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Part XVI - The Return of the Zebra
(1571-1578)
Lacking any equipment able to detect hypertemporal anomalies, the 16th century Trebizondians had no choice but to just ignore their nausea and go on with their lives as if nothing happened. Nothing did really happen, anyway, that's exactly the point. But now the happening is back, with a vengeance! Yarrr!
Let's see what's happening in the world, shall we?
The big bad Ming are looking at us across the border with hardly concealed contempt in their eyes. They are also slowly gobbling up all of South East Asia.
OK, so much for Asia. What's happening in Africa?
Not much, but we're about to fix that. Morocco will lead the opposing alliance.
No resistance (or forts) here.
In 1572 we get to pick another (4th) National Idea and we pick our first Military one. Our soldiers will now be drilled. Innovative, huh?
Our other ideas are National Trade Policy, National Bank and QftNW.
The Swahili are quickly subdued, and in our victoglorious kindness we are satisfied with just a load of gold and a cute little island. And their total submission, of course.
In 1573 we discover an island in the middle of nowhere. As you can see in the ledger in this screenshot, I put the Swahili gold to good use (workshops). But altogether I'm starting to get quite rich anyway.
Now there's also bad news. Even the greatest empires have their shameful moments, and this is one of them.
A totally fresh, full strength cavalry division was slaughtered in their first confrontation with a same-size rebel force, even though our leader was better. I blame it on the tech level, Land 17, which is a sort of a low point for cavalry forces. Still it sucks.
I forgot to make a screenshot, but we made peace with Oman for some of their southern coffee provinces. We soon sell them to our vassal Yemen.
We don't feel like expanding much into Morocco, but they're too big to vassalize. So we settle for one province and end the war.
Our reputation:
Income and research:
No idea why I'm minting like that here, while I've got plenty of money on hand. I shouldn't.
Then again, inflation is definitely back under control, way down from where it was.
Armies of the world:
Nice to see there's plenty of healthy competition. Note that my direct neighbours Aquileia and Timur are both still a bit stronger than me.
Meanwhile Oman annexes Najd, which simplifies things for us.
We reach Gov 18 and decide to 'modernize' the government. The victoglorious Emperor now has a well-defined set of responsibilities: to rule everything. Anyway, it makes us more productive.
Trebizondian tourist resorts pop up in South-East Africa
And we need more and more ships to ferry those tourists around.
(Actually we still have a limited number of cores on the Indian Ocean and I've been building ships non-stop for like decades to assemble this fleet)
Stuff in Bangladesh rebels to our vassal. Excellent.
But this update is way too peaceful, don't you think?
It's time we take on the big red danger to our east again, and we find a way to combine just that with another long-term goal.
We sent a small army in Sibir's direction months before the declaration, so we'd get there before our Russian allies would arrive and occupy provinces that are rightfully ours.
Here's the breakdown, but it doesn't do justice to the ferociousness of the Timurids.
Sibir, on the other hand, goes down easily.
Unfortunately, our well-respected King David II doesn't live to see this victory and is replaced by his so-so son Georgios.
For now the Timurids are kept at bay close to our border. We try to wear down their superior manpower while keeping our casualties low.
Also note that the Syrian war for independence still hasn't concluded. For some reason they just won't sign peace with the Mamluks. Annoying.
The Sibir are subjugated, completing our belt of central asian vassals, and sealing Siberia off to Russia.
The continued Timurid war is long but fun, and warrants an update of its own.