Hello everyone and welcome to another developer diary!
Today I will talk a bit about what patch 1.23 will bring to the greater Iranian region, from the Oxus in the east to the Euphrates in the west. At the end I will also bring up some additions we have made to trade goods.
From his base in Samarkand Timur Lenk once conquered an empire that stretched from Anatolia to India. While Timur died in 1405 the Europa Universalis start is still in many ways shaped by his actions. It was Timur’s attack on Delhi that crushed the Delhi Sultanate, giving rise to most of the independent states on the subcontinent and his attacks on the Ottoman Empire and the Great Horde among others created the political order we are so used to in this game in their regions.
After Timur’s death his empire was thrown into a violent civil war which was eventually won by his son Shah Rukh. His rule has been marked in many ways by the building of a durable state, patronage of the arts and the rebuilding of infrastructure. Above all however, Shah Rukh has struck down on any rebellions swiftly and with an iron fist, determined to not let his father’s empire crumble.
As our game begins Shah Rukh is an old man, plagued by sickness. He has left the daily rule to his wife Goharshad and the outer provinces to his many sons and grandsons.
One of these grandsons, Muhammad bin Baysonqor, the governor of Ajam, has already made several moves that could be seen as rebellious. Historically Shah Rukh would die two years later while on a campaign to chastise this grandson. Following the death of Shah Rukh the entire empire dissolved into a multi-factional civil war that lasted for decades.
In order to better portray the situation at start, with a number of ambitious princes waiting for Shah Rukh to die, we have broken up the Timurid Empire into its constituent parts. The Timurids under Shah Rukh in Herat are still a playable faction with most of the governors now starting as vassal states. At start the liberty desire of these vassals is held in check by Shah Rukh himself, but when he dies the grace period is over and the princes are very likely to try to conquer the empire for themselves.
The Timurid Empire is now considered Empire rank at start and the stats of Shah Rukh and Ulugh Beg have been improved to be more in line with their real capabilities.
All Timurid princes that rule their own countries can now reclaim Timur's empire and they all start with different National Ideas (we have also adjusted the Timurid National Ideas to make them a viable option once the Empire has been reformed).
Shah Rukh’s Grandson Muhammad Bin Baysonqor was recently made governor of Ajam, one of the more distant parts of the Empire in 1444.
Rumors of sickness has emboldened the Timurid prince and he has extended his rule over a much larger region than the one he was given to govern. Many western Persian cities have begun to send tribute to Muhammad in Qom instead of Shah Rukh in Herat and it seems a matter of time until he is declared a rebel.
To the west the Qara Qoyunlu are studying the situation with interest, they have not hesitated to snatch away Timurid lands in this area before and they will likely strike again if they perceive weakness.
Along the Caspian sea a number of diverse states are practically independent of Timurid influence as the dynasty has its focus on who controls the capitals at Herat and Samarkand.
As one of the richer areas in the Iranian region Fars has been broken up into many more provinces, with new revolters, as well as new playable countries added to better reflect the waning Timurid authority in this region.
Fars is a Timurid governorate under Shiraz ruled by Shah Rukh’s Grandson Abdallah bin Ibrahim. Abdallah is only 12 years old however and instead a regency under a local nobleman rules Fars.
To the west Baghdad has only just recently fallen to the advancing Qara Qoyunlu while the Millenarian Mushasha sect has asserted its independence in Hoveyzeh. Like the Safavid order in the north the Mushasha offers a new type of leadership for the heterogeneous religious groups in the region.
New Playable Countries:
Transoxiana and Samarkand, the original Timurid capital, has for a long time been under the control of Shah Rukhs son Ulugh Beg. He is the most experienced, and in many ways best positioned, of all the Timurid princes in 1444.
Shah Rukh himself rules the core of the Empire in Eastern Persia. The cities under his control have been patronized heavily for decades. Herat is the capital of the Timurid dynasty and has grown to be a thriving center of high culture and learning.
In order to better represent this region in 1.23 we have both broken up a number of its provinces and added wasteland for the deserts and mountains between Afghanistan and Baluchistan so that the historical pass in Quetta becomes more strategically important.
Eastern Persia is now also somewhat richer than it once was, to better reflect the thriving centers of the Timurid renaissance.
New Playable Countries:
Over the years it has been our ambition to flesh out and add detail to the Europa Universalis world. In order to further diversify the game setup we have added five new Trade Goods to the game, as well as some more special province modifiers for specific centers of production for some Trade Goods.
That was all for today from me! Next week’s Diary will be written by @DDRJake
Today I will talk a bit about what patch 1.23 will bring to the greater Iranian region, from the Oxus in the east to the Euphrates in the west. At the end I will also bring up some additions we have made to trade goods.
The Timurid Empire under Shah Rukh
From his base in Samarkand Timur Lenk once conquered an empire that stretched from Anatolia to India. While Timur died in 1405 the Europa Universalis start is still in many ways shaped by his actions. It was Timur’s attack on Delhi that crushed the Delhi Sultanate, giving rise to most of the independent states on the subcontinent and his attacks on the Ottoman Empire and the Great Horde among others created the political order we are so used to in this game in their regions.
After Timur’s death his empire was thrown into a violent civil war which was eventually won by his son Shah Rukh. His rule has been marked in many ways by the building of a durable state, patronage of the arts and the rebuilding of infrastructure. Above all however, Shah Rukh has struck down on any rebellions swiftly and with an iron fist, determined to not let his father’s empire crumble.
As our game begins Shah Rukh is an old man, plagued by sickness. He has left the daily rule to his wife Goharshad and the outer provinces to his many sons and grandsons.
One of these grandsons, Muhammad bin Baysonqor, the governor of Ajam, has already made several moves that could be seen as rebellious. Historically Shah Rukh would die two years later while on a campaign to chastise this grandson. Following the death of Shah Rukh the entire empire dissolved into a multi-factional civil war that lasted for decades.
In order to better portray the situation at start, with a number of ambitious princes waiting for Shah Rukh to die, we have broken up the Timurid Empire into its constituent parts. The Timurids under Shah Rukh in Herat are still a playable faction with most of the governors now starting as vassal states. At start the liberty desire of these vassals is held in check by Shah Rukh himself, but when he dies the grace period is over and the princes are very likely to try to conquer the empire for themselves.
The Timurid Empire is now considered Empire rank at start and the stats of Shah Rukh and Ulugh Beg have been improved to be more in line with their real capabilities.
All Timurid princes that rule their own countries can now reclaim Timur's empire and they all start with different National Ideas (we have also adjusted the Timurid National Ideas to make them a viable option once the Empire has been reformed).
New Decisions:
- Claim Timur’s Legacy - Countries ruled by Timurid rulers can form the Timurid Empire, getting permanent claims on all of Timur’s conquests, new national ideas and empire rank.
- Enthrone Timurid Prince - In the early game a powerful independent country in this region can invite a Timurid claimant to rule it, enabling the decision above.
Western Iran - Iraq-e Ajam
Shah Rukh’s Grandson Muhammad Bin Baysonqor was recently made governor of Ajam, one of the more distant parts of the Empire in 1444.
Rumors of sickness has emboldened the Timurid prince and he has extended his rule over a much larger region than the one he was given to govern. Many western Persian cities have begun to send tribute to Muhammad in Qom instead of Shah Rukh in Herat and it seems a matter of time until he is declared a rebel.
To the west the Qara Qoyunlu are studying the situation with interest, they have not hesitated to snatch away Timurid lands in this area before and they will likely strike again if they perceive weakness.
Along the Caspian sea a number of diverse states are practically independent of Timurid influence as the dynasty has its focus on who controls the capitals at Herat and Samarkand.
New Playable Countries:
- Ajam - Independent Timurid Governor
- Muhammad bin Baysonqor rules the core of Western Persia and has control over the Timurid vassal states in the Zagros Mountains. As one of the more distant princes, with little influence, he is the most eager of all Timurid Princes to make a name for himself.
- Mazandaran - Independent Sheikdom (replaces Tabarestan)
- The Shiite Marashis rule the largest region in Mazandaran from their strongholds in Amol and Sari.
- Biapas - Independent Sheikdom
- Sunni Sheikdom ruled by the Eshaqvand dynasty from Rasht.
- Gilan - Independent Sheikdom
- The Shiite Kiyas rules in Lahijan. Historically allied the Safavids of Ardabil against the Eshaqvands and retained their autonomy until the 16th century as Persian Vassals.
Fars and Southern Iraq
As one of the richer areas in the Iranian region Fars has been broken up into many more provinces, with new revolters, as well as new playable countries added to better reflect the waning Timurid authority in this region.
Fars is a Timurid governorate under Shiraz ruled by Shah Rukh’s Grandson Abdallah bin Ibrahim. Abdallah is only 12 years old however and instead a regency under a local nobleman rules Fars.
To the west Baghdad has only just recently fallen to the advancing Qara Qoyunlu while the Millenarian Mushasha sect has asserted its independence in Hoveyzeh. Like the Safavid order in the north the Mushasha offers a new type of leadership for the heterogeneous religious groups in the region.
New Playable Countries:
- Mushasha - Independent Sheikdom
- Shiite Theocratic Monarchy under Muhammad ibn Falah, a self proclaimed representative of Ali and the Mahdi. The Mushasha are in some ways not entirely different from the Savafid order in Ardabil.
- Fars - Timurid Vassal
- Timurid vassal state based in Shiraz. Its ruler is a minor at start but the region is the a cultural and economic center in Iran.
- Luristan - Luri Vassal of Ajam
- Small Lur vassal state ruled by the Korshidi dynasty. Like Ardalan in the north the Korshidis are loyal to the Timurid governor of Ajam.
Khorasan & Transoxiana
Transoxiana and Samarkand, the original Timurid capital, has for a long time been under the control of Shah Rukhs son Ulugh Beg. He is the most experienced, and in many ways best positioned, of all the Timurid princes in 1444.
Shah Rukh himself rules the core of the Empire in Eastern Persia. The cities under his control have been patronized heavily for decades. Herat is the capital of the Timurid dynasty and has grown to be a thriving center of high culture and learning.
In order to better represent this region in 1.23 we have both broken up a number of its provinces and added wasteland for the deserts and mountains between Afghanistan and Baluchistan so that the historical pass in Quetta becomes more strategically important.
Eastern Persia is now also somewhat richer than it once was, to better reflect the thriving centers of the Timurid renaissance.
New Playable Countries:
- Sistan - Vassal of the Timurids
- Timurid vassal state dating back to before Timur’s conquests ruled by the Mihrabanid dynasty in Zaranj.
- Transoxiana - Vassal of the Timurids
- Timurid vassal state ruled by Ulugh Beg in Samarkand, arguably the strongest of the Timurid princes in 1444. Being at the border of Central Asia comes with dangers as well as opportunities however.
- Afghanistan - Vassal of the Timurids
- Vassal state ruled by the Timurid prince Karatshar bin Soyurghatmish from Kabul. Mentioned here despite being an old tag as it is now playable in 1444.
- Khorasan - Vassal of the Timurids
- Timurid governorate under Babur bin Baysunkur based in Astarabad. Mentioned here despite being an old tag as it is now playable in 1444.
New Trade Goods
Over the years it has been our ambition to flesh out and add detail to the Europa Universalis world. In order to further diversify the game setup we have added five new Trade Goods to the game, as well as some more special province modifiers for specific centers of production for some Trade Goods.
- Gems
- Local Bonus: Local Tax Modifier +15%
- Strategic Bonus: Yearly Inflation Reduction +0.05
- This trade good represents all forms of precious stones but also Pearls and some of the more important sources of other valuable stones such as Jade, Cowries and even Amber.
- One of the most famous sources of precious stones in the world in this era was of course the Diamond Mines of Golconda. These fabled mines are now represented by a strong bonus to goods produced in the Golconda province.
- Paper
- Local Bonus: State Maintenance -10%
- Strategic Bonus: Administrative Technology Cost -5%
- Paper is a necessity for all types of advanced accounting, administration and diffusion of knowledge. This is a rare trade good that can be found mainly in Asia and Europe in 1444.
- There are no provinces with local modifiers for paper production at start but some might appear during the game depending on how the game plays out (including but not limited to the existing event for the house of Elzevir).
- Glass
- Local Bonus: Local Production Efficiency +10%
- Strategic Bonus: Diplomatic Technology Cost -5%
- Glassmaking was in many ways still in its infancy in 1444 and at start only a few provinces worldwide produce glass (mostly in Europe, though some exist in Anatolia and India as well). In time glass would become an important trade good however, not only as a luxury product, but also due to the development of optics.
- To show the importance of Venetian Glass the existing Murano Glass industry modifier has been changed to a permanent province modifier that increases the Glass production of the island of Venice.
- Incense
- Local Bonus: Trade Value Modifier +10%
- Strategic Bonus: Tolerance of the True Faith +0.5
- This trade good represents things that burn to create smoke and fragrance such as Frankincense, Agarwood, Sandalwood, Myhrr and other commodities. It can be found mainly in Arabia, East Africa and Asia.
- Livestock
- Local Bonus: Supply Limit Modifier +50%
- Strategic Bonus: Cavalry Cost -10%
- Many provinces do not export the more refined products we cover in the game in any greater quantities. Livestock will take the place of Grain and Wool in many parts of the world. It provides a more fitting trade good for some regions dominated by pastoralists as well as agricultural regions that did not specialize in grain and cereal.
That was all for today from me! Next week’s Diary will be written by @DDRJake
