You are on the top of the hill, and everybody wishes to push you down.

Spain has the most numerous provinces in western Europe, great leaders in the beginning of the game and possibility to grab great colonial empire early in the game. This brings heavy duties to the Spanish crown, as she should maintain the precious European balance between major powers half of the game, the longer the better. Spain has to defend Europe (and herself) against raising new powers, first Turkey, later England, and always keep eye on her arch-enemy, France.

Economics

Spain needs to improve her economy tremendously to survive. During the first two periods she should tax Holland every turn. The Dutch revolt is so probable that it isn’t worth to give 50D$ each turn to delay it turn or two.

Spain should explore towards Caribbean and find one of the Antilles, Jamaica, Panama and Vera Cruz as soon as possible and found colonies there. Spain should not waste her conquistadors in exploration any more than absolutely necessary, which means that explorer is used to explore the first province, create colony there and after that use only detachments to do exploration from that colony. There should be ready colonies and explored capitals of Azteca and Inca before any good conquistadors arrive, and they should be used to conquer these cities at once. Only detachment (with missionary if playing with Extension Set 1) should accompany conquistador. Spain should use viceroy rule as fully as possible to maximise number of colonisation actions. Conquistadors may explore only on a turn when they leave.

Spain should have colony almost all gold mine location in America before the end of second period. After that Spain should concentrate a few locations with high income and build up to level 4 colonies there. The suitable place for four level 6 colonies for end of game VPs is in Chile and Argentina. And colonisation of California is a must.

Spain should never overheat her economics, as Spanish provinces are subject of revolts from Portuguese, French and Dutch revolt tables in addition of her own.

Politics

Spain runs international politics the first half of the game. After that Spanish question runs the politics at least one quarter, and hopefully to the end.

There is one ally to Spain above any other: Venice. And after second period: Holland. And guess which after war of Spanish Succession: Austria. During first two periods Venice will hold Turkey at bay and provide support in Italy against France, where Franco-Spanish antagonism culminates. It pays for Spain to give strong support to Venice to his goals and protect her against Turkish advances. (Milan is too important to Spain to be given to Venice.) Starting from the third period, Spain should gain Venice as minor ally to stall Turkish Mediterranean push and to prevent France to use Venice.

Turkey is the nuisance of Spain in the East. During the second and the third period Turkey can give serious threat to Spanish possessions around Mediterranean, but the main threat comes from Turkish pressure towards Habsburgs, which could seriously weaken Spanish defences against France. Spain should support either militarily or financially any campaign against Turkey. If Spanish support lengthens any war turn or two, it is always a victory to Spain. Spain should support Habsburg reconquesta of Hungary actively, and try to finish it before Austrian player emerges. That would end the animosity between Austria and Turkey, and free Austrian forces to be used against France and Russia. In Mediterranean Spain should support the Knights to make that war as long as possible especially if it is fought early in the game. Spain should give Malta to Knights when they need it. Another important ally against Turkey is Poland, which can be used to threaten Turkish Hungarian provinces. Also Persia can be used, but due to his disloyalty he isn’t very useful. Spain should participate all crusades, and make them as long as possible for all participants, at least for Turkey (and France).

Portugal should be ally of Spain. At least if Portuguese monarch has any brains left. Spain should pressure Portugal to keep building his overseas empire and leave Europe to Spain. As only Spain can threaten Portugal in believable way, it wouldn’t be against Portuguese interests to ally with Spain or at least be neutral in any European war where Spain participates. Spanish animosity with Turkey should also be in Portuguese interest, as future Russia could use weak Turkey to grab Khanates as soon as possible. From the beginning of the third period Spain should support all other countries to destroy Portuguese overseas empire so long as she annexes Portugal. At that time, all the weakest targets of Portuguese commercial empire has been eliminated, so Spanish income doesn’t suffer so much.

There is only one problem between France and Spain: to whatever direction France looks at, he sees Spain. Almost anything France does puts it against Spain. Many events in the first five periods put them directly against each other and many French period objectives demand Spanish concessions. During the first two periods Spain should not give anything to France in those War in Italy-events. Spain can gain support from England in trade of protection of English enclave of Calais and possible help of gaining any provinces in southern France. The main Spanish help against France comes naturally from Habsburgs. It is quite likely that first War of Religion in France happens already during the second period, but Spain should take care of lengthening these events by supporting France when rebels are winning and withdrawing support if France is winning. Successful Spanish play guarantees that France keeps fighting himself almost whole third period and ends being catholic in the end. Spain needs Dutch help to make this work, and it is also in the Dutch interests to do so. During the fourth and fifth period France will pressure Spain very hard, and Spain has to forge an alliance with Holland to counter that. It would be useful to include England with this alliance, as England needs to have weak France. During sixth period there is short conciliation between Spain and France as Spain should select French heir to the War of Spanish Succession. If everything works fine, Spain leaves this with very little damage to her domain. After that Spain could let France and Austria fight their own fights to the end of game.

England is one friend of Spain during the first two periods. England doesn’t have enough resources to keep Calais by himself, and have to rely on help to keep it. This could include diverting French interest toward Spanish Low Countries and even supporting France in his war there. Spain should be cautious on this possibility. If English player gets greedy and declares Protestant early, Spain should punish him by making Civil War as long and hard as possible to England. As third period is very critical to English success in the game, Spain should use Dutch aid and French incapability (due Wars of Religion) to hit England hard this early in the game to weaken his economy and forcing him to invest military instead of growing his economical might. If opportunities arise, Spain can assist Holland during the fourth period in war or two against England and give tacit support to Royalists in Civil War. The fifth period see once again shifting alliances, as Spain needs English help to counter French pressure in Low Countries. As England and France would be fighting against one another for the VPs, it would be also in English interests to help Spain to defend. The sixth period sees Anglo-Spanish animosity once again in War of Spanish Succession, but after that only use Spain could have for England is a war against Holland, which support could be worth of Baleares. Gibraltar should stay Spanish to the end of the game.

From the beginning of third period Holland is the most valuable ally of Spain. There is no need to fight long campaign in Holland, better to make peace as soon as possible to get Dutch help to other operations against France and England (and possibly against Turkey, but Dutch admirals should always be accompanied with Spanish galley fleet when travelling Mediterranean). Dutch-Spanish alliance is the only way to protect Spanish Low Countries and Dutch land border. If Spain loses Low Countries, there is then no need to her to participate in Franco-Dutch wars, which would be really devastating to Holland, if he is forced to fight alone. Dutch player should be grateful to Spain to keep Habsburgs in good shape to be taken after War of Spanish Succession. Spain should offer magnificent price to Holland to stay outside from that war, as without Dutch participation - or Holland participating in the wrong side – it would be impossible for other players to win that war. It is really worth of Milan, Flanders and maybe yet another province in Low Countries ceded to Austria to keep all the rest provinces. After Dutch transfer to Austria, Spain should ask any help from anyone to grab as many provinces as possible from Holland before the end of the game.

Spain should follow Russian advance and try to keep him from advancing too fast by offering unofficial truces (never alliances) to Turkey on a condition that Turkey defends Khanates against Russia. Other way to check his advance is to use Habsburgs against Poland if Russia seems to grab too many provinces from her.

The most important minor allies of Spain are Venice, Papal State, Genoa, Poland and Bavaria. It depends on period and overall military situation what is the exact order, but Spain should always keep an eye on French minor allies and especially try to prevent France to get any one of these five. If there is turn of peace when Spanish general Cordoba is in play and Spain controls Milan, Spain should try to achieve perpetual peace with Switzerland, which provides much needed veteran infantry to Spanish armies. Religious unrest in Germany is nice event, but Spain should not overextend herself, as other countries only wait to grab part of her empire: two weak opponents should be enough. 30 Years War is a must, but Spain should never win that war, as it is a certain recipe for destruction, when all other countries combine their powers to break Habsburg grip from Germany. Spain can always gain good number of VPs by conquering Protestant minors with Habsburg armies. Spain should negotiate a deal with other major powers not to participate in the 30 Years War.

Period Objectives

The first period objective to every period for Spain is always the colonies.

If your gaming group has the interpretation that ‘Each province controlled in Italy’ means also those owned at the beginning of the play, then it should be the first objective in the first period, otherwise fourth. Other objectives are Vassals and Sole Defender of Catholic Faith.

If ‘Each province in Italy’ is interpreted concerning already existing provinces in second period, it should be taken first, otherwise as fourth. Beside colonies, other objectives are Spanish vassals and Habsburg emperor.

On the third period new provinces should be the second objective, vassals and emperor third and fourth.

Hungarn, Vassals and new provinces are Spanish choices for the fourth period. Spain doesn’t have good fourth choice, so Hungarn is suitable compromise.

Non-national provinces still in Spanish control, Hungarn and Vassals are choices of the fifth period.

Depending on Spanish relations on Holland Spain should decide whether or not to select heir victory in War of Spanish Succession. Other objectives are provinces, manufactures and Asiento.

For the fourth period, choices are provinces, manufactures and fleets.

If opportunity raises, Spain could carefully consider other, more risky choices.
 

Ville Virrankoski