Imperator - Development Diary - 18th of March 2019

[Trin Tragula]

Hello and welcome to this weeks development diary for Imperator: Rome!

Today's diary will cover a variety of things, from some changes done to Mercenaries, Forts, Tribes and Tribal Retinues, to the Achievements and Formable countries the game will ship with.

Zones of Control

As described in earlier diaries Imperator will have a fort and Zone of Control system that is familiar to anyone who has played EU4. In short a fort will exert a Zone of Control over all surrounding cities and obstruct movement for enemy troops.
The expansive map of Imperator means that it can at times be a bit of work to take control of cities as you advance into enemy territory. This is especially a problem when the local military victory is already won, the enemy troops expelled, and local fortifications are under your control.
To facilitate the takeover when you have already, de facto, won we have made forts able to automatically start taking control over adjacent cities, even in enemy territory.
This means that once a fort has fallen you can save your armies the work of controlling cities in the fort's Zone of Control. Fort control also works across national borders, meaning border forts will automatically start taking control over any adjacent enemy cities that are not protected by enemy forts or troops.
In addition to all of the above you are now required to control all forts in a province, as well as the province capital, before you can demand that province in a peace negotiation.

Mercenaries

(See also the Diary on Mercenaries)​

While we feel Mercenaries fill an important role in the game it has over time become more and more apparent that it can be a problem that you could Mercenary "Bomb" people by suddenly hiring a lot of troops already close to-, or even right on top of, an ongoing battle or siege.
Newly hired mercenary troops now start at 0 morale and will slowly build up to full morale. This also makes it more important to be able to afford their maintenance for a longer period when you hire them, and not just the immediate power cost.

Tribal Retinues

As described in an earlier diary, the retinues of Tribal Clan Leaders are armies that can be vital to success as an expanding tribe, but their size is dependent on the Clan Leader rather than on you. It could therefore be problematic to have to pay for these armies despite having little control over their recruitment.
Tribal Retinues will now be paid for entirely by the Clan Leader and will not cost the Tribe anything at all to maintain. In return for these free to maintain and reinforce troops (even if loyal to people who may end up overthrowing the state) the tribes will now have to pay an additional 50% maintenance for all troops they recruit themselves, and the wage for each Clan Leader has gone up from 2% of the state income to 5% of the state income.
This should also complicate the choice of how many Clan Leaders you want in your tribe (something that you can steer through one of the Tribal laws).

Achievements and Formable Countries
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As in our other games these can be become intermediate (or even final) goals for a campaign, or just something you pick up along the way.
Formable countries will generally include a few direct in game perks, while achievements are mostly relevant for those who like to show off their accomplishements (and require playing in Ironman mode).

Achievements​

There will be 50 achievements in total, and they will be distributed widely in terms of geographic focus and difficulty. Hopefully there is something here for everyone

Very Easy:
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Cincinnatus: Appoint a dictator as a Republic and have him step down
Do not disturb my circles: Research 40 Inventions
Tribal Concord: Change a law in a Tribal country.
Render to Caesar: Take any land in a war.
A new Home: As any Tribe Migrate to an empty city.
Alea Iacta Est - Have a Dictator holding on to power.
Soldier of Fortune: As a Monarchy send a pretender away to be a mercenary.
Panem et Circenses - Participate in 10 Olympic Games.
International Relations - Befriend two other rulers.
Strategic Reserve - Import or produce all types of Strategic Trade Goods in your capital.

Easy:
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Triumvir: Survive a Civil War.
Legacy of Aristotle - All 4 Researchers have a skill of 11 in each respective skill (Martial, Finesse, Charisma and Zeal).
Envy of the world - Own a city with at least 100 civilization value.
Tribal Assembly: Become a Republic as a Tribe
Hispania Universalis: Form Greater Iberia.
What have the Romans ever Done for us? As Rome own all of Palestine. Have at least 70 civilization in all cities in the Judea area.
Punic Ascendance: Conquer Hispania as Carthage.
Times New Roman - Own Cariala, Italica and the province of Helvetia as Rome
Antipater’s Dream - As Macedonia conquer the regions of Greece and Epirus.
The Besieger - As Phrygia sack Babylon, Alexandria, Lysimachea and Pella.

Medium:
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Over 9000: Have at least 9000 pops.
The Romans are Crazy: Form Gaul.
Carthago Delenda Est: Conquer Carthage and sack it.
New Kingdom: Form Egypt, have Egyptian Succession and conquer Nubia and Syria
City of the World’s Desire: Have 15 Trade Routes in Byzantium (theoretical max currently in a capital).
Pyrrhic Victory: Take Rome as Epirus
Perfidious Albion - Unite Albion (decision) in 50 years.
Imperial Ambition: Adopt the Imperium Government type.
Bois are Back in town: Conquer Boihaemum region as the Boii.
Pan-Hellenic League: Unite Greece as a Greek Republic.
Stonehenge: As a Megalithic country own 20 sources of stone and the city of Cunetio.
Soter: As Ptolemaic Egypt own all wonders of the world through conquest or construction.
To the end of the world: Conquer the regions of Gandhara, Mahdyadesa, Pracya, Maru, and Avanti, as the Seleucid Empire or Bactria.
Three Great Fires: Form Persia and own Ganzak, Nevshapur and Gur.
Holy Fire - Desecrate Holy Sites for 10 different Religions.

Hard:​

No more worlds left to conquer: Reform Alexander’s Empire as a successor state.
Garum Nobile: Produce a Surplus of 10 Fish in one city.
True Vandal : Start as Vandalia, migrate to Africa, conquer it all, and occupy Rome in a War.
Germania Magna: as a Germanic country own all of the regions of Germania, Germania Superior, Vistula, and Boiohaemum.
The Man who Would be King: As Bactria become independent and conquer the Regions of Ariana, Bactria and Gandhara.
Ashoka’s Pillars: As Maurya conquer all of India, convert to Buddhism and have 80% Religious Unity.
Mare Nostrum: Conquer every city adjacent to the Mediterranean as Rome.
Megalopolis: As the country of Megalopolis have 80 pops in the city of Megalopolis.
Pax Aeterna: Conquer the world.
Molon Labe!: As Sparta conquer the city of Persepolis and sack it.

Very Hard:
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Spice Must Flow: Control all Spice production as Mosylon.
Kingdom of David: As a Jewish country unite Palestine, Syria and expand to the Nile, and the Tigris in the regions.
Reverse Alexander: As a non-Mauryan Hindu, Buddhist or Jain power conquer Pataliputra, Babylon, Memphis and Athens.
Heraclea Persica: Starting as Heraclea Pontica form the Achaemenid Empire
Tyrean Purple: Form Phoenicia and have a total of at least 500 ships and a surplus of 5 Dyes in Tyre.

Formable Nations​

As in many games before it Imperator will feature a number of countries that an expanding state can "form". Allowing you to shift the identity of your people. Generally these will confer a number of smaller bonuses, as well as a new color and name (and in many cases a new flag). Some of these we have mentioned earlier, in regional development diaries, but this list will include all formable nations at game release.
While this is an overview of all formable countries it is not a complete go through in that it does not mention every effect or requirement for each formable country. If a country belongs to a certain tier then that country cannot be formed by other countries of the same tier or above.

Tier 1:
Small regional formables, often Tribal Federations.

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1. Achaea: The Achaean League can be formed by expansive Republics in Achaea. Granting claims on the larger area.
2. Arcadia: The Arcadian League can be formed by expansive Republics in Arcadia. Grants claims on the larger area.
3. Cyprus: Can be formed by a small country in control of all of Cyprus.
4. Aquitania: Tribal Federation for uniting the Aquitani countries.
5. Aremorica: Tribal Federation for uniting the Aremorican tribes.
6. Asturia: Tribal Federation for uniting the Asturian tribes.
7. Carpetania: Tribal Federation for uniting the Carpetani tribes.
8. Celtiberia: Tribal Federation for uniting the Celtiberi tribes.
9. Gallaecia: Tribal Federation for uniting the Gallaecian tribes.
10. Lusitiania: Tribal Federation for uniting the Lusitani tribes.
11. Vettonia: Tribal Federation for uniting the Vettonian tribes.

Tier 2
Larger regional formables

1. Assyria: The Neo-Assyrian Empire may be long gone but Assyria has remained an important constituent region of the Median, Persian and Greek empires that came after it. A sufficiently successful local power can reclaim its legacy.
2. Babylon: An even more recent empire, the Neo-Babylonian one, can also be restored by a successful local power willing to relocate to the Mesopotamian riverlands.
3. Cilicia: As one of the richer Anatolian regions, often used as a staging ground for the armies of the successor states, Cilicia can also support its own regional kingdom.
4. Crete: Should one Cretan state come to control all the important cities of the island it can assume a new pan-cretan identity.
5. Dravida: An Indian state that conquers the important cities of the south can form a larger kingdom known as Dravida.
6. Galatia: A Celtic country that finds itself in control of the right parts of central Anatolia can resettle there and assume a new "Galatian" identity.
7. Helvetia: Larger Tribal Federation for uniting the Helveti tribes.
8. Illyria: Should a local country unite the Illyrian region it can create a new pan-illyrian state.
9. Media: A growing Median power (such as for instance Atropatene) can attempt to lay claim to the legacy of the old Median Empire.
10. Numidia: Unifying the tribal states of North West Africa allows you to form the greater state of Numidia.
11. Sicily: While the title "king of Sicily", was assumed by Agathocles of Syracuse at our start, the island was by no mean unified. Should any one power come to conquer all of it, it is possible lay the foundation of a greater Sicilian state.
12. Syria: At our start Syria is completely owned by the Antigonid state of Phrygia,
13. Yamnat: Unifying the countries of southern Arabia allows you to form the greater state of Yamnat.
14. Saxonia: Tribal federation for the Germanic tribes of Saxonian culture.
15. Suebia: Tribal federation for Suebian culture Germanic tribes.
16. Belgia: Tribal Federation for the Belgae tribes.
17. Pretania: Tribal Federation for the tribes of Pretania.
18. Caledonian Confederacy: Tribal federation for the Caledonian tribes.
19. Noricum: Tribal federation for the Noric tribes.
20. Dahae: Tribal Federation for the Dahae tribes.
21. Armenia: Should the Kingdom of Armenia be destroyed (or if you destroy it) you can reclaim their legacy and form a new Armenian Kingdom.
22. Egypt: Should the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt be destroyed, someone else of Egyptian culture and religion can reform that kingdom.
23. Macedon: If Macedon is destroyed there is no shortage of other countries who could reclaim that legacy. Gaining claims on all that the old kingdom once ruled.
24. Phrygia: While Phrygia exists at start as the realm under Antigonus this is a smaller regional formable for someone who controls the core Phrygian region.
    
25. Pontus: The kingdom of Pontus can be formed by a local power that conquers the region if the old Pontus state is destroyed. This decision is also available to anyone with the Mithridatid dynasty in power (at start this rules the small city state of Kios)

Tier 3 Formables
Greater regional empires.

1. Albion: A non-tribal country that has united the entire British isles can form the Empire of Albion.
2. Argead Empire: While the great Diadochi kingdoms have a more realistic shot at this, any Hellenic kingdom can attempt to reform the Argead Empire, laying claim to all lands once ruled by Alexander the great. In order to do so they must conquer major cities all over this fallen empire.
3. Bharatavarsha: An Indian country that conquers the entire subcontinent can lay claim to this prestigious title of an Pan-Indian Empire.
4. Gaul: A Gallic power that unites its entire region may form the greater state of Gaul.
5. Pan-Hellenic League: While the Pan-Hellenic League under Alexander, and later the successors, was a type of organization for the control of the Greek cities by an outside power, the ideal of a league to encompass the free Greek is not dead. An expansive Greek Republic that rises to sufficient power and influence can attempt to form a Pan-Hellenic league of a more true calling.
6. Greater Iberia: A power in Iberia that unites the entire peninsula can form the greater state of Iberia.
7. Persia: While the Persian empire was destroyed under Alexander, the name and tradition will not die as easily. A Persian power that reclaims the empire can assume a greater Pan-Persian imperial tradition once more.
8. Phoenicia: Few Phoenician cities remain free at our start dates, and those that do are beholden to the Antigonids in Phrygia. Should they somehow be able to wrest away the greater Phoenician region from its current owners however they may attempt to form a greater Phoenician state.
9. Magna Graecia: At our start Magna Graecia, Greek southern Italy, is divided into a great number of small, and mostly weak, states. Should one rise above all others they can form the greater state of Magna Graecia, champion of all Italian Greeks.
10. Dacia: Unification country for the Dacian states, requires conquering and colonizing the greater Dacian region.
11. Parthia: While Parthia exists as a Macedonian Seleucid Satrapy at start, a country in the region can destroy this state and form a new Parthian state (more similar to the Arsacid or Parthian empire).

 

[Trin Tragula]

W00t, that is early @Trin Tragula !

Lovely and meaty dev diary. I see the decisions like Reunite Alexander's Empire has not the requirements in the text, like in EU4? How will we know which requirements there is?

You can still see the requirements, for those you hover over the checkbox. We also have highlighting.

 

[Trin Tragula]

Are formable nations culture spesific? Or are they tied to provinces you own?

Generally many of them are dependent on state culture. Something most countries cannot easily change in Imperator.

 

[Trin Tragula]

I'm a little torn on the name, being that it is paying homage to the family of Alexander the Great, which will not be in power, being that they're, yanno, extinct. At the same time, though, I suppose dynamic naming for it might be a little odd, too.

While there aren't any descendants of Alexander alive you could still find Argeads most likely. Paeonia is ruled by a cadet branch of the Argead dynasty and depending on who you ask Pyrrhus and Ptolemy Soter might both fit the bill as well. But I agree it'll be hard to find someone with the Argead family name

 

[Johan]

What will the ZoC system look like though? Certainly you guys wouldn't think of just implementing EU4's mess of fort rules unchanged, right? That system is sloppy and bug prone, and it offers more frustration than interesting gameplay.

Of course not.

Imperators is far more simpler in how it works, so its clearer to the player.

 

[Trin Tragula]

Question, but where is Britannia/Pritannia, since we know from the Dev Clashs that both exist (the former is mentioned, the later is shown)? Or it it some kind of culture specific name for Albion?

It’s there. In category 2

 

[Trin Tragula]

There's an achievement which talks about forming the Achaemenid Empire which would suggest that this is a tag you can form but it seems to be missing from the list. Misleading achievement text, or omission from the list of formables? Is this achievement just to form Persia?

Let’s just say the “form Persia” decision has a different outcome if you do it while being ruled by an Achaemenid