The Shortest Road to Damascus

While the war with Austria continues the first Syrian university is built in Damascus. I pass the School Establishment Act and push the slider towards free subjects. The colony in the Horn of Africa becomes a city and a new colony is set up in the Andamans. Maybe I can get to the spice islands before the Europeans Note how Madurai collapsed and Maharashtra is the current dominant Indian power.


The first caliph al-'Adil IV finally dies in February 1584. Unfortunately his son al-Adil V is not only as bad a diplomat, it's also a hopeless administrator... at least he's just as gifted as a general.


Later that year, while dealing with a revolt in Malta, I realise I can easily scratch a few more WS points from Austria by occupying the now defenceless and blockaded islands of Sicily and Corfu. They are taken by the end of 1585, driving my warscore up to 9%, but the Austrians remain unmovable even to 1% peace offers


While I let them simmer in their own WE, a nationalist revolt in Sicily opens an interesting possibility: to let Sicily revolt and become independent while Austria has no access to them seems a much easier way to take the island from the Austrians... A worthy goal even if it means I have to prolong the war and refuse a first white peace from Austria in 1588

In the meantime my BB problem isn't going away (al-'Adil V being as useless as his father and and my only reputation advisor passing away don't help either). Oman DoWs in July 1588 -bringing in Hedjaz and the Mamluks- and, more worryingly, Castille DoWs in August 1589 -bringing in Sweden-


At first I was slightly concerned that I might be outdone in the naval front by Castille and Sweden together, but when Sweden offered a white peace six months after the DoW the maths changed in my favour - I could sustain the Austrian blockade and still match any Castillian threat entering the Med with my initial naval re-deployment.

Surprisingly all the transport fleets I intercepted were unprotected, most of their vessels must scattered in American waters. Once the Mediterranean sea lanes are clean of Castillian transports and galleys handling their forces in Africa is pretty easy, half the job is done by attrition


The last Castillian army in Africa is routed in the summer of 1590.


Sadly I can't put up much resistance in Iberia with the bulk of Spanish armies in there - al-'Adil V has to withdraw for now


In the east the war with Oman is a quick affair: I take a province from the Mamluks, a province from Hedjaz and Oman is vassalised. Newly-independent Sicily eventually signs a white peace with Austria...


After which Austria is suddenly willing to accept a 7% peace offer (the WE at 18.72 probably has something to do with it) in January 1591, at last! This must have been one of the longest wars I've ever fought.


And talking of long, not a single reputation advisor shows up in the hire pool, but the longest-named advisor turns up in Damascus Pity the skills don't match the name length!


Alicante and Valencia eventually fall to Castille, although al-'Adil V is put to good use on selected landings to pester the Spaniards and drive their WE up.


Like Austria before, Castille can't do much outside mainland Europe. I can comfortably take their African provinces and the Canary Islands one by one I still get the occasional suicidal DoW from Ethiopia or Algiers though...


Ethiopia is left to go for a few ducats. Algiers and Tripoli are vassalised - I don't want to take any more Muslim land directly until my reputation is lower.

When all Castillian Africa is finally occupied in 1596, I'm ready to sign peace. With 32% warscore I can exact a nice 42% peace for two provinces and the release Granada. At this point I consider more efficient releasing Granada than taking more provinces in Africa (BB-wise as well) to weaken Castille.


I'm pleasantly surprised to find that Granada held a core in Murcia - Castille has lost all her Mediterranean coast

Peace doesn't last long, however. The ink is not yet dry on the peace treaty with Castille when Austria DoWs in August.


This time I send troops immediately to Crimea to make sure the Austrians don't overrun Astrakhan. The Austrian troops are routed in a few months.


And the Austrian Black Sea fleet is also destroyed. Astrakhan leaves the war with a white peace to deal with a more pressing war with Poland, in which I help as well. I re-occupy Crimea and blockade Italy. Aragon (Austria's only ally) signs peace parting with some money and renouncing cores.


It doesn't take long to bring Austria's WE back up to 18...


And again it's at this magic point that the Austrians become willing to negotiate peace in October 1598: the end of their presence in the Black Sea.


I sell Budjak and Crimea to Astrakhan. I keep Kaffa for now, though I will probably sell it later on.


The shock of being at peace after all these years probably kills al-'Adil V. His successor al-Kamil II is an improvement (8a/6m/4d), but still weak on diplomacy. I change the government to administrative monarchy to take advantage of the production bonus and fewer slider restrictions. And I manage to get a decent reputation advisor! (Of course I couldn't resist hiring Mr Kowogoconnughariegugharie as well)


Now that the eastern Mediterranean is sorted, there is only one way: west, to liberate the rest of Africa and Iberia (and maybe Sicily)!


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Syria in 1599

Provinces: 80
At peace.
Allied with Astrakhan, TE, Algiers, Tripoli, Granada. CB on Iraq and GB. Guaranteeing Granada, Sicily and TE. Warned by Khorasan.
Vassals: Oman, Algiers, Tripoli, Adal, TE.
Stability: +2
BB: 18.94
Monarch: Caliph al-Kamil II (8a/6m/4d)
Army: 102 (47/55/0)
Navy: 113 (66/15/4/28)
WE: 1.18
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Nodscouterr - I stated my goals at the beginning. If you are so keen to establish a world caliphate you are welcome to have my save game any time

gabor - I'll wait to finish Aragon off until I have a greater foothold in Iberia, I don't want a border with France yet

Malurous - Thanks. Getting to prestige 30 to claim the caliphate proved more difficult than I thought.

Brandenburg III - Syria rules the waves! Despite taking Austria to the limit France has been pretty quiet. They annexed Brandenburg though...

Capibara - It has to end up looking like the original Caliphate.

feldmarshall - Thanks.

Sweboy - I vassalised them an update ago. That's what happens when you only read every other update

The new century starts with the war of Funj succession, in June 1600, between Astrakhan and Swahili. Unsurprisingly the Ottomans (allied to both) stay with Astrakhan. And I help as well.


Taking sides against Swahili causes my mission to improve relations with them to utterly fail. Next one is 'Improve relations with Khorasan'... don't hold your breath on this one either.

Nothing remarkable about this war: the Mamluks sing a white peace early on and I take Mogadishu and some ducats from Swahili, not to leave empty-handed Of course Astrakhan wins and seals the PU with Funj, for what it's worth.


And look, if you thought enlightened, doubly-westernised peasants were free from superstition...


To offset this I get news that my colony in the Andamans will be producing spices, and I start building my first naval equipment manufactory in Beirut.

In 1605 Sicily enters in a war with Austria through a guarantee, so I can't defend them: they lose Messina and become an Austrian vassal


After this, and seeing that Castille is in no rush to DoW me after the truce expires, I DoW them myself in 1606. They've allied Poland since the last war, which is just as well, now Astrakhan can have some action too. Sweden supports Castille again, all my allies come to my call.


I don't mess with half armies this time, I deploy 50 regiments in Iberia to make sure I can make decent gains there. The strategy is simple: neutralise their navy, attack weak armies in Madrid and Toledo and retreat to Valencia/Alicante to reinforce and defend when more serious forces come around. New 5-shock general Rashid Fazil does a pretty good job.


Besides, Enrique VI is just not as good as his father. Unfortunately my help in Granada is not enough; Granada and Gibraltar fall to Castillian troops.


And Granada surrenders giving away Gibraltar in February 1607


But that is the last Castillian victory. All their remaining forces in Iberia gather and attack me one final time in Valencia in June, only to get routed.


From then on it's just a matter of deploying infantry in sieges and using the cavalry to finish off any new regiments and rebels. I sign peace with Poland, rewarding Astrakhan with Polesia (Astrakhan was starting to get too many rebels due to high WE). And I sign a white peace with Sweden. Castille is on her own.


Ethiopia DoWs me again, it must be something to do with them constantly claiming the title of defender of the faith Granada takes this chance to forfeit our alliance; they are Catholic after all. A bit more serious is an Austrian DoW in December 1609 (with Aragon, Sicily and Tver joining them).


Luckily I'm nearly done with Castille by then. In April 1610 Andalucía falls and I have enough war score for a substantial peace. I don't bother with north African provinces, I take as big a chunck of al-Andalus as I can get with 82% WS. I can't link my new provinces to Valencia yet, for some reason Toledo is Castille's capital (it should be Valladolid, I wonder whether this is intentional or Castille moved capital earlier in the game).


Now I can focus on Austria, and hopefully get Sicily Aragon is quickly neutralised, the strait of Messina blockaded and Sicily invaded. An excellent minister gives me some welcome BB relief, if nothing else.


Granada, after sending a warning and an insult, decides to join in the party, DoWing in September. Then Swahili and the Mamluks. Well, it saves me diplomats and BB!

From the Mamluks I take Nubia in December. From Swahili I take Lamu, another ivory province.


From Granada I take Murcia and Almeria. With a bit of luck they'll be allied, vassalised or annexed by Castille by next war. That'll teach them to betray the caliph.


Astrakhan deals with Tver in a few months. I let them have most provinces in the peace deal, but I leave the ones that border with Swenden out for now.


The occupation of Sicily and a full blockade of Austria give me 23% WS, not enough to get both Sicilian provinces (Palermo is actually quite rich), so I'll take Corfu as well and see if that is enough, otherwise I'll have to settle for just half the island.


While I wait for Corfu to fall Government tech 22 is reached, opening a new NI slot. Since I already have two naval NIs I should probably go for something different this time, maybe land-based given that money is no longer a problem. Suggestions?



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Syria in 1612

Provinces: 91
At war with Austria*, Sicily.
Allied with Astrakhan, TE, Algiers, Tripoli. CB on France, Austria, Aragon and Iraq. Guaranteeing OE, Brunei and TE.
Vassals: Oman, Algiers, Tripoli, Adal, TE.
Stability: +3
BB: 12.03
Monarch: Caliph al-Kamil II (8a/6m/4d)
Army: 125 (50/75/0)
Navy: 111 (66/12/4/29)
WE: 0

Vladislav - It must have been Iroquois, as PrawnStar says. Quite bold if he made all the way to Damascus

PrawnStar - Iroquois, they are the only survivors in North America. The ones in South America are actually Chimu, not Inca.

Enewald - Probably Kublai Khan thought the same of Marco Polo

gabor - I think WE is an important factor but not the only one, the threshold definitely varies between countries.

Sweboy - It did work, Sicily became independent, well half of it anyway. Still a target.

Judas Maccabeus - Granada is Catholic, despite their Arabic named rulers

enkhuush - Yes, they are, although they won't be for much longer

humancalculator - Working on it

Didaa - I know. Hopefully they'll emigrate to America soon.

Duke of Wellington - Thanks, and no worries, I'm sure you are making the most of the New Zealand summer, I mean winter You are right that it's becoming quite easy, I imagine the only challenge left is France.