especially with the new update, it seems completely impossible. I've tried the macao strategy, but now portugal wants me to cede the entire fucking state of guangdong! yeah i banned opium but now i have to get that whole fucking state back! is there another way?
I just tried it again with some of the advice from this thread. Got absolutely stomped. Nothing I try can overcome my troops having 7 defense and their troops having 30 offense. Try the reddit. It looks like most of the people in this thread haven't played on the new patch.