Victoria 2 is part of Paradox Interactive’s main line of grand strategy games, alongside Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron.

• Cold War Release Date
• Cod Cold War
• Victoria 2 Cold War Enhancement Mod
• Victoria 2 Cold War Enhancement Mod Review

We have a lot of options when it comes to the strategy genre, but Victoria separates itself as one of the most ambitious recently.

Though categorized by some as a “wargame,” Victoria’s main focus is for you to build one of 200 playable nations through careful economic and political management.

Victoria 2 Cold War Enhancement Mod is a mod for Victoria II: Heart of Darkness, created by settintotrieste. Description: A short summary of the mod: CWE is a mod that aims to provide a polished overall Cold War era gameplay. The changes include: 1. Victoria 2 Cold War Enhancement Mod (CWE) CWE brings Victoria 2 into the Cold War era and beyond. This is the ultimate Cold War mod with a slew of special features such as ideological blocs, dynamic international institutions and decolonisation chains to accurately. Back to Victoria 2! I am playing with the Cold War Enhancement, or CWE Mod, which is described by the devs like this: 'CWE brings Victoria 2 into the Cold Wa. The Second Cold War, also called Cold War II or the New Cold War, is a term used to describe a post-Cold-War era of political and military tension between China and the Western powers, mostly the United States. The term may also refer to growing tensions between Russia and the Western powers, also mostly the United States.

Letting warfare take a back seat, Victoria separates itself from most other strategy games. And if that’s not reason enough to get you playing again, well maybe some of these mods could pique your interest.

You’ll be needing a paradoxplaza account to access some of these mods, but you can always sign up for free!

20. SexiiColours

As with most older games, the Victoria 2 modding community has taken it upon themselves to provide a number a graphics mods that bring the look of the game closer to current standards.

Let’s not get carried away, though. It would be completely absurd to expect any mod to make the game look like recent AAA titles.

Yet if you’re looking for minor tweaks that make the game easier on the eyes, SexiiColours is a great place to start.

Not only does the mod add variety in terms of color, but it makes eveything easier to play as well.

Country colors have been modified to make them more easily identifiable, while maintaining a sense of historical accuracy.

19. Flag Tweak Mod Pack Conversion

Another simple visual tweak, this time focuses on country flags.

Modder unmerged created custom flag designs to better reflect different government types within different countries.

Yes, he’s also aware that the base game already includes different flags for democracy, monarchy, republic, communist, and fascist governments.

But he feels there’s room for improvement (like most modders). And this is the result.

Some unmerged flag designs include minor changes to add historical accuracy, while others have improved quality for an overall better aesthetic.

18. Danevang’s Map Fertilizer

If we’re improving color-coding for countries and flags, might as well add some flare to the world map as well.

In Victoria 2, you’ll be spending crazy amounts of time on the world map.

So why wouldn’t you want it to look nicer?

This mod adds tons of detail to the map, showing more terrain and textures for land masses. Oceans have been improved as well, now showing topography and ocean depths.

As you probably expect, this mod will take a toll on lower-end PCs. If you feel your current setup can’t handle it, worry not, because Danevang also provides us with a low-res version.

It may not be as detailed as the normal mod, but it still looks better than what you get in vanilla.

17. Modestus’ Vic2MapMap

Another map mod, this time focusing much more on improving land terrain.

Modestus’ Vic2MapMap adds a ton of detail in terms of map terrain, with the aim of making it look like an actual map.

Vic2MapMap really makes the terrain pop. You can now see forests, mountains, snow, and fields from a macro perspective.

Some users also claim better unit visibility and overall improved performance when using this mod, so that’s great as well. Give it a try to see what you think.

16. Victoria 2 Advisor (a.k.a. Lint)

Other than graphical upgrades, there are a few utility mods that can help in ways you’d never expect.

Victoria 2 requires a ton of statistical analysis. It can get pretty overwhelming with the sheer amount of information you have to process.

Though it has already improved user-friendliness from the first Victoria game, it can still be quite daunting for newer players – and the Victoria 2 Advisor aims to help with that.

How it works is that you feed the Advisor a save file, and it gives you loads of helpful information like missed research, clergy and leader values, naval overviews, and much more.

It’ll help you get back to speed quickly, whether you’ve put the game down for a while or are just having difficulty remembering everything that was going on when you last played.

15. Save Game War Analyzer

For more specific save game analysis, these next two utilities could be just as useful.

The first of the two is the Save Game War Analyzer, which basically presents all war-related information for any Victoria 2 save file.

This mod will give you an overview of all wars that have occurred in the save, with each war having a much more detailed menu to dive into.

It shows who participated, when the wars occurred, as well as details on resources lost. Neat!

14. Save Game Economy Analyzer

As I mentioned earlier, Victoria 2 tries to move the focus away from warfare and more towards economical advancements instead.

With that said, the Save Game Economy Analyzer will definitely come in handy.

As you play you’ll need all the information you can get to make informed decisions for your nation, and things always get more complex over time.

Similar to the War Analyzer, the Economy Analyzer displays crucial information like goods consumption, export and import charts, population details, and unemployment figures, all at a glance.

13. Player’s Enhancement Mod

When it comes to quality of life mods for Victoria 2, the Player’s Enhancement Mod is as good as it gets.

It basically aims to improve user accessibility without affecting much in terms of default gameplay.

It makes a few UI changes, including better info screens that no longer obstruct map view. Plus terrain attributes can now be seen on province images, and a modified influence slider where unique colors make it easier to determine the amount.

There are also a few sound enhancements included for revolts, construction, and research completion.

12. Age of Colonialism

Going deeper into the world of Victoria 2 mods, there are actually a lot that make bigger changes in terms of gameplay.

Some aim to give you completely new scenarios to play through, while others just aim to improve overall experience without altering too much of the base game.

A great example of the latter is Age of Colonialism.

It’s more of an overall balance mod that aims to fix base game mechanics that fans thought were faulty.

Some issues addressed include overpowered colonies, super-speed assimilation, and repetitive election events.

One of the biggest changes here is the more realistic technology spread.

Farming technology is now affected by a number of additional factors like literacy, consciousness, and militancy.

Another update is the improved AI, where they’re better equipped to make smarter advancement decisions on their own.

This mod adds so many rebalances that it’ll feel like a different game, without actually changing too much of the game… install the mod and it’ll make sense.

11. ZinnMod

Another rebalance mod here, ZinnMod offers a different take on fixing game-breaking or ineffective mechanics.

Some examples of changes include a lowered national focuses requirement, assimilation and religious conversion changes, and an expanded effect of crimes.

Values for unit experience gain and slave increase have also been rebalanced.

At this point, it’s really a matter of preference depending on which feels more balanced to you.

I recommend giving both a try to see which you like better.

10. Apocalypse 1836

Before we get into the more serious overhaul mods for Victoria 2, I always like to throw something in just for fun.

Apocalypse 1836 is an interesting scenario mod as it brings zombies to your Victoria 2 playthrough.

You heard that right, zombies!

The mod revolves around the premise that in 1836, there was an outbreak of a form of the Solomon Virus which basically turned people into zombies.

The zombies take the form of a new rebel type, while we’re introduced to a new government type as well – State of Emergency.

It’s up to you to navigate through the 19th century while the population is being invaded by the undead. Sounds fun!

9. Modern Age Mod

Now here’s another really super fun mod, this time taking the game in a more modern direction.

The year is 1992 instead of 1836.

The Berlin Wall has fallen, reuniting Germany.

The USSR is extinguished and democracy is now prevalent across Eastern Europe.

It’s a completely different era and therefore a completely different game.

Technologies have changed to reflect the time period, along with new events, nation statistics, and units that are based on actual historical data.

If you’re looking for a more up-to-date iteration of Victoria 2 with more modern history, this is the way to go.

8. Kaiserreich

Kaiserreich is an alternate history mod that’s actually based on a different mod created for Hearts of Iron.

Kaiserreich aims to retell history as if the Germans won WWI, reflecting how the world might have looked now.

Included here is an extended timeline covering 1921-2000, plus new units, a revamped technology tree, and new nations to play as.

There’s tons to discover in this mod, and it’s great for a completely fresh Victoria 2 experience.

You can even win the space race and be the country to put a man on the moon!

7. Cold War Enhancement Mod

If you feel like expanding on the warfare aspect of Victoria 2, the Cold War Enhancement Mod is a great place to start.

This also moves the focus to more modern times, CWEM focuses on the events of the Cold War fought between the USA and the Soviet Union.

There are a number of interesting gameplay changes here, like the introduction of an age system.

This gives different bonuses based on age, making some eras better for warfare than others.

Events that occur throughout the playthrough are also historically accurate, making this the best mod for this particular timeframe.

6. New Era Mod

The New Era mod takes a different approach to modernizing Victoria 2.

It’s actually based on HPM or the Historical Project Mod, which you’ll see pretty soon on this list.

Now the New Era Mod adds two new campaigns to play through, the first starting in 1920 towards the end of the Great War.

The second campaign places you in 1936 where tensions are rising and you’re on the verge of starting WWII.

What happens next is completely up to you.

5. Historical Project Mod

The Historical Project Mod is one of the more popular mods on this list, by far.

Impressive as it is, I will say it’s a project made solely by one man who aimed to make Victoria 2 as realistic as possible.

HPM doesn’t make drastic changes really, as the creator didn’t want to stray too far from vanilla gameplay.

But the little subtleties here and there add up & make for a refined Victoria 2 experience.

Some changes include the introduction of slavery growth, new reforms, optional elections, and an improved AI.

4. Historical Flavour Mod

HFM is a direct result of the Historical Project Mod.

And it’s fantastic.

It basically builds on HPM, giving players a lot more options, decisions, and storylines to follow.

This lets you explore some alternate histories that weren’t available in HPM.

Cold War Release Date

If you’re looking for a solid expansion to the base game, HPM is a great choice.

However, if you’re looking for something a little bit “out there” in terms of staying true to the base game, HFM is definitely great for that.

3. Pop Demand Mod

The Pop Demand Mod, or PDM, started out as an open community discussion on economy balance and improvement suggestions for Victoria 2.

Cod Cold War

Eventually becoming a full mod release, PDM is the most comprehensive compilation of improvements based from community feedback.

The biggest changes PDM makes are in terms of economy.

Aside from carefully rebalancing existing mechanics, the economy is also expanded with the introduction of 20 new commodities.

When you install this and see for yourself, you’ll likely never play without it.

2. Blood and Iron

Blood and Iron is another complete overhaul mod that places more focus on warfare rather than diplomacy.

There are loads of changes to explore here in terms of how you fight for control of certain territories.

And there are new units and mechanics, including new Casus Belli options to diversify warfare in the game.

Beyond battle-related changes, the mod also introduces historical events that weren’t included in the base game. Just to add some flavor to your campaign experience.

1. Divergences of Darkness Mod

The Divergences of Darkness Mod is probably the most expansive alternate history mod for Victoria 2.

It poses some of the most interesting “what ifs” which take the game in different directions just not possible by default.

And that’s the point of modding, right?

With Divergences of Darkness you’ll find a lot of “points of divergence” that derail historical events, like China continuing naval exploration or Isabella of Spain marrying a Portugese prince instead of Ferdinand II.

Those are only a few of the possibilities the mod offers, but you can check the description and forum thread for more details.

If you’d like to explore what might come with a lot of potential tangents in history, absolutely give this mod a try.

Welcome to the Victoria-2-Cold-War-Enhancement-Mod-CWE wiki!

Victoria 2 Cold War Enhancement Mod (CWE)

CWE brings Victoria 2 into the Cold War era and beyond. This is the ultimate Cold War mod with a slew of special features such as ideological blocs, dynamic international institutions and decolonisation chains to accurately simulate the Cold War and Post-Cold War world.

Credits

Creator: settintotrieste

Major contributors: ChrisFox, TheRop, Pippo_Franchino, ARR8, echasovikov, LooseTongue, Yard1, HKKNNTT, Etaglibash, Radical-Rust, arandomperson5000, LaTueur, JohnLockers, KeyboardMonkey95, RyongJin

With special thanks to: simsulla, HPM and the Modern Age Mod team

Start dates avaliable in CWE:

194619501992

East vs West - 1946

From Stettin to Trieste, an Iron curtain is descending upon Europe. Germany is divided in between the victorious nations from World War 2, the United States, the Soviet Union, the UK, and France. In south of Europe a power struggle in between communists and governments is raging. Italy is edging between Communism and Democracy. In Greece a civil war is raging with communists in the north and government control in the south. Eastern Europe is under the Soviet orbit and with each passing moment the USSR's stranglehold increases. In Asia, Iran is struggling to regain control over the northern part of the county. China is engulfed in the Chinese Civil War between the nationalists and the communists. Manchuria is occupied by the Soviet Union and Korea is divided between the USA and USSR. Japan is under American occupation. The Vietminh has rebelled against their French colonial overlords while in South East Asia the Dutch are struggling to maintain control over their empire and with it the era of decolonisation has begun. The Old World has been swept aside in the storm of war and a new one is taking shape but for better or worse this is the American Century.

The East is Red - 1950

Victoria 2 Cold War Enhancement Mod

Communism has triumphed in China. The East is Red. Confronted with this new reality and the end of the American atomic monopoly in 1949, the Truman administration quickly moved to escalate and expand its containment doctrine. Starting with the rearmament of Germany and then later Japan in the Western Bloc, the US attempted to form a bulwark against further communist encroachment. On the other side of the Iron Curtain, the Soviets are consolidating their power in Eastern Europe and building greater ties with China and India. While the Superpowers grow stronger, the colonial empires of old are becoming weaker. With the decolonisation of India, the winds of change are blowing against the imperialists. It is only a matter of time before those empires are consigned to the history books. A more immediate danger would be the tensions growing in the Korean Peninsula where nationalists are actively agitating for a War of Unification. This is a time of great upheaval that needs a great leader to guide the country forward - will it be you?

New World Order - 1992

'Gorbachev tear down this wall!' Few would have thought that the Iron Curtain would have fallen so quickly but yet it did. This sparked a chain reaction that reverberated throughout the world and started the decent of the USSR into a pulpit of pandemonium that would culminate into its dissolution. American is now the world hegemon. However it will not last long in this new multi-polar world with the rise of new centres of power in the ambitious and populace east. China and India are aspiring to seize the top spot and end the American hegemony though soft and hard power. And with globalization and the shift in geopolitical power towards the east, this is increasingly not a matter of if but when. In this renewed competitive multi-polar world, nations will join what initially are trade blocks, and eventually in some cases large centralized union states like the European Union, the South American Union and the African Union to keep up with the world. In light of these developments, the end of the Cold War can hardly have said to deliver the decisive realisation of international peace but it still has profoundly altered our world and whether it is for the better or worse is up to you. This is the beginning of the New World Order.

Important Notices

Supported languages: English only

Some people have asked whether not being able to justify war is a bug. It is not. The ability to justify war is tied to ruling party war policy, government type, world tension levels and being in a war. So unless you fulfill at least one of those conditions then war justification will be possible.

Social Corruption can be reduced by increasing literacy while Government Corruption can be reduced by increasing admin spending.

Victoria 2 Cold War Enhancement Mod Review

Development levels are determined by the literacy rates of specific provinces and whether the province has a large enough population. Provinces that have less than 30,000 pops will always be extremely underdeveloped. Increase your literacy to increase your developmental levels.

Installation Instructions

Copy CWE and CWE.mod from the CWE.zip file to the mod directory of your Victoria 2 Programs File.CWE requires Victoria 2 Heart of Darkness Version 3.04 which includes the beta patch. Please delete your map cache prior to starting a new version of the mod for the first time.