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Devin

Second Lieutenant
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May 24, 2000
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PORTUGAL: The Grand Campaign

I had seen Portugal wrecked by Spain in several games, so I wanted to see if I could do any better. Portugal is a fascinating country to play because you have very little margin for error and have to plan decades ahead to survive. Hopefully, I will demonstrate how to play an effective economic game.

Portugal is a poor country with only three underpopulated provinces in Europe and no natural resources to speak of. Fortunately, we churn out colonists like a hive of locusts. I have a city at Tangiers (the lower jaw of the Straits of Gibraltar) and a handful of trading posts down the west African coast. At the turn of the 15th century, the diplomatic situation is very fluid. The French have taken the Mamelucks and the Papal States under their wing, and the English form a pact with the Hansa in the Baltic. I know perfectly well that my fortunes in the 16th century will essentially boil down to a race with the Spaniards to grab land in the New World. I'm not sure how heated this contest will become, so I take the precaution of arranging a royal wedding with Spain and allying the English. If any power does attack me, I hope I can count on the English to engage my enemies on the sea, causing naval losses on both sides that will buy me time in America.

Mother Nature is my greatest enemy early on. I suffer heavy losses in ships and men to storms in my initial exploratory expeditions, so I decide to focus on Africa for a while. In 1495, I establish a city in Senegal to produce ivory. By 1498, however, I have established my first trading posts in the Caribbean sugar islands of Barbados, Guadaloupe and Martinique.

In 1500, the French declare war on England with Calais clearly on their shopping list. I support the English and am rewarded for my efforts with a French sea invasion of Oporto. Even my meagre army is capable of handling the invaders, but England eventually loses Calais. Unfortunately, this alliance soon becomes a serious liability after Spain allies Poland. In 1506, I am drawn into a war with Spain when Poland attacks the Hansa. Spain launches an invasion of Oporto as well (they all want the wine) and decimates my home guard. Miraculously, the Hansa capitulates quickly and Spain drops out of the war with two of my cities in ruins. The only consolation is that the English did in fact challenge the Spanish navy, with heavy losses on both sides. In 1512, however, I decide to leave the alliance when I learn that the Spanish army outnumbers my own by at least ten to one! I have no interest in acting as a lightning rod for those faithless Englishmen any more.

By 1510, I have erected a city in Barbados to serve as my key naval base in the region. At this point, I should say something about the mechanics of empire building. Early in the game, you can discover coastlines with your ships, but you cannot colonize territory (even islands) until you have actually landed troops there. As soon as you explore the land, you can claim the land with a trading post, which boosts the value of the trade you can only exploit with merchants you allocate to the center of trade for that region (vying for control in a CoT often becomes an arena for war by other means). Establishing a colony is at least five times as expensive, but it gives you A) a harbor for your ships and B) revenue from producing (as opposed to trading) the good in that province. Having a harbor for ships is very important because leaving ships too long at sea leaves them increasingly vulnerable to storms/mutinies. When you increase your colony to level seven, it becomes a city that is capable of population growth, building ships and troops, greater production, and becoming a center of trade. This is a very expensive process, but one that is essential to creating an empire that is capable of defending itself rather than relying on troops shipped all the way from Europe. An empire that has too many trading posts is vulnerable to native/European attacks, but too few TPs will limit the profitability of your empire because trade is THE key source of revenue. So to summarize: 1) explore, 2) claim land with TPs, 3) build a colony/naval base to support further exploration, 4) build up a city to defend your colonies, 5a) invest merchants in the center of trade for the region (which hopefully will emerge in one of your cities), 5b) build up your trading posts to increase trade revenues.

By 1530, the heroic efforts of my conquistadors has enabled me to explore most of Brazil, and I have seven trading posts from Surinam around to Uruguay supplying sugar and tobacco. I also control the entire chain of sugar islands from Puerto Rico down to Trinidad. But founding colonies is not enough. You also have to keep in mind the supply and demand for products in the centers of trade. The eighteen products are: grain, fish, iron, copper, fish, shipping supplies, cotton, wool, ivory, spices, furs, oriental goods, salt, slaves, tobacco, wine, textiles and sugar. Gold production goes directly into your treasury. Each product has a base value, so that spices are worth four times more than grain for instance. This base price is adjusted for supply and demand and this yields a sort of taxable income. Demand is generally influenced by population, the level of infrastructure and the existence of manufacturing facilities. Demand for slaves depends on the production of sugar, cotton and tobacco. Iron demand is boosted by conscription centers and weapon manufacturies and so on. As far as I know, your country's access to certain products does not confer any benefits or penalties (i.e. you won't have famine if grain prices rise sharply). This is a shame, actually, so pencil that in as a feature for EU2.

What this boils down to is that I'm producing a lot of sugar relative to demand, and my merchants aren't making enough money from it. Building a brewery in Oporto would help, but that would be spectacularly expensive and might trigger a Spanish invasion. Portugal's best bet is to essentially move as much of its economy safely offshore as possible. For example, I could establish a colony in west Africa to benefit from the demand for slaves for my sugar plantations. This in turn would require me to assemble a force to subdue the rather aggressive natives plus the cost of building up a colony. At this stage, I'm only pulling in enough revenue each year to afford one colony upgrade per year. The whole endeavor would require all my energies for a decade!

I decide that I had better claim as much land as quickly as possible before the other European powers grab all the best real estate. So I churn out trading posts as fast as my economy will allow. By 1550, I have claimed most of the land from Bogota around the coast down to Uruguay, including some choice gold producing Andean provinces. I also grab Florida and a single province in India. By 1556, I establish a city in northern Florida and one on the Colombian coast in order to provide some protection for the surrounding provinces. Where are the Spanish during all of this? Well, the Spaniards are focussing on the Aztechs and not doing a very good job at it. In fact, they are unable to fully annex the Aztechs until 1568 and the Incans are almost completely intact.
Back in Europe, the balance of power has evolved much faster than I would have expected. Austria has emerged as a powerhouse. Bavaria and Wuertemburg are annexed as early as 1534. Venice attacks Austria in 1558 and is crushed within six months, losing its wealthy province of Mantua. Austria is already Europe's strongest economy by 1550. Then it is Poland that bears the brunt of Austria's ambition. Between 1550 and 1580, Poland loses six of its wealthiest provinces to Austria and its army is utterly destroyed. With the fall of Polish Danzig and West Pommerania in 1592, Austria's empire now stretches all the way to the Baltic coast. Toward the end of the century, Vienna then turns on the Turks and begins to roll them back in the south. Austria's stature is enhanced by an indecisive war between France and Spain in 1579 in which Europe's two largest armies bleed each other dry.

The Russians got off to a slow start against the tribesmen of Kazan, Astrakhan, and the Golden Horde. Russia also struggles to hold territory in a series of wars against Sweden and Poland, though the tide begins to turn in Moscow's favor by the end of the century. Meanwhile, the Turks become embroiled in a number of inconclusive and costly conflicts with their neighbors to the south and west. Toward the end of the century, however, the Turks also begin to gain ground against the Mamelucks.

In 1573, Hanover becomes a four-province proto-power in northern Germany after it annexes wealthy, populous Hessen. Twenty years later, Hanover declares war on the Netherlands after the Dutch are weakened in a brief war with the Spanish. But due to religious animosities Hanover is not able to secure an alliance with either the Spanish or French. The Dutch absolutely demolish the Germans and annex three extremely valuable provinces in 1591.

At the turn of the century, I am probably the leading European colonial power in terms of territory claimed. Britain's North American empire is small but more populous, and a center of trade emerges in British Delaware which takes in my colonies from South Carolina to Florida. The French and Dutch have been drained by wars on the continent and have claimed North American territories of equal value. In fact, France's slow start has enabled the likes of Genoa, Venice and Naples to establish trading posts in Canada. The Spanish have become my only serious rivals in the New World with their dominance of central America, Argentina, Cuba and Hispaniola.

With my territorial expansion complete in the New World, I must now decide how to employ my still limited financial resources. By the end of the century, piracy is absolutely crippling my sugar trade in the Caribbean, and I have allowed my fleet to deteriorate for too long in favor of my empire building. I have fragile trading posts claiming a few potentially lucrative gold-producing territories in South America, and I have a relative strong military presence in Colombia to keep the Spanish and natives in check. I will gain no gold revenue unless I build these territories up as colonies rather than trading posts, but for colonization to be successful I will have to assemble an expedition to subdue the aggressive natives. Another possibility is a rapid push into India, whose spices and oriental goods would bring extremely profitable trade. I already have one trading post there, but the natives are hostile and I will have to assemble a significant expeditionary force. Another project would be a serious effort to secure my tenuous monopoly on the slave trade in west Africa.

In Europe, there are two risky but worthy causes. First, it may be prudent to annex Morocco, which has two wealthy provinces. Unfortunately, the Moroccans have a standing army of some 70,000 men, more than my entire army combined. Can I really count on my vast technological superiority? Second, I have excellent relations with all of the Italian states except for Genoa. In fact, I have already joined Savoy, Milan and the Papal States in a war against the Genoans in the 1590s, wiping out their navy. Sicily has declared itself independent from Spain and the Papal States are quite strong militarily. Might a broad alliance succeed in winning me Corsica or even the Genoan center of trade itself?

What would you do? …
 
Hello Devin,

Great story telling and nice AAR.
Portugal is a really interesting country with an uncommon strategy being not committed in the European battlefield.
My humble suggestions:
If you need manpower, joining a war with the Italians might help you get some provinces,
if not then it's maybe better to forget Europe( adittional benfit against Genoa, you could take their TP in Canada).
Upgrade and strenghten your fleet, it will help you against the pirates and would be a great asset in a war against France, Spain, Netherlands or England by disabling them to transport their troops.
After that, in my view, it would be better to assemble a expeditionnary force and set sail to India before someone else do that. For your american gold mines it will always be possible to go there afterwards and that way you don't increase inflation by importing too much gold.
Then monitor carefully the situation btn the four other colonial powers and if one comes in the Indian ocean then gang with his enemies and repulse him from your domain if possible.
Having not the CG, i don't know if my ideas are sound, but based on my experience with the BG, it's what i would attempt.

Kind regards,
Crusader
 
Originally posted by Crusader:
Hello Devin,

Great story telling and nice AAR.
Portugal is a really interesting country with an uncommon strategy being not committed in the European battlefield.
My humble suggestions:
If you need manpower, joining a war with the Italians might help you get some provinces,
if not then it's maybe better to forget Europe( adittional benfit against Genoa, you could take their TP in Canada).
Upgrade and strenghten your fleet, it will help you against the pirates and would be a great asset in a war against France, Spain, Netherlands or England by disabling them to transport their troops.
After that, in my view, it would be better to assemble a expeditionnary force and set sail to India before someone else do that. For your american gold mines it will always be possible to go there afterwards and that way you don't increase inflation by importing too much gold.
Then monitor carefully the situation btn the four other colonial powers and if one comes in the Indian ocean then gang with his enemies and repulse him from your domain if possible.
Having not the CG, i don't know if my ideas are sound, but based on my experience with the BG, it's what i would attempt.

Kind regards,
Crusader

Your strategy is valid. Some points are long to achieve but it's valid :)

Pierre
 
Devin, thanks for the good detail overview on some of the finer points of building colonies and trade posts.

Portugal does seem a greater challenge to play than some others.

Not sure what I would do.
Since Portugal is an overseas empire, I'd definitely build up my navy into a first class size and first rate technology.

Your economy is weak; building it up should be your first priority. That probably means the easiest and quickest route should be pursued. Enlarge your overseas holdings, or creating new ones.
Build up your trade posts into colonies like you say. If you can't find the troops to subdue the Natives, you may instead want to open up trade routes in India. But I think you need to generate much more revenue quickly.

It doesn't seem possible for you to engage in European warfare to gain more territory and population. However, if it can be done with allies and without undue risks to your own small country, you probably want to go for it.

I'll be waiting to see how it turns out.
 
Dear Devin,

Forget Portugal!!!!
Improve your colonies in Brazil to the best of your ability and rule from there. Portugal is a tiny and weak power anyway, don't repeat the historical error of the portuguese rulers, abandon all Portuguese land in Europe, its defense is hopeless any way you slice it.

Long live the Brazilian Empire!!!!!!!!

------------------
Dom Dede
 
Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I still haven't played the second century, but this is the kind of game that always has you thinking about affairs of state when you're waiting for the subway, eating lunch, making love (just kidding), etc.

My main concern at this stage in the game is my relationship with Spain. Grabbing all that land makes me a juicy target, and war is probably inevitable within the next 50 years. I can hold my own in the New World, but I cannot afford to lose any territory in Europe yet. I need a major ally like France or the Netherlands to keep the Spanish from concentrating their army on poor little me, but the other colonial powers aren't too pleased with my land grab either. I'm afraid I may have spread myself too thin and made too many enemies. Dede's suggestion is a good one for the long run, because I have committed myself to a power struggle with Spain that I can only win outside Europe. I hope the other European powers will content themselves with the opportunities I will have to leave to them in Asia.
 
Originally posted by Devin:
Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I still haven't played the second century, but this is the kind of game that always has you thinking about affairs of state when you're waiting for the subway, eating lunch, making love (just kidding), etc.

My main concern at this stage in the game is my relationship with Spain. Grabbing all that land makes me a juicy target, and war is probably inevitable within the next 50 years. I can hold my own in the New World, but I cannot afford to lose any territory in Europe yet. I need a major ally like France or the Netherlands to keep the Spanish from concentrating their army on poor little me, but the other colonial powers aren't too pleased with my land grab either. I'm afraid I may have spread myself too thin and made too many enemies. Dede's suggestion is a good one for the long run, because I have committed myself to a power struggle with Spain that I can only win outside Europe. I hope the other European powers will content themselves with the opportunities I will have to leave to them in Asia.
You have two solutions with Spain.
1. spend a lot of gold to improve your relation with them, eventually RM then ally with them.
2. ally with France, it is the only power that can and will divert Spanish troops from Portugal, giving you even sometimes the opportunity to kick Spain in the back in case of war.
 
It seems to me that you have nothing to gain in the long run from annexing Genoan territory. Having an isolated province to the east would simply leave it exposed to attack and distract you from your more important interests overseas.

From what I've read in the AARs, large technological superiority makes an incredible difference (make sure your morale is good too, though). That still doesn't mean it would worth it to take Morocco.

Of course, I haven't actually played the CG, so feel free to ignore my advice.