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EU4 - Development Diary - 20th of February 2018

Good day all and welcome back to another Development Diary for Europa Universalis IV. We've already announced that the Rule Britannia Immersion Pack will be coming soon for $9.99 or your local equivalent, as well as that the 1.25 England Update will accompany it for free. To that end, let's talk about a couple of the upcoming Rule Britannia features, as well as the new National Ideas for low Countries from the Update.

Firstly, a couple small features from Rule Britannia. We have added in a new Peace Deal and Diplomatic offer to Steer Trade. This will cost 60% War Score and will be tricky to get diplomatically, but will force the target nation to have their merchants automatically placed so that they steer trade towards the victor's trade capital. This arrangement will be enforced for the duration of the truce and is an effective way to hijack an enemy nation's finances without taking territory or otherwise accruing Aggressive Expansion.

steer trade.jpg


In this example, Venice have forced Mamluks to steer trade, so manually control over Mamluk merchants has been revoked and they are automatically placed to maximum profit for Venice: steering from Aleppo into Alexandria, and Alexandria+Ragusa into Venice. This arrangement allows merchants to even steer trade away from home nodes into the beneficiary's nodes.

As this is often (but not always) more beneficial than Transfer Trade Power, Steer Trade costs 60% Warscore while Transfer Trade Power is set to 30%.

Next up, we have the addition of Naval Doctrines. For all nations with a naval force limit surpassing 20 ships, they can set their naval doctrine from the following:

  • Fleet in being: -15% ship maintenance
  • Free Oarsmen: + 15% Galley Combat Ability
  • Merchant Navy: +33% ship tradepower
  • Ship Boarding: + 33% capture ship chance
Naval Doctrines are not, however, free to set. The cost of setting your doctrine is dependant on the sailor capacity of your current navy, currently 0.1 ducats per sailor that is needed for your fleet. Your Doctrine can be set at any point at this cost and will be visible in the Military UI Tab

Venice naval doctine.jpg


However, specially for nations in the British culture group, there is a fifth Doctrine option: Wooden Wall, which will grant a +1 to all naval combat rolls in sea provinces adjacent to any of their owned provinces. This should allow a British nation both to better defend their home island as well as project power abroad where they seize land.

Steer Trade and Naval Doctrines are both features of the upcoming Rule Britannia Immersion pack. Let's also take a look at the Low Countries National Ideas added freely in the accompanying England Update.

We have been hard at work adding National Ideas for the Dutch and surrounding nations who for a long time have been abusively coupled under the wide-reaching "German Ideas". As such, the following nations have received their own unique National Ideas:
  • Friesland
  • Utrecht
  • Gelre
  • Flanders
  • Brabant
  • East Frisia
  • Liege
  • Aachen
no funny image names this week i am on vacation.jpg

Friesland ideas, already shamefully spoiled in a Twitter teaser

I'll spoil 2 of the idea sets here and now, and the 2 next most requested in this thread shall be later unveiled. Personally I'm quite fond of Gelre and Aachen.

GEL_ideas = {
start = {
stability_cost_modifier = -0.1
naval_maintenance_modifier = -0.10
}

bonus = {
tolerance_heretic = 2
}
gel_county_duchy = {
diplomats = 1
"Gelre has been elevated by the Emperor from a mere County to a magnificent Duchy. Gelre is thereby recognized as one of the most prominent states of the Low Countries."

}
gel_hanseatic = {
trade_efficiency = 0.1
"The rivers that flow through Gelre bring with them an abundance of trade. No wonder that an extraordinary amount of towns in our land are members of the Hanseatic League. These Hanseatic towns make a vital contribution to the duchy's coffers."

}
gel_defy_burgundy = {
legitimacy = 1
"Whether they be Dukes of Burgundy or Kings of Spain, the people of Gelre use every means at their disposal to eject foreign rulers from their lands. Our staunch independence in the face of adversity cements our right to rule."

}
gel_rivers = {
development_cost = -0.1
"While other states in the Low Countries battle the advance of the ocean, Gelre contends with its rivers. The perennial risk of flooding has forced us to develop a tradition of river engineering that controls the flow of water throughout our land."

}
gel_gelderland_wars = {
land_morale = 0.10
"Gelre is no stranger to military conflict, and its armies once again stand ready to expand our borders by force. Our motivations of course are not purely expansionist - we also seek to defend the Low Countries from the encroachment of foreign kings."

}
gel_looting = {
loot_amount = 0.25
"It is always difficult to muster the coin to pay soldiers. As an alternative to payment by the state, many soldiers and mercenaries are willing to accept instead the right to plunder the land of whatever valuables they come across on their campaigns."

}
gel_diplomatic_expansion = {
diplomatic_annexation_cost = -0.15
"Outright conquest is the simplest method of claiming new territories, but there is much to be said also for a diplomatic approach. Through strategic marriages and moneylending, our realm has expanded from minor holdings in Upper Guelders to its current size. Holland and Utrecht have loaned more from our plentiful treasury than they could pay back, and we have obtained Nijmegen and the Veluwe as collateral. We must obtain more lands following this example."


AAC_ideas = {
start = {
prestige = 1
diplomats = 1
}

bonus = {
diplomatic_upkeep = 1
}

aac_charlemagne_capital = {
prestige_decay = -0.01
"Charlemagne himself held court at the Palace of Aachen, and ever since then the city has hosted the Imperial Coronation. Though the Palace is now derelict, in its place we have built an impressive Town Hall that continues to be the site of the coronation feast."

}
aac_free_city = {
republican_tradition = 0.5
"Ever since the Empire ceased to be ruled directly from Aachen, the city has held the status of Imperial immediacy. The city is self-governing, its leaders answer only to the Emperor himself."

}
aac_spa = {
stability_cost_modifier = -0.10
"Aachen is among Europe's most renowned spa towns. The supposed healing properties of the water make the city's bathhouses popular among both the citizenry and visitors from abroad."

}
aac_guilds = {
production_efficiency = 0.1
"Like many cities in the Germany, the guilds have influence over governance. In Aachen their influence has grown so great that the ruling council has been forced to incorporate the guilds into the government itself, so that industrial interests are always at the forefront of policy decisions."

}
aac_expel_heretics = {
global_heretic_missionary_strength = 0.02
"As city officials flip to and from Catholicism and the various reformed sects, we must decide on a single faith for the city and expel any officials that do not conform."

}
aac_baroque = {
build_cost = -0.1
"There are many grand buildings in Aachen that have fallen into disrepair through war and neglect. This presents an opportunity to rebuild in new architectural styles. The Baroque style has become particularly influential, and would make an excellent inspiration for the renovation of the Town Hall."

}
aac_congresses = {
diplomatic_reputation = 2
"As the dust settles after a great war in Europe, leaders must come to the peace table to resolve conflicts. There is no better site than Charlemagne's capital to host these international conferences that will surely bring about a new era of peace in Europe."

EDIT: adding Brabant and Flanders ideas by request

Massive support for Flanders and Brabant ideas, so here we go.

FLA_ideas = {
start = {
global_trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
embracement_cost = -0.1
}
bonus = {
trade_efficiency = 0.10
}
fla_cloth = {
production_efficiency = 0.15
"The Flemish cloth industry is the envy of the world. Merchants come from far away to sell their wool in Flanders, where we manufacture the best quality cloth."
}
fla_land_reclamation = {
development_cost = -0.1
"The Low Countries are highly susceptible to flooding, but we now have the technology to reclaim this land from the ocean."
}
fla_beeldenstorm = {
global_heretic_missionary_strength = 0.02
"New ideas inspire an iconoclastic fury among the people of Flanders. A 'statue storm' is underway, as reformers destroy heretical icons and imagery."
}
fla_painters = {
global_institution_spread = 0.1
"Flanders has become famed for its painters. Van Dyke, Rubens, Ensor, and many more are renowned throughout Europe as geniuses."
}
fla_ship_building = {
light_ship_cost = -0.20
"As Flanders has some of Europe's greatest port cities, it is only fitting that it should have some of Europe's greatest shipyards. Being able to use local craftsmen dramatically reduces the costs of acquiring new merchant fleets."
}
fla_university = {
technology_cost = -0.05
"Leuven is home to Flander's foremost institution of academic learning. With students and professors such as Erasmus, Mercator, and Vesalius, Flanders leads the way in the field of natural philosophy."
}
fla_noose_bearers = {
hostile_attrition = 1
"We have suffered great humiliation under foreign overlords. Forced to publicly swear fealty with nooses around their necks, our brave patriots crossed their fingers and vowed never to allow Flanders to be humiliated again."


BRB_ideas = {
start = {
global_tax_modifier = 0.10
stability_cost_modifier = -0.1
}
bonus = {
land_morale = 0.10
}
brb_charter_of_liberty = {
global_unrest = -1
"In 1354 Duke John III of Brabant granted a Joyous Entry to the citizens of Brabant. The six specific freedoms detailed the exact powers that the church, the towns and nobles have."
}
brb_marsh_warfare = {
leader_land_manuever = 1
"The terrain in the Low Countries is dominated by marshes and other unfavourable terrain. By training our generals to better adapt to the hostile terrain we can have more success in the battlefield."
}
brb_palace_coudenberg = {
prestige = 1
"The old castle at Coudenberg has become obsolete. In its place we should construct a grand palace that will be the envy of the Low Countries. It will have vast wings, lavish decorations, and be fitted for even royal receptions."
}
brb_sugar_capital = {
trade_steering = 0.2
"Antwerp has become the sugar capital of Europe; importing most of the continent’s supply and containing one of the largest populations of able refiners to make and ship it."
}
brb_antwerp_banking = {
interest = -0.5
"Antwerp is home to the richest and most influential banks outside of Italy. We lend not only to merchants and nobles but to the governments of great states."
}
brb_religious_tolerance = {
tolerance_heretic = 2
tolerance_heathen = 1
"Religious tolerance is a tradition in the Duchy of Brabant. Crypto-Jews are welcome here, as are the many emerging sects of the Reformation."
}
brb_generality_lands = {
state_maintenance_modifier = -0.15
"If Brabant is to be part of something greater, it must be administered directly by the state as Generality lands rather than being ruled by local nobles or burghers."



And that's our lot for today. What'll we check out next week? How about a dev diary on the love the Naval AI has seen for 1.25? That sounds good. See you then!
 
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I am diying for the emosion to the next dlc abaut spain. Is goin to bi wonderful becaus right now the game is veri desbalanceado.

The ideas for the litle countris of holand ar veri good
 
@DDRJake, What is the duration of settled naval doctrines? Will there be a period of time when you cannot change newly settled doctrine?
 
nice, but first navies need to be useful

because atm unless your on a island they are completely useless, since they don't impact who will win the war

And in MP u can still invade vs a bigger fleet by using the transport spam cheese

so in end effect players just end up spamming trade ships for money
 
However, specially for nation in the British culture group, there is a fifth Doctrine option: Wooden Wall, which will grant a +1 to all naval combat rolls in sea provinces adjacent to any of their owned provinces. This should allow a British nation both to better defend their home island as well as project power abroad where they seize land.

Do this also include provinces held by colonial nations/trade companies/vassals?
 
Looks like the immersion pack is close, considering that the content revealed in the dev diaries keeps getting more and more minor or repetitions of what we already saw.
 
Currently switching native policies costs stability, idea group policies cost monarch points for the duration and now changing your countries naval doctrine costs money. I know they arent quite the same, but couldnt we get a more unified aproach to them? The cost doesnt seem to be tied to anything logical.
 
So, what are the Flemmish and Brabantian ideas?

And will the Bshop of Utrecht sells his province to Burgundy in the right circumstances (lot's of loans and an embezzler or indulgent personality), like he did IRL?
 
Currently switching native policies costs stability, idea group policies cost monarch points for the duration and now changing your countries naval doctrine costs money. I know they arent quite the same, but couldnt we get a more unified aproach to them? The cost doesnt seem to be tied to anything logical.

Training sailors in new ways and spending money on training etc. isn't logical?
 
And how are we going to force that 60 % warscore on, same example, Mamluks? By spending more manpower and more money than the steer trade can ever compensate for.

I also agree on the naval focus... yet another set of buttons to press.

How navies went from being the historically dominant economic and military power to what is basically EU4 troop transport protection is beyond comprehension.
 
Aachen ideas would be great or at least good for the tall play.
 
Currently switching native policies costs stability, idea group policies cost monarch points for the duration and now changing your countries naval doctrine costs money. I know they arent quite the same, but couldnt we get a more unified aproach to them? The cost doesnt seem to be tied to anything logical.
But they're different things, even though they all called policies.

Idea group policies are the closed to actual government policies, and governmental effort is abstracted to monarch points.

Telling your colonist they can't suddenly abuse natives forcefully expel them anymore, will upset them, abstracted by stability.

And telling your Admiralty they need to focus on something else means ships need to be refitted, costing ducats.
 
I'd like to see the ideas of East Frisia and Utrecht.
 
As this is often (but not always) more beneficial than Transfer Trade Power, Steer Trade costs 60% Warscore while Transfer Trade Power is set to 30%.

So with a Trade Conflict/Trade League Dispute CB Transfer Trade Power will cost 15%, meaning you can get it just from ticking warscore? Nice.
 
And how are we going to force that 60 % warscore on, same example, Mamluks? By spending more manpower and more money than the steer trade can ever compensate for.

It may be used on some annoying countries in coalition who are not in the plan to be conquered.