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unmerged(21111)

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Oct 25, 2003
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This AAR has a fancy touch, the idea is to own few provinces. That does not mean peaceful intentions, no, just a laziness to directly administrate, and many empires counted their vassals and other dependent regions as their territory anyway. That is exactly the way I am counting my territory, too. At first I asked myself whether anyone would care about such an AAR but since most people go after WC or at least conquer everything around them this approach is actually the rarely threaded path.

Yes, yet one more Ottoman AAR of mine, this time an EU2 one. Why I like to play them? Hmm, even today they are among the most moderate Muslims and somewhat represent what they could have been were not for the reactionary movements Islamism went through. Let's not turn this into a discussion however... another advantage is the geographical position which enables one to intervene in three continents, and a strength varying from viable in Victoria to overwhelming in early EU2.

Since I stopped playing this game a while ago, I don't recall every detail but the screens should help me telling the tale. Difficulty is probably hard/coward, aggressiviness means little but a low setting seems to help to preserve historical borders, latest patch and AGCEEP. In 1620 I shall reinstall the game to play on.

Edits: military access left and right of course, even though it might become a problem sometimes. Adds to the feeling of them being part of the empire even after they break vassalage, too.
Mixed news. The game is running actually at very hard/coward but being a 1.40 version it does not run on the latest 1.42. Depending on interest and my own curiosity when 1620 comes I might play on using 1.40.

Alright, the save will not work for 1.42. I am starting a new game following the same plan.
 
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Sliders... land. That should help in morale, manpower and price. Trade does not help that much at this early stage. I like the low centralization for my vassal strategy, and high aristocracy very much so, too. Need to lower inovativeness for some missionaries as I plan to convert my heartland but other than that, pretty much cannot complain.
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First year... the question is whether to take Constantinople now to get the COT early. Well. Uber leaders, cavalry, cannons, favourable slider settings. Tough luck for them. 30k vs 20k, really good leaders, cavalry on plains, was not much of a fight, really.
Sure, it destroys my stability but it is too tempting to resist.
"September 2, 1419 : Ottoman Empire declared war upon Byzantine Empire."
Now I recall I edited more diplomats for Sunni, as I do not really get why most religions were diplomat nerfed. Having to wait for nine months to attack a vassal with military access is not really fun. Morea joins them and shall become a vassal soon.
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Despite the high level fortress I edited to Constantinople, it fell rather fast. These Turks start really strong in this mod.

Even though the nice events following the fall of that city fired, our economy is not much to be praised about.
"August 19, 1420 : We went with Close down the Patriarchate and confiscate its properties in Fate of the "
I went gamey and chose to close down the Patriarchate for cash and stability, since everyone hates the human player after a while, anyway. Besides it lowers inovativeness and saves me one adjustment.
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These guys really start strong. Siege value of four against minimal forts, poor AI. The ships I start with plus the ones I inherit during the first years are a nice freebie.
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"January 10, 1421 : Ottoman Empire declared war upon Moldavia."
Yeah. And do I want to win? No... I am just reducing my stability and technology costs. Weird but I like it that way, even though I know such strategy only works in SP against these AIs. I need to lose Dobrudja, poor, low manpower, wrong culture and religion. I am crazy and yes I am losing Angora later too.
"March 11, 1422 : We have lost control over Dobrudja to Moldavia."
"March 11, 1422 : Moldavia accepted our generous peace offer."
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A new Sultan raises to power, and he seems to strike fear in the hearts of our enemies by claiming yet more lands. Morea surrenders quickly as news reaches the besieged. Yes, this log is real and somewhat funny.
"May 27, 1421 : Murad II will now rule our glorious nation!"
"May 27, 1421 : The Conquests of Murad II happened to us."
"May 28, 1421 : Murad II awaits your command in Anatolia."
"June 2, 1421 : We captured the province of Morea from Morea."
"June 2, 1421 : Morea accepted our generous peace offer."
"June 2, 1421 : Morea are now our vassals."

Murad antecipates the reforms and takes the trade to Constantinople.
"April 18, 1422 : We went with Make Constantinople the new Capital in The City of Men's Desire."
"April 22, 1422 : The Economic Reforms of Mehmed II happened to us."
"April 22, 1422 : The Center of Trade in Kerch have disappeared."
"April 22, 1422 : A new Center of Trade has opened in Thrace."

A few unenventful years follow. Promotions, waiting for stability to rise and cash to accumulate, war exaustion to be forgotten. A favourable event fires and our choice allows us to convert. Just the slightly narrowminded setting needed.
"July 27, 1425 : We went with Institute the office in Sheikh-ul-Islam Office instituted."

After a few gifts and an event, a new vassal pleads allegiance. An example of that event actuaally being useful...
"April 27, 1427 : Diplomatic Move happened to us."
"April 27, 1427 : Candar are now our vassals."

Rather interesting snapshots of events around the world:
Yes, rather incredible.
"June 30, 1427 : Hussites accepted peace with Romanist Bohemia on the following terms: Romanist Bohemia pays 73$ in indemnities. Moravia to Hussites, Sudeten to Hussites & Erz to Hussites.
Then they humbled Austria as well. Too bad in this case the event will destroy this interesting twist of fate.
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An interesting fact of playing Ottomans is the ability to watch over Europe, the Mediterranean shores and Asia all from the start. Back to our wars, though.

"February 1, 1429 : Ghazi went with We join the Ottoman state (end-game) in The will of Yakub Bey."
"February 1, 1429 : Ghazi declared war upon us!"
"February 1, 1429 : Karaman joined the war on the same side as Ghazi in their war against Ottoman Empire."
I edited the event so I would not get both provinces. I only want one of them, and Ghazi as a vassal. The fact Karaman joins them is a bonus, unexpected free DOW.
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Some more years cooling down, yes, I was not born for the micromanagement WC brings. Now it is time to grab some vassals in the east.
"February 1, 1432 : Ottoman Empire declared war upon Trebizond."
"February 1, 1432 : Order of St John joined the war on the same side as Trebizond and Georgia in their war against Ottoman Empire."
Fine... more free vassals as more unexpected allies honour alliances.
"April 25, 1433 : Trebizond are now our vassals."
The Knights fight bravely, true. But to no avail. Yet the fight rages on over 1433.
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Something unexpected happens.
"October 7, 1434 : Athens declared war upon us!"
"October 7, 1434 : Luxemburg joined the war on the same side as Bavaria, Athens and Palatinate in their war against Ottoman Empire."
We need to win. Our economy is not that great in these early stage.

The victories do come.
"November 23, 1434 : We have stolen the rutters of Order of St John."
"December 20, 1434 : We won a battle against Athens in Sea of Marmara."
"February 20, 1435 : We won a battle against Athens in Macedonia."
Good news. They surrender.
"August 3, 1435 : Athens are now our vassals."

Our vassals win us more territory as well
"December 1, 1435 : Cyprus accepted peace with Karaman on the following terms: Cyprus pays 50$ in indemnities. Adana to Karaman."

A Bosnian ruler asks for our intervention. More vassals. Good.
"December 6, 1435 : We went with Give support to that dog once more! in Tvrko II begging for help."
"December 6, 1435 : Bosnia are now our vassals."

The sultan antecipates history again and expels the Knighs from Rodhes after a successful amphibious operation. It is a pity nations break vassalage so fast in EU.
"December 23, 1435 : Army of Anatolia has finished unloading in Rhodes."
"December 24, 1435 : We won a battle against Order of St John in Rhodes."
They resisted for a while. In the end there is only one outcome.
"January 11, 1437 : Order of St John are now our vassals."

Something I prefer not to see happens, one vassal of mine annexes another one. I miss the Vic satellite system...
"June 12, 1439 : Athens accepted peace with Morea on the following terms: Full Annexation of Athens by Morea."

One interlude, I wonder whether this is normal. France fighting so hard it goes bankrupt?
"July 15, 1432 : Dauphiné had The Consecration of Charles VII."
"July 16, 1432 : France accepted peace with England on the following terms: Calais to France, Gascogne to France, Caux to France, Normandie to France, Ile de France to France & Nivernais to France."
"July 18, 1432 : France went bankrupt!"

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Another interlude, a pity as it would have changed history. They even steamrolled Hungary. But then... Bohemia inherits them and later Austria inherits it all. Not fair but life has always been like this, no? Sometimes people do have a point on how some events make no sense in a given game.
The screenshot is too poor to show it but they occupied every single Hungarian province.
"July 6, 1436 : Hussites went with Accept this settlement in Compactates of Jihlava."
"July 6, 1436 : Romanist Bohemia had Hussites accept Sigismund."
"July 6, 1436 : Romanist Bohemia annexed Hussites."
"December 10, 1437 : Bohemia had Coronation of Albrecht of Hapsburg."
"December 15, 1437 : Austria had The crown of St. Wenceslas."
"December 15, 1437 : Bohemia became Vassals of Austria."
"May 16, 1439 : Austria had The regency of Friedrich in Tirol."
"May 16, 1439 : Tyrol became Vassals of Austria."
"October 28, 1439 : The Holy Roman Empire has elected Friedrich V of Austria as emperor."
That was just silly... from near extiction one province vassal to Emperor of the HRE in three years and some events. I suppose I need to humble them sometime.
 
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