After Patch 1.25 and Rule Britannia are released, the buffing of provinces in Britain, France and the Low Countries means that there will be several areas of the map which will be severely in need of improvements. Indeed, this patch, coupled with previous changes and expansions have left several regions sorely under powered. Specifically, areas like Spain, Italy, which have not been updated since patch 1.12, and Austria, which has not been changed since the beginning of the game, are underdeveloped and the nations that inhabit them somewhat nerfed compared to neighboring regions. With this in mind, I have made a number of suggestions as to how the map of Europe should be updated in future patches.
Iberia (Spain, Portugal, Aragon and Granada)
Many on this forum have clamored for a Spanish immersion pack and for the Iberian peninsula to be improved upon. Indeed, several of Iberia's provinces are still blocky in shape, and the region remains less detailed in comparison to regions like France and England. With that in mind, I suggest the following provinces could be added to give Iberia a little facelift.
As you can see, this map adds in a few coastal provinces for Castile, such as Huelva, and splits the province of Galicia into three, potentially making its own state, and is no less smaller than the new provinces in Yorkshire are. These port provinces will boost Castile's sailor pool and naval force limit, allowing them to challenge other European powers for control of the seas. Furthermore, they benefit from greater detail in the interior, with provinces like Avila, Merida and Albacete to break up blocky provinces like Toledo and La Mancha. To compensate for this buff to Castile, her neighbors also benefit from increased provinces. Granada gains the province of Malaga to give it a little more staying power against Castile, and Aragon gains the provinces of Calatayud (to prevent bordergore if Navarra or Castile only take Zaragoza in a peacedeal) and Castellon. Portugal should also get more provinces in the Algarve region and potentially Viseu, to counter the increase in provinces elsewhere.
Italy
Though Italy has been improved in the past, by today's standard, the region is sorely lacking when smaller regions like England and even the Middle East are more detailed. Historically, Italy was the most densely populated region in Europe and an increase in provinces should reflect that. In particular, this thread (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/administrative-subdivision-of-italy.1075123/) contains several good ideas for Italian provinces as well as historical reasoning)
As you can see, Northern Italy would increase in density, with cities such as Ravenna, Padua, Bergamo, Pavia and Saluzzo being added to the map. Milan would also benefit from the province of Ticino to buffer against the Swiss, as well as Savoy gaining the Val D'Aosta so that they don't lose access to Savoy if Switzerland takes Wallis.
Southern Italy should also get some new provinces as well, splitting Abruzzi and adding the province of Benevento, as well as adding Capua as a buffer between Naples and Rome. The Papacy itself would also benefit from splitting Umbria between Perugia and Spoleto, increasing the power of the Papacy in the area. Personally, I think adding these provinces would balance these powers as well as make the area more interesting to play in.
Austria
Austria is perhaps one of the only regions that has not seen any real changes to the map since the game was released. As a result, it looks really bare in comparison to it's neighbors and rivals and can create problems in regards to liberty desire, seeing as it's junior partners, Hungary and Bohemia, have seen map updates and increases in development. To counter this, Austria could get a few more provinces.
As you can see, large provinces like Tyrol should be split. In particular, the province of Karnten should be split between Villach in the west and Klagenfurt in the east. Also adding in provinces like Celli make it a little more difficult for invaders like the Ottomans to fully occupy Austria. Many suggestions in this thread (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...rian-region-nis-dhes-and-suggestions.1001758/) would also go a long way in making the area more interesting to play in, adding nations like the Archbishopric of Passau and the Free City of Rothenburg. In conclusion, the region would be as detailed compared to the rest of Europe.
The Balkans
Whereas Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia have seen many changes to better represent the area, Bulgaria is somewhat under-detailed despite being the largest Balkan power. Admittedly, any changes to this area would arouse concerns about buffing the Ottomans, however, I believe this is offset by buffing other nations as well.
As you can see, splitting the provinces of Tarnovo, Plovdiv and Silistria allows Bulgaria to be better represented in game. The number of states in the region can double (adding the area of Dobruja). Concerns about this being a buff for the Ottomans are placated by buffing Wallachia and Moldavia, as these nations have their provinces doubled and could potentially counteract the increase in provinces to the Ottmans. Also, the coast of Zeta should be split off to form the province of Kotor, owned by Venice in 1444, which can also assist in delaying Ottoman expansion in the Balkans.
Also, Greece could also use a few more updates to further counterbalance the Ottomans. Whilst Thessaloniki is slit from the rest of Macedonia (Venice should have a core on it), Thrace should also get two new provinces: Komotini and the fort of Gallipoli, representing the importance of Gallipoli to crossing the Dardanelles. in response, Byzantium is also slightly buffed, with Achaea split between Patras and Korinthis, and Athens being split between Athens and Thebes. Also, Epirus would be present on the map in the province of Aetolia, and Venice and Genoa both get an extra province in the region, with Crete split between Candia and Iraklion and Genoa gaining the island of Lesbos. Whilst the Ottomans gain three provinces in this region, the other powers would counterbalance this by gaining five new provinces.
France
Finally, France should also get a few more provinces in the south, to counterbalance changes made to Spain and Italy, just as the north has in response to changes in Britain.
Basically, Southern France would gain an extra province in Foix. Also, Drauginan would lose it's coastline back to Provence, which would be split between Marseilles (more relevant in this timeframe) and Toulon (and important French naval base in the Mediterranean)
Those are all the changes I can suggest. If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to share!
Iberia (Spain, Portugal, Aragon and Granada)
Many on this forum have clamored for a Spanish immersion pack and for the Iberian peninsula to be improved upon. Indeed, several of Iberia's provinces are still blocky in shape, and the region remains less detailed in comparison to regions like France and England. With that in mind, I suggest the following provinces could be added to give Iberia a little facelift.
As you can see, this map adds in a few coastal provinces for Castile, such as Huelva, and splits the province of Galicia into three, potentially making its own state, and is no less smaller than the new provinces in Yorkshire are. These port provinces will boost Castile's sailor pool and naval force limit, allowing them to challenge other European powers for control of the seas. Furthermore, they benefit from greater detail in the interior, with provinces like Avila, Merida and Albacete to break up blocky provinces like Toledo and La Mancha. To compensate for this buff to Castile, her neighbors also benefit from increased provinces. Granada gains the province of Malaga to give it a little more staying power against Castile, and Aragon gains the provinces of Calatayud (to prevent bordergore if Navarra or Castile only take Zaragoza in a peacedeal) and Castellon. Portugal should also get more provinces in the Algarve region and potentially Viseu, to counter the increase in provinces elsewhere.
Italy
Though Italy has been improved in the past, by today's standard, the region is sorely lacking when smaller regions like England and even the Middle East are more detailed. Historically, Italy was the most densely populated region in Europe and an increase in provinces should reflect that. In particular, this thread (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/administrative-subdivision-of-italy.1075123/) contains several good ideas for Italian provinces as well as historical reasoning)
As you can see, Northern Italy would increase in density, with cities such as Ravenna, Padua, Bergamo, Pavia and Saluzzo being added to the map. Milan would also benefit from the province of Ticino to buffer against the Swiss, as well as Savoy gaining the Val D'Aosta so that they don't lose access to Savoy if Switzerland takes Wallis.
Southern Italy should also get some new provinces as well, splitting Abruzzi and adding the province of Benevento, as well as adding Capua as a buffer between Naples and Rome. The Papacy itself would also benefit from splitting Umbria between Perugia and Spoleto, increasing the power of the Papacy in the area. Personally, I think adding these provinces would balance these powers as well as make the area more interesting to play in.
Austria
Austria is perhaps one of the only regions that has not seen any real changes to the map since the game was released. As a result, it looks really bare in comparison to it's neighbors and rivals and can create problems in regards to liberty desire, seeing as it's junior partners, Hungary and Bohemia, have seen map updates and increases in development. To counter this, Austria could get a few more provinces.
As you can see, large provinces like Tyrol should be split. In particular, the province of Karnten should be split between Villach in the west and Klagenfurt in the east. Also adding in provinces like Celli make it a little more difficult for invaders like the Ottomans to fully occupy Austria. Many suggestions in this thread (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...rian-region-nis-dhes-and-suggestions.1001758/) would also go a long way in making the area more interesting to play in, adding nations like the Archbishopric of Passau and the Free City of Rothenburg. In conclusion, the region would be as detailed compared to the rest of Europe.
The Balkans
Whereas Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia have seen many changes to better represent the area, Bulgaria is somewhat under-detailed despite being the largest Balkan power. Admittedly, any changes to this area would arouse concerns about buffing the Ottomans, however, I believe this is offset by buffing other nations as well.
As you can see, splitting the provinces of Tarnovo, Plovdiv and Silistria allows Bulgaria to be better represented in game. The number of states in the region can double (adding the area of Dobruja). Concerns about this being a buff for the Ottomans are placated by buffing Wallachia and Moldavia, as these nations have their provinces doubled and could potentially counteract the increase in provinces to the Ottmans. Also, the coast of Zeta should be split off to form the province of Kotor, owned by Venice in 1444, which can also assist in delaying Ottoman expansion in the Balkans.
Also, Greece could also use a few more updates to further counterbalance the Ottomans. Whilst Thessaloniki is slit from the rest of Macedonia (Venice should have a core on it), Thrace should also get two new provinces: Komotini and the fort of Gallipoli, representing the importance of Gallipoli to crossing the Dardanelles. in response, Byzantium is also slightly buffed, with Achaea split between Patras and Korinthis, and Athens being split between Athens and Thebes. Also, Epirus would be present on the map in the province of Aetolia, and Venice and Genoa both get an extra province in the region, with Crete split between Candia and Iraklion and Genoa gaining the island of Lesbos. Whilst the Ottomans gain three provinces in this region, the other powers would counterbalance this by gaining five new provinces.
France
Finally, France should also get a few more provinces in the south, to counterbalance changes made to Spain and Italy, just as the north has in response to changes in Britain.
Basically, Southern France would gain an extra province in Foix. Also, Drauginan would lose it's coastline back to Provence, which would be split between Marseilles (more relevant in this timeframe) and Toulon (and important French naval base in the Mediterranean)
Those are all the changes I can suggest. If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to share!
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