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Brazil is the main focus of the Colossus of the South expansion inVictoria 3.Starting with a rural, agrarian economy, a dedicated player can bring Brazil to the forefront of global affairs and transform the country into a military and economic titan.
Brazil doesn’t have many of the advantages that the Great Powers enjoy, but does have the unique position of being able to build up a strong power base in a region of the world that rarely sees a lot of intervention from the mightier nations.
Brazilian Military Strategy In Victoria 3
Brazil starts the gameat war with enemies to the north and south.The Riograndense Republic to the south should fall easily;hold the line in the northuntil that happens, then redirect all your forces to conquer Grão-Pará.
If you’re playing with Colossus of the South enabled, you should receive an event that lets you choose a stance on the Peru-Bolivian Confederation. This is a great opportunity to prevent a competitor from arising in the west, and grab some extra land as well.
As long as the Great Powers don’t intervene, Brazil can conquer South America bit by bit with little trouble; just remember towatch your Infamy.
If Britain, the Netherlands, or France intervenes on the side of an enemy,demand their portion of Guyana. European powers don’t always send troops when they join a war in South America, so if you can quickly defeat your primary foe and occupy the European colony, you can potentially eliminate their Interest in the region! Demanding reparations from these rich countries is also a great way of boosting your income in the short term.
Continue expanding across the continent as much as you may get away with;Argentina and New Granadawill typically be your main rivals, but Chile can also become a competitor if they are quick to invade Bolivia. You won’t need to expand your ground forces that much - an extra artillery corps or two in each formation should be plenty until the midgame - sofocus on building your naval power.
A strong navy not only triggers a beneficial event chain for Brazil, but it alsodeters the Great Powers from sending troops.If Britain, France, or the United States can’t break your naval blockade, it won’t matter how many troops they send to your shores!
attempt to avoid recruiting officers who belong to the Landowners faction. You’ll have enough trouble breaking the aristocracy’s power without putting them in charge of the military too.
Brazilian Economic Strategy In Victoria 3
Brazil has little industry when the game begins, focusing instead on small-scale plantation crops.Modernizing will take patience, especially since construction will be slow and expensive.
Start byplacing a tax on Tobaccothen expanding your production of that product.Bahiahas a Tobacco production bonus, but you’ll want toexpand its Ports firstto add more Infrastructure. As it turns out, your pops are pretty heavy smokers; the extra production of Tobacco will keep prices low, while the tax brings in revenue from the increased sales since everyone can afford cigars.
Eventually, you’ll need to produceCoal, Railways,and Steeljust like you would as any other nation in Victoria 3. Start by building a small Coal Mine - nothing big, just one or two levels. This will give you enough production toinstall Gas Streetlampsin all your Urban Centers, increasing your pops' Quality of Life and ensuring that the Coal Mines always have a buyer.
Once you can construct Railways,build up enough Transportationto switch all your resource industries to Rail Transport.From here, you can start producing and exporting massive amounts ofHardwood,Tobacco,Sugar, andCoffee.
Pay attention to your states' bonuses and specialize their production accordingly.
Even if you don’t control all of South America, you’ll be able tocompete with the Rubber industriesin Europe’s African colonies. Be sure to keep expanding your Ports and Government Administrations, since you’ll need lots of Bureaucracy to maintain your trade empire!
Brazilian Political Strategy In Victoria 3
The Landowners have a stranglehold on Brazilian politics for the first several years of the game. If you want to get anywhere useful, you’ll need toerode their power. Doing so lets youabolish slavery,modernize your economy, andprovide social servicesto improve your pops' lives.
Once your monarch comes of age,kick the Landowners out of your government.This will allow you to startSuppressing them. You have plenty of Authority, so don’t worry about the cost. It can also be worthBolstering the king’s faction, the Intelligentsiaat the same time.
The Landowners will fiercely resist any attempt to reduce their power by changing laws. If you’re lucky, you can get anevent chainto reduce their Clout, but in most cases you should expect to handle them incrementally. Once you’ve suppressed them for long enough, you can risk a rebellion by moving toban slavery or enact Census Suffrage, both of which will move lots of political power out of the aristocracy’s hands.
If you find yourself in a war with France or another abolitionist country, usually because they intervene on behalf of one of your local rivals, they may demand that you ban slavery if you lose. Surrendering might sting your pride, but it’s aneasy way to abolish slaverywithout the Landowners threatening a civil war.
While you’re waiting for the Landowners' Clout to drop, you can pass laws likePublic SchoolsandCharity Hospitals. The sooner these are in play, the more your population will benefit from them. If you can manage it,switching to Dedicated Police Force, as opposed to your starting Local Police Force, will help reduce the Landowner’s political power.
