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EU4 - Development Diary - 20th of February 2018

Good day all and welcome back to another Development Diary for Europa Universalis IV. We've already announced that the Rule Britannia Immersion Pack will be coming soon for $9.99 or your local equivalent, as well as that the 1.25 England Update will accompany it for free. To that end, let's talk about a couple of the upcoming Rule Britannia features, as well as the new National Ideas for low Countries from the Update.

Firstly, a couple small features from Rule Britannia. We have added in a new Peace Deal and Diplomatic offer to Steer Trade. This will cost 60% War Score and will be tricky to get diplomatically, but will force the target nation to have their merchants automatically placed so that they steer trade towards the victor's trade capital. This arrangement will be enforced for the duration of the truce and is an effective way to hijack an enemy nation's finances without taking territory or otherwise accruing Aggressive Expansion.

steer trade.jpg


In this example, Venice have forced Mamluks to steer trade, so manually control over Mamluk merchants has been revoked and they are automatically placed to maximum profit for Venice: steering from Aleppo into Alexandria, and Alexandria+Ragusa into Venice. This arrangement allows merchants to even steer trade away from home nodes into the beneficiary's nodes.

As this is often (but not always) more beneficial than Transfer Trade Power, Steer Trade costs 60% Warscore while Transfer Trade Power is set to 30%.

Next up, we have the addition of Naval Doctrines. For all nations with a naval force limit surpassing 20 ships, they can set their naval doctrine from the following:

  • Fleet in being: -15% ship maintenance
  • Free Oarsmen: + 15% Galley Combat Ability
  • Merchant Navy: +33% ship tradepower
  • Ship Boarding: + 33% capture ship chance
Naval Doctrines are not, however, free to set. The cost of setting your doctrine is dependant on the sailor capacity of your current navy, currently 0.1 ducats per sailor that is needed for your fleet. Your Doctrine can be set at any point at this cost and will be visible in the Military UI Tab

Venice naval doctine.jpg


However, specially for nations in the British culture group, there is a fifth Doctrine option: Wooden Wall, which will grant a +1 to all naval combat rolls in sea provinces adjacent to any of their owned provinces. This should allow a British nation both to better defend their home island as well as project power abroad where they seize land.

Steer Trade and Naval Doctrines are both features of the upcoming Rule Britannia Immersion pack. Let's also take a look at the Low Countries National Ideas added freely in the accompanying England Update.

We have been hard at work adding National Ideas for the Dutch and surrounding nations who for a long time have been abusively coupled under the wide-reaching "German Ideas". As such, the following nations have received their own unique National Ideas:
  • Friesland
  • Utrecht
  • Gelre
  • Flanders
  • Brabant
  • East Frisia
  • Liege
  • Aachen
no funny image names this week i am on vacation.jpg

Friesland ideas, already shamefully spoiled in a Twitter teaser

I'll spoil 2 of the idea sets here and now, and the 2 next most requested in this thread shall be later unveiled. Personally I'm quite fond of Gelre and Aachen.

GEL_ideas = {
start = {
stability_cost_modifier = -0.1
naval_maintenance_modifier = -0.10
}

bonus = {
tolerance_heretic = 2
}
gel_county_duchy = {
diplomats = 1
"Gelre has been elevated by the Emperor from a mere County to a magnificent Duchy. Gelre is thereby recognized as one of the most prominent states of the Low Countries."

}
gel_hanseatic = {
trade_efficiency = 0.1
"The rivers that flow through Gelre bring with them an abundance of trade. No wonder that an extraordinary amount of towns in our land are members of the Hanseatic League. These Hanseatic towns make a vital contribution to the duchy's coffers."

}
gel_defy_burgundy = {
legitimacy = 1
"Whether they be Dukes of Burgundy or Kings of Spain, the people of Gelre use every means at their disposal to eject foreign rulers from their lands. Our staunch independence in the face of adversity cements our right to rule."

}
gel_rivers = {
development_cost = -0.1
"While other states in the Low Countries battle the advance of the ocean, Gelre contends with its rivers. The perennial risk of flooding has forced us to develop a tradition of river engineering that controls the flow of water throughout our land."

}
gel_gelderland_wars = {
land_morale = 0.10
"Gelre is no stranger to military conflict, and its armies once again stand ready to expand our borders by force. Our motivations of course are not purely expansionist - we also seek to defend the Low Countries from the encroachment of foreign kings."

}
gel_looting = {
loot_amount = 0.25
"It is always difficult to muster the coin to pay soldiers. As an alternative to payment by the state, many soldiers and mercenaries are willing to accept instead the right to plunder the land of whatever valuables they come across on their campaigns."

}
gel_diplomatic_expansion = {
diplomatic_annexation_cost = -0.15
"Outright conquest is the simplest method of claiming new territories, but there is much to be said also for a diplomatic approach. Through strategic marriages and moneylending, our realm has expanded from minor holdings in Upper Guelders to its current size. Holland and Utrecht have loaned more from our plentiful treasury than they could pay back, and we have obtained Nijmegen and the Veluwe as collateral. We must obtain more lands following this example."


AAC_ideas = {
start = {
prestige = 1
diplomats = 1
}

bonus = {
diplomatic_upkeep = 1
}

aac_charlemagne_capital = {
prestige_decay = -0.01
"Charlemagne himself held court at the Palace of Aachen, and ever since then the city has hosted the Imperial Coronation. Though the Palace is now derelict, in its place we have built an impressive Town Hall that continues to be the site of the coronation feast."

}
aac_free_city = {
republican_tradition = 0.5
"Ever since the Empire ceased to be ruled directly from Aachen, the city has held the status of Imperial immediacy. The city is self-governing, its leaders answer only to the Emperor himself."

}
aac_spa = {
stability_cost_modifier = -0.10
"Aachen is among Europe's most renowned spa towns. The supposed healing properties of the water make the city's bathhouses popular among both the citizenry and visitors from abroad."

}
aac_guilds = {
production_efficiency = 0.1
"Like many cities in the Germany, the guilds have influence over governance. In Aachen their influence has grown so great that the ruling council has been forced to incorporate the guilds into the government itself, so that industrial interests are always at the forefront of policy decisions."

}
aac_expel_heretics = {
global_heretic_missionary_strength = 0.02
"As city officials flip to and from Catholicism and the various reformed sects, we must decide on a single faith for the city and expel any officials that do not conform."

}
aac_baroque = {
build_cost = -0.1
"There are many grand buildings in Aachen that have fallen into disrepair through war and neglect. This presents an opportunity to rebuild in new architectural styles. The Baroque style has become particularly influential, and would make an excellent inspiration for the renovation of the Town Hall."

}
aac_congresses = {
diplomatic_reputation = 2
"As the dust settles after a great war in Europe, leaders must come to the peace table to resolve conflicts. There is no better site than Charlemagne's capital to host these international conferences that will surely bring about a new era of peace in Europe."

EDIT: adding Brabant and Flanders ideas by request

Massive support for Flanders and Brabant ideas, so here we go.

FLA_ideas = {
start = {
global_trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
embracement_cost = -0.1
}
bonus = {
trade_efficiency = 0.10
}
fla_cloth = {
production_efficiency = 0.15
"The Flemish cloth industry is the envy of the world. Merchants come from far away to sell their wool in Flanders, where we manufacture the best quality cloth."
}
fla_land_reclamation = {
development_cost = -0.1
"The Low Countries are highly susceptible to flooding, but we now have the technology to reclaim this land from the ocean."
}
fla_beeldenstorm = {
global_heretic_missionary_strength = 0.02
"New ideas inspire an iconoclastic fury among the people of Flanders. A 'statue storm' is underway, as reformers destroy heretical icons and imagery."
}
fla_painters = {
global_institution_spread = 0.1
"Flanders has become famed for its painters. Van Dyke, Rubens, Ensor, and many more are renowned throughout Europe as geniuses."
}
fla_ship_building = {
light_ship_cost = -0.20
"As Flanders has some of Europe's greatest port cities, it is only fitting that it should have some of Europe's greatest shipyards. Being able to use local craftsmen dramatically reduces the costs of acquiring new merchant fleets."
}
fla_university = {
technology_cost = -0.05
"Leuven is home to Flander's foremost institution of academic learning. With students and professors such as Erasmus, Mercator, and Vesalius, Flanders leads the way in the field of natural philosophy."
}
fla_noose_bearers = {
hostile_attrition = 1
"We have suffered great humiliation under foreign overlords. Forced to publicly swear fealty with nooses around their necks, our brave patriots crossed their fingers and vowed never to allow Flanders to be humiliated again."


BRB_ideas = {
start = {
global_tax_modifier = 0.10
stability_cost_modifier = -0.1
}
bonus = {
land_morale = 0.10
}
brb_charter_of_liberty = {
global_unrest = -1
"In 1354 Duke John III of Brabant granted a Joyous Entry to the citizens of Brabant. The six specific freedoms detailed the exact powers that the church, the towns and nobles have."
}
brb_marsh_warfare = {
leader_land_manuever = 1
"The terrain in the Low Countries is dominated by marshes and other unfavourable terrain. By training our generals to better adapt to the hostile terrain we can have more success in the battlefield."
}
brb_palace_coudenberg = {
prestige = 1
"The old castle at Coudenberg has become obsolete. In its place we should construct a grand palace that will be the envy of the Low Countries. It will have vast wings, lavish decorations, and be fitted for even royal receptions."
}
brb_sugar_capital = {
trade_steering = 0.2
"Antwerp has become the sugar capital of Europe; importing most of the continent’s supply and containing one of the largest populations of able refiners to make and ship it."
}
brb_antwerp_banking = {
interest = -0.5
"Antwerp is home to the richest and most influential banks outside of Italy. We lend not only to merchants and nobles but to the governments of great states."
}
brb_religious_tolerance = {
tolerance_heretic = 2
tolerance_heathen = 1
"Religious tolerance is a tradition in the Duchy of Brabant. Crypto-Jews are welcome here, as are the many emerging sects of the Reformation."
}
brb_generality_lands = {
state_maintenance_modifier = -0.15
"If Brabant is to be part of something greater, it must be administered directly by the state as Generality lands rather than being ruled by local nobles or burghers."



And that's our lot for today. What'll we check out next week? How about a dev diary on the love the Naval AI has seen for 1.25? That sounds good. See you then!
 
Last edited:
@DDRJake

I have a serious question.

What happens if a certain nation has to "Steer Trade" not once but to TWO nations?

For example, Austria in 1444 decided to force Venice to Steer Trade. Then Mamluk a year later decide to do the same to Venice. What happens to the Austria's steer trade?
 
Firstly, a couple small features from Rule Britannia. We have added in a new Peace Deal and Diplomatic offer to Steer Trade. This will cost 60% War Score and will be tricky to get diplomatically, but will force the target nation to have their merchants automatically placed so that they steer trade towards the victor's trade capital. This arrangement will be enforced for the duration of the truce and is an effective way to hijack an enemy nation's finances without taking territory or otherwise accruing Aggressive Expansion.

Steer Trade is great on its own, but can we see mutually beneficial trade partners some days? Does every country have to be aggressive in order to be rich and strong??
 
I am annoyed at the fact that in 1444 the English fleet is going to be invincible, I mean sure the British were always strong at sea, but the Spanish Armada fiasco was due to weather issue and most of the fleet did return back, I just hope that I will not need to have triple heavies and 6/6 admiral to beat an average English fleet...
 
Though I think this patch is pretty amazing with the new features, I am also a naysayer to the patch. When the community asks for a rework of naval warfare and related mechanics, I don't think we are asking for more buttons to press, (or namely, a "work-around"), but rather an actual rework in the importance of the navy. The most recent patches seem to only add buttons that I at first think are nice, but then never use them in game. I always forget to drill my army, I forget to manipulate my merchants to preach Islam or build better inland routes, and I don't have the Cossacks DLC, but I think I would absolutely despise managing estates and all their different things you need to do with them. However, I still can't complain too much since I don't have any better ideas and the dev team are doing what they can for us.
 
We'll probably get a formable Belgium in the Fantasy Countries DLC, the same that will add a formable Terran Empire and the Dominion of New Atlantis.
I was wondering whether I should respond serious or not, so I'll do both: non-serious me would laugh, serious me would say Belgium isn't a fantasy nation at all ;).
 
I was wondering whether I should respond serious or not, so I'll do both: non-serious me would laugh, serious me would say Belgium isn't a fantasy nation at all ;).
In the timespan of the game it is.
 
@DDRJake

What happens if a certain nation has to "Steer Trade" not once but to TWO nations?

For example, Austria in 1444 decided to force Venice to Steer Trade. Then Mamluk a year later decide to do the same to Venice. What happens to the Austria's steer trade?

Nothing, it would not be aviable for the second war.
 
I was wondering whether I should respond serious or not, so I'll do both: non-serious me would laugh, serious me would say Belgium isn't a fantasy nation at all ;).
The Internet meme is that Belgium doesn't exist, like Bielefeld.

1993082-CKHUNMEC-7.jpg
 
In the timespan of the game it is.
The Belgian Revolution started a mere 15 years after the game ends, in a game that spans 400 years that's nothing, while we have Germany and Italy in the game too, which came into existence 40 and 30 years respectively after the Belgian Revolution. Most argue that it's the medieval kingdom of Germany and Italy they are referring to in-game, but that makes 1) no sense, as they never were any real nations and 2) the national ideas they have are predominantly talking about events that happened in the timespan of the game, not the middle ages (although Italy has some ideas referring to the Roman Empire, but it would be even more nonsensical to say that it means the nation of Italy in-game is some sort of reborn Roman Empire). Saying that, you at least can't say that Belgium is more a fantasy nation in EU4 than a reformed Roman Empire is.

To be fair, I really don't get why people are so against a Belgian tag in EU4, Belgium is a nation just like any other nation and will exist a long time to come. Also, I won't mind if Belgium never will be added to the game, I was merely joking by saying that the game would be complete with Belgium and a Dutch Independence war that actually works.
 
The Internet meme is that Belgium doesn't exist, like Bielefeld.

1993082-CKHUNMEC-7.jpg

I think most hate against a Belgian tag in EU4 is because of this (and is therefore unjustified), but I could argue with all of you endlessly and I'm not going to derail this DD. If you seriously want to discuss it, do it in a PM ;).
 
I know the whole "Belgium doesn't exist" / "Belgium is a fantasy country" is a meme.

But let's be serious about this for a second. It's actually silly to NOT include Belgium as a formable nation in the game. After all there are already many other formable nations in the game that historically formed much later than the Belgian independence. Germany, Italy, Romania, Iceland, Scandinavia (this one never even existed as a country), etc. are all fine examples.

Also the https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Belgian_States is another valid argument to add Belgium.
 
The Belgian Revolution started a mere 15 years after the game ends, in a game that spans 400 years that's nothing, while we have Germany and Italy in the game too, which came into existence 40 and 30 years respectively after the Belgian Revolution. Most argue that it's the medieval kingdom of Germany and Italy they are referring to in-game, but that makes 1) no sense, as they never were any real nations and 2) the national ideas they have are predominantly talking about events that happened in the timespan of the game, not the middle ages (although Italy has some ideas referring to the Roman Empire, but it would be even more nonsensical to say that it means the nation of Italy in-game is some sort of reborn Roman Empire). Saying that, you at least can't say that Belgium is more a fantasy nation in EU4 than a reformed Roman Empire is.

To be fair, I really don't get why people are so against a Belgian tag in EU4, Belgium is a nation just like any other nation and will exist a long time to come. Also, I won't mind if Belgium never will be added to the game, I was merely joking by saying that the game would be complete with Belgium and a Dutch Independence war that actually works.

well i think Italy refers to napoleonic kingdom is Italy which is in the timeframe.
but i'll agree Belgium isn't as farfetchel'd as roman empire reborn
and the dutch wars are a mess, especially with AI in command
 
I am Belgian myself but I think comparing a Belgian tag with Germany, Italy etc. is a bit silly. German and Italian culture were an actual thing during EUIV's timespan, but there was no such thing as Belgian culture.. Belgium is just an artificial state that was formed because the United Kingdom of the Netherlands failed because of religious, cultural differences etc.
 
For the next ideas I vote Flanders.
 
I'm going to be sorely disappointed if Flanders' ideas have no references to the Simpsons.
 
I am Belgian myself but I think comparing a Belgian tag with Germany, Italy etc. is a bit silly.
Why so? They all came into existence in the same century, not too long behind each other and in a century where nationhood and nationalism was on the rise. And even so, can we really speak of a one and united German or Italian culture? Up till this day there are differences between Northern and Southern Germany, the same counts for the richer northern half of Italy compared to the southern part.

there was no such thing as Belgian culture.
because the United Kingdom of the Netherlands failed because of religious, cultural differences etc.
There's a contradiction here: there is no Belgian culture, yet there were cultural differences big enough to break up a country. Although the Southern Netherlands, which later became Belgium, never 'had a nation' of their own until 1830, it was unified under another nation ever since the Burgundian Succession Crisis and the Dutch Revolt. So there must have been some cohesion between the different parts in all this time.
 
Why so? They all came into existence in the same century, not too long behind each other and in a century where nationhood and nationalism was on the rise. And yet, can we really speak of a one and united German or Italian culture? Up till this day there are differences between Northern and Southern Germany, the same counts for the richer northern half of Italy compared to the southern part.

I think the point was that even though political unification for those countries/nations/areas came after the game period, the "idea" of them was there. If you told a Medieval dude that Yo sh*t's going down in Germany, he'd understand which place you meant. Now if you say something about "Belgium" even an early modern person would just stare at you confused.