Europe is our dancefloor - let's waltz

[aldriq]

A dual Austria-Hungary AAR

After finishing my first game with EU III and getting Napoleon's Ambition yesterday I thought it would be fun and instructive starting a dual game 'a la Storey' with the new expansion. Since I lack Joe's tactic skills, literary charm, cats and most importantly, patience, I'll try something simpler, more homely and less exotic. Instead of a competitive target I'll set 2 collaborative goals. So these are the T&Cs:

- I'll play Austria and Hungary in alternate turns of 5 years (to start with, if I feel confident enough later in the game I might extend them to 10 years).

- All settings to normal.

- Austria's target: HRE-centered, keeping Western Europe in order, France isolated, marrying everything that moves, ... usual Habsburg policies.

- Hungary's target: Balkan-centered, keeping the Ottomans at bay and Poland/Lithuania looking east.

- I'll try my best to keep both countries in good terms and avoid any conflict of interest, but of course nothing will stop the AI being naughty, will it?

That's it. I'll start with Austria on January 1, 1455, next update this weekend.

[Capibara]

Nice, it like this type of the AARs and this one sounds intersting, I'll keep tuned. Good luck!

[coz1]

Very interesting. It will certainly be fascinating to see if you can keep them friendly with one another. As for comparing to our famed Storey - well, not every one has cats, a wife who will not be denied and his special gift. Fear not and write on as LD used to say.

Good luck!

[Stroph1]

You have set a lofty goal comparing yourself to Storey, but I like your premise and wish you luck.

[Storey]

One of the problems I've run into, as you know, is my countries constantly losing stability. I was thinking that making the turns longer would work better but maybe you're making the right decision and going with a shorter turn. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

Joe

[aldriq]

Austria-Hungary, the waltz commences...

I used to think that the British and the Spanish coats of arms were quite elaborate, silly me, obviously central Europeans knew a thing or two about heraldry

Austria 1455-9

I decide to start with Austria in order to forge a good position in the HRE from the start. I'm going to try to be good Habsburg and rely on diplomacy as much as I can, only unleashing my armies on bullies and countries looking for trouble. I noticed that one of the new expansion options is AI aggressiveness, which I left at normal. We'll see if the empire is now a bit more peaceful and playable with this new option without having to use Magna Mundi.

Quick look at the archduke's lot:





Decent income and manpower, 3 regiments, a 5 vessel navy, not bad at all. The archduke is not holy roman emperor though, the Bavarian king enjoys the privilege, that is totally unacceptable I see if I can get any alliances on January 1 but all the mid-sized and countries show 'impossibe' chance already, I wonder if it's because I started in 1455 instead of 1453 or just that everybody hates Austria already. Anyway, I start showering Europe with marriage proposals and key electors with gold. I can't get Hungary allied but I get a royal marriage and reciprocal military access, that should keep us sweet enough I hope.

A few weeks into January and I get two alliance proposals: Saxony and Bavaria. A decent German country and the emperor, I accept both.

I get also get to choose the first NI and I go for the national bank, I'll need lots of money if I want to pursue an imperial policy. I start recruiting some regiments as I have plenty of leeway up to the 18 support limit. I'll leave the navy as it is for now.

Nothing much happens the rest of 1455. In 1456 my friendship with the emperor gets me the first reward and I become an elector



Later that year Saxony misbehaves and attacks one of its little neighbours, I abandon the alliance as it would only damage my stability and relations.

Quiet 57, I get military access through Switzerland and Burgundy, so I can join in the fun in case anything happens in the French border, but with one or two exceptions everything inside the empire remains eerily peaceful.

Italy is quiet as well, except for Sicily and Aragon attacking the Papal States. Venice doesn't seem to do anything. I get bored and proclaim guarantees for Manua and Modena to give myself some excuse. Wrong targets, a few months later Venice attacks and annexes Ragusa oh well.

[aldriq]

In 1458 Hungary marries and allies Poland, maybe not a bad move after all, now Hungary's backyard is totally safe and can concentrate in the Balkans. Sure enough, shortly afterwards she DoWs Bosnia and Poland joins her. Better in Hungary's hands than in Ottoman hands. The war goes well



and in early 1459 Hungary gets a few ducats and a new vassal. Poland continues the war though.

The rest of the year I finish consolidating the army and my relations with the electors. No one, absolutely no one DoWs me or any of my allies or proteges. I even accept alliances with Baden and Cyprus out of eagerness to act (I may regret this later), but nothing happens.

So this is my situation at the end of the turn, hopefully the AI will make (or wreck) the most of it:





Now time for the 'little' sister, Hungary. Next update soon.

[coz1]

Well, it looks as if the Habsburgs are ready for the HRE crown which is a good thing. And Hungary has already done well. Looking forward to seeing what you do with them. I have always enjoyed playing Hungary.

[CSK]

Hungary should be a bit more interesting than Austria, simply by position alone. The alliance could be worth a lot for you in the future, but somehow the AI always manages to outplay me by attacking my vassals rather than me. As for Austria, it certainly will become interesting once you fight the inevitable war with the ever warmongering Burgundy for hegemony in Germany, until then you should be a bit stronger than you are right now though.

[aldriq]

Thank you all for reading and for your support. Any advice always welcome.

Storey - I don't know if Napoleon's Ambition AI regards stability a bit more but we'll find out soon.

coz1, CSK - Hungary is probably going to be more challenging/fun indeed, I'm glad the AI has itself sorted a good alliance with Poland. As for Burgundy I'll try to keep them as friends for now, being historical, but as the chances of inheriting them are very thin they may become a rival in the empire; if they grow towards France instead I don't have any problem then Bohemia and Venice are my major concerns right now.

[aldriq]

Hungary 1460

And from Austria, the heart of Europe, to.... hmm judging by shape and colour, the liver of Europe. Nevertheless, equally vital to the health of the continent.

So what do I find in the kingdom of Hungary?



Empty manpower pool, -1 stabitilty, a 9-strong army attriting away in a Bosnian province still besieged by Polish troops, a 0-vessel fleet, army and navy over the support limit, a 6 star trade advisor (why oh why?!) and to top it all, the king as leader of a 3 regiment army by the Bohemian border. Oh, and the treasure and production sliders maxed out with the rest set to 0. As queen Victoria would have said, we are not amused. After only 5 years I'd say I'm not a single second too early in getting control of the country... now I start to realise what Joe has been through.

OK, so we need to tidy the house a bit. Only good things: at peace, 2 vassals, a stability advisor, 24% army tradition. So I disband the excess bagage and sack the trade advisor as the space-wasting, treasure-draining leech he is. I consolidate the rest of the fleet, move the main army bach to the homeland and lock Janos I in his palace, no more nights out with the lads for him for the next 5 years!

I spend the next two years recovering manpower and stability. There is not much I can do anyway, money is scarce this side of the Danube and Poland has already vassalised most small countries in the Balkans (Bosnia as well in the end). Wallachia is a vassal of the Ottomans but DoWing either would cost me 2 stab hits as I don't have CB

In the meantime the Bavarian king dies and Austria gets the imperial crown, only to be dragged by Baden into a couple of wars against small electors... of course!

Any advice for the next 3 years?

[Corbett]

Wow. Clearly the AI doesn't know how to manage a country.

[CSK]

What exactly is your national idea? I think you need to get one that will be a good economical base soon as Hungary won't survive without it.

Moving into either Bohemia or Venice could be a good idea if you can watch your back against the Ottomans. Fighting them is out of question I would say.

But I will guard against giving you further advices as my own first game was a crash and burn one with Hungary. One tip, if you think you can play on normal in your first game, don't attack Bohemia and think you can defend Moldavia, which is a vassal, against the Ottomans alone.

From the position I would say it's quite reasonable for Ladislaus to go and unite his territories, but Austria is out of question anyway so Bohemia is the only one left. It's also good Poland is right next to it to help you.

[aldriq]

Corbett - that is a very diplomatic way to put it

CSK - The AI chose Scientific Revolution. I'm very tempted to change it to Deus Vult, as and when I get to stability 0 (I got Cessation of Church Functions at the end of 1460 so it'll be another year of waiting I think).

Bohemia has a 14K army, and I really prefer to focus on the Balkans. The Ottomans are just now at war with Venice and Siena, if I could declare war on them I would hopefully drag Poland in and make some inroads into their Balkan provinces.

But there is also a case for Military Drill or indeed an economic NI.

[VILenin]

Good stuff so far. I wonder if switching back and forth every 5 years will let you keep the AI foibbles to a minimum or if it will mean that your good work is constantly being undone, forcing you to start over again every time you load up as that country. We'll see, I guess.

[aldriq]

Hungary 1462-4

In the end I left the NI untouched, after all a bit boost in technology is not that bad right now. Instead I managed to hire a 3-star stability adviser.

Waiting for my stability to recover, Venice and the Ottomans end up their 2-year war with a white peace, despite Corfu being occupied for most of the war

Finally in 1463 I try my luck and DoW the only soft target I have available, Moldavia, partly to stop the increasing Polish influence in the Balkans. Luckily Poland and Transylvania join me and I get Moldavia vassalised. I didn't get the option to annex them, I guess because they were a vassal of Poland. Never mind, I should be able to diplo-annex them later. I notice that in 1464 I have the option to annex Transylvania, but the chances are 'Unlikely' so I don't bother - Janos I is a lousy diplomat. Let's hope the next king will manage.

I leave Hungary at the end of 1464 with 2 vassals, still allied with Poland and an Ottoman Empire relatively subdued. They should be safe until I get back in 1470.

Austria 1465

I load the game with Austria fearing the worst, and actually...



It is not that bad. Being the HRE means that even all the AI efforts couldn't push the military over the support limits, the manpower is huge and surprisingly the stability is positive! Only a couple of empty fleets and a slightly tarnished reputation: Cologne has been vassalised and Salzburg annexed. That explains the other little nuisance, the country is at war with the Teutonic Order, Salzburg's only ally I think.

No benefit in sending armies to the Baltic coast so I offer the TO a white peace, and they reject. Then while I was consolidating my armies, rebuilding elector relations and re-arranging the investment sliders the archduke Ladislas dies, at the height of his power Along with the news of the regency council I see with surprise that the imperial crown goes to Hungary! But as you can see, the elector's arithmetic has changed a lot in the last five years



The TO accepts a white peace in April so I'm finally at peace, but unable to declare war until I get a new monarch. Waiting time again.

[Zimfan]

Glad to see another update. I like these multi-country AARs. Nice luck with Hungry becoming the emperor.

[aldriq]

Nice luck with Hungry becoming the emperor.

I know, the crown stays in the family Now I don't have any excuse not to attack the Ottomans with Hungary next turn.

[aldriq]

Nothing eventful happens in the next two years other than Baden being silly (and me bailing out of the alliance when they attack another innocent HRE member). In the following months they end up split between Burgundy and Hesse. Serves them well for being so stupidly aggressive, attacking Lorraine was their downfall. Burgundy keeps on eating up German minors, it starts being a bit concerning.

Then in 1468 Hungary DoWs the Ottoman Empire, Poland and Moldavia join, Cyprus abandons the alliance. Obviously Janos couldn't wait for me to start the fun with his shiny new HRE crown and manpower. Good for him!

After a year things don't seem very promising, Banat and Bessarabia have fallen in Ottoman hands, only the Polish seem to be getting some success in Serbia.



Then finally in May 1469 I receive a call to arms from Cyprus, they attack the OE and want some support. I knew Cyprus would be useful eventually. Of course I join the party!



I rush my troops to liberate Banat and Moldavia first, all easy victories.



In the middle of all this I finally get a smashing new monarch! Long live Franz I Stefan!



Then I consolidate both armies into one to strike in Ottoman lands, at which point both Hungary and Poland sign white peaces with the OE. What a bunch of losers!

My consolidated army meets the Ottomans in Silistria, and though I have more men the Turkish leader is much better than mine, so the battle seems undecided until the very end of December...



And the Austrian turn finishes, before the battle does! Oh well, the AI will have to handle that. The whole idea was that Hungary would be in charge of the Ottomans while Austria handles Western Europe. Now Austria is messed in the Balkans while Hungary needs to wait another 5 years to attack the OE

[aldriq]

Hungary 1470-4

Well, after that frustrating end of the turn with Austria at least it seems that the battle was won:



So what has happened with Hungary in the last 5 years? Good things:

- Janos I crowned HRE.
- Transylvania annexed. Maybe being HRE gives diplomatic bonuses for annexation as well, otherwise I can't see how hopeless king Janos managed to do it.

Bad ones:

- War with Montenegro, useless, Montenegro vassalised by Poland.
- War with OE and Wallachia, useless, saved by Austria and out of the war just when things were looking promising.
- Peasant's war effect.

With low stability, little money and truces with all their enemies the Hungarians can only watch the Austrian-OE war from the border for now. During the first couple of years the Austrian AI seems to be doing well



In 1471 Bohemia offers an alliance and is accepted, maybe they'll be useful against the Ottomans.

In 1472, with stability a bit recovered, war is declared in the only target at hand: Crimea. They are allied with Kazan but busy in a war with Novgorod. Hungarian and Moldavian armies do well and manage to capture some western provinces. In the meantime Genoa joins in against Crimea, the Black Sea is one messy place at the moment:



With a warscore of 36% and seeing a 14K Crimean army coming from the east (they just signed peace with Novgorod), I decide to get out of the war asking for Cherson (their westernmost province) and 50 ducats, which they accept.

Cherson goes to my vassal Moldavia (as they leaded the siege) but that's OK, they hopefully will be annexed like Transylvania sooner or later.

Poland annexed Bosnia and Morea, they are now a key player in the Balkans. Sadly they abandoned my alliance when I attacked Crimea, in the meantime I'll have to make do with the Bohemians.

In 1473 level 2 at production is reached, finally I can start building some workshops for some extra money.

By the end of 1474 the Austrians seem exhausted, having lost all the gains against the OE:



We'll see in what sorry state we find Austria in the next turn.