Chapter 2: Lorraine
After getting beaten like a red-headed stepchild, we go back to the drawing board.
Let's get back to basics. This is Heir to the Throne, so let's go claim a throne!
We start by requesting an RM with Lorraine. They accept. We also hire 2 regiments of mercenary infantry, and 1 regiment of mercenary Latin Knights. To pay for maintenance (since we'll be 100% over the limit of 2), we start minting.
Our first mission: Form Alliance with France. Not likely... Burgundy starts the ball rolling by invading Brabant. Brunswick joins in with Brabant, and probably does nothing.
November 12: Lorraine guarantees us. Will they defend us from the evil Lorrainians?
November 16: We claim the title of Duke of Lorraine.
December 17: The Duke of Bar declares war on Lorraine to secure the duchy. Ansbach and Milan leap to defend Lorraine...as long as they don't have to actually go anywhere or do anything. To pay for the mercs, we raise war taxes.
Since we have double Lorraine's army, and cavalry (where they don't), their army dies quickly, along with the replacement mercs they hire underneath our armies. Now it's a race: the sieges need to end before I run out of money.
July 1, 1400: Whoops. Ran out of money, and we take a loan of 11 ducats. Remember - bankruptcy takes out my mercs, so I have to hurry.
September 18: Metz falls.
October 1: I consolidate armies, and dismiss the expensive cavalry.
November 21: Lothringen falls. Lorraine cedes Metz, and Robert becomes the Duke of Bar and Lorraine. Lorraine also annuls all their treaties, giving us 47 prestige and 4 infamy.
November 22: Lorraine accepts. EU3 math: -10 prestige + 47 prestige = 76 prestige? I'll take that!
With the war over, maintenance is reduced (I had to keep it during the siege, lest Milan or Ansbach actually show up).
Feb 13, 1401: Savoy offers alliance. We accept. Remember: the AI takes alliance size into account, even if the ally is nowhere nearby. To bolster our now sagging legitimacy (you lose 20 for Claim Throne), we RM Luxemburg.
A quick look at Lorraine shows they hate us (-50 relations). Keep in mind that the PU is severed if relations are under 0. We increase at 10/year, but my king has been on the throne 50 years - he can die at any time. First, I guarantee their independence - a free 10 relations and yearly boost.
Since France isn't biting, we cancel the mission...now we have to improve relations with Lorraine. Duh!
April 20: Brabant cedes Brabant to Burgundy and forks over their treasury. We start replacing mercs with regular troops. To pay for this, we start minting and placing merchants in Liguria, then Lubeck, then Venice.
May 8: Scandal at the court. We choose to lose prestige, since money is tight.
May 22: Out of free relations boosters, we send 6.6 gold to Lorraine for 14 relations.
June 15: Burgundy guarantees us. Funny. As in "You're next!"
July 1: 6.6 more gold to Lorraine raises relations by 22, to 0.
August 2: With relations now at 0, we can demand an alliance with Lorraine (which they accept). Now I can count on their 1000 troops.
October 1: Land reform in Metz.
November 1: France has no heir...hrm...can we say marriage? I think so!
Oooh look...we have a chance to get a PU with France...
January 1, 1402: We now have 3 merchants in Liguria, and retain a 2 star diplomat to reduce infamy. Our inflation is at 2, and that will probably double before I can stop minting.
July 7: Nobles demand more rights. Stability (which takes 3 months to return) or -1 centralization? Let me think on that...
December 1: Burgundy declares war on Luxemburg. Whew.
July 10, 1403: Burgundy finishes eating Luxemburg.
September 15: France declares war on England.
March 6, 1404: Charles VI dies, leaving the throne to Duke Robert. Woooooohoooo!!! (and I didn't even have to claim it! Ain't prestige great?)
4 1/2 years - we're a two province with 2 Personal Unions...now Robert needs to die so we can inherit Lorraine. Once France finishes with England, I will have to stay at war to avoid insults.
On the economic side, I now have 5 merchants in Genoa and Lubeck, and 2 in Venice. No more minting for now - I need government 4 for an idea.