Switzerland

[NagatsukaShumi]

I believe the Swiss neutrality was the official reason wasn't it? Rather than there being more important provinces (which is hardly an excuse to leave one out in the most important theatre, playable factions wise).

[Subotan]

Yes, but there are plenty of other countries that are neutral which are in the game e.g. Ireland/Sweden. Also, the Swiss didn't officially become neutral until 1815.

EDIT: And I've never heard that to be the official reason. Any Swiss citizens here that can complain to the gov if this turns out to be true?

[Marquis of Roland]

Well I guess in the end they had space for 1 province left, and decided that Moose Factory was more important to the game

[Subotan]

Lawl. You would have thought that moose, being neutral would have wanted to have been kept out of the game though. :]

[Julius_Nepos]

I must say what I found most curious was the fact that there isn't even a bit of flavor text when you hover over the void that used to be the Swiss Confederation. Even in the empty stretches of North America you at least get something like "Western Plains" yet it's as though no one even lives in that stretch of land in the Alps. That seems mysterious to me, and inconsistent with how other empty regions were handled. I do wonder just what was going on there, I mean EU3 has Switzerland in it without any apparent problems.

[Grombeard]

I must say what I found most curious was the fact that there isn't even a bit of flavor text when you hover over the void that used to be the Swiss Confederation. Even in the empty stretches of North America you at least get something like "Western Plains" yet it's as though no one even lives in that stretch of land in the Alps. That seems mysterious to me, and inconsistent with how other empty regions were handled. I do wonder just what was going on there, I mean EU3 has Switzerland in it without any apparent problems.

EU3 is lying! So are all the teachers and the world maps you can buy everywhere... Switzerland just doesn't exist! They just want to make you THINK it exists! Have you been there? Do you know for sure that there aren't just a few mountains and deep forest where this so called "Switzerland" should be? Why did "they" always stay neutral, never making it big into history books? Right! They don't exist! It's like the city of Bielefeld in germany... it's a lie! They want to fool us, control us! BEWARE!!!

omg...

they're coming... help me!

[Dead Guy]

In fact, Switzerland is just something people confuse with Sweden. It is actually the same thing.

Perhaps they didn't put it in because soon there will be a black hole there anyway and it's too hard to model properly.

[SwissBarbar]

Yes, but there are plenty of other countries that are neutral which are in the game e.g. Ireland/Sweden. Also, the Swiss didn't officially become neutral until 1815.

EDIT: And I've never heard that to be the official reason. Any Swiss citizens here that can complain to the gov if this turns out to be true?

really never heard of something more funny than that. I'll write a letter

Why did "they" always stay neutral, never making it big into history books?

PHA! Of course you mean besides slaughtering Habsburgs, defeating the number 1 military juggernaut in Europe, the Burgundians, getting independent from the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, defeating the Swabians, invading Italy, mass slaughtering French, having a reputation of being unbeatable for 200 years, convincing the pope not to let himself being protected by anyone else than Swiss mercenaries, making kings of that age consider it impossible to win a battle without Swiss mercenaries, and when finally being closely defeated by a force superior in numbers and canons, still performing the first ordered retreat since antiquity...

[Jazzy]

PHA! Of course you mean besides slaughtering Habsburgs, defeating the number 1 military juggernaut in Europe, the Burgundians, getting independent from the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, defeating the Swabians, invading Italy, mass slaughtering French, having a reputation of being unbeatable for 200 years, convincing the pope not to let himself being protected by anyone else than Swiss mercenaries, making kings of that age consider it impossible to win a battle without Swiss mercenaries, and when finally being closely defeated by a force superior in numbers and canons, still performing the first ordered retreat since antiquity...

The delicate position of the Old Swiss Confederation in the 18th century consisted in being financially dependant from the House of Bourbon on one side and on the other side not to be able to come to help their treaty partners in the Franche Compté, Alsac and Strassbourg when they were occupied by the French. The period of the Ancien Regime (18th century) was rich of cultural prosperity (enlightment) but politically they did not develop the necessary institution to real-time with the rising powers in their neighborhood and when they did it was too late because the institutions that had worked well through the Renaissance and during the Barock suddenly failed in 1798.

I would not reproach CA with not having the Swiss in a wargame focusing on the period of the Ancien Régime because it was beside the war of 1712 a peaceful and good period for them. - It's a chance for modders, to improve the range of topics of the game. I look forward and will support their efforts within the limits I have set to myself.

[SwissBarbar]

The delicate position of the Old Swiss Confederation in the 18th century consisted in being financially dependant from the House of Bourbon on one side and on the other side not to be able to come to help their treaty partners in the France Compte, Alsac and Strassbourg when they were occupied by the French. The period of the Ancien Regime (18th century) was rich of cultural prosperity (enlightment) but politically they did not develop the necessary institution to real-time with the rising powers in their neighborhood and when they did it was too late because the institutions that had worked well through the Renaissance and during the Barock suddenly failed in 1798.

I would not reproach CA with not having the Swiss in a wargame focusing on the period of the Ancien Régime because it was beside the war of 1712 a peaceful and good period for them. - It's a chance for modders, though.

Which doesn't mean that they never made it into the history books

[Jazzy]

Which doesn't mean that they never made it into the history books

Sure. 1798 brought also liberty to those who had no equal rights before and created within the following half of a century the Modern Swiss Confederation (1848). Besides, swiss regiments fought for the French in the Seven Years War, they fought for the Dutch and the British Crown in India and they were among the last to run away from the fields of the Beresina in Winter 1812. Still, Rousseau, Voltaire and Pestalozzi are far more important (only to mention a few).

[AussieGiant]

Well, it does seem slightly surprising because at the time they were still very well regarded as mercenaries.

Ah well, the conspiracies have been been funny to read.

It all seems like a storm in a tea cup.

[Subotan]

It all seems like a storm in a tea cup.

Yeah, but a very irritaiting teacup at that

I would not reproach CA with not having the Swiss in a wargame focusing on the period of the Ancien Régime because it was beside the war of 1712 a peaceful and good period for them.

So, because they didn't fight much, they shouldn't be included in the game

[antisocialmunky]

I dunno, atleast the Swiss fans can't complain about CA horribly butchering the Swiss. :-p

[Jazzy]

So, because they didn't fight much, they shouldn't be included in the game

There are a limited amount of slots for factions and they also wanted to release the game in time. Then the designers had to decide which were the relevant factions for the GC.
Indeed, some of the neighbors of the Old Swiss Confederation were certainly more in the history of events during the 18th century. Take the Duchy of Wurttemberg which was the main battleground between France and the Emperor, or Bavaria which was an ally of France during the Spanish Successor War and focus of the Bavarian Successor War, or take Piemont, Savoy smaller but still active participants in the political and military history of the period being important for the French and Austrians because they controlled the entrence to Italy.
CA has made a design-decision good for their GC scenario that's all. A civilwar like the one of 1712 in Switzerland is on a level of detail not in the focus of the game and the French invasion of 1798 is already close to the end of the GC as well as the battles of the Second War of Coalition (1789–1802) that were fought on the territory of the Helvetic Republic.

[Megas Methuselah]

It sounds more probable that CA was pressured into exempting the Swiss from the game.

[Subotan]

As does Imperial Glory. It makes no sense!

[Den of Earth]

For Napoleon, Switzerland was critical to his Italian Campaign. He could never of "Crossed the Alps"on this map. I only mention this because Switzerland could of made strategy in this region a lot more interesting and challenging.

[Megas Methuselah]

Switzerland is already in the game, as the Swiss Confederation. Too bad they weren't included in the campaign map(s), though.

I'll provide some screenies sometime later.

[Ignoramus]

So the Swiss can emerge as a faction, but their homeland isn't included? Someone tell this can't be true.

Maybe CA baulked at creating a Swiss navy.

[Megas Methuselah]

So the Swiss can emerge as a faction, but their homeland isn't included? Someone tell this can't be true.

Maybe CA baulked at creating a Swiss navy.

No. They're included in the game as a faction. They just aren't included in the grand campaign.

[Ignoramus]

So you can fight custom battles with them?

[Subotan]

No. They're included in the game as a faction. They just aren't included in the grand campaign.

http://totalwar.honga.net/empire_uni..._confederation

Proof.

[Meneldil]

I believe the Swiss neutrality was the official reason wasn't it? Rather than there being more important provinces (which is hardly an excuse to leave one out in the most important theatre, playable factions wise).

Don't know where people got this idea, but it is stupid as hell.

Firstly, countries are not copyrighted. You don't need a country's approval to use it in a video game or movie.

Secondly, Switzerland appears in a lot of wargames, turn-based or real time strategy games, and nobody cared. It appears in MTW, in EUII and III, in Victoria, in Hearts of Iron, and the list goes on. If the Swiss government opposed the idea of having the country in a video game, then what about those?
Nonetheless, it would be pretty stupid as Switzerland musts represent what, 1% of CA sales?

Stop spreading that rumor until you have real proof of it, because honestly (and I mean no offense), making such baseless and ludicrous claims is somewhat ridiculous.
And if that's true (which I *highly* doubt), then the Swiss government would be ridiculous, and both Swiss and non Swiss people should make fun of it.

The reason provided by CA (couldn't be harsed to find the quote) is something among the lines of "We didn't want to have to many provinces, especially in Europe, and thus decided to ditch Switzerland".

[Postino]

I am personally of the opinion that the well off and gentlemanly developers at CA are hiding their profits in the tax heavens of the Swiss, therefore they wish to bring as little attention to the country as possible