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unmerged(40)

Second Lieutenant
Jan 24, 2000
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Decided that, since I've been mostly testing the eastern powers (Poland, Russia, Turkey), I'd try a campaign as England and actually take notes about the history aside from my notes about the testing. Still not as literary as some of my fellow testers, but hopefully of interest.

My tentative plan was to spend the early game focusing on trade and diplomacy, and developing my infrastructure, avoiding war. England gets 1 colonist to start with and no new ones until about 1545, so expansion and exploration were to be on the back burner until then. England gets a lot of traders and diplomats, so I put them to use!

My first batch of diplomats went to create an alliance consisting of Sweden, the Hansa, Portugal, Bohemia and Scotland. Alliances expire after 10 years if they aren't 'exercised', so when the alliance expired in 1502, Scotland refused to rejoin.

Up to 1507 I spent my $$ sending out merchants and upgrading forts and bailiffs. In 1507 I built a brewery in Meath, to help my trade level. Since I was satisfied with my alliances, I spent my diplomats building a network of royal marriages throughout western Europe.

The first war of the game occured in 1508, when Russia and Denmark declared war on Kazan, which was conquered and annexed by Russia in late 1509.

My plan started to deviate in 1508 when I got the random event 'Rush of Colonists', which gives 3 colonists. I played on my strong relationship with the Hansa to exchange maps (they had a lot of information about Scandanavia that I didn't), then made more exchanges with the Mamelukes, Astrakhan and Sibir to get a whole chunk of the middle east mapped. Then I approached my ally Portugal with an exchange offer which they accepted! This gave me much info about Africa and the Indian Ocean. I sent a trader to Mekong and 2 colonists to Mahe (an island just northeast of Madagascar). This gave me a port that I could just barely get an explorer to before attrition killed him off (9 ships left under J Cabot, 2 arrived). In 1512, I sent the last colonist to Ceram, in the East Indes. That one gave me another port to explore out of when the colony was set up in Aug 1514.

In Mar 1514, Turkey declared war on the Mameluks, and annexed Syria and Lebanon when the war ended in Dec 1517.

I moved J. Cabot to Ceram and he arrived in ~May 1515. He did a bit of exploring then caught yellow fever and died in Jan 1516 :(

In Jan 1519 I started a Fine Arts Academy, which helps stability. I won't mention anymore structures that I build unless it is important!

In Sep 1522 Turkey and Cyrenicia declare war on Hungary. 13 months later Hungary cedes Serbia to Turkey.

Here is a nice long stretch of growing and exploring (remember, no colonists yet besides the random ones). I have still not started or been involved in a war.

In Jan 1537 the Reformation occurs. Although most of my provinces become Protestant, I decide to stay Catholic until at least one of my major allies converts, because converting makes a hash of your alliances and relations.

In Jan 1539 Sweden converts, but I decide to hold out.

In Jan 1540 the Hansa convert, so I decide to go for it. My stability goes from +3 to -3, I get some fun revolts to put down, and my relations go down the toilet, except for protestant countries.

When things calm down, I have a new set of allies: Sweden, the Hansa, Hannover and Saxony. I have very good relations with Bohemia once they convert, but they won't join my alliance.

In Jan 1545 Spain converts to counter-reform catholic, breaking all of her alliances in the process. I have been coveting the Center of Trade in Flanders for some time, but decide to hold off a bit (my stability is still low) and build up for a year. Flanders is the main center of trade for my provinces, but it is in the Spanish Netherlands. Finally, in Jan 1546, I am ready. Spain still has no alliances, so even though they are far and away the most powerful country on the map, my allies and I should be able to take them on with fairly good success.

My goal, as I stated is to take Flanders from Spain. I don't even want any of their other provinces, but I have to capture some in order to force a peace. Fortunately, all of my allies honored the alliance and declared war with me. The war lasts just under 2 years. In the process, several Spanish armies land in England and have to be rooted out. Our combined navies beat up the Spanish in about 6 battles, and I capture Flanders and Hainaut. Since the Spanish managed to capture Bristol :(, I couldn't force a peace, but in Nov 1547 Spain offers Flanders in exchange for peace. I accept!

About this time I began to get settlers, so I built Ceram up to a city in order to get a positive growth rate and make it a more secure center for my western Pacific operations. I also establish a colony in Mekong in Jan 1558.

Jan 1559 - New Center of Trade in...Ceram! Awesome! Value 850+, pulling in trade from the East Indes, SE Asia and south China and it's mine all mine! Also had the side effect of kicking the growth rate into positive territory so I could use my skimpy colonists elsewhere.

Of course I hadn't been neglecting my diplomatic duties! My efforts paid off when, from May 1560 to Jan 1562, I vasselized the Hansa, Hannover and Scotland. Of course, the payoff REALLY came later, keep reading!

In Apr 1562 I colonized St. Helena, and in Sep 1562 Manhattan. Of course I am only mentioning the successful colonizations! With these ports, I was able to really get to work exploring, as I had bases in North America (Manhattan), the south Atlantic (St. Helena), the Indian Ocean (Mahe), SE Asia (Mekong) and SW Pacific (Ceram). At this point I had 4 explorers that needed gainful employment, so I distributed them and started clearing the map.

In Dec 1564 I succeeded in building Mekong up to a city (I'll stop mentioning every single colonization/city building here).

In Oct 1566, the diplomatic payoff came - well, actually it was a random event, but still! - I inherited Sweden when it's monarch died without an heir. Great in many ways - first, as a fellow protestant nation, I didn't need to worry about unrest. Of course, it is a medium-rich, medium-powerful country, which didn't hurt either! Suddenly, England is huge. I rush to check relations with new neighbors and establish some royal marriages.

Starting in 1567 up through 1576 most of my colonists go to Haiti.

I've noticed that Spain hasn't yet conquered the Aztecs and Incas, and try to decide how best to take advantage. I decide to land 2 medium sized armies in northern Mexico, then declare war on the Aztecs, quickly grab a few provinces then try to force a peace, rather than trying to completely conquer them. I kick off the operation in July 1568, and finish in less than 3 months, when the Aztecs cede Michigoan and Tuxpan to England.

You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned too many wars - I've noted all that happened! Thus the title 'The Mellow Game'. Things do heat up though.

In Sep 1568 France declares war on an unready Spain. The Mamelukes side with the Spanish, while Poland, Tuscany, Parma and Savoy aid the French. Finally in May 1569 Spain sues for peace on very unfavorable terms, yielding Roussillon and Artois to the French plus paying restitution.

In August 1571 Spain finally declares war on the Aztecs, and completely conquers them in Aug 1572 (except for the parts I got ;)

In Dec 1571 Russia declares war on the Teutonic Order (I've been listning to Alexander Nevsky all evening!), taking Estonia when the war ends in Dec 1572.

In Nov 1572 Turkey declares war on the Mameluks and Spain jumps in to help their ally (the Mameluks, that is). I don't know how this ends because

In Jan 1576, I call it a night! Hopefully get more in this weekend.

Scott
 
Very interesting report!

Quite different game from the other AARs I've read. It seems it pays off to be peaceful. :)

Funny random event though, inheriting the throne of Sweden! Take good care of her. :D Do you think the event would still have happened if you had not been allied to Sweden?

May I offer a suggestion for your continued game? Take Norway and Iceland from Denmark! Denmark divides your naval empire in two halves... With the Hansa as your vassal you could hit Denmark from all sides - you would end up in control of the whole North Sea. :)

/Doomie
 
Re: Inheriting Sweden
I don't know for sure, but I think the random event is tied to royal marriages, though possibly the alliance and good relations were tied in too.

Re: Attacking Denmark
I failed to mention the evolution of my alliances/royal marriages. When I post the next part, I will detail all diplomatic relations and colonies. I got Denmark to join my alliance after it became protestant.

Re: Playing Nice :)

Yes, playing peacefully is a change from my normal habits. Keeping a load of RM early on plus the fact that England is an island with only Calais on the continent discouraged anyone from attacking me. Since I only started 2 wars in 80 years, and didn't annex anyone, my relations, even though protestant, have been very good throughout the world. Usually I wind up with a few staunch allies and hated by all others; being well liked is a bit odd.

Re: the Future
The series of revolts that mark the formation of the Netherlands has begun. I am planning to be right there with a nice set of allies and cash donations to make friends! I'll keep upgrading provinces (almost done now), and strategically placing colonies to get footholds in key places, then expand wildly!

Scott
 
Very nice to see that dipolmatic means can be used very effectively. Nice counterbalance to war minded England, though I do think England should own the whole Island and probably Eire for stategic game purposes.
 
I guess we haven't created a 'standard' to follow - I am going to post part 2 of this AAR in a new thread; if I get yelled at by the audience I promise not to do it again :)

Scott
 
Love it!

Getting Sweden creates some interesting opportunities.

Did you send diplomats to France / Scotland at the start of the game to buy continued peace. I've found that normally both of those countries attack England very early. ( But then again... whats 'normal' in EU? Long live random events!)

/Graham