Hello. I just want to share some current (APR.2024) thoughts about the Revolution mechanic for Europeans.
Since we have introduced a large number of European maps and minor civs in the last European DLC, this time we can spend development costs on reforming and enriching the content of the Revolution mechanic. In the upcoming DLC for Danes and Poles, I hope to see something new for it. The Revolution nations are another “fifth age” in my opinion, so I’d like to see each civ have as same as 5 options fairly, just like each civ has the same number of politicians.
As for the options, some existing would be removed from the current civs for reasons:
- The Portuguese had never ruled or controlled Spanish colonies like Peru and Gran Colombia through the Iberian Union.
- Russia and Britain seemed to only intervene in the war in Hungary and Haiti respectively without controlling and ruling them.
- The U.S. is shared by too many civs, and the Italians were the latest immigrants to the U.S. than other civs.
- The availability of Argentina to the Germans seems to have been founded solely on the exploration of a German explorer under Pedro de Mendoza, without any settlement or ruling.
Also, some existing would be added to the current civs and the future civs:
- The Mexican people rebelled against the Second Mexican Empire established by the French, so Mexico could be available to French.
- Based on the intervention and control of Transylvania and Moldavia by Habsburg Austria and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Romania could be available to Germans and Poles.
- Not only the short-lived Union in the 15th century, but also the large number of Hungarians who immigrated to Polish towns until participateing in the Hungarian revolution, Hungary could be available to Poles.
Then let’s talk about new stuff.
We know that an option that can serve multiple civs have development advantages. But I also think that options unique to a civ can still be developed through existing assets to save costs, and it will help maintain balance and become a unique feature of that civ. Therefore I’m not just going to list some of the potrntial options that can be shared, but still to propose at most one unique new revolution option for some civs, so that they can have it just like the French, Spanish, and Ottomans, even though it might be not necessary.
Some good potential new options that can be shared with multiple civ
Belgium
- Available to Dutch and Germans, based on the Belgian Revolution of 1830 and the Brabant Revolution in the Austrian Netherlands.
- Removes the Flemish Revolution card and the Belgian Revolution card for Dutch.
- Turns Merchants and Settlers to Revolutionary, Settler Wagons to Hussars.
- Ships Veteran Cuirassiers and enable them and Veteran Crossbowmen.
- Guard Skirmishers and Prussian Needle Gunners can be replaced with Voltigeurs.
- A card named Flemish Movement could ship more Revolutionaries and improve Revolutionaries, Halbediers and Ruyters.
- A card named Walloon Movement could ship some Walloon Guards (Fusiliers with regeneration ability) and enable them.
- Could have French cards and shipments like Thoroughbreds, Griveubal System, and French Royal Army.
- Certain units could have the French dialogue instead, and then other units could have the Dutch dialogue instead if the civ is the Germans.
Ceylon
- Available to British and Portuguese, based on the Kingdom of Kandy against the Portuguese Ceylon and later the British Ceylon.
- Potential unique units and renamed units: Dunuvaya, Lascarin, Bondikula Soldier, Kodithuwakkuwa Gun.
- The Dunuvaya (lit. “archer” in Sinhalese) can be an unique Sinhalese archer unit.
- The Lascarin could be a variant of Musketeer or Askari.
- The Bondikula Soldier could be an unique Sinhalese rifleman unit.
- The Kodithuwakkuwa Gun could be a variant of Infantry Gun.
- Should able to access elephant units, especially Flail Elephants.
- Could have cards about the Dutch supports and Tamil units shipments.
- In theory it should also be available to the Dutch due to the Dutch Ceylon, but this would leave too many of the same options for the Dutch and Portuguese, and the conflict would seem less intense during the Dutch period than during the Portuguese and British periods.
Cossack Hetmanate
- Available to Russians and Poles, based on the Khmelnytsky Uprising.
- Apparently Cossacks can get special enhancements or upgrades.
- If the Polish civ couldn’t train Cossacks, now they can.
- I’m not really familiar with them, but I’ve heard that the Don Cossacks were mostly cavalry and the Zaporozhian Cossacks were mostly infantry and used war wagons, so that might be worth a look.
Greece
- Make the Greek Revolution not just a big button but a real revolutionary option.
- Available to Ottomans and Italians, based on the Greek War of Independence and the Venetian colonies in Ionia.
- Apparently uses the assets of the House of Phanar.
- Good at naval battles.
- Could have cards about the British, French, Russian supports.
Jamaica
- Basically just a simple variant of Haiti, only changing the flag and the names of the revolution and the Homecity.
- Available only to British, based on the Jamaican Maroon War.
- This flag was designed in the 20th century, but the flag of British Colony of Jamaica doesn’t feel right.
West Indies
- Basically just a simple variant of Haiti too, only changing the flag and the names of the revolution and the Homecity.
- Available only to Danes, based on the slave insurrection on St. John in 1733.
- The flag might have to be fictionally designed.
Livonia
- Available for Russians, Swedes, Danes and Poles.
- Could have some unique units based on Latvians and Estonians, though I’m not sure what they would be.
- Could have cards about the overseas colonization of Courland.
- This flag is Courland, as I don’t know which flag exactly represents Livonia in the game’s timeline.
- Livonia might theoretically serve Germans given its origins, but they were not part of the Holy Roman Empire and I think that’s too much.
Norway
- Available to Swedes and Danes, based on the Denmark-Norway, the Kingdom of Norway (1814) and the Sweden–Norway.
- Probably a revolution with a good economy (especially wood and coins) and a good navy.
- I picked the flag of Kingdom of Norway (1814), but maybe the current flag of Norway could also work since it was designed in 1821.
Poland
- Available to Germans and Russians, based on the Porish uprisings, especially the Kościuszko Uprising.
- Uses the assets of the future Polish civ.
- There could be cards about the Napoleonic Freach and Hungarian supports.
Lithuania
- Basically just a simple variant of Poland, only changing the flag and the names of the revolution and the Homecity.
- Available only to Swedes, based on the rebellions in the Swedish Lithuania in 1656.
Somalia
- Available to Portuguese and Italians, based on the Somali–Portuguese conflicts in the 16th century and the Banadir resistance in the 19th century, especially .
- Uses the assets of the Ethiopian civ, the Somali minor civ, and Sudanese minor civ.
- Could also reuse the Ethiopian and Somali assets of the Historical Battle, such like this flag.
Sweden
- Available to Danes and Poles, based on Sweden’s independence from the Kalmar Union and the Polish–Swedish union.
- Appareantly could use the existing assest of the Swedish civ, just like the Texas revolurion uses the assets of the U.S. civ.
Some potential options I recommend that is unique to a civ
Holstein
- Available only to Danes, based on the Schleswig–Holstein question.
- Aparently could use the existing assets of the German civ, for example you could receive Uhlans for every shipments.
- A possible problem is that it was not pursuing independence but joining Prussia, but this does not affect its presentation in the game.
Iceland
- Available only to Danes, based on the activity of Jørgen Jørgensen and the Icelandic independence movement from the mid-19th century onwards.
- Similar to Canada, it could be a milder revolution that does not turn Settlers into Revolutionaries.
- Could ship a hero unit named Höfuðsmaður, or Hedman, as the militia leader based on the military history of Iceland, and have a military that featured halberds.
Ireland
- Available only to British, based on the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
- Potential unique units and renamed units: Croppy, Wexford Priest, Defender.
- The Croppy could be an unique Irish pikemen unit.
- The Wexford Priest could be a modified Padre (hero), based on John Murphy.
- The Defender could be an variant of Irish Brigadier.
- A card named Ribbonism could rename Defenders to Ribbonmen and improve them.
- There could be cards about the French and Spanish supports.
Italy
- Available only to Germans, based on the revolutions that took place in the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia in 1848.
- Aparently could use the existing assets of the Italian civ, for example you could build a Basilica and Lombards.
Ndongo
- Available only to Portuguese, based on the Kingdom of Ndongo against Portuguese.
- Could use the assets of the potential Kongolese civ.
- Could have cards about the Dutch supports.
- The flag might have to be fictionally designed.
Tungning
- Available only to Dutch, based on the Guo Huaiyi Rebellion and the Kingdom of Tungning.
- Ships Iron Troops and Rattun Shields, and enables them and Ronins and Wokou units.
- Aparently could use the existing assets of the Chinese civ, for example:
- Turns Merchants to Chinese Rebels (the renamed Javanese Spearmen), Church to Monastery, Explorer to Koxinga (hero), Pikemen to Qiang Pikemen, Halbediers to Changdao Swordsmen, Skirmishers to Arquebusiers, Hussars to Iron Flail, and Ruyters to Keshiks.
- The Barracks now train and upgrade Chu Ko Nu, Qiang Pikemen, Changdao Swordsmen and Arquebusiers instead.
- The Stables now train and upgrade Steppe Riders, Keshiks, Iron Flails and Meteor Hammers instead.
- The Docks now train and upgrade War Junks, Fire Junks and Fu-ship instead.
- The artillery units now are operated by Chinese crew, or changed to have the British dialogue instead.
- Cards about the British trades, potential Formosan natives, renegade German mercenaries and renegade Dutch African soldiers (Akan Ankobias).
- The homecity could use the treasure ship homecity from the Chinese campaign.
- This is my selfish and dirty recommendation, because I am Taiwanese and I hope to mention even a little bit of Taiwanese history in the game.
These options are based on not only my own thoughts but also opinions in the forum. In this way the whole thing will look like this.
- British: Canada, Ceylon, Jamaica (Haiti), S.Africa, U.S. (Potential unique: Ireland.)
- Dutch: Belgium, Brazil, Indonesia, S.Africa, U.S. (Potential unique: Tungning.)
- French: Canada, Haiti, Mexico, Revolutionary France, U.S.
- Germans: Belgium, Gran Colombia, Hungary, Poland, Romania. (Potential unique: Italy.)
- Italians: Argentina, Barbary, Brazil, Greece, Somalia.
- Ottomans: Barbary, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Romania.
- Portuguese: Ceylon, Barbary, Brazil, Indonesia, Somalia. (Potential unique: Ndongo.)
- Russians: Cossack Hetmanate, Finland, Livonia, Poland, Romania.
- Spanish: Argentina, Chile, Gran Colombia, Mexico, Peru.
- Swedes: Finland, Lithuania (Poland), Livonia, Norway, U.S.
- Poles: Cossack Hetmanate, Hungary, Livonia, Romania, Sweden.
- Danes: Livonia, Norway, Sweden, West Indies (Haiti). (Potential unique: Iceland, Holstein.)
If we pursue making an option can be available to multiple civs as possible, we don’t have to introduce new unique options other than the ones available to the Danes. The Danes would have to choose at least one of the 2 unique options to reach 5.
As for the Maltese, I’d like to replace the revolution mechanic with something else.
Allowing them to choose one of the 5 great powers, Britain, France, Naples (Italy), Spain and Russia, and become a protectorate.
These options would make heavy use of existing assets from the British, French, Italians, Spanish and Russians, like shipping Redcoats, Voltigeurs, Papal Lancers, Espadachins or Dvoryanins and having a lot of cards from that civ.
