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EU4 - Development Diary - 6th of November 2018

It's Tuesday, and that means it's time for another EU4 dev diary. This week and next I’m going to be showing off some of the new mission trees, events, and national ideas coming in the 1.28 ‘Spain’ update and the accompanying Immersion Pack.

NB: Most mission icons are currently using placeholder art

Let’s start with the star of the show, Spain itself:

spanish missions.png


The Spanish mission tree is available to nations beside Aragon that form Spain, while Castile immediately has access to a reduced version of the tree prior to forming Spain.

For the most part these missions follow Spain’s historical expansion overseas; from the Pillars of Hercules to California and the Philippines, the Spanish Empire was one of the largest the world has ever seen. Driven by the quest for gold and silver, Conquistadors such as Cortez and Pizarro will join your service to lead the conquests of Mexico and Peru. You’ll also be encouraged to spread the word of God in the New World by establishing Holy Orders in your colonies.

Spain will also have opportunities to expand in Europe. If the Iberian Wedding or Burgundian Succession don’t work out for you, permanent claims on Naples and Wallonia will help you seize your rightful inheritance through conquest. With a foothold in the Netherlands, Spain can then pursue powerful Personal Unions with both England (depending on their religious choices) and Austria, with the ultimate goal of establishing a Universal Monarchy.

We’ve also split up the National Idea sets for Castile and Spain, as we did for England and Great Britain in Rule Britannia:

Spanish national ideas:
Code:
SPA_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.15
        global_colonial_growth = 25
    }
 
    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 = {
        global_tariffs = 0.15
        global_prov_trade_power_modifier = 0.1
    }
    spanish_armada = {
        heavy_ship_cost = -0.1
        leader_naval_manuever = 1
    }
    spa_casa_de_contracion = {
        envoy_travel_time = -0.33
    }
    spa_cortes = {
        free_adm_policy = 1
    }
    siglo_de_oro = {
        prestige = 1
    }
}

 spa_casa_de_contracion:0 "Casa de Contratación"
 spa_casa_de_contracion_desc:0 "We must extend the reach of the House of Trade of the Indies. Our colonial agents must have a presence in every part of the world to ensure the smooth functioning of our empire."
 spa_cortes:0 "Rein in the Cortes"
 spa_cortes_desc:0 "Each constitutent Kingdom in the Spanish realm has its own corte, an assembly of the most powerful elements of society in the region. There is often tension between the Crown and the Cortes over such issues as taxation and regional autonomy. We must rein in these institutions so that they primarily serve the Crown rather than their own interests."

Castilian National ideas:
Code:
CAS_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.15
        missionaries = 1
    }
    bonus = {
        artillery_fire = 1
    }
    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 = {
        yearly_absolutism = 0.1
    }
}

 cabildos:0 "Cabildos"
 cabildos_desc:0 "Representing the interests of the cities, the 'Caboldio' councils have a wide variety of functions and duties. They are responsible for both advocating the interests of the city to the Crown and for many aspects of local governance. We must continue to establish Cabildos in newly-founded or newly-conquered cities, particularly in the New World where the need for Castilian institutions is felt most severely."
 infantas:0 "Infantas"
 infantas_desc:0 "The Princes and Princesses of the Crown are among our most valuable assets. They can be sent as royal envoys, married off to secure alliances, or appointed as regents when the need arises. It is important that we ensure that our monarch's loins continue to bear fruit."
 salamanca_scholars:0 "School of Salamanca"
 salamanca_scholars_desc:0 "Based in the University of Salamanca, the School's interests lie in fields as diverse as theology, economics, and political philosophy. As one of the leading schools of thought in the Catholic world, its entrenched presence in Castile ensures that our nation is always at the forefront of intellectual affairs."
 nueva_planta:0 "Nueva Planta"
 nueva_planta_desc:0 "It is time to assert true royal authority in the realm; under a single set of laws and a common language, a renewed and centralized Castile will directly appoint officials and enshrine the absolute rule of the monarch."


aragon missions.png


Aragon has an entirely different focus, with a distinct Mare Nostrum theme. An Aragonese player will be encouraged to dominate the Mediterranean both militarily and economically. This mission tree will take Aragon into southern France, Italy, the Maghreb, Egypt, Anatolia, and Greece.

Aragon also has access to several purely economic missions. By establishing trade dominance in the Genoa node and developing the city, Valencia will gain access to the rare Silk trade good as well as a sizable bonus to production of this luxury resource. Completing Aragon’s economic missions will reward the player with the versatile ‘Golden Century’ modifier, giving a 1% reduction to all monarch power costs for 100 years.

portugal missions.png


Portugal’s mission tree is larger than any other in the game besides Great Britain with Rule Britannia. Like the Spanish mission tree, it is largely concerned with the recreation of Portugal’s historical overseas empire, particularly in Brazil and Asia. Missions have been added for the conquests of Malacca, Oman, Ceylon, and other ports in the East. When Portugal has discovered the Far East they will have the opportunity to negotiate for the purchase of two historically important ports: Macau and Nagasaki. In Brazil the Portuguese player can lead the Bandeirantes in the search for gold in Minas Gerais and acquire an increased chance to discover Gold as a trade good in all of their new colonies.

brz.jpg


The times were not always kind to Portugal. In 1807, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, the situation became so dire that the Portuguese court abandoned Lisbon, fled to Brazil, and made Rio the new seat of government. This will be represented in the game as a decision available to Portugal should they find themselves in dire straits. Your tag will change to Brazil, and Portugal will be released as a junior partner controlling your remaining European provinces. Note that by doing this you will lose access to Portuguese missions.

Not shown but will be in the final version: taking the decision will also change your primary culture to Brazilian.

Navarra missions.jpg


Finally we have Navarra. Navarra’s mission tree will be entirely free for anyone playing on the 1.28 ‘Spain’ patch. As you might expect, this mission tree takes the player down a very different path than history intended. Navarra must reclaim its unjustly stolen coastline, and from there pursue an invasion of France that can culminate in a Personal Union. With access to the sea, the New World beckons. In homage to the time-honoured strategy of migrating to the Americas to escape the cutthroat politics of Europe, Navarra will have the opportunity to move their capital to Terranova if they so choose.

Some of you may have noticed that Navarra’s starting monarch is also Aragon’s designated heir in 1444. A new event chain will bring Navarra under a Personal Union with Aragon if Navarra remains independent upon the death of King Afonso. If Navarra is being controlled by a player, they can of course choose to accept this union. But a truly ambitious player can instead reject the union and instantly gain a Restoration CB on Aragon.

nav_event.jpg


That’s all for today! Next week I’ll be back with more mission trees and national ideas with a focus on North Africa.
 
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Hmm... looks like Paradox skip history class about Spanish Empire and they just bring 1800 british navy to 1400 era; mexican culture? again a 1810 event bring back to 1444. Maybe is hard for Paradox believe that a Iberian country was so powerful in the EUIV time period.

If you have time read the forum and there is a lot of people that dont just read wikipedia and know very well the time period of the game. Rule Britannia was really fictional DLC, maybe more adequate for Vicy III, but now we are talking about 1 of the mayor powers of the time, with a huge potential; in colonization, diplomacy, wars in all the continents very early, naval and land supremacy (Ottoman empire rival), massive conversions in the new world,HR emperor and defender of Catholic religion,etc; so please get close to the big expectations of the fans.

Britain's best mission CBs are PU on France and claims on France cores, the rest are for islands.

Spain is getting PUs on England and Austria and claims on Italy.

I'd argue even with out its HRE missions which we don't see yet it will be arguably the most powerful nation in the world controlling all 3 end trade nodes and having the highest dev. Clay in europe.
 
I have a question.

Why do Castille and Spain have a mission called "Recover Portugal" when neither have ever owned Portugal to begin with as of 1450?

That mission should belong to Léon or Galicia, not Castille.

PS: I don't know who disagreed with this, but ya clearly don't know how the Christian Kingdoms of Iberia developed. I clearly meant to say that they should revise the text, not replace the mission, before we're stuck another 5 years with a bad kind of typo.
Well, Portugal was united with Spain between 1580 and 1640. I know it was a dynastic union rather than a conquest, but I guess that's the "justification" devs find for that.
 
Are there going to be any changes to the HRE?

At the very least unique HRE flags for nations that reform it?

Britain's mission has a unique flag in the artwork yet it still gets the German flag.

That's because of the way how flags work in EU4. There only is one flag per tag, so if they would want to have a different flag depending on who formed the country, they would have to add multiple tags for the same country. And I doubt that this will happen.
 
I am actually not happy with the Ideas you guys are given to Castile and Spain, in my opinion, Castile should be more about home/colonies and Spain should be more about Empire:
Imo it should be something like this:

These Castilian Ideas are ideal because Castile was all about the new world and the homeland if it wasn't for the meddling of the Habsburgs Then Castile would have focus in developing Castile alongside Aragon and it wouldn't get stuck in the feud between France and the Holy Roman Emperors. (it would sure have had participated but as an ally not wasting its resources).

CAS_ideas = {
start = {
global_tax_modifier= 0.10
missionaries = 1
}
bonus = {
development_cost = 1
}
trigger = {
tag = CAS
}
free = yes #will be added at load.
the_reconquista = {
discipline= -0.5
infantry_power = 0.1
}
true_catholic = {
tolerance_own = 1
}
Viceroyalties = {
culture_conversion_cost = 0.15
}
inter_caetera = {
idea_claim_colonies = yes
colonists = 1
}
The Catholic monarchs = {
global_autonomy= 0.02

}
salamanca_scholars = {
global_institution_spread = 0.1
}
Consejo de Castilla= {
global_tariffs = 0.15
}

For Spain, this time it would focus on the military in land and sea, it would have to be able to defend its empire while not getting any bonuses to stability or economy, so war exhaustion can kill Spain off (and a dedicated alliance network and diplomacy maneuvers as France did historically).

SPA_ideas = {
start = {
land_morale = 0.2
shock_damage_received = 0.1
}

bonus = {
naval_maintenance_modifier= 0.15
}

trigger = {
tag = SPA
}
free = yes #will be added at load.

counter_reformation_crusader = {
enforce_religion_cost = 0.25
}
spanish_tercios = {
infantry_power = 0.10
discipline= 0.5
}
gold_fleet = {
global_tariffs = 0.10
global_prov_trade_power_modifier = 0.1
}
spanish_armada = {
heavy_ship_power = -0.2
leader_naval_manuever = 1
}
spanish_road = {
envoy_travel_time = -0.33
reinforce_speed = 0.10
}
plus ultra= {
free_mil_policy = 1
}
siglo_de_oro = {
prestige = 1
}
I think these Spain Ideas would fit in order to compete against France and GB but both will outclass Spain by the end of the game (France has better land, better age bonus, and revolutionary, while GB fleet once they unite the isles and gain a foothold in Asian trade will beat Spain) It still in the Tier 1 idea set where Spain belongs in the timeframe of the game but its no where in the god tier like GB or Prussia. Competitive but not top notch...
 
Well, Portugal was united with Spain between 1580 and 1640. I know it was a dynastic union rather than a conquest, but I guess that's the "justification" devs find for that.
Have they specified if that mission gives a PU casus belli or it just gives claims on the Portuguese mainland? I think the former would be a better and more historical option
 
- I like Spanish ideas more than Castilian, I do not know if I'm sick.

- For example the +25 of colonists, with the +25 to discover the Caribbean, plus 20 of native politics, puts you in a bestial figure from the beginning.

- I only see badly in Spain: Casa de contratacion y Cortes. The ideas are very good, they are historical, but they are useless. The first should give rates and the second a culture more or lower rebellions.

- The one that 5% of discipline, will have to see the missions of Spain and its bonuses, between 1450-1500 I see 4 missions:
- Prepare reconquest
- Continue reconquest
- The spanish main
- The spanish armada

- I understand that the history of Spain ends in 1600.

- They could have done missions not of conquest: Madrid capital, school of Salamanca (similar to Polish Renaissance), magellanes-elcano expedition (would be in England if it had been McGregor-Jhonson?), Decrees of new plant and union of arms. These last two missions, perhaps from 1650-1700 to establish negative modifiers to the country, reversible with these two missions, to put something after 1600.

- Of Castile, I understand that it is complicated, really between 1450-1600 Spain was Castilla, by population and wealth. I see well that they do not have naval ideas because in principle it was their weakness. For me your bonus should be discipline or something related to the infantry. The school of Salamanca as an idea could be replaced by fairs, very famous at the time. Or for the Mesta. That the sacrosanct Mesta does not appear in Castile, stronger than the inquisition. And something of the merino sheep might appear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesta

The truth is that I did not imagine that they were going to divide Castile from Spain, if I had not done my games. I also hope that Castilla is entitled to the thirds. It's as if Italy has Venetian merchants and Venice does not, it's a similar but similar one.

In short, paradox, remembers merino sheep and Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba
 
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Honestly, this DLC hasn't gotten me really pumped up like Dharma did. All the new stuff is just.... So lackluster, I know this is an immersion pack, but Rule Brittania and Third Rome had me somewhat interested, so why can't this? These new ideas and missions are really just a bummer. England got so buffed in Rule Brittania,so why can't get Iberia get the same treatment? I think Iberia needs a major balance (probably more than England did) because every game I play now-a-day Iberia gets eaten up my France and Morroco on the land - and eaten up by Britain on the seas.
 
And Aragon, with its Industrial district and its golden century.

And his combat barbary pirates. Spain fought 2 pirates, those of the Mediterranean and those of the Caribbean.

And I see your consulate of the sea and its silk.

And I do not see in Castilla tercios, nor do I see merino sheep, nor do I see Mesta ...

Viva Aragon ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

In Paradox there are lovers of the Ramblas.
 
Britain's best mission CBs are PU on France and claims on France cores, the rest are for islands.

Spain is getting PUs on England and Austria and claims on Italy.

I'd argue even with out its HRE missions which we don't see yet it will be arguably the most powerful nation in the world controlling all 3 end trade nodes and having the highest dev. Clay in europe.

Yeah that mission could be op in a SP where the AI is almost retarded and you only blob but for MP or even a serious play where you dont want to just blob and blob means nothing and the problem it is not about missions is about ideas that gives to UK the hegemony of sea without any serious resistance if the country is on the good way for the rest with the information we have Spain now its not only abandoned in naval it is also on the land.
 
@neondt This looks great (I am especially excited to see what will be going on with the new Brazilian culture group and possible others) but one thing I am most definitely concerned about is Spain and France teaming up on England most games and removing them from the map by either directly declaring war on them or by both of them guaranteeing Scotland. I already get frustrated with France never removing the guarantee since they are always willing to join and Spain taking everything BUT what they actually colonized therefore getting in my way as I always seek to establish the Historical and glorious British Empire and whether I am allied to Spain or not and whether I mark territories I desire or not they will try specifically to colonize what I need to take. Why would you make it even more difficult for Britain since they are underdeveloped compared to France and Spain? After Rule Britania I see France and Scotland consume England quite often (not to mention every game I play that isn't Russia sees the Ottomans destroy everything in their path and ruin a vast majority of my playthroughs since they never get a coalition anymore) and somehow in most of my playthroughs the English navy gets beaten by the French somehow and France then destroys England, so is this just major bad luck or is this something you guys at Paradox may need to address?

P.S. Is there any chance of getting a mode that makes the AI want to colonize their historical territories first until they run out and then colonize other stuff at that point? And historically lucky nations makes the Ottomans unbeatable most of the time and I hope it would at least not be required for Achievement mode games anymore.
 
@neondt Have the requirements for "Prepare Reconquista" changed at all? The AI almost never brings their army and navy to full force limit while having enough manpower, so Castille never even gets to begin its mission tree, and so it doesn't get the claims it should.

The problem is that during peacetime the AI doesn't keep a full force limit army, but when it DOES recruit a full force limit army it's at war, and so its manpower drops or its ships start to sink. It can't satisfy all of them at once.

Is the AI going to start actively trying to complete these kind of missions or could the mission at least be made easier for the AI? A player can do it in almost no time at all but the AI is pretty much incapable. Would be a shame for Spain to still be a weakling that gets re-reconquista'd by AI even after the Spanish immersion pack.
 
Spain is getting PUs on England and Austria and claims on Italy.

Phillip II Habsburg, King of Spain, King consort of England and Ireland, King of Portugal, King of the Two Sicilies, Duke of Milan, duke of Burgundy suzerain of the low countries, son of Charles V the Holy Roman Emperor and also archduke of Austria.

Spain did got to get royal marriages with England, while trying to stop the new british religions. And every Habsburg could claim Austria.
Considering the game rival system, the PU quest makes sense.

Spain was for a very short time, unfathomably powerful.
 
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As someone who's moved to mostly playing multiplayer (aside from playing around with achievements following patch releases), the changes to Castillian/Spanish ideas are really disappointing . France can often push through a mountain fort with Elan and its vastly superior manpower. Not to mention there's no legit contender for naval supremacy anymore except a very well played and supported Netherlands or Denmark. Hopefully the devs can recognize the power creep in recent patches esp. in the Great Britain and Mughal updates...and that some of the genuine constructive criticisms on this thread and the many other Iberia threads find their way into some updated patch notes....
 
As someone who's moved to mostly playing multiplayer (aside from playing around with achievements following patch releases), the changes to Castillian/Spanish ideas are really disappointing . France can often push through a mountain fort with Elan and its vastly superior manpower. Not to mention there's no legit contender for naval supremacy anymore except a very well played and supported Netherlands or Denmark. Hopefully the devs can recognize the power creep in recent patches esp. in the Great Britain and Mughal updates...and that some of the genuine constructive criticisms on this thread and the many other Iberia threads find their way into some updated patch notes....
I agree. Spain was very powerful and these ideas don't show it. On land Spain was unstoppable in the 16th and the first half of the 17th Century. It later became weaker (although still prominent), so the Spanish Tercios mechanic from the Age of Reformation covers this more or less well.
On the other hand the Spanish Navy was very powerful during all the EU4 timeframe (more in the first centuries but still one of the largest navies until the end of the game). That's why Spain should have better naval ideas. Instead they are now worse.
Even though I didn't like that much the old ideas, I prefer them to the new ones
 
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Hoping there's a bit more "meat" to this expansion that hasn't been revealed yet, so far I'm okay with everything but I don't know if I'd purchase this expansion and I regularly play Spain.