Chapter 2: The Stability Rollercoaster
1st order of business: Build an army. 2k cav and 4k inf aren't going to scare anyone in this corner of the world.
In 1399, you build cavalry and don't stop.
In 1688, I'm building infantry and artillery - I want a 1:1 ratio. All of Europe will hear it coming. Start with 2 more infantry, then 6 artillery. This will take a while. In the meantime, it's time to recover stability. Inflation is no problem, given my 0.50% inflation reduction.
May 12: Sweden offers an alliance. This should keep Russia off my back.
June 15: Holstein asks for a Royal Marriage. We accept - Poland is target #1 so we can get strong enough to take on Austria.
June 17: Daughters are sent all over Europe, resulting in RMs with Anhalt, Bavaria, Saxony, and the Palatinate. The important part is wooing electors and maybe hitting the inheritance jackpot. I also want lots of military access throughout Germany.
June 25: Denmark offers an alliance. A Northern Alliance is shaping up.
August 11: Portugal embargos us. Er...wha?
Bavaria offers an alliance. We accept. Pre-IN, this would lead to diplo-vassalization. Post-IN, 5 province Bavaria is immune.
September 1: Stab rises to -2. Ethiopia tries to set a record for fastest collapse - 4 months!
September 23: The PrawnStar-less Iroquois are annexed by France. Note to self: Do not try playing the Iroquois in 1688.
December 1: Stab rises to -1. If you have to take stab hits, take them earlier rather than later - your stab rises MUCH faster.
January 1, 1689: Production tech 33. Seeing as there's nothing but +1 PE gains from here on out, don't expect much more of this except from neighbor bonuses, until I start hitting the ahead of time penalties.
March 1: We hit stab 0, without revolts!
May 21: Portugal allows trade again. On the trading front, we get crap merchants (especially with - stab), but our 2 merchants are in Manhattan, the richest CoT in the world. Hopefully they didn't get any Bear Stearns stock.
June 1: Stab 1 and Naval 33 (Heavy Frigate). To celebrate positive stability, King Friedrich embraces the Scientific Revolution, to the detriment of Regimental Camps.
June 9: General E. von Hessen-Homberg dies. He was a great general, or so we've been told.
July 1: Land, Trade, and Government 33. We get the Coehorn Mortar (slightly better stats) and another idea! The Coehorn Mortar has 1 dot more fire, shock and morale off/def, so it's a good upgrade.
For our idea, I pick Patron of the Arts. Soon, I'll get an artist, and we'll try and jump a few steps innovative.
September 1: Stab increases back to -2.
December 1: Stab increases to -1.
January 1, 1590: A quick recap:
Armies: 6k Inf/3 Art and a 2 cav army
Merchants: 3 in Manhattan, 1 in Stockholm
Prestige: 5 (need 20 for Prussia)
Gains: None yet.
Ideas switched: 3
Stab hits: 10 (8 regained)
Were I HRE, I could get back 1 stab/month, but I'm not, and won't be soon. The three Theocracies are going to vote for Spain, and I haven't convinced the Palatinate, Bavaria, or Saxony to vote against themselves yet.