Welcome back to our weekly series of development diaries about Europa Universalis. This time we’ll talk about four new features that will be part of the next expansion.

Free Cities of the Holy Roman Empire
Now the Emperor can designate up to seven free cities in the empire. A free city is a one province minor with a minimum of 10 development.

Free cities provide Imperial Authority to the emperor, as well as manpower and income. A Free City also have some rather nice bonuses to their development.

If a Free City gains another province or leave the HRE. they lose the free city status. And a Free City is always a type of Republic, so countries that aren't a Republic will become one upon accepting Free City status.

A Free City is always protected by the Emperor if attacked, so be careful when expanding in the HRE. A Free City can never be the subject of another nation.

Of course, as the ruler of a OPM, you can always refuse the offer of becoming a free city, and the emperor can spend some Imperial Authority to revoke a cities rights.

Remove Electorate
The next expansion lets you get even more control over your electors. If your religion is now official in the Empire, you can now spend IA to remove the Electorate status of your disloyal Electors.

Pause Westernisation
Sometimes while you are westernising, you end up where you need to use your power for something else, like boosting stability, but currently you can’t. Now we have added the option to pause westernisation. You’ll still get the unrest from westernising, but there will be no events spawning while westernisation is paused. Most importantly though is the fact that your power is accumulating again instead of contributing to the westernisation process.

Retire Advisor
Have you ever sat there with a lot of money, but cursing the options you for advisors. In the next expansion, you can now spend the amount of money it would cost to hire an advisor, and permanently retire him. Within a month, if there is available space in your pool of advisors, you will get a random new one in the same category. Maybe you get the +discipline one you wanted..


Next week we’ll focus on Luther and Buddha.

 

[Me_]

Into the government they had before. Into a "random" government. Take your pick.

That doesn't mean that a nation has to be a republic to be able to become a Free City. Just that it is a republic while it is a Free City. The exact wording used in this case doesn't mean anything. Specially not when it comes from Johan, who you should have noticed by now is not very specific when it comes to diaries.

What?
I don't even.
Well, maybe the cities are in China, then. I don't think we can trust Johan when he says Holy Roman Empire. He might mean China.

 

[thErgonomic]

No, they are PUs.

I'll correct myself then. Has there been a confirmation that the territories are in PUs under Burgundy?
If they are then several of them are incorrect. One could argue that some of them are valid but certainly not a all of them.

 

[Golladan]

What?
I don't even.
Well, maybe the cities are in China, then. I don't think we can trust Johan when he says Holy Roman Empire. He might mean China.

I can't really tell if you're being serious anymore.

I'll correct myself then. Has there been a confirmation that the territories are in PUs under Burgundy?
If they are then several of them are incorrect. One could argue that some of them are valid but certainly not a all of them.

All but 1 I believe were PUs. Shown in the previous DD.

 

[spinoza013]

More like Wiz is being given time off answering questions on this forum so he can concentrate on making the game.

 

[jrgen3]

All but 1 I believe were PUs. Shown in the previous DD.

But why? Most of them were bought by Burgundy and should be owned directly.

 

[thErgonomic]

But why? Most of them were bought by Burgundy and should be owned directly.

My point exactly.

 

[spinoza013]

I've never seen Bohemia vote for anyone other than themselves.

 

[Me_]

I can't really tell if you're being serious anymore.

Yes I am. Your theory is based on the idea that we are being deliberately misinformed about an overly complicated system that would barely make sense and be completely ahistorical.

I can't believe you cannot see it, so I am left speechless.

I've never seen Bohemia vote for anyone other than themselves.

They start in regency and therefore cannot vote for themselves.

 

[jrgen3]

Yes I am. Your theory is based on the idea that we are being deliberately misinformed about an overly complicated system that would barely make sense and be completely ahistorical.

I can't believe you cannot see it, so I am left speechless.

Still, before the Free Cities became Free Cities, their feudal or ecclesiastical overlords were more powerful and I would rather give a province to those than to what might be a free city later, so I understand what he's talking about. The Free Cities were much more relevant after gaining that status and before that, they wouldn't have been worth the tag.

 

[birincikalite]

Maybe you get the +discipline one you wanted..

Oh, it's always the dip rep one.

 

[spinoza013]

They start in regency and therefore cannot vote for themselves.

Do they? Okay. Missed that.

 

[Zylathas]

Sounds good!

 

[johnleeyx]

Welcome back to our weekly series of development diaries about Europa Universalis. This time we’ll talk about four new features that will be part of the next expansion.

Free Cities of the Holy Roman Empire
Now the Emperor can designate up to seven free cities in the empire. A free city is a one province minor with a minimum of 10 development.

Free cities provide Imperial Authority to the emperor, as well as manpower and income. A Free City also have some rather nice bonuses to their development.

If a Free City gains another province or leave the HRE. they lose the free city status. And a Free City is always a type of Republic.

A Free City is always protected by the Emperor if attacked, so be careful when expanding in the HRE. A Free City can never be the subject of another nation.

Of course, as the ruler of a OPM, you can always refuse the offer of becoming a free city, and the emperor can spend some Imperial Authority to revoke a cities rights.

Can a tag be both a elector and free city @ the same time? Btw, time to rethink the hansa?

 

[lolada]

Ulm buff!

 

[blackchoas]

Can a tag be both a elector and free city @ the same time? Btw, time to rethink the hansa?

I don't see why they couldn't be, if anything that seems like a good call if you get an elector spot freed up,

Also I get a feeling there is a reason we have not been able to see the Hansa in any of the recent screen shots

 

[Me_]

Can a tag be both a elector and free city @ the same time? Btw, time to rethink the hansa?

My money is on republics being blocked from being electors, just like in EU3.

Still, before the Free Cities became Free Cities, their feudal or ecclesiastical overlords were more powerful and I would rather give a province to those than to what might be a free city later, so I understand what he's talking about. The Free Cities were much more relevant after gaining that status and before that, they wouldn't have been worth the tag.

I understand what he's talking about, I just also see how it's an attempt to shoehorn a unique government type into a sytem that has no need for it.

 

[OldmansHQ]

I wish every kingdom could create free cities. The creator of such city would gain some kind of bonuses, no diplo slot taken, but always helps during defensive wars or gives diplo reputation or boosts money in some way and always give open borders. This would be really cool. It could create similar situations to Luxembourg, and more natural and colourful map. Would be great if you could demand that a province becomes a free city in a peace deal, you should be able to create those outside of peace deals too. Imagine all the intrigue, political and strategic complexity it would add.

Ohh and if you could turn any one captured province into a free city in a peace deal and gain claim on it or be able to diplo vassalize / annex it. This would give a way to target some distant provinces which are special in some way, possibly surrounded entirely by enemy nation without having to worry about coring distance or fabricating claims.

Either way, cool new features.

 

[brtzknf]

Is Austria gonna stop conquering a bridge to Sundgau, now that Konstanz/Ravvensburg is an imperial City? Or will they just eat the Swiss now

 

[spinoza013]

Is Austria gonna stop conquering a bridge to Sundgau, now that Konstanz/Ravvensburg is an imperial City? Or will they just eat the Swiss now

Bad news for Milan.

 

[jrgen3]

I wish every kingdom could create free cities. The creator of such city would gain some kind of bonuses, no diplo slot taken, but always helps during defensive wars or gives diplo reputation or boosts money in some way and always give open borders. This would be really cool. It could create similar situations to Luxembourg, and more natural and colourful map. Would be great if you could demand that a province becomes a free city in a peace deal, you should be able to create those outside of peace deals too. Imagine all the intrigue, political and strategic complexity it would add.

Ohh and if you could turn any one captured province into a free city in a peace deal and gain claim on it or be able to diplo vassalize / annex it. This would give a way to target some distant provinces which are special in some way, possibly surrounded entirely by enemy nation without having to worry about coring distance or fabricating claims.

Either way, cool new features.

Having one of your cities turn into a Free City is by no means something positive at all. For you. For the city it's great, but you should lose basically ALL influence over the city. Military access should not be given for free by the Free City either and the Free City should probably have to be recognised/approved by the Emperor.