Europa Universalis III
Encyclopedia
Europa Universalis III is a grand strategy
computer game by Paradox Interactive
. The main game was released for Windows on January 2007, and was later ported to Mac OS X by Virtual Programming on 2 November 2007.
The player controls a nation and handles matters concerning war, diplomacy, trade, and economy. The original game without expansions starts in 1453, right after the Fall of Constantinople
, and continues to 1789, just past the beginning of the French Revolution
. The expansion Napoleon's Ambition extends the end game year forward to 1821, whereas the expansion In Nomine moves the starting year back to 1399.
Europa Universalis III has a 3D engine that requires the system to meet the Pixel Shader 2.0 specification. The map has 1,700 land and sea provinces encompassing most of the world, with 250 playable historical nations. The game also uses elements of other Paradox games such as Crusader Kings, Victoria, and Hearts of Iron II
.
s, republic
s, theocracies
, and tribal governments. Players can influence a nation's society and values by adjusting "sliders" such as free trade
/mercantilism
, and may hire court advisors such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
. As the game advances, players can pick "national ideas" such as Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
, which give specialized bonuses.
The game has over 300 playable countries, including giants like Ming China
, regional powers like Bohemia
and Kazan
, and tiny nations like the Maldives
. Without formal victory conditions, players sometimes set goals for themselves like raising a minor city-state
to world prominence. The world map includes some 1,700 provinces and sea zones. Many provinces in the Americas
, Africa
, and Oceania
are not owned by any country, allowing for colonization.
Economics
in the early modern era is simulated by taxes and production income from provinces, as well as trade
. National merchant
s compete in "centers of trade" such as Venice
and Lübeck
, and nations focused on trading income (i.e., Holland
) enjoy significant advantages. Nations which mint
too much currency, or are over-reliant on gold mining
, are penalized by inflation
. Technology
investment is important in the long run; the game does not use a Civ
-style tech tree
, but instead has several different technology categories, which unlock new military units and buildings.
Diplomacy
is rather detailed: royal marriage
s, insults, alliance
s, trade embargoes
, and so on all affect relations between countries. Players are able to gain control over other countries peacefully through personal union
s and vassalage. Early international institutions such as the Holy Roman Empire
, the Papal Curia and with the Divine Wind expansion the Shogunate are simulated in some depth. Every country has its own culture
and religion
, a frequent source of diplomatic unity or friction.
Rulers have control over armies
, navies
, and mercenaries
they recruit. Combat
is abstract, with no direct control over battles (contrast the Total War games). Military tradition
is necessary for recruiting good general
s and admiral
s. Aggression (seizing provinces without a rightful claim) is checked by the "badboy" system of international infamy
common to Paradox's games.
The game is historically detailed; one can play the "grand campaign" starting in 1453 or 1399, but any date before the French Revolution
(1821 with the Napoleon's Ambition expansion) is a valid starting point as well, with historical leaders and countries appropriately updated. Major events such as the War of the League of Cambrai
are playable this way. Often the game diverges from reality after some time in-game, with unhistorical events such as Portugal
colonizing North America
, or Poland-Lithuania surviving to bully its neighbors.
The game may be played single-player or multiplayer, with players controlling different countries; every non-human country is controlled by its own AI
.
Most of the game's settings are in plain text
files that are easily changed to modify the map, historical events, etc. Some popular mods
extensively change the game, adding historical flavor, fantasy scenarios, or new game mechanics. One such mod, Magna Mundi is now in development as a full game published by Paradox Interactive.
s for EU3; each one requires all the previous expansions. One version of the game, Europa Universalis III Complete, includes the original game and the first two expansions.
. The Windows version of the expansion is available as a download from GamersGate or as part of the Europa Universalis III Complete retail package, and aims to expand on EUIII, with an improved interface, enhanced trade system, expanded options, and greater content to cover the extended time period. Virtual Programming published the Napoleon's Ambition expansion pack for Mac OS X
on 7 December 2007.
Some of the features of Napoleon's Ambition include:
The game now starts earlier, starting in October 1399, at the coronation
of Henry IV
of England
. Expanding the game time by 50 years, this means the game includes the Byzantine Empire
, Tamerlane
and the end of the Hundred Years' War.
A key variation of the expansion is the ability to make the decisions that will shape the future of the country. For instance, a player can choose to create the United Kingdom
, make Paris
"worth a Mass
", or institute an East Indian Trade Company. They can now implement decisions on both country and province level, with the new decision system, including hundreds of different decisions depending on situation (for example state religion), and country.
There is a new mission system, where the player and AI will both be given goals to achieve, such as conquering Ireland (for England), vassalising Lorraine (for France), liberating your countrymen, or reclaiming stolen territory.
In Nomine also features 'rebels with a cause'. There are countless types of rebels (Religious, Patriotic, Peasant...), with different goals, and different abilities. For example, patriot rebels mean 10 years more nationalism if they take control of a province, and are more likely to defect. You may get colonial rebels in your colonies determined to get representation or independence, you may get reactionary nobles rising up to put the serfs back where they belong. You can now choose between crushing them by force, negotiating with them, or leaving them and watching them enforce their demands on your country.
Religious tolerance now depends on the ideas and decisions you take (rather than the more usual sliders), making it a new layer of strategy, although choices are few and far between. As cardinals stay loyal longer, the power of the Papal Controller has grown, as he can now excommunicate rulers, and call crusades
against infidels (giving bonuses for any Catholic nation fighting them). It also features a colonial system, where there is a key metric - the distance between where you want to colonise and the nearest core port. Elections in Republics, scorched earth & new spy missions also feature.
Both Napoleon's ambition and In Nomine as well as the original EU3 were sold in the Europa Universalis III Complete edition.
expansion on 24 May 2010.
Some of the features of Heir to the Throne include:
Divine Wind was published for Mac OS X by Virtual Programming on March 16, 2011.
Some of the features in Divine Wind include:
Europa Universalis III: Chronicles was published for Mac OS X by Virtual Programming on September 28, 2011.
Grand strategy wargame
A grand strategy wargame is a wargame that places focus on grand strategy: military strategy at the level of movement and use of an entire nation state or empire's resources.-Scope of games:...
computer game by Paradox Interactive
Paradox Interactive
-External links:*...
. The main game was released for Windows on January 2007, and was later ported to Mac OS X by Virtual Programming on 2 November 2007.
The player controls a nation and handles matters concerning war, diplomacy, trade, and economy. The original game without expansions starts in 1453, right after the Fall of Constantinople
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
, and continues to 1789, just past the beginning of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. The expansion Napoleon's Ambition extends the end game year forward to 1821, whereas the expansion In Nomine moves the starting year back to 1399.
Europa Universalis III has a 3D engine that requires the system to meet the Pixel Shader 2.0 specification. The map has 1,700 land and sea provinces encompassing most of the world, with 250 playable historical nations. The game also uses elements of other Paradox games such as Crusader Kings, Victoria, and Hearts of Iron II
Hearts of Iron II
Hearts of Iron II is a grand strategy computer war game for the PC based upon its predecessor, Hearts of Iron. It takes place in the period from 1 January 1936 through 30 December 1947 , and allows the player to assume control of any one of over 175 nations of the time and guide its development...
.
Gameplay
Players have many options to shape their countries. Forms of government include various kingdomMonarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
s, republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
s, theocracies
Theocracy
Theocracy is a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion....
, and tribal governments. Players can influence a nation's society and values by adjusting "sliders" such as free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
/mercantilism
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is the economic doctrine in which government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the prosperity and security of the state. In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. Mercantilism dominated Western European economic policy and discourse from...
, and may hire court advisors such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. As the game advances, players can pick "national ideas" such as Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Liberté, égalité, fraternité, French for "Liberty, equality, fraternity ", is the national motto of France, and is a typical example of a tripartite motto. Although it finds its origins in the French Revolution, it was then only one motto among others and was not institutionalized until the Third...
, which give specialized bonuses.
The game has over 300 playable countries, including giants like Ming China
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, regional powers like Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and Kazan
Khanate of Kazan
The Khanate of Kazan was a medieval Tatar state which occupied the territory of former Volga Bulgaria between 1438 and 1552. Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. The khanate covered contemporary Tatarstan, Mari El,...
, and tiny nations like the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
. Without formal victory conditions, players sometimes set goals for themselves like raising a minor city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
to world prominence. The world map includes some 1,700 provinces and sea zones. Many provinces in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
are not owned by any country, allowing for colonization.
Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in the early modern era is simulated by taxes and production income from provinces, as well as trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
. National merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
s compete in "centers of trade" such as Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, and nations focused on trading income (i.e., Holland
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
) enjoy significant advantages. Nations which mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
too much currency, or are over-reliant on gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
, are penalized by inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
. Technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
investment is important in the long run; the game does not use a Civ
Civilization (series)
Civilization is a series of turn-based strategy, 4X video games produced by Sid Meier. Basic gameplay functions are similar throughout the series, namely, buiding a civilization on a macro-scale from prehistory up to the near future...
-style tech tree
Tech tree
In strategy computer games, the technology tree or tech tree is a hierarchical visual representation of the possible sequences of upgrades a player can take, by means of research. The diagram is tree-shaped in the sense that it branches at certain intervals, allowing the player to choose one...
, but instead has several different technology categories, which unlock new military units and buildings.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
is rather detailed: royal marriage
Royal Marriage
Royal Marriage is a Patience game using a deck of 52 playing cards.The game is so called because the player seems to remove anything that comes between the Queen and the King of the same suit for them to "marry." Although the King and the Queen may be of any suit, commonly it is the King and Queen...
s, insults, alliance
Alliance
An alliance is an agreement or friendship between two or more parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests.See also military alliance and business alliance.-International relations:...
s, trade embargoes
Embargo
An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
, and so on all affect relations between countries. Players are able to gain control over other countries peacefully through personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
s and vassalage. Early international institutions such as the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, the Papal Curia and with the Divine Wind expansion the Shogunate are simulated in some depth. Every country has its own culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, a frequent source of diplomatic unity or friction.
Rulers have control over armies
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
, navies
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, and mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
they recruit. Combat
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
is abstract, with no direct control over battles (contrast the Total War games). Military tradition
Military tradition
Military tradition is the specific set of practices associated with the military or soldiers in general. The concept may describe the styles of military uniform, drill, or even the music of a military unit.-In the United States:...
is necessary for recruiting good general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
s and admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
s. Aggression (seizing provinces without a rightful claim) is checked by the "badboy" system of international infamy
Infamy
Infamy, in common usage, is notoriety gained from a negative incident or reputation . The word stems from the Latin infamia, antonym of fama ....
common to Paradox's games.
The game is historically detailed; one can play the "grand campaign" starting in 1453 or 1399, but any date before the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
(1821 with the Napoleon's Ambition expansion) is a valid starting point as well, with historical leaders and countries appropriately updated. Major events such as the War of the League of Cambrai
War of the League of Cambrai
The War of the League of Cambrai, sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and by several other names, was a major conflict in the Italian Wars...
are playable this way. Often the game diverges from reality after some time in-game, with unhistorical events such as Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colonizing North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, or Poland-Lithuania surviving to bully its neighbors.
The game may be played single-player or multiplayer, with players controlling different countries; every non-human country is controlled by its own AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
.
Most of the game's settings are in plain text
Plain text
In computing, plain text is the contents of an ordinary sequential file readable as textual material without much processing, usually opposed to formatted text....
files that are easily changed to modify the map, historical events, etc. Some popular mods
Mod (computer gaming)
Mod or modification is a term generally applied to personal computer games , especially first-person shooters, role-playing games and real-time strategy games. Mods are made by the general public or a developer, and can be entirely new games in themselves, but mods are not standalone software and...
extensively change the game, adding historical flavor, fantasy scenarios, or new game mechanics. One such mod, Magna Mundi is now in development as a full game published by Paradox Interactive.
Expansion packs
Paradox has released 4 expansion packExpansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
s for EU3; each one requires all the previous expansions. One version of the game, Europa Universalis III Complete, includes the original game and the first two expansions.
Napoleon's Ambition
On 3 May 2007, an expansion named "Napoleon's Ambition" was announced by Paradox. It was officially released on 22 August 2007, on GamersGateGamersGate
GamersGate AB is a Sweden-based online video game store offering PC games, Mac games and electronic guides via direct download. It is a competitor to online video game services such as Valve's Steam, Direct2Drive and Impulse....
. The Windows version of the expansion is available as a download from GamersGate or as part of the Europa Universalis III Complete retail package, and aims to expand on EUIII, with an improved interface, enhanced trade system, expanded options, and greater content to cover the extended time period. Virtual Programming published the Napoleon's Ambition expansion pack for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
on 7 December 2007.
Some of the features of Napoleon's Ambition include:
- The timeline has been expanded by 33 years to 1820, encompassing the French RevolutionFrench RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and Napoleon. - New leaders, rulers, advisor wars, countries and national ideas have been added as well as dozens of new units to give more tactical choices.
- In addition to hundreds of new events, players will be able to see their rulers, leaders and advisors appear on the accurate historical dates.
- A ledger has been added displaying information on colonies and leaders, and a detailed trade map for each province has been added.
- The new option to move capitals enables the player to focus more on certain areas of his nation. Also, centres of trade can now be added or removed.
- Players are able to select a trading centre to be concentrated on; the game will then automatically focus on the centre. Also, players must now engage in diplomacy or war to send merchants to overseas markets.
- More options have been added, enabling customisation of gameplay. Players now have options for "No Inflation", "Free Colonization", "AI Aggressiveness" and many more.
In Nomine
On 5 March 2008, a second expansion titled 'In Nomine' was announced. It was officially released on 28 May that same year. Features include: a further extension of the game's time frame, the addition of the Byzantine Empire, a revised AI which focuses on strategic toplevel goals, and completely reworked rebellions with their own goals and abilities. Virtual Programming published the In Nomine expansion for Mac OS X on 18 August 2008.The game now starts earlier, starting in October 1399, at the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Expanding the game time by 50 years, this means the game includes the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, Tamerlane
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
and the end of the Hundred Years' War.
A key variation of the expansion is the ability to make the decisions that will shape the future of the country. For instance, a player can choose to create the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, make Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
"worth a Mass
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
", or institute an East Indian Trade Company. They can now implement decisions on both country and province level, with the new decision system, including hundreds of different decisions depending on situation (for example state religion), and country.
There is a new mission system, where the player and AI will both be given goals to achieve, such as conquering Ireland (for England), vassalising Lorraine (for France), liberating your countrymen, or reclaiming stolen territory.
In Nomine also features 'rebels with a cause'. There are countless types of rebels (Religious, Patriotic, Peasant...), with different goals, and different abilities. For example, patriot rebels mean 10 years more nationalism if they take control of a province, and are more likely to defect. You may get colonial rebels in your colonies determined to get representation or independence, you may get reactionary nobles rising up to put the serfs back where they belong. You can now choose between crushing them by force, negotiating with them, or leaving them and watching them enforce their demands on your country.
Religious tolerance now depends on the ideas and decisions you take (rather than the more usual sliders), making it a new layer of strategy, although choices are few and far between. As cardinals stay loyal longer, the power of the Papal Controller has grown, as he can now excommunicate rulers, and call crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
against infidels (giving bonuses for any Catholic nation fighting them). It also features a colonial system, where there is a key metric - the distance between where you want to colonise and the nearest core port. Elections in Republics, scorched earth & new spy missions also feature.
Both Napoleon's ambition and In Nomine as well as the original EU3 were sold in the Europa Universalis III Complete edition.
Heir to the Throne
On 19 August 2009, a third expansion titled Heir to the Throne was announced. It was released for Windows on 15 December 2009 and includes many features requested by members of the forum and as the title explains will mostly be focused on royal family dynamics. Virtual Programming published the Mac OS XMac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
expansion on 24 May 2010.
Some of the features of Heir to the Throne include:
- New Casus Belli system, where wars have specific aims from start to finish.
- Monarchs now belong to dynasties, with far-reaching effects on the diplomatic model.
- More involving and powerful Holy Roman Empire and Papacy options.
- Special diplomatic options for Merchant Republics.
- Set your National Focus in a province to enhance growth and strengthen your hold in the region.
- Permanent Terra Incognita removed and replaced with impassable regions.
- Cultural Tradition allows better advisors in the same way that Military Tradition allows better generals and admirals.
Divine Wind
On May 27, 2010, a poll was created on the Paradox forums by a developer in which users could vote for a new expansion. Options included expansions to Europa Universalis III, Europa Universalis: Rome, Hearts of Iron 3 and Victoria. With 46% of the votes, the poll was won in favour of a Europa Universalis III expansion which is to focus on the rest of the world. On 9 September, Divine Wind expansion was announced. It requires Europa Universalis III Complete and the expansion Heir to the Throne in order to play. On November 30, the expansion became available for pre-order and was released on December 14, 2010.Divine Wind was published for Mac OS X by Virtual Programming on March 16, 2011.
Some of the features in Divine Wind include:
- New detailed map with more provinces and enhanced graphics.
- The ability to play as any one of the four major daimyos in Japan for influence over the Emperor and control over the Shogunate.
- Enhanced diplomacy, with more options for alliances and peace negotiation.
- New building types.
- Enhanced trading system.
- The ability to manage the internal factions in China to keep the Mandate of HeavenMandate of HeavenThe Mandate of Heaven is a traditional Chinese philosophical concept concerning the legitimacy of rulers. It is similar to the European concept of the divine right of kings, in that both sought to legitimaze rule from divine approval; however, unlike the divine right of kings, the Mandate of...
. - New horde system for nomadic factions.
- 50 achievements for the player to unlock.
Compilation
Released on March 22, 2011, Europa Universalis III: Chronicles bundled all four expansions with the original game. This is the first time Heir to the Throne and Divine Wind are available in retail.Europa Universalis III: Chronicles was published for Mac OS X by Virtual Programming on September 28, 2011.