Events & Situations System

Events Situations Reference v1.0
Updated for v1.0.x | Last updated: 2025-01-15

Summary at a glance

Purpose: Understanding how to handle events and situations optimally improves your gameplay significantly.

Key Principle: Address situations at Stage 1 (easy to fix). Don't wait until Stage 3 (crisis point).

Priority Order: Disaster warnings → Stability events (if <50) → Economic events (if negative income) → Military events (if at war) → Everything else

Events and Situations are dynamic occurrences that shape your nation's story. Understanding how to handle them optimally improves your gameplay significantly.

What are Events?

Events are one-time occurrences that present choices with immediate consequences.

Event Types

  • Historical Events: Based on real history (e.g., English Civil War, Renaissance)
  • Random Events: Occur based on conditions and chance
  • Scripted Events: Triggered by specific actions or conditions
  • Disaster Events: Part of disaster chains (civil wars, rebellions)

Event Structure

  • Trigger: Conditions that cause the event to fire
  • Options: 2-5 choices, each with different outcomes
  • Consequences: Immediate effects (gold, stability, modifiers)

Common Event Categories

Diplomatic Events

  • Royal marriages
  • Alliance requests
  • Dynastic unions
  • Diplomatic incidents

Military Events

  • Desertion
  • Brilliant commanders
  • Military technology breakthroughs
  • Siege events

Economic Events

  • Market crashes
  • Trade opportunities
  • Economic booms
  • Natural disasters

Cultural Events

  • Renaissance spreads
  • Reformation events
  • Cultural shifts
  • Artist patronage

Religious Events

  • Papal interactions (Catholic)
  • Reformation choices (Protestant)
  • Religious unrest
  • Holy wars

Important Historical Events

The Renaissance (Age of Renaissance)

Trigger: Age of Renaissance begins (1450+), high-development Italian provinces

Event: Renaissance institutions spread

Choices:

  • Embrace Renaissance: -150 gold, +30% institution spread
  • Wait for Natural Spread: No cost, slower spread
  • Resist: +10 stability, delayed modernization (BAD)

Optimal Choice: Embrace if you have gold (500+), wait if poor

Iberian Wedding (Castile/Aragon)

Trigger: 1450-1530, Castile and Aragon both exist, specific conditions

Event: Castile and Aragon unite

Outcome:

  • Castile gains Aragon as junior partner in Personal Union
  • No aggressive expansion penalty
  • Spain formation enabled

Impact: Creates Spain, one of the most powerful nations

💡 Tip
Note: If playing Castile, this is essentially free massive expansion.

English Civil War (England)

Trigger: 1640-1660, low stability, high war exhaustion

Event: Civil war between Royalists and Parliamentarians

Choices:

  • Support Royalists: Maintain monarchy, -50 stability
  • Support Parliament: Become republic, +20 stability, lose some territories

Optimal Choice: Context-dependent (monarchy bonuses vs. republic stability)

French Revolution (France)

Trigger: 1789+, low legitimacy, high unrest, Age of Revolutions

Event: Revolutionary movements threaten monarchy

Choices:

  • Crush Revolution: -100 stability, maintain monarchy, +2 unrest for 10 years
  • Accept Constitutional Monarchy: Become constitutional monarchy, +50 stability
  • Full Revolution: Become republic, -20 legitimacy, civil war

Optimal Choice: Constitutional Monarchy (balance stability and modernization)

Protestant Reformation (1517+)

Trigger: 1517+, Age of Reformation

Event: Martin Luther's Reformation

Choices (for Catholic nations):

  • Remain Catholic: +1 Tolerance of True Faith, +10% Religious Unity
  • Convert to Protestant: Becomes Protestant, -50 stability, +2 unrest for 5 years
  • Suppress Reform: +0.5% Conversion Speed, -20 stability

Optimal Choice: Depends on nation and strategy (most stay Catholic unless specific reason)

Situations System

Situations are ongoing multi-stage events that evolve over time.

What are Situations?

  • Duration: Situations last months to years
  • Progression: Multiple stages with escalating consequences
  • Management: Player actions influence situation outcomes
  • Resolution: Situations end with major consequences (positive or negative)

Situation Structure

Stage 1: Emerging (Initial warning)

  • Minor effects
  • Easy to manage
  • Low cost to resolve

Stage 2: Developing (Growing problem)

  • Moderate effects
  • Requires attention
  • Moderate cost to resolve

Stage 3: Critical (Crisis point)

  • Major effects
  • Difficult to manage
  • High cost to resolve

Stage 4: Resolution (Endgame)

  • Massive consequences
  • Situation concludes
  • Permanent effects

Common Situations

Economic Crisis Situation

Trigger: Negative income for 6+ months, declining trade

Stages:

  1. Economic Downturn: -10% tax income, -5% trade income
  2. Market Instability: -20% tax income, -10% trade income, +1 unrest
  3. Economic Collapse: -30% tax income, -20% trade income, +3 unrest, risk of bankruptcy
  4. Resolution: Bankruptcy OR Economic Recovery

Management:

  • Cut military maintenance
  • Increase trade capacity
  • Build marketplaces
  • Take loans carefully
  • Sell crown lands
Optimal Strategy: Address at Stage 1 (cut expenses immediately).

Religious Unrest Situation

Trigger: Recent conversions, low tolerance, religious minorities

Stages:

  1. Growing Discontent: +1 unrest in affected provinces
  2. Religious Tensions: +2 unrest, -10% tax income in affected provinces
  3. Religious Revolt Imminent: +4 unrest, -20% tax income, rebel armies spawn
  4. Resolution: Religious Rebellion OR Peaceful Resolution

Management:

  • Increase religious tolerance (laws, reforms)
  • Grant autonomy to affected provinces
  • Stop conversion efforts temporarily
  • Station armies in high-unrest provinces
  • Grant Clergy privileges

Optimal Strategy: Increase tolerance at Stage 1, grant autonomy at Stage 2

Succession Crisis Situation

Trigger: Old ruler, no heir, low legitimacy

Stages:

  1. Heir Concerns: -10 legitimacy, minor internal tensions
  2. Succession Dispute: -25 legitimacy, -1 stability, factions form
  3. Civil War Imminent: -50 legitimacy, -2 stability, +3 unrest nationwide
  4. Resolution: Civil War OR Peaceful Succession

Management:

  • Secure heir through royal marriage
  • Increase legitimacy (prestige, events)
  • Grant estate privileges (buy support)
  • Ally powerful neighbors (deter rebels)
  • Use cabinet action "Secure Succession"

Optimal Strategy: Royal marriage at Stage 1, secure succession action at Stage 2

Military Desertion Situation

Trigger: High war exhaustion, low morale, unpaid armies

Stages:

  1. Low Morale: -5% morale, minor desertion
  2. Mass Desertion: -15% morale, -20% army strength, +1 unrest
  3. Army Collapse: -30% morale, -50% army strength, +3 unrest
  4. Resolution: Army Dissolution OR Restored Discipline

Management:

  • Raise army maintenance to maximum
  • End wars or make peace
  • Reduce war exhaustion (peace deals, cabinet actions)
  • Pay soldier wages (ensure positive monthly income)
  • Grant Military Estate privileges

Optimal Strategy: Raise maintenance immediately at Stage 1, make peace at Stage 2

Colonial Unrest Situation

Trigger: High tariffs, low control in colonies, distance from capital

Stages:

  1. Colonial Discontent: +1 unrest in colonies, -5% colonial income
  2. Independence Movement: +2 unrest, -15% colonial income, colonial liberty desire +10
  3. Revolutionary Fervor: +4 unrest, -30% colonial income, colonial liberty desire +30
  4. Resolution: Colonial Independence War OR Peaceful Settlement

Management:

  • Lower tariffs (reduce to 20-30%)
  • Improve relations with colonial nation
  • Send subsidies to colonial nation
  • Grant colonial privileges
  • Station armies in colonies

Optimal Strategy: Lower tariffs at Stage 1, subsidies at Stage 2

Plague/Disease Situation

Trigger: Random, higher chance in high-population provinces, trade routes

Stages:

  1. Outbreak: -5% population growth, minor economic impact
  2. Epidemic: -15% population growth, -10% production, -10% tax income
  3. Pandemic: -30% population growth, -25% production, -25% tax income, +2 unrest
  4. Resolution: Disease Burns Out OR Devastating Loss

Management:

  • Close trade routes temporarily (slows spread)
  • Build hospitals (if available, late-game)
  • Quarantine affected provinces (cabinet action)
  • Wait it out (diseases naturally end after 1-3 years)
  • Grant clergy privileges (religious healing)

Optimal Strategy: Quarantine at Stage 1, wait at Stage 2 (little you can do)

Famine Situation

Trigger: Food shortage, poor harvests, population exceeds food capacity

Stages:

  1. Food Shortage: -10% population growth, +1 unrest
  2. Widespread Hunger: -25% population growth, -10% tax income, +2 unrest
  3. Mass Starvation: -50% population growth, -25% tax income, +4 unrest, population decline
  4. Resolution: Famine Ends OR Population Collapse

Management:

  • Build food production immediately (farms, ranches, fishing)
  • Import food via trade routes
  • Reduce population (colonization, war casualties paradoxically help)
  • Grant autonomy to affected provinces
  • Emergency food distribution (cabinet action)

Optimal Strategy: Build food production at Stage 1, import food at Stage 2

Event Decision-Making Framework

Analyzing Events

Step 1: Read Carefully

  • Understand all options and consequences
  • Check modifiers and durations
  • Consider long-term vs. short-term impact

Step 2: Assess Context

  • What is your current situation? (at war? stable? expanding?)
  • Can you afford the cost? (gold, stability, prestige)
  • Does this align with your strategy?

Step 3: Choose Optimal Option

  • Prioritize stability if unstable
  • Prioritize gold if wealthy
  • Prioritize prestige if stable and wealthy
  • Prioritize avoiding disasters if at risk

General Event Guidelines

Stability Events

  • If stability >50: Can afford -10 to -20 stability
  • If stability <50: Avoid stability losses
  • If stability <30: Choose stability gains even if costly

Gold Events

  • If treasury >500: Can spend 50-100 gold freely
  • If treasury 200-500: Spend carefully
  • If treasury <200: Avoid spending unless critical

Prestige Events

  • If prestige >50: Can afford -10 to -20 prestige
  • If prestige <50: Prioritize prestige gains
  • If prestige <20: Avoid prestige losses

Military Events

  • During war: Prioritize military bonuses
  • During peace: Balance cost vs. benefit
  • Low manpower: Avoid manpower losses

Situation Management Priority

Critical (Address Immediately)

  1. Economic Crisis (leads to bankruptcy)
  2. Succession Crisis (leads to civil war)
  3. Military Desertion (lose wars)
  4. Famine (population collapse)

High Priority (Address Within Months)

  1. Religious Unrest (leads to rebellion)
  2. Colonial Unrest (lose colonies)
  3. Estate Rebellion Situations

Medium Priority (Monitor, Address When Convenient)

  1. Plague/Disease (limited control)
  2. Cultural Tensions
  3. Trade Disruptions

Low Priority (Often Resolve Naturally)

  1. Minor economic fluctuations
  2. Cultural spread events
  3. Diplomatic incidents with minor nations

Event Modifiers

Some events grant temporary or permanent modifiers:

Temporary Modifiers (Duration: 5-20 years)

  • Economic Boom: +20% trade income, +10% production
  • Military Reforms: +10% morale, +5% discipline
  • Cultural Renaissance: +2% literacy growth, +0.5 advance points
  • Diplomatic Success: +1 diplomatic reputation

Permanent Modifiers

  • National Ideas: Unlock national idea bonuses
  • Historical Reforms: Permanent government bonuses
  • Cultural Achievements: Permanent prestige/culture bonuses

Negative Modifiers

  • Economic Depression: -15% tax income (5-10 years)
  • Military Defeat: -10% morale (3-5 years)
  • Diplomatic Incident: -1 diplomatic reputation (5-10 years)

Disaster Chains

Some events are part of disaster chains:

Civil War Chain

  1. Warning Event: Unrest building
  2. Faction Formation: Rebel factions appear
  3. Breaking Point: Rebel demands
  4. Civil War: Full rebellion

Prevention: Address at Stage 1-2 (grant demands, increase stability)

Peasant Revolt Chain

  1. Economic Hardship: High taxes, low food
  2. Peasant Discontent: +2 unrest in rural provinces
  3. Revolt: Peasant armies spawn
  4. Resolution: Crush or grant autonomy

Prevention: Lower taxes, ensure food supply at Stage 1

Religious War Chain

  1. Religious Tensions: Different religions in nation
  2. Religious Factions: Catholic vs. Protestant factions form
  3. Religious Conflict: Internal religious war
  4. Resolution: One religion wins or compromise

Prevention: Increase tolerance, slow conversion at Stage 1

Common Mistakes

  • Ignoring Early Warning Events: Stage 1 events are easy to fix. Don't wait.
  • Choosing Short-Term Gains Over Long-Term Stability: +50 gold now vs. -20 stability is usually bad trade.
  • Not Reading Event Text Carefully: Missing key details leads to bad choices.
  • Overreacting to Minor Events: Not every event requires immediate action.
  • Forgetting Event Modifiers: Temporary modifiers can stack; avoid multiple negative modifiers simultaneously.
  • Triggering Multiple Situations Simultaneously: Very difficult to manage. Address situations early.

Quick Reference

Event Priority:

  1. Disaster warnings (civil war, succession crisis)
  2. Stability events (if <50 stability)
  3. Economic events (if negative income)
  4. Military events (if at war)
  5. Everything else

Situation Response Times:

  • Stage 1: Address within 1-2 years
  • Stage 2: Address within 6-12 months
  • Stage 3: Address immediately (within 1-3 months)
  • Stage 4: Too late, manage consequences

Safe Event Choices (When Unsure):

  • Choose stability if <50 stability
  • Choose gold if <200 treasury
  • Choose prestige if >80 stability and >500 gold
  • Choose military bonuses if at war
  • Choose "cautious" or "moderate" options when available

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