Europa Universalis IV announced

[Zanza]

It was a pretty brutal war and I got a lot of AE, but I could not pass this chance...



How can you get just 5 power projection from taking Paris as England. WTF. 

[garbon]

I am just playing a game as England to see the new features parliament (from Common Sense) and exploration (from El Dorado).

I like the exploration but parliament featuring sounds annoying. Would be good as some mods have done where you start with some seats that actually support measures.

I'm a little wary of what they plan to do on modeling estates given that most of their non peace mechanics seem un-fun (e.g. parliament, college of cardinals, factions, province development).

So far I really like it, although the fort mechanic is not really all that clear to me.

I'll admit that I still don't fully understand when a fort is going to prevent a province from being entered vs. not.

[Zanza]

Yeah, the parliament thing is a bit underwhelming. You propose something and then bribe some people with some bullshit (-6 military MP or money or stuff like that) and then it often gets passed. Hmm. I somehow don't see Cromwell emerging from that kind of parliament.

[Solmyr]

I'll admit that I still don't fully understand when a fort is going to prevent a province from being entered vs. not.

If you enter a province without a fort that is covered by a neighbouring fort, you can only move towards that fort.
If you enter a province with a fort, you cannot move further (except back where you came from) until you take that fort.

[garbon]

Ooh, I like the new expansion feature that forcing a nation to concede a colonial area will also prevent them from colonising that region until your truce is over.

[garbon]

And the new expansion.

Europa Universalis IV: The Cossacks announced!

For centuries, the European steppes were dominated by a unique warrior culture. The Cossacks were fiercely independent soldiers, and some of the elite cavalry of Poland and Russia through early-modern history.

The Cossacks, the newest expansion to Paradox Development Studios' best-selling historical grand strategy game Europa Universalis IV, pay homage to these legendarily proud people with a ton of new features that enhance the diplomatic game and give you new things to tend to during peacetime. The Cossacks will come to digital retailers and the Paradox store in late 2015.

The central new mechanic is the Estate system. You can assign control of your provinces to local factions – priests, nobles, or even Cossacks! – sacrificing some income in the name of lower unrest, more manpower or cheaper cavalry. You must keep an eye these Estates, though! If they get too strong, they may make a move on your throne. If they feel neglected, they may interfere with efficient governance.

Other features include:

- New Diplomatic Options: Let the world know what you think of your neighbors by setting a public attitude to foreign powers.
- Tell The World What You Want: Designate neighboring provinces as "places of interest", build trust with other nations, and entice allies with the promise of land for their support.
- Tengri: Tengri is now a Syncretic faith, allowing it to tolerate a secondary religion as if it were a national faith.
- Horde Unity and Razing: Nomadic nations now must pay attention the horde unity of their tribes – a unity that can only be maintained by the occasional pillaging
- Improved Culture Change: You can now restore a previous culture to a converted province, or convert a province you hold to a culture that is not your own.
- Native Policies: Set your policy for colonial encounters with natives. Are you focused on quick subjugation, peaceful growth or trading advantages?
- Improved Espionage: New spy actions allow you to study the technology of more advanced countries and prod your rivals' subjects towards independence.

And, as always, even if you don't buy The Cossacks, its release will be accompanied with a free major content update for all Europa Universalis IV players.

[crazy canuck]

Why would it be useful to convert a province to a culture that is not your own?

[Valmy]

Why would it be useful to convert a province to a culture that is not your own?

If you plan to release a vassal or give it to an ally or something I guess.

[garbon]

That and/or if you wanted to boost something to being an accepted culture. Costs less MP and is, I think, quicker if you are converting back to original culture.

[ulmont]

That and/or if you wanted to boost something to being an accepted culture. Costs less MP and is, I think, quicker if you are converting back to original culture.

Also, can't you culture-shift your country if a majority of your provinces are a differing culture? 

[garbon]

Yes, that's true too.

[Syt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5WcHbA8kjY

[Caliga]

I started a game last night as LOL OTTOMON EMPIRE, my first post-Common Sense game of EUIV.

It doesn't seem all that different except for the fort/seige mechanic.  I like how quickly and bloodlessly you can occupy provinces but... what's with the fort ZOC mechanic?  I warred with Byzantium and had Constantinople under seige, but wanted to lift the seige to go kill some Serbs... and couldn't?  I literally could not move my army anywhere at all, though from a tooltip I gathered I could have loaded them onto transports.

[crazy canuck]

Enemy forts in other provinces that prevented you from moving without first taking that fort?

[Caliga]

Well Byzantium is completely surrounded by Ottoman territory at game start so I'm not sure how that could be possible.