba and become Fidel castro

[@tromedlovdrolmai]

I remember suggesting a Japan game months ago where you declare war to take all of Japan, but you can't start making peace unless you annex all of Japan in constant consecutive peace deals. The added bonus was never being forced to commit sepuku. This is going to be fun to watch, even if you don't meet those criteria exactly (I've been at work, so only just got around to watching this)

[@chriswhinery925]

That would be... QUITE a lot of overextension once you start making peace with everyone at the same time. I think someone could probably do this but taking the game past that stage would be no fun because you would completely ruin your nation in the process.

[@Leo-jp9ii]

Oh I've never been this early before, I was concerned when I only saw 68 likes

[@mrhuman5872]

sorry for forgetting your name at paddington i was just in Shcok :)

[@whitebread.]

I also had a game where Orleans was wayyy bigger than it has any right to be. Is that just a feature this patch?

[@Jesus-jb6ho]

I have a little issue with Japan tho, daimyio missions are broken and uncompletable. Some of these missions requires you to form japan which means you basically lose their missions. Those daimyios cant be completed :(

[@chriswhinery925]

It would be nice if you got to keep your daimyo missions while gaining the Japan missions on top of them.

[@izjon]

imo lower the volume of the game or talk little bit louder and bigger ui scaling

[@Matty__niice]

You should play Oxygen Not included

[@photographealyforet8151]

Make a let's play on Ghost of Tsushima bro

[@Brat2513]

Laith wanting women to dominate him. Respect his way

[@leeboi222]

Ghost of Tsushima is great. Playing it at the moment!

[@Sm-cs3eu]

Plaing in Japan and not as Oda... did not know that is even option

[@IronWolf123]

So, what caused England to not be on the GP list?

[@Journey22405]

This was an extremely good Japan start

[@kakao6125]

i may have develop parasocial feelings for laith

[@XXLPIakat]

Uniting Japan and not even using the Oda clan. :c

[@pablofski3239]

I literally can’t beat Korea as Japan since the update. I’ve done around 5 games and each and every time Korea has maxed out tech and ideas, 50k men and 70k ships by around 1500. I have genuinely no idea what I’m supposed to do if I don’t play a large daimyo and rush forming Japan to early war them. Anyone got any advice?

[@kawaiitoiletpaper6908]

you should do byzantium to prussia to jerusalem to algeria. Best campaign I ever did.

[@michaelgraham5764]

Amazing Laith! What if, instead of colonising America, you looked north to the Siberian areas that Russia normally pushes into?

[@jkg8108]

Samurai didn't make up entire armies, they certainly held a decent portion but the majority were Ashigaru. I'm kinda done with eu4 at this point I don't really see the new features as anything but continuing or rebranding mechanics which have been here a while.

[@oliverkjrhansen6521]

I love the variety content mixed in, keep it up :)

[@Crackparty803]

I'm not paying for content that I've already bought. PDX literally stripped content from other DLC's so they could replace it with content from this DLC. Disgusting.

[@mekal177]

japan is probably the easiest country now you can get around -150-200% dev cost by just playing

[@akuljbaba5914]

not having dlc but still watching dis

[@LunarRegicide]

I want to see the Weeb Warmachine march through Asia! Hopefully we can come together and support this pointy-haired journey to the West!

[@nathanaelsallhageriksson1719]

Instead of samurai as special units they should've had warrior monks as special units, they were historically accurate and their role in the sengoku jidai was such that it serves the purpose of a special unit type better than samurai.

[@Admiral_Apparent]

Would 100% watch non paradox stuff. Ghost of Tsushima let’s play would be fun.

[@ahmedalbanhawy6531]

Laith , may i ask u where r u from ?

[@anonymousperson4350]

I was having a nice time playing Japan (Ming mingploded), so I thought it was a good idea to attack Korea, but I didn’t realise the Koreans had 40k, and were allied with two Chinese warlords (who collectively had 40k), and dai viet, who at this point owned 1/2 or 1/4 of china. All I had was jianzhou and Xibe, who had around 15k each. Still managed to win, but jeez was it harder than usual.

[@anonymousperson4350]

Also with the samurai being special troops, it does make a little sense. Because the samurai were there own class of warrior, while the ashigaru (who were, depending on where you were, would be considered apart of the samurai class (although at the lower end of it), while in other places they weren’t considered to be in the class) - they made up the majority of Japanese armies back then. Also, with the development of guns and gunpowder, the samurai dwindled in numbers, since the shogun could give random peasants guns, which weren’t to hard to train, and would’ve been cheaper than hiring samurai. I believe the last time samurai really existed would’ve been just before the Tokugawa banned swords/guns for personal/public use (I believe it was ieyasu who was the shogun at the time, but could be wrong)

[@Gamereal6286]

​@@anonymousperson4350 The Samurai were also abolished by Emperor Meiji during the Meiji Restoration (I think) since the samurai were reluctant to use guns most of the time and since like you said every random peasant had a gun it was easy for them to delete their caste from existence.

[@resentfuldragon]

@@Gamereal6286 They were more reluctant to use more modern guns it seems, because during the sengoku jidai and the later imjin war japan used arquebuses a lot. Infact it was japan's advanced use of firearms that allowed them to dominate in the first part of the imjin war, without admiral yi it was a lost cause for korea even with china's assistance.

[@heliogonzalezsanchez8227]

@@Gamereal6286 reluctant to use guns? they prefered guns over swords as soon as they were introduced in japan

[@nicolassampaio8614]

My man, if you wanna play other games in the channel, please do. If you're having fun, then that will translate well into a video, I believe. It'll also bring other types of people into the channel, which is always good.

[@Nifn45]

I didn't mind this weird mix video, though I do prefer them the way you normally do them. Also I'd watch a part 2

[@rizaadont]

Hello i am new to eu4, i just want to ask how do you make your state border/political view mode looks like that? Its kinda way more simplified and thicker border than mine

[@ayemoruz2956]

i like my first 3/4 wars to be humiliating because then i can spawn reinessance super early in japan and be superstrong

[@Kasaaz]

Orleans seems to do VERY WELL in this patch so far. I don't get it.

[@Illuminat-ve5ue]

we dont mind non paradox games