Praecepta Militaria – A Byzantine Army Rework

Uploaded · Published November 24, 2025 · Updated June 3, 2026

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Last revision: 1 Jun at 16:50 UTC (17)

File size: 63.21 MB

Description:

Praecepta Militaria is an alt-history rework of the the Byzantine state offering the player the opportunity to reshape its fortunes against the backdrop of chaos and ever-growing threats of the late feudal period and beyond.

This mod aims to address the distinct lack of flavor and meaningful options available to the player with respect to rebuilding the Byzantine military apparatus by introducing new government reforms, laws, estate privileges, IOs, buildings, units, situations, and events drawn from both the real history of the Byzantine Empire as well as some speculative historical fiction. In some ways this makes the campaign start for Byzantium more grueling, but who doesn’t like a challenge?

Note: While the changes and additions are meant to be modest to remain compatible with both vanilla gameplay and other mods, please note that some of the more reaching changes are in constant play-test and should not be considered ‘balanced’ in any way. Most of the effort is focused on early gameplay (Age of Tradition -> Discovery eras).

The general intent is to encourage the player to build up military infrastructure as a compliment to interacting with the estates to improve both size, quality, and composition of their armies as well as gaining control over the imperial territories. Vanilla gameplay gates a lot of the most meaningful options for later ages, long after its relevant for Byzantium’s starting condition. This mod is should give players more to work for early in the game.

+ Clerici et Milites
+ Propýrgion tou Dounáveos

Major Update Version: 0.9 – Roman Sphere
05/07/2026:

Updated for EU5 v 1.2 and Fate of the Phoenix DLC

New Feature: Sfaíra tōn Rōmaiōn IO, represents subjects, tributaries, and neutral/friendly nations within the Rhomaic pphere of influence.

Added lots of new buildings (over 60 in total), events, and interactions

Events & Mechanics

Appoint Generals to Regions: Appointing a Strategos now confers important bonuses to your war effort.

Twilight of the Palaiologos: Early game event representing the state of the empire in the wake of the rule of Andronikos III (optional).

Phoenix Rising:: Post-disaster events and situation offering claims and triumphs for retaking the core Byzantine lands.

Aquiline Recension:: Situation with mechanics for simulating reinvestment in the state administrative apparatus (optional).

Ananeosis tes Autokratorias: Situation to support a push in to Italy

Sfaíra tōn Rōmaiōn: IO simulating the ERE’s ‘sphere of influence’

Significant Buildings

Thema Headquarters -> Kentrika (updated) – Push the themata infrastructure into more modern relevance

Kastron -> Despotates -> Ochyroma -> Dioikitiroi – Large, fortified administrative military administrative complexes (no zone-of-control).

Limes – > Megasynores – Minor walls, can only be built in rural locations, adds zone-of control when upgraded in Age 3. Recreate the Limes Danubia!

Strateiai – Soldier estates which can be built in rural areas to encourage population migration (necessary for reform event chains). Offers small attraction and food production bonuses while increasing peasant power.

Logotheteion – Admin building for the local administrata, capacity upgrades over the ages.

Pandidakterion – Capital-only building, state-supported university in Constantinople which offers decent army bonuses (required for reform events).

Oikonion->Hoplitarchion->Stratiotiki Scholi – Progression of military colleges. Only buildable along side the Pandidakterion.

Astikoí Stratónes – Urban barracks, manpower and unrest options for urban locations.

Scholai Stratópedon – Palatine barracks, unique building that can only be built in the capital or in the provinces immediately adjacent (with road connections). Meant to represent the scholae barracks present near Constantinople.

Government Reforms & Estate Privileges

16 new reforms

6 estate privileges.

2 updated reforms.

3 New subject types

Units

Over 40 unique units & levies: New culture-specific units

Unique units: Greek Flamethrowers

12+ Hybrid culture units

Laws

Ten new categories, nearly 60 new laws & legacies.

Byzantine Legacy (WIP): Unlocked after completing the "Modern Imperial Army" reform as well as reaching the appropriate level of society value (quantity, quality, land, naval, offensive, defensive).

Strategoi Privileges: How generals are deployed in administration, war, and domestic + foreign affairs. Change them to unlock assignable military governors!

Officer Privilege: Represents the strata of the military the nation favors to show preference to in its officer corps. Available at start.

Internal Security: Offers choices to militarize different aspects of the security apparatus

Religious Warfare Laws: Perhaps it is time to reevaluate those monastic vows…

Domestikos Laws: Reform the office of commander-in-chief. Prioritize administrative duties or empower the Megas Domestikos?

Mechanist’s Bureau Directives: Determine the the focus of the imperial engineering corps.

Byzantine Administration: Unique International organization to simulate the elevation of new high offices

Advances

Over 100 new advances.

Want to get even with the beyliks pillaging your lands every war? Enable raiding and wrong-religion enslavement.

Found military orders!

Alternative starting advances for all Ages

Town Rights

New rights!