The Cossacks Invade Europa Universalis IV

“For centuries, the European steppes were dominated by a unique warrior culture. The Cossacks were fiercely independent soldiers, and some of the elite cavalry of Poland and Russia through early-modern history.”

As one of the most formidable fighting forces in European history, the Cossacks finally get the respect they deserve — a content update for Europa Universalis IV. Instead of adding a completely new people(s), land, or gameplay component, “The Cossacks” seeks to reinvigorate the diplomatic interactions in EU IV.

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The largest change ( improvement depending on who you ask) comes in the form of the new Estate system. This Estate system allows you to “assign control of your provinces to local factions – priests, nobles, or even Cossacks! – sacrificing some income in the name of lower unrest, more manpower or cheaper cavalry. You must keep an eye these Estates, though! If they get too strong, they may make a move on your throne. If they feel neglected, they may interfere with efficient governance.”

As always, Paradox strives — through their DLC and free patches — to add interesting but not overly complex nuance to the systems that are already established. Giving players the option to essentially relegate governance of a particular province or provinces is a thematically excellent move.

More information will surely trickle down as we get closer to the late 2015 launch date, but if you thought that the only feature was the interesting Estate system, you aren’t giving Paradox a fair shake.

– New Diplomatic Options: Let the world know what you think of your neighbors by setting a public attitude to foreign powers.
– Tell The World What You Want: Designate neighboring provinces as “places of interest”, build trust with other nations, and entice allies with the promise of land for their support.
– Tengri: Tengri is now a Syncretic faith, allowing it to tolerate a secondary religion as if it were a national faith.
– Horde Unity and Razing: Nomadic nations now must pay attention the horde unity of their tribes – a unity that can only be maintained by the occasional pillaging
– Improved Culture Change: You can now restore a previous culture to a converted province, or convert a province you hold to a culture that is not your own.
– Native Policies: Set your policy for colonial encounters with natives. Are you focused on quick subjugation, peaceful growth or trading advantages?
– Improved Espionage: New spy actions allow you to study the technology of more advanced countries and prod your rivals’ subjects towards independence.