I suggest you read the comments for more fun but not easy nations !

This guide is intended for beginner to intermediate players.

1. Austria

Austria starts as the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire so it has a lot of potential. Unlike other nations, conquest is not the power of Austria, diplomacy is. You will reach glory using personal unions and vassals !

It is not easy to play Austria in the beginning but after you get through the obstacles that are Bohemia, Hungary and the Ottomans, the game revolves around erasing the Protestant Reformation and keeping (and adding more nations) the Empire stable.

2. Denmark

Denmark starts with 2 personal unions and 1 vassal : Norway, Sweden (personal unions) and Holstein (vassal). While Norway and Holstein are not a problem, Sweden is quite rebellious. To keep Sweden, you need to navigate through giving them territory, keeping your prestige at the positives and becoming stronger.

Once you inherit Sweden; Muscovy and England will be your new obstacles. So the challenge never ends.

3. England

England starts off at a meh position, France wants territory from them, in their island Scotland is a small threat, but still a threat, and their trade node, the English Channel, is one of the most richest trade nodes in the game.

You have several options here. You can expand into Europe, or make a colonial empire, or do both!

4. Portugal

Portugal starts of very isolated from the rest of Europe, and their advantage is just that. Nobody cares about them and their only neighbor, Castile (Spain), is an ally. The only power of Portugal is the colonizing game.

It's not that hard, actually. While everybody is fighting in Europe, Portugal colonizes the Caribbean, Africa, India and the Spice Islands. But once the European powers start to colonize aswell, that's when Portugal starts to encounter some troubles. So the beginning is not too hard, but the mid game is hard, while the end game (if you won in the New World) is really easy.

1. Vijayanagar

Vijayanagar is a mid-to-large nation in South India. The only rival you have at the beginning is Bahmanis but it's easy to beat them with some allies. After you beat Bahmanis, you become the most powerful nation on the Indian Subcontinent. So use that to beat everyone, form Bharat and continue expansion towards Iran, China or Central Asia.

2. Timurids

Timurids is kind of the Austria of Asia. You have 5 vassals and them combined are far more powerful then you. Your leader, Shah Rukh, has a perk that gives -%50 liberty desire and he's 60 or something like that. So if you have luck and he survives for 5-8 years, you can become the most powerful nation in the game and maybe form Mughals, one of the most powerful formable nations in the game.

3. Ashikaga

Ashikaga is not the Austria of Asia, but the Austria of Japan. Ashikaga is a very powerful nation because you have every nation on Japan as vassals, or Daimyos, and they are not rebellious but if you don't keep them in check, some might grow too powerful and declare indepence.

4. Malacca

Malacca is a powerful nation because of trade. You are one of the candidates for forming Malaya, a powerful nation because of... well, trade. If you actually form Malaya and take all of Brunei and Sumatra, no one (excluding the Europeans) can stop you.

5. Qara Qoyunlu

Qara Qoyunlu is a mid sized nation on Iraq. Your nation is very rebellious but if you can manage that and expand AND not fall behind on tech, you can expand as far as India to Istanbul.

1. Kongo

Kongo is a small nation in Sub-Saharan Africa but they can control all of the nations that are close to them. Since you start as a Fetishist nation, it might look bad but if you continue to expand towards Kilwa, you can convert to Sunni Islam or if Portugal finds you, then they can support Christians in your land and you can become Catholic and then (maybe) turn to Protestanism.

2. Mamluks

Mamluks are a large nation on Egypt. You have a lot of potential but your biggest rivals are the Ottomans and sometimes Castile. If you can beat them and take over North Africa and take over the Middle East, you can do a lot of things. You can colonize, expand into Europe or expand into Eastern Africa.

3. Mali

Mali is a mid sized nation on Western Africa. You are a Sunni nation but every province you have (except you capital) are Fetishist and all of your neighbors are Fetishist aswell but you have 3 gold mines, so you don't have a bad economy, you just have a lot of inflation. If you get rid of your neighbors, rivals and the Fetishist provinces, you can maybe survive.

4. Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a mid sized nation on Eastern Africa. They are the only Coptic nation at 1444, and they are in a strategic position where they can expand everywhere (except the Mamluks). Because of the Coptic faith, they have really cool bonuses. After you beat your rivals, you can expand into the Middle East using the Gulf of Aden.

5. Tunis

Tunis is a mid-to-large nation on North Africa. They have pretty good ideas, and they are in a position like Ethiopia where they can expand everywhere (except the Mamluks). They can ally the Ottomans, which is useful against threats like Castile and the Mamluks. If you manage to beat Morocco, the Mamluks and Castile you are set for a good game.

6. Morocco

Morocco is a mid sized nation on North-West Africa. Your biggest rivals are Tunis, Portugal and Castile. You can beat Castile if you ally their rivals. Same goes for Portugal, too but Tunis will be hard if they ally the Ottomans so try to ally the Ottomans from the start. If you beat your rivals, you will have new rivals like France, the Mamluks and England. You can even form Andalusia.

Thank you for reading, I didn't do the Americas because I don't have a lot of experience there. So, again, thank you for reading !