How to Increase Manpower in Europa Universalis 5

Europa Universalis 5 is widely considered one of the greatest grand strategy games available, but it can be challenging to learn due to its complex systems and strategic depth. A key resource for players, especially those focused on warfare and defense, is Manpower. Understanding how to increase Manpower in EU5 is crucial, as a shortage will force you to depend on weaker troops and expensive mercenaries.

What Is Manpower In Europa Universalis 5?

In the game EU5, Manpower represents the pool of available soldiers you can recruit as Regulars – these are much stronger than basic Levies. You can find your Manpower count in the top right corner of the screen, next to the date. As the game moves beyond the medieval era, countries will increasingly rely on Regulars instead of Levies, making Manpower a crucial resource as time goes on.

Okay, so I’ve learned the hard way that if I’m building my army around professional soldiers – Regulars – I really need to keep an eye on my manpower. Basically, if I start a war with low manpower, and those Regulars take casualties, I’m screwed! I won’t be able to replace them, and my army will just get weaker and weaker. It’s a total game-changer, so I always make sure I have a good pool of recruits before I start any conflicts.

There is a maximum Manpower, which can be seen by hovering over the resource.

When you’re short on troops and can’t recruit quickly enough, you’ll need to either use conscripted levies or hire mercenaries to defend your territory. Alternatively, you can try to negotiate a peace treaty.

How To Increase Manpower In Europa Universalis 5

Our workforce grows every month, but the rate of growth varies. Here’s a look at how to increase manpower in Europa Universalis V.

Military Buildings

To increase your population (Manpower), focus on building military structures. You can find these by going to the ‘Production’ menu, then selecting ‘Buildings’, and searching for ‘Monthly Manpower’. A quicker way is to simply hold ‘Shift’ and click on the Manpower number located in the top right corner of your screen.

Both of these methods will help you find buildings that increase your forces, like the City Guard. This building, for instance, provides +2 Manpower each month. Here are some early-game buildings that can boost your Manpower, though you may need to research them first.

City Guard: +2
Sergeantry: + 5
Armory: +10
Order Stronghold: +1

Other Buildings may be available for other cultures, so make sure to check the research page.

Disband Units

When you move your mouse over the button to disband an army, a message appears explaining that doing so will return manpower, allowing you to strengthen units in other, more critical locations.

Laws

You can unlock the Recruitment Law relatively early in the game. Once you do, certain Policies will let you raise the maximum number of soldiers your country can have, and the Green Standard Army boosts how many soldiers you gain each month.

Calpulli: +10% Manpower
Reformed Hussite Tactics: +10% Manpower
Early Standing Army: +10% Manpower
New Model Army: +10% Manpower
Allotment System: +15% Manpower
Canton System: +15% Manpower
Mass Army Policy: +20% Manpower
Military Settlements: +20% Manpower
Green Standard Army: +20% Monthly Manpower

While many of these practices are specific to certain cultures, ideally every country should be able to benefit from at least one, and possibly more, of them.

Estate Privileges

Certain benefits from Estate Privileges might boost your population growth in EU5, but how much they help can vary depending on the country and its culture.

For countries that focus on naval power, ‘Sailors’ and ‘Monthly Sailors’ provide information similar to resources used for civilian populations. Remember to use the same helpful tricks – for example, holding Shift and clicking on a resource will show you which buildings can boost it.

2025-11-06 21:38