Europa Universalis - The Weird World

[Eldan]

So, I was thinking. I want to go back into EUIV after a bit of a break for other games, but I'm also a bit bored by the standard start. I know it a bit too well, perhaps. So, isntead of turning to mods, I was thinking of instead turning to the playground. How about we make our own world? More or less.

The idea is this. People in this thread suggest custom nations and I put them on the map. You don't even need to know the game for this, just have some very general idea of world geography.

Then, once the map looks suitably different, I put my own nation in some place that looks interesting and see if I can write a good AAR.

Interested? Here's what I need: a name and approximate location for your nation. Everything else is a bonus, but an appreciated one. Flag design, size, nation type (republic, monarchy, theocracy, nomad horde, tribe, etc.), culture, name and skills of the monarch, religion, history blurb, anything.

You don't even have to be realistic, though alt-history nations are fun too. Jewish Theocracy in China? Why not. Though I may perhaps encourage people to break up some of the strongest nations (France, Sweden, Spain, England, Austria, PLC, Ming) a bit.

Sound good?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Unified Qarmati Republic in Bahrein/ central Arabia. Basra/Kuweit down to Abu Dhabi, and as far but not including the coastal provinces of the Hejaz. Arab. Shiite. In the mid-900s sacked Mecca and stole the Black Stone from the Kaaba, and in this line never gave it back and was never defeated. Historically they were able to get their armies as far as Egypt, and fight the 'Abbasids and Fatimids on an even bases for an entire century, but then they decided that this young Persian guy was the Mahdi, turns out he was a Zoroastrian and told them all to burn the Qur'an and worship fire, so they had a bit of civil strife and by 1067 their last city was captured.

[Leecros]

This is one i enjoy to do in multiplayer games when i play with my friends.

The Pirate Kingdom. A nation in North Africa that encompasses what would be Morocco and Tunis and all the little minors in between. Their National Ideas involve things like privateering, espionage, and naval stuff with a smattering of other stuff like trade, or revolt risk reduction to balance them out. Their flag is the inverted color of the rebel flag and their government type is an Elective Monarchy. I also tend to use a dark color. typically black, but black doesn't usually turn out too well in screenshots.

The true Lords of the Sea. Pirates have plagued the Mediterranean and Atlantic for generations. Their origins in the old Germanic Norsemen of Scandinavia. Pirates quickly spread to wherever there was wealth. Soon many European captains also became Pirates and it was decided that they needed a strong bastion and a code of rules to follow, or they would end up cannibalizing themselves and be defeated. The primarily Norsemen were well skilled in raiding coastal regions. Thus the Berber tribes of North Africa became the target of their new land. They quickly fell and so the great Pirate Lords organized the first meeting of the Brethren Court. It ended with most of them pretty much murdering each other.

During the Second meeting of the Bretheren Court, the remaining Pirate Lords set down a code of laws for their new realm. They called it The Code of the Order of the Brethren. A law that all pirates should follow(but really is more of a guideline). An act of war can only be declared by the Pirate King, who would parley with shared adversaries. The King could only be elected by popular vote by all nine Pirate Lords. Thus the Pirate Kingdom was born.

Yes, it's loosely based off of Pirates of the Caribbean. The primary reason I tend to put it and suggest putting it in North Africa instead of the Caribbean is because otherwise it won't really have much of an influence. Considering the little flavor I just wrote, I suppose Norse would be the most appropriate religion. Not sure about culture. Pirates don't really care about who you worship and what your habits are.

[russdm]

The Iron Throne

Uses a flag with crossed longswords and a horny Viking helmet

A Theocratic Odin/Thor worshipping Empire that controls Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, with designs on Britain and Russia to add their power

Lead by the Sons of Odin/Thor who rule as divine servants of their god who has charged them with bringing the True Faith to all.

All about Battle, Conquest, and Plunder. Gotta get that Gold. Leaders are all named after Norse God, capital in Norway or Denmark.

Have armies of Axe or Sword wielding guys who do a lot of drinking. (Basically Vikings crossed with Dorfs with a helping of the Horde! that are a Theocracy. All Hail Odin!!!!)

[Eldan]

The Norse sure are popular, huh. Not that I didn't expect it. That said, all of Scandinavia is far too big for a custom nation. But I'll see if I can make a free Norse Norway with decent ideas.

[Sian]

An obvious one would be to establish a Norse Noble Republic (mechanically probably closer than elective monarchy), in Newfoundland and Greenland with a moderate tech penalty (Anatolian level?)

A Polynesian Nation encompassing many of the minor pacific isles, and northernmost New Zealand, say Capital of Nauru and everything they can touch, sans perhaps Papua ... a Tribal Federation and a colonist as part of their traditions, other ideas focusing on naval, exploration and colonizing (and female advisors/generals) and with Chinese tech

[super dark33]

A merchant republic residing in the pomeranian coast, encompassing TEU, POM, MKL and maybe a bit of LIV and RIG, with dip ideas being trade based and mil ideas being quality based. colors: purple, black, red.

Capital in Danzig.

A high american nation in Panama or Cuba or Hispaniola or basically any center of trade.

[Actana]

In China, instead of Ming have the Three Kingdoms era still be in full swing. Wei, Wu and Shu still exist, roughly equal in size and strength. Each of them would likely be monarchies and not the traditional Chinese government that EU4 uses.

Wei (led by the Cao Wei dynasty) would be focused on administrative ideas, advisors and centralization that fuels their army. Wu (lead by the Sun Wu dynasty) would have a martial bent along with a focus on naval ambitions, and Shu (lead by the Shu Han dynasty) would be all about benevolent rule with unrest and separatism reduction and a more defensive military.

[Leecros]

The Norse sure are popular, huh. Not that I didn't expect it. That said, all of Scandinavia is far too big for a custom nation. But I'll see if I can make a free Norse Norway with decent ideas.

I liked Norse before it was cool.
This is a bold faced lie. Norse have been considered cool since before I was born.

Honestly I wasn't planning on mine being Norse, but after reading the little background I wrote and thinking about what religion and culture to make it. It seemed like the more reasonable choice.

[OrcusMcP]

The Great Lakes Union. Beginning as a Federation between Huron, Iroquois and Cree tribes, it grew to become a full union surrounding all of the Holy Lakes of Ontario, Erie and Huron, with designs to settle new tribes along the mighty northern river(the St. Lawrence in our time). However, in their way are a powerful Miqmaq tribe who have settled all around the river's mouth in Stadacona.

It is certain that one of these Great Federations will come to control the Lakes and the trade that comes with them. Perhaps a new power in the lands of Canada will affect the outcome.

(maybe make these High American, give the Great Lakes more trade and diplomacy focused ideas, give the Miqmaq more development/economic/production focused ideas.)

[Leecros]

Unfortunately, we only have nations that don't really break up the Great Powers yet. Here's an idea...although I don't have any fancy backtstory for it.

Macedonia: Greek Culture, Hellenic religion, centered on Greece and using a blue-ish map color. Very military focused Ideas with morale and discipline.

That should break up The Ottoman Empire a little.

[Sian]

Surviving Aquataine, holding southern France

[Eldan]

That's ten so far, if we count the three kingdoms as three. Good number, thought we'd maybe get a dozen, but if this goes on like this, we might as well try for 20. I can add a handful more as well, to split up the big European powers a bit (Aquitaine and Occitan Toulouse are some I've added before in other games, might as well here.)

I got lost on a wiki walk trying to find an Endonym for Polynesia. In that time, it seems, we got another five. I'll see if I can start this tomorrow, then.

[Eldan]

Now I'm thinking what I should play in this scenario. The Mediterranean looks quite interesting like this, with a lot of new nations around it. I might try for Northern Italy, maybe, Milan or Savoy, into Piemont, into Italy, if all goes well. Or make another custom nation.

[Eldan]

I've started to implement the suggested nations, here's the first one Qaramita.

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An interesting nation. An extremely warlike ambrosian republic, which is not a thing I think I've seen before.

[Eldan]

And Piratia.

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[IMG]s12.postimg.org/k8osjvnb0/eu4_3.jpg[/IMG]

I've changed this one a bit from the proposal, they are purely coastal now, with a lot of islands all around. Note Djerba, the Azores and Malta. Electic monarchy with a pirate queen. Also, Moroccan Norse, not words you hear together often.

[Rockphed]

Your images are broken.

I suggest a nomadic hoard based in south Africa.

Or Navarre. Navarre works too.

[Eldan]

And the Ironborn. Sadly, I wouldn't know how to mod a theocracy to be heritable.

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[Eldan]

Your images are broken.

I suggest a nomadic hoard based in south Africa.

Or Navarre. Navarre works too.

Ah, shame. In that case, I'll explain the new nations as they come along. Very quickly, I've added a few which were not previously explained: the Celtic Federation, under official leadership of Gwynned, encompases Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. Toulouse (named Languedoc on the map, for reasons), has control over most of southern France. Polynesia was sadly not possible, since the game won't let you have provinces that far apart, but I've added a few smaller Polynesian nations. To weaken the Commonwealth, I've included the Blue Horde, a mongol horde which controls more or less the Southern half of Lithuania.

I'll see about starting the game properly tomorrow. I'll play as the nominal, but not actual, Kingdom of Italy. Goals at the moment: become Emperor of the HRE, keep Italy in the Empire by conquering those uppity city states like Florence and Mantua who resist.

[Leecros]

And Piratia.

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[IMG]s12.postimg.org/k8osjvnb0/eu4_3.jpg[/IMG]

I've changed this one a bit from the proposal, they are purely coastal now, with a lot of islands all around. Note Djerba, the Azores and Malta. Electic monarchy with a pirate queen. Also, Moroccan Norse, not words you hear together often.

That's reasonable. I think typically when I play multiplayer with my friends we use a 400 point limit, because the people i play with are incredibly needy don't believe that 200 is enough. So when I make it, I have a bit more wiggle room to take more territory. Taking the Azores, Maderia, and The Canarias from Portugal and Castile means that the colonial game might be interesting.

[Sian]

Polynesia was sadly not possible, since the game won't let you have provinces that far apart, but I've added a few smaller Polynesian nations.

Not all the provinces, from what i can tell from testing in my own game, basing it out of Nauru means that you can catch most of them outside of Hawaii and Solomon Islands eastwards

[Eldan]

After a quick test game, I won't be playing as Italy. Forming a big pre-Italian nation, even of just 200 points, made the game very easy. By 1470, I had conquered all of Italy except Naples, freed Naples from Aragon, and become Emperor. And earned about 15 ducats a month with an army of 60000. Largest European power by far.

Any other suggestions about where I could go?

[Mabn]

carve out something in Timurid territory?

And If you are still accepting custom nations, I would like a nomadic catholic nation around where the Teutonic and Livonan orders are, preferably a member of the HRE with defensive and stability oriented ideas

[Leecros]

After a quick test game, I won't be playing as Italy. Forming a big pre-Italian nation, even of just 200 points, made the game very easy. By 1470, I had conquered all of Italy except Naples, freed Naples from Aragon, and become Emperor. And earned about 15 ducats a month with an army of 60000. Largest European power by far.

Any other suggestions about where I could go?

Depending on your skill level...With many of the major powers of the game fractured. You may find most of the places you start to be fairly easy.

[Mabn]

Depending on your skill level...With many of the major powers of the game fractured. You may find most of the places you start to be fairly easy.

Or start with a custom Italian power but make said nation a tribal council with the appropriate tech level. Even with 400 points I'm pretty sure it would be challenging.

[Eldan]

Or start with a custom Italian power but make said nation a tribal council with the appropriate tech level. Even with 400 points I'm pretty sure it would be challenging.

Now that sounds fascinating. Saves a ton of points, too. I'll call them Visigoths. Their national idea is "Time travelled 1000 years into the future".

[Leecros]

But didn't the Visigoths end up in Spain?

/shrug

I guess they didn't have time travel either....

[Cikomyr]

The Atlantean Remnants.

Some equivalent of a Noble Republic from EU3. Located across various islands of the Atlantic, including the Bahamas and the Azores.

Obviously decentralized, but high tech. Its purpose is to limit the easy colonisation power of European nations into the Americas.

[russdm]

I feel like adding this in mainly for the humor:

The Klingon Empire

Several ships of the Klingon Defense Force went back in time and accidently crashed somewhere on the planet. They are eager to bring the teachings of Kahless to these un-enlightened natives. Due to the usual Klingon style, they end up spending most of their time fighting each other rather than crushing anything.

Or maybe go for:

Vampire Lords

Basically a horde of Vampires and their servants. Not sure how to implement at all.

[Leecros]

Vampire Lords

Basically a horde of Vampires and their servants. Not sure how to implement at all.

Well, he could always expand upon Vlad III's Wallachia. Perhaps name it The Draculean Empire or something and take provinces from Hungary and Serbia