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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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What do you think about these new ideas for Spain and Castille? What do you agree with? What do you think is a bad idea?
Traditions:

+2 Yearly papal influence

+15% Morale of armies

The Reconquista

+5% Discipline

Inquisition

+2% Missionary strength

+1 Missionary

Inter Caetera

Can fabricate claims on any overseas province, provided it is overseas for its owner

+1 Colonist

Treasure Fleet

+10% Provincial trade power modifier

+15% Global tariffs

A Spanish Armada

+10% National sailors modifier

+10% Heavy ship combat ability

Casa de contratación

+25 Global settler increase

Nueva Planta

+1 Yearly absolutism


Ambition:

+1 Yearly prestige

Traditions:

+1 Missionary

+15% Morale of armies

The Reconquista

-0.01 Army tradition decay

Mudéjar revolts

+2% Missionary strength


Mesta

+5% National tax modifier

Salamanca Scholars

+1 Global institution spread

Nebrija’s Gramática

−10% Culture conversion cost


Infantas

+1 Diplomatic reputation

+33% Heir chance

Fueros castellanos

-5 Years of separatism

Ambition:

+1 Artillery fire
What do you think of these? I reckon that if Castile and Spain are going to have different sets of ideas, they should be more different.
Castile's ideas should be worse than Spain's in most circumstances;
Spain's ideas should be mostly based on Castile's, but also inherit from Aragon;
the Spanish army should come out in full force, since Spain can only be formed around the time the Tercios showed up;
the naval ideas to should reflect what I think was remarkable about Spain's navy - they had a very large Atlantic navy with lots of heavies to manage a huge empire, and a powerful Mediterranean navy which won their most remarkable naval battles (against the Ottomans);
try to make more sense historically and not put the Nueva Planta decrees in Castile for example;
don't go overboard and make Spain clearly OP, the Tercios age bonus is already fantastic.

So for Castile
Code:
CAS_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.10
        diplomatic_reputation = 1
    }
  
    bonus = {
        discipline = 0.05
    }
  
      trigger = {
        tag = CAS
    }
    free = yes        #will be added at load.

    the_reconquista = {
        army_tradition_decay = -0.01
      }
    salamanca_scholars = {
        advisor_cost = -0.10
            }
    inter_caetera = {
        idea_claim_colonies = yes
        global_colonial_growth = 15
    }
    spanish_inquisition = {
        global_missionary_strength = 0.02
    }
        atlantic_armada = {
        heavy_ship_cost = -0.1
        naval_forcelimit_modifier = 0.10
    }
    casa_de_contracion  = {
        global_tariffs = 0.1
        global_prov_trade_power_modifier = 0.1
    }
    cabildos = {
        production_efficiency = 0.1
    }
}
and for Spain
Code:
SPA_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.15
        discipline = 0.05
    }
    bonus = {
    global_colonial_growth = 25
    }

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

    inter_caetera = {
        idea_claim_colonies = yes
        colonists = 1
    }
    devout_catholisism = {
        papal_influence = 2
        global_missionary_strength = 0.02
    }
    spanish_armada = {
    galley_power = 0.2
    naval_forcelimit_modifier = 0.10
    }
    spa_cortes = {
    free_adm_policy = 1
    stability_cost_modifier = -0.10
    }
    gold_fleet = {
        global_tariffs = 0.2
    heavy_ship_cost = -0.1
    }
    siglo_de_oro = {
        prestige = 1
    }
    nueva_planta = {
        global_tax_modifier = 0.15
    }
}
 
I do hope the missions trees will be free like with the poland update, would be really disappointing if they weren't.

Only the mission tree of Navarra will be free. The rest of them will be a part of the DLC
 
The funny thing is...
There were lots of people claiming for an Iberian DLC to solve the nagging problems...
And I see no problem solved (French ahistorically stomping Spain, no burgundian inheritance, no Spain lots of times, no bankrupcies, no military geniouses, lack of flavour..) and now Spain/Castille is even worse
The problem with the burgundian inheritance is not that just austria get it, i had seen quite a few plays in sp and mp where spain gets to inherit Burgundy, its that its and almost useless territory to Spain because by land is blocked by France and by sea by the overpower fleet of great britain and with the plus of the events of the dutch revolt, which are good dont get me wrong.
 
I will not reveal or commit to any changes at this point. All I can say is that we have heard your feedback and we'll take that into consideration for future adjustments. That said, this doesn't mean we will do exactly as suggested in this thread but we do see room for some improvement.
Thank you for your reply! =)

I'm not a game designer myself, just a simple eu4-peasant thinking that these NIs update doesn't fit the high quality standards you've shown in previous DLCs.
  • Current (live version) Spanish NIs are quite solid, but are nowhere even near top-10 in terms of military quality.
  • Current Spanish NIs are one of the best for colonizing, however the weak point is a lack of naval quality modifiers compared to it's main competitor GBR.
  • Same problem is with Castile vs France in terms of land power: France usually wipes the floor with Spanish tercios just because it has considerably better land NIs and much stronger economy.
  • However I would call old Spanish NIs pretty nice and balanced, but the huge disparity in fleet power kinda kills any potential to compete with GBR in naval warfare.
Now you propose 2 idea sets that are both considerably weaker than the old Spanish NIs which makes it even worse for Spain.

As a result, even in current meta Spain is often a punch bag for France on land and Britain on seas and new idea sets make things even worse.


Speaking of Portugal: why does a nation that has created the first global empire in the world has not a single land and naval quality modifier in NIs? How did they acquire those lands and managed to hold them? With Holy Bible and trade deals instead of trustworthy fleet and powerful army?
 
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What do you think of these? I reckon that if Castile and Spain are going to have different sets of ideas, they should be more different.
Good ideas. However I think Spain should have a heavy ship bonus. Perhaps another small bonus to galleys (from its aragonese legacy), but the the heavy ships were more important for Spain. The Inquisition was an institution shared by both Castille and Aragon, so it fits better as a Spanish idea.
However, I think it's quite difficult choosing whether an idea should be Spanish or Castillian, as Spain on its origins was basically Castille, even the last king of Aragon (Ferdinand the Catholic) used more the Castillian army.
IMO that's why Castillian ideas should be oriented towards proper Castillian characteritics (such as the Mesta) or events prior to the Catholic Monarchs like the Mudéjar Revolts.
 
Thank you for your reply! =)

I'm not a game designer myself, just a simple eu4-peasant thinking that these NIs update doesn't fit the high quality standards you've shown in previous DLCs.
  • Current (live version) Spanish NIs are quite solid, but are nowhere even near top-10 in terms of military quality.
  • Current Spanish NIs are one of the best for colonizing, however the weak point is a lack of naval quality modifiers compared to it's main competitor GBR.
  • Same problem is with Castile vs France in terms of land power: France usually wipes the floor with Spanish tercios just because it has considerably better land NIs and much stronger economy.
  • However I would call old Spanish NIs pretty nice and balanced, but the huge disparity in fleet power kinda kills any potential to compete with GBR in naval warfare.
Now you propose 2 idea sets that are both considerably weaker than the old Spanish NIs which makes it even worse for Spain.

As a result, even in current meta Spain often a punch bag for France on land and Britain on seas and new idea sets make things even worse.


Speaking of Portugal: why does a nation that has created the first global empire in the world has not a single land and naval quality modifier in NIs? How did they acquire those lands and managed to hold them? With Holy Bible and trade deals instead of trustwothy fleet and powerful army?

A very good summary of the situation.
I would add that, for us spaniards, game lacks flavor.
 
The problem with the burgundian inheritance is not that just austria get it, i had seen quite a few plays in sp and mp where spain gets to inherit Burgundy, its that its and almost useless territory to Spain because by land is blocked by France and by sea by the overpower fleet of great britain and with the plus of the events of the dutch revolt, which are good dont get me wrong.

It would be logical that it is inherited by Spain after it´ve been inherited by Austria (but without inheritance via royal marriage)
 
Thank you for your reply! =)

I'm not a game designer myself, just a simple eu4-peasant thinking that these NIs update doesn't fit the high quality standards you've shown in previous DLCs.
  • Current (live version) Spanish NIs are quite solid, but are nowhere even near top-10 in terms of military quality.
  • Current Spanish NIs are one of the best for colonizing, however the weak point is a lack of naval quality modifiers compared to it's main competitor GBR.
  • Same problem is with Castile vs France in terms of land power: France usually wipes the floor with Spanish tercios just because it has considerably better land NIs and much stronger economy.
  • However I would call old Spanish NIs pretty nice and balanced, but the huge disparity in fleet power kinda kills any potential to compete with GBR in naval warfare.
Now you propose 2 idea sets that are both considerably weaker than the old Spanish NIs which makes it even worse for Spain.

As a result, even in current meta Spain is often a punch bag for France on land and Britain on seas and new idea sets make things even worse.


Speaking of Portugal: why does a nation that has created the first global empire in the world has not a single land and naval quality modifier in NIs? How did they acquire those lands and managed to hold them? With Holy Bible and trade deals instead of trustworthy fleet and powerful army?


I can generally agree with you, however I would disagree that France's ideas are considerably better on land, as the difference is just 5% morale (which can be gotten from a lot of other sources) and 20% manpower (ok, this might make an impact in long wars, but it shouldn't be huge) and the 5% discipline for France (ambition) comes way later than that of Castille (2nd idea) which should mean France isn't that much better in early wars (especially combined with the age bonus which is also quite strong
 
Thank you for your reply! =)

I'm not a game designer myself, just a simple eu4-peasant thinking that these NIs update doesn't fit the high quality standards you've shown in previous DLCs.
  • Current (live version) Spanish NIs are quite solid, but are nowhere even near top-10 in terms of military quality.
  • Current Spanish NIs are one of the best for colonizing, however the weak point is a lack of naval quality modifiers compared to it's main competitor GBR.
  • Same problem is with Castile vs France in terms of land power: France usually wipes the floor with Spanish tercios just because it has considerably better land NIs and much stronger economy.
  • However I would call old Spanish NIs pretty nice and balanced, but the huge disparity in fleet power kinda kills any potential to compete with GBR in naval warfare.
Now you propose 2 idea sets that are both considerably weaker than the old Spanish NIs which makes it even worse for Spain.

As a result, even in current meta Spain is often a punch bag for France on land and Britain on seas and new idea sets make things even worse.


Speaking of Portugal: why does a nation that has created the first global empire in the world has not a single land and naval quality modifier in NIs? How did they acquire those lands and managed to hold them? With Holy Bible and trade deals instead of trustworthy fleet and powerful army?


Everyone thinks this except the developers ... it's illogical, it's understandable, it does not make sense ... it's VERY FRUSTRATING
 
I will like see a basic dynasty tree,it would give more flavour to the game,will make easier understand the PUs and the inheritances situations and will prevent forcing inheritances with events
 
I can generally agree with you, however I would disagree that France's ideas are considerably better on land, as the difference is just 5% morale (which can be gotten from a lot of other sources) and 20% manpower (ok, this might make an impact in long wars, but it shouldn't be huge) and the 5% discipline for France (ambition) comes way later than that of Castille (2nd idea) which should mean France isn't that much better in early wars (especially combined with the age bonus which is also quite strong

it's a combinatin of better NIs (+5% morale and +20% manpower) with far better starting development, better monarchs, generals and available AIs to gobble. France (even controlled by AI) is often able to consolidate it's home region (whopping ~550 development) in like 30 years, while whole Iberia combined has roughly the same dev. Hopefully future map update will make it a little bit beefier.
 
I will like see a basic dynasty tree,it would give more flavour to the game,will make easier understand the PUs and the inheritances situations and will prevent forcing inheritances with events

This would be ideal. Having a second in the line of succession, a royal family (several children)... something like that.
 
My impressions on this DLC:
1.- The Spanish mission tree is not bad, but needs a bit of accurate work out. ( Events triggering Italian wars against France and its allies, North Africa wars against berbers, Tunis, Alger, PU with Portugal, Spanish Emperor of the HRE, The 80 years war Events of foreign intervention, The long naval war against England, Lidership of the Saint League against the Otoman Empire, ... ) It's far too long, and this is just for the XVI century.

2.- The army and naval are far from historical.
ARMY->A country that fights in victorius wars continuosly during more than 155 years against 23 different kingdoms, Empires and coalitions can't be as bad as the modifiers applied show.
(Napoleon learned from Clausewitz and Clausewitz from the spanish General Santa Cruz del Marcenado -admitted by the own Clausewitz: "Everything I know from the Military art I learned from him"- ) ... it was not just discipline or better quality of the always-outnumbered troops. There was an advanced military doctrine behind.

NAVY-> I can assume that the naval idea of english supremacy is biased by the spanish Armada history. The fact is that from 137 ships 35 were lost (only 4 in combat)
The English Armada of 185 ships that tried to attack Spain the next year lost 40, sunk or captured, all in combat or boarding fight, by not a single spanish ship lost.
In 300 years of colonial history, only the dutchman Piet Heyn with a large fleet was able to capture the treasure fleet. 1 vs 417 fleets happily arrived.
I don't want to bore people giving tons of data, battles, facts...just a communicate from the English House of Commons in 1601: "The spanish privateers have inflicted to the english fleet and commerce more damage in one year that the french fleet during the whole XVI century."

I understand if Paradox is trying to approach to a likely "armchair general" public that want to conquer the world with his minor country. No objections.

My only humble suggestion is this:
Please, for those who adore the historical Paradox games, implement two select buttons, to choose, when the game starts, if you want to play either on a Fantasy mode "Rule Britannia style" or a Historical one. Thanks.
 
I would say the problem with Spain is that it is kind of difficult to model as at the game start it shouldn't have a strong military or navy. While as they become stronger both should rise to domination for about a century before getting overtaken by others (I would say that for their navy this is even more true, as during the 80 years war the Dutch overtook them, and they were a century later overtaken by the English, who dominated for the last century of the game). Also Spain shouldn't have a higher development than France as France just did have more population, and when France did get centralised they took over as the main land power in the 17th century and stayed in that position for most of the game.
 
I don't understand the anger about Spain's military ideas. Yes, France gets +5% higher morale, but Spain gets -30% Shock Damage Received in the Age of Reformation which more than makes up the difference.

You aren't seeing the bigger picture, France not only has that advantage but it also has better lands, more soldiers in the early game, let alone that EUIV combat system is plain because it doesn't let the chance for smaller armies to make a comeback like it happen in real life (The second Italian war is example of where new military tactics which transformed into quality defeated a bigger army, which by the time was the best in Europe).

So France doesn't just have that advantage it's also that they are way too damn strong in the early game wherein the mid and late game they continue to be (they have the best conquering route even if AE is a thing and the best age bonus in the game)

Which by the way the NI I ask is in no way going to break the game, heck every veteran of this game knows that by late game you will want all the fire and artillery modifiers because morale and shock take a lesser role because of how the units are made, so the ideas I suggested are in no way going to make Spain into a killing machine late game because it lacks economic quality and fire modifiers.
 
My impressions on this DLC:
Please, for those who adore the historical Paradox games, implement two select buttons, to choose, when the game starts, if you want to play either on a Fantasy mode "Rule Britannia style" or a Historical one. Thanks.

I will like to see options for setting the game like in ck2, something like this:

Colonization: Historical (IA will try to do historical colonization) /Random

Exploration: Historical / Fantastic (Seven cities events,etc...)

Events: Historical (more chain historical events,more rail road game) / random (more random events )

Flagships: Historical (Vasa 64 cannons) / Fantastic (Vasa 100 cannons) :p
 
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