Primitive

Primitive

"Primitives" refers to nations in the following technology groups:

• North American
• Mesoamerican
• Andean
• South American
• Aboriginal

Effects of being primitive :

• -90% income from gold

• +50% development cost
• Can only build transport ships
• Naval and Maritime ideas are disabled

Effects for nations interacting with primitves :

• Conquering provinces from a primitive as a non-primitive doesn't cost unjustified demands
• Conquering provinces from a primitive as a non-primitive doesn't cause separatism
• An army led by a conquistador can move through the land of primitives without need for access
• Overseas provinces with a core from a existing primitive country get −80% culture conversion cost

General information

Since Primitives cannot easily embrace institutions, this will slow their technological advancement and thus, they will be technologically inferior to most other non-tribal nations, most notably the European powers. This means that a Primitives relative position to Europe can dictate how difficult a specific nation will be to play.

Primitives situated on the west coast of the Americas will be ignored by European powers for longer and are thus safe from aggression, placing them in a better position initially but this does have the unfortunate drawback of having to wait longer to reform their governments (if in the Americas) or having a difficult time embracing new institutions. In addition to that, once the Europeans do reach these areas, they will be even more technologically advanced and even if the primitive can reform their government, there likely will not be much, if any, uncolonized land left to expand into, placing them in a bad situation even after reforming their government.

Conversely, primitives situated on the east coast of the Americas are in a much more dangerous position initially as they will be right on the front lines of European colonization once the European powers arrive and will thus bear the brunt of European aggression. This does mean, however, that if the aforementioned primitives are able to survive the initial contact, they will be in a much better position to reform their government, embrace institutions and begin expanding themselves, perhaps even carving out an empire of their own.

During a normal game, most (if not all) primitives will eventually be overpowered and annexed by the stronger European nations, but if a skilled player takes control of a primitive, they can make an attempt to survive the initial contact, reform the government and beat back and expel the foreign invaders from the continent altogether.

Reforming into a non- primitive Nation

To loose the handicaps that primitivity puts on a nation, they will have to reform of a non primitive neighbor. Reforming will gift you all Institutions that the nation you reform off of has embraced and will turn you into its type of Government. Primitive nations can be split into two different groups, based on how their reform process works.

Native Tribes

Main article: Native tribe

Primitives that are Native Tribes have to reform via government reforms. This group makes up all nations in North- and Southamerica, aswell as Australia except for nations that are Inti/Mayan or Nahuatl.

Native Tribes have −100% Reform progress growth so most if not all of their reform progress will come from Monthly reform progress. Base Monthly reform progress for native tribes is +0.5, the unique Ceremonial Fire Pit building provides +0.2 Monthly reform progress, and each Longhouse provides +0.1 Monthly reform progress. The Oral Tradition government reform and Indigenous idea 3: The Great Law each provide a +25% Monthly reform progress modifier. This modifier also applies to regular reform progress if the tribe gains a bonus to Reform progress growth or reforms out of the Native Tribe government (reforming will lose the Oral Traditions government reform however).

After the T3 reform "Settle down" is enacted, the T4 reform "Trading with foreigners" can be passed, once you border a non primitive nation. Alternatively, if you manage to embrace Feudalism (Native Tribes cant manually spawn Institutions) its possible to pass one of the T5 government reforms, turning you into the desired type of government and becoming non primitve.

If one wishes to stay migratory, its possible to reform into non primitive by reaching military tech 6 and enacting the "The great plains calls to us" T5 government reform. This will turn you into a Steppe Nomad. You will gain no Institutions by reforming this way, but you will be able to manually spawn them.

Inti, Mayan and Nahuatl nations

Main article: Pagan_denominations#Primitive_religions

Nations that are Inti, Mayan or Nahuatl all have to pass 5 religious reforms, before finally being able to reform out of primitivity. Other than Native Tribes, these Nations are able to manually spawn Institutions, however they dont at all have access to government reforms. Despite this, they still have a regular T1 government reform enacted and benefit from its bonuses even before reforming their religion.

List of Governments
Tribe	Tribal Monarchy	Tribal Despotism
	Xalisco, Tonala, Colima, Tlapanec, Coixtlahuaca, Mixtec, Totonac, Zapotec, Muisca, Quito, Cajamarca, Huyla, Chachapoya and Calchaqui	Huastec, Yokotan, Tzotzil, Kiche, Kaqchikel, Chorti, Itza, Chactemal, Cocomes, Xiu and Can Pech
Monarchy	Autocracy
	Tarascan, Otomi, Matlatzinca, Aztec, Tlaxcala, Teotitlan, Chimu, Wanka, Cusco, Colla, Pacajes and Charca
Theocracy	Clerical State
	Ichma

Inti nations will have to wait for their "Authority" to grow to 100 to pass a reform. Doing so will reduce "Authority" to 0 and cause a huge amount of pretender rebels to spawn. If these Rebels succeed, two reforms will be lost again.

Mayan nations will have to own at least 20 provinces to pass a reform. Doing so will cause some of your provinces to break away.

Nahuatl nations need to have 5 vassals to pass a reform. Doing so will cause all vassals to become independent. Additionally, two reforms will be lost whenever "Doom" reaches 100. A nahuatl nations "Doom" raises yearly by the amount of provinces they own. Doom can be reduced by making sacrefices.

Alternativly, Inti/ Mayan or Nahuatl nations will become non- primitive by converting to any religion that isnt Inti/ Mayan or Nahuatl

Strategy

Since reforming the government will turn you into the same type of government as the nation that you reform off, you will usually turn into a Republic, as all Colonial Nations are Republics. If this is undesired it is advised to quickly expand towards the coast so that a Coloniser can be bordered before they own 5 provinces in your colonial region.

If a european power declares war on you before you are ready to defend yourself, it is often easier to just give up some of your Land. As all overseas Land will be given to Colonial nations, it is very easy to take it back later. As long as your Capital stays in the new world, the Colonys overlord wont be called into war aginst you. The AI does tend to enforce peace tho, so its advised to rush the Colony down. Its also worth considering to still keep the Colonial nation alive in one province, because as long as it exists, all Land that is colonised in the region will continue to be given to them, avoiding a situation where for example Portugal owns 4 provinces in the region, forcing you to go to war against them directly if you want those provinces.

If war is inevitable and surrender isnt an option, Nations that are located in Mexico or Peru have the benefit of extremely defensible Terrain. Since most of your nation is made up of mountains, invaders will take much attrition while laying siege, and will always be suffering a huge combat penalty, if the right engagements are taken. Furthermore, wannabe Colonisers will be forced to slowly send over their armies to the new world either via naval landing, or from a small colonial base on your shores. This slow trickle of armies allows a perceptive player to wipe army after army before they can link up, resulting in horrible losses for the Invader. It should be noted however, that as the game progresses and the Colonisers grab more and more Land in the new world, it will be easier for them to stage an invasion. In the late game even the armys of their colonial nations can become a problem by sheer numbers alone.

Even tho Natives recive only 10% of the Gold income, one should not shy away from developing their gold provinces. Native lands are often so rich in gold, that even with only 10% of the income, your nation should be able to be financed mostly by gold.