trigger · has_cosmetic_tag

Hands-On Usage

has_cosmetic_tag is commonly used in cosmetic tag systems to determine whether a country is currently in a specific "cosmetic tag" state, thereby deciding whether to trigger subsequent events, allow certain decisions, or display specific localized text. For example, in a split/unification scenario mod, you can use it to check whether Germany has already become the "Großdeutsch" cosmetic appearance, and then decide whether to unlock the corresponding national focus:

focus = {
    id = GER_unite_germany
    available = {
        has_cosmetic_tag = GER_grossdeutschland
    }
    ...
}

Synergy

• [drop_cosmetic_tag](/wiki/effect/drop_cosmetic_tag): Removes a cosmetic tag once a condition is met. Often paired with has_cosmetic_tag to create a "check then revoke" logic, such as restoring the original appearance when defeated or during regime change.
• [has_country_flag](/wiki/trigger/has_country_flag): Cosmetic tag switches often go hand-in-hand with country flag tracking. Using both together allows more precise distinction between a country's states at different story stages.
• [exists](/wiki/trigger/exists): In scenarios involving puppets or split nations, check whether the target country exists before checking its cosmetic tag, preventing errors or unexpected results from a non-existent nation.
• [has_completed_focus](/wiki/trigger/has_completed_focus): Cosmetic tags are typically granted via national focuses. Use this trigger for double verification that "the corresponding focus was completed and the tag is now active," improving the robustness of condition checks.

Common Pitfalls

1. Scope Confusion: has_cosmetic_tag only works in COUNTRY scope. If you accidentally write it within STATE scope (such as inside any_owned_state), it will cause errors or fail silently. Always verify that the current scope is a country, not a state or province.
2. Tag Name Spelling and Case Sensitivity: Cosmetic tags must be pre-registered in the cosmetic_tags file, and names are case-sensitive. Using a three-letter country code directly (such as GER) is not equivalent to a cosmetic tag; the two cannot be used interchangeably, otherwise the condition will never evaluate to true.