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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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But muh United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves :(

Letting Portugal swap tags to Brazil and have that not create the UKPBA is a real kick in the reproductive organs. Not sure why the culture change to Brazilian either, since it will just mess with Brazil's colonies. At least make sure colonies with Portuguese culture also swap to Brazilian.

Otherwise, also kind of disappointing. The PT and ES mission trees are quite packed, no doubt, but they are also just made out of things these countries accomplished up to the 16th century (except Spanish California I guess). Compare that to the British tree that goes all the way into British India and the Industrial Revolution, or the Russian tree that takes it up to Alaska and the Revolution.

It feels like an opportunity is lost to have missions acting as ways to generate a culmination moment or provide alternative paths, at least right at the end.
 
Why would we ever do this then :(

A Brazilian Tree ending with "Return to Europe"/"Reclaim the Peninsula" would be very cool. It would put an end to always having to ally Spain/Castille to keep them from killing you since you could just flee to the New World and plot your revenge instead.

Yeah, taking that -2 stabhit just to take generic national ideas seems pretty dumb to me. I hope to see the devs at least throw some sort of bone to Colonial Nations in a Spain DLC (considering Castille would have been on the same power tier as Hungary without them), since there have been so many exploits, bad AI, ugly borders associated with them for years now.


It feels like an opportunity is lost to have missions acting as ways to generate a culmination moment or provide alternative paths, at least right at the end.

Well Spain accomplished very little in the last 3rd of EU4's time period, but yes they should be given a 'what if' path.
cough* counter-reformation cough*
 
Love the new Portugal missions! And the decision to move to Brazil is awesome, really glad that is making it into the game!

Agreed, let's just hope Brazil gets fleshed out, otherwise nobody will take the decision except for roleplay.
 
I was waiting for Spain update for so long. All we get a slightly weaker national ideas, limited mission tree especially compared to Great Britain. Great Britain has unrealistical mission but Spain can't get its real life personal unions let alone unrealistical missions. I would even consider that a nerf to Castile(u now have to deal with stronger Aragon and Portugal). Spain already get its dynasty on Austria so it wasn't necessary to get that pu mission(There should be Portugal and Milan). Only good thing we get with this DLC is Territory changes in Iberia and it's not even as good as Rule Britannia. Disappointing.
 
Agreed, let's just hope Brazil gets fleshed out, otherwise nobody will take the decision except for roleplay.

This isn't intended to be something you are rewarded for. Hence losing stability and prestige when you do it. It exists for roleplay and for the AI when appropriate. I think we're all a bit tired of seeing Portugal ruling over the Americas from West Africa.
 
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.
This bit sounds very interesting, I like that you are suggesting that obtaining Macau or Nagasaki won't be as automatic as Goa which is a fairly boring event. It would be really cool if at the same time even more flavour was added to Japan (and especially the southern daimyo) for their relations with the Portuguese and other Europeans.
 
How does everyone feel about the Spanish national ideas? I am worried that the removal of the +10% heavy ship combat ability idea will make it even more difficult to win a naval war against Great Britain.

Yes definitely, especially the Castillian ideas seem to make them much weaker.

Also I don't see the point in adding this:
spa_cortes = {
free_adm_policy = 1
}

When your idea groups will be something like defensive, exploration, quality, expansion.
None of these have adm policies to begin with... And then you also have a government reform for an additional adm policy. It's hard enough to fill up the 1 adm policy that you get for free, let alone 3. Better give them something actually useful like dip or mil policy.

The -33% envoy is also a waste of what could have been something good. It comes too late game when it is of no real use anymore. At that point you should be cycling colonists of almost finished colonies. I rather would have liked to see a diplomat, navy tradition or inflation reduction even.
 
This isn't intended to be something you are rewarded for.
The debuffs are understandable.
But it doesn't mean that Brazil can't have their own mission tree...
And in general making this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_of_Portugal,_Brazil_and_the_Algarves would be quite fun path for Portugal. Even though it happened in the end of EU4 timeframe, it could happen earlier. Besides, what if Portugal never recovers the mainland?

Although, given answers in previous DDs, South America probably will be a matter of another patch, including Brazil...
 
[QUOTE = "raikaria, post: 24815710, miembro: 956084"] 1: Gran Bretaña tiene una palabra que decir a "la nación naval más importante" especialmente cuando hunden la Armada.

2: Ya tenemos buques insignia.

3: Es un paquete de inmersión que no espera nada que cambie drásticamente una parte significativa del juego en sí. [Lo más cercano que obtuvimos fue los cambios ortodoxos, que es básicamente la religión de Rusia de todos modos, todos los demás ortodoxos son devorados por Otto sin la intervención del jugador] [/ QUOTE]
1: Britain has a word to say to 'most important naval nation' especially as they sunk the Armada.

2: We already have flagships.

3: It's an Immersion Pack don't expect anything that drastically changes a significant part of the game itself. [About the closest we got was Orthodox changes which is basically the Russia religion anyway, allother Orthodox get eaten by Otto without player intervention]


You mean the English counter-officer of 1589 led by Drake? It was a greater failure than the great Armada of 1588 (a year before). The war ended in 1604 with the peace of London was favorable for Spain, although they won the battle of 1588 (more because of bad weather and conflicts in Flanders where the fleet could get used to, besides Don Alvaro de Bazán died just before of the attack and not by the great English fleet ...), the largest armada was the Spanish.

From the middle of the XVIII century it was the British, in the game is the end of the game, 70% of the game time is greater and more powerful the Spanish Navy.

Thing that is not reflected in the game and more now that they have removed the 10% attack bonus to the Spanish heavy ship.
 
This isn't intended to be something you are rewarded for. Hence losing stability and prestige when you do it. It exists for roleplay and for the AI when appropriate. I think we're all a bit tired of seeing Portugal ruling over the Americas from West Africa.
Yeah, I've see a one-province Portugal ruling over all of Brasil, with Brasil being entirely content with it. And Portugal did not even own Lisboa, they were forced (by Morocco) into one of their northern provinces.
 
Well Spain accomplished very little in the last 3rd of EU4's time period, but yes they should be given a 'what if' path.
cough* counter-reformation cough*
Sure, but that behave-as-history pattern was tossed out the window back in EU3. If we're creating missions for the players to enjoy, it makes little sense to leave them with nothing to strive for towards the end game. Like, the UK has missions to take over France and the HRE, conquer all of India, Australia and start the Industrial Revolution. Why doesn't Spain get something equivalent like taking all of America, successful counter-reformation, establish the Constitution of Cádiz? This are just basic ideas I came up with on the fly, I'm sure the bright minds at PDS could come up with much better if so directed.
 
With the Spanish Armada nerf, now you can use the naval doctrine mechanic to add +10% heavy ships combat for Spain and please change "casa de contratacion" for one colonist or
colony population grow.
 
The Spanish ideas have been pretty powercreeped by time. I was imagining they'd get more power. The brits annihilate them on sea now (even with the buffs) and the average land nation in the last few patches is FAR more powerful as well.