Players can now assign units to governors, which is a dangerous gambit at best. Surprisingly enough, these considerations also apply to governors. I found it especially perilous removing generals from their command as they not only split your nation apart, but will have control over an army to boot. More than once I was confronted with a country split in half and once the ball starts rolling, it is hard to stop. If he is disloyal however, it is more likely that he will feel strong enough to start a civil war. If he is loyal to you, the only downside of such an action may be that his loyalty takes a hit. Removing someone highly regarded from a position of any kind is now a tricky business. Neglecting these agenda’s can have disastrous results, especially when a character has a high standing within the republic.

Senators and other characters may be part of a faction and support their wishes, but they also have their own agenda’s. They influence directly how factions gain or lose strength in the Senate, and the strongest faction dictates the requests and the demands on you as a ruler. In Rome, you were presented with all sorts of issues that you were required to answer but never before have these answers had such an impact as they have in Vae Victis. The vehicle for many of the new gameplay mechanics is the Senate which is made up of factions that each have their own agenda. With the Vae Victis expansion pack, Paradox aims to enhance Europa Universalis: Rome by giving you new ways to interact with the inhabitants of your republic and bringing individual characters to life. It is not that I don’t like the game it is just that I find it puzzling that it has captured and held my attention for such a long time. If you are a fan of the series (and there are many), don’t burn me at the stake for saying that just yet. In essence, you and I have been playing the same game for the last eight years. Each new game released plays pretty much the same as its older brethren, merely offering a setting in a different era and minor differences in production lines, units and graphics. Paradox’s Europa Universalis series is something of an enigma for me.

Review europa universalis rome