Overview
In this challenging campaign, you’ll play as Greece with one bold objective: restore Byzantium. Facing a far stronger Ottoman Empire with its vast resources and military might, you’ll need to use every tool at your disposal—from strategic diplomacy and clever alliances to careful economic management and precise military maneuvers. This guide walks you through the essential steps and tactics that can help transform a beleaguered Greece into a reawakened Byzantine powerhouse.

---

1. Campaign Setup: Challenges for Greece

The Objective

Your mission is to reclaim the legacy of the Roman Empire by restoring Byzantium. To do so, you’ll have to defeat the mighty Ottoman Empire—even though, despite their socioeconomic problems, they remain far stronger than Greece in nearly every aspect.

Starting Conditions

• Weak Beginnings: Greece starts as a backward, poor nation with low GDP, low population, and a weak standard of living.
• Diplomatic Hurdles: You begin with a favorable lobby toward major powers (e.g., the United Kingdom, Russia, France) but miss key support (like a pro-Austrian lobby).
• Necessity for Alliances: To stand a chance, you’ll need to forge alliances with global powers, even if it means giving up a bit of sovereignty or joining a power block.

---

2. Diplomatic Preparations

Lobbying and Trade

• Influence Lobbies: Fortunately, you start with lobbies favoring Russia, the UK, and France. Use these relationships to improve diplomatic relations further.
• Trade Agreements: Secure a trade agreement with Russia early on to boost your economy and regain crucial bureaucracy points.

Research and National Identity

• Nationalism Research: Restoring Byzantium requires strong nationalist sentiment. You’ll need to research tier-one sociology texts to unlock nationalism, a prerequisite for future unification events (like the restoration of the Olympic Games, which grants massive prestige).

Balancing Radicalism and Stability

• Lower Taxes: To keep radicalism in check, reduce taxes where possible, only taxing non-essential items (e.g., tobacco and services).
• Infrastructure Investments: Use road maintenance decrees to speed up construction, especially in your capital, as you begin building key industrial facilities like tool factories and sawmills.

---

3. Military Organization and Mobilization

Army Composition

• Unit Management: Organize your battalions and conscripts efficiently. Combine forces into one army and adjust unit allocations as needed to maximize command efficiency.
• Commander Selection: Your commanders are crucial. For example, even if you end up with suboptimal commanders initially, consider promoting or transferring units to optimize the mix. In Greece, every general’s traits (like defensive or offensive bonuses) can make a significant difference.

Mobilization Effects

• Increased Consumption: Mobilizing troops increases goods consumption—each battalion now uses 1.6× their normal share of arms and ammunition. This spike must be managed with a healthy economy and robust supply lines.
• Conscript Dynamics: Conscripts are cost-effective but take longer to mobilize and may shift workers away from productive industries. Ensure you have a balance between regular battalions and conscripts for a timely response.

---

4. Waging War Against the Ottomans

Initiating the Conflict

• Diplomatic Play: Once your preparations are complete, launch a diplomatic play against the Ottoman Empire. Demand territory and, when the peace period ends, use your mobilized forces to engage.
• Setting War Goals: Choose realistic war goals (such as reclaiming key territories and demanding war reparations) to gradually erode the Ottoman war support.

Battlefield Tactics

• Assigning Fronts: Divide your forces between multiple fronts. For example, allocate one army to hold Constantinople while another targets the Balkans.
• Dynamic Orders: Adjust your commanders’ orders to either advance or defend as needed. Sometimes defensive orders will lower enemy advancement speed, while offensive orders help you push into enemy territory.
• Artillery and Cavalry: Leverage specialized units (like mobile artillery and lancers) by transferring them to bolster your offensive capabilities where needed.

Dealing with Supply and Morale

• Resupply Management: As mobilization increases consumption, ensure your supply lines are robust. Monitor market prices for arms and ammunition to avoid crippling shortages.
• Boosting Loyalty: Increasing military wages and loyalty can add crucial bonuses to offense and defense—often the difference between repelling an attack or succumbing to enemy forces.

---

5. The Path to Byzantine Restoration

Reclaiming Territory

• Victory Conditions: As your forces gain the upper hand, capture key Ottoman territories, especially strategic cities like the enemy capital. This drives enemy war support into the red, forcing capitulation.
• Economic Windfall: The conquest will bring war reparations and additional territory income, allowing you to invest in infrastructure, reduce taxes, and improve overall stability.

Fulfilling the Byzantine Dream

• Forming Byzantium: With the reclaimed territories and improved national strength, you can finally initiate the unification play to restore Byzantium. This pivotal event will require you to integrate your new territories and manage the influx of diverse populations.
• Long-Term Integration: Post-war, focus on raising the standard of living, reducing radicalism, and aligning the newly conquered regions with your economic and cultural policies. Reclaiming national identity through nationalist research and events (like the Olympic Games) is key.

---

6. Final Thoughts

Key Takeaways

• Diplomacy First: Start by securing favorable lobbies and trade agreements. Improving relations with global powers is essential for countering the Ottoman threat.
• Strategic Military Mobilization: Optimize your unit composition, carefully manage mobilization costs, and tailor your battlefield orders for maximum effectiveness.
• Economic Stability: Maintain a balanced budget even during conflict by adjusting taxes and reinvesting war gains wisely.
• Long-Term Vision: Restoring Byzantium isn’t just about military victory—it’s about uniting territories, enhancing national identity, and integrating diverse populations into a cohesive, powerful state.

By following these strategies, you can overcome the might of the Ottoman Empire and restore Byzantium, transforming Greece into a reborn powerhouse on the international stage. Embrace the challenge, adapt your tactics on the fly, and write your own chapter in Victoria 3 history.

If you enjoyed this guide, please leave a like, share your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe for more in-depth Victoria 3 strategies. May your campaign be legendary!