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Tinto Flavour #16 - 9th of May 2025 - Brandenburg & Prussia

Hello and welcome one more week to Tinto Flavour, the happy Fridays in which we take a look at the content of the super secret Project Caesar Europa Universalis V!

Today we will be talking about Brandenburg, and the main tag that it can form, Prussia. Therefore, today is even more special for two reasons. The first is that this is the first country that we talk about in which the content for the base country and the formable is aligned, as it was the historical result; in this category we have a few more important countries, such as England/Great Britain or Castile/Spain, of which we’ll talk more about in future TFs. The second is because we considered Brandenburg/Prussia one of the relevant tags in the period, and thus, it has more baseline content than the previous one; so far, we’ve only taken a look previously to one tag of that category, the Timurids (and you may have noticed that it was a long and meaty TF).

Let’s start now taking a look at the content, then:

The Electorate of Brandenburg was established as the Northern March in the Slavic Wends' territory. The region features loamy uplands and depressions with rivers and lakes, pine trees and heat, and a soil which is predominantly dry and sandy, but suitable for agriculture, making it to be called 'the sandbox of the Holy Roman Empire'.\n\nIn 1157, after claiming these lands from Jaxa of Köpenick, Elector Albrecht ‘the Bear’ Askanier officially became [GetCountry('BRA').GetGovernment.GetRulerTitle]. Initially limited to Havelland and Zauche, he encouraged the #italic Ostsiedlung#!'s process towards the Neumark east of the Oder, gradually incorporating it into his possessions, and colonists coming from Flanders and the Rhineland were invited to settle, fortifying their towns in the process. After his death in 1170, the Askanier dynasty continued this expansion for over 150 years, acquiring neighboring regions like the Oder Lagoon and the Uckermark, which expanded their influence to the Baltic Sea, but also led to conflicts with Denmark. However, the last Askanier, Elector Heinrich II., died without a direct heir in 1320.

Now, the von Wittelsbach dynasty has arrived, but the lack of interest in ruling over these lands casts a shadow over the future of the Electorate of Brandenburg.

Country Selection.png

As usual, consider all UI, 2D and 3D art WIP.

The starting situation of Brandenburg:
Brandenburg2.png

Brandenburg1.png

Brandenburg3.png

We are not attached to just showing the flatmap mode anymore! Yay!

It starts with a similar content setup to that of Saxony, which we showed some weeks ago:
Margraviate.jpg

Right to Inherit.jpg

Magdeburg Rights.jpg

Bergordnung.jpg

Here are some of the unique advances of both Brandenburg and Prussia:
Expansive Policies.png

Soldiers of Fortune.png

Found the Kammergericht.png

Geheimer Rat.png

Army Professionalism.png

The Goose Step.png

Brandenburg & Prussia might have some military-related advances, yeah… But take into account that this approx. half of the amount available, so there are non-military-related ones.

Let’s now take a look at the narrative content, which is quite meaty. This is one of the first starting events for Brandenburg:
Succession Issues1.png

Succession Issues2.png

Succession Issues3.png

Slightly painful…

As you see, there are around 30 events that may be triggered after this, of varied topics, that impact the governance of Brandenburg in the first decades of the game. One of the most interesting ones are those related to the ‘False Waldemar’ event chain:
False Waldemar.png

I don’t think you should trust a guy that looks that way…

After the year 1500, if certain triggers are met, you might receive an event regarding this Teutonic Order, which may lead to the formation of Prussia:
Teutonic Order.png

Although you can also form it organically, by expanding into the area (although the Emperor may have a say in this, as historically happened):
Form Prussia.png

A Prussian Crown.png

Compromise.png

Electorate of Prussia.png

Preussen Blau.png

This is a lovely color, isn’t it?

You may now figure that Prussia is a country with much more content in the late game, so I’m just going to show you some of it; but take into consideration that of the following events, the first one can trigger after 1530, the second after 1637, and the others in different dates after 1700:
Kreditwerk.png

Kreditwerk2.png


Pietism.png

Pietism2.png


Canton System.png

Canton System2.png


Kant.png


Clausewitz.png

Clausewitz2.png

Did you know that the Engine we use is named after him?

And some other content that you might get in the last two ages, as well:
Soldier King of Prussia1.png

Prussian Monarchy.png


Sanssouci.png

And that’s all for today! It was an intense week! And the next one, even more, since we will start publishing a second Tinto Flavour on Tuesdays! Therefore, the schedule will be the following:
  • Monday -> Tinto Maps Feedback for Great Britain & Ireland
  • Tuesday -> Tinto Flavour about Vijayanagar and other ‘minor’ Indian countries
  • Wednesday -> Tinto Talks about Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism
  • Friday -> Tinto Flavour about Delhi
Cheers!
 
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My suggestion would be to add an HRE control value to all HRE provinces owned by HRE members, radiating from the capital of the Emperor. Countries with high imperial control in their provinces and/or countries weaker or much weaker then the emperor would be subject to stricter rules, while places far away from the Emperor would naturally be less restricted and therefore more chaotic (Like Italy for instance, due to the Alps increasing distance-from-capital cost).

I think it would be a good compromise (and good simulation) of the historical reality: while places like Germany were under more direct imperial control, places like Italy would often straight up defy the Emperor, both because far away and very rich and independent.
Northern Italy is closer to the heart of the Empire than Northern Germany, the Alps don't really make that much of a difference. I don't see how Italy could be considered more remote than Northern Germany at all.
 
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Northern Italy is closer to the heart of the Empire than Northern Germany, the Alps don't really make that much of a difference. I don't see how Italy could be considered more remote than Northern Germany at all.
in fact most of hre emperors time was spend intervening in italy, they rarely cared about northern germany. The Hansa thrived due to this, along with Denmark & Sweden being able to expand (via marriage first) into northern germany). Even Ötzi managed to cross the alps, it was very feasible and very common, EXCEPT for winter.
 
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Brandenburg should not get crazy bonuses to expansions so early.
Anyway I hope we will get interesting event chain about Pommerania, where culmination was rule of Bugislav X who united Pommerania and there were 3 possible outcomes for this area: union with Poland, being fief of Brandenburg or (what Bogislav chose historically after Poland refused union) being fief directly to the Emperor. This could be simillar to EU4 Moldavia event chain.
 
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I don't see how Italy could be considered more remote than Northern Germany at all.
I mean... Alps being blocked for 50% of the year and historically: Lombard League, Barbarossa, Guelfs vs Ghibellines (pope vs emperor => trade cities who didn't like imperial taxes vs nobles who got their titles from the emperors), all the conflicts in Italy were to establish imperial authority over the region.
In the words from a semi-famous show "Any man who must say "I am the king", is no king".
 
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I mean... Lombard League, Barbarossa, Guelfs vs Ghibellines (pope vs emperor => trade cities who didn't like imperial taxes vs nobles who got their titles from the emperors), all the conflicts in Italy were to establish imperial authority over the region.
In the words from a semi-famous show "Any man who must say "I am the king", is no king".
Yes, the Empire cared a lot about Northern Italy, way more than about Northern Germany.
 
Hello and welcome one more week to Tinto Flavour, the happy Fridays in which we take a look at the content of the super secret Project Caesar Europa Universalis V!

Today we will be talking about Brandenburg, and the main tag that it can form, Prussia. Therefore, today is even more special for two reasons. The first is that this is the first country that we talk about in which the content for the base country and the formable is aligned, as it was the historical result; in this category we have a few more important countries, such as England/Great Britain or Castile/Spain, of which we’ll talk more about in future TFs. The second is because we considered Brandenburg/Prussia one of the relevant tags in the period, and thus, it has more baseline content than the previous one; so far, we’ve only taken a look previously to one tag of that category, the Timurids (and you may have noticed that it was a long and meaty TF).

Let’s start now taking a look at the content, then:



View attachment 1294048
As usual, consider all UI, 2D and 3D art WIP.

The starting situation of Brandenburg:
View attachment 1294049
View attachment 1294050
View attachment 1294051
We are not attached to just showing the flatmap mode anymore! Yay!

It starts with a similar content setup to that of Saxony, which we showed some weeks ago:

Here are some of the unique advances of both Brandenburg and Prussia:
View attachment 1294056
View attachment 1294057
View attachment 1294058
View attachment 1294059
View attachment 1294061
View attachment 1294062
Brandenburg & Prussia might have some military-related advances, yeah… But take into account that this approx. half of the amount available, so there are non-military-related ones.

Let’s now take a look at the narrative content, which is quite meaty. This is one of the first starting events for Brandenburg:

As you see, there are around 30 events that may be triggered after this, of varied topics, that impact the governance of Brandenburg in the first decades of the game. One of the most interesting ones are those related to the ‘False Waldemar’ event chain:
View attachment 1294067
I don’t think you should trust a guy that looks that way…

After the year 1500, if certain triggers are met, you might receive an event regarding this Teutonic Order, which may lead to the formation of Prussia:

Although you can also form it organically, by expanding into the area (although the Emperor may have a say in this, as historically happened):

You may now figure that Prussia is a country with much more content in the late game, so I’m just going to show you some of it; but take into consideration that of the following events, the first one can trigger after 1530, the second after 1637, and the others in different dates after 1700:

And some other content that you might get in the last two ages, as well:

And that’s all for today! It was an intense week! And the next one, even more, since we will start publishing a second Tinto Flavour on Tuesdays! Therefore, the schedule will be the following:
  • Monday -> Tinto Maps Feedback for Great Britain & Ireland
  • Tuesday -> Tinto Flavour about Vijayanagar and other ‘minor’ Indian countries
  • Wednesday -> Tinto Talks about Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism
  • Friday -> Tinto Flavour about Delhi
Cheers!
As far as I know, Prussia's special political system is a continuation of the militaristic system of the Teutonic Knights. The Prussian king used the already very powerful and loyal professional army to suppress the nobles and achieved a high degree of autocracy and centralization. I hope that other military countries similar to the Teutonic Knights can also have the opportunity to establish a political system similar to Prussia.
 
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Brandenburg should not get crazy bonuses to expansions so early.
Anyway I hope we will get interesting event chain about Pommerania, where culmination was rule of Bugislav X who united Pommerania and there were 3 possible outcomes for this area: union with Poland, being fief of Brandenburg or (what Bogislav chose historically after Poland refused union) being fief directly to the Emperor. This could be simillar to EU4 Moldavia event chain.
That'd indeed be some great flavor for the region. Also of note is that the Treaty of Pyritz in question (and the later Treaty of Grimnitz that confirmed it with some additional amendments) is also how Brandenburg finally got Pomerania, because they also acted as a succession treaty in case of the extinction of the House of Griffin in male line, which came into effect when Bogislaw XIV died in 1637 (with the caveat that at the time half of Pomerania was under Swedish occupation with a forced fealty treaty).

Which is yet another reason why this kind of treaties should be added to the game in general rather than the 1 time scripted case of Poland and Hungary. They were an important part of the diplomatic toolset and were behind some rather important cases of countries gaining large new territories. Like I mentioned in other places, given that it gives extra opportunities to get a PU since it bypasses marriages, it could be gated behind something like a specific advancement, policy, government reform etc.

It'd also help with the current problem of HRE consolidating through fake/no CB wars. As was repeatedly stated on the topic, while they should have wars, the HRE wars should have had much stronger legal basis and revolve around dynastic claims. Which is precisely where this tool would come handy, particularly if you gate it somehow. Want to get more chances to expand in the HRE? Then it'd be perfectly fine to require a specific commitment towards such diplomatic avenues, while also giving HRE a different feel to different parts of the map in regards to expansionism.

Looping back to Pomerania it is a breeding ground for other flavor of such kind. For example, in case it creates Pomerania-Stolp in partitions, it could become a vassal of Poland with Treaty of Pyzdry and if Poland keeps it as a vassal it could help them consolidate Pomerania as their subject that way. Or maybe if succession of Casimir the Great is scripted there'd be an option to make Casimir IV of Pomerania the king of Poland in a PU (which would also make him Casimir IV there, so it even synchronizes properly).
 
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Will there be flag customization/generation for ahistorical country decisions, or for other dynamic country forming? Something akin to the states of the U.S. flag having a specific number of stars for each state, as we saw in HOI4 - but on a larger, every-country-applicable scale?

Dynamic flag-changing events could also occur based pressure from a country's estate or values, especially since estates are more finely-ingrained into EU5. This could also give estate pop-up events more flavor and visible consequences, like the clergy estate having enough power within the country and government to influence a christian cross or muslim crescent star onto the flag, etc. Some REALLY cool, primarily ahistorical country flags could result from this.

Continuing with the US example along with other colonies in general, dynamic flags could also adhere to the primary religion of the nation, like if the US is a colony formed as normal but becomes a christian monarchy or with a high-powered clergy, you'd get flag A. Similar situation to flag B, except the colony was founded by an islamic nation.

Towards the age of revolutions (or the EU5 equivalent) I can see this becoming more of a staple of the late-game, as different countries begin forming new government types and democratic republics begin to rise, of course with their own estates/political parties, etc, that may influence the country as a whole.
 

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Since we don't use the system 'Admin Tech = 10/20/etc' as EU4, the only way to gatelocking this effectively would be to add an 'Is Age of Absolutism' requisite, which we think would feel arbitrary and opposite to dynamic content. But we're open to suggestions on how to improve the immersion about this, as usual.
Making protestantism required seems necessary
 
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Hello and welcome one more week to Tinto Flavour, the happy Fridays in which we take a look at the content of the super secret Project Caesar Europa Universalis V!

Today we will be talking about Brandenburg, and the main tag that it can form, Prussia. Therefore, today is even more special for two reasons. The first is that this is the first country that we talk about in which the content for the base country and the formable is aligned, as it was the historical result; in this category we have a few more important countries, such as England/Great Britain or Castile/Spain, of which we’ll talk more about in future TFs. The second is because we considered Brandenburg/Prussia one of the relevant tags in the period, and thus, it has more baseline content than the previous one; so far, we’ve only taken a look previously to one tag of that category, the Timurids (and you may have noticed that it was a long and meaty TF).

Let’s start now taking a look at the content, then:



View attachment 1294048
As usual, consider all UI, 2D and 3D art WIP.

The starting situation of Brandenburg:
View attachment 1294049
View attachment 1294050
View attachment 1294051
We are not attached to just showing the flatmap mode anymore! Yay!

It starts with a similar content setup to that of Saxony, which we showed some weeks ago:

Here are some of the unique advances of both Brandenburg and Prussia:
View attachment 1294056
View attachment 1294057
View attachment 1294058
View attachment 1294059
View attachment 1294061
View attachment 1294062
Brandenburg & Prussia might have some military-related advances, yeah… But take into account that this approx. half of the amount available, so there are non-military-related ones.

Let’s now take a look at the narrative content, which is quite meaty. This is one of the first starting events for Brandenburg:

As you see, there are around 30 events that may be triggered after this, of varied topics, that impact the governance of Brandenburg in the first decades of the game. One of the most interesting ones are those related to the ‘False Waldemar’ event chain:
View attachment 1294067
I don’t think you should trust a guy that looks that way…

After the year 1500, if certain triggers are met, you might receive an event regarding this Teutonic Order, which may lead to the formation of Prussia:

Although you can also form it organically, by expanding into the area (although the Emperor may have a say in this, as historically happened):

You may now figure that Prussia is a country with much more content in the late game, so I’m just going to show you some of it; but take into consideration that of the following events, the first one can trigger after 1530, the second after 1637, and the others in different dates after 1700:

And some other content that you might get in the last two ages, as well:

And that’s all for today! It was an intense week! And the next one, even more, since we will start publishing a second Tinto Flavour on Tuesdays! Therefore, the schedule will be the following:
  • Monday -> Tinto Maps Feedback for Great Britain & Ireland
  • Tuesday -> Tinto Flavour about Vijayanagar and other ‘minor’ Indian countries
  • Wednesday -> Tinto Talks about Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism
  • Friday -> Tinto Flavour about Delhi
Cheers!
Is there a mechanism to attract immigrants? Because in history, Brandenburg and the Teutonic Order needed to attract immigrants from the western part of the HRE, and the princes in the west would also actively encourage emmigration to reduce the problem of overpopulation. If there is no immigration mechanism, there will be a severe shortage of population.

I mean, since this is a pops based game, immigration should be very important, otherwise Brandenburg and the Order would be very weak.
 
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Yes, the Empire cared a lot about Northern Italy, way more than about Northern Germany.
Yes, because Northern Italy was filthy rich, unlike most of Northern Germany, and also it kinda forced the Imperial hand to continuously intervene because they would kick out any trace of Imperial control any time the Emperor wasn't actively marching armies through the Po plains.
 
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Después del año 1500, si se cumplen ciertos requisitos, podrías recibir un evento relacionado con esta Orden Teutónica, que puede conducir a la formación de Prusia:

Aunque también se puede formar orgánicamente, expandiéndose en el área (aunque el Emperador puede tener algo que decir en esto, como sucedió históricamente):
Me gustaría saber como van a abordar lo de la "formación de Prusia orgánicamente", ya que podría estar muy OP desde épocas muy tempranas y entonces se pierde el sentido del juego al jugar con Brandeburgo-Prusia. Si tenemos a Prusia desde el 1400 o antes sería muy aburrido después por ser un snowball. Lo ideal sería formarlo aproximadamente en la época en la que surgió o si lo llegas a formar antes pero poner ciertos requisitos como:
1. XXX cantidad de ejército
2. Controlar/hacer núcleo alguna provincia costera del Mar Báltico en la región de Pomerania.
3. Controlar/hacer núcleo todas las provincias de la Orden Teutónica, no al estilo de EUIV que solo necesitas creo que Danzig/Konisberg. Para que sea un reto formar Prusia ya que siempre Polonia tiene interés sobre las provincias de la Orden Teutónica y sería muy interesante quitárselos.
4. Construir ciertos edificios o XX cantidad de fábricas
5. Tener un prestigio de XXX cantidad.
6. Como ya no existirá algo parecido al "MANÁ", entonces podría ser tener cierta cantidad de algo más como diplomacia o puntos militares.

Aclarar que esto solo es una propuesta rápida y estoy abierto a otras propuestas tal vez mucho mejores que las que aquí presento.
 
Me gustaría saber como van a abordar lo de la "formación de Prusia orgánicamente", ya que podría estar muy OP desde épocas muy tempranas y entonces se pierde el sentido del juego al jugar con Brandeburgo-Prusia. Si tenemos a Prusia desde el 1400 o antes sería muy aburrido después por ser un snowball. Lo ideal sería formarlo aproximadamente en la época en la que surgió o si lo llegas a formar antes pero poner ciertos requisitos como:
1. XXX cantidad de ejército
2. Controlar/hacer núcleo alguna provincia costera del Mar Báltico en la región de Pomerania.
3. Controlar/hacer núcleo todas las provincias de la Orden Teutónica, no al estilo de EUIV que solo necesitas creo que Danzig/Konisberg. Para que sea un reto formar Prusia ya que siempre Polonia tiene interés sobre las provincias de la Orden Teutónica y sería muy interesante quitárselos.
4. Construir ciertos edificios o XX cantidad de fábricas
5. Tener un prestigio de XXX cantidad.
6. Como ya no existirá algo parecido al "MANÁ", entonces podría ser tener cierta cantidad de algo más como diplomacia o puntos militares.

Aclarar que esto solo es una propuesta rápida y estoy abierto a otras propuestas tal vez mucho mejores que las que aquí presento.
May I ask why you think forming prussia early would inherently be a snowball? A nation like brandenburg+prussia is likely going to have control issue as the best way to propagate control will be from the coast and I think through rivers. Otherwise, if we need such restrictions, these are... okay if seemingly arbitrary.

It's not like we have national ideas in europa universalis V as far as I understand it.

I guess another way to phrase this, is what does forming prussia in 1400 give you that conquering the teutons conventionally with no tag switch doesn't?

I translated your comment with google, and I'll translate mine to spanish and hope it doesn't turn out terribly lol.

¿Puedo preguntar por qué crees que formar Prusia tan temprano resultaría inevitablemente en un efecto bola de nieve? Una nación como Brandeburgo+Prusia probablemente tendrá problemas de control, ya que la mejor manera de propagarlo será desde la costa y creo que a través de los ríos. De lo contrario, si necesitamos tales restricciones, estas están... bien, aunque parezcan arbitrarias.

No es que tengamos ideas nacionales en Europa Universalis V, según tengo entendido.

Supongo que, en otras palabras, ¿qué te aporta formar Prusia en 1400 que no te aporta conquistar a los teutones de forma convencional sin cambio de etiquetas?

Traduje tu comentario con Google y traduciré el mío al español; espero que no salga fatal, jaja.
 
Hi! I'll be posting today's TF a bit later, at 15:30.
 
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Tinto Flavour's late. Europa Universalis V has fallen. Billions must touch grass.
 
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¿Puedo preguntar por qué cree que formar Prusia prematuramente sería inherentemente un problema de control? Una nación como Brandeburgo+Prusia probablemente tendrá problemas de control, ya que la mejor manera de propagarlo será desde la costa y, creo, a través de los ríos. De lo contrario, si necesitamos tales restricciones, estas están... bien, aunque parezcan arbitrarias.

No es que tengamos ideas nacionales en Europa Universalis V, hasta donde tengo entendido.

Supongo que otra forma de decirlo es: ¿qué te aporta la formación de Prusia en 1400 que no te aporta la conquista de los teutones de forma convencional y sin cambio de etiquetas?

He traducido tu comentario con google, y traduciré el mío al español y espero que no quede terrible jajaja.

¿Puedo preguntar por qué crees que formar Prusia tan temprano resultaría inevitablemente en un efecto bola de nieve? Una nación como Brandeburgo+Prusia probablemente tendrá problemas de control, ya que la mejor manera de propagarlo será desde la costa y creo que a través de los ríos. De lo contrario, si necesitamos tales restricciones, estas están... bien, aunque parezcan arbitrarias.

No es que tengamos ideas nacionales en Europa Universalis V, según tengo entendido.

Supongo que, en otras palabras, ¿qué te aporta formar Prusia en 1400 que no te aporta conquistar a los teutones de forma convencional sin cambio de etiquetas?

Traduje tu comentario con Google y traduje el mío al español; Espero que no salga fatal, jaja.
Ya que el juego esta hecho para que su "jugabilidad" sea de hasta 500 años (1800) y que en este lapso de tiempo siga siendo interesante continuar una partida, es por ello que propongo el comentario de arriba. La mayoría de los jugadores habituales de EU casi nunca juegan los 300 años o más, al menos en EUIV, la pérdida de interés se acaba muy pronto en los primeros 200 años casi siempre. Aún con todas las mecánicas de Victoria 3 que están aplicando al juego, eso solo lo hace pesado pero no más interesante. Espero que me haya explicado.

Tal vez falta ver más mecánicas del juego pero hay un video de un youtuber llamado "ThePlaymaker" que lo consigue antes del 1400. Y entiendo que el juego aún esta en desarrollo y por ello me permito hacer sugerencias como estas, y animar a que otros también hagan sus propuestas.

Pd. No es necesario que traduzcas tus respuestas, se entiende perfecto.