Stellar Monarch 2: Old Dynasties is the first expansion to Stellar Monarch 2, a feudal space empire builder where you feel like the Emperor not a logistics officer. The expansion focuses on noble houses and internal politics of the Empire by introducing new mechanics and events.
Features introduced in the expansion:
THE ROYAL FAMILY
Now all members of the ruling noble house have a predefined role and personality. They will frequently attend the audience with various requests, ideas and proposals. Some of those are beneficial and some just cause problems.
INTRIGUE
New statistic called Intrigue, which can be raised by several event options. When it reaches a certain threshold, a bad event triggers and the intrigue escalates. Then the cycle repeats itself, each time getting more severe.
VASSALS
Minor noble houses that are always vassals of a Great House. The Great Houses compete for the vassal contracts with each other.
TRADITIONS
Each house has a tradition and its bonus is active if the relations with the house are cordial or better.
RENEGADE HOUSES
Great houses can be declared renegade, which deprives them of their voting rights in the Council and they lose a substantial amount of F.E.D, shares, fiefs and authority. However If too many houses become renegade the people might start losing faith in the whole monarchistic system. You can make a Great House renegade as a punishment for rebelling or arbitrarily as a tyrannical action, but that would not be received well by other Great Houses.
DEMOTE A GREAT HOUSE
Renegade houses can be stripped of their Great House status and replaced by a worthy minor house. The minor house would take over most of their assets.
DISSOLVE THE GREAT COUNCIL
A new option to dissolve the Great Council. While it's not cheap and would cause a turmoil in the Empire, when successful makes you the sole person who can Vote.
NEW POLITICAL AGENDAS
Two new political agendas "Desire vassals" and "Desire F.E.D. shares". There is also a way to persuade the house to change some of their political agendas.
STAR KNIGHTS ORDER
A guaranteed early game event allows you to establish a Star Knights Order, a force loyal to the Empire which can be sent on various missions, crush rebels, subdue riots, invade alien facilities, etc. All this for the glory of the Emperor.
NEW EVENTS
Many new random events (in addition to Star Knights, Intrigue and Family events) divided into early, mid and late game.
OTHER SMALLER THINGS
New temporary modifiers to gain from events. New options for existing events from the base game (for example the banquet got new options to manipulate Vassals). And other smaller adjustments.
