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Core Mechanics

Prestige​

Prestige is a state's status and legitimacy. Each country has a certain prestige level and status. Prestige is a key element of international influence: it reflects the influence a country has due to political achievements, economic power, military strength, and diplomatic success.

The higher the prestige value, the higher the state status. High status allows a country to be a leader in global matters.

Prestige increases or decreases depending on:

  • domestic policy decisions of the government;
  • foreign policy successes or failures;
  • changes in economic conditions;
  • special events outside the state's control.

State Status​

There are 7 categories of state status.

Hegemon (210–300 prestige)​

  • Can receive up to 20 volunteers.
  • Can send up to 12 volunteers in total.
  • Has the right to directly intervene in wars involving other hegemons and great powers.
  • Has the right to create military-political alliances and economic unions.
  • Can act as guarantor of independence for lower-status states.
  • Has priority in disputes with weaker states when colonizing one region.

Great Power (200–300 prestige)​

  • Can receive up to 12 volunteers.
  • Can send up to 8 volunteers in total.
  • Has the right to directly intervene in wars involving other great powers.
  • Has the right to create military-political alliances and economic unions.
  • Can act as guarantor of independence for lower-status states.
  • Has priority in disputes with weaker states when colonizing one region.
  • Has access to the influence and crises mechanic.

Middle Power (100–200 prestige)​

  • Can receive up to 8 volunteers.
  • Can send up to 6 volunteers in total.
  • Can create military-political alliances and economic unions, but this is harder than for higher-status countries.
  • Has priority in disputes with weaker states when colonizing one region.

Secondary Power (50–100 prestige)​

  • Can receive up to 6 volunteers.
  • Can send up to 3 volunteers in total.
  • Cannot create its own alliances or economic unions, but can participate in them.
  • Has no special advantages and yields to higher-status powers in politics.

Minor Power (10–50 prestige)​

  • Can receive up to 3 volunteers.
  • Cannot send volunteers.
  • Cannot create military-political alliances or economic unions.

Puppet (0 prestige)​

  • Relies on the army of its suzerain.
  • Has the right to conclude trade agreements.
  • Cannot gain or lose prestige points.

Colonies (0 prestige)​

  • Cannot send volunteers.
  • Cannot receive volunteers.
  • Cannot register a fleet.
  • Have a very small army (within a 10 limit).
  • Cannot conclude trade agreements.

Culture​

For construction of cultural buildings by nations from puppet to middle power level, prestige points may be awarded.

Cultural buildings include theaters, parks, monuments, palaces, etc. Each such building is evaluated individually (as is the prestige awarded for it).

  • Maximum prestige for 1 building: 5 points

National Income​

National income is formed, among other things (see economic points mechanic), from economic points.

1000 economic points = 100 national income.

You can check your national income in the nations table (electronic version and in-game).

Social Order

Description​

Social order is the resilience of state institutions. It is not about whether people “like the government,” but rather how capable the state is of implementing decisions and maintaining integrity in the face of adversity. It ranges from -100 to +100.

Conditional stability is the mood of citizens. Social order is the condition of the hull, rudder, and engine. You can have a disciplined crew on a sinking ship. Or a crew of mutineers on an unsinkable battleship.

Social Order Scale​

I — Total Project (+50...+100)​

Essence: Ideology has become a religion. The state is a tool for advancement. The opposition has been destroyed or driven underground.

Domestic policy: There is no opposition, and a huge repressive apparatus is necessary for the state's existence. The economy is completely mobilized for the goals of the project. A sharp change of course is impossible.

War and diplomacy: Types of wars: ideological, missionary, crusades. Bonus to mobilization for wars justified by the “project.” Any defeat means the instant collapse of the order (“project”). Alliances are only possible with total projects.

Uprisings: Guerrilla warfare will be complicated. Any skirmishes and riots have virtually no effect. Recruitment decreases. To defeat such a “project,” maximum effort must be exerted.

Change of order: Forcibly — only military defeat, the death of a charismatic leader without a successor, total economic collapse.

Game effects: +30% to Economic Points +40% to mobilization (offensive wars)

II — National Project (+20…+50)​

Essence: The country has a clear goal that is shared by the majority. Institutions work to achieve it.

Domestic policy: The opposition exists but is marginal. People are ready to believe in the future (“the American dream”).

War and diplomacy: Types of wars: liberation, unification, modernization. Bonus to mobilization for wars justified by the “goal.” A protracted war without victories undermines faith in the project. Alliances are possible with anyone who will help achieve the goal.

Uprisings: They are more social than political in nature. Uprisings gain the usual amount of OV.

Change of order: Up: project success, cult, suppression of opposition > Level I. Down: project failure, death of leader, defeat in war > Level III.

Game effects: +15% to Economic Points +20% to mobilization (offensive wars)

III — Legitimacy Crisis (-19…+19)

Essence: Old bonds have fallen apart. New ones have not been accepted. Institutions exist, but they are paralyzed or do not enjoy public trust. Society is divided.

Domestic politics: Institutions exist, but no one trusts them. Society is divided and may descend into civil war. Governments/leaders change like gloves.

War and diplomacy: Type of wars: defensive only. Alliances are impossible: no one trusts you or your legitimacy. Sending volunteers is impossible.

Uprisings: Military coups, separatism, hunger riots, pogroms — anything is possible at any moment. Society is on the brink of civil war. It may not happen (e.g., the United States in 1932), but it's worth adding fuel to the fire... The best time for uprisings.

Change of order: Up: the emergence of a force imposing a new project > jump to Level II (+20...+50). Down: victory of conservative elites > jump to Level IV (-20...-49).

Game effects:

-50% to mobilization.

IV — Established regime (-20...-49)​

Essence: The country has a clear goal shared by the majority. Institutions work to achieve it. There is opposition, but it is weak.

Domestic policy: The power of traditions, elites, and social classes. No goals, the main task is to maintain the status quo. Reforms are either absent or extremely cautious.

War and diplomacy: Types of wars: defensive, dynastic, colonial. Alliances with similar regimes, conservative international. Alliances with totalitarian projects are impossible. Sending volunteers is impossible.

Uprisings: Accumulation of tension. The longer the regime lasts, the stronger the explosion will be. Riots are rare, but when they do occur, they are brutally suppressed. Main risk: revolution during the transition to Level III.

Change of order: Downward: Archaization, isolation, rejection of reforms > Level V. Upward: Only through crisis. First a fall to Level III, then a leap forward into the project. It is not possible to move directly from IV to II. It is necessary to pass through zero.

Game effects: +50% to mobilization (defensive wars). -50% to mobilization (offensive wars). Technological backwardness. Technology development is impossible.

V — Sacred Order (--50…-100)​

Essence: Power is sanctified by religion or millennial tradition. The state is perceived as the property of a dynasty or leader. Modernization is practically non-existent.

Domestic policy: Power comes from God, blood, and millennial custom. Modernization is impossible without the collapse of the system itself. Technology is magic or sin.

War and diplomacy: Type of wars: defensive. Total isolation in terms of alliances. Sending volunteers is impossible. Colonies are impossible.

Uprisings: Not against the “tsar,” but against the “bad boyars.” The dynasty may change, but not the order. Rebellions in the usual sense are impossible, except for interventions/wars.

Change of order: Only external shock (conquest, “white Moor” reforms) > fall to Level III, then a leap into a project or regime.

Game effects: +100% to mobilization (defensive wars). Mobilization is impossible for offensive warfare. Inability to have a fleet, equipment (tanks, artillery, and aviation). -50% to Economic Points.