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EU4 - Development Diary - 19th of October 2021

Hello and welcome to the 5th Dev Diary for the upcoming Africa update!

Today we shall take a look at the two biggest tags in East Africa and Southern Africa: Kilwa and Mutapa as well as the formables of Africa. Please take into account that all modifiers and numbers are currently under ongoing testing, and as we want to continue gathering your feedback, some may be changed before release. Let’s get started with Kilwa!
dd_zan_missions.png

Kilwa has been historically a great trade power in East Africa with connections to Far East Asia. To represent this, the mission tree is heavily focused on the naval presence and trade dominance of the trade nodes which eventually lead into the Zanzibar trade node.

The first column from the left focuses on the gold sources of Mutapa as well as the colonization of Southern Africa. “The Gold of Zimbabwe” will give you access to a decent conquistador, which allows you to explore the Cape, while the mission “The Uncharted South” grants you a colonist for 30 years to make life a little bit easier.

The second column is more focused on the development of your heartland while the third column revolves around the conquest of the coastline of the Zanzibar trade node and African coasts of the Gulf of Aden coastline. Your final goal, “Claim Trade Hegemony”, is to funnel the trade flow to your home trade node and to secure it. By doing so you will get a neat +15% Trade Efficiency for the rest of the game.

Finally, the fourth and fifth columns are about dominating the trade of Malacca and the Moluccas. Although these missions give you a bonus to colonization, it is possible to complete these missions through trading alone. It is not absolutely required to colonize - with the exception of the Australia mission.

Now, there is one mission I want to highlight more, which stands out on its own: “Reconnect with Persia”. According to Kilwan legends, the sultanate was founded by one of the seven sons of the Persian Emir Al-Hassan of Shiraz. While the historical base of the legend is questionable, it served as the legitimation of the ruling dynasty of Kilwa. The mission goes a step further and allows Kilwa to establish contact with the home land they believe to originate from.

You can complete the mission through either allying with the owner of the province Shiraz or by having one regiment positioned in the province of Shiraz (without being at war with the owner) - how you achieve this is up to you. Completing the mission will trigger the following event:
dd_zan_embassy.png

Of course the owner of Shiraz will receive a contact event from Kilwa too:
dd_zan_persia_embassy.png

dd_zan_kilwa_embassy.png

While the embassies are a nice passive bonus, they also provide some useful events for both countries from time to time. There are 3 random events in total, which are the following:
dd_zan_kilwa_embassy_event.3.png

dd_zan_kilwa_embassy_event.2.png

dd_zan_kilwa_embassy_event.1.png

All three random events share a hard cooldown of 10 years and have a mean time to happen of 5 years.
Additionally there are two events for Kilwa, which happen a lot more rarely:
dd_zan_kilwa_embassy_event.4.png

dd_zan_kilwa_embassy_event.5.png

I also should point out that if either nation loses the embassy, the other country will lose their own too, severing the diplomatic connection both had.

Additionally to the mission tree, Kilwa received its own set of ideas too!

Code:
ZAN_ideas = {
    start = {
        naval_forcelimit_modifier = 0.25
        global_ship_trade_power = 0.2
    }
 
    bonus = {
        global_trade_power = 0.1
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = ZAN
    }
    free = yes
 
    zan_kilwa_latitude_staves = {
        trade_range_modifier = 0.25
        range = 0.2
    }
 
    zan_shirazis_legacy = {
        legitimacy = 1
    }
 
    zan_the_deal_with_almuli = {
        diplomatic_reputation = 1
        trade_company_investment_cost = -0.1
    }
 
    zan_kilwa_the_melting_pot = {
        idea_cost = -0.05
    }
 
    zan_gold_of_sofala = {
        monthly_gold_inflation_modifier = -0.2
        inflation_reduction = 0.03
    }
 
    zan_trade_center_of_zanzibar = {
        merchants = 1
    }
 
    zan_center_of_migration = {
        development_cost = -0.1
    }
}

With that said, let us move on to Mutapa!
dd_zim_missions.png

Mutapa is the successor state of Zimbabwe, and as such your mission tree revolves around surpassing this realm of old times. As Mutapa you also start with your capital Zimbabwe, which declines rapidly shortly after game start:
dd_zim_city_event.png

The third column of the mission tree is focusing on restoring the once great city and to bring it back to its former glory. “Fate of Zimbabwe” helps fortunately out as it has a very unique reward, which is the ability to increase development through constructing buildings.
dd_zim_fate_of_zimbabwe.png

The development from the buildings you get harmonizes with the modifier of the building. So in other words you get the following development for constructing the following buildings:
  • Trade Buildings increase Local Production by 1/2/3
  • Navy Buildings increase Local Production by 1/2
  • Army Buildings increase Local Manpower by 1/2
  • Production Buildings increase Local Production by 1/2
  • Government Buildings increase Local Tax by 1/2
  • Taxation Buildings increase Local Tax by 1/2
  • Universities increase Local Tax by 2
  • All manufactory buildings except for the Ramparts, State House and Soldier’s Households increase Local Development by 2
  • State Houses increase the Local Tax by 2
  • Soldier’s Households increase the local manpower by 2
I want to point out that upgrading a building will also add development to a lesser degree. For example: if you build a cathedral you gain +2 Local Tax. If you upgrade a church, which already gave you +1 Local Tax, to a cathedral you gain again +1 Local Tax.

This way you have a little bit of an easier time in achieving the mission “Restore Zimbabwe”, which requires you to have 20 development in the Zimbabwe province again. As a reward the “Abandoned Ruins” province modifier gets removed and the local development cost is reduced by 15% for the rest of the game. It also gives +0.5 legitimacy too.

Reaching 400 development and reaching the borders of old Zimbabwe will allow you to complete the mission “Eclipse Great Zimbabwe”, granting you the Empire rank and firing the following event for you:
dd_zim_form_zimbabwe.png

dd_zim_zimbabwe.png

(The borders you see on the image are not required to have to form Zimbabwe)
Code:
GZI_ideas = {
    start = {
        fort_maintenance_modifier = -0.1
        land_morale = 0.15
    }
 
    bonus = {
        trade_efficiency = 0.2
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = GZI
    }
    free = yes
 
    gzi_stone_masonry = {
        build_cost = -0.15
        great_project_upgrade_cost = -0.1
    }
    gzi_ivory_trade = {
        global_trade_goods_size_modifier = 0.1
    }
    gzi_gold_deposits = {
        global_tax_modifier = 0.1
        monthly_gold_inflation_modifier = -0.2
    }
    gzi_zimbabwes_walls = {
        defensiveness = 0.25
    }
    gzi_lay_of_the_land = {
        hostile_attrition = 1
    }
    gzi_tributary_system = {
        vassal_income = 0.2
    }
    gzi_zimbabwe_birds = {
        production_efficiency = 0.15
    }
}
While the third column of missions revolves around Zimbabwe, the first one is more about the internal, religious stability of Mutapa. The second column is about getting Southern Africa under your control and becoming one of the great powers. “Great Power of Africa” especially emphasizes it as you are required to be amongst the top three great powers (or have 700 total development if Rights of Man or Emperor is not active) and have an army size of 100 regiments. As a reward you gain +25 Permanent Power Projection.

The fourth column of missions is very similar to the Kilwan trade missions. However, it focuses more on getting access to the trade node of China instead of dominating it.

Finally we have the last column on the most right, which is about overhauling your military - and recruiting the Nguni for your army. “Recruit the Nguni” especially will be interesting for the people who want to tag switch into a strong, military country while still having a challenge to face. For that you must reach administrative tech 15 (which is the “Military Administration” technology) and develop the manpower of Mtetwa and Natal to 8 for both of them. After that you get this lovely event:
dd_zim_zulu.png

dd_zim_zulu_tag.png

The Zulu are intended to be a fun country to play, even if we know that they may spawn this way much earlier than in our timeline. Because of that we have abstained from creating a mission tree for them. However, because the Zulu here are directly created through militarization of the Nguni, the ideas are heavily inspired by the reforms of Shaka Zulu:
Code:
ZUL_ideas = {
    start = {
        army_tradition_from_battle = 1
        land_forcelimit_modifier = 0.25
    }
 
    bonus = {
        discipline = 0.05
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = ZUL
    }
    free = yes
 
    zul_confederacy_of_clans = {
        stability_cost_modifier = -0.1
    }
    zul_the_ukubuthwa = {
        manpower_recovery_speed = 0.2
    }
    zul_the_impi_warriors = {
        infantry_power = 0.1
        shock_damage = 0.1
    }
    zul_zulu_expansion = {
        core_creation = -0.1
        years_of_nationalism = -3
    }
    zul_warrior_culture = {
        land_morale = 0.15
    }
    zul_shaka_reforms = {
        reform_progress_growth = 0.1
        governing_capacity_modifier = 0.1
    }
    zul_conquest_through_patronage = {
        accept_vassalization_reasons = 10
    }
}
Also, you don’t have to start as Mutapa to create the Zulu. Every country with their capital in Southern Africa has the decision “Militarize the Nguni”, which has the same requirement as the Mutapa mission. The big difference however is that you don’t fire an event immediately. Instead you gain 2 years worth of manpower and increase the unrest in your two Nguni provinces by 5 for 25 years. Additionally, the following event can fire:
dd_zulu_event.png

It should be noted that the AI will NOT attempt to enact the decision. The “Rise of the Zulu” event can fire naturally when the year is 1750 or later and is guaranteed to fire around 1816.

Speaking of formables: we introduce a bunch of formable countries with patch 1.32 in Africa (and one in the Middle East). Here is a little gallery of what you can expect!
dd_kitara.png

Code:
KIT_ideas = {
    start = {
        infantry_power = 0.1
        manpower_recovery_speed = 0.15
    }
 
    bonus = {
        stability_cost_modifier = -0.15
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = KIT
    }
    free = yes
 
    kit_legacy_of_the_gods = {
        legitimacy = 1
        tolerance_own = 2
    }
    kit_empire_of_the_light = {
        prestige = 1
    }
    kit_memory_of_aksum = {
        embracement_cost = -0.2
    }
    kit_lakes_dominance = {
        discipline = 0.05
    }
    kit_bachwezi_earthworks = {
        build_cost = -0.1
    }
    kit_nile_conquest = {
        core_creation = -0.15
    }
    kit_rich_history = {
        culture_conversion_cost = -0.25
    }
}
dd_nubia.png

Code:
NBI_ideas = {
    start = {
        land_morale = 0.15
        hostile_attrition = 1
    }
 
    bonus = {
        prestige = 1
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = NBI
    }
    free = yes
 
    nbi_our_land = {
        global_unrest = -2
        stability_cost_modifier = -0.15
    }
 
    nbi_religious_friction = {
        global_missionary_strength = 0.02
    }
 
    nbi_desert_knowledge = {
        land_attrition = -0.1
    }
 
    nbi_military_strength = {
        discipline = 0.05
    }
 
    nbi_nile_control = {
        trade_efficiency = 0.1
        production_efficiency = 0.1
    }
 
    nbi_christian_ties = {
        tolerance_own = 2
    }
 
    nbi_egyptian_relations = {
        adm_tech_cost_modifier = -0.1
    }
}
dd_aksum.png

Code:
AKS_ideas = {
    start = {
        prestige_decay = -0.01
        land_morale = 0.15
    }
 
    bonus = {
        global_manpower_modifier = 0.33
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = AKS
    }
    free = yes
 
    aks_stellae_builders = {
        prestige = 1
    }
 
    aks_legacy_of_king_kaleb = {
        ae_impact = -0.15
    }
 
    aks_persian_revenge = {
        province_warscore_cost = -0.25
    }
 
    aks_christianity_stronghold = {
        tolerance_own = 2
    }
 
    aks_mediterranean_contacts = {
        technology_cost = -0.1
    }
 
    aks_trade_hub = {
        trade_efficiency = 0.15
    }
 
    aks_coin_minting = {
        inflation_reduction = 0.1
    }
}
@Pavía already announced that Judaism gets new mechanics. Because of that we have decided to give one more addition for Jewish countries, which is the formable country of Israel!
dd_israel.png

Code:
ISR_ideas = {
    start = {
        legitimacy = 1
        religious_unity = 0.25
    }
 
    bonus = {
        diplomatic_reputation = 1
    }
 
    trigger = {
        tag = ISR
    }
    free = yes
 
    end_of_diaspora = {
        global_unrest = -1
        church_power_modifier = 0.15
    }
    national_myths_restored = {
        discipline = 0.05
    }
    return_home = {
        production_efficiency = 0.2
    }
    jewish_trade_tradition = {
        trade_efficiency = 0.1
        trade_steering = 0.1
    }
    pious_people = {
        tolerance_own = 2
    }
    people_of_exile = {
        development_cost = -0.1
    }
    the_chosen_people = {
        land_morale = 0.1
    }
}
As Butua you can form Rozwi, but your ideas will not change. It is basically a color and flag change and a free kingdom rank for you.
dd_rozwi.png

Of course we also have these two as formables now!
dd_mossi_hausa.png

Additionally, the decision to form Sokoto has been improved too, allowing you to form them earlier - if you achieve the requirements of course.
dd_sokoto_decision.png

dd_sokoto.png

One last point I want to address: in my last dev diary I mentioned that Fetishism receives some buffs. I also presented the idea of Cults for your heirs. While this mechanic is a mission tree reward for Kongo, it is actually available for every Fetishist country in the world - but in a different form. With 1.32 we introduce a bunch of new estate privileges, which you can use to improve your experience. Here is a small list of the new privileges we have for you:
dd_fetishist_privileges.png

These privileges are part of “Rights of Man”.
“Embrace Singular Cult” improves the modifier of the cult you have active by 100%.
“Embrace Singular Cult” cannot be active with “Build Shrines for Heirs” and “Flexible Cults” at the same time.
We also have two new privileges for Muslim countries:
dd_muslim_privileges.png

These privileges are part of “Cradle of Civilization”.

We also have privileges which are part of the free update for you to use!
dd_clergy_privileges.png

dd_nobles_privileges.png

Values are all subjects to changes of course. I would like to hear your personal first impression and feedback about the privileges so we can release them in a more balanced state!

With that said, I hope you enjoyed this dev diary! @Pavía will continue with an overview of the remaining mission trees and the mechanics for Judaism. Until then I wish you a nice week!
 
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Like the new formables even if i slightly dislike how it feels like every new formable got super good ideas (not a problem for just this patch).

Feels like national ideas slowly get power creeped and the average level of national ideas have gone up patch by patch.
 
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The "Religious Culture" estate privilege should maybe be restricted to Catholic nations only because of how easy it would be to stack it with bonuses from other religions resulting in a clear "best" option. By that I mean, Orthodox gives +33% local manpower, muslim legalism gives 20% national manpower, etc.

Making the privilege available to all religions would result in a clear optimal choice by buffing religions that are already the "meta."
 
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Love the new estates, I just wish we could have more than 4 active. They are kinda balanced already around the crownland/absolutism/influence mechanics anyways, so the hardcoded limit of 4 feels bit odd.
 
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I'm excited to see work is going into Judaism in this update, is there any chance for Judaism to be made present in other parts of the world where Jewish communities existed at this time, (IE Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, and maybe China)? I think it would be really cool to have more representation of Jewish communities across the world if possible, but either way all the changes shown so far are exciting! :)
 
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Some african love , neat.
though having to wait until 1750+ to try zulu is a bit... i don't know , not many people play that long.
The way I interpreted it is that you get that event when you complete the mission to militarize the Nguni, and that if that hasn't happened by 1750+ it has a chance to fire.
 
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shouldnt ethiopia be a cushitic tag ? or is it strictly amahra cause ethiopia consits of various ethnic groups and tribes making them available to amharas only wouldnt be right

Cushitic is the culture group. It feels weird to let Adal reform into Ethiopia.
 
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I'm excited to see work is going into Judaism in this update, is there any chance for Judaism to be made present in other parts of the world where Jewish communities existed at this time, (IE Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, and maybe China)? I think it would be really cool to have more representation of Jewish communities across the world if possible, but either way all the changes shown so far are exciting! :)
Agreed it would be cool but kinda unlikely unless eu4 get some way to show cultural/religious minorities in provinces.

Would be surprised if jews were the majority in any province in europe for example even if they were a sizeable minority in multiple provinces.
 
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Wow. I am blown away by the effort you guys have put into making this update better for a more accurate representation of African history in the Early Modern Era. The first few dev diaries made me feel that it would be a few mission trees and updated idea sets here and there for the strongest nations on the continent, but the map changes, new countries, new formables, major changes to fetishism, and great flavor events later added are truly incredible. I take it you were inspired by the suggestions on the forums, and I am so glad about that. Keep up the good work; even without province changes, it is looking like this update is shaping up to be one of the greatest ever in terms of effort put into trying to get things right!
 
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There are several ways of how you deal with the mission. A vassal is just as valid as an alliance.
That's what I like to hear! Something that already has me strategising on the multiple ways you could make best use of it and maintain it.

I can't wait to play the countless nations of Africa that will now be interesting options; nations I've been putting off playing, not out of lack of interest or love for them, but simply waiting for an update like this. What with my personal interest in Africa and the extensive suggestions I've done, some of which I'm glad to see have at least inspired here and there, I'm obviously very happy with the area of focus of this pack, but simultaneously can't help being slightly disappointed with many areas where I feel more could be done, considering its an area that has seem little work and is unlikely to be visited again. With the pack now announced along with its feature list, is there any stuff you can tell us you would really like to have worked on for Africa, but simply did not have the means or time to?
 
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Religious Culture looks significantly too strong. It doesn't cost crownland and most countries start with enough eligible provinces that it would probably amount to free money and manpower, especially early in the game. The culture conversion bonus might be a bit too strong, but it's hard to tell without testing it first.
30% influence is the kicker. That much influence with no loyalty equilibrium means revoking it will rely on pure luck.
 
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Cushitic is the culture group. It feels weird to let Adal reform into Ethiopia.
axum had control over territories that adal currently controls in 1444, many different ethnic groups were part of the empire (axum) and axum embraced christianity centuries after its formation (in the 4th century ), as such i belive they should'mt be locked to a single religion

it can be like forming the roman empire that doesnt have culture locks
 
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I know it is not complete, but the ideas are just not okay.

15% morale is supposed to be exceptionnal. Very militaristic nations, shining through morale do not have it. It is extremely high. I am not even sure a single African tag should get it, but here everyone seems to have it... This is not fine, really not.

Maybe ways to get more morale in missions, events or descisions could be fine, but ideas, it is just too easy.
Half the reason I pick a tag to play is their national ideas. Africa and souteast asia usually get a pass from me every game simply because the ideas are so bad/boring. Making the tags more appealing through idea improvements seems like a plus to me.
 
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It is a pity that there are no Mamluks in the African update. It would be nice if there was a mission tree showing the militaristic nature of the Mamluks. There might even have been estate privileges specific to the Mamluk polity. I did not find the scholar privileges specific to Muslims sufficient. The reason is that -50 piety is necessary when trying to get counter scholars. It is a great shortcoming that the Ibadi religion does not have any School. The piety mechanics are extremely unstable and in constant motion and it is almost impossible to use the desired bonuses. When piety is -100, suddenly something happens and it goes to +. There should be player control over piety. Waging war should not have an effect on piety. We cannot effectively use the 10% army morale and missionary strength of the Muslim religion.
 
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It is a pity that there are no Mamluks in the African update. It would be nice if there was a mission tree showing the militaristic nature of the Mamluks. There might even have been estate privileges specific to the Mamluk polity. I did not find the scholar privileges specific to Muslims sufficient. The reason is that -50 piety is necessary when trying to get counter scholars. It is a great shortcoming that the Ibadi religion does not have any School. The piety mechanics are extremely unstable and in constant motion and it is almost impossible to use the desired bonuses. When piety is -100, suddenly something happens and it goes to +. There should be player control over piety. Waging war should not have an effect on piety. We cannot effectively use the 10% army morale and missionary strength of the Muslim religion.
johan said nubia is part of the future middle east update so im guessing mamluks is part of that too
 
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View attachment 766213
The Zulu are intended to be a fun country to play, even if we know that they may spawn this way much earlier than in our timeline. Because of that we have abstained from creating a mission tree for them. However, because the Zulu here are directly created through militarization of the Nguni, the ideas are heavily inspired by the reforms of Shaka Zulu:

It would be kind of awesome if Zulu were given Prussian monarchy.
 
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It is a pity that there are no Mamluks in the African update. It would be nice if there was a mission tree showing the militaristic nature of the Mamluks. There might even have been estate privileges specific to the Mamluk polity. I did not find the scholar privileges specific to Muslims sufficient. The reason is that -50 piety is necessary when trying to get counter scholars. It is a great shortcoming that the Ibadi religion does not have any School. The piety mechanics are extremely unstable and in constant motion and it is almost impossible to use the desired bonuses. When piety is -100, suddenly something happens and it goes to +. There should be player control over piety. Waging war should not have an effect on piety. We cannot effectively use the 10% army morale and missionary strength of the Muslim religion.
This Immersion pack is about Sub-Saharan Africa. The Mamelukes will surely be part of a ME update.
 
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