Expansion Rules

Our goal is to give all players, regardless of experience, a chance to tell their stories. We believe leaving AI-controlled nations intact for longer makes the game more lively and historically engaging, avoiding the rush to annex every province early on.

We want to delay the typical "stalemate" phase of EU4 multiplayer, where players are left with little to do but develop and prepare for wars. By easing the early-game pressure, we encourage players to focus on crafting meaningful RP stories rather than rushing for expansion. This is what makes the game truly enjoyable we think.

If you expand faster than what the organization deems beneficial for game health, you may be given an expansion limit for the following session. This limit can range from a maximum of 0 development expansion to a maximum of X development expansion, depending on how quickly you expanded in the previous session. Other restrictions may also apply.

If you receive an expansion limit, you must adhere to the following:

1. Gaining land through conquest or missions (including taking vassals) counts as expansion.

2. Player vassals do not count towards expansion.

3. Integrating vassals does not count as expansion, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

4. Colonization is not considered expansion, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

5. If you are expansion limited and you are attacked by another player you may disregard the expansion limit against the player attacker.

6. Upon losing land during an expansion limit, it is permitted to conquer land equivalent to the development of the land lost (seeking to lose or sell land to circumvent the expansion limit is prohibited).

We evaluate expansion based on various metrics, including total development/provinces, development/provinces change. Conquest specific development gain. Global and regional development averages and many, many other metrics.

Generally expanding by more than 2-3 areas, 10+ provinces can be considered excessive.