Hi everyone, and welcome to another Europa Universalis IV development diary. Today we’ll take a look at five new features which will be in the new Rights of Man expansion.

First of all.. Disinherit!

Now when you have these no good heirs, like a certain prince of Castille, you now have an option to deal with them. At any time, if your prestige is positive, you can chose to disinherit your current heir, for a mere cost of 50 prestige. Now we like to think of it as the heir becoming a happy farmer somewhere, but the people in the iron-mask industry need employment after all. The drawback of disinheriting, besides losing 50 prestige, is the fact that you will be without an heir after it..


The second feature is the Prussian Monarchy, a rather cool special government.

Whenever you form Prussia, you will change into a Prussian Monarchy, a government that was describes as an army with a state, not as a state with an army. So what does the Prussian Monarchy give you. Well, first of all, all Prussian Rulers will have a minimum of 3 in MIL. This alone gives you more military monarch power to spend on policies, ideas & technology on average. The government form in itself reduces unrest by 2 and war exhaustion by 0.02 each month, with autonomy reduction based on the rank.

The coolest part of this government form is the fact that it is a militarised society. This has a rating of 0-100%, where army tradition and legitimacy increases it, while each province you own decrease it. You can also at any time spend 50 military power to gain 10 militarization.

At 100 % militarized society, you gain +10% discipline, 33% cheaper army maintenance and 33% quicker manpower recovery.

Prussia with Rights of Man will be a taller state, that can punch far above its weight, and require a bit of a different playing strategie.


Our third feature is Strengthen Government.

This is basically an ability to have greater control of your government. For a mere 100 military power, you can at any time boost your legitimacy, devotion, horde unity or republican tradition. Republican Tradition is increased by 3%, while all the other is increased by 10.


The fourth feature of today is Abandon Personal Union.

This is a new diplomatic action, which is available for the senior in a personal union. Sometimes a union is not worth keeping, as the risks of a dangerous war may be too high, or you know they will win an independence war anyway. The overlord will lose some prestige, and depending on the subjects liberty desire, they will not even dislike you for giving them freedom.


And the fifth and final feature is Debase Currency.

This is a possibility to quickly get some money, without any interest to pay back, or other immediate drawbacks.. Except … for some minor corruption..

Basically, you get a free loan amount of money for just 2 corruption.


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And as a free feature, as a apart of the 1.18-Prussia patch, we’re adding over 20 new DHE just for Prussia & Brandenburg, putting them on par with other tier 1 nations..

Next week, Jake will talk about the changes to Revolutionary Republics.

 

[Martin_Mortyry]

I couldn't agree more! I don't like Special Government Forms, either. What they give single countries, they deny to all the others.

Be it Ming celestial empire, that should really be ditched and replaced by a generic mechanic to deal with very large countries, be it Ottoman sultanate, which should be ditched and replaced by a generic trade off between having plenty heirs/legitimacy and corruption (dependend on religion) to Prussian Monarchy, which should be ditched and replaced by a generic rework of how policies work (buy policies for corruption) + how ruler traits influence culture/national ideas over time.

Notice how I prefer generic mechanics over specific ones like Special gov type.

I'm personally glad they're getting back to introducing special governments and would be really happy to see more. They should reintroduce American Republic, that's why I bought American Dream! Austria deserves its own archduchy government. Poland already has its own but it's introduce very badly and fails to represent what was the Polish elective monarchy about.

Of course, besides the special governments they could also expand the generic ones. As of now there isn't much difference between playing in Europe and in e.g. India or Southeast Asia - except it's more tiresome. Some unique mechanics for countries(as most religions have their flavour already) in those areas would make the gameplay much more diverse! There would be an actual difference between playing Ulm and Orissa other than that one can choose its dieties and the other can send a cardinal to the pope.

 

[McGregg]

No, you understood me correctly. If there is a little chance for AI (and for Player in multiplayer game if Poland player plays his cards right) to form Prussia - what is the reason of all these new Prussia-related features? I expect some event-based trade-off for Poland to leave northen Prussian lands free for Brandenburg and get some bonuses, or annex them and get nothing. Or something in this direction - bringing more strategic planning in the game.

OK gotch'ya. I guess you would need to do it the hard way... Defeat PLC and take the land back...
As for some 'event-based trade-off for Poland' - why would anyone agree to that if you know you gonna face the Monster Space Marines?

 

[Warial]

I'm personally glad they're reintroducing special governments and would be really happy to see more. They should reintroduce American Republic, that's why I bought American Dream! Austria deserves its own archduchy government. Poland already has its own but it's introduce very badly and fails to represent what was the Polish elective monarchy about.

Of course, besides the special governments they could also expand the generic ones. As of now there isn't much difference between playing in Europe and in e.g. India or Southeast Asia - except it's more tiresome. Some unique mechanics for countries(as most religions have their flavour already) in those areas would make the gameplay much more diverse! There would be an actual difference between playing Ulm and Orissa other than that one can choose its dieties and the other can send a cardinal to the pope.

That should be the focus. Making regions play differently from each other through special religious, government and cultural mechanics. Not giving some absurd boni to fan favourite nations.

 

[TheDungen]

It's nice but I would have gone with losing legitimacy for dismissing your heir. It fits the theme better and with the added ability to buy back legitimacy it's not as harsh as it would have been.

 

[Martin_Mortyry]

That should be the focus. Making regions play differently from each other through special religious, government and cultural mechanics. Not giving some absurd boni to fan favourite nations.

But some nations were working in their unique way and they deserve to have some Original Hand-Made Government™.

As for some 'event-based trade-off for Poland' - why would anyone agree to that if you know you gonna face the Monster Space Marines?

Poland could be ancouraged to let Teutonic Order rule in East Prussia as they did in our timeline.

Historically 13 Years War started because Prussian Federation recognised Polish king as a rightful ruler of Prussia(in game terms they pretty much gave him cores all over Prussia, or at least permanent claims) but in effect of peace talks it was decided that Teutonic Order would become Polish vassal. How can Paradox simulate such situation doesn't come to my mind at the moment. They could hardcode Polish AI to only take Western Prussia and vassalize the rest of TO but it sounds like a bit too much reilroading to me.

 

[Warial]

But some nations were working in their unique way and they deserve to have some Original Hand-Made Government™

True, but let's say Polish Elective Monarchy might as well not appear in Poland, but in Hungary. Instead of Prussia becoming a miltary powerhouse it could be Saxony or Pommerania. Instead of Ming being a Celestial Empire, it could have been Korean invaders.

 

[ashmizen]

It would be nice Prussia could be formed by decision by Brandenburg, limited only by controlling Berlin and after a specific date.
It would help AI games, as well as MP games with both a Polish and a Brandenburg player.

 

[metroncho]

A DLC called The Rights of Man focused in a militarized Prussian Monarchy. Ah, the irony.

 

[Martin_Mortyry]

True, but let's say Polish Elective Monarchy might as well not appear in Poland, but in Hungary.

If I recall correctly, Hungarians did have an elective monarchy for some time. The problem is, the Polish elective monarchy differed from a common elective monarchy. Szlachta could appoint a foreign ruler as the next king, sometimes resulting in personal unions, Poland had working parliament(sejm), nobles had almost absolute power over every issue in the country. King's role and power depended mostly on his personality and influence of foreign powers in the Commonwealth. I really doubt such form of rule could appear anywhere, maybe besides of Lithuania and Ruthenia. I have to add that the current in-game interpretation of elective monarchy is, quite frankly, awful and would require massive rework. Not to waste a nice line of code, its current form could be tweaked and presented as a regular government unlockable later in the game to everyone - treatment similar to English monarchy and its little clone in constitutional monarchies/republics.

Instead of Ming being a Celestial Empire, it could have been Korean invaders.

Celestial Empire should be reserved to a tag which at the moment owns the mandate of heaven - so Ming in 1444. Since Paradox haven't really worked on the far east yet, there are no mechanics for China and Mandate of Heaven. Hopefully the situation will change by 1.20.

The Rights of Men DLC focused in a militarized Prussian Monarchy. Ah, the irony.

I seriously wonder what were they thinking while naming this expansion. Perhaps they came up with the name first and didn't want to change it during the development?

 

[Canute VII]

I'm personally glad they're getting back to introducing special governments and would be really happy to see more. They should reintroduce American Republic, that's why I bought American Dream! Austria deserves its own archduchy government. Poland already has its own but it's introduce very badly and fails to represent what was the Polish elective monarchy about.

Of course, besides the special governments they could also expand the generic ones. As of now there isn't much difference between playing in Europe and in e.g. India or Southeast Asia - except it's more tiresome. Some unique mechanics for countries(as most religions have their flavour already) in those areas would make the gameplay much more diverse! There would be an actual difference between playing Ulm and Orissa other than that one can choose its dieties and the other can send a cardinal to the pope.

A Government type really is just a collection of policies, that trend into a certain direction, reinforcing each other. Or contradicting and nullifying each other. Giving certain countries certain government types because that's their fate (and not others') is somewhat unsatisfactory imho. The difference between nations depends on generic (and often rather random) factors, but definitely not on fate. While I see this increases "flavour", it decreases the strategy. Militarism, for example, while a feature of the historic prussian state [largely due to its ruler(s)], has never been out of reach of any other nation. Indeed it's a very old concept (see Sparta), a generic concept. Thus it should be generic game-wise.

 

[seriousgigi]

imagine this in rights of man:

"russians' manpower is combining with prussian discipline and godlike generals, then crush anything on its road..."

 

[Sopbucket]

I'll have to see how this plays out, but I feel like strengthen government is going to make raising legitimacy too easy. That said, I don't really see myself using it unless my legitimacy is absolutely abysmal, so it probably won't be that different - it'll be a nice thing to have while playing as Ming, for sure.

It might make sense to only have it work up to a certain point, like 60 or 70 legitimacy, so you have to rely on the gradual devices to raise legitimacy further, so those devices still feel about as valuable as they do now. Just throwing that out there.

 

[Swedswar1721]

Damn. A Reformed Prussia, with fervor focus on military would be OP.

 

[Haydar]

btw, fix bad legitimacy by pressing a button seems... awful.
Press button and fix subject LD with development investment. Press button - and fix legitimacy. What is next?
Can we get smooth mechanics instead of 'press the button' ones?

Yes please. Things should work more like the previous westernization model or vassal annexation. Not instant.

Currently stability, development, harsh treatment doesn't feel lively. I don't feel the "harsh treatment", I don't feel I am developing a province or I don't feel like the nation is destabilized and I am fixing it. Getting -5 stab hit and instantly recovering by spending saved monarch points is not very immersive.

 

[solidprice]

My bet It will be a net nerf to glorious Preußen.
Unless ai Preußen has a higher chance to form.

.....But still loved the diary.

 

[Wagonlitz]

The fourth feature of today is Abandon Personal Union.

This is a new diplomatic action, which is available for the senior in a personal union. Sometimes a union is not worth keeping, as the risks of a dangerous war may be too high, or you know they will win an independence war anyway. The overlord will lose some prestige, and depending on the subjects liberty desire, they will not even dislike you for giving them freedom.

Does anybody know of examples of a senior PU willingly giving up the PU. (Other than Spain/Austria of course, since that is an odd one out in how Charles V was old and realised that the country had become too big to efficiently rule.)

 

[Martin_Mortyry]

Does anybody know of examples of a senior PU willingly giving up the PU. (Other than Spain/Austria of course, since that is an odd one out in how Charles V was old and realised that the country had become too big to efficiently rule.)

Feudal ruler with two sons would usually give one of his realms to each of his sons. From the top of my head, Władysław Jagiełlo did so with his sons Kazimierz(Lithuania) and Władysław(Poland + later Hungary), both rulers should be well known to EU players.

 

[Wagonlitz]

Feudal ruler with two sons would usually give one of his realms to each of his sons. From the top of my head, Władysław Jagiełlo did so with his sons Kazimierz(Lithuania) and Władysław(Poland + later Hungary), both rulers should be well known to EU players.

Good point and something I hadn't thought about. Though my impression from Johan's description was that this rather was "I got a PU over a small country in the HRE and I am not interested in that so I let it go" and such things didn't happen in reality afaik. Rulers didn't just say: Those estates I got a PU over are far away and landlocked so I think I will give them up without a fight.

 

[Martin_Mortyry]

Good point and something I hadn't thought about. Though my impression from Johan's description was that this rather was "I got a PU over a small country in the HRE and I am not interested in that so I let it go" and such things didn't happen in reality afaik. Rulers didn't just say: Those estates I got a PU over are far away and landlocked so I think I will give them up without a fight.

That's probably because such unions hardly ever happened - at least I don't remember something like that.
This option is most likely there for game purposes only - it's tiresome to have a big, useless union partner who won't help you in wars and can't be integrated. The diplomatic action is probably also gonna work on vassals - Johan announced it first in this thread about unloyal subjects.

 

[VectorMaximus]

Glorious Prussia... Time to make my ancestors proud and finally go for the Goose-Step achievement. The extra 10% from full militarization should make it substantially easier to do. However, I have to wonder, since the Prussian government type and militarization is more about going 'tall' instead of 'wide', wouldn't it make sense to have higher force limit modifier as well? If this is meant to allow Prussia to take on larger nations (punch above its weight, as was said), wouldn't it make sense for them to be able to have a larger standing army? Or do you guys think that the maintainence reduction combined with the discipline is enough? Although, admitably, having all those modifiers would be OP. But anyway, really looking forward to Rights of Man!