Hey wanting to give this game a second try. But the tutorial, to me, lacked some crucial information, namely:

1. How to construct navies.

2. How to use balloons to spy on other regions.

3. How to merge units into one.

4. How to wage war, be it against a minor nation or a global power. For me it has always been place as many units next to the enemy region and just cross my fingers and wait and see if they attack and if it causes enough damage to warrant the attack.

5. Can anyone explain these trade agreements with me sending money to foreign powers I never signed? I was under the impression I started with no deals with any nation.

On a sidenote,which nation is a good starting nation to play as? I want to play as Germany and try to either re-enact WW1 to see if it was even possible. But Germany seems to be an extra difficult nation to play as given its central location. So Ive tried various minor nations but they seem to be only good for building farms. Other global powers are difficult to play as given colonies, and the fragile balance of peace across the globe and the massive amount of money needed right off the bat. Any suggestions?

Any help is appreciated! Thank you!