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Tritio

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Apr 20, 2006
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Europe, 1614.
The Venetian Republic is the dominant power.

The French are carved, and are a much reduced power. They can no longer boast of being the most powerful and populous European nation. Venice is now that. The forced release of Normandy and Toulouse in earlier wars have also weakened their position. Spain is doing well, profiting by attacking Toulouse when we did not have the heart to fight them. However, we have deprived them of their Carribean posessions (Haiti), The Canaries, the Beleares, Sicily, and Sardinia. Out next target is to cut France into half by seizing territories to Brittany, and then devour them whole at our leisure. Simultaneously, we shall make war on the Ottoman Empire and seize Greece as our Province. Future plans include the possibility of pushing the Ottomans out of Europa and into Anatolia, forcing them to release states in Atatolia to reduce them to a minor power, or devouring them whole, thus driving them to their frigid holdings in Russia and converting Anatolia. Our third target will then be Spain, and then finally our allies, Austria. The completion of this master plan will then leave us as the overwhelmingly dominant power in Europe, thus allowing us to carry our banners to the Americas, where England and Portugal remains dominant, and India and the East Indies, where we shall take up the cry of Deus Vult and force all major nations to be our vassals, thus ensuring overwhelming and lasting Venetian domination of most of the world, and then, we may turn to... China.

eu3132fu1.png


Our allies and vassals. Austria is our most loyal and powerful ally.
eu3133dw0.png


Our posesstions in the new world. The Carribbean is our dominion. However, North and south american are out of our hands.
eu3134iq4.png


Our holdings in the Cape. And essential fueling and marshalling stop for any expedition to the East indies.
eu3135yg5.png


We have already secured several islands vital to launching any attack on a nation in the Indian region or Southeast asia.
eu3136re3.png


Our finances are the most awesome in the world, leading our nearest competitor, Portugal, by half. Our inflation is not an issue and is easily managed.
eu3137se1.png


The inner workings of the finances of the nation. Trade is by far our most important pillar of our economy, followed by production, which we have effected to improve to reduce our reliance on trade, which may be disrupted. Our production income was formerly half of what it is approximately 10-20 years ago.
eu3138gu9.png


Our dominance of the world's trade centers. Venetian merchants can be found posessing a major share in almost any of the world's major trade centers.
eu3139fb3.png


Well, what do you think? :D
PS: I started from a 1490s date. I forgot to rewind it back to 1453. But now that I think of it, it's a better choice, given that the major powers of France, Spain, Austria, and the Ottomans are properly formed.
 
So you plan to continue from 1614 onward? Or tell the story on how you got there first?
My main question is how you can be so successful at trading while your BB must be quite high.

Anyway, good luck!
 
Well, perhaps both! Actually I don't know if I should start an AAR or not. Though I would enjoy narrating how I got here more. Yet that story would be pretty much devoid of detailed screenshots. I can only reload the game back to when I saved it and take a screenshot. At least until the point where I discovered the uses of F11.

My BB was never very high at all. I have never topped 10, and most of the time I was well below that. My current BB is 3, after having seized 3 French provinces in the recent peace deal. I have played conservatively, which has allowed me to grow to my present strength without the burdens of BB or inflation. However, now that I plan to accelerate my growth and throw my weight around, we'll see how things turn out.
 
From the looks of it, you could do the Roman Empire thing and get away with it rather easily. Gobble up France, the Ottomans, and Spain, then go for North Africa in general, and finally hit Britain.
 
Actually, I could. And my long term plans include fulfilling at least part of that goal by conquering Spain, France, Greece (I was calling it a 'Province' already), and possibly Anatolia. However, I'd stop short there, because I don't see the benefits of holding onto Northern Africa. In the days of the Roman Empire, Northern Africa (especially Egypt) was a fertile area for planting crops to feed the Empire's citizens. That made it a neccesity for them to hold the area. However, in my case, it just seems to be a poor, wrong culture, wrong religion drag on my Empire. It'll increase stability costs, and I wouldn't like that. Besides, the Roman Empire is pretty much long dead and gone. The 1600s are a different time for a different state. But that doesn't mean I wont be hitting North Africa. I will, to vallalize :D
 
Expect your TE to drop dramatically when your BB goes up, though! Whatever plan you go with, good luck!
 
i'll follow.
 
Duke of Wellington, Leumatiello, and Grundius
Thanks! You've given me the encouragement to post my first update already:

As according to plan, war was declared upon the Ottoman empire in January 1616 and the provinces of Salonica, Erdrine, Macedonia, and Bulgaria - the heartlands of Greece - were annexed to Venice in Feb 1617, thereby cutting the main route of locomotion to their western lands, placing their capital within easy reach at a stroke, and improving out strategic position greatly. Now, the only way Ottoman troops could reach Illyria was through my vessel - Wallachia, and this route would be closed to them in war - or the long way around, through the mountains of Northern Hungary. We can now strike Illyria, the Ukranian area, or Anatolia (via a land bridge or through the lands of our vassals, Dulkadir), and base our fleet in the Sea of Marmara.

The declaration of independence of Naxos was a surprising turn. Having taken Athens in a previous war, Ottoman troops could not march to Naxos to quell a rebellion there. Apparantly, I had also destroyed their transports in my previous war -all of my recent wars involve sinking the entire enemy navy. There is no disputing Venetian Naval power. - thus removing their option to reach Naxos by sea. While seiging rebel held Naxos, it declared its independence and war on the Ottomans (along with its newfound allies). However, a few short days later, it foolishly converted to Protestantanism, thus depriving it of all its allies. War was declared and it was annexed into the Venetian Republic. Greece had been out of Byzantine hands for too long. I took the BB hit because I didn't want to wait for diploannexation, and I wasn't sure if I could diploannex a same religious group-different religion country.

Then, France was attacked in 1620, and the lands of Anjou, Blois, and Orleanais were seized for the Republic in October 1622 after gaining complete victory (100% warscore). France was clearly no longer a major power at all. In 1620 it would have ranked among the middle powers, and in 1622 its status would have to be degraded to that of a minor power. With its lands split into two by Venice, its only access to Western france would be through Brittainy, which was my vessel and ally. In the event of any war, its armies would be immediately attacked and obliterated within a month or two, and it would have no strategic depth to withdraw to whatsoever. With its capitol with a few days march of Venetian lands, France was doomed. Its fate is to be complete subjugation or annexation, depending on whether I'm interested in taking foreign COTs or not.

My plan is proceeding nicely, it seems. Things to note include my BB, which has risen to 11 or so (my record so far).

eu3184ql3.png
 
Spain seems to be a good next victim... what r your plans toward them?
 
Duke of Wellington,

I certainly am keeping them at heart. Part of my inspiration comes from the example of the English Empire at its height, which had a firm naval orientation, and I have mixed that in with a vision of the Roman Empire, customised for a 17th century Venetian situation. An interesting blend...

Leumatiello,

Actually, I'm thinking of finishing up the French and Ottomans first, consolidating my position (Annex Brittary, Normandy, Toulouse), and then going for the Spanish. To make my time more interesting while dismembering these former great empires, perhaps I'll step up my plans and start my operations in the East Indies. Now, I need to pick a target...
 
Hmmmm.... what other Italian-based Republic we know went out to conquer "For the Republic" France and Greece... hmmmm? :D
 
Grundius,

Err... The Pasta Republic? Boy, I was thought hard for that one. :p

Actually, I don't quite know. Other than the Roman republic, that is. Mussolini's military dictatorship wouldn't count, no?
 
In accordance with our plan, war was once again made upon the Ottomans. This time, most of the remaining portion of the Greek peninsular was seized.
eu3192sj8.png


The same with France. Their position is certainly unenviable.
eu3195hx3.png


Maine, Poitou, and Othe were annexed to the Republic.
eu3203ii6.png


Along the way, The Knights foolishly declared war upon our vassals, Dulkadir, along with their allies, the newly revolted ( :rolleyes: ) Bulgaria. The knights, without an army or fleet, were swiftly brought to heel and vassalised. Where do they get their kings?? As you may have noticed from the picture, Candar has also declared independence from the Ottomans. In the north, Moskowy has relieved from Crimea several of its territories in the north, and is in the process of doing the same for the Ottomans. It seems that the beatings I have administered to the Empire has shifted the balance of power in the North, returning the balance to as it should be. Will the Ottoman AI be able to recover?
eu3205mj8.png


Colonial works were begun in Java. I have decided to colonise the entire island to use as a base in Southeast asia and Australasia in say, 50+ years time. Along the way, I'll vassalise the island kingdoms found in the Archipelago.
eu3198tb7.png


On another note, my BB has since risen to 20. A new record. Being the papal controller and having one minor reputation advisor, I estimate it'll take about 20-25 years to dissipate that BB. But we won't be inactive during those 20 years, so the time will be longer.

PS: The Timurid empire seems to have grown rather large indeed. It holds an area from modern Afghanistan to India, minus the territory held by several Indian states. Also, the Ming dynasty seem to have slowed down their advance greatly. Although a series of BB wars would inevitably start up every few years, I have not witnessed much territorial expansion.
 
Great expansion so far. It is interesting to see how the Ottoman Empire disintegrates because of the sound beating you gave it! Keep it up.

Tritio said:
Actually, I don't quite know. Other than the Roman republic, ...

Well, it was the Romans, yeah. Was that not obvious :D ?
 
Australia is a good place to colonize.
 
Duke of Wellington,

There, the Timurids. Not bad, eh? It looks like they survived an early hit or two from Ming and then invested into India. Fortunately, they've had the sense not to touch the Ming, dispite all their BB.
eu3206ke1.png


Grundius,
Indeed it was. It was so obvious that I thought you were referring to another republic :D But then, I'm starting to feel that there isn't much challange around anymore. I'm simply rolling over two wasted empires. Am I going to be challenged? I certainly hope so. I'm toying around with the idea of launching myself into a BB war. I've only had some as the Byzantines in EU2, and that was different. I edited the game heavily (cheated, basically).

Leumatiello,
Oho, is it? I scanned through some Australian provinces before choosing Java. What's so attractive about them?