National Ideas: what do you think to them, which would you change, and why?

[Sleight of Hand]

If you look in \Europa Universalis IV Demo\common\ideas\00_country_ideas.txt you can see each country's unique idea set. I thought we could perhaps discuss these, and in particular which - if any - you feel aren't quite right.

For example, I have seen it mentioned across various threads that the Ottomans ought to have some sort of bonus to internal stability, such as a culture or religion-based revolt risk modifier. Personally I would agree with this; there is an 'Ottoman Tolerance' idea, but does it come soon enough? That particular idea gives +3 tolerance to both heathens and heretics, and so is going to be hugely useful in a multi-religious empire, but there are still going to be a hell of a lot of culture-based rebels, as we can see in the demo. Just a thought, anyway...

Burgundy begins with a 5% bonus to cavalry power, but from what I know of the Burgundian Wars cavalry played a relatively small role; Burgundian armies were mainly composed of men-at-arms, pikes, English longbows and arquebusiers, along with an impressive artillery train. Presumably it would make sense to replace that particular bonus with one to leader_fire - Bohemia is the only other country to get that +1 bonus, which presumably represents the Hussite arquebusiers. I do like Burgundy's emphasis on improved mercenaries, though.

France has some extremely potent bonuses when added together, and I think that Élan should in fact come much later. I'd probably consider moving it to the idea before Liberté, égalité & fraternité, as it strikes me as being something of a Revolutionary idea, and that 33% to land morale is a bit too much for the early game. France would already get 20% more manpower, 10% more vassal income, 10% more tax income and 40% more defensiveness by then!

 

[Cynical Dreamer]

Hello,

Three points :

1/ I generally like the Idea system, although I have just played the demo, which is a poor way to judge how the mechanics will play out over time.

2/ The "fraternité" part of the French motto only came under the Second Empire (1852-1870), not the French Revolution, and often overlooked fact by game developers.

3/ Agreed, élan should come later, but France should probably get a large stability/tax modifier earlier on : the French monarchy was in the 17th and 18th century one of the most centralised and powerful (in the sense that the state had competitively more resources and control over the country than a vast majority of nations at the time) in Europe.

 

[Peter Ebbesen]

For example, I have seen it mentioned across various threads that the Ottomans ought to have some sort of bonus to internal stability, such as a culture or religion-based revolt risk modifier. Personally I would agree with this; there is an 'Ottoman Tolerance' idea, but does it come soon enough? That particular idea gives +3 tolerance to both heathens and heretics, and so is going to be hugely useful in a multi-religious empire, but there are still going to be a hell of a lot of culture-based rebels, as we can see in the demo. Just a thought, anyway...

There is not going to be a hell of a lot of culture-based rebels in the Ottoman Empire under the control of a player, who knows what he is doing - which to be fair is a lot to ask of players after having the demo in their hands for so few days.

Nevertheless,

1. Keep war exhaustion low.
2. Keep stability as high as you think you can afford.
3. Convert provinces as quickly as possible. Be Pious for increased missionary strength if you think it takes too long time. Hire a missionary advisor. Become Defender of the Faith, hold Jerusalem, or hold Rome for more missionaries. Go Religious ideas if that is what it takes. There are LOTS of ways to speed up conversions if that is the route you want to take. Even if you do not want to double down on conversions, at the very least keep what missionaries you have active at all times.
4. Do not take any decisions that add global RR forever or until monarch death unless you are really, really, sure you know what you are doing.
5. With DIP 5+ monarchs, denounce sect practices for -1 RR global until the death of the monarch.
6. With innovative ideas, establish an Ibadat Khana for -1 RR global until end of game.

The Ottoman Empire is probably the easiest country in the game to pacify due to its ease of religious conversion and the Ottoman Idea set. Even if for some bizarre reason you do not want to convert religions, it is still easier than everybody else because of its tolerance idea.

All those culture based rebels you are seeing in the demo? That is because you start in 1520 with 4% war exhaustion and with a lot of provinces that haven't had their religion converted, the way they would have had had the player been in charge since 1444. Merely eliminating the war exhaustion (time, direct investment) and doing nothing else gets rid of most potential rebels.

And that is BEFORE you get the great Ottoman heretic/heathen tolerance idea!

 

[Theevillord]

The Ottoman Empire is probably the easiest country in the game to pacify due to its ease of religious conversion and the Ottoman Idea set. Even if for some bizarre reason you do not want to convert religions, it is still easier than everybody else because of its tolerance idea.

There's nothing bizarre about wanting to sort of reliving the Millet system is there now? As a person interested in the history of the empire i really don't like to see the western part going Sunni.

I agree gameplay wise though, you have a stabile Ottoman empire. I actually find that the Ghazi idea already solves the biggest issue with the orthodox provinces.The Religious Unity buff of 33% really helps alot.

 

[Peter Ebbesen]

There's nothing bizarre about wanting to sort of reliving the Millet system is there now?

In terms of playing the game well, it is very bizarre.

In terms of having fun, it is not bizarre at all, for those who swing that way.

I just found it vastly amusing that the country in the game that is the easiest to run as multi-cultural and multi-religious (even though it is even better in gameplay terms to run it as multi-cultural mono-religious) was named as a hotbed of cultural revolts.