14 DAY TRIAL // The team at the Paradox Development Studios is delivering some more information on the newly announced Art of War expansion for Europa Universalis IV, with a focus on how the naval mechanics of the grand strategy title were revamped and on a new local autonomy concept.
The company says that fleets can now be upgraded with just one button push to a new version of the same type as long as the player has the required resources, with all vessels coming at their regular cost with their strength at 0 percent for a limited time.
Paradox states, “This is best used as a peacetime action in a province that is dedicated to building ships (to keep the cost down.) This is not a strictly historical idea, of course; it’s easier to give an infantryman new weapons than it is to refit a warship. But we want to ease some of the micromanagement of navies that we thought took away from the more enjoyable parts of the game.”
In order to make it easier for players to be effective when it comes to naval actions, the company also introduced the option to mothball an entire fleet while it is in port.
This means that they lose 5 percent of strength each month, to a minimum of 25%, with the overall cost set at 0 but with the downside of having to wait for the ships to be repaired once they are being prepared for action once more.
Europa Universalis IV – Art of War will also offer each province a new variable called local autonomy, which positively affects the population’s happiness as it increases, but eliminates some of the revenue that the central government gets.
Paradox states, “Local Autonomy will have an effect on your trade power, tax income, production, manpower, missionary work and recruitment/shipbuilding times. It is something that you will need to pay attention to from time to time, especially in those provinces that are the centers of your wealth and manpower.”
Gamers can directly influence the local autonomy, and wars and peace have an effect on how the value evolves.
The conquest of a non-core province will add 50 percent autonomy to it, and having a claim reduces the impact to 40 percent.
All overseas provinces have at least 50 percent autonomy, but their other penalties have been eliminated and the same is applied to the Ming in Asia, while all hordes cannot reduce the value under 25%.
