At their annual convention, Paradox Interactive have announced new expansions for their current grand strategy titles. There’s a little bit of everything for fans of these games.
It’s been clear from developer diaries for the past few weeks that new content has been in development for Hearts of Iron IV, Europa Universalis IV, Crusader Kings II and Stellaris for some time. While we haven’t gotten release dates for most of the new content, we’ve gotten some annoucement trailers and teases of what to expect.
Direct Link
If conquering pagans or resisting crusaders is your cup of tea, Crusader Kings II: Holy Fury will add more content to the venerable medieval dynasty simulator. Aside from promising customized reformed paganism, here are a few features from the announcement you can expect:
- Warrior Lodges: Join a Pagan warrior lodge and raid your way up the ranks, unlocking access to powerful allies and greater military skill.
- Sway or Antagonize Your Neighbors: Try to win a reluctant vassal through charm and persuasion, or provoke someone you want to push into conflict.
- Sainthood: Pious Catholics can become canonized, passing on their glory to their descendants and making their resting place a site of great value.
- Coronations: Feudal kings and emperors must find clergy to crown them, since all power descends from the heavens.
- New Crusade Events: Deeper gameplay for the religious wars of the era.
- New Succession Laws: A Pagan Elder Council may have the final word in how a realm is divided among heirs, or a ruler may challenge his brother to combat to unify a realm.
- And much more: Changes to religion, custom names for people or objects, deeper baptismal mechanics, lists of people you’ve killed, and other small changes for flavor and variety.
That’s all nice and dandy but I’m looking forward to some of the announced features of the free patch equally as much. Crusades will be getting a thorough overhaul and there’ll be plenty of map changes to enjoy as well.
Direct Link
As for the sprawling Europa Universalis IV, it’ll be getting an expansion that’s focused on the Indian subcontinent, internal mechanics and diplomacy. Here are some of the key features of Europa Universalis IV: Dharma that were covered in their press release:
- Design Your Government: Unlock reforms that will define how you govern your kingdom or republic, earning free policies and boosting the power of some estates.
- Trade Company Investments: Upgrade and improve the provinces tied to your trade companies, conferring bonuses both to the European master and neighboring Indian nations.
- New Indian Mission Trees: Unique mission paths for the most important Indian sultanates and kingdoms.
- New Mughal Culture Bonus: The Mughal Empire can assimilate and accommodate newly conquered cultures with ease.
- Charter Companies: Europeans can buy a foothold into trade charter zones in Africa and Asia, if they can find a prince that trusts them.
- And more, including: new ways to suppress rebellion, the monsoon season, new uses for colonists in non-colonial development, scornful insults, multiplayer teams, new art, and a host of new achievements.
There will also be a free patch that will be coming out alongside the paid content and, most noticeably, it’ll have quite a few map changes. Expect reworked and new provinces as well as new nations. New estates reflecting the caste system in India will also be featured.
Direct Link
Lastly, Hearts of Iron IV: Man the Guns will be giving the World War 2 game an increased focus on naval warfare. Players will be able to customize ships in a more modular fashion, adding armor or heavier guns as well as refit older vessels. Democratic nations, the USA in particular, will also be getting what sound like new national focuses that include alternate history branches.
There aren’t more details on what the expansion or the customary patch will include other than that in the press release but I expect we’ll learn more in the coming weeks as developer diaries are written up.
It's a good time to be a grand strategy fan and I can't wait to see how each of these expansions shape up. No release dates have been set for these three expansions yet but I wouldn’t expect it to be too long before more details emerge. You can preorder Dharma, Holy Fury and Man the Guns right away if you like. Though, as always, we recommend you hold off on buying things until they’re actually released.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGTifuEu6hw
https://store.steampowered.com/app/859580/Imperator_Rome/
Last edited by Sn3ipen on 19 May 2018 at 5:59 pm UTC
Quoting: Sn3ipenImperator: Rome, their newly announced grand strategy is also confirmed for Linux.I think "confirmed" might be overstating it a little. It wouldn't be the first time an icon on a store page on Steam was inaccurate ;)
We got press materials from their PR firm and have reached out to Paradox to make sure their other announced games will be on Linux. When we hear back from them, if they confirm it, then you can expect an article stating as much.
Last edited by BTRE on 19 May 2018 at 6:20 pm UTC
Quoting: BTREQuoting: Sn3ipenImperator: Rome, their newly announced grand strategy is also confirmed for Linux.I think "confirmed" might be overstating it a little. It wouldn't be the first time an icon on a store page on Steam was inaccurate ;)
We got press materials from their PR firm and have reached out to Paradox to make sure their other announced games will be on Linux. When we hear back from them, if they confirm it, then you can expect an article stating as much.
Not from steam but it can still ofc be an error.
https://www.paradoxplaza.com/imperator-rome/IMIM01GSK0000001-MASTER.html
OS Compatibility
Supports linux I'd be quite confident especially since it looks like it's running on the same engine as the other paradox titles, even though they have been slightly disappointed with the GNU+HURD sales.
officernice May 20, 2018
Segata Sanshiro May 21, 2018
Their great games are now getting some awful reviews for this reason alone and the daunting amounts of DLC are probably putting off new players far more than the steep learning curve has in the past. If I were a new player and was considering CK2 but saw 29 pieces of DLC, I would ignore the game completely since it gives the impression that you need to pay $300 to get the full experience. I know this isn't actually the case, but try telling that to someone who is seeing the game for the first time.
I really hope they release a new iteration of my favorite game in their roster and that it meets the quality of CK2 and EU4. Stellaris really showed they can still develop fantastic games, I can't comment much on HOI since I never liked the series. I think that would restore a lot of good faith with the community.
Anyway, the EU4 DLC looks like it adds a lot.
Imperator Rome takes place in a really interesting period, but i feel it will be hard to model properly. Hopefully they can pull it off, while making Rome, Carthage, the Greek states and the various tribes different and fun to play. The existence of Imperator Rome probably means Vic 3 is of the table for a while
Last edited by Disharmonic on 21 May 2018 at 7:24 pm UTC
Patreon
PayPal
Oh and the name doesn't mean anything but coincidentally could be pronounced as "Buttery" which suits me just fine.
See more from me