Virgin Resources - A British AAR

[Ayn Mandarb]

Its 1836 and the reign of the glorious monarch, Queen Victoria Branson, is set to begin.

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My first ever AAR, with my first ever game as the UK. The premise behind the game is a challenge I've thought of in this thread here - to stop global indutrialisation from ever happening by first not selling Machine Parts, but then also by developing an absolute monopoly at first over dye - and refusing to sell it or clothes, preventing the promotion of any pops.

If this can be achieved then by the time dye factories can be built I will be looking for having a monopoly over either silk (and thus preventing luxury clothes -> clerks) and/or sulphur.

I have never played as the UK yet (intimidated by them), so I am not aware of the events that will happen, except for those I've witnessed as other nations.

House Rules:
1: No selling of Machine Parts until they're already being manufactured and sold onto the world market.
2: No selling of dye or regular clothes until they're already being manufactured via dye factories.
3: No cheating.

Vicky 1.03 with normal settings (I'm still a relative newbie).

[Sid Speed]

dont forget to buy up all teh machine parts that become available.

As Britain you should have the highest prestige so only those that make tehm can use them.

[jonti-h]

dont forget to buy up all teh machine parts that become available.

True - it is possible to get 10 to 15 off the market that way. I ended up with 60 MPs that way.

Nice idea for an AAR too - good luck!
Queen Victoria Branson! Very good!

The UK is a good nation to play - big, powerful and imposible to ruin unless you really try!

[anonymous4401]

I recall this actually coming up before, though it must have been far before any of you joined the forums. The concept of stopping world industrialization as Britain, I mean.

[Ayn Mandarb]

I recall this actually coming up before, though it must have been far before any of you joined the forums. The concept of stopping world industrialization as Britain, I mean.

Was it achieved?

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1836 and the British East India Company, under the directions of King William IV of the house of Branson, has been tasked with unifying India under formal British rule, to aide the proposed plan of forming a monopoly over dye.

Parliament, controlled by the Liberal Whigs is however reported to be unhappy with this proposed aggression.

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Started in 1836 controlling 8 Dye provinces, out of a total of 17. I control the ones in the states of: United Provinces, Madras (called Carnatic in the Wiki), Bengal and 2/4 in the state named Central Provinces in the wiki (called United Provinces in the game). 5 more provinces required in India: Bhopal, Chnatarpur, Gwailor, Nagpur and Raipur. That's the countries of Bhopal, Bundelkhand, Gwailor and Nagpur. Gwailor is the only one I'm not allied with, so they're first.

Set the following to buy < 1000: MP, Dyes, Reg. Clothes, Lux. Clothes.

Start off researching Business Banks, although I have £25k I expect to spend a lot of that (wastefully) by buying up the world market, and to make little by refusing to sell. So that tax increase will be useful. Trade with Prussia to receive Clean Coal, in exchange for giving Ad Hoc Money Bill Printing, and the claims for Dampier (Western Australia) and Brisbane (Queensland).

Unfortunately, given that I wish to start with wars, the anti-military whigs are in power. Raised defence spending to the max allowed with an anti-military government, slashed naval spending to 0 (Britain shall rule the waves, just putting that on hold), increased tariffs to the max my free market whigs will allow, and increased all taxes to 50%. Cut social spending. Will now start and see what impact all this has . . .

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1836 Overview at start:
Dye Provinces Owned: 8/17 - 8/13 in India, 0/1 in Mexico, 0/2 in Asia.
Silk Provinces Owned: 0/29
Sulphur Provinces Owned: 3/39

[coz1]

A very interesting idea and one I will follow as you attempt it. Good luck and welcome to AAR writing.

[stnylan]

A differnet take on it all. Looks like fun. And excellent to see another new writ-AAR. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as the rest of us have done and to continue to do so.

[Duke of Wellington]

An interesting concept. Will this hold you back from becoming industrialised too though?

[el presidentse]

As long as he maintains production of the necessary resources, no.

Once you're strong enough to, I recommend trying to corner the world market in cotton along with dye - takes more work, especially as Britain, but it can never be synthesized, which makes your position more tenable in the long run.

[Ayn Mandarb]

In 1837 our realm experienced both great joy and great sadness. Word arrived back from India that the fighting had stopped - King William IV's ambition of uniting all the dye production in India under British rule was complete - but King William himself lay dieing.

The vile Dutch did everything to ensure they became our new enemies and that peace would not arrive yet. They fought our Belgium friends, and those peace arrived there we had not forgiven them. Plus they had the nerve to be producing dye themselves, in Asia. King William promoted hundreds of thousands of grain workers, both in Britain and in India, to become soldiers and order the setup of 60 new infantry divisions as his last act.

Our nation now faced uncertain times, aggressive colonialism by Russia is creating claims that we rightfully regard as our own, from New Zealand to islands across the Pacific, an imminent war with the Dutch - is a female ruler really appropriate in these times. But we remember with pride our last Queen, Elizabeth. Can Victoria too now bring greatness to the British Empire?

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War! War has been declared upon the Netherlands, and their lands tumble to the might of the British army. But while our army is engaged fighting the Dutch, in the Netherlands, S. America and Asia - the Chinese try to take the opportunity to kick out our Opium traders. No nation can treat Britons like that, so war is declared upon them too.

With our empire entangled in 2 wars now, while Parliament is controlled by an anti-military Whig party and debt mounting up, an election is finally called. Despite most voters being conservative, the whigs still lead in the polls.

Finally though, a peace treaty has been signed with the Dutch. Showing grace to those who are beneath us, we only insist on taking the 3 dye producing provinces they have, despite occupying all of their land in Europe, S. America and most of their Asian colonies. Everyone has seen how thoroughly defeated the Dutch armies and navies were though, and they have been thoroughly humiliated in the eyes of the world.

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Overview:
Date: Jan 4 1840
Dye provinces owned: 16/17 - 13/13 in India, 3/3 in Asia, Lacking the 1 in Mexico.
Colonial war with China.
War exhaustion: 3.8%
Debt: £31,600

1 dye, 1 regular clothes, 1 luxury clothes currently being supplied to the world market. France was the leading producer in both forms of clothes, they are still the leading producer in luxury clothes, but the UK is now the leading producer in regular clothes - despite the fact I have not increased my clothes production at all. Feeling the pinch on dye production already?

Victoria never became queen by event, I'm surprised its a pretty major event given the basis of the game I'd have thought, worthy of a flavour event at least: Dickens writing Oliver Twist got an event but her becoming Queen didn't! The date she did in my story then was based on the date she really did in history.

[coz1]

France was the leading producer in both forms of clothes, they are still the leading producer in luxury clothes, but the UK is now the leading producer in regular clothes...

Isn't this just typical - dandies vs. shopkeepers, eh?

I too am surprusied by the Vickie event. I've never played the UK, but one would certainly assume Her Majesty would abe a large event and would fire almost always without fail.

[stnylan]

There certainly is usually an event. I've never played the UK, but I see it fire when I play other countries.

[Duke of Wellington]

What is Russia doing claiming my home? Time to show those Chinese not to mess with the mighty Empire.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Here's the event from the Vicky files (note: this is without Revolutions):

#########################################################################
#  Queen Victoria
#########################################################################
event = {
	id = 6901
	random = no
	country = ENG

	picture = victoria

	trigger = {
		random = 15
		OR = {
			constitution = { country = ENG type = monarchy }
			constitution = { country = ENG type = constitutional_monarchy }
		}
	}

	name = "EVT_6901_NAME"
	desc = "EVT_6901_DESC"
	style = 0

	date = { day = 1 month = january year = 1837 }
	offset = 29
	deathdate = { day = 30 month = december year = 1837 }

	action_a = {
		name = "ACTIONNAME6901A" # Victoria Regina!
		command = { type = relation which = HAN value = 100 }
		command = { type = trigger which = 3900 }
	}
}

I don't know why there is a "random = 15" in there. That might be the problem.

[Ayn Mandarb]

The Church bells have been ringing out as people flock into the streets crying "peace!" "Peace!" The rivers and land across the globe have turned red with the blood spilt in so many wars, but our war exhausted nation has peace!

But the orders come from above to crank up our factory production - peace shall not be long lived.

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With the Dutch defeated, although the Chinese still remained to be defeated, Queen Victoria Branson decreed that Russian colonial aggression had become unacceptable, a colonial war was declared. Now a weakness in our Royal Navy was discovered, our main fleet only had 6 transport ships with it, which hadn't been a problem against the Netherlands but trying to make repeated journeys to the Pacific to fight China and Russia would not be feasible. But the Royal Navy will not let any problem last and so 12 new transport ships were to be constructed.

6 brave divisions volunteered to go East and fight the barely civilised and uncivilised opponents. One by one the colonial claims that should rightly be ours were taken back - New Zealand, New Guinea (we already had the north), Alaska and Sakhalin were all united under British claims, with Alaska and New Guinea being given immediate status as crown territories.

But while our attentions were turned to the East, to the West the insolent colonials tried to claim that the province of Easton should be made theirs. They may have been mishandled and allowed to gain independence by the mad King George III, but it became clear that his granddaughter intended to put history to rights, and put the former colonials back in their place. The Aroostook treaty rejected, war was inevitable.

15 infantry divisions were sent over to the USA and Washington swiftly fell. But the Americans put up a braver fight than the Dutch and although the was was being won, divisions were being lost so the remaining 15 who had also defeated the Dutch were sent over. 3 were held back and sent over to the west coast, to recover all the claims that the Americans had made first in British columbia, then south and across the east.

In the East, the Russians finally accepted an offer of a so-called "white peace", but we all know that we won the war having taken all known Russian colonial claims. Our six brave infantry divisions then landed in China, taking first Hong Kong but the Chinese still refused to compensate us for the opium so war continued. Province after province fell, and the Chinese must have known that they were defeated, unable to stand against just 6 divisions with so many more available if we turned our attention onto her. But Queen Victoria, showing grace once more accepted an offer to cede the land of Dali to us. Treaty after treaty then destroyed the prestige of China.

War was just left on the American front. With half of America now occupied, she offered 6 provinces back to the UK. But with great grace again, Victoria turned down this opportunity and simply demanded ownership of two provinces: Alexandria and Shevreport. Comprehensively defeated, the Americans had no choice but to sign this treaty and although not much land changed hands, everyone saw how they had tumbled to the might of the British Empire and they were humiliated in the eyes of the world.

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Finally a new dawn. Today is 4 April 1843 and not since 1 Jan 1836 has the British Empire been completely at peace. But there are grumblings that threaten the peace: the USA was left with a colonial claim building in Buffalo, Wyoming, preventing our claiming Wyoming for our empire. Some have suggested this was a mistake, having thought that our troops had taken all claims already, but surely Victoria can not make a mistake?

But also, Tlascala in Mexico is still producing dye, stopping our 100% control over the market. However there are some questions being asked about how soon we can afford to return to war.

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Overview:
Date: April 4 1843
At peace.
Debt: £249,300
Daily interest: £100.30
Daily deficit: £263.50

Needing to fully fund the military for so long, although the aim was to stop global industrialisation, its not been occuring in the UK either. Literacy is still just 55% as education spending has been stuck at a half, which I hate doing. No factories or railroads have yet been built, no props promoted (just conscripted to being soldiers). Have to decide now whether to push on and fight the Mexicans and risk an early bankruptcy, or slash military funding, industrialise and start to repay debt turning on the Mexicans in a few years. Ideally I wanted to finish the monopoly ASAP, that's the purpose of this AAR so I think I'll have to fight on.

But if I can somehow bring my finances into shape, claim that off Mexico then I think I'll be in good shape looking forward. The war against America should have hobbled what would otherwise have become my likely greatest enemy and given me 2 strategic provinces.

I'm now the leading producer of luxury clothes in the world, despite the fact that I'm producing a paltry 0.18 (!) - so if 0.18 is leading the world, then I must have achieved halting production elsewhere. However the French have regained the leading producer of reg. clothes title - I'm just producing 0.22, so the Mexicans must be exporting enough to the French to exceed that. Although not much, I don't want them to have any.

I now have over 48k dye stockpiled.

[stnylan]

I think I would go and complete the monopoly - as you say it is the raison d'etre of this AAR.

[coz1]

Goodness...war, war and more war. But then again, this is the UK and in Vickie, no one shines as brightly.

[Ayn Mandarb]

No sooner had the bells of peace rang out, than the chime of war began once more. This time Mexico was our foe, with one clear, stated objective: The capture of Tlascala. Our armies never even had the chance to return to peaceful shores, getting picked up from the American provinces they had only just been occupying and shipped over to invade Veracruz.

Veracruz, Tlascala, the capital of Mejico - no resistance could stand up to the might of the British Empire. Mexico caved in and like now so many nations before offered a lot of land in exchange for peace, but our queen is as gracious as she is wise and insisted only on Tlascala and Veracruz and resisted humiliating the Mexicans like their foolish northern neighbours who had challenged us.

Over in India, there have been frequent rebellions in recent years. By the time Mexico fell, much of the land taken only a few years ago was now held by the rebels with the forces left behind to quell resisters struggling to cope. So our victorious army was forced on to India to put down the rebellion, but now peace has been restored there and all resistance has for now been stopped.

Some are murmering about why so much blood has been fought for so little land, but conquest has not been our aim. Now our monopoly is finally complete. But what impact shall this have? Will we succeed in preventing other nations from industrialising and challenging our empires righteous dominance?

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Summary:
Date: May 27, 1845
At peace.
Dye provinces owned: All!
Leading producer in regular clothes at 0.18/month - for luxury clothes I am alternatingly the leading producer or there is no production at all, since I require 0.4 reg. clothes/month. Seems very weird to see no flag at all next to regular clothes, only previously seen that for new inventions like electric parts etc
Top industrial rankings now: France 172 (helped I suspect by the fact they were the only producer of clothes beside the UK at first), Prussia 144, USA 140, Russia 79, Austria 76. UK is presently 184th with 10 points.
Debt: 255,400
Score: 198 (106 10 136). Spain barely leads on prestige (108 - the only nation besides me to have claimed colonies, but they've not lost hundreds in declaring so many wars). France leads overall with 325, I'm second, Russia third at 191.

The first stage is now complete, no nation besides the UK should be able to (for at least the next 35 years until dye factories become available in 1880+) promote any pops at all, unless they have any stockpiles left, but that's not likely.

Future monopolies to be formed from here look a lot harder to achieve than this one was. This is a temporary one, so the immediate objective is clear: I have at least 35 years to ensure I have a permanent one, the question is what to go for.

I make it a total of 81 cotton RGO's in the world, I have 5 (!) - main opponents would be India (again), USA (again), Mexico (again), China (again) and Persia. But also some in Europe. Taking 76 provinces could be a tall ask.

Silk could be easier, just 29 of which I have none. But this would only prevent the manufacture of luxury clothes and thus clerks.

Sulphur is an alternative route, blocking the military rather than industrialisation. There are 39 sulphur RGO's of which I now have 5, with a claim building on at least one.

My ambition would ideally be to somehow manage to get the cotton by 1880, but I don't see how, not without never industrialising myself either.

[Duke of Wellington]

I think it couldn't be too bad to wait a little while to recover from the war before getting into Mexico, but not too long.

[stnylan]

I agree. You need a period of recuperation, and then I think you should pursue a policy against sulpher and silk, taking what cotton opportunity offers. Sulpher as the priority, I think, as that will be directly impair the efforts of your ... competitors to resist you in the future. Silk as secondary as clerks effect research in the later stages, and that is another useful area to impair your opponents, by preventing them from increasing their research potential as much.

Wars for those two should, I would hope, net you some cotton provinces anyway as a side-effect. Then it is a matter of clearing up.