Europa Universalis IV is set to get another content-heavy expansion soon, and the fact that it’s going to be called The Cossacks is something of a clue as to what it will be based around.
The Cossacks were the mostly Slavic warriors that protected the borders and wilderness of Russia for hundreds of years. Their skilled horsemanship and militarised society made them invaluable soldiers for the Russian Empire up until the 20th century - though they weren’t afraid of rebelling against authority every now and then, either.
Outside of major new horde and native culture mechanics, the main event in this new expansion is the addition of Estates; essentially this allows you to autonomise your own provinces in exchange for greater stability and increased manpower. The flip side is that you’ll earn less from these holdings, and giving your Estates too much autonomy may give them ideas above their station.
There are also new diplomatic options for improving alliances and espionage, the addition of Tengri as a state reilgion and more. It’s a typically expansive bunch of new systems and options, some of which you’ll see highlighted in the video below. As always, there will be a major, free patch alongside the expansion - Paradox hasn’t explicitly listed the differences between the two just yet.
The Cossacks will be available via digital retailers and the Paradox store in late 2015.