• In 1438 the Habsburg dynasty had reached some of the most influential positions in Central Europe. Albert the Magnanimous was able to claim not only the duchy of Austria but also the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia as well as the prestigious title 'King-Elect of Germany', reserved for those about to be made Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Misfortune struck however and Albert fell in battle against the Turks in 1439, leaving only his yet unborn son, Ladislaus the Posthumous, to succeed him.

• Newborn Ladislaus would have a hard time claiming his legacy, and lost the throne of Hungary after a short civil war to the Polish King Wladyslaw. The Kingdom of Bohemia on the other hand is still divided on the issue. Decades of religious civil wars have left the country ravaged with some parts still dominated by powerful Hussite nobles, heretics to the Catholic faith. Only in Austria, the homeland of the Habsburg dynasty, has Ladislaus been accepted, though his uncle Frederick now rules as his regent.

• With the catastrophe of Varna the Hungarian throne is again vacant, and Habsburg supporters remain hopeful that it can be reclaimed for Ladislaus. The powerful groups that deposed the boy king once do not seem disposed to accept him a second time. They may well let their dynamic Hungarian regent Janos Hunyadi lead them instead.

• The dream of a Habsburg Emperor was not lost with Albert. Upon his death, Frederick, the Austrian regent, was elected to lead the Holy Roman Empire. As the first of his family to sit on the Imperial throne Frederick will leave a legacy for future Habsburgs. Should they choose to pursue his careful policies of diplomatic marriages and patient inheritance planning, the Habsburgs may well build up a position of power unlike that of any family among the kings of Europe. The responsibilities of Imperial rule are great obstacles in themselves. An Emperor must keep the peace in the empire, fight heresy such as the recent Hussites and at all costs protect Christianity from the advancing armies of the Ottomans, a power to which the Habsburgs have already lost one King. 

Enmuni - Global Campaign Season 4:

For the game:
Make sure you’ve played with the modset at least up to around 1500. The MT that Europa Expanded gives you is great, but you have to know what you’re looking at or else it will be really overwhelming. Especially in the first session. - Unfortunate as it may be, playing semi-optimally for the first session is kind of a necessity, because a lot of countries get missions that can very quickly turn your country upside down, and being Emperor requires the strength to back it up. (And a strong Austria is generally vital for a European power balance) - Learn the in-game diplo mechanics and server rules surrounding them. It’s very helpful to know them from memory, or have a cheat-sheet that summarizes all the important details

For RP:
Again, make sure you’re prepared. People are gonna be coming to you from day one for every little thing, so get a feel for your country so you can run it on autopilot as often as possible, because your attention is gonna be very divided. - Coordinate with other members of the Empire early and often. Reach out to all of them as soon as possible once country picks are released. Not only is it important to formally establish those internal ties, but it’s also important from a meta perspective because it establishes to them that when they have something IC they want to bring up, they shouldn’t hesitate to bring it to you. Building these bridges early makes the RP run more smoothly and makes for a more stimulating RP environment. - As Austria, you have to gauge based on other major players in Europe whether you will be primarily reactive or proactive in your actions. A passive Spain, France, and/or Ottomans means you should be more proactive, while if they’re very active, don’t feel bad about letting the action come to you. - Don’t be afraid of war. It’s going to come to you sooner or later, so try to become comfortable with it as an option

• In general: Playing Austria is an experience that has some rather unique demands. You really do have to be emotionally “on” for most of the session. Expect a lot of diplo action, a lot of negotiations, and be prepared to do stuff during the week too. It’s a significant time and effort investment compared to most other nations, but it has potential for some really great payoffs, interesting RP scenarios, etc. If you pay attention the history and the game, you have a golden opportunity to make Europe a dynamic and fun sphere

• A word of caution, though: Make sure that you get to know the other HRE players both in game and out of it. You need to be able to anticipate their needs so you aren’t bogged down negotiating with every prince over every province. Don’t be afraid to set clear boundaries. You’re the Emperor; they’re the Princes. If someone goes around gobbling up princedoms, and you don’t like it, don’t hesitate to enforce your will through demanding unlawful territory, diplomatic censure, or even war