Well, with some experience under my belt, i can safely say that i know something about EUIV. Not all, of course, but still, a bit of something. And don't get me wrong, EU IV is a great game. But there are some nagging issues that can make the game a bit better... Here are some of my thoughts.
Things that could see some improvement in EU series:
Monarchs. Was fine in EUI to EU III, but now, with the brilliance of CK and CK2 out, things could use some improvement. Instead of mana generators, monarchs could be something so much more! Give us at least royal dynasty and some great other dynasties of the country. And children, so having an heir is something more then a popup. And brothers for heirs. And daughters to be married off in royal marriages. Doesn’t really have to be as extensive as CK, but at least make monarchs something else then stat creators you kinda forget about- oh, he was already 60? Didn’t notice. CK lite
Trade. While a significant improvement over previous EU, things are not as perfect as they could be. I mean, you have to control Ivory Coast in order to get trade from India? Or Zanzibar, for that matter? Or even worse, Gulf of Aden? And, if you are Japan, well, tough luck controlling your trade, unless you move your trade capital. Or any other nation that is located in start node.
Simple solution: forgot node-to-node hopping. Every trade node is connected to your capital (or trade capital). Instead, for example, you grab your trade from Goa and ship it directly home. IF you have enough trade reach. If not, you build bases. Well, colonies. For example, one in Ivory Coast, one in Cape, one in Zanzibar and that is enough to service your ships and allow trade from Goa to home flow without merchants deciding in Ivory Coast that hey, screw that, let’s go to London instead of Lisboa. During the wartime, these routes can be raided, the colonies can be taken, cutting the enemy off from all the profits. Ahh, imagine the fun when you close down Caribbean trade for Spain and they are powerless to stop you. Privateering the treasure fleet +10. As a bonus, this removes such ridiculous incomes as i get from +% from every node.
As for land routes- trade access, like military access. connecting nodes to your capital or to your closest port. So, for example, owning Crimea for Genoa actually makes sense. Otherwise, if you plan to make land trade, good luck getting along with all your neighbours enough to get the trade flowing. Hmm, and people who allow access get some tolls perhaps? But basically, making it possible for Genoa to grab a small piece of Silk Road, move trade through Crimea and then watch it all crumble as somewhere far in Asia, war breaks out and trade breaks down.
Minor matters:
Getting enough malus for conversion if the province is part of the trade company- too much pointless clicking, since you can add/remove province to trade companies without malus, you just have to remove the province and re-add after conversion. Adds nothing.
Military/naval limits- i think that these can be good guidelines to AI/player- meaning, optimally, your nation can support this amount of regiments. But the manpower/money should be enough to keep the armies in check- and if i’m a minor fighting against great power, then the need to field huge armies becomes a matter of life and death.
Overextension- again, mixed blessing. Or rather, artificial number to limit your expansion rate. More effective would be nice message saying during peace time: hello, dear player, coring these provinces would require 735 ADM power. With your current rate, you are gaining 5 per month, meaning 60 per year, meaning it will take you 12 and a quarter years of adm income to core ‘em all. You sure about that?
And allow me to declare war on another HRE member if i already am at war with some!
Well, that all could be put into one small point- less additional artificial limiters, please!
Have any plans for another different AAR, whatever you do next you deserve a long lengthily break!
Well, the first thing i'm planning to do is one long break, yeah
After that, well, i have some ideas. CK2 as Estonia. Transforming to feudal, reforming suomenusko (or going as scandinavian religion just for extra kicks/difficulty) and raiding the crap out of Europe. HoI4 as Soviet Union. Though i'm afraid this will be a bit too dark and will go against forum rules. Hating Soviet Union and trying to create "communist paradise" for the whole world though would make an interesting experience. And then there is Stellaris. Portugal in Spaace!
By my math, your army is nearly double everyone else the list shows combined. Combine that with your navy, I don't think you'd need to worry about petty things like infamy in V2.
Catholicism has spread to every corner of the world, so the Pope can just shut up about you declaring war on him every few years. I'd have thought Portugal culture would have spread more; in this world, who doesn't want to be Portuguese?
As for most provinces providing grain, I suppose that confirms you're still an empire of farmers. Oh well.
Yea, but having army/navy twice the size of everyone else makes pretty dull gameplay. And also, didn't your pops get kinda uppity if your infamy was high enough?
And yea, the Pope is swimming in money/power and still hates me. Shame i didn't have time to take all other Catholic countries, then it would have been too much- just Pope and me, hating each other
And apparelty, most of the world doesn't want to be Portuguese. Still, is three continents of Portuguese not enough?
Well, and industrialization is still beginning
