The Belgium Africa Company

[andrergsanchez]

I will detail with screen shots and explanations as much of the game as possible. (No, I haven't forgotten the other AAR, I just came back and will continue that as well).


Goal:

To turn Africa into an Industrial Powerhouse through colonization by Belgium. There will in fact be colonization, not just switching Belgium to a different continent.


Strategy:

To use chinese labour and a gradual expansion into Africa, with carefully controlled migration to turn state after state into a... state.

If other countries become trouble, I will turn them into satellites. I only have permission to conquer land in Africa, and in China.


Rules:

I will become an unconstitutional monarchy (a constitutional monarchy without voting rights) under the Revolutionair Partei (renamed The Belgium Company) as soon as I have a foothold in Africa. I won't switch to another party ever again, but I will keep the "constitutional monarchy". Look, the company does have a charter, so it's not cheating...

Other than that, everything will be done "by the books". I think.

[robou]

A novel idea! I remember taking all of Africa as the USA... then again, I was taking the whole of the world at the same time... err, anyway, Onwards!

[germanpeon]

Interesting idea! I'd be fascinated to see you pull it off.

[andrergsanchez]

And so it begins...




Belgium has limited potential to develop in Europe. Surrounded by bigger, more militant countries, it is doomed to fall prey to them. If we wish to become number 1, we have to either become a modern-day Sparta and go on a killing spree through the German states, or look overseas. We choose to look overseas.




The country begins at war, but it is merely a question of holding out against the dutch and waiting for the Great Powers to step in.




We begin by destroying all the factories in the country. The RGOs are productive enough and we need emigration.




We also demote the pops back to farmer/labourer. Some we are not allowed to because of the citizenship policy of the ruling party, but that is fine.




The Legitimiste Party is put in power so we can prevent elections and have a firmer control over the country.




Being a reactionary party, we are now able to remove voting rights. We are now an unconstitutional monarchy. Long live the king!




Our armies are undermanned, so we convert all the pops in Arlon into soldiers. Now we can reinforce our divisions and send them out.




We pick Baule for its low population, its relatively good provinces, its position in Africa (lots of good uncivs nearby to steal land from), and the fact that if we don't take it now, the French will.




So the invasion begins. Thankfully, Belgium starts with transports. We take Rooktown, leave a division there to defend it, then move with the rest to Dida.

[Middelkerke]

So you are going to try and create an African superpower?

So a white minority is going to rule Africa?

[robou]

So, starting with west Africa... A wise choice! France will, as you said, gobble them up if you don't take it quick enough. But you will take a lot of Prestige hits if you intend to do a lot of conquering early on, with the VIP system in Africa, but if you wait until 1884, half of Africa will be out of your grasp. A tough choice!

[andrergsanchez]

So you are going to try and create an African superpower?

So a white minority is going to rule Africa?

Minority? The flemish will be a majority in Africa. Not sure if they would still be regarded as White, since many would be the sons of african natives with chinese immigrants (assimilation). It could be that the chinese become the majority, followed by the flemish, followed by all the different native african groups. Africa will most likely be the "Yellow" continent.

[andrergsanchez]

So, starting with west Africa... A wise choice! France will, as you said, gobble them up if you don't take it quick enough. But you will take a lot of Prestige hits if you intend to do a lot of conquering early on, with the VIP system in Africa, but if you wait until 1884, half of Africa will be out of your grasp. A tough choice!

If I wait until 1884, I will also have a hard time turning it all into states as there will be far less time for migration. I will just move cautiously, and satellite small nations as necessary to build prestige back up.

[andrergsanchez]

With the fourth division reaching the cost of Africa, I can move to surround Buke.










And they are crushed. Should I annex? No. Better to steal their land. Annexing leads to badboy, "liberating" provinces does not. They will be annexed in the near future.




Soon we start planting coffee.




And immigration to the new colony begins. Slowly.




Boring...




With Mechanical Production researched, we move to Medicine. The more people the better.




This is so slow... there must be something I can do to speed it up... wait a minute... there is!

[robou]

Well I never! Impressive work, starting immigration so early. Long may it continue! I think you need some chinese manpower, though...

[andrergsanchez]

We'll need more transports for the war in China, so the order is placed. Could take some time to find willing sellers.




To boost research back up and to shield the new immigrants from starvation, I start converting the flemish in the colonies into clergymen.






And taxing every class but the middle class to death. So the natives will starve (both in Africa and in Europe), leading to a higher rate of emigration and a shrinking native population, while the new clergymen will keep growing. Neat huh?




Oh, that was fast. I order the expansion of the transport fleet. I need a total of 10 clippers for China.




With Medicine researched, I spend a whole lot of prestige points changing the intellectual establishement into Radical Academics. Why? Simple, I need positivism, functionalism, and biologism ASAP so that I can recover from the horrible tech lag that resulted (and will continue) from the colonization efforts. Plus, it's always a good thing to do.




The fleet is built and sent to Dida to merge with the old clippers.




Now I need a better army. Lots of stuff I need to buy...




Oh look! Asikaso can now be turned into the first Belgium African State!




Now that I finished shopping for my army, I set the orders back down so that I don't buy things again once I recruit the divisions.






And the Akan from Asikaso are turned into the Belgium Expeditionary Force. They will be sent to China soon.

[Middelkerke]

Won't the people start leaving the states aswell?

[robou]

Impressive efforts as ever, though this expansion must be killing your economy...

[andrergsanchez]

Won't the people start leaving the states aswell?

You mean the colonies? They are not militant enough to emigrate from Belgium. Some capitalists did move to the USA though.

[RGB]

This has the potential for the finest Belgian cheese. I'm eagerly looking forward to more.

[andrergsanchez]

Before I know it, the Ivory Coast also becomes a state.




I can recall when France decides that Baule is theirs, and I have 120,000 men just waiting for combat. So I decide, "what the heck, I'll just take care of the two nearby uncivs that the Great Powers end up messing with).




Baule is annexed.




And Assante is annexed. Not too many badboy points here, I'll live.




So the soldiers board the clippers and head towards China. We need chinese workers for Africa and our budget is... ugly.




Our objective is Tanghan and Tianjin. We head to Beijing and conquer as many provinces as we need to for them to surrender those two provinces.




And soon, they surrender them. Our budget looks a lot better now. But not good enough. Is that a gold mine I see in Caozhou? Maybe if we provoke the chinese they will declare war. Let's announce that we will go into Korea.




Oh look, they decide to defend their little friend. We quickly take territory. Now we want Jinan and Caozhou. They make a peace offer... don't let them fool you with these offers. Just keep pushing and they will give in.




See? We now have the gold mines of Caozhou! Our budget looks pretty at last!

[robou]

prestige isn't pretty, though...

[RGB]

Poor China.

Beaten by...Belgian Cavalry. Sad.

[andrergsanchez]

I am now able to begin paying down the debt. One division is stationed per province to deal with rebels.




Prestige is... ugly. We took an extra -100 hit because we had troops in chinese territory at the start of the second war. We need to fix this, and luckly, the USCA just turned into a whole bunch of small states. We head to Guatemala. Our reputation is already in the trash, so nobody cares that we declared war on them.




I need to use my troops wisely. The terrain is... deadly.




Yay! We can now begin researching positivism. 10% boost to research is always nice.




We managed to beat the guatemalans. The terrain was no match for our cavalry. But we do not want land... no Sir! We want RESPECT. They first say no, but then we learn they were just joking. Guatemala is now a protectorate of Belgium.




And so is Haiti. Good thing I invaded before the split of the island, I don't have to do an amphibious assault.




And so is Costa Rica.




Now that people respect us (more or less), a great change takes place. Leopold sells the whole of Belgium, including its colonies, to private shareholders. He still owns 51% of the shares, but The Belgium Company is now publicly traded in London and Paris. Long live capitalism! The company charter states that slavery will not be tolerated, and all people, from all nationalities will have the same rights. Trade will be free and taxation limited. Religion is allowed, but the church is not.





Lots of people in Asikaso buy shares in the new company and become proud shareholders.

[robou]

Well i'll be... industrialising Africa at this early stage.