The Bar Exam - an HTTT experiment

[Duke of Wellington]

Well done. With those gains the pressure is off on you and simply surviving no longer looks an impossibility.

[naggy]

October 7, 1422: As the earlier screenshot noted, war with Milan means war with Bohemia (the current HRE). Our first attempt to attack Milan had to turn around to kick a Bohemian army out of Lothringen, with the help of France.


Remember: War with France is better than war with France.

November 19: Savoy offers alliance. Maybe this time they won't piss off half of Italy...

February 9, 1423: While attempting to dislodge a 21,000 man Bohemian army from Metz, the duke's forces are driven off, losing 1500 men to 600. Metz falls on March 20th.

March 27: Vlaandern falls to Flemish rebels.

April 14: Ducal forces drive besieging Bohemians out of Barrois.

May 15: Zikmund dies in battle, leaving Ladislav II of Bohemia to become emperor.


June 1: One of the Bohemian armies is finally chased down in a series of campaign and forced to surrender in Metz.


June 8: Metz is recaptured after an assault.

July 1: An army from Nevers "bravely" invades Milan. Alone.


November 8: Ladislav proposes Reichsreform to the Diet in Rostock. Despite the Duke's best efforts, the measure passes.


January 17, 1424: Word reaches the duke that Brescia has fallen to French armies, and Verona is under siege. Ducal armies are en route.

June 15: England offers alliance.

October 4: The first battle between Allied forces against Milan results in a slight victory in Brescia. Three weeks later, the Milanese army surrenders in Lombardia.


January 1, 1425: Production 7.

January 24: With French armies holding Verona, Brescia, and Milan, the ducal armies lay siege to Parma, Pisa, Tuscany, and Siena, while preparing to kick Urbinese rebels out of Romagna.


July 1: Stability returns to the realm.

January 2, 1426: The national focus moves to Brabant.

February 25: With Milan utterly crushed, Duke Edward demands Pisa, Firenze, Siena, and Romagna, leaving an army behind to keep peace. Milan is also forced to annul all treaties. The deal makes the duke the most highly regarded ruler in Europe, though one that draws wary eyes.


March 4: We give up on getting the Palatinate to vote for us. Now God demands better relations with Burgundy. God will have to deal.

September 24: The war continues between the Duke's holdings and Bohemia and Naples, with ducal armies being repulsed by Neapolitan forces in Abruzzi.

January, 1427: Bohemian armies arrive in Metz and Romagna, only to be crushed by the duke's armies.


February 1: Government 6.

June 1: England declares war on Leinster, without a casus belli. We decline to help.

July 28: Another Imperial army is wiped out in Breisgau.

August 8: Brandenburg declares war on Bohemia without a casus belli. The sharks are circling...

[Duke of Wellington]

I do love to see HRE Bohemia on the ropes. They have given me a lot of annoyance over my time playing EU3. Four infamy to get those provinces is certainly a great deal but your infamy is creeping up pretty fast now. Will you quieten down until it is lower?

[naggy]

I do love to see HRE Bohemia on the ropes. They have given me a lot of annoyance over my time playing EU3. Four infamy to get those provinces is certainly a great deal but your infamy is creeping up pretty fast now. Will you quieten down until it is lower?

Depends on my opportunities. I'm having a hard time getting useful CB's, which is why my infamy is skyrocketing. It also pretty much prevents me from moving into the HRE for a while.

[Malurous]

How many troops can you support, compared to the French army size? How far is safe peace?

[Enewald]

Well done using the French and getting some rich provinces and the connection. Even though the BB (can I still call it that?) really is nasty.



Huh? I can't believe it - someone actually has doubts about taking down Burgundy, and it's Enewald, the prominent fan of bloodshed, of all people!

You have to be cunning when declaring wars, one cunning player does not have to pay a -1 stability to get into a war.
Getting dowed is better than dowing. It makes the game more interesting.

[Malurous]

You have to be cunning when declaring wars, one cunning player does not have to pay a -1 stability to get into a war.
Getting dowed is better than dowing. It makes the game more interesting.

Generally, I agree completely. However, when you're in a situation where not being at war with anyone means that France is likely to insult you out of a PU, you pretty much have to DoW. There's no time to wait.

And when abusing a powerful "lesser" partner, you can't necessarily work warnings or guarantees either because your lesser partner doesn't follow.

And there are other early game situations where, as a small country that stabilizes quickly, growing for safety reasons or taking advantage of a lucky break is more important than maintaining stab.

[blsteen]

Ah le blob as le biatch.

[Ivir Baggins]

Why were you googling vishnu?

[aldriq]

Those Italian gains might be a liability in the short-term, but they are worth it...

[naggy]

Malurous: My main issue at the moment is money (only 2 cores), not force limits. I only gain about 30 ducats/year in census taxes.

Enewald: HTTT makes it a little harder to avoid stabhits to fight who you want, since the AI doesn't automatically honor guarantees anymore.

blsteen: Yup.

Ivir Baggins: Heh. My dad was doing a crossword and needed help.

aldriq: Doubtful - no one nearby is powerful enough to come close to stopping my big brother.

[naggy]

November 1, 1427: Hungary declares war on Bohemia without a CB, bringing in Muscovy and Moldavia.

January 8, 1428: Edward III dies, leaving a regency for 11 year old Louis I. This forces us to hold on to the war with Naples and Bohemia, since we can't start new ones, and can't afford to not be at war.


January 29: Bavaria offers an alliance.

April 30: Bohemia offers peace with Austria, giving up Treviso from Venice and 31 ducats.

June 10: Bohemia cedes Breslau and Niederlausitz to Brandenburg, along with 13 ducats.


June 21: Barrois armies defeat Neapolitan armies in Napoli and begin to chance them down.

July 27: Hungary offers white peace with Bohemia. This leaves Bohemia with Sudety occupied by Nevers, Erz occupied by France, and no army.

September 15: Hassan Shah Chakar dies in battle. Still no idea where he came from...

October 31: After a sustained campaign through southern Italy, the Neapolitan army surrenders in Napoli.


November 1: Land 5. We upgrade to Men at Arms.

December 22, 1429: After all of Naples' provinces fall, Naples renounces all external claims, gives 70 ducats to the duke, and annuls all treaties.

January 8, 1430: The Pope declares war on Naples, now that they have no army.

February 1: Eastern Europe appears to be a mess (yes, that's Nevers conquering over half of Bohemia)


February 13: Sicily declares war on Naples, and Poland declares war on Hungary.

February 21: A new general is elevated to replace Hassan Shah Chakar. Rodolphe de Crussol has 6 shock. The world shall tremble before him.


March 28: Bosnia declares war on Hungary. The sharks love a target.

April 1: Trade 5. Hansa annexed Luneburg.

May 3: A quick look at the empires shows that Ladislav's heir will not be emperor. Apparently, being occupied by Nevers for an extended period of time makes it hard to impress the electorate.


October 12: Hungary cedes Pressburg to Austria. The balance of power in Eastern Europe is changing quickly.

December 1: Slider move to Land. We gain a 6 star Grand Captain.

March 1: Government 7.

April 1: Naval 5.

July 1: Our first trade station is founded in Vlaandern.

July 10: Brandenburg forces Poland to cede Kalisz and 91 ducats.

December 27: Louis I von Wittelsbach ascends to become the Duke of Bar, Lorraine, and Flanders, with a son as heir.


March 3, 1432: With a crusade called against the loathesome turk, Duke Louis declares war on the Turks to fulfill his holy obligations.


To show his magnanimity, Duke Louis signs peace with Bohemia at the slight price of releasing Silesia, releasing claims to Breslau and Niederlausitz, and annulling all treaties. To bolster Silesia's legitimacy, Duke Louis arranges a royal marriage.

July 30: Crete invades Vlaanderen, managing to do a little looting before being crushed.

October 14: With the ducal armies prepared, the duke asks Hungary for the right to march to fight the Turks. The Hungarians decline, and refuse to entertain further negotiations, stalling the Duke's crusade plans.

March 12, 1433: Hungary cedes Ruthenia, Carpathia, and Ersekujyvar to Poland.

May 1: The Palatinate has the pope excommunicate Duke Louis I, throwing the entire French court into uproar. Merde!

[History_Buff]

That is REALLY bad. If you still have the personal union with France and want to keep it, you MUST get that excommunication lifted before Louis dies. If he dies and you are still excommunicated, the personal union ends.

[naggy]

That is REALLY bad. If you still have the personal union with France and want to keep it, you MUST get that excommunication lifted before Louis dies. If he dies and you are still excommunicated, the personal union ends.

Yeah...and then the war begins.

[naggy]

My King, Excommunication happened to us.

Effects:
Yearly Prestige: -2.0%
Tolerance of the True Faith: -3.00
Yearly Papal Influence: -100%
Panic level: +200%
Underwear change rate: +1000%

[PrawnStar]

And it was all going so well! Is it difficult to get un-excommunicated?

My King, Excommunication happened to us.

Effects:
Yearly Prestige: -2.0%
Tolerance of the True Faith: -3.00
Yearly Papal Influence: -100%
Panic level: +200%
Underwear change rate: +1000%

That last bit might be an improvement given personal hygiene in the 15th Century.

[Malurous]

Dang! And here I was thinking that getting through the regency was nice...

Malurous: My main issue at the moment is money (only 2 cores), not force limits. I only gain about 30 ducats/year in census taxes.

That did seem obvious - I did ask "how many troops can you support?", not "what is your force limit?" Ok, I admit I was being very unclear. Anyway, I see in the screenshots that you have about 18000 troops, so I guess that's what you can afford.

Not that any of it matters unless you can do something about the excommunication...

[naggy]

That did seem obvious - I did ask "how many troops can you support?", not "what is your force limit?" Ok, I admit I was being very unclear. Anyway, I see in the screenshots that you have about 18000 troops, so I guess that's what you can afford.

I think I may soon go on an infantry building spree to surpass France, but there's no point in doing so until I'm good and ready.

[naggy]

May 6, 1433: Now that I'm excommunicated, my neighbors get bold. Modena warns us, followed by Liege and Alsace on the 13th, and Ferrara on the 18th.

Rather than go beat the Palatinate down (and worsen relationships all around, Duke Louis chooses to bribe his cousin (they are in the same dynasty) to remove the excommunication.

August 1: Land 6.

September 1: Production 8...1 more to Workshops.

September 12: Ladislav's death results in Leopold VIII of Austria becoming the new Holy Roman Emperor. The torch passes.


October 13: Cologne warns us.

December 1: Hungary collapses, with Transylvania and Croatia gaining independence. Hungary is now broken into 3 disconnected pieces, leaving Austria, Brandenburg, and Poland the uncontested masters of Eastern Europe.

March 2, 1434: To show our faith, we declare war on the Mameluks, via an alliance casus belli.

July 31: After successive bribes to 100 relations, the Palatinate removes excommunication.


September 20: Sicily forces Naples to cede Calabria, Apulia, and Abruzzi, completing the dismemberment of the Duke's one-time enemy.

November 1: Followers of my AARs will recognize this. Ooops!


January 5, 1435: Bar remembers that they forgot to form an alliance with Brittany after vassalizing them. This is corrected.

September: A look at the Palatinate shows that they have no heir, and we are next in line to inherit...


April 1, 1436: Our advisors are packed with diplomats. Almost like we have an issue with infamy or something.


January 1, 1437: White peace with the Ottomans, given that the Duke can't build a fleet or negotiate military access there. Perhaps next time he goes on crusade, he'll get that taken care of first.

One of the duke's allies becomes embroiled in a war with Genoa (I think through Savoy), so the duke declares war, bringing in Milan, Venice, and the Papal States against the duke (oh well, the Pope already doesn't like us). Bavaria and Silesia decline to join.


August 1: Genoa falls to a joint siege by the duke and the Duke of Savoy, resulting in an utter humiliation for Genoa: 262 ducats, annul treaties with the Pope, and renounce all external claims.

December 1: Milan's army is crushed outside Milan. This is the only battle really of note in the campaign.


January 1, 1429: Government 8.

January 24: The Papal State is forced to pay 300 ducats to the Duke.

March 1: A 4 star diplomat shows up right as a 3 star dies.

March 30: Burgundy declares war on Nevers, in an attempt to reclaim her former possession.


April 29: Venice (as the leader) pays 100 ducats to end the war with Bar, allowing Bar to concentrate on Burgundy.

August 21: For the first time, the Barrois armies defeat the main army of Burgundy alone in the first battle.


September 24: Alsace, Burgundy's ally, pays 65 ducats to end the war.

October 15: England declares war on Burgundy in an attempt to reclaim Picardie.

November 1: The duke repays his accidental loan.

March 14, 1440: England offers peace with Burgundy in exchange for Artois (since France had occupied Picardie).

May 5: Burgundy cedes Bern, Breda, and Limburg to Bar.


A map of Europe:

[Enewald]

Now you are as strong as France?
Also stronger than Burgundy?