It's Time For Belgium

[Pbhuh]

For eons people in the community have requested Belgium. But many years into the game, Belgium is still missing. It's become a joke rather, people ask for belgium, people get made fun of, cause Belgium isnt real or some other discriminatory statements. We are seeing minor states like Vermont being added, which is great. So I just ask. Let's add Belgium too. It makes perfect sense now that the Industrialization institution is being added as Belgium was the first continental european country to adopt trains.

Belgium first arose as a name from the Belgica tribe and region in the Roman Empire. Later on in Latin this name would be retained to refer to some or all of the lowlands together with Frisia. And the name would be incorporated into the Dutch Republic as Belgica Foederata.

But things changed. The Southern Netherlands started to differentiate from the north and would no longer be considered the same as the Northern Netherlands. And they fittingly choose Belgium as their name, which can be seen in the first occurance of a Belgian state.

People like to say, Belgium didnt exist in EU4 timeframe. And you would be wrong. Because there was a state that existed that was named Belgium.

Cue in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Belgian_States

The United Belgian States. A somewhat Enlightenment/Revolutionary era state that rebelled against the Austrian Netherlands. It formed in 1790 and lasted for a year, but it created the beginning of what would become the identity of Belgium.

As many know, the Austrians wouldnt hold onto the Southern Netherlands for long after as in 1795 they were captured by the French Republic.

Fastfoward to 1815 and in the Congress of Vienna, the Netherlands became a Kingdom under the House of Orange-Nassau and was granted the Southern Netherlands. However, many opposed the new authoritarian regime that King William set up and this would lead to attempts to introduce a constitution and others concessions from the Monarchy. However, this came too late as the Southern Netherlands rose up against the Northern Netherlands in 1830 and would be recognized as such in 1839.

So now the question is, how should it be represented ingame?

First off the Flag. There are only two options here and the colour of the country can be either Red or Yellow.



There are a variety of options here, but perhaps it should become a revolter tag that can revolt after 1700's. And of course Belgium would exist in the 1790 date.

I think the revolter tag should be the default way of seeing the tag,

But what if?

What if we made Belgium a Formable?

There are a lot of arguments against making Belgium a formable. Because the Dutch-Speaking areas should be incentivized to form the Netherlands. However, and I think this is what would make a lot of sense.

If the Netherlands forms and Flanders, Brabant, Hainaut are still existing. There should be a chance of them not to join the Republic and when they don't, they should have the ability to form Belgium instead. So the Belgium Formable should only be available if the Netherlands exists. Other options could be to simply allow it always, its a flavour thing. If people wanna form it, why should we not allow the formation?

Belgian Ideas

Belgian ideas should be focussed on cultural union of Walloon and Flemish, humanism and a constitution, the defense of their lands, (by inundating their polders and the ardennes) and most importantly, Production and Industrialization.

These are my suggestions:

Traditions:
-1 National Unrest
+10% Production Efficiency

Belgian Constitution:
-10% Stability Cost Modifier

Industrial Innovation:
+10% Institution Spread

Land of Two Languages:
-25% Promote Culture Cost
+1 Promoted Culture

Barriers for Enemeis:
+1 Attrition for Enemies

Guaranteed Neutrality:
+1 Diplomatic Reputation
+1 Diplomatic Relations

Technological Innovation:
-10% Technology Cost

Ardennes Coal:
+10% Goods Produced Modifier

Ambition:

-10% Construction Cost
+5% Production Efficiency

 

[theGoldenFleas]

I came to think recently that there would be another way for Belgium to be integrated in the game.

We know that in 1.30 a country could see its name changed while keeping the same tag, thus I think having one of the Low Countries tags being renamed in "Belgium" if a certain event happens (e.g. when the Netherlands emerge during the Dutch Revolt) could be an option to solve the 'Belgium absence' issue without needing a new tag.

If this option was to be considered, I personally think Brabant would be the most appropriate to emulate Belgium for several reasons :

1. As shown above, most of Brabantine provinces were under the control of Albert VII and Isabella Clara Eugenia for the majority of their reign.
   

   

2. It was the epicenter of both Brabant and Belgian Revolutions.
3. Brussels was each time the capital city under Albert VII and Isabella Clara Eugenia, the United Belgian States and the modern kingdom of Belgium.
4. Its coat of arms is the same as the modern one of Belgium.
5. Since Brabant isn't a primary nation, if its primary culture is changed according to the dominant culture group in 'Belgium''s provinces then internal strife with a cultural minority could emerge, whatever its primary culture. In other terms, if 'Belgium' has a primary culture in the French (resp. Germanic) culture group then the Flemish (resp. Walloon) minority could revolt under Flanders (resp. Hainaut) ; this could represent somehow the community tensions that punctuated Belgian History...

However, as mentioned earlier for Burgundy, if Brabant (or whatever tag is chosen) already exists then this would make much less sense. This is the reason why, in my own opinion, the best solution would still be the adding of a proper "Belgium" tag.

 

[4Help]

I think you can change the idea with Attrition with colonisation like "determination of Leopold II" increase settler by 10 or a unique idea who lower the maintenance of a Colonie (historically Leopold II asked the government who doesn't want it but he convinced them to finance his colony and the belgian Congo is in the beginning a private possession of the king).