Chapter Twenty-one
1482-1488
1482-1488
So, on February 1st, Portugal DoWs Tikal, and Tlacopan and Tenochtitlan are stupid enough to defend the OPM.
The early spring is successful enough for Tenochtitlan and Tlacopan as they throw Portugal out of Tikal. However, that's accomplished by 23000 men against just two Portuguese regiments.
We get a slider move in November. Innovative it is.
In February 1483 there's an interesting development in Mesoamerica.
This means that Portugal has navigated around to the Pacific!
Let's see if they know where we are...
Switzerland, Mallorca and England join the war.
April is promising:
However, it seems that their route to Central America goes to the northwest from here, not along the coast. And I guess they can't see Huilliche. This could turn out to be a phony war unless they explore more. Also, all I see passing are warships, not a single transport.
The predictable problem with Portugal in Mesoamerica becomes apparent during the year. For example in November, the various tribes have occupied all of Portugal's then three provinces, but can't do anything. Meanwhile, for Portugal it's sufficient to win one siege and they can instantly take the province.
In December, a nasty event gives us -100 relations with Tenochtitlan.
Well, at least they'll have financing for their war effort with all the bribes we throw their way.
December and January 1484 also show the tech group difference in troops. A battle of 42000 Tenochtitlan warriors (led by a superb general to boot) against 14000 Portuguese has a pretty ugly end result.
Well, they did survive...
By May, Acolhua has accomplished what they set out to do in the north.
The former TPM grabbed four Tlacopan provinces and one Uxmal province (the easternmost one) here and should be safe now with these holdings. They're still at war with Uxmal but there shouldn't be any fighting.
This leads to both Uxmal and Tlacopan actually having continuous lands. With only TPM Tlaxcala in two separate parts, we have the most logical Mesoamerica in over a century.
Portugal gets a regent for a few years in July. Good, this should buy us some time.
Also in July, we suffer another -100 relations with Tenochtitlan.
We accept white peace offers from England in October and Mallorca in March 1485. This war doesn't seem to be of any use, but I'll stay at war with Portugal as long as they're fighting Tenochtitlan, or until we auto-WP.
I get bored and claim Tlaxcala's throne in March for old times' sake as I see a good opportunity. That eventually fails some years later.
The next month, we accept WP with Switzerland.
In the autumn, I find out that I have hope if I can get the inheritance: a Tenochtitlan army catches a nearly as large Portuguese force without a leader and does a really good job.
Sadly, the AI is dumb enough to chase even though there are more Portuguese in Copan. A Tikal force ends up saving the Tenochtitlan regiments from destruction as they're able to flee with zero men.
Still, this tells me that the Portuguese can be beaten in battle by native Americans when the circumstances are right.
In January 1486 Tlaxcala and Mixtecalt attack Tlacopan, which is still struggling against Portugal. Don't you just love how suicidal these Central Americans are, fighting each other while the intruder kicks them around? I just wish we were the intruder.
We end up back in peace in February:
Oh well.
Late in the year we hear that England has gone bankrupt. Well done by the power. Over the next couple of years, this turns out to be a good old-fashioned bankruptcy cycle.
We get another 400 ducats from a Gold Rush event in March 1487. These are common enough with the amount of mines we have. If there's something going my way here, it's that I'm sure going to have plenty of cash when something happens that I can use it on. I have nearly 5000 ducats just sitting around now.
The next month, the Portuguese get a king again. Sad, the regency didn't have time to slow them down at all. They celebrate by annexing Tikal and grabbing a Tlacopan province (they had taken one earlier) within a month.
Around 1700 people die in a volcanic eruption in Chiquito in July. It could have been worse, it's a populous province.
Government Tech 10 is reached in November. This allows me to formalize scales, weights and measures.
That's simply a great decision, no cons to it. The immediate difference is small but noticeable.
Also, a new idea is available. I choose to take Military Drill for the inevitable European encounter, even though the recruitment time penalty will be annoying if I inherit. There are other solid options but I want the big morale boost and other goodies.
Land Tech is next. I really want to have the next unit type ASAP in case the Portuguese are able to land in South America at some point.
While I wasn't originally happy with the Tlaxcala DoW on Tlacopan, it proves to be beneficial: by July 1488 they've effectively blocked entry to the western part of Mesoamerica.
Unable to reach Tenochtitlan, Portugal white peaces them and also gets 17 ducats from Tlacopan for peace without taking any new provinces. The only conflict in a more-pretty-than-usually Central America right now is the Tlaxcala-Tlacopan war.
Tenochtitlan dodged the Portuguese bullet and it looks like I have a chance to inherit again. But we're going to find out soon enough that that's not true: our junior just won't stay at peace.
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