Europa Universalis IV announced

[Caliga]

I don't like to conquer Granada right away.

[Valmy]

Did you hire any insane Italians yet?

[garbon]

I kinda like the notion of the Russian DLC. That's always a fairly fun nation to play.

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/europa-universalis-iv-to-get-immersion-pack-third-rome.1020999/

A Tsar is Born. Can You Bring Third Rome to Glory?
STOCKHOLM - May 12, 2017 - For 500 years, the princes of Russia have kept the faith. Through civil wars and Mongol conquest, the word of God has not just survived, but has united our people. Those princes who embrace the church will find glory, those who turn their back will be cast to dust. There have been two Romes, and both have fallen. Muscovy is the third.

There shall be no fourth.

Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio are thrilled to announce Europa Universalis IV: Third Rome. The first immersion pack for the best-selling historical strategy game introduces a wealth of region-specific content, and takes a deeper look at one of the greatest powers of the early modern era – Russia. Russian cultured nations will find new interactions for their government and the Orthodox Patriarchate, deepening the experience of playing this rich and fascinating region.

Russia now gets two unique governments, with special abilities that allows them to tighten their grip on power. Use your administrative ability to reduce provincial autonomy. Call on your diplomatic resources to suppress incipient revolts. Use your military resources to quickly recruit streltsy units for your army. Rule with the iron fist that comes with a divine blessing.

Features of Europa Universalis IV: Third Rome include:

• Tsardoms and Principalities: New ranks of Russian government with new abilities and, for Tsars, strong bonuses including the right to claim entire States – not just provinces
• Iconography: Commission great religious icons for the Orthodox Church, boosting your empire's power depending on the saint you choose to revere
• Metropolitans: Consecrate highly developed provinces with Metropolitans, adding to the authority of the Orthodox Church, but for a cost.
• Streltsy: Special Russian soldiers that excel in combat, but raise the cost of stabilizing your empire
• Siberian Frontier: Russian nations can slowly colonize uninhabited border regions, with no fear of native uprisings
• New Graphics: Includes three full unit packs and new portraits for Eastern Europe.

[Tamas]

Does it need several different power boosts, though?

[Josephus]

What's the difference between an "immersion pack" and an expansion?

[garbon]

What's the difference between an "immersion pack" and an expansion?

Smaller, focused DLC.

[Tamas]

What's the difference between an "immersion pack" and an expansion?

Smaller, focused DLC.

I don't want to sound overly critical, but there seems to be a couple of flavour mechanisms based on the detailed historical research of "Russia=Orthodox zealousness" plus a few usual buffs that other already strong great powers like Prussia or the Ottomans have received.

[garbon]

What's the difference between an "immersion pack" and an expansion?

Smaller, focused DLC.

I don't want to sound overly critical, but there seems to be a couple of flavour mechanisms based on the detailed historical research of "Russia=Orthodox zealousness" plus a few usual buffs that other already strong great powers like Prussia or the Ottomans have received.

Probably covering costs of all of the map changes they are making. Though I'm not sure that makes all that makes sense. More provinces! 1= more fun!

Anyway, think this setup makes it easier to skip past these if one doesn't want to.

[Caliga]

Did you hire any insane Italians yet?

I ragequit this game because:

* random monarch deaths somehow made Aragon my enemy prior to integrating them into the Castilian crown
* they then allied with France and attacked me to end my overlordship, and Portugal betrayed our alliance
* England then dogpiled me, which sucked because I was holding the French off, other than in Naples, and soundly beating Aragon

No biggie, but it's been a while since I played a western European power so I have some questions about some stuff that is different since the last time.

* If you send conquistadors to find the Seven Cities, do they just do that forever?  The flavor events that were triggering during my explorations in Brazil due to this were pretty neat.
* I wanted to explore down the African coast and into the Indian Ocean, but for some reason the game wouldn't let me.  Why?  I only was given options to explore the Atlantic/Caribbean.

[Zanza]

Conquistadors: Yes, they go on forever. They can also suffer events that kill them or so, but it's rare.
Exploring African Coast: You should grab the Cape Verde archipelago early on and then expand along the coast, so that you at least control the entire Ivory Coast trade hub. That's really important because it will eventually channel all Asian commerce to you.

[Caliga]

Portugal was already there by the time I got down there.

[Zanza]

Often makes sense to conquer Portugal as Castille.

[Josephus]

Often seems that when my armies get defeated in battle they get erased from the board, when I win, the enemy just retreats to fight another day.

[Solmyr]

Mandate of Heaven and its content pack are 50% off on Humble Store. Worth getting, or is the balance still out of whack?

[Caliga]

Often seems that when my armies get defeated in battle they get erased from the board, when I win, the enemy just retreats to fight another day.

That's sort of been a longstanding complaint of mine with EU.  In reality, when a nation's army got its ass kicked in a major battle, that battle alone made it impossible for said nation to keep fighting on.  I feel like that doesn't happen often enough in the game.  There should be wars decided by a major battle IMO, instead of every war being mostly siege-driven.