• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Remember to vote for your favorite AARs in the AARland Choice AwAARds everyone!

Normal! Last year was 85/100per week.

Now have more free time. Have to rebuy my games lost key-codes for EUIII,EUIII Complete.
Can't reg. EUI. Have been playing them since release but didn't have internet till two weeks ago.

I really couldn't do that regularly, then again it's no coincidence that weeks tend to be shorter in my line of work than in most, regular long days just aren't doable even physically.

There are no volcanoes in mainland Spain but no doubt you'll get earthquakes and plagues... Next?

Looking forward to European natural disasters!

Next we take more steps in the same directions. One of the steps is a major one though.

I have this feeling that the last redoubt of Spanish power will ironically not be in their homelands, but their Northern colonies....

It wouldn't shock me, but like I said I'll try to avoid that...

Not yet. I'm sure there are entrepreneurial Incas setting up a volcano exporting business as we speak.

Exporting volcanoes eh? Sounds good but it might be a bit hazardous what with the wooden ships of the era. :D

Oh, that's why I don't remember reading the end of this when I last checked it a year ago. It's still going :eek:
Just finished rereading everything/getting caught up again. Interesting progress.

Thanks, good to have you reading! It's indeed a bit of a long project but hey, there are at least a couple of 2007 starts still going on in AARland so this still seems reasonable. ;)

Update please I need my fix.

Good timing - barring more forum downtime I expect to update at some point today!
 
Chapter Seventy-one
1712-1716

As mentioned, Toledo is a steel province. Now that I have two of them, I can build another round of hardware, armaments and ammunitions factories. Here, however, I run into a "problem": I've built enough factories that I've run out of high population unit provinces with a bad resource. Thanks to the rising production efficiency, the worst resource I have in any otherwise strong province is, believe it or not, gold.

So I go for the sick rich provinces, building a hardware factory in Cuzco, an armaments factory in Tenochtitlan and the less profitable ammunitions one in the not quite as rich Tumbes, replacing gold in all of them. Both Cuzco and Tenochtitlan produce 2.6 Units, so giving them these resources leads to a downright shocking result.

74_01.jpg


Wow. They're now the richest provinces by far.

We start recruiting another twenty regiment army and one of the fleets heads for South America to pick it up. Meanwhile, Trade tech level 43 is reached, soon followed by a similar advance in Production tech.

Wenrohronon converts and I pay off some unruly nobles with 8333 ducats. It's a bit much, but better than wasting a slider move and a stability point I suppose.

In May a colonist is sent to Klawak. That province consists of the islands around the British Columbia-Alaska border. Waura upgrades into a sugar province.

Xaragua, Shikaakwa and Niuachi convert, while I send a colonist into Bakairi, seeking to finish another Amazon corridor, as well as into Chugachigmiut, the next province along the Alaskan coast.

74_02.jpg


We reach Naval tech level 43 in October and Land 47 in February 1713. I decide to push full Land despite being 12 years ahead of time - the next level gives a unit type upgrade and a morale boost to boot.

Plague strikes Tula but due to the small population there's a measly 500 deaths.

Skidi grows into a city in the beginning of March, and near the end the truce with Mallorca ends. War is declared immediately.

74_03.jpg


Tuscany doesn't join in, so it's just Mallorca. In a smart move, they've stationed the bulk of their army in the province of Mallorca, so starting a blockade gives me pretty much free rein in their continental lands.

In April I assault the lesser forts in Gavaudan and Bigorra and the local enemy army is defeated in Girona.

74_04.jpg


Meanwhile, Otaheite reaches city status, improving the situation in the Pacific.

Girona, Bearn and Cerdanya are taken by mid-June and one army is ping-ponging the Mallorcan army around. They're starting to send in quite good peace offers - I'm not interested though as I want a total victory in this one.

Later in the month the enemy army is finally eliminated, while Skidi starts producing lumber. Now starts the painful period of taking down the high level forts.

Then in August something really weird happens. Pucara, the South American province we've owned since 1384, defects to the Pope!

74_05.jpg


I really have no idea what's going on here. The province history says nothing except "Was annexed by Papal State" (also, they only discover the province at this point), I check an older save a few months before and there's nothing suspicious going on, and there's nothing in the message log. If there was an event, it was something I've turned off in the messages.

Whatever the cause, the Pope has just signed his death warrant. I start moving troops into position - I might not have a way to reach their other lands yet as their capital Coblenz and other province Kleve are blocked off by the Dutch, but I'm certainly not going to just leave them in Pucara.

Foix and Tolosa fall in August and September, respectively. Not quite enough warscore for the maximum peace deal so I land some men on Menorca, assaulting it in October. Peace is signed, leaving Mallorca only their islands and the capital Girona.

74_06.jpg


It's notable that my holdings are now connected via land. You can also see that Portugal has taken Andalucia from Granada.

74_07.jpg


On the same day there's a very interesting development: Portugal declares war on Spain. This means that I can DoW Portugal without getting the Spanish involved. I do so immediately.

74_08.jpg


England, Catalunya and Mutapa follow the Portuguese into the war. Catalunya fights for less than two weeks as a full blockade is enough to convince them to empty their treasury and renounce some claims on Inca territory.

I start the push into Portugal's Canadian lands - which is an absolute pain in the northwest as moving from one province to the next one can take up to ten months - and win some insignificant naval battles. Meanwhile, Bakairi grows into a city and Anhaica converts.

In late November I declare war on the Pope. The first time I'm actually using the Reconquest CB in this game. That's a bit different from another AAR of mine.

74_09.jpg


Mind you, I'm not at all sure that I'm able to take the province using the CB in question. As it's very difficult to reach the other Papal lands I'll most likely have to deal with alliance leader Tuscany to get my province back.

Tonga starts producing lumber in December. I spot some weak forts on Portugal's European coast so troops are hauled in. The assault fails badly however and this plan is abandoned for now. At least the first Canadian province falls.

As 1714 rolls around I realize that the conquest of Foix, an iron province, enables another round of building steel, armament, hardware and ammunition factories. Once again I'm replacing gold, and also silver this time. The effect is most noticeable in Texcoco which becomes my highest production province, narrowly edging Cuzco, with hardware as its resource.

74_10.jpg


We capture a bunch of Portuguese warships and sink a small English transport fleet, while Onondaga sees the light of the Sun God. The naval action continues when an English war fleet is dealt with. We capture three big ships in the process, but they're still using their trusty wargalleons so it's not that much use.

Once again colonists are taking a long time to arrive, so I send a spare one to North American inland province Chaui in February. We capture four Tuscan galleys and sink a transport. Portugal starts begging for white peace - yeah right. A month later we reach Tuscany's main war fleet (galleys mostly) and it is eliminated. Now I just have to find their transports and any threat in that war should be over. Getting the peace I want might be harder however...

Albaamaha converts in April and Guarani in South America is colonized to avoid having five colonists.

Mutapa offers white peace and we accept - I have no quarrel with them. The last day of the month is a sad one:

74_11.jpg


He had found a nice retirement home in Tierra del Fuego some time ago (heh) as his work was done but we have Guaritopa Curiatao to thank for exploring all the seas of the world.

We offer Savoy a white peace in May in order to get a higher warscore against Tuscany. Futuna, another Pacific island group, is cleansed and a colonist is sent.

The Papal State offers white peace. Get outta here. I decide to see if they're willing to give Pucara back, and much to my surprise they are and South America is all mine again! I have four warscore against them but that's enough to get a fourteen point peace. I suppose I owe Bohemia one as them beating up the Pope is bound to be the reason for this.

74_12.jpg


The war isn't over yet though as the silly Tuscans won't accept white peace. At least the other conflict takes a step forward as two assaults succeed in Portuguese Canada after some irritating failures (it really sucks when an assault that you expect to succeed fails when it takes half a year to reach your own territory to recover).

Athna reaches city status, and I send an army to slaughter the natives in the next province up the North American coast.

In June we reach Land tech level 48 for a morale bonus and, more importantly, new infantry types. I go for the Blue Coats, changing despite the wars as there isn't much actual fighting going on.

74_13.jpg


We take care of another small Tuscan fleet and Nuremberg is out of that war as Bohemia annexes them. The Bohemians are certainly being useful.

The next naval battle later in the month is a shocking one: while sinking the Tuscan transport fleet we actually lose a small ship! Still, their transports are now gone so they can't really do anything.

Apinaye cores in July and Kiribati starts producing lumber. Bakairi gets brazilwood in August. Nice, that's very profitable.

In the end of the month I blockade all of Italian Tuscany - only their Greek holdings are spared. Their WE is also close to eight now and suddenly peace feels like a good idea. I would have gladly taken white peace earlier but hey, if you have to be stubborn, I'll just grab your treasury. The war for Pucara is over.

74_14.jpg


Spain and Portugal sign peace soon after, with Spain paying about 1000 ducats. A 19000 man Portuguese army doesn't go home from Spain but heads for my Iberian holdings instead. I throw it out but obviously can't follow into Spanish territory.

Skidi's resource upgrades to tobacco in October and we assault two Canadian provinces shortly after.

Abihka, Seneca and Marien convert in November and we win one more assault late in the month. Only a couple of "must have" provinces left.

Chugachigmiut starts producing fish in December and a small English army is defeated when it tries to land in Greenland. I send a fleet to intercept the fleeing force and England is pretty much out of ships as a result.

Higuey converts and then in January 1715 our colonist succeeds in Tionek. One more province on the northern Pacific coast.

74_15.jpg


Reinforcements arrive in the last essential province in September, so I have nothing to do other than wait. North American provinces Ozaagii and Ho-Chunk core in February and March, respectively, and Chaui starts producing maize.

We get Naval tech 44 in April, while a seemingly easy assault fails horribly. Fortunately this is in the eastern part of the border area where travel is much faster.

May gives level 44 in Trade and Production. I get the Heir falls ill event and send for a trained Medicus... And for the first time, like, ever, an heir that I want to stay alive does so in this event! Unbelievable. The inhabitants of Euchee see this as a sign and embrace Inti.

One Portuguese province falls in June and Chaui upgrades to tobacco. Misi-ziibi converts. My target provinces in Canada are under control by the end of September but an incredible assault fail on Hispaniola means that I can't make peace - I admit, I forgot about Hispaniola so I only had one try where I could have had several by now. As such, I head for two more Canadian provinces (they weren't a priority as they give no new Colonialism targets and make for a long walk, but I'll gladly take them now that I have the time).

74_16.jpg


Denmark declares independence in October, but only as an OPM. The area is still dominated by Sweden and the Netherlands. Tionek starts producing lumber and I win some minor sea battles.

We gain Trade tech level 45 in December and Illiniwek converts. Futuna's successful colonization means that there's only one Pacific island province left on the western "side" of the map. The colonists in Klawak decide to one-up the cacao producers in Tierra del Fuego by cultivating wine in Alaska.

As 1716 starts this gives us the Minor Wine Producer bonus (-2% stab cost, +0.02 morale of armies). We also reach Production tech level 45 and gain a ton of cores, mostly in the U.S. region.

Magua, the province on Hispaniola, finally falls in March. No peace yet however as we're close to some Canadian provinces. Mauvila embraces Inti.

We occupy one of those Canadian provinces in June, while Guarani grows into a city and we get Naval tech level 45. Zacapoaxtla suffers an earthquake but only 800 people die.

Our army arrives at Iyyu in August and takes the province. We're now ready for peace. I'm quite lucky with the warscore: Portugal is willing to give exactly what I want and renounce one claim, no more.

74_17.jpg


In the east we simply take another layer...

74_18.jpg


...while the west is almost done, we've even reached Hudson Bay. Thank heavens for that, future wars should be much more convenient. I never went to the westernmost province as it would have taken too long, but that isn't a problem: it makes no difference for the Colonialism CB so I can just take it later.

74_19.jpg


In addition to these, Hispaniola is fully Inca now. Cuba is the only foreign place south of the Canadian lands but it'll have to wait for an Imperialist war against Portugal.

74_20.jpg
 
Please let me know if the recent updates, especially this one, have been too long. I try to keep the length readable but with so much stuff to cram into a chapter (there's a lot going on in the game as you've probably noticed) I feel it might be getting out of hand. As it stands I end chapters when it's natural to do so - typically when a major war ends or a significant goal is reached - but I can start splitting them if that's what people prefer.
 
I'm wondering - if you wanted to, do you think you could do a world conquest before the end of the scenario? Considering how easily you are mopping the floor with your enemies (and these are probably the strongest AI countries!), I wouldn't be surprised if a WC were possible.
 
I think the update lengths are fine but I'm the wrong person to ask since I have exactly the same problem!
 
Update lengths are fine, I think.

Good work in North America - but after completing a New World Conquest, what exactly will be your aims?
Annexation of every nation that dared to set foot on Incan soil (i.e. 'The List')?
 
I like that each chapter encompasses a major event. Length doesn't matter to me. Just keep 'em coming. :D

Also, I gotta love that Papal State flip. One of the funniest things I've seen in this game.:rofl: Maybe you should put it in the Strange Screenshots thread?
 
I for one like long updates!

Also, WTF, Pope? How U annex random province?
 
Thanks everyone for the input on chapter length! I guess I'll keep it as it is, i.e. depending on the events.

Even precious metals have to yield before the march of industrialization!

Yes! It's a bit silly how I was hunting for those precious metals in the beginning and now I'm just throwing them away. I wonder what YHC would say about closing gold mines? :p

I'm wondering - if you wanted to, do you think you could do a world conquest before the end of the scenario? Considering how easily you are mopping the floor with your enemies (and these are probably the strongest AI countries!), I wouldn't be surprised if a WC were possible.

No. I'm 100% sure that I couldn't do it and I kind of think no-one could. It would at least take one of the WC "speed specialists", I'm not sure which phase of it takes how long for them so I can't tell if it's possible.

Still, it seems like a tall order. Now I don't know the exact numbers but I believe vanilla HTTT has ~1200-1300 land provinces (DW added some). MEIOU has ~2000, so even with my current ~400 provinces I still lack something like 1.3 times the whole vanilla world, and there's 140 years left... My current pace (I've doubled in size in the last 50 years) would be just enough if I could maintain it from 1356 to finish, but this is an easy part what with the colonial peace deals where I can take 10+ provinces all at once (and stay under the infamy limit while doing it, making managing the overall situation easier) and the rapid colonization, and of course given the Inca situation I couldn't start major expansion until it was pretty late.

Also I'd expect this to become harder as I make progress in Europe. My troops are spread thin as it is and that's with the tiny rebellions that most of America offers - I'm not sure my army size can keep up with my demands in the future. Especially since I can't keep fighting wars without battles forever.

I think the update lengths are fine but I'm the wrong person to ask since I have exactly the same problem!

:D Hmm, I don't think I've ever come across an update in any of your AARs where I felt it was long enough to be tough to read in one sitting. So you're certainly in the clear as well if you ask me. ;)

Update lengths are fine, I think.

Good work in North America - but after completing a New World Conquest, what exactly will be your aims?
Annexation of every nation that dared to set foot on Incan soil (i.e. 'The List')?

Exactly. I'll have to hurry up to do that though.

Another long-standing goal is colonizing everything that's west of the eastern tip of Brazil on the game map. Looking at where I am now (the Pacific islands as well as the coastline almost done, then just the American interior to fill in) this should be simple to accomplish. I just have to be a bit careful - as I'll most likely continue colonizing the Pacific after what I "need" for this goal is done, I have to make sure I don't forget about the inland provinces...

I like that each chapter encompasses a major event. Length doesn't matter to me. Just keep 'em coming. :D

Also, I gotta love that Papal State flip. One of the funniest things I've seen in this game.:rofl: Maybe you should put it in the Strange Screenshots thread?

That was one strange, strange event! :eek: Hmm, if I had the Divine Wind zoom out capabilities I might do that but I don't think I can capture exactly how ridiculous it looked when I can't show much of the surrounding lands in one shot...

I for one like long updates!

Also, WTF, Pope? How U annex random province?

You tell me! Divine intervention? ;) If so, it wasn't entirely successful!

Whatever length feels right. (The Pope has strange powers)
Love WC's

He does. :eek: I'm okay with reading about WC's but they're a bit of a pain to play IMO. Just mopping up without any real purpose other than finishing a WC doesn't really interest me. I did it once and that's enough for me unless I come up with some brilliant idea that would be worth doing a WC AAR about at some point.
 
I'm okay with reading about WC's but they're a bit of a pain to play IMO. Just mopping up without any real purpose other than finishing a WC doesn't really interest me. I did it once and that's enough for me unless I come up with some brilliant idea that would be worth doing a WC AAR about at some point.

This might sound strange coming from me but I agree WCs are a real pain in the ass with all the micromanagement and painfully boring stuff. I only manage to do them in AARs because it's an AAR and I want to see how far I can push an idea.
 
This might sound strange coming from me but I agree WCs are a real pain in the ass with all the micromanagement and painfully boring stuff. I only manage to do them in AARs because it's an AAR and I want to see how far I can push an idea.

Actually it doesn't sound strange at all. Your AARs revolve around these insane challenges, and typically it's totally impossible to tell a few decades or often even years before the end whether or not you can make it. The challenge and making an AAR about it brings the purpose for seeing it through, the uncertainty of success lessens the grind. I mean of course the micromanagement is still there, but the mindset is very much different from a simple non-restricted WC where some time in the 1500s or even earlier you go "okay success but I'll still have to go through the motions for 100-200 years in order to wrap it up". What you do is, in a way, more meaningful.
 
Wenrohronon converts and I pay off some unruly nobles with 8333 ducats. It's a bit much, but better than wasting a slider move and a stability point I suppose.

Good that loyal Incan nobles are celebrating the industrialisation of Cuzco, Tenochtitlan and Tumbes by instantly demanding they are given all profits!

Steady progress as ever, even with the Pope seemingly indulging in some cheating you continue to ever gain ground. As for the length of updates, they are fine at present to my mind.
 
That is why HOUSE RULES are so important!:blush:

Indeed! And RP, plus it's one reason why we need mods as well. ;) It's a testament to how well the openness works in this game that there are so many ways (beyond the obvious) that people can go to make it more interesting.

Good that loyal Incan nobles are celebrating the industrialisation of Cuzco, Tenochtitlan and Tumbes by instantly demanding they are given all profits!

Steady progress as ever, even with the Pope seemingly indulging in some cheating you continue to ever gain ground. As for the length of updates, they are fine at present to my mind.

It feels a bit silly that they ask for over 8000 ducats and my decision is to give them that! :D

It's funny how it's the Pope, of all the nations, that made that surprise appearance.
 
Chapter Seventy-two
1716-1718

I've been thinking about taking the School Establishment act for a while now, and finally decide to do so. I'm not building much anymore so I think the benefits outweigh the disadvantages by now.

75_01.jpg


In September a colonist is sent to Viti which I cleansed recently. It's the last island group on this side of the map.

Guanipa, one of the Colonial Spanish culture provinces, becomes Colombian instead in January 1717.

The truce with Spain ends in February and war is declared. The plan is to DoW Catalunya later, allowing me to fight them without getting into a useless no-CB war against the Spanish.

75_02.jpg


Geneve dishonors and Sweden stays out as well. However, not everything goes according to plan: apparently I've weakened Spain enough that Nice is the war leader. Had I known this I would have declared on them separately as I need to force them to peace anyway.

At least it should be easy enough to take their capital as it's close to my land. Troops start moving towards enemy territory while minor naval engagements are won.

Castilla la Vieja falls in March, as do Lengadoc and Namakwa (Nice's province that's next to my African holdings). Nice offers white peace - maybe they won't be much of an annoyance after all.

Mdewakantan cores in April while just under 600 people die of the plague in Ohi-yo. I send a spare colonist to Omaguaca in South America.

The main Spanish stack is engaged and it doesn't fare very well.

75_03.jpg


It's now mostly about assaulting provinces. Nice's capital Prouvenco is occupied soon, as is Leon. Nice loses its small European fleet.

Yamasee converts and we capture Nafarroa. Then in May Asturias and Forcauquier fall; with the latter we've taken all of Nice's Mediterranean holdings. The fleet moves to blockade their ports in western France.

Malouines (Falklands) cores in June and we successfully assault Labourd. Cantabria falls in July - with this there's only one Spanish province with a decent fort left, the rest are level 2 and should be easy to grab. We take Viscaya a month later

We get a pretty rare natural disaster as a great storm hits Tenochtitlan. Let's take a look at the options:

75_04.jpg


This is very, very tame compared to the volcanoes and the earthquakes and we actually end up with no immediate population loss. With over 400000 people in the province there would have been serious disaster potential there.

In September we get a weird event in Gavaudan, one of the provinces we took from Mallorca.

75_05.jpg


Culture flipping to a colonial culture? That seems a bit out of place in Europe, doesn't it? :D

We get rebels in a northern Canadian province. That might be a problem as even with an army with no artillery it takes more than a year to reach it from the adjacent province. I might have to station troops in each province in this region eventually. Now we just start the long march there.

Plague kills 16800 people in Mayapan. After all the pathetic disasters in recent years this is a breath of fresh air.

Trade tech level 46 is reached in October, while Kalinago (the Caribbean island we took from the English) cores. Burgos, Teruel and Castilla la Nueva fall into our hands.

Kenhta ke embraces Inti and Production tech level 46 is discovered in November. Tokelau, one of the Pacific island groups, grows into a city.

December brings bad news from the north again as Spain starts a siege in our territory.

75_06.jpg


I'll just ignore that as the war should be over before we can get there. Also visible is the pesky rebel army.

Rioja falls and Hitchiti converts. January 1718 brings Naval tech level 46 and Guarani starts producing maize.

Inti spreads to Oconee in February and Badajoz falls - just one province left in Iberia. However, the idea of DoWing Catalunya goes out the window due to a catastrophic turn of events. After just over 53 years on the throne, during which the Inca Empire more than doubled in size, Huayna Capac II finally succumbs.

75_07a.jpg

75_07b.jpg

75_07c.jpg


Holy ruler history Batman! I had to break it into three images as Photobucket couldn't handle the awesomeness.

With a seven year old Sayri Tupac, an extremely incompetent A/D/M 3/3/4 regency council takes control of the nation.

75_08.jpg


Manidou Minising converts in late March and days later the level 4 fort in Plasencia is taken down. All of Iberian Spain is under Inca control.

75_09.jpg


Most of the provinces that Spain has left are bad so that's not a factor when choosing what to take. Ordinarily I'd like to take the provinces with high level forts and get a good strategic position as far as fighting Portugal goes, but the regency council complicates things and I leave the expensive Burgos out, taking the cheaper Rioja and Labourd instead to maximize infamy gain.

75_10.jpg


I wait for the infamy reduction event to hit before making peace with Nice. Pee Dee converts and the Viti colonist succeeds in the meantime. Then in mid-May we're ready for peace.

75_11.jpg


I had to take one province or I'd run out of infamy before Sayri Tupac is old enough to rule. However, in retrospect, taking two at such a cost was probably overkill. Still, it's not like the effect is huge and at least I won't have to hurry in my next war now.

Spain is split in two and I now have a border with Portugal. Nice also lost a province in Europe...

75_12.jpg


...and my African holdings are slightly bigger too thanks to the Nice peace deal.

75_13.jpg


75_14.jpg
 
Wow, that is the longest ruler history I've ever seen. Although the "brief" and "short" wars with Iberians look odd in contrast to the "Long Incan-Hawaiian Imperialist War". At least your heir is almost half-way along to adolescence, but the regency council is going to hurt.
 
WOW 210 provinces he was busy.:eek:
Kind of a rough rep to follow though.:rolleyes:
Notice several enemy provinces still in north america.
Think I will reread the whole AAR.