How to Make Money in EU5 Patch 1.3

Storyline / Context

• The video is a guide-style walkthrough for Europa Universalis V (EU5) patch 1.3, focused on how to generate money early and mid-game.
• It leverages recent patch changes to trade and mentions improved economic mechanics.
• There isn’t a narrative storyline from the game. Instead, it focuses on economic progression over time:
  • Start with a rural economy
  • Expand and urbanize
  • Shift strategy based on reforms and whether you go maritime (naval) or land-focused

Gameplay Highlights & Key Ideas for Making Money (Patch 1.3)

Patch / Mechanic Changes Mentioned

• After patch 1.3 (and a subsequent update), the game sets default trade income to 10% for all nations.
• The creator believes hotfix/adjustment reductions occurred for:
  • Merchant maintenance costs for trade
  • Trade route penalties, with examples suggesting routes like Constantinople (Byzantium) to Paris/London now have much less penalty than before

Core Economic Loop (What Makes Money)

1. Early game: focus on raw materials (rural economy)

   • Early on, you typically have mostly rural territories and fewer towns.
   • The guide emphasizes:
     • Pushing raw material output using ideology/economy choices
     • Maintaining high control
   • Early raw goods to prioritize (as shown producing strong revenue):
     • Gold, silk, saffron, iron, gems, salt

2. Increase control aggressively

   • The guide stresses that money scales strongly with control.
   • Suggested actions include:
     • Placing a governor in settlements (example mentioned: Desalon(n)iki)
     • Using buildings such as a road and “bay/baiff” (facility types referenced loosely)
     • Using cabinet member buffs to further raise control

3. Don’t fear early/mid overproduction price dips

   • The creator warns that producing “too much” of a good can reduce market prices.
   • However, they argue:
     • In early game, price drops are usually not a major problem
     • If a good gets cheaper, more trading partners can buy it, which can stabilize exports overall
   • They also mention checking global price and comparing price differences by market region

4. Mid/late: urbanize to grow population, then shift focus

   • The guide suggests moving away from purely rural/raw production if you want maximum population growth.
   • Strategy notes:
     • Avoid urbanizing too much too early
     • Urbanize specifically to support population growth, then continue economic expansion

Urbanization & Population Growth Tips

• The creator’s urbanization plan includes:

  • Urbanizing raw-material sites
  • Adding granary towns as districts/tiles expand

• Why granaries are emphasized (per subtitles):

  • Max food storage
  • Increase local food supply
  • Claimed effects:
    • Reduces food decay by 25%
    • Increases local food capacity by 50%
    • Supports compounding benefits tied to population mechanics

• The creator also mentions building/placing additional granary infrastructure and intends to keep expanding this over time.

Choice of Economic Direction: Land vs Naval

• The guide recommends planning your expansion toward either:

  • Land-based development, or
  • Naval development

• In the creator’s case:

  • They push toward naval reform
  • They mention needing reform progress thresholds (subtitles reference targeting something like ~70%, with an earlier threshold around 50%)
  • Additional naval-focused actions:
    • Increase patrolling/naval count
    • Build forts to strengthen naval presence and help prevent maritime decay

• Claimed purpose of forts:

  • Increase maritime local presence, helping maritime areas not decay as other tiles/activities increase

Key Strategies / Steps (As Presented)

Early Game

• Push as much serum/economy favor as possible (described as much better than “free subjects” for raw output).
• Don’t fully commit to capital economy early; instead, rely on traditional economy advantages for:
  • Raw output
  • Rural RGO size
• Aim for around ~40% raw material output when maxed (as stated).
• Prioritize high control:
  • Governor placement
  • Control-support construction (e.g., roads/other listed facilities)
  • Cabinet member bonuses for control
• Export heavily; use multiple resource markets.

Trade

• Use improved patch 1.3 trade economics:
  • 10% default trade income
  • Lower merchant maintenance and reduced route penalties (as claimed)
• If production causes prices to drop:
  • It’s still usually fine because you can sell more through exports.

Transition to Growth

• Later on:
  • Urbanize more to maximize population growth
  • Build granary towns to maximize food capacity and reduce decay

If Going Naval

• Reach the naval reform threshold (as targeted in the guide).
• Increase patrolling/naval count.
• Build forts to boost maritime presence and slow decay.

Gamers / Sources Featured (Mentioned at the End)

• No external gamers, streamers, or sources are cited by name at the end of the subtitles.
• The video primarily features the creator/speaker, but no specific username is provided in the provided text.