Expansion Mission Tree Tips for Europa Universalis 5: Completing and Solving

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If you want to quickly expand your initial territories in Europa Universalis 5 and build a global empire, you should consider focusing on the Expansion Mission Tree. These goals will help you start claiming new borders and discovering more of the world. Completing these missions involves declaring rivals, going to war, and acquiring new lands, all while boosting your country’s prestige.

There are two main branches in the Expansion Mission Tree:

Humiliate a Rival: This is a straightforward goal if your nation is already strong. It involves declaring war on a smaller rival and ending the conflict with a Humiliation Peace Treaty that damages their prestige. This mission is available anytime after your start and can be completed repeatedly every 20 years. To begin, you need to establish a rival—done through the Diplomacy menu by selecting a country and choosing the Rival option. Then, you must insult that rival within the last ten years by sending an insult from the Diplomacy menu. Doing this will give you a Casus Belli and start the mission.
Regional Expansion: This involves taking land from neighboring countries by declaring war and then making peace to annex their territory. It helps to repair the region afterward, as the area will likely suffer damage during conflict. You can undertake this mission when your country is capable of declaring war and repeat it every 15 years to keep expanding.

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Completing the “Humiliate a Rival” mission involves several steps:

Have a Rival: Chosen via the Diplomacy menu, then insulted within ten years to be eligible.
Build a Spy Network: Establish a spy network of at least 30 in the rival’s territory for intelligence and potentially a Casus Belli.
Sow Discontent: If you have a strong spy network and multiple diplomats, you can choose to sow discontent in your rival, creating internal instability.
Declare War: With a Casus Belli and an army prepared, declare war on your rival.
Win with the Peace Treaty: Achieve a Humiliation Peace Treaty during your war, reducing their prestige significantly and boosting yours.

Your ultimate aim is to Surpass our Foes. To do this, your rival’s military strength must fall to less than half of your country’s total force. After the initial humiliation, keep monitoring your strengths, as some nations might already qualify for this step early, especially if they started weak or with a weaker rival.

Once the “Humiliate a Rival” goal is accomplished, additional objectives include imposing embargos, establishing spy networks, and sowing discontent, which all contribute to the overall mission progress.

For the Regional Expansion branch, you will need to:

Raise a War Chest: Gather resources to fund the upcoming conflict.
Build Your Army: Ensure you have enough soldiers, either through general recruitment, militia, or navy.
Get a Casus Belli: Justify your war, either through parliamentary approval or spying.
Build Ships if Coastal: Have a suitable navy to support your expansion.
Declare War: When ready, declare war on a neighboring country, which will last at least a year before you can end it with a peace treaty.

After winning the war and making peace:

Recover Prosperity: Raise the region’s prosperity above zero.
Fortify Borders: Upgrade defenses in the new region.
Integrate the Land: Over the next two years, help the region settle, ensuring satisfaction and stability.

In summary, focusing on these expansion goals—humiliating rivals and regional conquest—can significantly boost your country’s prestige and territorial holdings, paving the way for global dominance.