Slower Colonization of North America

[Alyosha]

Since North America is getting attention in the next patch I think it’s time to address the ahistorical speed of colonization that one sees of the continent. Currently Canada, the 13 Colonies (region), Louisiana, and even California are largely locked up by the early 1600s, before any (barring small outposts) were colonized IOTL. This is in contradiction to the slow pace at which the AI finishes the colonization of Mesoamerica and the Inca lands, the driving force of American colonization in the 16th century.

In an effort to allow for a colonial game past 1600 and allow colonizers like the Netherlands (and even France in some games) a chance at the region I propose a -50 settler modifier to the North American Colonial Regions (barring Mexico). This modifier would be labeled “Little Ice Age” and would reflect the colder than usual climate facing early settlers to the region.

Unlike in Victoria II, this would not block settlement of the territories affected. Instead it would significantly slow growth, encouraging colonizers to focus on the Caribbean, the Spanish Main, Mesoamerica, and the rest of South America first. Technology would eventually displace the growth modifier, allowing for more rapid growth as the game’s calendar progresses.

Additionally Colonial Nations would receive an additional bump in their national idea sets, from +20 to +30 settler growth, reflecting that once a CN gets established it would have a slightly easier time than the metropole in dealing with the climate.

Not only would the above give the colonial race a bit more game time to play out, it would also allow the Native states (which are getting much more content) time to survive and interact in a more dynamic way with the European colonizers.

 

[Dobermann92]

Colonisation needs much more serious reforms than this, because I feel it is currently the most boring part of the game.

 

[Alyosha]

Colonisation needs much more serious reforms than this, because I feel it is currently the most boring part of the game.

Im with you that there is a lot left to be desired. The above is a relatively “simple” suggestion to help alleviate one aspect of the problem. The RoI on CNs (or lack thereof) is one that is not addressed by my suggestion.

 

[Entrone]

I don't think this is a good idea. In my experience North American colonisation already progresses much slower, simply because it's less accessible from Europe. So when the problem you described happens, it's more because early colonizers have a stable and fast-paced growth, which is not given in every game, therefore it is not where things go wrong.

Colonialism would need more serious reforms, thats right, but I don't think countries should be forced out of NA. What I usually see is that Portugal & Castile pick Central and Southern America, and they rarely scratch North America before other countries could arrive.
Colonialism is already heavily influenced by the new mission system, and for once now, it is often quite close to reality. What sticks out from it is the unhistorical growth of Spain (and Portugal). The Iberian Empires reached their pinnacle by 1650, then they rarely obtained new colonies. Yet in Eu4, during early game they seriously lack behind their historical achievements, while in late game they are still expanding massively. The problem is not that Spain and Portugal are overexpanded by ~1600, but that they still keep growing faster than other countries which entered their heydays.

There was a proposal about replacing colonists with other envoys (diplomat, merchant, missionary), which I found pretty inspiring: THIS
I wrote a lenghty comment on that idea, and why it would be beneficial, including my arguement above about the unhistorical expansion-curve of the Iberians, which after all also bothers you. I think a general revitalization would rather help colonisation than more strict rules which are goind against the sandbox aspect.

 

[Alyosha]

I don't think this is a good idea. In my experience North American colonisation already progresses much slower, simply because it's less accessible from Europe. So when the problem you described happens, it's more because early colonizers have a stable and fast-paced growth, which is not given in every game, therefore it is not where things go wrong.

Colonialism would need more serious reforms, thats right, but I don't think countries should be forced out of NA. What I usually see is that Portugal & Castile pick Central and Southern America, and they rarely scratch North America before other countries could arrive.
Colonialism is already heavily influenced by the new mission system, and for once now, it is often quite close to reality. What sticks out from it is the unhistorical growth of Spain (and Portugal). The Iberian Empires reached their pinnacle by 1650, then they rarely obtained new colonies. Yet in Eu4, during early game they seriously lack behind their historical achievements, while in late game they are still expanding massively. The problem is not that Spain and Portugal are overexpanded by ~1600, but that they still keep growing faster than other countries which entered their heydays.

There was a proposal about replacing colonists with other envoys (diplomat, merchant, missionary), which I found pretty inspiring: THIS
I wrote a lenghty comment on that idea, and why it would be beneficial, including my arguement above about the unhistorical expansion-curve of the Iberians, which after all also bothers you. I think a general revitalization would rather help colonisation than more strict rules which are goind against the sandbox aspect.

I would love a major overhaul of the colonization system. However, from all we’ve seen from the devs it’s not going to happen. What was billed as the “Iberian Expansion” added mostly useless religious orders, an alternative for colonists (encouraging people to not colonize!), and a widely panned Expel Minorities “feature” that has been totally stripped on any meaning.

My above suggestion is in the hopes that it’s simple enough to implement within the current rules but radical enough to change the behavior of both AI and players. I am a little curious about your experience - I see Canada routinely colonized only a few decades after the Caribbean - much less Louisiana.

Sadly in terms of speed of colonization of the Spanish territories I don’t see a simple solution. The explosion of tags in Mexico, with its profusion of vassals, doesn’t allow for rapid conquest/diplomatic absorption that occurred IOTL. The devs would essentially have to roll back tags and concepts from El Dorado, which they won’t do I’m sure.