# Session 2 Tier list Before ![](https://i.imgur.com/je2GWlX.png) After ![](https://i.imgur.com/bfCiplV.png) ## HerrGamer moment: Yes they are both in China because I don't really know what happened in the rest of the world. ### Soldiers don't need any money. The situation was dire. It was already pretty unwinnable. A secret spy told me he was considering uncon. During all this, I'm going to make the assumpting that [this little button was not selected.](https://gyazo.com/a8422b9d2276b604151fe156d7ebfe1d) His troops were still contemplating what to do when the armies of Shanxi and Zhejiang showed up and Wei's troops were instantly stack wiped due to them not having morale. A full carpet sieged made sure he couldn't recruit any new ones. ### Diplomatic Faux Pas Oirat and Ouchi were debating if they would team up to attack Korea, they were doing this live in voice during the session. Oirat was reluctant but he did want a state from Korea so he sort of agreed if Korea didn't give him the state he wanted. Imagine the awkward moment when we all suddenly heard a: "I'm here btw, and I heard all of your plans". It was glorious, it was idiotic, and I loved it. ## Africa The dark continent, I'm not even joking just look at Skanderbeg and select ideas. ### A Tier #### Mamluks Still has a good lead on this continent. Income is only 39. While still more then most it has him tied with Hungary in ninth place. Having a getto trade set up with collecting in Golf of Aden actually is more profitable (if you steal Hedjaz's trade power). Expended a bit more into Northern Africa. What will the Sultan do? His only way to expand is into the west. Do I smell an Andalusia in the future? ### B Tier #### Ethiopia Still number 2 in Africa if he went with "meta" ideas he would be stronger the mamluks. I have heard he is waiting on Colonialism to dump a shit ton of mana into Kaffa to dev both the gold mine and get the institution at the same time. Crashed during the session and AI did an oopsie and made the wrong peace deal. Else he would have bordered Kilwa. Income is at 37 with 16 of that from gold. FL is at 44 but he has no military ideas. Needs to kill Kilwa to not stagnate and drop off. ### C Tier #### Mali Got played the whole session (besides the player crashing) and it shows! He secured his side of Africa but is in a cold war with the Songhai player. Should probably just attack one of the AI's you both allied. What is he going to do? Defend with an AI war leader? Your income is nearly double his go for it. #### Kilwa Raised autonomy in gold mines. You should never do that. The nation is stable and has a bit of manpower in the bank so it won't just fall over if Ethiopia attacks but he needs some more income. He has 4 gold mines (and 1 hold by AI on his border) but none are properly deved. Dev those to 10 production lower the autonomy and you would be making so much money. (also propagate trade so it converts Madagascar automatically) ### D Tier #### Songhai Out of manpower and only 10k manpower in the field. Weaker then Mali atm but should hit tech 7 a couple of months before Mali does. Trying to export his rebels. I think since AI is big dum dum would lose if Mali would just attack. Then again you never know. #### Kongo Pretty big on the map, however still poor af. Conquered all of his region tough with the only expansion now for him being either fighting Kilwa or fighting Songhai. (you can no CB Butua and vassalise him if you want to go after Kilwa). But with income so low it would be hard to fight for a long time. Way behind in tech at 2/3/5. Just session just consolidate. Don't do anything tech up lower let autonomy tick down since you raised it everywhere as well. Farm your estates you didn't do anything with them at all by the looks of it. #### ## America ### C tier Like I put them all here. Make no mistake though. They all have shit income and no manpower. #### New Providence [I think Leeroy depicted it perfectly. ](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/560899210137042946/671428502616145960/Iberia_blank.png) Portugal decided to yeet the hell out of Europe and went to the new worlds. Forcing a rehost because paradox cant fix bugs. Allied Chatemal and they are currently in a war together. I wonder if he will be able to get a hold of the gold. #### Chatemal Alex jumped on it in this session. He managed to reform once, but more importantly, he somehow made sure Aztecs died. Not much to say about this nation. Other then I'm pretty sure even New providence can beat you 1v1. #### Cusco Oh boi an Inca player! I'm already hyped for the capture of the emperor event or whatever it was that releases EVERYTHING. Snaked his way trough Peru to be able to grab as much as he can as fast as he can. Passed one reform so he is still way off from actually reforming. ## Asia ### A tier #### Delhi Going for that Punjab formation I see. With the ones converting to Punjabi and Delhi and Upper Doab, I think you'll reach 50%. So no clue why you haven't started them yet. Actually, 2 of the 4 you are doing are not in states. You do have 3 states open. Why you no state? Just don't full core build prosperity. I told that to Slaying every single week last campaign and he would just tell me to STFU. Are you Slaying 2.0? Low current manpower but a lot of money. Could consider enacting the manpower edict in some good states. Two-level 4 advisors on adm and Diplo but no mil advisor? I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that he just died/you are cycling. Build a fort in Baltistan since you want to reinforce Roh from there. #### Timurids A question for you all dear reader. Would you state A) a 52 already full cored state? or B) some deserts that are 17 dev in total? If you voted B. You are Slayingbeast. Income is at 57 since he has to share the Persia node. He has around 60% trade power. Only one idea since he got renaissance late. This leaves him vulnerable to Delhi since he has quality finished (and is working on eco). I expect Delhi to attack when he hits 14 ideas. Timurids manpower is at its max tough so especially if Timurids pop the 15% shock mission and then the 10% morale 10% manpower recovery and 4/5 general mission which is still sick. ### B Tier #### Vijayanagar Had a death war session one and is slowly recovering. Is almost done consolidating his side of India. What he will do after nobody knows. Will he stay allied to the rest of India and no CB his way into malacca? Will he do a classic stab and fight the rest of India? Has his focus on admin right now even though he hasn't finished Quality yet. Still, the points aren't going to waste since he is about to go tech 7 and pick up Eco I suspect. (cough cough take the 150 points from the estate's cough cough). Go to +1 stab for the prosperity tough. Authonomy is terrible another session of relative peace will do this nation well. ##### Mewar Looking pretty good! Good income, a good amount of manpower in the bank. The only problem is its lagging behind in ideas. It only has 2. Farm your estates, both the Rajput and the Vaishyas can supply you with mana right now. Guess he deved the Institution for India (although why do you have 2 30+ provinces), I guess one was from Malwa but why did you both developed it while you are next to each other? #### Oirat Got coalitioned by Yeren and a lot of the Chinese but together with Zhejiang managed to win. Getting Beijing is a huge deal for him and improved his income by a lot. Picked up Aristocratic for more horsey power. Near max manpower. Oirat is ready for a fight! Should prob pick up the lvl 1 diplo advisor, even if it's just for the points to dump into the gold mine ### C Tier #### Bengal Wow, 1 fort in the entire nation (not counting capital fort). Risky. I dislike the estate set up but he said that is from the start and he is slowly fixing it so I'll let it pass just this once! Wrong estates on cots and estuaries, related to that its probably worth to enact some trade edicts in the cots (after you give them to to the Jains) a quick test shows you would make 3-4 ducats more. Did start building some buildings which make me happy. Also state stuff, you have the room. I get it if you don't fully core it but at least state it so it lowers to 50% autonomy and you can start getting prosperity. Vassalise Bastar and take his trade (or is that supposed to go to Vij?). #### Qara Qoyunlu Was AI last session but it still looks good! Income is at 27 not that bad, collectin in Crimea might increase it a bit more. Maybe demarching and integrating Georgia so you can swap to Orthodox soon is a good idea? The first idea group is Economic, which might be the AI pickup even only 1 idea in it. #### Zhejiang Somehow didn't die. Had to go to max mercs to fight off the other Chinese but took 100% WC of land from Fire Nation which gives him a nice boost. Currently going Shinto so hard to judge the income although I have secret info that it was pretty decent. Highest FL from the Chinese atm. For some reason the dum dum sub didn't pick the government reform tier 3 yet. Although being an empire in China means the +2 cultures aren't that important. Also, steal the trade power from your subjects you big dum dum sub. #### Shanxi Looking good! Most ideas of all the Chinese at 6! (yes it is that bad) Income is at 18 not that good but not that bad. Should prob go to +1 stab for all dem prosperity? Not running any advisors, not even lvl 1. It seems like a waste since its a lot of mana you can get that way. Shanxi is literally the wall between China and Oirat right now. It has to pick between Zhejiang and Fire Nation next session and its an important choice so you better make the right one! #### Brunei Income is at 23, doesn't make a lot of money from trade. Collecting in the Moluccas and stealing trade is much more profitable than just steering it into Malacca atm. A good amount of cash on hand the same with manpower but a decent amount of rebels at 70%. I don't agree with the economic idea pick up as first idea group but as long as his navy is decent he won't be punished for it. #### Ayuthayya Lower autonomy and consolidate the attrition away. you are getting 9 new troops since it seems like you want to let the pretenders enforce, can't blame you a 3/0/2 ain't fun. Popped high-income mission and its still active for 3 more years. Don't see why tough since you have a total of 3 buildings so far. Only 1 idea. It is relatively safe because of his ally in Bengal tough. Still, a war with Pasai seems likely in the near future and you already have a decent amount of loans. No real fleet to speak off. #### Pasai Poor guy died on Uesegi and now he ran to Pasai. Also, the 29th of January is his birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOUS! Autonomy increased in the gold mine. I'm going to chalk that one up to the AI but it still hurts to see. Might even want to use the autonomy edict after you are done converting. Wants to fight Ayuthayya for Malacca control. his one good fort right now is sieged and doesn't has ZOC, just saying. Income is decent since he is stealing his vassal's trade and is using an edict very cool. Has only 1 heavy tough. Then again he doesn't need to cross the strait. ### D Tier #### Ouchi Outchie Outchi all those rebels are going to hurt. F your nonexistent manpower. Wants to invade Korea but that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Use your army to suppress those rebels, you can prevent like 2/3 of the rebellions that way. You are at max maintenance anyway. Why did you core Kyoto? It automatically becomes your capital with 0 autonomy anyway when you take it. Some peace would do you good. Your income is good enough to rival the Chinese as is your FL but you just need manpower right now and peace helps with your autonomy. Go for stab 1 so you can build prosperity. #### Korea Was AI the first part of the session and then was picked up by the old Aztecs player. Instantly expanded into Jiangzhou for some nice land. It was part of the amazing conversation between Oirat and Ouchi (see SpicyDemons contest submission for reference). Is annexing the Siberian tribes so will soon be on both sides of Yeren. Doesn't see America yet so not a contender for Colonialism yet. Allied all of China no way that is going to hold but it means he is relatively safe vs Japan atm, Although Oirat did break the alliance with him. Most of his dev is behind a mountain fort tough so hard for Oirat to break. #### Fire Nation Broke to pretender Rebels just before the session ended. That did him a lot of good! Ozin's Dynasty lives forth in Yunnan at least. Breaking to pretenders gave him a decent sized army. Behind on tech tough and no Ideas unlocked yet. Truce with Zhejiang is up in 7 months interesting to see what happens then. Diplomatically he has 4 allies. Although 2 of them hate each other and 2 are also allied to Zhejiang. If he does good Diplo he has a chance. Without Shanxi's help, it seems game over tough. Also, take points from your Nobility. #### Yunnan Decided to be on the wrong side of history and fought vs Zhejiang. Although he didn't lose any land and even allied Zhejiang after the war. He should try to integrate his Hindu vassal asap so he can use it to become Hindu himself. Income still is low. Behind on tech. Should try to consolidate the next session, integrate the vassals and maybe try to vulture vs Fire Nation if they go to war with Zhejiang again. Also, steal trade power from Belgium. sure it will make him disloyal but its free money. ### F Tier #### Taiwan Lets get the facts correct, this was the OG pirate. He become a pirate way before iceland and New Providence. Lower maintenance, go to +1 stab for prosperity and keep colonising wherever you can to get a powerbase. As long as you havea big navy you are to much trouble to attack, if you dont piss anybody off to much that is. #### Date Nice, the Japanese expedition into Europe has been a great success! He doesn't see America yet though he isn't even close. You need the dip points so you should probably hire at least a diplo advisor. Not much to say is going to exile AFAIK so it just waiting basically. He should fix his stream so it doesn't always mute himself. #### Majapahit Lost a war vs Brunei and it shows. Should try to ally Pasai and declare for Brunei's vassal (after you colonize Tulangbewang so you cant be blocked at the strait). If you just wait until Brunei comes again you will lose. No army and no fleet. Yikes. #### Yeren Ye, I don't know man. 32 corruption. Shit income, way behind on tech and no ideas. It seems like the next session you will just get eaten by Korea and Oirat. Fire Nation can not help you. Also at 10/21 loans. ## Europe Fair disclosure, I have not had vision at anything that happened here at all. I don't know what backstabs happened and what else so I may be way off with some stuff. ### A Tier #### Ottomans Just like Poland didn't do an awful lot, but just like Poland had an awesome starting ruler. It also deved around 100 dev so far to make up for not conquering land. Finished Quality and is 3/7 into economic. I wonder if he is waiting on tech 9 now. I rate it a 1/10 though. hasn't even started with the Armenian genocide. #### Poland Didn't do anything the first session, and the second session he finally did something and it was a gank. I can't blame him. Poland starts with a decent amount of good land. Deved around 100 times so far. His 6/6/5 starting ruler lived for 41 years! Finished Quality and is only 2 ideas away from finishing economic which will give him a nice boost. It still needs the third idea group to unlock the really powerful polish ideas. Making good money and using that to get even more monarch points. ### B tier #### Hungary Number 3 of the people who didn't do a lot. Again it led to him already finishing his first idea. Finished Quantity and 4/7 in eco. Quantity first to make clear he just wants to sit and dev. It also means he has a big army to scare anybody who wants to invade him. Deved significantly less than his neighbors tough around 40. #### Austria The first thing I noticed is the -1 stab, you have enough admin to go up to +1. Prosperity ain't no joke man. Imagine 25% more goods produced in Tirol. Can farm all the estates as well. Currently making sure Italy is for the Italians (and himself obviously) by kicking Provence out. Currently over FL, but since France is now out of the war it might be time to let some of the mercs go. Didn't expend a lot this session and because of it his income hardly went up. #### France Did a 200 IQ move to not be in the war anymore by letting himself get PU's by England. It happened because of a super rare event but it happened regardless. Exploration second... I mean sure whatever you do you fam, it's bad tough but whatever. 3.4k debt and no manpower. When the truce with the HRE is up I'm going to make a guess they will come knocking again and this time France will be the target. You still have defensiveness edicts on. Fire the admiral. Income is pretty good although most of it is from tax which doesn't scale very well. #### Sweden Looking sexy! 40 income and up to date in tech. The only downside is he is lagging in the ideas department. Should prob drop Lithuania as an ally and instead attack him for the Baltic land, so you border Teutons who you can excommunicate hint hint. Could embargo Teutons for some more money but I don't know how your relationship with him is. #### England Relatively low income, mostly because he decided to share the English channel with Holland. If I was you I would 1) kill holland or 2) Make him go trade ideas and everything he can to get more TE so he can collect everything and give you a shit ton of it. It also means you can skip Trade ideas, you probably make a bit less money but it's up to you. At least before that enact the trade policy in Londen since its just free monies, and build a shit ton of lightships and dump them into the EC. I don't know why he hasn't started colonizing in South Africa, he won't be able to reach Nothern America until he reaches tech 7 which is still far off, you can use the province in the south as a jumping board into the Carribean before New Providence pirates it all up there. ### C Tier #### Muscovy I think I figured out why your diplo tech is bad at least. 8/5 relations. I mean you have to since you need allies. Almost done integrating Perm which is going to help a lot. Fixed his loan problem and has an Income of 22 a month right now. Can consecrate 2 states for 10 more patriarch authority which you need to get up to convert those Sunni provinces anyway. He needs another session to fix his tech and ideas. Still having all those vassals and a relatively safe position means he is still a strong nation. #### Venice Mr money man! Higher-income then Austria by a decent margin. Just like the rest of the HRE likes to be over his diplo limit. FL is a bit low but then again he is a merchant republic so who cares. Started with Quality ideas and then picked up Trade. 1 idea in both. Should prob put his nation focus on the military to fill out quality fast. Also, a Venice that builts heavies, disgusting! #### Bohemia The highest percentage of land gained from deving, 35% of his development he deved himself. which is about 100 dev. Seems like a lot of that dev was put into admin dev. Which doesn't scale well into the late game, plus he could have maybe taken the second idea ahead of time and pump points into that. #### Naples Another nation that has nothing to gain from fighting against Provence but is in it regardless, well "in" his troops are just chilling in Naples. Didn't even notice they had a big ass Tlemcen as a vassal, but they do! A bit behind on tech and only 2 ideas also isn't great, I guess the 1 mil ruler doesn't help in that regard. Farm the estates tough wasting monarch points this way. Put trade edict on in your capital. #### Teutonic Order Got everything he needs to form Prussia as soon as that damn reformation hits! Is allied to everybody around him. Is prob eyeing up some of the Hansa states, except Lubeck since that is his ally. Built a good amount of buildings as well to give him some extra punching power. #### Lithuania Got ganked by Poland and Ottomans. They even called in Mamluks. 2.3k debt still is only about 30% of his max loans. Allied everybody around Poland, so maybe he is going to take some revenge soon? #### Papal States [-When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, Repent (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. -This word cannot be understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, that is, confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy. -Yet it does not mean solely inner repentance; such inner repentance is worthless unless it produces various outward mortification of the flesh. -The penalty of sin remains as long as the hatred of self (that is, true inner repentance), namely till our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. -The pope neither desires nor is able to remit any penalties except those imposed by his own authority or that of the canons. -The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring and showing that it has been remitted by God; or, to be sure, by remitting guilt in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in these cases were disregarded, the guilt would certainly remain unforgiven. -God remits guilt to no one unless at the same time he humbles him in all things and makes him submissive to the vicar, the priest. -The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to the canons themselves, nothing should be imposed on the dying. -Therefore the Holy Spirit through the pope is kind to us insofar as the pope in his decrees always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity. -Those priests act ignorantly and wickedly who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penalties for purgatory. -Those tares of changing the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory were evidently sown while the bishops slept (Mt 13:25). -In former times canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition. -The dying are freed by death from all penalties, are already dead as far as the canon laws are concerned, and have a right to be released from them. -Imperfect piety or love on the part of the dying person necessarily brings with it great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater the fear. -This fear or horror is sufficient in itself, to say nothing of other things, to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair. -Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ the same as despair, fear, and assurance of salvation. -It seems as though for the souls in purgatory fear should necessarily decrease and love increase. -Furthermore, it does not seem proved, either by reason or by Scripture, that souls in purgatory are outside the state of merit, that is, unable to grow in love. -Nor does it seem proved that souls in purgatory, at least not all of them, are certain and assured of their own salvation, even if we ourselves may be entirely certain of it. -Therefore the pope, when he uses the words plenary remission of all penalties, does not actually mean all penalties, but only those imposed by himself. -Thus those indulgence preachers are in error who say that a man is absolved from every penalty and saved by papal indulgences. -As a matter of fact, the pope remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to canon law, they should have paid in this life. -If remission of all penalties whatsoever could be granted to anyone at all, certainly it would be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to very few. -For this reason most people are necessarily deceived by that indiscriminate and high-sounding promise of release from penalty. -That power which the pope has in general over purgatory corresponds to the power which any bishop or curate has in a particular way in his own diocese and parish. -The pope does very well when he grants remission to souls in purgatory, not by the power of the keys, which he does not have, but by way of intercession for them. -They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory. -It is certain that when money clinks in the money chest, greed and avarice can be increased; but when the church intercedes, the result is in the hands of God alone. -Who knows whether all souls in purgatory wish to be redeemed, since we have exceptions in St. Severinus and St. Paschal, as related in a legend. -No one is sure of the integrity of his own contrition, much less of having received plenary remission. -The man who actually buys indulgences is as rare as he who is really penitent; indeed, he is exceedingly rare. -Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together with their teachers. -Men must especially be on guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to him. -For the graces of indulgences are concerned only with the penalties of sacramental satisfaction established by man. -They who teach that contrition is not necessary on the part of those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessional privileges preach unchristian doctrine. -Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters. -Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters. -Nevertheless, papal remission and blessing are by no means to be disregarded, for they are, as I have said (Thesis 6), the proclamation of the divine remission. -It is very difficult, even for the most learned theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the bounty of indulgences and the need of true contrition. -A Christian who is truly contrite seeks and loves to pay penalties for his sins; the bounty of indulgences, however, relaxes penalties and causes men to hate them -- at least it furnishes occasion for hating them. -Papal indulgences must be preached with caution, lest people erroneously think that they are preferable to other good works of love. -Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend that the buying of indulgences should in any way be compared with works of mercy. -Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences. -Because love grows by works of love, man thereby becomes better. Man does not, however, become better by means of indulgences but is merely freed from penalties. -Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences but God's wrath. -Christians are to be taught that, unless they have more than they need, they must reserve enough for their family needs and by no means squander it on indulgences. -Christians are to be taught that they buying of indulgences is a matter of free choice, not commanded. -Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting indulgences, needs and thus desires their devout prayer more than their money. -Christians are to be taught that papal indulgences are useful only if they do not put their trust in them, but very harmful if they lose their fear of God because of them. -Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the indulgence preachers, he would rather that the basilica of St. Peter were burned to ashes than built up with the skin, flesh, and bones of his sheep. -Christians are to be taught that the pope would and should wish to give of his own money, even though he had to sell the basilica of St. Peter, to many of those from whom certain hawkers of indulgences cajole money. -It is vain to trust in salvation by indulgence letters, even though the indulgence commissary, or even the pope, were to offer his soul as security. -They are the enemies of Christ and the pope who forbid altogether the preaching of the Word of God in some churches in order that indulgences may be preached in others. -Injury is done to the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or larger amount of time is devoted to indulgences than to the Word. -It is certainly the pope's sentiment that if indulgences, which are a very insignificant thing, are celebrated with one bell, one procession, and one ceremony, then the gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies. -The true treasures of the church, out of which the pope distributes indulgences, are not sufficiently discussed or known among the people of Christ. -That indulgences are not temporal treasures is certainly clear, for many indulgence sellers do not distribute them freely but only gather them. -Nor are they the merits of Christ and the saints, for, even without the pope, the latter always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outer man. -St. Lawrence said that the poor of the church were the treasures of the church, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time. -Without want of consideration we say that the keys of the church, given by the merits of Christ, are that treasure. -For it is clear that the pope's power is of itself sufficient for the remission of penalties and cases reserved by himself. -The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God. -But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last (Mt. 20:16). -On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first. -Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets with which one formerly fished for men of wealth. -The treasures of indulgences are nets with which one now fishes for the wealth of men. -The indulgences which the demagogues acclaim as the greatest graces are actually understood to be such only insofar as they promote gain. -They are nevertheless in truth the most insignificant graces when compared with the grace of God and the piety of the cross. -Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of papal indulgences with all reverence. -But they are much more bound to strain their eyes and ears lest these men preach their own dreams instead of what the pope has commissioned. -Let him who speaks against the truth concerning papal indulgences be anathema and accursed. -But let him who guards against the lust and license of the indulgence preachers be blessed. -Just as the pope justly thunders against those who by any means whatever contrive harm to the sale of indulgences. -Much more does he intend to thunder against those who use indulgences as a pretext to contrive harm to holy love and truth. -To consider papal indulgences so great that they could absolve a man even if he had done the impossible and had violated the mother of God is madness. -We say on the contrary that papal indulgences cannot remove the very least of venial sins as far as guilt is concerned. -To say that even St. Peter if he were now pope, could not grant greater graces is blasphemy against St. Peter and the pope. -We say on the contrary that even the present pope, or any pope whatsoever, has greater graces at his disposal, that is, the gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written. (1 Co 12[:28]) -To say that the cross emblazoned with the papal coat of arms, and set up by the indulgence preachers is equal in worth to the cross of Christ is blasphemy. -The bishops, curates, and theologians who permit such talk to be spread among the people will have to answer for this. -This unbridled preaching of indulgences makes it difficult even for learned men to rescue the reverence which is due the pope from slander or from the shrewd questions of the laity. -Such as: Why does not the pope empty purgatory for the sake of holy love and the dire need of the souls that are there if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a church?'' The former reason would be most just; the latter is most trivial. -Again, Why are funeral and anniversary masses for the dead continued and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded for them, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed? -Again, What is this new piety of God and the pope that for a consideration of money they permit a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God and do not rather, beca use of the need of that pious and beloved soul, free it for pure love's sake?'' -Again, Why are the penitential canons, long since abrogated and dead in actual fact and through disuse, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences as though they were still alive and in force? -Again, Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build this one basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers? -Again, What does the pope remit or grant to those who by perfect contrition already have a right to full remission and blessings?'' -Again, What greater blessing could come to the church than if the pope were to bestow these remissions and blessings on every believer a hundred times a day, as he now does but once? -Since the pope seeks the salvation of souls rather than money by his indulgences, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons previously granted when they have equal efficacy? -To repress these very sharp arguments of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies and to make Christians unhappy. -If, therefore, indulgences were preached according to the spirit and intention of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved. Indeed, they would not exist. -Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, Peace, peace, and there is no peace! (Jer 6:14) -Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, Cross, cross, and there is no cross! -Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell. -And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations rather than through the false security of peace (Acts 14:22). ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qD3SFt-wJ0) ### D tier #### Aragon AFAIK he had a fun session fighting Castille. 6/5/3/4 general, hot damn I guess all that fighting is good for something. 11 corruption behind in tech, no ideas. I'm going to make a wild prediction here: He will just try to consolidate the next session. Eat up the AI's in Iberia and then Netflix. #### Cologne Conquered stuff in the NETHERLANDS STATE, YOU ARE GERMAN LEEROY GTFO! Slowly conquered stuff around him and keeping his head low means he isn't in any big player wars and doesn't seem to be in any real danger any time soon. Being Orthodox is a big boon for him he even had the highest patriarch authority I have seen so far. #### Lubeck I guess that's its played? Only conquered Mecklenburg so far tough. Went plutocratic first and eco second. I guess Teutons is keeping him around to be his money man later in the game. #### Holland He should try to conquer Flanders and Brabant soon even if he just takes the COTs. On the same note also try to snipe East Frisia for that estuary. He has all the provinces he needs for the best country as soon as he hits admin tech 10! ### E tier #### Ulm For some reason, he is fighting France and co. Although France dropped out I still don't get why he is in this war. He is even paying 1 dip a month to have access through Austria, who is in the same war. Not much more to say, he's orthodox which is a Chad move, fuck the pope am I right? No patriarch Authority tough. #### Switzerland 7 Allies. Impressive. The only way that isn't your ally is in France. But we all know what he did. I don't agree with his tier 3 government reform pick up (even though i have picked it myself, better players have educated me that you want short elections as a republic). Boxed in and for the next 14 years, he can't do shit because he has a truce with France. Income is shit. #### Milan It seems to be friends with Venice now, even though the province your whole nation is named after; Milan, is now in the hands of Venice. I guess you guys make a deal? I think you already got Provence provinces in the last war so it's working out for you! Yikes, shit income tough. #### Genoa Also fighting vs Provence, but at least he has something to gain from it (unless it goes to Milan then it's pretty pointless). Lost Corsica to the pope at one point, time to go protestant! Put the trade edict on in your capital will prob make some more money, can't be arsed to test it but since you have a world port there its a safe assumption. #### Britanny Not as big of a shit show as Provence since he didn't commit to this war it seems. Even though he is getting sieged down. Picked up exploration first, what is it with everybody wanting to colonize? Who was that guy again that said the point of the game was to colonize? I'm sure Leeroy will tell me as soon as he read this. #### F tier #### Provence I have to be honest, it doesn't look very good. Just went bankrupt and by the looks of it you are going to lose a lot of land. Unless somebody helps you you are 100% sure going to break to rebels. Gg go next. (or try to exile or something if they let you) #### Iceland It's a pirate life for me! The second game I played with Imp second game he is a pirate, coincidence? Probably yes. I just realized it didn't even change your culture in Iceland to Icelandic, is Icelandic a thing? if not it needs to be. Shit income and going to try to exile. The Carribean is already taken tough and a pirate North American nation seems vulnerable but what do I know.