Europa Universalis IV: Mare Nostrum DLC offers naval updates and more

In April 5, 2016, Paradox Interactive is going to release its 8th DLC, Mare Nostrum, for its best selling grand strategy game, Europa Universalis IV.

Mare nostrum means “our sea” in Latin. Hence, this new DLC is more focused on navy and trading features. In the same time, there will be more modifications on provinces to make world conquest harder, an espionage idea group, the ability to rent armies as mercenaries, and playing beyond 1821.

For naval updates, players can give missions to the fleets instead of micromanaging them. The DLC is going to make players more like a ruler of a nation instead of a captain. Also, recruiting sailors is now possible, where before building a navy used to be merely just building ships. In the same vein, coastal raids will be possible for nations to harass their enemies’ coastlines. 

One of the new features for trading is that small Merchant Republic nations can finally form trade leagues. This new feature allows more small nations to become strong merchant guilds (like the Hansa) to protect their mutual interests. 

Besides modifications on the sea, there are more provinces added in the Sub-Sahara Africa and Ireland. Check out the comparison of old and new Ireland below:

The new Ireland is going to have 4 more province than before

More accessible provinces so an African warlord now can cross the tropical forests and the savanna to the other side of Africa. 

Condottieri in Italian means professional mercenary or freelancer. The Condottieri is a new added system for renting a mercenary army, with a price being paid every month. Also, allowing the player to play beyond 1821 is surely a game-changing mechanic (no pun intended). As in previous versions of EU4, games automatically end at 1821.  Last but not least, espionage got some newer features like stealing maps from other factions, making your rivals have a more corrupt government, and forming a spy network. Basically conspiracy stuff.

Overall, each update is adding more to the EU4 world in simulating alternative history. And this time it filled up the emptiness in naval features, enhanced espionage, more provinces, business deals with the Condottieri, and trade league features.