Duchy of Athens AAR

[nalivayko]

Introduction

This aar will be short, to the point, with an adequate amount of screenshorts. The goal is to promote a cooperation between Christian States in the East and resurrect the spirit of crusades.

Difficilty: Hard
Aggressivness: Normal

Part One: The Fall of Ottomans

The Duchy of Athens was nothing else, but a band of mercenaries than ran the province. They played the heroes of the past, wrote their names in ancient Greek and waged war performing needless feats of bravery. It was all about to change in 1419 when Turkish desire for world dominance drove them like madmen toward the City of Men's Desire - Constantinople.

Under leadership of Antonio I Duchy of Athens effctively put to a stop internal bickering between Christians in Greece. Antonio was able to forge an alliance between the Duchy, Albania and Byzantium. When Turks attacked Constantinople the allies valliantly defended the city and brought the war to Smirna and Anatolia. Turkish capital itself was besieged and later sacked. Turks retreated.

Duchy of Athens sticked togerher with the alliance even through its "phony" war with Teke and Karaman. The relations between the Duchy and Albania improved to the point where the latter agreed to acknowledged Athenian seniority and become the Duchy's vassal. Simultaneously, the royal marriages were arranged with most of the ruling houses of Europe.

It was Byzantium that started the second war with the Turks. The war that was going to be the last one. By that time Turks were already beaten by Serbia and Karaman. The alliance intervention brought even more enemies to Asia Minor. Turks were quick to cede territories to Karaman, The Knights of Rhodes, Byzantium and the Duchy itself. By the time it was over only Macedonia was in infidel's hands... Not for long. In year 1435 the last Turkish province was annexed by Serbs. The rule of the Turks was over.

Antonio did not live to see the victory. He died in battle shortly before this glorious hour. His successor - Nerio II - vowed to continue the crusades and liberate the rest of the Asia Minor from the followers of Mohamed.

Fall of the Ottomans. Year 1435

Religious situation in 1437

[Ernst]

Originally posted by nalivayko
His successor - Nerio II - vowed to continue the crusades and liberate the rest of the Asia Minor from the followers of Mohamed.

God ! Anihilating the Ottomans by the 1430's !
THAT's what I call uchronia.

[nalivayko]

I am about to report a BUG. When downloading an autosave game I gained some 2,000 ducats in first two-three days of the year (1444). Playing as the Duchy, of course. Now, if somebody will be kind enough to tell me where I should post this to get attention...

[Havard]

Originally posted by nalivayko
I am about to report a BUG. When downloading an autosave game I gained some 2,000 ducats in first two-three days of the year (1444). Playing as the Duchy, of course. Now, if somebody will be kind enough to tell me where I should post this to get attention...

I'll report it to the beta-forum. Any idea how you gained that sum? Run-off event? Just dropping into your coffers?

[Txini]

I have to say this is a preety catholic(don't turn to protestant neither reformist) crusader AAR.

[nalivayko]

Havard, once I loaded this autosave game I had 99 ducats in my treasury. Then it started to increase day by day (from 2 Jan to 5 Jan) until it reached the amount of some 2,944(?). I loaded the game again only to get the same results. No idea why it happened.

Txini, yeah, I know. Who would think? I would have loved to carry Jihad to Europe or restore Orthodox faith to its proper place in the universe... and here I am. Stuck being just another crusader

[nalivayko]

Part Two: Traitors Amongst Us

No sooner that Nerio II took throne the Emperor again requested the aid of the Duchy. This time they would fight the Venetians - old foes of the Byzantines, famous for their friendship with Sultans. The Duke eagerly ordered his forces to battle, hoping to restore to the Duchy Ionia.

The war that lasted for 14 years proved to be extremely hard. Venice refused to cede Ionia even when it lost numerous battles to Athenian cavalry. In addition, Nerio's forces held Ionia, Bosnia and Dalmatia, while besieging at the same time Crete. The latter was left empty in an unsuccessful attemp by 12,000-strong garrison to take Smyrna. They were beaten back by 5,000 Athenians and never returned to the island.

The most glorious hour of the war came when 8,000-strong Athenian force defeated in five battles 25,000 Venetians. Enemy casualties exceeded 20,000. However, it proved to be a Phyrric victory, as Athenians themselves lost more than 6,000 and had to retreat to Albania. Crete refused to surrender, while Venetians re-grouped and took back Dalmatia and Bosnia. They even besieged Ionia and Smyrna. The Duke had no choice left, but to accept peace. Even though Venice had to pay 203,000 ducats the victory was not celebrated. Too many men gave their lives fighting and no land was gained. Byzantines, needless to say, quit the war long time ago.

The aftermath of the war saw the reputation of the Duchy rise high. Pope was so impressed with its fighting ability that he granted Athens guarantee of its independence. So did Georgia and some other countries. Venice lost many men too and its prestige in the area was severely weakened. Its Italian allies chose to make peace with the Duchy earlier in the war, forseeing that no gain will come out of it.

Meanwhile in the east, the spirit of crusade carried on. Brittany, inspired by the Duchy's example, annexed Teke, while Cyprus took Adana from Karaman. In the west Nerio's diplomatic overtures to Albania had success and soon this state agreed to become a part of the Duchy. Its nobles retained their land and swore the allegiance to the Duke. Athens also gained 1 warship and two transport in addition to its own fleet of 5 galleys.

In the Holy Land the infidels of Hedjaz wrestled the control of Jerusalem from the Mamelukes, while in Spain Granada effectively blocked the advance of Reconquista by conquering Andalusia, Canary Islands, Orania and Algarve.

Duchy of Athens and surrounding States in 1452

Granada in 1445

[Blade!]

Ah, I love to see Granada do that... Makes Iberia so much more interesting!

[Havard]

Originally posted by nalivayko
Havard, once I loaded this autosave game I had 99 ducats in my treasury. Then it started to increase day by day (from 2 Jan to 5 Jan) until it reached the amount of some 2,944(?). I loaded the game again only to get the same results. No idea why it happened.

Do you still have that savegame around?

[Lord Durham]

Ah, knowing nalivayko he just edited the save game file to create some sh*t.

[nalivayko]

Yeah, I edited it afterwards... Deleted all the "free" money

[Frog Propaganda]

Good AAR, really well written.

It's interesting to see the progress of Grenada in Spain. Normally they are the whipping boys of Europe, and the first country to die in the regular GC of EU1. All of the sudden, Spain might need to readjust its targets...espically with the ports being taken.
The Venice-Athens war was very interesting too...the AI has become smart(or stubborn) enough not to fall for a quick blitzkreg of provinces. That's really reassuring.

Keep up the good work! Who's next on the list of countries to be run down by the beast that took over the mighty Turkey?

[Vandelay]

Looks as if the Mameluks would have a very hard time holding on to Lebanon and Samaria IF you gain naval superiority...

/Vandelay

[Sharur]

Great job, nalivayko! I'm kind of surprised that you don't have a CB on Macedonia. I'm VERY surprised that an AI guaranteed your independence!

[das]

Great to see you back, Nalivayko! ֏!

[das]

Great AAR, B(y)T(he)W(ay)!
What does yheay means? Oh well, my old word game...

[das]

I mean it.

[das]

Really.

[das]

Really.

[Empereur Napoléon]

I smell spam.