1. Opening Moves

• Summon the Diet and select the most favorable agenda.
• Seize land from the Estates to gain +5% Crown Land and remove early-game penalties.

Estate Privileges

• Nobility: Supremacy over the Monarchy, Monopoly on Livestock, Monopoly on Gemstones.
• Clergy: Oversight by the Clergy.
• Burghers: Free Enterprises, Private Trade Fleets.

Economy and Trade

• You’ll lose Neumark and Dramburg early due to the Brandenburg event. Sell them off when prompted to avoid conflict with Austria.
• Trade Node: Baltic Sea (You control ~32%).
• Merchants: Transfer from Novgorod and Krakow.
• Production: Koenigsberg (Gemstones), Neumark & Dramburg (Livestock).
• Save developing Koenigsberg until dev cost reductions are unlocked.
• Exploit Neumark and Dramburg before selling.

Monarch Points and Advisors

• Focus on military points.
• Prioritize a Diplomatic Reputation advisor. Morale or Discipline advisors are great alternatives if affordable.

Military and Rivals

• Forts: 4 total including capital.
• Rivals: Poland, Lithuania, Volgast.
• Plan to attack Volgast after joining the HRE.

Joining the HRE

• Required: 149 relations with Austria.
• Improve relations and send gifts to meet the requirement.
• Avoid alliances with Austrian rivals.

Alliances

• Primary: Bohemia (unless rivaled by Austria), Livonian Order, Saxony, Hungary (optional).

Prussian Confederation Disaster

• Event triggers early and must be managed properly:
  • Options: Concede (not recommended) or Curtail (preferred).
  • Requirements to Curtail:
    • 1 Stability.
    • 40% Crown Land.
    • Seize land on specific dates: Nov 1449, Nov 1454, Nov 1459.
    • Develop one province (Marienburg recommended).
    • Use Encourage Development edict before devving.

Warfare Strategy: Volgast

• Build up to force limit and recruit Free Company.
• Seize land on Nov 1449 (prepare for rebels).
• Declare on Volgast post-rebellion.
• Win war before Nov 1454 (next seize date).
• Use navy and Admiral to control Baltic.
• Vassalize Volgast and take their cash.

Dealing with Rebels

• Keep armies in Danzig and Ortelsburg for rebel suppression.
• Handle rebel spawns immediately post-seizure.

Warfare Strategy: Stettin

• Attack opportunistically.
• Avoid calling in Bohemia if they rival Austria.
• Vassalize instead of annexing directly to preserve Crown Land and avoid AE.
• Two vassals unlock “Strong Duchies” privilege.

Curtailing Prussian Confederation

• Final seize on Nov 1459.
• Rebels may spawn again; be ready.
• After seizing, press “Curtail” button.

Expansion and Idea Groups

• Target: Mecklenburg and Polish allies.
• First Idea Group: Quantity or Economic.
• Second Idea Group: Whichever was not picked first.
• Third Idea Group: Quality (military strength and discipline policy).

Poland War Strategy

• Build favors with Bohemia, then declare on Poland.
• Seize key forts (Poznan, Krakow, Vilnius, Warsaw).
• Prioritize state completions over AE-intensive provinces.
• Avoid major AE by focusing on Samogitia region.
• Maximize war reps, cash, and prestige from minor allies.

Post-War Goals

• Embrace Renaissance using spoils from war.
• Core provinces.
• Accept Pomeranian culture.
• Divert vassal trade and keep them loyal.
• Prepare for next war vs Poland (~1480s).

Forming Prussia

• Requirements:
  • Admin Tech 10.
  • Protestant or Reformed religion.
  • Control and core Koenigsberg.
• Unlock powerful Prussian mission tree.

Summary By managing your estates carefully, curtailing the Prussian Confederation, and picking your wars wisely, the Teutonic Order can quickly snowball into a regional power. Leveraging vassals, trade, and idea group synergies (Quantity + Economic + Quality) sets you up to dominate the Baltic and eventually form Prussia.