A simple way to make the game more challenging

[DesertSnow]

In Europe Universalis: Rome, it is rather easy to become the sole superpower by applying the rule: one enemy at a time. So, you can gradually increase in strenght and the game becomes a "how many wars until i can finally annex the Seleucids?". The human player just has to keep an eye on the badboy meter...

I wanted to see the major factions eager to take advantage of others' weakened state, so i decided to offer each one (Macedonia, Rome, Egypt, Seloucids, Carthage) a core in each others capital, while i also increased the years to lose core from 50 to 500. If there is some other way to implement a "permanent" casus belli, i would be happy to know about it.

So i started a new game set in 1.1.474. I chose Rome and "normal" difficulty. My usual tactics in this situation is "take over the two magna grecia provinces, also try to take Syracuse before the Carthaginians decide to DOW Epirus themselves, then build a fleet and start grinding the carthaginians". To my suprise, thing evolved quite differently this time.

First, Carthage DOWed me while i was still at war with Epirus. No big surprise, this has happened to me before. But i really didn't expect that the Macedonians, seeing that things had heated up, decided to DOW me a few days after the Carthaginian attack. So, i found myself fighting both fleets and i finally lost the sea war. Then, Macedonians and Carthaginians landed important forces and started besieging italian cities. Soon, i found myself completely outnumbered and i had to surrender provinces to my enemies so that i wouldn't be totally destroyed. I just resigned (shame on me ), and started a new game after declaring to myself "this time i will be MORE careful".

In my next game, I was luckier. Carthaginians didn't DOW me, so i defeated Magna Grecia easily. Then i said "time for revenge" and i dowed the Carthaginias. Then the Egyptians decided to cash in the situation, followed by the Macedonians. It has really developed into an interesting situation.

I just wanted to share my experience with the rest of the folks in the "mods" section of the forum, before i get back to the game and see how things will turn out....

 

[Battlecry]

Other than some sort of recurring event, I don't see any other way to give a permanent casus belli - there's no value for how long a CB lasts, hence it can't be modded.

 

[Sute]{h]

I'd suggest a reoccuring event that triggers for the AI controlled states only and granting a cb on the player controlled state. That way the AI wont waste its ressources fight itself, but will focus its fire on the player.

 

[unmerged(85598)]

Well, it's easy enough to code an event for that.

Basically, it checks neighboring countries manpower, and your country's relations with them, and if both are below a certain amount, create a temporary cassus belli (with text along the lines of "Our hated enemy is weak! Attack!".

I'm fairly certain there's a neighboring country scope, but if not, you can check neighboring provinces and their controller.

Of course, this only works if the two countries are actual neighbors, but it's probably for the best - it avoids patchiness that way.



That said, the AI is pretty good about taking advantage of low manpower when it hates a certain country - all this really does is allow them (and you) to avoid the two stability hit... Which is a good thing in and of itself, since I doubt your citizens should object that much to taking care of a deeply hated enemy, but it won't invite many more wars .

 

[DesertSnow]

That said, the AI is pretty good about taking advantage of low manpower when it hates a certain country - all this really does is allow them (and you) to avoid the two stability hit... Which is a good thing in and of itself, since I doubt your citizens should object that much to taking care of a deeply hated enemy, but it won't invite many more wars .

Ok, i kept playing for another 30-40 and i have some new observations. I REALLY believe that more wars between the majors take place. I invaded Macedonia, while they were at war with Egypt. After some years of relative stabilyy, i finally managed to break through some of their defences. Just one territoty won (and soon lost), but i managed to cause heavy casualties to their last armies (numbering 20-25 units). Then the Seulecids decided to DOW Macedonia, and achieve major territorial gains.

I have the impression that such situations did happen before i added the casus belli, but at a (much) lower frequency.

So i invite anyone to try it.

 

[unmerged(85598)]

Out of curiosity, how does the map look at this point? And would you mind posting a new map at fifty-year intervals?

I'm curious about how an increase in war shapes the map, as my mod will eventually increase the overall amount of war, albeit in a much more targeted manner; it would be useful to see how long it takes for one power to dominate the map (though, preferably not the human player ^_~ ...)

 

[Battlecry]

Although I'm sure giving every major cores on every other major would increase the frequency of wars, perhaps something a little more targeted would be effective. By this I mean givin the major rivals cores on each other from the start - SEL/EGY, ROM/CAR etc, and then events could be set to fire later for other rivalries which developed. When Rome takes, say, 2 Greek provinces, MAC gets a core (& vice versa), and when Parthia arises, they and SEL get a core on each other. Might be a way of stimulating conflict in a slightly more historical way, kind of like MM did for the Ottomans.