- Dec 14, 1999
- 19.087
- 73.666
Welcome to the 20th development diary on Europa Universalis IV. Today we offer you a great tale of two cities - a magnificent saga of trade in the Mediterranean and a rivalry to dominate that trade. We bring you Venice and Genoa, trading capitals of Italy.
Both start as merchant republics, a government form that increases their trade power by 10%, their trade efficiency by 5% and gives them an extra merchant. Both of these republics are formidable trade powers, but in your hands, who knows where their destiny lies? Among other things that Venice and Genoa have in common, both of these states have the decision to Confirm Thalassocracy (a fancy word for “Ships are awesome and will be our backbone), which gives a dramatic boost to their navy and trade power once they get a colonial empire going.
Venice
Situated on the Adriatic Sea, Venice always traded with the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim world extensively. But in history, Venice's long decline started in the 15th century. When Christopher Columbus discovered the New World and Portugal found a sea route to India, Venice's land route monopoly through the Silk Road and focus on Eastern Mediterranean ports became pointless, striking at the very foundation of Venice's great wealth.
Portugal was followed by France, England and Holland and Venice's oared galleys were at a disadvantage when it came to traversing the great oceans. Without a sizeable fleet of seaworthy vessels, Venice was left behind in the race for colonies.
So the question is, will you be able to do better and change history to hinder the slow decline and keep Venice as the great trading nation?
The fact is that Venice does start in 1444 with an enviable strategic position. It has extensive dominions both along the Adriatic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, with a port in Crete serving as a great base for its navy. At this point, only the Ottoman fleet can really challenge Venice in this area, which is doubly important since Venice itself is an island – so long as its galleys control the Adriatic, it is almost impossible for a rival army to cross and lay siege to the great city.
Venice’s naval power and domination of the Adriatic Sea means it also dominates the trade node in this area, one of the richest in the early game, a legacy of centuries of investment in diplomacy and warships to keep control of that rich Eastern trade.
Venetian Events
Venice was one of those major countries that had very few historical events in Europa Universalis II, the last Europa Universalis game to really dedicate time on events. They did inherit Cyprus and experienced worsened relations with The Ottoman Empire, but not much else. In Europa Universalis IV, however, we’ve given them a fair amount of interesting historical events, which will deeply enrich the experience of playing them! These events include how to handle the Inquisition in Venice, and, of course, the origins of the word Ghetto.
Venetian National Ideas
Venice starts with +10% trade power in foreign trade nodes, and +10% to their trade efficiency.
Genoa
Genoa has been nicknamed la Superba due to its glorious past and being the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Dark times did reign where The Black Death struck hard on both Genoa and it also lost Sardinia to Aragon, Corsica to internal revolt and its Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Asia Minor colonies to the Ottoman Empire.
However Genoa rose from the shadows and was able to stabilize its position as it moved into the sixteenth century, eventually taking cover as a satellite of the Spanish Empire. Under the resulting economic recovery, many aristocratic Genoese families amassed tremendous fortunes. The practices Genoa developed in the Mediterranean were crucial in the exploration and exploitation of the New World. Christopher Columbus, who was a native of Genoa, donated one-tenth of his income from the discovery of the Americas for Spain to the Bank of Saint George in Genoa.
Will you be able to make your empire rise from the dark past or will you struggle in the race for the fortunes of the New World?
The Genoese strategic position is not as great to start as that of Venice. First, its overseas territories on the Black Sea will mean fighting the inevitable defensive war far from home, beyond the bottleneck of the Dardanelles. Second, it is more vulnerable to a Milanese attack than Venice, behind its sea walls, and faces a strong France not too far away. But it has a very strong navy, easy dominance over its local trade node compared to the tiny city states of Italy to its East and there are enough strong and mid-power states not too far away to make alliances useful.
Genoese Events
Genoa had only one historical event in Europa Universalis II, and while they are not on the level of Venice now, they have been given about a dozen events, including a small but interesting chain on Andrea Doria, the great admiral and re-founder of the Genoese republic. Does the republic need this great son, or is it too risky to bring this ambitious and talented soldier into the bosom of the state?
Genoese National Ideas
Genoa starts with +10% to their trade efficiency, and a -0.5% reduction on interest payments on loans. With a base of 4% on loans, this is a rather powerful tradition to have.
Bonus Feature: Annexation & Integration
Annexation – that most powerful of diplomatic tools. We have changed how annexation and integration works in Europa Universalis IV. So say good bye to that thrilling gameplay mechanic of sending a diplomat to a vassal, asking for annexation, hoping they answer yes, and then, if they don’t, repeating this amazingly fun experience until they have answered yes (all the while sending enough money to keep diplomatic relations high enough). Yeah, I know you will miss it as much as I will.
Clearly, this repeated action was annoying and could be simplified since all you’re really doing is sending envoy after envoy until the annexation works. So, to reflect that action but with fewer steps, to annex a vassal (or integrate member of a personal union), you need to send a diplomat on that mission to that country. This is one of those diplomatic actions that your envoy will keep doing until the job is done or he is recalled. Progress towards annexation will slowly tick up, based on factors such as the stability of target, how long they have been a vassal, your diplomatic reputation (formerly known as diplomatic skill), the size of target and other minor factors. Annexing a small vassal can take between 5 and 20 years depending on who is annexing whom.
To get a bit of flavor to go with this dev diary on how it is to actually play as Venice;
I recommend that you read this lovely article from the Paradox Interactive Convention:
Europa Universalis IV: The betrayal of Venice at Destructoid
A tale of greed, rebellion, and lost glory
“Being a gentleman (the worst trait for an EU player), I said I'd be happy to team up with someone and share responsibility for whatever mess we found ourselves in. So I had joint command of wealthy Venice with Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Adam Smith. Our plan was a simple one: drown in gold. That we actually ended up drowning in blood and rebellions just goes to show that no plan survives the first five minutes in EUIV, especially when other human players are thrown into the mix. “
http://www.destructoid.com/europa-universalis-iv-the-betrayal-of-venice-244854.phtml
And here is a new interview with Thomas "Besuchov" Johansson, project lead at Europa Universalis IV, enjoy!
[video=youtube;wFV-4VArLVg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFV-4VArLVg[/video]
Both start as merchant republics, a government form that increases their trade power by 10%, their trade efficiency by 5% and gives them an extra merchant. Both of these republics are formidable trade powers, but in your hands, who knows where their destiny lies? Among other things that Venice and Genoa have in common, both of these states have the decision to Confirm Thalassocracy (a fancy word for “Ships are awesome and will be our backbone), which gives a dramatic boost to their navy and trade power once they get a colonial empire going.
Situated on the Adriatic Sea, Venice always traded with the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim world extensively. But in history, Venice's long decline started in the 15th century. When Christopher Columbus discovered the New World and Portugal found a sea route to India, Venice's land route monopoly through the Silk Road and focus on Eastern Mediterranean ports became pointless, striking at the very foundation of Venice's great wealth.
Portugal was followed by France, England and Holland and Venice's oared galleys were at a disadvantage when it came to traversing the great oceans. Without a sizeable fleet of seaworthy vessels, Venice was left behind in the race for colonies.
So the question is, will you be able to do better and change history to hinder the slow decline and keep Venice as the great trading nation?
The fact is that Venice does start in 1444 with an enviable strategic position. It has extensive dominions both along the Adriatic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, with a port in Crete serving as a great base for its navy. At this point, only the Ottoman fleet can really challenge Venice in this area, which is doubly important since Venice itself is an island – so long as its galleys control the Adriatic, it is almost impossible for a rival army to cross and lay siege to the great city.
Venice’s naval power and domination of the Adriatic Sea means it also dominates the trade node in this area, one of the richest in the early game, a legacy of centuries of investment in diplomacy and warships to keep control of that rich Eastern trade.
Venetian Events
Venice was one of those major countries that had very few historical events in Europa Universalis II, the last Europa Universalis game to really dedicate time on events. They did inherit Cyprus and experienced worsened relations with The Ottoman Empire, but not much else. In Europa Universalis IV, however, we’ve given them a fair amount of interesting historical events, which will deeply enrich the experience of playing them! These events include how to handle the Inquisition in Venice, and, of course, the origins of the word Ghetto.
Venetian National Ideas
Venice starts with +10% trade power in foreign trade nodes, and +10% to their trade efficiency.
- Venetian Arsenal: -33% cost for Galleys
In the Mediterranean, galleys and galleasses will be the masters of the sea for quite a while. Historically, the Venetian need for a strong naval presence meant the creation of one of the greatest oar based navies the world has seen.
- Printing Industry: +1 extra diplomat
For much of the 15th century, the Venetian culture of openness and the quality of its paper made it a hub for scholars and writers that wanted to see their works published.
- Stato Da Mar: +10% Trade Income
The Stato da Mar was the Venetian name for all of her possessions beyond the Italian homeland. These were administered as a single unit within the Venetian bureaucracy, making management of their potential much more efficient - State Inquisition: +30% Spy Defense
Not connected to the religious Inquisitions that were common in this period, the three State Inquisitors of Venice had power almost equal to that of the Council of Ten that ruled the city state, at least in regards to investigating threats against the city and charges of treason.
- Conscription: -33% Naval Maintenance
Venice did not use slaves on its galleys, preferring to go to its Dalmatian provinces and draw peasants and villagers by lot to serve in the navy. And every merchant ship – by law – had to carry a significant store of arms to help preserve Venetian dominance.
- Defend the law: -10% Stability Cost
In the early 17th century, Venice confronted the Vatican over the issue of whether clergy were subservient to secular law, even in the matter of quite petty crimes. Despite a Papal Interdict and the threat of French or Spanish intervention, Venice held to its principles and won the dispute.
- Provveditori ai beni Inculti: -25 land and naval attrition
Roughly translated, “the supervisors for making untilled land better”, these officials helped expand the agricultural base of Venice and her nearby possessions, reclaiming fertile land in the service of the state.
Genoa has been nicknamed la Superba due to its glorious past and being the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Dark times did reign where The Black Death struck hard on both Genoa and it also lost Sardinia to Aragon, Corsica to internal revolt and its Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Asia Minor colonies to the Ottoman Empire.
However Genoa rose from the shadows and was able to stabilize its position as it moved into the sixteenth century, eventually taking cover as a satellite of the Spanish Empire. Under the resulting economic recovery, many aristocratic Genoese families amassed tremendous fortunes. The practices Genoa developed in the Mediterranean were crucial in the exploration and exploitation of the New World. Christopher Columbus, who was a native of Genoa, donated one-tenth of his income from the discovery of the Americas for Spain to the Bank of Saint George in Genoa.
Will you be able to make your empire rise from the dark past or will you struggle in the race for the fortunes of the New World?
The Genoese strategic position is not as great to start as that of Venice. First, its overseas territories on the Black Sea will mean fighting the inevitable defensive war far from home, beyond the bottleneck of the Dardanelles. Second, it is more vulnerable to a Milanese attack than Venice, behind its sea walls, and faces a strong France not too far away. But it has a very strong navy, easy dominance over its local trade node compared to the tiny city states of Italy to its East and there are enough strong and mid-power states not too far away to make alliances useful.
Genoese Events
Genoa had only one historical event in Europa Universalis II, and while they are not on the level of Venice now, they have been given about a dozen events, including a small but interesting chain on Andrea Doria, the great admiral and re-founder of the Genoese republic. Does the republic need this great son, or is it too risky to bring this ambitious and talented soldier into the bosom of the state?
Genoese National Ideas
Genoa starts with +10% to their trade efficiency, and a -0.5% reduction on interest payments on loans. With a base of 4% on loans, this is a rather powerful tradition to have.
- Reunited Genoa: -10% Stability Cost
Genoa is still recovering from the collapse of its Eastern outposts. The Republic has to regroup and refocus on its regional power for now. - Lessons of Chiogga: +0.5 Naval Morale
Once the greatest naval power in the Mediterranean, Genoa’s crushing defeat at the hands of Venice at Chioggia in 1380 humiliated and crippled Genoese influence east of Naples. But a smart admiral takes cues from the past to improve the future.
- Genoese Trade: +10% trade power in foreign trade nodes
Centuries of trading experience made Genoa an economic power even as her political star continued to fade through the centuries. - The Genoese Arsenal: -33% Galley Cost
Like Venice, Genoa is a galley fleet to begin with. Use these ships to maintain your power as long as you can. - Overhauled Bureaucracy: +10% Tax Modifier.
On the restoration of Genoan indepdence, Andrea Doria reconstituted the Genoan Republic in 1528, reducing the chances for factional rivalry and strengthening the hand of the aristocrats by dividing power among “clans”. This greatly strengthened the state.
- Office of the Grand Admiral: +33% Naval Force Limit
The highest military office in a maritime republic, the Grand Admiral can call on the resources of the state to support his grand ambitions. - Standardization of Designs: 10% faster ship construction.
Shipbuilding became much more efficient as the centuries wore on, and standardization of measurements and materials made it possible for a small state like Genoa to keep its fleet afloat.
Bonus Feature: Annexation & Integration
Annexation – that most powerful of diplomatic tools. We have changed how annexation and integration works in Europa Universalis IV. So say good bye to that thrilling gameplay mechanic of sending a diplomat to a vassal, asking for annexation, hoping they answer yes, and then, if they don’t, repeating this amazingly fun experience until they have answered yes (all the while sending enough money to keep diplomatic relations high enough). Yeah, I know you will miss it as much as I will.
Clearly, this repeated action was annoying and could be simplified since all you’re really doing is sending envoy after envoy until the annexation works. So, to reflect that action but with fewer steps, to annex a vassal (or integrate member of a personal union), you need to send a diplomat on that mission to that country. This is one of those diplomatic actions that your envoy will keep doing until the job is done or he is recalled. Progress towards annexation will slowly tick up, based on factors such as the stability of target, how long they have been a vassal, your diplomatic reputation (formerly known as diplomatic skill), the size of target and other minor factors. Annexing a small vassal can take between 5 and 20 years depending on who is annexing whom.
To get a bit of flavor to go with this dev diary on how it is to actually play as Venice;
I recommend that you read this lovely article from the Paradox Interactive Convention:
Europa Universalis IV: The betrayal of Venice at Destructoid
A tale of greed, rebellion, and lost glory
“Being a gentleman (the worst trait for an EU player), I said I'd be happy to team up with someone and share responsibility for whatever mess we found ourselves in. So I had joint command of wealthy Venice with Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Adam Smith. Our plan was a simple one: drown in gold. That we actually ended up drowning in blood and rebellions just goes to show that no plan survives the first five minutes in EUIV, especially when other human players are thrown into the mix. “
http://www.destructoid.com/europa-universalis-iv-the-betrayal-of-venice-244854.phtml
And here is a new interview with Thomas "Besuchov" Johansson, project lead at Europa Universalis IV, enjoy!
[video=youtube;wFV-4VArLVg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFV-4VArLVg[/video]
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator:
