Games PC EUROPA UNIVERSALIS II User Manual
USER MANUAL
EUROPA UNIVERSALIS II
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 6
INSTALLING THE GAME 6
Game Settings 6
TECHNICAL SUPPORT 6
GETTING STARTED 7
TUTORIAL 7
CHOOSING A SCENARIO 7
Options 8
HOW TO WIN 8
Standard 8
Power Struggle 9
Conquest 9
Mission 9
MULTIPLAYER
9
Connection types 9
Checking the IP address 10
VIEWING THE WORLD 10
MAP VIEWS 10
Normal mapmode 11
Political mapmode 11
Economic mapmode 11
Religious mapmode 11
Diplomatic mapmode 11
Trade mapmode 11
Colonization mapmode 11
Fog of war 12
Terrain and Weather 12
INFORMATION WINDOWS 12
The bar above the map 12
The shields above the Information window 12
Province and city information 13
COUNTRIES AND PROVINCES 13
Countries 13
Provinces 14
Cities and Capitals 15
Settlements 15
Sea Zones 15
TERRA INCOGNITA 16
ARMIES & NAVIES 16
OVERVIEW 16
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Selecting and ordering Units 17
Fleets and Sea Transport 17
Loading of Army Units onto a Fleet 18
Unloading an Army Unit from a Fleet 18
A
RMIES 18
Army movement 19
Presence of the enemy 19
Recruitment 20
Maintenance cost 20
Fortifications 20
FLEETS 21
Fleet Movement 22
Naval Interception 22
Ports 22
Ship building 23
Maintenance cost 23
BUILDING/RECRUITING CAPACITY 23
Province limit 24
Improvements 24
COMMANDERS
24
Specialists 25
H
OSTILE ACTIONS
25
Combat Morale 26
Pitched Battles 26
Naval Battles 27
Retreat 27
Naval Blockades 28
Sieges 29
Assaults 29
A
TTRITION 29
Land 30
Sea 30
SUPPLY LINES 30
Pillaged Provinces 31
ECONOMY 31
OVERVIEW 31
External Factors 32
Managing your Resources 32
The Financial Summary 32
The Budget 33
PROVINCES AND POPULATION GROWTH 33
Increase 34
Decrease 34
Instant changes 34
Population and income 34
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STABILITY 35
FACTORS THAT LOWER
STABILITY 36
F
ACTORS THAT INCREASE STABILITY 38
What is affected by Stability? 38
LOANS 39
National loan 39
International loan 40
Repayments 40
BANKRUPTCY 40
INFLATION 41
Increasing factors 41
Decreasing factors 42
SOURCES OF INCOME 42
Annual income 43
Monthly income 43
Other income 43
Monthly expenses 44
War Taxes 44
PRODUCTION AND GOODS 44
Base value of goods 45
Supply and demand 45
Description and historical background 46
TRADE AND MERCHANTS 48
Centers of Trade (CoT) 49
Trade income 49
Merchants 50
Competition 50
INVESTMENTS 51
U
PGRADING THE INFRASTRUCTURE 51
Public officials 51
Factories 51
TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT 53
Areas of Technology and Research. 53
Cultural Technology Groups 54
Investing in Stability 54
DIPLOMACY 55
Relations 55
Neighboring Countries 56
Diplomacy 56
Use of Diplomats 57
Improving Relations 57
War Affects Your Relations 58
Tolerance Affecting Your Relations 58
Other factors affecting Relations 59
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P
ROVOCATIONS
59
Insults 59
Claim their Throne 60
Warning 60
Proclaim guarantee 60
E
CONOMIC AGREEMENTS
60
Refusal to Trade 60
Trade agreement 61
Loans 61
A
LLIANCES 61
Royal Marriages 61
Military Alliance 61
Military access 63
Vassalage 63
Creating Vassals 64
Annexation 64
WAR AND PEACE 65
TO PREPARE FOR WAR 66
Casus Belli 66
Side effects of war 67
HOW TO START AND HOW TO END 67
War aims 68
War score 68
Peace negotiation 69
Military annexation 70
Peace treaty 70
Separate peace 70
RELIGION 71
State Religion 72
Provincial Religion 73
Religious Tolerance 73
Religion and international relations 73
Strategy 74
CONVERSIONS 74
Changing State Religion 75
Changing Provincial Religion 75
FOUR IMPORTANT EVENTS 76
Reformation 76
Jean Calvin 76
Council of Trent 77
The Edict of Tolerance 77
DOMESTIC POLICY 77
Plutocracy to Aristocracy 78
Decentralization to Centralization 78
Narrow-minded to Inventiveness 78
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Free Trade to Mercantilism 78
Defensive to Offensive Doctrine 79
Naval to Land 79
Quantity to Quality 79
Free Subjects to Serfdom 80
COLONIZATION 80
OVERVIEW 81
Receiving settlers 81
How to establish a settlement 81
S
ETTLEMENTS 82
Colonies 82
Trading posts 82
COLONIZATION OF THE NEW WORLD 83
Chances to succeed 83
Local inhabitants 84
Explorers and Conquistadors 84
COLONIAL STRATEGY 85
Protecting Your Colonies 85
REBELS & OTHER SCUM 86
R
EBELLIONS 86
Causes 86
Effects 87
Quelling rebellions 87
Liberation movements 87
P
IRATES 88
Privateers 88
EVENTS & SPECIAL CASES 88
EVENTS 88
Historical events 89
The Treaty of Tordesillas — A Historical Event 89
THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE 90
DEFENDER OF THE TRUE FAITH 91
MONARCHS 91
THE ARCHIVE 92
HOTKEYS 93
CREDITS 94
Strategy First 94
Distribution Infogrames Inc. 94
Paradox Entertainment 95
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INTRODUCTION
Europa Universalis is a real time strategy game that spans over 400 years, from the last decades of
the Middle Ages, through the periods of the Great Voyages, the religious strife of the Reformation
and the paradoxical Age of Enlightenment, and ending with the rise and fall of Napoleon. Just like
their historical predecessors, the players can also set out to literally discover, conquer, and
forever change the entire World.
INSTALLING THE GAME
The installation program of Europa Universalis starts automatically when the CD is inserted in your
CD player. If your CD-ROM unit does not have the auto run function activated, you may start the
installation by double clicking setup.exe, which you will find in the root directory of the CD.
As soon as the installation program has started, you may install Europa Universalis and, if
necessary, DirectX 8.0, which is included on the CD. When the actual installation has begun, just
follow the instructions on the screen.
If Europa Universalis is already installed on your computer just press “Play” in the autoplay
menu to start. You may also start the program from a suitable button in the Program menu under
the Start menu. You may uninstall Europa Universalis at any time by using either the Installation
program or the Add and Remove program in the Control Panel.
Game Settings
Display settings - By clicking the EU2 settings icon located in the same place as the game, you
can change the game’s resolution.
In-game music - You can turn the in-game music on or off.
Valkyrienet - You can chose which server to connect to when you want to use the Valkyrienet
match-making servers.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Should you experience a technical problem concerning the operation of this product, please
EUROPA UNIVERSALIS II
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contact our technical support staff. Before you call, please read the README.TXT file on the
EUROPA UNIVERSALIS II CD to see any last minute recommendations pertinent to your problem.
Also, check out the Support page on our web site listed below. When you call, please be at your
computer and have the following information available :
• Computer make and model • Windows version • Total system RAM •
• Total Hard Drive space • Video card make and model •
Phone#: (514) 844-2433, Mon.-Fri. 10am-5pm EST
Fax#: (514) 844-4337, Attn: Support
Internet e-mail: support@strategyfirst.com
Strategy First Web Site: http://www.strategyfirst.com
Europa Universalis official web site:
http://www.europa-universalis.com
GETTING STARTED
TUTORIAL
If you haven’t played Europa Universalis before, we recommend that you play through the
tutorial. Reading and understanding this manual will then become much easier. It consists of 9
short chapters, each designed to show a specific aspect of the game.
CHOOSING A SCENARIO
First, choose a scenario from the list at the left and then select the country that you want to play.
The listed countries are usually those that have the best chances of success due to their relative
strength, historical advantages, or geographical location. In some scenarios you can access even
more countries to choose from.
Previously saved games are located below the scenarios and can be loaded by clicking on them.
Right clicking on a shield gives you the option to
choose a different country than those
initially listed. This function is not available in all
scenarios.
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Options
You can customize your game to a certain extent in the areas listed below:
•Difficulty - affects the amount of money your country will start with, how much things will
cost, how fast you will generate more money and the chances of success whenever luck is
involved. Normal is the default value.
• A. I. Aggressiveness - affects the eagerness for the computer nations to declare war,
especially against the human players. Normal is the default value.
• Game speed - this function can be accessed from within the game as well.
• Fog of war - makes it harder to follow what the other countries are up to. Can be changed
from within the game as well. On is the default value.
• Forced annex - all countries (including yours) can lose their last province, forcing them out
of the game. On is the default value.
• Dynamic missions - the player can gain or lose victory points by trying to fulfill the missions
of various characters. Off is the default value.
• Base victory points - turning them off evens out the situation if the player chooses to play a
very small country. On is the default value.
HOW TO WIN
The goal of the game may actually vary from player to player. The basics of the game are to receive
as many victory points as possible. You score points whenever you are successful in your game
play, for example by winning wars and battles, keeping your population happy, by creating
diplomatic alliances, exploring unknown territories, building colonies, establishing merchants,
etc. You will lose victory points if you fail in your attempts.
Standard
If you play using the "standard" victory conditions, the player with the highest total points becomes
the winner, but note that at the end of the game you will see your country’s relative position based
on how many victory point all countries have received. This means that you can play a country you
find difficult to play just to try to get a better result from game to game, which is also a way of
"winning." Another approach is to play Denmark, for example, and try to get more victory points
EUROPA UNIVERSALIS II
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than its perennial enemy Sweden.
Power Struggle
The country that is first to reach a predetermined number of victory points is the winner. Power
Struggle is a good choice if you want to play a quick game.
Conquest
The country that conquers a predetermined number of provinces is the winner. You set the
number when you determine victory conditions. Conquest is the number one choice if you wish to
decide the outcome of the game on the battlefields.
Mission
Each country will receive a specific difficult mission, and the player that succeeds first is the
winner. Various missions may include: Russia must conquer all orthodox provinces in the Balkans,
or Spain must "conquer England." Mission is the choice for players who would like to try
something random, yet challenging.
MULTIPLAYER
Players will require a minimum 56k Internet connection in order to join or host a multiplayer
game. The host of a new game decides the scenario, victory conditions and game speed. He also
saves the game. Note that events that would temporarily halt a single player game will not do so in
multiplayer. Neither can you change game speed once the game has started.
There is a limited pause function in multiplayer. There is a delay of 10 seconds before the game
pauses. 30 seconds after the game has come to halt, the other players can resume the game again.
Connection types
Local Network - Will automatically search your local network for any hosted game. You can then
join any found game or host a new game yourself.
Valkyrienet - Here you can meet other players and chat with them, join their games or host a game
EUROPA UNIVERSALIS II
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for others to join.
Internet - You must know the IP address of the host in order to join a game. To check your IP
address, follow the instructions below. Note that unless you have a permanent connection, your IP
address will most probably change every time you connect to the Internet.
Checking the IP address
1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet
2. Under the start-menu, choose Run.
Win95/98/Me
3. Type winipcfg and click OK. Your IP address is displayed
Win2000/NT
4. Type cmd and click OK.
5. In the new window type ipconfig and press ENTER. Your IP address is displayed
VIEWING THE WORLD
You lead a country, or more precisely, you are a country, and all of the provinces within the borders
of your country belong to you. You also have access to army units (symbolized by small soldiers) and
fleets (symbolized by small warships), which you can move around on the map. By clicking a
province you get access to information about it in the "information window" on the left side of the
screen. Here you are able to construct army units and fleets, invest in infrastructure, and many other
things. Exactly what you are able to do and how to do it will be discussed in greater detail later on.
MAP VIEWS
The game is played on a world map. You can’t see everything on the map at the same time, only
the provinces and sea zones familiar to your country. In order to find out more you need to
gradually explore the unknown parts. You have several settings to choose from depending on what
kind of information you want to gather from the map.
Right clicking on the small map will let you choose a
type of unit or province that will be
indicated with a red dot.
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Normal mapmode
Accessed through the tree icon. The standard view, which we will call the normal map, shows each
province with its name, its type of terrain, whether it contains cities, colonies, or trading posts,
and whether it is winter or summer in the provinces. It will also show land boundaries between
countries. In the sea zones you will see what the weather is like.
Political mapmode
Accessed through the flag icon. Here the countries are shown in different colors. By placing the
hand on a country, a popup window provides a diplomatic summary. The provinces containing
small variants of your country’s shield are your core provinces.
Economic mapmode
Accessed through the coin icon. Shows the main resource produced in each province. The
darker the green color is, the richer is the province. By clicking a province you will highlight all
provinces with the same resource. If you choose any of your own provinces or click on the
resource icon in the province window, you will get information about the corresponding resource.
Religious mapmode
Accessed through the missionary icon. You are given information about the state religion of all
countries, as well as provinces with a different religion than the state. The different religions are
shown in different colors. If you own a province with a different religion and have a missionary
available, you can send him to the province in an attempt to convert them.
It is in this mode that you can see the members and extent of the Holy Roman Empire (see
chapter “Events and special cases”).
Diplomatic mapmode
Accessed through the pen and letter icon. Here you will find all of your foreign relations, and by
clicking a province of another country you are shown the foreign relations of that country. Red
indicates hostile countries or countries where you have a legitimate reason, Casus Belli, to declare
war upon, while green are friendly ones. Note that this is the map you will be using when you wish
to perform diplomatic actions.
Trade mapmode
Accessed through the gold bars and crates icon. Each province belongs to a Center of Trade that
is specified by different colors. The corresponding center is shown when a province is chosen.
This mapmode is used when you deploy merchants.
Colonization mapmode
Accessed through the ship icon. This map is used when sending out settlers to claim new land for
your country. Available provinces are shown in green colors; light greens indicate that they can be
colonized by any country, medium greens are your provinces with existing trading posts, and dark
green indicates your existing colonies or colonial cities.
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Fog of war
Note that a shade covering the majority of the map in the normal mapmode prevents you from
viewing foreign armies in the provinces, or fleets in the sea zones. Areas not covered by the shade
include your own country and the adjoining provinces and sea zones, your vassals, the countries
of your allies, countries in which your monarch has entered royal marriages, provinces or sea
zones containing your military units, as well as provinces or sea zones adjacent to your forces.
Terrain and Weather
The game contains five different types of terrain: open terrain, forest, mountains, desert, and
swamp. There is also one geographical obstacle: rivers. The terrain types affect the movement of
army units, battles, and army unit attrition. Some provinces also suffer the effects of winter, which
in turn affect the various terrain types.
Sea zones are also affected by the weather. Certain sea zones may be ravaged by storms, or be
covered by ice during parts of the year. Note also that attrition is lower in sea zones next to coastal
provinces, compared with the open sea.
INFORMATION WINDOWS
The bar above the map
On the top line above the Map window, you will find a border with four symbols and a date – the
game clock – followed by another four symbols. The first four show how many Merchants,
Colonists, Diplomats and Missionaries you have available. The date is shadowed whenever you
pause the game, and white when time is running. If you think that the "progress of time" is too fast
or too slow, you may change it by clicking the menu button at the lower left of the Information
window, choosing option, and then following the instructions or press Ctrl + (numeric keypad)
to increase the game speed and Ctrl – (numeric keypad) to decrease the game speed. The four
symbols to the right of the date show the Stability level of your country, the Manpower in thousands
of soldiers, the contents of your treasury expressed in Ducats (one of the most common
currencies during the historical epoch), and a clock that allows you to pause the game by
clicking it. You will receive more background information if you point at the symbols.
If you place the pointer above any of the icons in the
bar, you get information about how many you
receive annually, and what generates them.
The shields above the Information window
The embellished line above the Information window contains five coats of arms. If you left click
on any of these, specialized information will be shown in the Information window. The shields will
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provide the following information (from left to right): naval information, land army information,
general information about the country and its monarch, the state budget, and the financial summary.
The military information shows among other things your current level of technology and your
research for the next. A slider allows you to adjust your maintenance cost.
The economic information will show the income and expenditures of your country, including
how they are allocated. You may also choose how to allocate your research investments in order
to develop your technology levels.
Province and city information
When you left click on one of your provinces, you will see the city in the information window. By
clicking on buildings and objects, you get additional information about them. The buildings are
the places where the various officials of your province work. The officials may be appointed by
clicking the buildings, which will give you more advantages in the game. You may also build fleets,
recruit army units, and upgrade the fortress.
In addition to the buildings of the province you also see another shield. The shield shows the
most important products of the province, including provincial revenue from trade and taxes. When
you appoint officials, for example, you will find that these revenues increase.
The building of worship (church, mosque, temple, etc.) will be upgraded automatically when the
population of the province increases. If you left click the church you will find general information
about the state of your province. You can get additional information from the text lines by
keeping the hand on them. You may also click on the symbols to get additional information about
the economy and religion.
COUNTRIES AND PROVINCES
If you right-click on a message box or in the log, you
can decide how this type of message will be displayed
in the future.
Countries
Each player runs a country. Each country consists of one or several provinces. Your country has a
border marked on the map, and if you wish to view the political map, the provinces of each
EUROPA UNIVERSALIS II
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country are marked with the same color. Each country has a monarch, a state religion, and one
or more central cultures. Most of the countries are located in Europe but there are several
non-European countries spread out in the world that can be played as well. Each scenario defines
the countries you are allowed to play.
Provinces
There are two types of political status for the provinces. They either belong to a country, or they
are independent. Independent provinces only exist outside of Europe, and are populated by
natives, organizing their societies through clan and tribal systems instead of nations. The
independent provinces do not have standing army units; instead native war bands will meet you if
you move an army unit into the province. When a colony or a trading post is established, the
province is no longer considered independent.
The country a province belongs to is noted by the flag waving above the city, the colony, or the
trading post. During times of peace you may only move your army units from and to provinces
belonging to your own country, or into independent provinces. During times of war you may also
move army units into provinces belonging to allied countries and dependent states, and into
countries with which you are at war.
Settlements are provinces that lack a city, but have either a colony or a trading post. One basic
difference between a province with a city and a province with a settlement is that you can build
ships and raise army units in the former, appointing officials, building fortifications and
establishing factories. You may not do any of this in a province with a settlement.
A coastal province is a province with a port. Note that in order to have a port the province must
either have a city or a colony; a trading post is not sufficient. Having coastal provinces also affects
the number of colonists and merchants your country will receive each year. Also note that ships
do not suffer attrition when in port, because they can be maintained. If you have a large country
with provinces on several continents, you will do better if you have ports in as many places as
possible, in order to send your ships in to port now and then, to avoid suffering attrition (See
Attrition).
The provinces you start the game with are your core provinces and your most important ones.
Core provinces are marked on the political map with small shields.
Note that a province may belong to one country, but may be controlled by another. This
happens when two countries are at war with each other, and one of the countries has occupied a
province belonging to the other country. When peace has been declared, all controlled provinces
return to the original owner, unless they have been surrendered as part of the peace treaty. There
are two exceptions. The other exception applies if rebels manage to seize one of your provinces.
The province still belongs to you, but the rebels control it. If another country controls any of your
provinces, you will not receive any income from these provinces. You will see that a province is
controlled by another country if the flag of another country is flying above the city, the colony or
the trading posts. (Rebels fly a red and black flag.) In order to take control of a province you must
capture the city, either by assault or siege. Provinces with cities lacking fortifications, and
provinces with colonies or trading posts, are automatically controlled when you move an army
unit into them.
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Cities and Capitals
A capital is shown on the map by the disc behind it. The province with your capital may not be
surrendered during peace negotiations other than by annexation of the entire country. The city
shows a graphic representation of the level of development of your province. What you see in the
information window is a picture of the city as you build ships, raise army units, upgrade buildings,
and build factories. The population level of your city indicates the wealth of your province.
Normally the population of the city will increase over time, but it may also drop because of war,
rebellions, random events, and if the city is situated in an area of adverse geographical conditions,
for example in the African tropics. When a colony has 700 inhabitants it develops into a city.
Through the Menu you can customize all types of
messages.
Settlements
When you have established a trading post or a colony in a province you gain ownership of the
province. This means that no other country may use the province for troop movements during
peace, and no other country may establish trading posts or colonies in the province. You may lose
your settlement, and thereby the province, either through negative population growth, hostile
actions by the local natives, or by ceding the province to another country as part of a peace treaty.
During war you may also lose a trading post because an enemy army decided to burn it to the
ground.
The difference between a trading post and a colony is that the trading post provides a low
production value and a high trading value, while the colony provides a high production value and
a low trading value. In addition, the colony has population growth and may be developed into a
city, while a trading post does not have population growth, nor may it be developed into a province
with a city. You may still change your trading posts into a colony by sending colonists but the other
way around is not possible.
Sea Zones
Sea zones are not owned by any country. Instead, the struggle concerns the shipping lanes. Anyone
who is able to stop others from using the shipping lanes therefore exerts a certain influence.
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TERRA INCOGNITA
Historically, there were several areas that were not discovered until after the end of the
game’s time span (such as some parts of Siberia and Australia), or which had been
discovered earlier, but where all knowledge about them had faded into legend (such as the
interior of Africa), and finally areas which could not be explored using the technology of the
times (such as certain Northern sea routes).
The white and unknown parts of the map are called "Terra Incognita," which is simply "The
Unknown World" in Latin - the language of knowledge and science during this age.
Terra Incognita represents provinces and sea zones not yet discovered by your country. When
these are discovered, either by moving army units or ships through them, or by trading maps with
other countries, the areas cease to be Terra Incognita and become part of the known world, as
your country knows it. Note that you normally need a Conquistador, or you must have reached
Land Military level 31 in order to discover provinces. For undiscovered sea zones you need an
Explorer or you must have reached Naval Technology level 21.
Permanent Terra Incognita represents undiscovered areas not consisting of provinces or sea
zones. Permanent Terra Incognita comprises the areas that were not explored at all at this time.
ARMIES & NAVIES
OVERVIEW
Battles and movement are the tactical components of warfare. During the period, battle and
movement could often be decisive for the outcome of a war. A single pitched battle or a naval
battle could save the existence and independence of an entire country. If the Spanish Armada
had not foundered in 1588, England probably would have become a vassal state of Spain, just
like Portugal. If the Ottoman Empire had won outside of Vienna in 1683, Europe, as we now
know it, most likely would not have existed. Another immensely important factor was how
efficiently a military unit could be moved. Poland-Lithuania defended their giant commonwealth by dashing about with their incredibly mobile armies: one moment to the coast of the
Black Sea; the next to the Baltic; the next to the Ukraine, winning battles in the meantime.
You may move two kinds of military units in the game: army units and fleets. There are three kinds
of battle: Pitched Battles, Sieges, and Naval Battles. All of this will be thoroughly covered in this
chapter.
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By holding down the “SHIFT” key while right clicking, you
can specify an exact path for your units.
Selecting and ordering Units
In addition to left clicking a unit, you may also keep the left mouse button pressed and drag a box
around the unit. You know that a unit is selected when a green circle surrounds it, and you see an
elongated rectangle at the base of the unit. The morale of the unit is indicated by the colors red,
yellow, or green. A newly recruited unit always starts at the lowest possible morale. It will then
increase month by month to the maximum level allowed by your technology level. The Information
window provides additional information about the chosen unit, such as unit commander, strength,
and attrition. You may also split the unit into two parts, merge units by first choosing all units in
a province, and also reorganize – or customize – your units. Finally, you may opt to disband the unit.
When you have right clicked the area you want to move your army unit into, the unit will start
marching/sailing. You also see a green arrow showing the direction of the movement path. If you
wish to do something else for a moment, such as take care of your province, you will see the green
arrow if you choose the unit again.
Fleets and Sea Transport
The fleet is a military unit consisting of a varying number of ships in the same way that an army
unit consists of a varying number of troops. There are three types of ship in the game: Warships,
Galleys, and Transport Vessels. Warships have a transport capacity of 1; galleys have a transport
capacity of 0.5, and transport vessels a capacity of 2. What is transport capacity? Each army unit
has a weight; the transport capacity of your fleet indicates how many troops you are able to
transport. Cavalry and artillery have greater weight than infantry. The total weight of each army unit
and the transport capacity of the fleet can be found in the Information window whenever you have
selected a unit.
War ships are more effective in battle, galleys are the least expensive, and transport vessels have
the largest transport capacity. Galleys should be kept in the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean, the Red
Sea, the Persian Gulf or the Black Sea, as this ship type is less useful on the open sea.
Merging, splitting, reorganizing, and dissolving fleets is done in exactly the same way as army
units are merged, etc.
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To load an army on a fleet, give it a movement command to the sea
zone where the fleet is. If the fleet is in port, you must first send it
to sea. It is faster to embark from and disembark to provinces with
ports than those without.
Loading of Army Units onto a Fleet
First you need to order your fleet into a sea zone, and then order an army unit in an adjacent
province to load onto the fleet. You cannot load the fleet while in port since armies automatically
debark ships in ports.
When the troops are loaded you will find a new button in the information window when you choose
the fleet. Click this button when you want to unload the army unit in another adjacent province.
Unloading an Army Unit from a Fleet
Choose the fleet and click the unloading button. You will now see the army unit on the map. Now
click the province where you wish to unload your army unit. The troops will now start marching
to the province. If a fleet transporting army units is sent to port the army units will be unloaded
instantly and automatically in that province.
A
RMIES
As has already been mentioned, there are three branches of the army that may be included
in the army unit: infantry, cavalry and artillery.
The basis of the field army was the infantry, the cheapest one to recruit, and was also easier to train but which often lacked the firepower to make it the decisive factor in a battle. The
cavalry, as the successor of the knight, was the "army branch of the nobility," a status it was to
hold until a long time after the period covered by this game. The cavalry was the principal actor
of the battleground and lacked all firepower, but made up for this by its strong shock effect with
the ability to quickly shatter the morale of the enemy, if it was employed efficiently.
In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the emphasis was shifted from shock effect to
firepower in the armies of Europe. The infantry became the equal of the cavalry, although the
two forces served different purposes during a battle. The artillery had become lighter, and
thereby more mobile, and was also beginning to be utilized as relief for the infantry in battles.
During the 18th century, another shift in focus of battle efficiency took place. Drill and
discipline had been established in the European armies, thereby making it possible for the
infantry firepower to be utilized more efficiently. Infantry became more important on the
field of battle than cavalry, even though the cavalry still played a very important operational
role, being the most efficient branch for reconnaissance purposes during the period. In
addition, the cavalry was still the only fast, long-range branch of the army, which made it
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indispensable in deep-going wars such as those in Russia, Poland, and the Middle East.
At the end of the 15th century, artillery was chiefly used in sieges. Cannons were usually
very heavy and immobile and seldom of much use in a pitched battle. The efficiency of the
artillery improved markedly during the 17th century, and was organized in batteries with a
direct fire effect against infantry on the battlefield. Efficiently utilized artillery could be the
decisive factor of a battle, simply because the heavy artillery fire could shatter morale in a
wing or even a flank, an advantage that was then used by sending a cavalry shock against
the shaken, retiring infantrymen.
In a field army, the infantry is slower than the cavalry but faster than the artillery. The cavalry is
less economical and takes longer to train; however, it is the fastest unit, extremely maneuverable,
and can have an enormous shock effect in the heat of battle. On the other hand it is less
serviceable in a siege. The infantry, together with the artillery, serves as garrisons for fortifications.
Use SHIFT + click on the units’ bars to select exactly the units
you want. Useful if you want to merge some specific units in
a stack.
Army movement
When you order an army unit to move, i.e., give it marching orders, there is no distance limit from
the unit’s current location and your desired destination. The unit will start moving toward the
destination at the speed of its slowest army branch. For instance, if you have a unit consisting of
infantry, cavalry, and artillery, the whole unit will move as slowly as if it only consisted of artillery.
The nature of the terrain the unit is moving through or crossing will also affect its speed. It takes
25% longer to march through woods and deserts, 50% longer through swamps and 75% longer
through mountains compared with open terrain. The presence of snow will decrease the speed
even further, as will movements into undiscovered provinces.
In times of peace, you may move your army units both through your own provinces and those
of your vassals. When you are at war, you may also move through the provinces of your allies.
Presence of the enemy
If an enemy army unit should move into a province through which your unit is moving, the unit
will stop immediately and a battle will take place. If your army unit should lose, it will retreat. You
cannot influence where it will retreat, as the commander automatically will move into a neighboring
province, giving preference to provinces that you control.
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If your army unit wins the battle, the enemy will retreat while your unit continues moving. Thus,
two army units from enemy armies may never stand still in the same province after a pitched
battle, unlike units from allied countries.
You can move freely through unfortified and fortified enemy provinces, provided that you
detach a troop to watch the fortification. After detaching a troop, the main part of your unit may
march on. To detach a troop for guard purposes, click on that button in the information window.
Recruitment
The time it takes to recruit a unit varies between the different branches, partly because the time it
takes to train an efficient army unit varies, and partly because the setup of the unit demands
several kinds of specialized equipment. To simplify, we can say that artillery units take the longest
to recruit, followed by the cavalry, and then the infantry.
The cost of recruitment depends upon a number of factors. Firstly, different kinds of troops
cost different amounts. Artillery is the most expensive, followed by cavalry, and then the relatively
inexpensive infantry. Secondly, the cost is dependent on which country is recruiting the troops.
Different countries had different traditions when it came to choosing army branches and the
composition of army units. Some countries, for instance, chose quality above quantity. Thirdly, the
cost will vary depending on which level of military technology your country possesses. In general,
troops get more expensive the higher your military technology level is, since a higher level of
technology means costlier training and more expensive equipment. Infantry and cavalry are
recruited in units of 1000 men and artillery in units of 10 pieces.
Maintenance cost
The maintenance of your army units is paid monthly. By accessing your country’s Financial
Summary you’ll be able to see how large the sum is compared with your other expenses. You may
change the maintenance payments of your country by accessing the army information window,
where you may choose what percentage of the maintenance you wish to pay. The payment must be
at least 50% of the actual costs. The size of the maintenance is also based on the total size of your
armies and whether this exceeds your national supportable amount. You may disband army units
to reduce the cost of maintenance. Note that your morale will be adversely affected if you pay less
than 100% maintenance.
Fortifications
The importance of fortifications cannot be overestimated. A hostile army unit automatically
controls a province without a fortress as soon as it has moved into the province. A province with
a fortress, however, must either be put under siege or assaulted. Sieges may take a long time;
anywhere from three months up to a year is common. The assault may be quick, but usually with
great loss of life.
The basic cost for erecting fortifications is 100 ducats, but the price may be higher depending
on the country’s level of inflation. You may also upgrade existing fortresses to more modern and
larger models, but in order to do that you must achieve a certain level of military technology.
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FLEETS
As has already been mentioned, a fleet may include three kinds of vessels: warships, transports,
and galleys. Warships are oceangoing, heavily armed vessels, representing a number of different
sizes and designs. Your level of naval technology is the determining factor. Galleys also represent
different sizes, levels of armament and designs, but they differ from warships in that they are less
seaworthy on the open sea, and their strength relative to the warship diminishes over time. Their
advantage lies in being cheaper to build. Transports are a jumble of different designs, differentiated,
like the other types of vessels, by your naval technology level.
Contrary to the condition on land, you cannot control the ocean; you can only try to prevent
the enemy from controlling the shipping lanes. Naval warfare was conducted in a fundamentally
different way from the battle on land, and reaching what is sometimes known as domination of the
seas was a lengthy process. We will attempt to explain this.
Firstly, it was important to defend coastlines and the strategic and important passages that
needed to be used. Enemy fleets could not be allowed to cruise off a country’s own coast, as this
could mean a sudden landing with disastrous consequences; England lived under this threat for
many years, mainly from Spain and France. Moreover, a country could have a narrow canalizing
passage such as the English Channel, the control over which would give economic advantages and
would minimize the risk of having part of the country cut off from the rest.
To defend a coast from a nearby enemy fleet, it was necessary to go out to sea, find the enemy,
and attack, thus forcing him back to his own waters. This is where interception is important. Since
the sea zones were so large, and a fleet could only control a small area physically, it was never
certain that a naval battle would occur. Many times, two enemy fleets would keep sailing back and
forth looking for each other for a long time without having a decisive battle.
Each fleet actually consists of a main part and several smaller patrols. When the patrols
discovered enemy ships, the main part of the fleet was assembled to deal with the enemy fleet. The
main problem was finding the enemy and creating local superiority. If you did not succeed the
engagement was called off.
After having successfully chased an enemy fleet away to their own port, the defending fleet
would then cruise outside the enemy coast or try to blockade the enemy ports. When a majority
of the enemy fleets were eradicated or in blockade, naval supremacy was achieved.
When a fleet with the Patrol box checked reaches its
destination, it will return to its original position and
then start over again.
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Fleet Movement
Fleets are moved in the same way as army units, the only difference being that the sea zones
through which the fleet moves don’t belong to anybody. If you move through a zone where an
enemy fleet is located, an attempt at naval interception will occur (see Naval Interception). If the
enemy fleet does not succeed with the interception, you will keep moving. If he succeeds or if you
deliberately end your movement in that zone, a naval battle will take place. Ports do not count as
sea zones, and no interception or naval battle can take place against a fleet in port. However, it
may be blockaded if the level of naval technology is sufficiently advanced (see Naval Blockades
and Ports).
The speed of warships and transports increases with higher technology while that of galleys
remains constant. Bad weather, ice and undiscovered sea zones decrease the speed of fleets.
Naval Interception
When your fleet gets into the same sea zone as an enemy fleet, there is always a chance of a
successful interception and an ensuing battle. What happens depends on what respective levels of
naval technology the combatants possess, how skilled the commanders are in maneuvering their
vessels, and a considerable portion of luck. Luck in this context is all about how the wind blows.
The one in the right quarter of the wind usually had the decisive advantage in the era of sailing
ships. Note that fleets cruising outside their own coast receive a bonus when intercepting, and that
interceptions in certain coastal provinces (Scania, Zealand, the Bosphorus, Gibraltar, and
Tangiers) always succeed, due to the tactical advantages for the fleet controlling these constricted
passages.
The sea zones next to a country’s provinces are its national waters. Naval attrition will
be minimal here.
Ports
It has already been stated that certain provinces—coastal provinces—possess ports. You may
send a fleet into one of your own ports (i.e., a port in your own country) at any time providing
that you control the province where the port is located. You may also send your fleets into the ports
of allied countries provided that the country in question controls the province where the port is,
and that your country and the allied country together are at war with another country.
Why would you want to send your fleet into port? Firstly, a fleet in port may never be attacked
by an enemy fleet, which means that it can be tactically sound to send a fleet into port if the
enemy’s naval strength is superior to yours. Secondly, fleets don’t suffer attrition in port, which
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means that it is advisable to send a fleet into port from time to time. Note that if an enemy army
unit takes control of a province in which there is a port where you have a fleet, the fleet is
automatically forced out of the port into the nearest sea zone. If there is an enemy fleet there, a
naval battle will take place.
Ship building
Building times vary between the different types of vessels, due to their different levels of
advancement. Generally, the higher the level of naval technology a country possesses, the longer it
will take to build a vessel. One rule of thumb is that warships take the longest to build, followed
by transports, and then galleys.
The cost of building a vessel depends upon a number of factors. Firstly, different kinds of
vessels always vary in cost. Warships are the most expensive, followed by transports, and galleys
are the cheapest. Secondly, the cost is dependent on which country builds the vessels. Different
countries had different naval traditions about the composition of fleets. Some countries, for
instance, chose quality above quantity. Note that galleys can only be built in ports along the Baltic
Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Persia, which means that
countries by these seas will have naval traditions including the employment of galley fleets. Thirdly,
the cost will vary depending on the level of naval technology your country possesses. In general,
vessels become more expensive the higher your naval technology level is, since a higher level of
technology entails more expensive training and equipment. All vessels are built in units of one
ship, although certain coastal provinces can build more than one at a time.
Maintenance cost
The maintenance of your fleets is paid monthly. By accessing your country’s Financial Summary
you can see how large the sum is compared with your other expenses. You may change the
maintenance payments of your country by accessing the naval information window, where you may
choose what percentage of the maintenance you wish to pay. The payment must be at least 50% of
the actual costs. The size of the maintenance is also based on the size of your fleets; if you have 72
vessels you’ll have to pay twice as much as if you’d had 36 vessels. You may disband fleets to
reduce the cost of maintenance. Note that your morale will be adversely affected if you pay less
than 100% maintenance.
BUILDING/RECRUITING CAPACITY
Each country has a manpower base, limiting the possibility of recruiting army units. When you
recruit army units you will see how your manpower base is lowered. Each unit of 1000 infantry,
1000 cavalry or 10 pieces of artillery lowers your manpower base 1 step. There are always a
limited number of available young able-bodied men, and there is always a permanent demand for
strong men and women if you want your farming to be handled properly in each village. This all
means that there is a limit to how many soldiers you may recruit. Each province has a manpower
value, showing how much it contributes to the armed forces of your country. The manpower base
is computed as an annual sum, which increases as time passes. If your country has conquered new
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provinces or developed colonies into towns, your annual manpower base may increase. It will also
increase as time passes because of a general population growth. Your manpower base may also
drop if you lose provinces or suffer losses of population for any other reasons. Building ships for
your fleets is not affected by your manpower base, as there was a relatively small demand for
manpower, compared with the needs of the army units.
Province limit
There is also a local limitation, or recruitment capacity, when applied to the recruitment of army
units or fleets. You recruit your army units in your provinces, which means that the level of
development of each province limits each separate recruitment attempt. By appointing officials,
upgrading fortifications, and building factories, you improve the recruitment capacity of each
province. Note that the population level is the most important factor defining recruitment
capacity. If you are raising an army unit or building a fleet in a province, you may not start
recruiting a new unit or build a new fleet until the work in progress has been finished.
Improvements
If your country has reached a sufficiently high level of military or naval technology, you may
increase the recruitment or building capacity by constructing conscription centers (military tech
level 31) and naval shipyards (naval tech level 16). The conscription center is shown as a small
military tent, and represents a number of administrative and economic functions in your province,
making it easier to establish larger army units. The effect is a tenfold increase in the recruitment
capacity of your province, and improved maintenance ability for any army unit in the province (see
Maintenance, and Attrition). The province’s contribution to the recruitment capacity of your
country is also greatly increased. The naval shipyard will change the port symbol of your province,
making it larger and colored in gold. The naval shipyard is simply an improved shipyard, with the
capacity to build all ship types at a much higher speed, a sort of "assembly line" production of the
times. The naval shipyard increases the building capacity of your province tenfold. The first naval
shipyard you build also provides one extra colonist each year.
COMMANDERS
If you reorganize a single unit, a new one with a general commander will always be
created. If your single unit contains more than one historical commander, use the split
button to assign them to different units.
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A commander leads each army unit or fleet. Commanders have a very large impact on battles (see
Pitched Battles and Naval Battles), exploration, and attrition. Commanders are historical or general. The former are well-known generals and admirals who worked during the period and who
are regarded as particularly interesting, either because of their skills or their imperfections in battle. The latter come from a "national pool" and have names from history, but none of them were
distinguished enough to become historically important. They are something of a cheaper article,
but they still mirror the state of training and skill of the country’s body of officers.
An army unit or a fleet may have more than one commander, but only one of them will command
the unit; this will be the highest-ranking commander, who is also the only one who will add anything to the battle. Note that you may split a unit if you want to take advantage of more than one
good commander.
Commanders may die in battles or through random events. If a commander dies in a battle, the
second-highest ranking commander will automatically assume command of the army unit or fleet.
If the unit or fleet only had one historical commander, a general commander will immediately
assume command.
All commanders are assigned a value in each of the skills of Maneuver, Firing, Shock
Effect/Boarding, and Siege. Note that each commander is either an army or a navy commander.
General commanders always have the same values, depending on their country of origin. Their
values may never exceed 4 (2 for the siege value) or go below 0. Historical commanders have
unique values that may be much more varied.
Specialists
There are also two kinds of specialists: Conquistadors and Explorers. They function like
commanders, but also possess some special functions.
Conquistadors lead army units and receive a special bonus for exploring new provinces. They
also receive a special bonus when battling natives, and a very high capacity for maintenance (i.e.,
small risk of attrition).
Explorers lead fleets and have a special bonus for exploring new sea zones and bordering
provinces. Like the Conquistadors, they have a very high capacity for maintenance (i.e., small risk
of attrition).
HOSTILE ACTIONS
Battles occur when two or more enemy units find themselves in the same province/sea zone. A
pitched battle may also occur when an army unit moves into an independent province and
encounters a band of natives. You will then see two fighting soldiers/ships, symbolizing the two
sides of the battle. Each unit has a long rectangle. The color of the rectangles shows the level of
morale and how it changes during the battle. The length of the rectangles shows the size of the
unit in proportion to the enemy unit, and how the size changes when the unit sustains casualties.
The battle is divided into phases that will continue until one of the sides loses the battle and retreats.
Note that you can’t control the action during the phases, except for making a voluntary retreat.
The side that either loses its morale and thereby flees (or withdraws, see Retreat) or loses all
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its soldiers/ships has been defeated. Note that either side may choose to withdraw at any time by
giving the unit a movement command to another province/zone. Retreating units will carry a white flag.
Mercenaries appear instantly and at full morale. They don’t affect
your manpower as normal builds do.
Combat Morale
Combat morale is an important factor in battle. If the army unit’s or fleet’s combat morale falls to
the lowest level during combat, then it will lose the battle. Each army unit and fleet has a combat
morale value, shown as a narrow rectangle at the base of the unit. This indicates the unit’s morale
in the scale red-yellow-green. A newly recruited or assembled unit always starts its career with the
lowest possible morale. It increases each month until it reaches the maximum level possible
allowed by your current level of technology.
The combat morale depends on the naval and land military level of technology, respectively,
that your country has achieved. The higher the technology level, the higher the combat morale.
There are some special cases.
Firstly, countries with a Reformed, Hindu, or Shia Moslem state religion experience a bonus in
combat morale. Secondly, the combat morale in your country decreases for several years if it has
suffered bankruptcy. Thirdly, the morale is lower if you pay less than 100 % of the cost of
maintenance. Fourthly, fleets consisting only of transport ships have a very low combat morale.
Finally, galleys always suffer a low combat morale and are not affected by improvements in naval
military technology.
Note that a unit whose combat morale has decreased will recover each month, eventually
returning to its maximum morale. It may therefore be tactically sound to wait a period before
using a unit with low morale to attack and thereby allow it to "take the bull by the horns" when it
is fully recovered.
Pitched Battles
What determines the outcome of a battle? Firstly, the odds, i.e. the relative strength between the
army units, are extremely important. Secondly, the difference in level of military technology is very
important. Thirdly, the commander is important since his skills of movement, fire, and shock
effect will influence the phases of the battle. Furthermore, the outcome of the battle is affected by
the side that has cavalry superiority. This will give the commander scouting information that he
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may use while commanding the battle, as well as an effective force to send against retreating
enemies. Note that cavalry superiority loses its importance in provinces with forests, swamps, and
mountains. Finally, the invader will receive a negative bonus when attacking in a mountain
province, across a river, or when disembarking in a province containing a hostile army unit.
If you win the battle, the enemy will withdraw and you may either move your army to another
province or you may choose to begin a siege or assault against any fortifications in the province
where the army unit is standing.
The defeated party in a battle withdraws from the province, preferably to a province controlled
by its own country or an ally, and which does not contain any hostile army units.
The attacker is always on the left part of the screen, the defender on the
right. The needle points towards the stronger side, weighting in current
strength, technology, morale, leaders and terrain.
Naval Battles
What determines the outcome of a naval battle? Firstly the odds, i.e., the relative difference in
strength between the fleets, are immensely important. Secondly, the difference in naval technology
levels is very important. Thirdly the commander is important, as his skill value in maneuvering,
firing, and boarding will influence the phases of the battle. Fourthly, the outcome of the battle is
influenced by the side that has utilized wind conditions most efficiently, for which your
commander is responsible. You cannot influence this, but note that only one side will get the bonus
for wind conditions. Warships will fight less effectively when there is no wind at all, giving Galleys a
distinct advantage during these conditions. This penalty is decreased as technology is advanced.
If you win the battle, the enemy will retreat and you may either move your fleet to another sea
zone or, if you wish and possess the naval technology for it, begin a naval blockade; or simply
cruise in the sea zone.
The loser of a naval battle must retreat from the sea zone. If the enemy originally tried to force
himself out of a blockaded port, his fleet will retreat to the same port, or else it will retreat to the sea zone
which is closest to one of the country’s own or allied ports, and which does not contain an enemy fleet.
Retreat
Retreat will occur if either of two conditions are present: when your army or fleet is defeated in a
pitched battle or naval battle, or when, during a pitched battle or naval battle, you order your army
or fleet to move away from the province where the battle is taking place, i.e. voluntary retreat.
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Note that if an army is defeated in a pitched battle or if a fleet is defeated in a naval battle it
must withdraw. If, for some reason, there is no province or sea zone to withdraw to, the unit will
be destroyed.
When a fleet or army withdraws, the unit’s flag will be exchanged for a white flag, thus
marking that you are no longer in control of the unit, that it will not affect the province it
withdraws to, and that it is increasingly vulnerable if attacked by the enemy.
When a withdrawing army or fleet arrives in a province or sea zone free of hostile units, the
unit’s flag reverts to the flag of its country, the player regains control over the unit, and morale will
slowly recover.
Note that it is tactically sound to pursue a withdrawing enemy and immediately resume the
pitched battle or naval battle, thus using the advantage of your unit’s superior morale.
For every enemy port you blockade with your fleet, the
enemy will lose a part of his trade income. A besieged city
with a port will fall much sooner if you also put a blockade on it. A blockaded port cannot serve as a supply
source for overseas forces.
Naval Blockades
What is a naval blockade? A naval blockade means that you have a fleet in the sea zone adjacent
to a port, and that your country has reached the right naval technology level. Your fleet
automatically blockades every enemy port bordering on the sea zone. Your fleet will patrol the
entrance of the port and thus prevent ships from leaving and calling at the port. A fleet
blockading a port can be attacked both from other sea zones and from the port in question. The
fleet will automatically receive the bonus for successfully utilizing wind conditions if it defends
itself against the blockaded fleet.
When the icon of a besieged fortress starts burning, a breach has
been struck in the wall. Not only will this speed up the siege process,
it will also increase the chance to carry through a successful assault.
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Sieges
A siege commences after a victorious pitched battle in a fortified enemy province, or once an army
unit is moved into a hostile province with a fortress but with no enemy army units present. In both
cases the army unit must be of minimum size in order to initiate the siege. Normally the size should
be equal to that of the unit stationed at the garrison.
Why would you want to besiege a fortress? This is your only opportunity to control the city and
thereby the province. A controlled province gives you more points when you or your enemy offers
peace. When preparing for a siege, you have a couple of options. Firstly, you may assign a watch
detail. This makes it possible for you to maintain a supply line through the province, keep an eye
on the fortress, and control the province. Secondly, you may assign the actual siege force. This
force will subsequently attempt to take the city by building trenches that are successively
extended and advanced, attempt to undermine the fortress walls using sappers, fire upon, and
starve the garrison into surrendering.
Each month the garrison’s defenses are tested. If they fail, the fortress falls into your hands.
Factors that affect this include how long the siege has been in place, the besieged commander’s
siege experience, the province’s terrain (where the fortress is located), the relative difference in
artillery, the size of the fortress, and earlier results.
A fortress usually falls sooner or later, but note that your enemy may send an army unit into the
province, forcing you to fight and win a pitched battle in order to continue the siege. Another
problem is attrition: If the size of your army unit becomes smaller than that of the forces
defending the garrison, then the siege is lifted and you may only guard the fortress. You may of
course move additional units into the province and resume the siege. Also note that at any time
you may break off the siege in order to leave the province, or assault the fortress.
Assaults
It was noted earlier that an assault may turn out to be very bloody. An example of a failed assault
is Charles X Gustavus’ attempted assault of Copenhagen in 1659. Assaults may also be successful.
Assaulting after a few months’ siege is usually a good strategy. But the great loss in combat morale
experienced after an assault makes you vulnerable to a quick counterattack that could completely
wipe out a hitherto successful military operation.
To launch an assault, click on the assault button in the information window. The assault itself is
similar to a pitched battle, with a few notable exceptions. The person launching the assault will
win if the enemy’s garrison is completely wiped out or forced to retreat (which means it is
disbanded). The terrain is of no consequence. Nor is cavalry used during an assault. If the assault
is successful, the fortress’s level is lowered one step (e.g. from medium to small), although never
so low that the province is left without a fortress. Finally, there is a risk that the town is plundered,
which significantly reduces the population. Plunder is an abstract phase of the battle that can’t be
seen, and the player cannot control it since it is the result of soldiers who run amuck.
ATTRITION
Army units were traditionally worn out more quickly than they are today. There wasn’t the
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