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EU4 - Development Diary - 13th of November 2018

Welcome once more to another Tuesday development diary. This week I’m going to focus on content for the nations of the Maghreb, but I’ll also revisit Catholic Iberia towards the end.

morocco.png


Morocco’s mission tree leads the player on a military adventure across the world; you’ll lead your armies across the coast of the Maghreb, through the Sahara desert and into the rich empires of West Africa. The player now has much more agency over Morocco’s expansion southwards, with the Sudanese Expedition event now being tied to completing the ‘Saharan Route’ mission. Establishing a foothold in West Africa and establishing a new palace built with Portuguese ransom money will grant the powerful Black Guard modifier, giving Morocco +2.5% discipline for the rest of the game. Plundering the riches of Mali will also net you an impressive haul of gold to add to your treasury.

Looking northwards, Morocco must also sponsor pirates against the Iberian powers, and lead a raiding expedition to Iceland and beyond. Morocco will also be encouraged to create an overseas empire, focusing on Brazil, Colombia, and the Caribbean.

At long last, Morocco has a set of national ideas of its very own:

Code:
MOR_ideas = {
    start = {
        may_perform_slave_raid = yes
        naval_forcelimit_modifier = 0.25
    }
    bonus = {
        hostile_attrition = 1
    }
    trigger = {
        tag = MOR
    }
    free = yes
    mor_powerful_viziers = {
        same_culture_advisor_cost = -0.2
    }
    mor_marabouts = {
        idea_cost = -0.1
        monthly_piety = -0.001
    }
    trans_saharan_trade = {
        trade_efficiency = 0.1
        caravan_power = 0.2
    }
    mor_fleet = {
        galley_power = 0.2
    }
    mor_pirate_republics = {
        privateer_efficiency = 0.15
    }
    mor_slave_soldiers = {
        land_maintenance_modifier = -0.05
        cavalry_power = 0.1
    }
    mor_curb_power_of_the_tribes = {
        global_autonomy = -0.05
    }
}

mor_powerful_viziers:0 "Powerful Viziers"
 mor_powerful_viziers_desc:0 "Morocco's Viziers wield exceptional power within the state. Though undoubtedly effective at administering our nation, we must take care that they do not cultivate ambitions for even greater power."
 mor_marabouts:0 "Sufi Marabouts"
 mor_marabouts_desc:0 "Several groups of Sufi teachers have made Morocco their home. We must make sure that we accmodate these holy men, and take their teachings to heart."
 mor_pirate_republics:0 "Protect Pirate Republics"
 mor_pirate_republics_desc:0 "Made up of refugees and opportunists, a multitude of pirate settlements have sprung up on the Moroccan coast. We should take these pirates under our wing so that they may harass our enemies on the water."
 mor_fleet:0 "Defend the Coastline"
 mor_fleet_desc:0 "Morocco has many enemies that could launch an invasion from acrosss the sea. We must contruct a fleet large and powerful enough to repel foreign invaders whether they be Christian conquerors or Muslim corsairs."
 mor_slave_soldiers:0 "Slave Soldiers"
 mor_slave_soldiers_desc:0 "Unfortunately we cannot always trust our soldiers to serve us loyally. By creating an army of slaves however, loyalty ceases to be a relevant concern."
 mor_curb_power_of_the_tribes:0 "Curb Tribal Power"
 mor_curb_power_of_the_tribes_desc:0 "The nomadic tribes that travel across our lands are our nominal subjects, but also a regular source of discord and dissent. We must rein in their power and bring them firmly in line with the state's policies."

tunis.jpg


Tunis’ mission tree is somewhat pirate-themed. They will be encouraged to be the menace of the Mediterranean, occupying its islands and using them as a base to plunder the wealthy ports of Venice, Genoa, and Valencia. Establishing a sufficiently powerful privateering base on the Barbary Coast will attract the attention of one Hayreddin Barbarossa, who may come offering his services rather than as a conqueror.

Like Morocco, Tunis will also have greater control over its southward expansion. They must pacify the Berber tribes and seize control of the Saharan trade in order to open a path of conquest to West Africa.

Tunis too has earned its own national ideas:
Code:
TUN_ideas = {
    start = {
        may_perform_slave_raid = yes
        galley_power = 0.2
    }
    bonus = {
        naval_forcelimit_modifier = 0.25
    }
    trigger = {
        tag = TUN
    }
    free = yes
    tun_catalan_guard = {
        mercenary_discipline = 0.05
        infantry_power = 0.05
    }
    dual_diplomacy = {
        diplomatic_upkeep = 1
    }
    corsairs = {
        navy_tradition = 1
        privateer_efficiency = 0.10
    }
    tun_attract_foreign_pirates = {
        global_sailors_modifier = 0.25
    }
    tun_board_of_captains = {
        leader_naval_fire = 1
    }
    tun_export_monopolies = {
        global_own_trade_power = 0.2
        trade_efficiency = 0.05
    }
    tun_caliphate = {
        tolerance_own = 1
        monthly_piety = 0.001
    }
}

tun_catalan_guard:0 "Catalan Guard"
 tun_catalan_guard_desc:0 "We have hired a large contingent of Catalan mercenaries to protect the Sultan. As experienced soldiers with no stake in Tunisian politics, they can be relied upon to serve us loyally so long as we continue to pay them well."
 tun_attract_foreign_pirates:0 "Attract Foreign Pirates"
 tun_attract_foreign_pirates_desc:0 "It is not only ghazi, refugees, and fishermen who are attracted to piracy; the allure of profit can attract even our Christian enemies to the profession."
 tun_board_of_captains:0 "Board of Captains"
 tun_board_of_captains_desc:0 "The corsairs must no longer conduct their business in an unorganized and decentralized fashion. It is time to establish a state-led Board of Captains to organize and regulate pirate activity on our coast."
 tun_export_monopolies:0 "Export Monopolies"
 tun_export_monopolies_desc:0 "As the rural interior of our nation better integrates with the urban coast, more goods find their way into Tunisian ports. We must monopolize exports of these goods so that the profits benefit the state."
 tun_caliphate:0 "Tunisian Caliphate"
 tun_caliphate_desc:0 "Though the Sultans of Tunis have long styled themselves as Caliphs of Islam, this title has rarely been taken seriously by other Muslims. We must demonstrate our piety so that our brothers of the faith see us as a true Caliphate."

berber.jpg


We’ve loosened the requirements for forming Morocco and Tunis, which will make these mission trees more accessible to other nations in the region. We’ve also replaced some of the generic missions for Maghrebi nations, seen above. These missions will be free in the 1.28 ‘Spain’ update and available to all Maghrebi nations without unique missions.

andalusia.jpg


Here we have the mission tree for Granada and Andalusia, the White Phoenix. These missions are available in a reduced form for Granada, and for any nation that forms Andalucia.

Granada has a very difficult start; not only eyed hungrily by the Iberians, especially Castile, they must now contend with a looming disaster; in the Granadan War of Succession Yusuf V will attempt to seize the throne from the incompetent Sultan Muhammad IX of the Nasrid dynasty. Granada’s early missions will guide them through the difficult first years of the game.

If by some miracle you manage to secure Granada as a true regional power and restore the great Sultanate of Andalusia, the mission tree will expand significantly to reveal new paths of conquest and exploration. Along the way you’ll restore the Emirate of Sicily, restore the Great Mosque of Isbiliya, and beat back Christina rule all the way to France. Conquering the former Fatimid realm of Egypt will grant the opportunity to move the capital to Egypt and convert to the Shia faith, while exploring Africa and the New World will grant colonial bonuses as well the conquistador Mustafa Azemmouri, one of the few historical survivors of the doomed Narváez expedition.

And here's an idea set for Andalusia:

Code:
ADU_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.15
        global_ship_trade_power = 0.25
    }

    bonus = {
        global_trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = ADU
    }
    free = yes        #will be added at load.
 
    adu_stand_against_the_reconquista = {
        fire_damage_received = -0.15
    }
    adu_taifa_adminstration = {
        vassal_forcelimit_bonus = 1
    }
    adu_ahl_uhl_dhimma = {
            tolerance_heathen = 3
    }
    adu_legacy_of_ibn_arabi = {
        monthly_piety = -0.001
         idea_cost = -0.1
    }
    adu_jund_settlements = {
        global_manpower_modifier = 0.15
        core_creation = -0.15
    }
    adu_expeditionary_sentiment = {
        colonists = 1
    }
    adu_al_awasim = {
        defensiveness = 0.1
        rival_border_fort_maintenance = -0.25
    }
}

Let’s revisit Catholic Iberia briefly. We’ve been working on some new Dynamic Historical events for the region which weren’t ready for announcement last week. Here’s a taster:

pope.jpg

wool.png


We’ve revisited the national ideas of the Iberian nations following feedback and internal testing. The revised Castilian and Spanish ideas are displayed below:

Code:
SPA_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.15
        artillery_fire = 1
    }
 
    bonus = {
        discipline = 0.05
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = SPA
    }
    free = yes        #will be added at load.

    devout_catholisism = {
        papal_influence = 2
    }
    inter_caetera = {
        idea_claim_colonies = yes
        colonists = 1
    }
    gold_fleet = {
        naval_forcelimit = 0.25
    }
    spanish_armada = {
        heavy_ship_power = 0.1
        leader_naval_manuever = 1
    }
    spa_casa_de_contracion = {
        envoy_travel_time = -0.33
        global_tariffs = 0.15
    }
    spa_cortes = {
        possible_dip_policy = 1
    }
    siglo_de_oro = {
        prestige = 1
    }
}

CAS_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.15
        missionaries = 1
    }
    bonus = {
        global_colonial_growth = 25
    }
    trigger = {
        tag = CAS
    }
    free = yes        #will be added at load.
    the_reconquista = {
        army_tradition_decay = -0.01
    }
    spanish_inquisition = {
        global_missionary_strength = 0.02
    }
    cabildos = {
        production_efficiency = 0.1
    }
    inter_caetera = {
        idea_claim_colonies = yes
        colonists = 1
    }
    infantas = {
        diplomatic_reputation = 1
        heir_chance = 0.33
    }
    salamanca_scholars = {
        global_institution_spread = 0.1
    }
    nueva_planta = {
        global_autonomy = -0.05
    }
}


In addition, the following changes have been made to Navarra, Aragon, and the Berber group:

Code:
Aragon: Ambition changed to +1 artillery fire
Navarra: End of the Fueros idea changed to -25% Autonomy Change Cooldown
Berbers: Hostile Core Creation Cost tradition changed to -25% Naval Attrition

Lastly, just for fun here’s a set of national ideas for the great nation of Texas:

Code:
TEX_ideas = {
    start = {
       fire_damage_received = -0.1
        no_religion_penalty = yes
    }
    bonus = {
        land_morale = 0.15
    }
    trigger = {
        tag = TEX
    }
    free = yes
    lone_star_state = {
        prestige = 1
    }
    tex_revolution = {
        fire_damage = 0.1
    }
    cotton_plantations = {
        trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
    }
    vaqueros = {
        land_attrition = -0.1
        movement_speed = 0.15
    }
    tex_native_frontiers = {
        army_tradition_decay = -0.01
    }
    tejanos = {
        stability_cost_modifier = -0.15
    }
    adelsverin = {
        development_cost = -0.1
    }
}
lone_star_state:0 "Lone Star State"
 lone_star_state_desc:0 "Texas stands as an independent nation, priding itself on self-sufficiency and individualism."
 tex_revolution:0 "Texan Revolution"
 tex_revolution_desc:0 "We have fought hard for our independence, and we are prepared to fight to the death against any who would threaten our liberty."
 cotton_plantations:0 "Cotton Plantations"
 cotton_plantations_desc:0 "The fertile fields of Texas provide excellent land for cotton plantations; settlers, slaves, immigrants, and farmers come from far and wide to work the new lands. If we take advantage of this, we can export this valuable crop worldwide in no time."
 vaqueros:0 "Vaqueros"
 vaqueros_desc:0 "The Vaqueros are the mounted pastoral farmers of the Americas, and it is a lifestyle that has a special place in our culture. These 'cowboys' are hardy workmen, adapted to the lay of the land and skilled in horse riding. They take great pride in their skill in cattle and horse wrangling."
 tex_native_frontiers:0 "Frontier Nation"
 tex_native_frontiers_desc:0 "As a state on the frontier, we are confronted with dangerous Native American adversaries. If we are to keep our people safe, it is important to maintain an effective and mobile fighting force."
 tejanos:0 "Tejanos"
 tejanos_desc:0 "As a former province of Mexico, Texas has never fully abandoned its roots; Texas-Mexicans, or Tejanos, are very much integral to our state's vibrant culture, contributing no shortage of foods, music, language, and traditions."
 adelsverin:0 "Adelsverin"
 adelsverin_desc:0 "In the wake of unrest and revolutions in Europe, Germans flee to the new world en masse seeking stability and safety. The Mainzer Adelsverein will promote the establishment of German communities settling in Texas, as well as their integration into our nation."


Note from Groogy
So since bunch of people asked what Artillery Fire is, instead of answering every individual instance of where someone asked that I'm putting a summary here. The important part you need to know, it makes all cannons go more boom boom and make more damage.

Artillery Fire is a modifier that previously was only exclusive to tech. In fact all of the various tech weapon values are now available to the modifier system. The weapon technology value is part of the casualties equation and is applied multiplicatively. Very TL;DR and skipping some parts for the land combat formula is something like:

Code:
dmg = ((regiment pips + leader pips + dice - terrain) * regiment strength * discipline / military tactics) * weapon technology * combat ability

Where Weapon technology is where the Artillery Fire goes in if the regiment is artillery and it is in fact fire phase. Artillery Fire is a bit special because it is also used in naval combat, regardless of if it is shock phase or fire phase.
 
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So no update to the godawful Portuguese NIs? Texas ideas but Portugal is stuck with trash? It's nice to see that now every single country in the region has better naval and military ideas than the first country to conquer a global empire.
Texas ideas were posted in the National Idea Suggestion Thread. The devs didn't make it.
 
Finally no ridiculous hostile core creation cost! This is I'll make playing in iberia and Italy much more fun!
 
Since you seem reluctant to address this issue in all of the DD, I’ll ask this clearly.

Why does Navarra still have naval traditions while at start does not have any coastline??
View attachment 417169
This is getting ridiculous, since at start Navarra does not have any traditions. Because without a coastline it’s the same as not having them.

By the way, Morocco has one tradition if you do not own Mare Nostrum (although this issue has been around for ages).
That's kind of the challenge. Check out Oman too. Naval ideas but starts without any coastline.
 
Did they just post them directly unto the game?
I think so yes. Maybe with a balance tweak or two which was probably done by the betas. That's how Korean ideas were made.
 
Artillery damage is still halved, regardless with this modifier or not. The point of it is to give a bit of a buff both on land and naval. I think I calculated +1 in the end game result to something like 12% increase of damage overall on land.

This feels wrong on several levels:
- Modifier bloat
- No way to guess that it affects ships unless you read the DD
- I am not aware that Spain had any advantage in terms of artillery quality during the time period. Infantry power would fit much better with the tercios...
- 12% extra damage in end game sounds very strong, since it will probably be much stronger at lower technology levels

Please consider using one of the many modifiers already available.
 
That's kind of the challenge. Check out Oman too. Naval ideas but starts without any coastline.

The fact is that in Oman’s regard they have provided some answer (even in the DevClash laughing about it being “cruel”) but in this case no explanation has been given. I only want to be assured that the developers have a reason not to change Navarra’s traditions and I desperately want to know if the developers noticed it. Because it seems not.
 
The fact is that in Oman’s regard they have provided some answer (even in the DevClash laughing about it being “cruel”) but in this case no explanation has been given. I only want to be assured that the developers have a reason not to change Navarra’s traditions and I desperately want to know if the developers noticed it. Because it seems not.

Probably to do with the fact then Basque were some of the best sailors and naval men in Europe prior to Portuguese expansionism. The Basque likely discovered and fished around Newfoundland, and were pivotal to the Castilian Navy (Lordship of Biscay) so I assume it links to this. They so have missions to reconquer the coast too
 
That's kind of the challenge. Check out Oman too. Naval ideas but starts without any coastline.

Don’t they have cores on Hormuz’s coast at start?
 
Probably to do with the fact then Basque were some of the best sailors and naval men in Europe prior to Portuguese expansionism. The Basque likely discovered and fished around Newfoundland, and were pivotal to the Castilian Navy (Lordship of Biscay) so I assume it links to this. They so have missions to reconquer the coast too

I sincerely hope so.
 
So I guess Spanish ideas are now better for MP at least than Castilian ideas (with morale/disc/artillery fire/heavy ship combat)

Still missing the missionary bonuses and kinda mad about half of the idea set being basically useless..but oh well, at least something
 
Texas ideas were posted in the National Idea Suggestion Thread. The devs didn't make it.
There have been dozens of suggestions for Portuguese Ideas, any of which would be better than the rubbish currently in the game.

Whoever was initially given the job in PDX of writing the NIs for Portugal was so utterly disinterested that they couldn't be bothered to give the country a full idea set, and instead just used the same idea twice, Trade Efficiency. In fact, they probably just grabbed all the different trade ideas in the game and threw them int randomly (ironically missing the one trade idea for Portugal that actually makes sense, Steering).

And apparently, the current devs haven't changed that attitude. They find that making memes with Swedish missile cruisers in the 15th century is a higher priority than fixing the Portuguese ideas.

Of all the "historical lucky nations" in the game, Portugal is the only one without a single land or naval idea. It might be one of very few tags in the game without a single MIL idea, if you created the NI set in the custom nation designer you would probably end up with penalties for being so lopsided (lopsided in the direction of terribleness, of course). This for a country that repeatedly defeated the Ottomans at sea, that conquered major coastal cities all over the Indian Ocean with a handful of men and ships, that repeatedly pushed back far larger French and Spanish armies at home.
 
There have been dozens of suggestions for Portuguese Ideas, any of which would be better than the rubbish currently in the game.

Whoever was initially given the job in PDX of writing the NIs for Portugal was so utterly disinterested that they couldn't be bothered to give the country a full idea set, and instead just used the same idea twice, Trade Efficiency. In fact, they probably just grabbed all the different trade ideas in the game and threw them int randomly (ironically missing the one trade idea for Portugal that actually makes sense, Steering).

And apparently, the current devs haven't changed that attituted. They find that making memes with Swedish missile cruisers in the 15th century is a higher priority than fixing the Portuguese ideas.

Of all the "historical lucky nations" in the game, Portugal is the only one without a single land or naval idea. It might be one of very few tags in the game without a single MIL idea, if you created the NI set in the custom nation designer you would probably end up with penalties for being so lopsided (lopsided in the direction of terribleness, of course). This for a country that repeatedly defeated the Ottomans at sea, that conquered major coastal cities all over the Indian Ocean with a handful of men and ships, that repeatedly pushed back far larger French and Spanish armies at home.

It took them years to fix the text on 'Feitorias' and Legacy of the Navigator is still missing a full stop at the end. XD

And the mission tree, even revamped, is still a One-Province-Conquest domino trail with no real vision and ambition other than potentially the "Lusitanian Empire" one.

In a Tier 1 country in the game, people.

Johan (October 2012):
------------------------------

We have countries in 4 tiers, when it comes to attention in the EU4 development process. This is for DHE, decisions, missions and (unannounced features and mechanics).

  • Tier 1 - 8 countries (flavour and fun, behaviour vital for game progress)
  • Tier 2 - 9 countries. (flavour and fun, behaviour important for game progress)
  • Tier 3 - 16+ countries (flavour and fun, behaviour not vital for game progress)
  • Tier 4 - the others.... where the minimum flavour level is EU3+EU2.

Tier 1
  1. England - Arguably the winner of the time period.
  2. France - Big blue blob is a must here, no game is complete without a strong France dictating western Europe.
  3. Ottoman Empire - the major complaints on EU3 was the fact that they didn't become the historical threat they were.
  4. Castille/Spain - We all want a big Spanish colonial empire on the map.
  5. Muscowy/Russia - another failure of EU3 was that russia didnt form often enough, and you ended up with a fractured east.
  6. Sweden - Swedish agression is what shapes the northeastern quarter of europe.
  7. Portugal - in history and with our new trade system, their impact in the first 2 centuries changed europe forever.
  8. Austria - The central european player that affected half of europe.

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