Lithuania strategy
From EU3 Wiki
Lithuania is one of largest countries in Europe, but exists only in early years of game (1453-1569). Historically it became one country with Poland.
[edit] Start
First of all you need to be very patient as far as the very beginning of the game is concerned. You're a minor partner in a personal union with Poland. Your country is ruled by their king and this forces you to wait until the king dies. You will regain your freedom again after that happens, it may take a year, it may also take 50 years. Until that happens, you have to participate in every war Poland starts. This can be painful as Poland is very agressive, it usually attacks either of Moldavia, Crimea or Teutonic Order and drags you into that war as well. What's worse, after the war is won, mostly thanks to your numerous and brave troops, it's Poland who cuts the deal, very often ignoring your interest. This nightmare will end sooner or later so just wait and prepare yourself.
Setting up the country is quite easy just after you decide what your priorities are. You have to realize that you're meant to be a predator. Forget about being a peaceful, trading nation. Your job is to hold Asia at bay, not allowing numerous hordes from there to tear Europe into pieces. You're not in sunny Tuscany where wine is good and women are willing. You have to fight for your existence every single day. Lithuania, if it wants to survive, has to be a nation of warriors as strength is the only language mighty empires of Asia understand. And if you don't want to be caught unprepared when Ming or Timurid will start knocking to your doors, you have to start configuring your country to that purpose, to the purpose of being an angel of death and destruction to everybody who dares to move their armies any near to your borders.
First things first, research. You don't need naval, nor trade. Set them to zero. First priority you have is to research goverment tech level one, choose military drill, your armies won't retreat from any danger, even if the whole hell of Asia is unleashed on them. You will soon need that. After you research goverment level one, move straight to production tech level one and build workshops in all your provinces. Now focus on two things, you need more goverment tech, you also need better troops, so you need land tech. Spend half of your money on each of them ignoring others. Don't overspend on stability, if it's +1 or +2, it's ok.
Second thing, sliders. What you need is cheaper and stronger cavalry and infantry. Moving towards innovative can also help your weak eastern research. So my recommendation goes to aristocracy, serfdom and innovative.
Third thing, advisors. If you can get a land tech or a goverment tech advisor, take them without any hesitation, you really need them. If they are not there take a guy who helps your stability or reputation, you will fight many wars and more stability and better reputation can come really handy. If none of such guys is available, hire a missionary. Why?
Fourth thing, religion. This is key when you're playing Lithuania. Switch your map to the religious view. Notice that half of your country is orthodox and that everything east of you is either muslim or orthodox. You will have to spend a lot of time converting those heretics so the missionaries can be handy. Try to convert your homeland to catholicism as soon as you can afford it, then convert any other province you happened to conquer, try to have a fully catholic country, you don't want to have to fight off a religious rebellion while your armies marched away to Sibir to beat some sense into Asians. Also remember that you will be rewarded for your efforts in this area, you are very likely to be the Papal Controller for the most of the game if you convert many heretics.
Don't forget to set up your tolerance towards muslim, orthodox and (of course) catholic to max, your provinces which are not yet converted will produce more and be less likely to revolt.
Also, your second national idea should be Deus Vult to aid your crusading ambitions.
[edit] Sightseeing
After the country is set up, you can finally move on and take a trip to see your potential allies and enemies. First of all, there's Poland, a country that is quite rich and has quite large population. It's your early ally and you should stick with them as long as you can, as they are the strongest of your potential allies.
To the north, there's your menace of last few hundreds of years, Teutonic Order. You could ally with them, which is very ahistorical, or conquer them to get access to the Baltic. The second path is most probable as Poland is very likely to drag you into a war with them early on that will ruin your relations.
Poland separates you from German minors and this is bad. Why? Cause you could get serious neighbour bonuses to your research if you bordered them (+15 naval research bonus is very often if you lag behind in this area). You will have to unite with or conquer Poland sooner or later. After you get some provinces east of you and build up your army, Poland is likely to accept to become your vassal and join you shortly after that. This is the easiest way, so move in that direction. If it's not possible, just conquer them, they really have lots of money and you need this funds in your eastern efforts.
Now move your map to the east. You see there four russian countries who are your main competitors in this region for next few years. The most dangerous of them is Muscovy. It has large armies and is hungry of conquest. It is very likely to expand quickly to the moment where it will become a serious threat. So try to hit them first, the sooner the weaker they are.
There's also Novogrod, a merchant republic, that has a lot of money and a center of trade you really would like to have. They don't have many armies and they would be easy to conquer... but part of their land is behind Muscovy and Russian minors so you might not be able to get to them. Let them be until after you've dealt with Muscovy.
Farther to the east there are two Asian countries. Surprisingly (or not), they have a lot of manpower early in the game and some forts built, try not to mess with them until you've taken some land from Russia. Also, if you are at war with Kazan, whatever the cost, take Samara, it has gold which can really boost your economy.
To the south there's a bunch of muslim countries, which are mostly easy targets. You can start with Crimea, they have a few rich provinces and they don't even have forts built in some of them. I suggest your first war to be here, getting access to the Black Sea can come handy later on too.
Next is Golden Horde. They are rich, really, richer than most of middle-sized countries in Europe. They have a center of trade in Astrakhan. They have no forts built. That's what we like the most, weak and rich prey. Take them quickly with cavalry rushing around their land and take everything that produces money, leaving left-overs to Genoa or whoever wants them. I suggest attacking them after you have sorted out the Crimea, you should have access to their land after that. Don't let Poland or your other allies to get any land in here, you aim at having both Crimea and Golden Horde out of the map.
Genoa, they are rich, but their capital is far away in Italy and they can't react in due time when their lands in the area are endangered. If they grow too big and outpace you to the fattest and richest crimean lands, don't hesitate to kick them out of the area, they're easy if not allied with a major power.
Persia (Qara Koyunlu), Timurid, Ming, Ottomans. It's a game and any of them can become a threat to you depending on circumstances. Remember they are quite backward and that every second of research makes you stronger and them weaker. Wait till you're strong and push them away from Europe.
Georgia. This country is very tasty because it has a gold producing province called Alania. If they're not eaten by muslims, you should move on to secure their lands.
Deus Vult national idea should be the second you choose. It will help you, as it allows you to attack orthodox and muslim countries without a casus belli. After you have Deus Vult and Military Drill, you can become a real crusader.
[edit] Summarizing
Research land+goverment (and production no. 1). Convert any non catholic province you have money to convert. Be aggressive. Sort out Crimea and Golden Horde first to get money, then move on to Russia, to put an end to the rising power of Muscovy and Novgorod, then push asian hordes of Kazan, Sibir and whoever is around there out behind the Ural. After this try to diplo-annex Poland, kick Genoa out of the place not to mess with your Crimean possessions and also try to push persians (Qara Koyunlu and Timurid) amd ottomans south not allowing them to get Georgia. Somewhere between those wars force-vassalize and diplo-annex Teutonic Order to get access to the Baltic.
Congratulations, now you're the empire the Poles and the Lithuanians always dreamed to be!
(ps. if things go bad, take a loan and hire a stack of mercenary cavalry to rush behind enemy lines taking their unprotected by forts lands, this should allow you to get at least a half-decent peace deal)
And remember, never give up. You don't have to win every battle and every war.
