Europa Universalis: Rome add-on: Vae Victus
Vae Victus (”woe to the conquered”) is the Paradox Interactive add-on to the Rome-era application of its landmark Europa Universalis strategy engine. Here’s a link to the summary of the enhancements in the upgrade.
Wouldn’t you know it that the day we’re sure to get this post up Paradox releases the first patch for Vae Victus. It’ll have to wait. We won’t have a chance to play it just yet. But from the readme it appears that the patch will merely refine and enhance the refinements and enhancements outlined below.
First off, as with all the EU titles, help comes in the form of the highly interactive roll-over information there is no in-game help or online manual. Hover over just about anything in the game interface and it will explain itself. The one drawback to reliance on this with an add-on is that any set of new features can get lost unless you know were to look for them. So read the readme and start with a run through the highly detailed tutorials, which are are more of a familiarization tool than a simulation of play.
There is an obviously smoother, less wildly combative but nonetheless deadly AI. You may find after a long successful inland campaign that a very powerful Carthage awaits you if you don’t knock them out early. It’s hard to ignore tha barbarians, the colonization opportunities and the easy tribal country pickings to the north, but you may want to force yourself.
New to the game is an extensive and engaging Senate system. You’ll spend the first few hundred years as a republic, where the Senate can be more a hindrance than a help, unless handled just right. There are factions to deal with and many of the random events effect their strength, gaining or losing seats depending on your decisions. If your Consul (a single one, not historically accurate but cleaner) is of a particular faction then some abilities will gain modifiers. The two most powerful factions at start are the Military and the Populist. But if you work on it you can arrange for the occasional Mercantile Consul or a Religious one, enhancing diplomatic and omen powers respectively.
Vae Victus: Roman Senate
Personalities, feuds and family are a bit more prominent, and you’ll want to pay a little more attention to this aspect of the game. There’s enough here that you could immerse yourself in it.
A welcome refinement is the addition of Regions. Your micro-management will be reduced, since you now have only to name and track the dux of several regions rather than a governor of each of dozens of individual provinces. Management is streamlined yes, but civil wars can be more dangerous as whole regions may now leave the fold and take the local legions with them.
Bottom line: As much of an improvement as you can expect. It’s been patched. We’ll start a new game as soon as we can.
Link to first post in multi-post Europa Universalis: Rome review.
Tags: Europa Universalis Rome: Vae Victus
Europa Universalis Rome, games, strategy | bshears December 16, 2008
