Europa Universalis 4

[pg1]

Prestige is definitely looking like a very valuable resource for those who rely heavily on vassals.

Don’t know how much you have played recently but prestige was sliced and diced heavily. It is currently harder to get and maintain prestige than stability. Granted a few special nations probably can easily maintain high prestige but for most it is much harder now. The main reason it is harder is that they scaled back how you gain prestige but there are still common nasty events that make you lose it in big chunks (-25, -33, etc).

Actually now that I see the full grasp of subject details I’m not that interested in it anymore. It seems to be adding a massive amount of needless micromanagement for very little return. It reminds me of policies frankly. Policies I rarely use, a few in combination or by themselves can be powerful but I probably haven’t touched 90% of them since most are useless. This might be the first expansion I don’t buy right out the gate. The problem is also I don’t think the AI will deal well with these changes. The AI already is in a weaker state than it was a few patches back and makes a lot of dumb errors now in regards to combat. Naval AI is terrible and you can easily beat a superior force with a much weaker one. On land the AI isn’t any better and typically if you just run enough or hide away their whole army will evaporate to attrition without a single battle. With the new fort system I’m expecting the AI to collapse completely. I hope I’m wrong.

[Dave_Markell]

The fact that policies cost monarch points to maintain ruins them for me, since MP are the game’s most important resource. But I like the new vassal/protectorate/colonial nation changes a lot. Colonial nations in particular were a huge disappointment for me. I hate how they break free and are essentially uncontrollable so early–they take most of the fun out of the colonial game, IMO. This should restore a good chunk of it.

[SamS]

This cannot get here soon enough. I finished up a great Qing game 2 months ago and I’ve been jonesing to start a new HRE game ever since but have been holding off waiting for the expansion.

[CraigM]

Meanwhile I’m still on 1.9 because my Ottoman game. Curse my non existent time, I want to try out the new stuff! Also I’d like to play on a patch where AI attrition is calculated correctly. Nothing worse than fighting against a coalition of France, Austria, Hungary and others where they have a 140 stack marching through the Balkans suffering 1% attrition.

[KevinC]

The fact that policies cost monarch points to maintain ruins them for me, since MP are the game’s most import resource.

As long as I’m playing Western through Ottoman tech groups, I find there’s plenty of monarch points to devote to policies. When I’m in asia it’s a completely different story, but otherwise I’m always running a few of them.

This might all change for me in 1.12, since I’ll be able to spend these points on province development.

[Dave_Markell]

Nothing worse than fighting against a coalition of France, Austria, Hungary and others where they have a 140 stack marching through the Balkans suffering 1% attrition.

That has REALLY bugged me in most versions of the game to date. My armies melt into oblivion while the AI blithely marches across all of Europe and Asia while taking almost no damage. It’s one of the best reasons to keep some strong vassals around, since they benefit from the bug as well.

[CraigM]

Most of the time it isn’t a big deal, since I’m usually on the offensive. But this is my third coalition war against that unholy trinity (Venice, Milan, Savoy, and Spain have been in 2 of the 3). The first ended by me ceding 3 provinces back to Russia. The second was a draw. The third I’ve about broken Austira’s army, destroyed the entire French fleet (Last battle cost them 75 ships, now I can go back to my light ships controlling trade in Seville safely). They still outnumber me, but only slightly. Another year I can probably white peace this one, perhaps if things go well strip a province or two off Austria. Not bad for being at -24 warscore with them sieging Edirine and Tambov recently.

But it has really been a sore point. The worst because it comes and goes. In 1.9 they would still suffer the winter penalties, but being over force limit? Nope. Which means when they put every unit they have into the fight against me, and I do the same, I get hit with the 5% attrition once the battle ends. Supposedly one of the patches for El Dorado fixed it, but unfortunately that would break my game. Considering I’ve got a good shot at finishing my goals restarting is… painful. Once the war is over I can integrate the whole of the Arabian Peninsula and hopefully get a separate war against at least one of those jerks. Fortunately my Ottomans are strong enough that this bug won’t break me, but I’ll be really glad to go to the latest patch so I don’t have to deal with this nonsense.

[Tim_N]

This cannot get here soon enough. I finished up a great Qing game 2 months ago and I’ve been jonesing to start a new HRE game ever since but have been holding off waiting for the expansion.

Tell me about it. I haven’t played intensely since Wealth of Nations, this update looks significant enough to draw me back. For my first game, I am going to try to make a colonising Iceland nation using the nation designer from El Dorado. Fun times ahead.

[Ginger_Yellow]

Quill18 has been streaming a preview playthrough of Common Sense.

[KevinC]

Thanks for the link, Ginger!

I saw mention on their forum of a “Western Focus” national decision that is available to Eastern and Ottoman tech group nations. If you capture important Western cities (Wien was used as an example) for a period of time, you can trigger this decision to get an automatic/free Westernization. This is being done to encourage Russia and the Ottomans to push west into Europe.

Here’s an overview of the Idea balance changes. Quality and Economic are looking very, very, nice.

Ideas & Policies

• ‘Grand Navy’ is now +50% naval forcelimits (up from +25%)
• France lost diplomatic relations as tradition and instead gained diplomatic reputation.
• Added new modifiers to numerous ideas and policies.
• Boosted Bavarian ideas.
• Boosted Naval Ideas significantly.
• Burgundy now starts with +1 diplomatic relations instead of +5% cavalry combat ability.
• Quality: Quality Education now gives +1 Army Tradition instead of 5% Morale Recovery.
• Quality: Naval Drill is now +10% Naval Morale instead of 5% Morale Recovery
• Quality: Escort Ships is now +5% Ship Durability instead of 10% Naval Morale.
• Economic: Finisher was changed to -20% Development Cost.
• Quantity: Forced Labor System is now +25% Garrison Size instead of Development Cost.
• Austria: Military Border is no longer +25% Defensiveness, but 15% Garrison Growth & -10% Fort Maintainance.
• Ming now have -20% Fort Maintenance as a tradition instead of +10% Province Trade Power.
• Milano: lowered_power_of_barons is now -10% Development Cost.
• Tuscany now starts with -10% development cost as part of their traditions instead of +10% tax income.
• Swiss idea ‘Oasis of Peace and Prosperity’ now reduces development cost by 10% instead of war exhaustion reduction cost.
• Swiss idea ‘Alpine Defensiveness’ now reduces fort maintenance by -20% instead of increasing defensiveness.
• Swiss idea ‘Swiss Tolerance’ now increases tolerance to heretics by +2 instead of increasing religious unity.
• Italian Idea Heir to the Empire now gives +1 Prestige instead of +Imperial Authority.
• Most ideas that used to give +25% heir chance now give +50% instead.
• Vindyan Traditions now has -20% fort maintenance instead of +1 diplomatic relations
• Ottoman Traditions now give +3 Tolerance. -33% core creation cost moved to the first Ottoman idea.
• Various ideas that gave more than 20% reduction to land/navy maintenance were brought down to more sane levels.
• Scotland now starts with +33% land forcelimit instead of +5% morale recovery speed.
• Standardized effects of hostile core-creation ideas, most are 25-50% now.
• Boosted Neapolitan and Aragonese ideas.

[CraigM]

Thanks for the link, Ginger!

I saw mention on their forum of a “Western Focus” national decision that is available to Eastern and Ottoman tech group nations. If you capture important Western cities (Wien was used as an example) for a period of time, you can trigger this decision to get an automatic/free Westernization. This is being done to encourage Russia and the Ottomans to push west into Europe.

Here’s an overview of the Idea balance changes. Quality and Economic are looking very, very, nice.

Damn, if only that could apply to my still ongoing campaign. 1640 and I’ve certainly got some that qualify. Won’t be westerninzing since it’ll take 50 years. But I’ve already got Rome, that would be a lovely bonus.

[KevinC]

Damn, if only that could apply to my still ongoing campaign. 1640 and I’ve certainly got some that qualify. Won’t be westerninzing since it’ll take 50 years. But I’ve already got Rome, that would be a lovely bonus.

How is your game going, Craig? I admire your ability to play a campaign when your play time is (compared to the luxury I’m used to) limited/fragmented. I don’t know if I could do it, I’d constantly lose track of what I was doing and end up forgetting about it, I’m sure. I’d be in a constant state of starting new campaigns, never getting much past 1500! :)

[CraigM]

Ha! Well I intend to put up a picture when I hit 200 years, but preview: I own most of Muscovite territory, the south half of the Iberian Peninsula, am about to make a push into India, own all of Italy, have 2 vassal electors, and am about to finish punching out Persia from the Mughals. I also have colonies in Indonesia. Within 50 years I plan to be able to walk from Gibraltar to Fez, right now it is Nice to Tripoli. Only Thatta left to Unify Islam, since I’m taking Samarkand this war which is all but over.

My last coalition war against France, Austria, and half a dozen clingers, lasted 6 years in game, and 3 weeks in RL. But I want to see it through.

[CraigM]

Alright 200 years of Ottomans. So some initial thoughts (Westernization) have long gone past possible. Other goals have come up in their place. So my initial goal of Sultan of Rum is achievable at any time, could have done so 50 years earlier even. Waiting to get Unify Islam so Rome is actually possible to convert.

Anyhow here is the Western Mediterranean portion of the Empire:

Trying to dominate Sevilla, as it is worth a whopping 90(!) gold. Currently hold about 30% power, with Portugal throwing another 50. This is allowing me to finance, well, everything.

The north central part of the empire:

A few more wars against Lithuania and I’ll annex Crimea, right now using them as a core converter on Lithuania. Poland is about to get cut down in a big way, my goal to break apart and then vassalize, giving me a vector to attack the north German electors. Part of my long term plan…

And the Eastern Med, Arabian Peninsula and Persian lands:

There you can see the one province I need to get, Thatta. I can attack at any time, they’re no match, but trying to decide what I want to do about them.

Not pictured: my growing colonial dominions in Indonesia.

Here is the political map showing my vassals:

As you can see Project Persia is humming along. It’d be going faster, but the power projection for taking provinces for myself means I’ve not always maxed their gains. In time.

My initial plans had mainly been around a few achievements I wanted to try, but as the campaign has gone several other opportunities presented themselves. I am working on Ruinii Imperia, as you can see already I have two electors vassalized. A war against Savoy (the rump state emperor) would allow me to bring in all but 1 other elector, unfortunately that elector is a vassal of Austria. Austria may be stripped of her imperial might, but her friendship with France still poses some threat. Still I’ve got plenty of time, so this should be achievable, perhaps even by the end of the century.

Another goal which I had not thought of initially is to conquer India as a European power. Ottomans qualify, if only barely. So how to do it? Well Bahmanis has grown quite powerful, really India is Bahmanis, Gujurat, and Baluchistan at this point. Certainly the biggest issue is that the Mughals hold much of the northern part, requiring me to eventually take Dehli. That will be hard, not because their power (they are already 6 techs behind my military), but because of their size. That really may be what ultimately prevents it from happening. We’ll see. 170 years is a long time, and each time we go to war I punch another 6-7 provinces out of them.

Which is about it, those three seem to be the last achievements possible on this current game. Much progress has been had, but much to go. As fun as it has been I do want to try some of the nation designer stuff too.

But for now I still need to destroy the HRE and crush France.

[IGThf]

Finally managed to finish my 3rd Japan game (1st was a non-ironman Date->Japan game in vanilla version, 2nd was “lost” to the El Dorado patch):

The initial goal was to check how long would it take me to unite Japan, then to dominate East Asia, preferably the Ming, Thailand, Indonesia, Philipines regions.

I had a big coalition war against me during 1803-1809. Ottomans + France + Austria + bunch of other minor states. I allied Russia then and they made a decent distraction to some of the Austrian+Ottoman forces. I ended it with a lot better deal than I expected (about 48%WS worth of provinces for me).
The Manchu was in a constant yoyo state of ally-notally-ally-notally. They were very helpful during the initial Ming invasion and the following Mingplosion cleanups. Until they allied Yue and I had to use all the witchcraft to DoW Yue while Manchu was on my side, or simply fight them also. Was ugly.
Castile lost its CNs either to me (Australia) or in a joint declare independence war I helped with (Mexico + Columbia + Haiti + Peru). They could never form Spain as France snatched a province from Aragon (the one below Barcelona).

In the end I managed to clear the whole Pacific+East Asia of the Europeans. All Hail to the Shinto Emperor!

If anyone interested, there are some more end of campaign ledger screenshots in the following google folder (japan2 is the current run):
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1n1vT5b0wSOUUdBcXNLbW1GLXM&authuser=0

[KevinC]

Awesome campaign logs, guys! I love that stuff.

The 1.12 patch notes have been posted. They’re massive, but there’s tons of small changes (along with the previously discussed big stuff) that I think will make a nice improvement. Here’s some patch notes regarding war changes, specifically in regards to sieges.

• You can no longer abort movement to the next province once an army has moved more than halfway.
• You now have military access to any country that is granting military access to your war allies.
• Assaulting now requires a breach.
• Assaults on forts can now only employ five times the amount of infantry that the fortress can hold at the same time.
• Artillery-modifier in siege now impacts chances of breach, making it more likely, but each breach gives +1 up until its been +3 in total.
• Forts now block advance into territory they protect. You can only enter territory adjacent to what you already control.
• You must now have 3x the garrison size to siege.

The changes to assaults and breaches are going to be interesting. There’s also a negative event that can work against the attacker. If you roll a natural 1 your besieging army loses 5% of it’s forces due to disease.

[Charlatan]

So the new expansion that accompanies this patch (it’s called Common Sense, right?) drops tomorrow I believe. Does that mean the older DLC will be on sale. Hasn’t that been part of the typical release strategy by Paradox? I need the last 2 DLC packs (Art of War and … El Dorado?), so the big question to me is whether any sale that occurs tomorrow will be better than any Steam sale price. Or whether I am going to just capitulate, throw in the towel, and say “screw it” and buy everything I don’t already have tomorrow!

I wonder if existing games will have to be abandoned. I am playing France right now, and am trying to blob all over the HRE. Man, is it slow going fighting all the aggressive expansion and unlawful territory penalties. However, I have Hesse as a vassal, just annexed a 3 province Switzerland, and absorbed Frankfurt because Austria and his pals were busy with another war. Unfortunately, Poland, Hungary, and Lithuania have dragged me into a war against the Ottomans. I figured “sure, I’ll support you… by staying out of the way!”. Sadly, the Ottomans decided they should bring 70 or so armies over to France and say hi. So that’s sort of bad.

However, I did get the France-related achievement, so I’m not terribly sad to abandon this game - though I did want to play all the way to the end (it’s only 1650 or so). So if old save games get invalidated, I’d have to give up that dream. Oh well, there’s always another country to try out!

[Ginger_Yellow]

So the new expansion that accompanies this patch (it’s called Common Sense, right?) drops tomorrow I believe. Does that mean the older DLC will be on sale. Hasn’t that been part of the typical release strategy by Paradox? I need the last 2 DLC packs (Art of War and … El Dorado?), so the big question to me is whether any sale that occurs tomorrow will be better than any Steam sale price. Or whether I am going to just capitulate, throw in the towel, and say “screw it” and buy everything I don’t already have tomorrow!

I find it unlikely that it’ll be better than the summer sale price, based on past history. There’s also a chance that the summer sale will include the new DLC.

[KevinC]

So the new expansion that accompanies this patch (it’s called Common Sense, right?) drops tomorrow I believe. Does that mean the older DLC will be on sale. Hasn’t that been part of the typical release strategy by Paradox? I need the last 2 DLC packs (Art of War and … El Dorado?), so the big question to me is whether any sale that occurs tomorrow will be better than any Steam sale price. Or whether I am going to just capitulate, throw in the towel, and say “screw it” and buy everything I don’t already have tomorrow!

The pattern of late has been that all older DLCs and the base game are 75% off while the previous DLC is 25% off. I’d expect something roughly similar here. I’m not sure how that will compare to the summer sale. Maybe Common Sense will be a bit discounted for that one as well?

I wonder if existing games will have to be abandoned.

They won’t. Look at CraigM above, he’s still playing his 1.9 campaign. Paradox allows you to switch between patch levels via the Beta tab, so if there’s a 1.11 campaign you really want to finish you can do so.

[CraigM]

The pattern of late has been that all older DLCs and the base game are 75% off while the previous DLC is 25% off. I’d expect something roughly similar here. I’m not sure how that will compare to the summer sale. Maybe Common Sense will be a bit discounted for that one as well?

They won’t. Look at CraigM above, he’s still playing his 1.9 campaign. Paradox allows you to switch between patch levels via the Beta tab, so if there’s a 1.11 campaign you really want to finish you can do so.

Yup, what you have to do is download the update, then right click and go to properties. There will be a betas tab, from there select the beta for v. 1.11. Now you will not have to worry about updating, once you finish you can then go to the live version again.