Using the Rival system?

[oddible]

The rival system is a very tricky tool. It gives great advantages but to discourage opportunistic political posturing. Where in prior EUs I'd sit on the fence all game and try to stay friendly with bigger locals, that method in EU IV leaves a vulnerability - I don't get the bonuses of shared rivals.

I'm really curious how people are using the new rival system. For instance, I'm tempted to make my 3 regional powers my rivals even though I have an alliance with one of them and am friendly with another. Really struggling with how to balance this new system. Also, playing Ironman makes it so I can't just try something and reload if it has some unexpected catastrophic effect. For instance, if I declare my ally partner a rival, will they hate me and no longer come to my aid?

 

[Kidneythump]

The rival system is a very tricky tool. It gives great advantages but to discourage opportunistic political posturing. Where in prior EUs I'd sit on the fence all game and try to stay friendly with bigger locals, that method in EU IV leaves a vulnerability - I don't get the bonuses of shared rivals.

I'm really curious how people are using the new rival system. For instance, I'm tempted to make my 3 regional powers my rivals even though I have an alliance with one of them and am friendly with another. Really struggling with how to balance this new system. Also, playing Ironman makes it so I can't just try something and reload if it has some unexpected catastrophic effect. For instance, if I declare my ally partner a rival, will they hate me and no longer come to my aid?

How do you designate a rival? I still havent found the button

 

[cwm33]

So far as Scotland I've declared England as my rival, but haven't used it much other than that, and don't really know what benefits it affords me. I would assume you would more use it as a declaration against a country you really don't mind pissing off?

 

[Cossack8559]

How do you designate a rival? I still havent found the button

Go to your diplomacy screen, you will see 3 rebel shields, click one and set a rival.

 

[cziken]

How do you designate a rival? I still havent found the button

Go to diplomacy, view my country, click on one of the 3 red and black shields next to "Rivals", pick a rival, voila!

EDIT::ninja:

 

[ctr]

So far as Scotland I've declared England as my rival, but haven't used it much other than that, and don't really know what benefits it affords me. I would assume you would more use it as a declaration against a country you really don't mind pissing off?

Setting a rival will decrease relations with the rival as well as increase relation with the rival's rivals. You'll also get more missions relating to your rival, like fabricating claims, declaring wars and so on.

 

[MrLebanon]

So far as Scotland I've declared England as my rival, but haven't used it much other than that, and don't really know what benefits it affords me. I would assume you would more use it as a declaration against a country you really don't mind pissing off?

hover over the rebel shield thing where u can designate your rival. It tells you the benefits - cheaper & more effective espionage against them, cheaper annex/coring costs against them (I think)

Also has the benefit of giving you a huge + in relationships (+50) to those who also view them as a rival. I find myself more often than not declaring rivals with certain powers just to make alliances with others

 

[cwm33]

hover over the rebel shield thing where u can designate your rival. It tells you the benefits - cheaper & more effective espionage against them, cheaper annex/coring costs against them (I think)

Also has the benefit of giving you a huge + in relationships (+50) to those who also view them as a rival. I find myself more often than not declaring rivals with certain powers just to make alliances with others

Sweet! Looks like I have 2 more rival slots to fill with potential victims the next time I play. :ninja:

 

[Felicity]

(As Muscovy) I set Sweden as a rival, since it was expanding pretty aggressively. They had taken much of what I was going to eat of Novgorod, so I was pretty mad. You don't really notice the difference for a while, but it was rather subtle. I made several alliances with Norway and Denmark since they were common enemies to Sweden and we pretty much knocked them down over time.

 

[DDRJake]

How do you designate a rival? I still havent found the button

Right click on your country, then left-click on one of the small red&black shields. Then left-click on one of the nations from the list on the right to make them a rival. This costs 10 DIP points.

EDIT: So slow it hurts.

 

[iShurik]

I think changing rivals should be only possible every 5-10 years or with extra costs if you want to change it faster. Right now it seems, that you can just change your rival to the country you're at war with at the very moment and gain all the bonusses (maybe I'm wrong).

 

[Nobak]

I believe you can also embargo a rival without losing trade efficiency.

 

[Kidneythump]

Go to your diplomacy screen, you will see 3 rebel shields, click one and set a rival.

Ah! well that's not hard at all, thx