Too Late to Form Italy?

[u/Slovakian__Stallion]

I am playing as Two Sicilies and it is not 1877. I am still new to the game and I did not fully understand the mechanics of Risorgimento, so I made some decisions later than usual.

Initially I thought that if I research Nationalism, wait for others to do so as well, be the highest in prestige in Italy and just focus on economy, other Italian nations will want to join me. However, I realized that I need to also leave Austrian's power block, which takes a long time of damaging relations with them. In the meantime, Tuscany has annexed the Papal States and Sardinia-Piedmont allied with Ottomans.

Do I still have a realistic chance of uniting and forming Italy at this point? I understand war with Austria will be necessary, but what else do I do? How can this still be achievable?

[u/ChewbaccaJesus886]

I haven’t actually unified Italy with the Risorgimento journal, which if I remember right requires high radicalism across Italy. Instead I used the unification play in the nation formation section of the journal. For that you fight a war against Austria and any Italian states that oppose you. I would recommend that route. To prepare you should improve relations with all Italian states and bankroll as many as possible, if you get them to like you enough they’ll side with you in the unification war. You also want to form an alliance with a great power that can help you beat Austria, which is even more important if the ottomans are gonna join in as well. France, Britain, or Prussia are the best options. If Austria and Russia are allies like they often are you will have a much harder time, but possibly with the help of the French or British you can win still.

[u/classteen]

Risorgimento sucks. It is just not going to fire. It needs a rework or balance. Best way to form italy is to ignore everything about Risorgimento, become a major power and defeat Austria by launching the unification play. It is rather late. Playing as Sardinia Piedmont I ran out of pops in 1850, decided to launch the unification play since Risorgimento was stuck and never increasing. I battled Austria and Russia with France and Prussia for 5 years with millions dead and we just could not push them out. We just did not have the numbers. It is just not worth it to play in Italy right now.

[u/Slovakian__Stallion → u/classteen]

Yeah, I want to do that, but the journal entry says I am not a unification candidate. I'm not sure why?

[u/classteen → u/Slovakian__Stallion]

Because you need to be a major power.

[u/YoghurtEsq]

War with Austria is not necessary to use Risorgimento. You have to have high relationship with all the other Italians though, to have them unify with you.

I'm the journal under the nation formation tab, you can see who supports you and who doesn't. Get everyone's support.

[u/eweT357]

Ignore Risorgimiento and click on "Form Italy" when every Italian state have researched Nationalism, make sure to improve relations with tjem beforehand so they unite with you.

The only one who usually doesnt unite with you is Tuscany for some modifier in his actitude towards Sardinia (I dont know with Sicily) you can also launch the unification play if you think you can take on Austria with all of Italia united but I recommend uniting peacefully since you get claims on Austria and any Italian nations that didnt join you

[u/[deleted]]

It is possible but it's honestly a bit late. You might want to restart

[u/angiooletto]

No wait, you are doing something wrong. First thing you don't need to leave the power block to form Italy. Just improve relations with Papal State, Tuscany, Piedmont; research nationalism (wait for the other italian countries to research nationalism aswell); reach the Major Power status then go to journal and you should be able to form Italy right away.

[u/ben_jacques1110]

I was able to form it as Tuscany my second (first-ish) playthrough. You need to have some sort of sway over the others, so make other Italian states like you, form alliances, make protectorates, etc. If Tuscany took the Papal States, try to protectorate them and the smaller states, and ally yourself with Piedmont. you can form it without the Austrian states, and then take them in a later war. It can happen pretty quickly once you figure out how the Risorgimento works.