Europa Universalis IV facts for kids

Europa Universalis IV (often called EU4 for short) is a fun video game where you get to control a country through a big part of history. It's made by a company called Paradox Interactive and first came out in August 2013.

In EU4, you play as a nation from the year 1444 all the way to 1821. This means you get to experience the Age of Discovery, the time when explorers sailed across the world, and beyond! You can make your country grow by trading with others, setting up new colonies, and even fighting wars. It's all about making smart choices to lead your nation to glory!

What is Europa Universalis IV?

Europa Universalis IV is a type of game called a strategy game. This means you need to plan carefully and make good decisions to succeed. It's also known as a "grand strategy" game because you manage a whole country, not just a small army or a few characters. You control everything from your country's economy and military to its religion and how it gets along with other nations.

The game covers a very exciting period in history, from the late Middle Ages into the early 1800s. This was a time of big changes, like new lands being discovered, powerful empires rising and falling, and new ideas spreading across the world.

How Do You Play Europa Universalis IV?

When you start a game of EU4, you pick any country that existed in 1444. This could be a tiny kingdom, a powerful empire, or even a group of tribes. Each country has its own unique challenges and advantages.

Your main goal is to guide your chosen nation through nearly 400 years of history. You'll make choices that affect your country's future, like deciding who to be friends with, where to explore, and when to go to war. The game is played on a map of the world, and you watch as your country's borders change and grow (or shrink!).

What Can You Do in the Game?

There are many different ways to play Europa Universalis IV. You can focus on:

• Exploration: Send your ships and explorers to discover new parts of the world, especially the Americas and Africa.
• Colonization: Once you find new lands, you can send settlers to create new colonies. These colonies can grow into powerful new parts of your empire.
• Trade: Control important trade routes to make lots of money for your country. You can build a strong economy by trading goods like spices, gold, and furs.
• Diplomacy: Talk to other countries! You can form alliances, make rivals, or even try to get other nations to become your loyal subjects without fighting.
• Warfare: Build armies and navies to defend your country or conquer new lands. Battles are fought on the map, and your strategy and army strength are very important.
• Development: Improve your provinces by building new buildings, increasing their population, or making them produce more valuable goods.

Exploring the World

One of the most exciting parts of EU4 is exploring the unknown parts of the world. At the start of the game, much of the map is covered in a "fog of war." As you send out explorers and ships, this fog clears, revealing new continents, islands, and cultures.

When you discover new lands, you can then choose to send colonists there. These colonists will slowly build up new cities and towns, expanding your empire across the globe. This is how countries like Spain, Portugal, England, and France became huge colonial powers in real history.

Building an Empire

As you play, you'll want to make your country stronger and bigger. This can mean expanding your borders, making your economy richer, or becoming a leader in technology. You can choose to play peacefully, focusing on trade and diplomacy, or you can become a mighty military power that conquers its neighbors.

The game has many different "ideas" and "technologies" that you can unlock. These give your country special bonuses, like stronger armies, better trade income, or faster colonization. Choosing the right ideas for your play style is key to success.

Fighting Wars

War is a big part of Europa Universalis IV. You'll often find yourself needing to fight other countries to achieve your goals. This could be to gain new territory, protect your allies, or simply to show off your military strength.

When you declare war, you'll move your armies around the map to fight enemy forces and capture their land. Winning wars can give you new provinces, money, or even make other countries your vassals (meaning they are loyal to you). But losing wars can be very costly!

Important Dates

The game starts in 1444, which is just before the fall of Constantinople and the beginning of the Age of Discovery. It ends in 1821, the year Napoleon Bonaparte died, marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars and a new era in European history. This long timeframe allows for many different historical events to happen and for players to shape their own alternate histories.

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