Crusader Kings 3 expands the medieval strategy game's map across East Asia and introduces more types of government
Paradox Studio shared a lot of new information about the All Under Heaven expansion for Crusader Kings III.
Not even a month has ed since the release of All Under Heaven, is already looming on the horizon. Thanks to the dev diary, we learned a lot of new things about this DLC.
All Under Heaven will expand the available map for players to include East Asia, focusing especially on China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The devs promise that it won't just be a simple addition of missing regions - they will be full of life and become an integral part of the CK3 world.
China
New regions will have their own unique mechanics. China will be the first empire classified as a hegemony. They will also offer the so-called celestial government, which is an extension of the Byzantine istrative government from the Roads of Power expansion. Its functioning is supposed to be based on "merits," a value independent of influences, which is built by characters throughout their life based on service and decisions.
Economy will also look different. Instead of directly ing their own domains, Chinese governors will be sending the collected money to the emperor, who will then decide how to spend it across the kingdom. It should also be possible to establish tributaries among other independent rulers.
Japan
Meanwhile, in Japan, governors will be divided into two types: Ritsuryo will focus more on influence than military power, while Soryo vassals will have hereditary succession, stronger armies, and the ability to expand and take over other counties.
In Japan, the supreme ruler (called Kampaku) will be initially chosen from the Ritsuryo and will act on behalf of the emperor. The strongest Soryo, however, will be able to try to seize power by becoming a shogun. To get a handle on everything, All Under Heaven will give us a tool to track the relationships between houses.
Southeast Asia
On the other hand, Southeast Asia will include regions more distant from the influence of China than Japan and Korea. There, we'll find a mosaic of diverse tribal leaders, indigenous beliefs, and states practicing Hinduism or Buddhism. The kingdoms are supposed to be much less stable, causing constant geopolitical changes.
Hindu and Buddhist states will be controlled by governments in the mandala model, having a lower limit of vassals and focusing more on tributaries. An independent ruler will be able to assume the title of Devraj or divine king, and then the main source of his power will be religion. This way, he'll gain access to new levels of devotion and try to expand his influence to neighboring areas.
The DLC will also allow regional leaders to forces and work together on ambitious projects, like the Great Wall. Furthermore, natural disasters will not be a punishment for the players, but an opportunity to showcase their own skills.
Unfortunately, we still don't know when Crusader Kings III: All Under Heaven will be released.
