From personal experience, I can tell you that losing a good leader can end your game before its even began. Apart from the tech group, good leaders are essential in EU 4 in both the military and in administration. This is where nations that fall on the Western European tech group have a natural advantage over the rest of the world, as the game has a historical leaning, so historically successful nations will inevitably come out on top unless the player takes action or sets up the game to remove the bonuses given to "Lucky Nations", or re-distribute them to 10 random nations. There's Administrative Technology, Diplomatic Technology, and Military Technology. Or whatever kind of leader you have in accordance with your government type. These points are developed by, surprise surprise, your nations monarch.
Technological development in EU 4 is fueled by a separate set of resources, known as Monarch Points. You need both manpower and Ducats in order to recruit soldiers of any kind, and certain provinces in your empire will be more valuable for producing each of these invaluable resources to fuel your dreams of global conquest. A little nation like Serbia will start off in a considerably weaker position with less manpower and less disposable income than the peaceful and non-threatening Ottoman Empire to the immediate south. These most beginner-friendly nations are Portugal, Castille, The Ottoman Empire, and France but of course, you can play any nation represented on the map, you just have to click on it and hit start.ĭucats are your primary resource, right next to manpower. Before the start of the game you can choose a nation that existed at the time of the games starting year anywhere in the world, but for new players, it is generally advised to pick one of the recommended nations listed in the starting menu. GameplayĬustomization in the game is limited, as EU 4 presents itself as an alternative history game.
The point of the game is to forge your own destiny and create your own story as you (re)write history at the head of your chosen nation. StorylineĮuropa Universals IV (also known as EU 4) doesn't have much of a storyline. Europa Universalis IV is available for $39.99 on Steam. Europa Universalis IV may start off paying close attention to recorded history but the moment you hit the start button the future changes and is rewritten, with the player holding the pen. The year is 1444, Japan is still in the Waring States Period, Byzantium stands on the brink of destruction and England is staring down France from across the channel. This isn't Paradox Interactive newest release, but it is by far one of their best.