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MrVonDeathray

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Queen of the Adriatic - Venice AAR
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On June 9th, 1815, The Congress of Vienna ended, the treaties signed and the Venetian and Lombardi territories were given back the the Austrian empire, and was considered the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia under control of the Austria.

In the 1832 the kingdom faced a series of pro–Venetian independence movements led by Daniele Manin, A very young statesmen who was nephew to the last doge of Venice Ludovico Manin. these movements were largely unsuccessful until one fateful day in 1835 where Daniele was gunned down by Austrian troops on the streets of Venice. The backlash was terrible within the month anti–Austrian partisans began openly firing upon Austrian troops and not very long after the entire Venetian area was in chaos.

Archduke Rainer Joseph of Austria openly denounced the actions of the Austrian troops that opened fire on Daniele and even had a few of them put on trial however the action was too late and a full fledged rebellion was in place. in 1836 the new king of Austria Ferdinand I, decided that the Venetian rebellion was not worth suppressing any longer and granted Venice its independence becoming the Kingdom of Venice.

Chapter 1: Venetian Expansionism

Chapter 2: The Sicilian War

Chapter 3: Road To War

Chapter 4: War of the Mediterranean

Chapter 5: Drowning in the Mediterranean

Chapter 6: Boots Across Italy

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Hello all welcome to my Venetian AAR, which i am writing because i was bored and i wanted to make an AAR for Alexspeeds contest!

I chose Venice because i had a great game with them earlier in 1.1 and want to try again in 1.2, Keep in mind I'm not very good and this is my first AAR so feel free to post suggestions

My goal for my game is to become a Mediterranean super power, not necessarily to form Italy (Although I may if i'm actually able to get into a stable GP slot)

Updates will be coming fast as i need to have the first 5 chapters done by next week, or at least i would like to have them done by this time :D so i hope you like my Venetian AAR!
 
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Yay! I love Venice!

You should use the Venetian fascist flag rather than their monarchist one, it looks more, Venice-like...
 
Venice! Now this oughta be something. My two cents are that the Republican Venice flag looks most Venice-y, by the by! If we're talking about the Venetian-ness of the flag... ;)
By Mediterranean power, I'm going to assume a steady chain of islands, some nice North African territory, and perhaps some adventuring to terra incognita? Anyway, have fun! Will enjoy reading it!
 
Thank you for taking part in the contest and good luck!
I linked your thread in the contest list and will follow your AAR :)

Cant wait to read your first chapter :)
For suggestions, well if you like it you can implement a chapter list for easier navigation.
Besides that, have fun and do your best, thats all i can suggest =)
 
Chapter One: Venetian Expansionism

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The Queen of the Adriatic, Venice

January 1st 1836 The Venetian council room was a blur, 25 men surrounding a table with a map of Europe on it. everyone hurriedly discussing the future of the great Venice, Queen of the Adriatic and its future holdings. Within the month the king of Venice is expected to turn over most of the control of Venice to the council and himself remain a figure head.

The first order of business of the council was to put orders to create a Venetian Army and transport ships to allow Venice to expand its holdings outside of Europe another order was put out to encourage soldier growth in the Venetian state. Military concerns were not the only things addressed by the council a liquor factory was also put into production to stimulate industrialism and wealth. and the last bit of news from January was that an alliance was struck with Modena to consolidate power in the Italian peninsula

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January 7th 1837: The new First Venetian Army garrisoned in Venice

By January 7th the first Venetian army was finished training and was garrisoned in Venice along with the first of the Transports for the Venetian navy. The Venetian council also decided that a frigate was to be put into production to better fight at sea, although there was some doubt that the Venetian people could afford to have a navy at this point in time. The Venetian council also began drafts to a number of potential invasions of Mediterranean islands, Crete, the Greek isles, some of the Egyptian lands such as the Dumyat region were all considered nothing immediate was decided until the rest of the invasion fleet was assembled.

Late January news that Sardinia‐Piedmont had declared war on Switzerland hit Venice and the council had a emergency meeting in the council building, It seemed that the French, distracted by its own empirical ambitions had lost Sardinia‐Piedmont from its sphere of influence and left them to their own fate. The Venetian council decided that even though the Sardinia‐Piedmont army outnumbered their own that this was the perfect if not the only time to attempt to annex the state of Sardinia into Venetian lands, and on February 2nd the Declaration of war was sent out.

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Almost immediately the Venetian army was loaded on the invasion fleet and the drafts for the Sardinian invasion were drawn up however it was learned that the Venetian Navy must have been infiltrated by Sardinia‐Piedmont spies as Modena reported the Sardinia‐Piedmont navy leaving port to attack the Venetian Navy en route and the invasion was postponed.

One half of the Venetian council put forward the notion that we should only continue the invasion after the frigate finishes production, however the other half argued that it may be too late by then and that they doubted we could even afford to keep the frigate but it was reluctantly decided that the Venetian military would wait.

However two months later a report came into the council that the French was about to finish their own war and that after that it was very likely that they would intervene on the side of Sardinia‐Piedmont almost certainly guaranteeing a defeat for the Venetian people and it was decided that the invasion fleet would be sent out and sail around Sicily to hopefully throw off the Sardinia‐Piedmont navy. and a plan to invade Piedmont through Modena was also made to end the war as quickly as possible the Venetian Council ordered a draft to get more troops for this invasion as the standing army was not enough to do both.

April 24th: the invasion fleet was sailing around the isle of Sicily en route to Sardinia, the opposing navy was said to in the area however the ship captains had their orders, avoid battles with the Sardinia‐Piedmont navy, and get the Venetian army to that isle at any cost, during midday, the Sardinia‐Piedmont navy was spotted blocking the route in the Gulf of Gabes.

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Battle of the Gulf of Gabes

As it would turn out the Sardinia‐Piedmont navy was also only comprised of three transport ships, however they were led by an Admiral, and more experienced then the Venetian captains, the Venetian ships only goal was to bypass the Blockade which after taking a few hits the invasion fleet was able to bypass the blockade and begin the invasion of Sardinia, at the same time the newly drafted 2nd army group had begun the land invasion of Piedmont.

by the end of the year the Sardinia‐Piedmont army was crushed by the Swiss and the occupation of Sardinia was just finishing, the Venetians offered their peace for Sardinia and it was accepted bringing an end to the Venetian war for Sardinia.

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Venetian occupied regions just before the end of the war

The victory and addition of new lands for Venice raised patriotic fervor in the people, A wave of new recruits poured into the conscription offices all over Venice over the next three years, the Venetian Army almost doubled in size and the first frigate was finally built it wasn't long till the Venetian Council started planing their next prospects.

January 1840 The venetian council was locked in debate between the two main prospects, the Greek Peloponnese and Sicily. The Greeks were a much weaker target and thus would be the easiest of the conquests, However they were on a friendly stance with the Great Russian Empire and intervention on the Greeks side would be devastating for the Venetian people. and on the other hand Two Sicilies had no one that would come to their aid, however they possessed an actual navy and a Army that was over twice the size of the Venetian Army. A minority in the council argued that either could potentially ruin Venice's dreams of a new empire and put forward a plan to invade the weaker technologically people of the Mediterranean, Egypt, The Suez province and Crete would consolidate Venetian power in the Eastern Mediterranean while not putting Venice in any danger.

Upon getting the interest of the king with this endeavor, the Royal invasion fleet was sent out to the Egyptian coast holding the declaration of war along with the 1st army of Venice! on February 17th war was declared on Egypt

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The War of Crete and Suez, Venetian troops off the coast of Egypt

The 1st army was deployed onto the Suez province to cut the Egyptian lands in half, hopefully preventing the Egyptian army from regrouping. the First army engaged the Egyptian army in Suez out numbered 2:1 this was the First Venetian Army's first actual combat. the Royal Venetian Navy (one Frigate) stayed off the coast of Egypt while the invasion fleet went and picked up the 2nd Army

On June 1st the retreating Egyptian army was intercepted by the 2nd Army just recently deployed into Dumyat

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The Second Venetian Army engages the Egyptian army in Dumyat

The war would last one year, the 2nd Army chased down the retreating Egyptian army and put them to the sword and after the occupation of Cairo the Egyptians surrendered on October 13th 1841

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The new Venetian Provinces

The Venetian Council was ecstatic, Within a few short years the venetian holdings have tripled, and upon reviewing the current world situation, it was revealed that the Russians were at war with the Ottoman Empire and France, and would probably not intervene against Venice in a war with the Greeks and even before the 1st army got to return to Venice war was declared on the Greeks for the Peloponnese region, former Venetian holdings.

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Venetian declaration of war against Greece

The war was the shortest to date almost immediately after the First Army was deployed to Corinth the Greek army attacked and was almost instantly devastated, the second army was deployed to Athens to speed Greek surrender. and only 6 months later on June 8th 1842 the Greeks surrendered

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the Greek surrender, June 8th

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The Venetian Empire, January 1st 1845
 
Whew! now that i got that done,

Thanks everyone for reading! Ill probably post chapter two some time tomorrow, It might not be very interesting as i need to wait till my infamy drops before i can start taking things over again :p

I agree about the Flag as well ill change it, the only reason i used the eagle is because that is my government in game, ill change the one on my first post though as i agree the lion with the book is much more iconic,

And yup right on the spot Communtarian! my goal is to get the Mediterranean isles, as well as some of north africa, too bad france beat me to the punch with Tunis, Guess ill just have to steal Tripoli from the Ottomans!

Also I plan on doing future wars in more detail, the wars i had in this chapter usually consisted of a single battle and then just me occupying a their territory, hell i didnt even see the battle with the Greeks, one minute their army was there and the next is disappeared, and i never even saw a brigade from Sardinia Piedmont, only their "vast fleet"
 
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Chapter 2 1848‐1852: The Sicilian War
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World Power Status 1848

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Venetian Financial Status 1848

1842 to 1848 were years of Naval growth for Venice. While the great powers of the world tore each other apart, Venice consolidated its power by building the first albeit small Royal Navy of Venice

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New Royal Navy of Venice sailing out of Sardinia

However these years of peace were about to be brought to an end, The Venetian Council had waited until they could take another territory without gaining the attention of the Greater Powers of Europe. After years of deliberation it was decided that the Isle of Sicily was to be taken.

Sicily was more then another island to take, it was a symbol to Venice, not only would the war prove who was the dominant power in Italy, it would thrust Venice in the worlds light.

Studying the diplomatic situation, it was learned that the Swedish are friends of the Two Sicilies, most likely to hold more power in Europe. considering the Swede's were at war with the UK and French with Germany it was considered unlikely that they would intervene.

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Crude Invasion plans

The plan was to send the Royal Navy to blockade reinforcements to Sicily from the Peninsula, The Two Sicilies could and would mobilize an army twice the size of the Venetian Army and considering the Two Sicilies standing army was already slightly larger then the Venetians, The Venetians superior navy was going to be the greatest asset in the war.

By blockading the isle the Venetian Armies would occupy all of Sicily, and set up a defensive position in the Messinian mountains, at which point the Royal Navy would sail to port in Messina allowing the Two Sicilian army to cross luring them into a death trap,

Following the defeat of the Sicilian army and reserves, a second invasion would be launched this time aiming at Naples and most of the other side of the Strait of Messina.

On January 4th 1950 war was declared on the Two Sicilies.

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The first stages of the Invasion went off without a hitch, Sicilian reserves mobilized in Sicily were caught unorganized in Messina and promptly defeated and captured by first and second army. the Royal Navy held the blockade and was offered no resistance from the Two Sicilies.

Being that the Sicilian Fleet still had yet to be seen, the invasion fleet began to hold the blockade while the Royal Navy blockaded the Capital of Naples to put more pressure on the defenders. The First and Third Army began occupying Messina and the Sicilian army was spotted across the strait. The army was much larger then the Venetian army, however the Venetian Generals were confident of victory.

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The Two Sicilian Army is spotted

however the war was not going to be as easy as the Venetians would have hoped. In the month of November 1850 the Swedish, fresh out of a defeat at the hands of the UK, possibly looking to regain some lost prestige intervened in the war on the side of Two Sicilies.

A new plan was put into action were the Royal Navy would hold at the Strait of Gibraltar to prevent interference from the Swedes in the war. however as soon as the Royal navy left the area, the Two Sicilies Navy became active attempting to break the blockade and the Royal navy was called back to the bay of Naples for the first naval combat of the war.

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Royal Navy engages the Sicilian Navy in the Bay of Naples

Things would get worse for the Venetians as a Swedish transport ship would land a small army in the Venetian Province, Venice was quickly mobilized to meet the threat at home.

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The Swedish Occupation of Udine

While the Royal Navy would win the Battle in the Bay of Naples the Sicilian Campaign was about to be brought to a climax as reinforcements trickled back to the Venetian Armies to cover their own loses in the mountains. the blockade was to be lifted to allow the Two Sicilian Army to meet the Venetian army in Messina.

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The battle of Messina

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The battle of Messina shortly before the Two Sicilian army's total defeat

With the seeming defeat of the Sicilian Army at Messina, the Sicilian Campaign ended and the Naples Campaign would begin with the reinforcements of the Sardinia Garrison to the weakened Venetian Armies.

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The Naples Campaign

However soon after The Venetian Armies crossed the Strait a large Two Sicilian Army would march out of seemingly no where, striking fast against the split up Venetian armies.

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The Venetian defeat at Catanzaro

Venetian Generals quickly called for reinforcements from the Greece, the small 6000 man Greek Garrison into the fold and the naval invasion of Naples was put on indefinite hold while a capable defense was being organized in Reggio Di Calabria.

While the Greek garrison force along with the Naples Invasion army was able to win a minor victory in Catanzaro later, the enemy army was simply to large to stop and with the Venetian Armies vastly understrength a retreat to occupied Sicily was called and the Naples Campaign announced a complete failure.

Not all news was bad though, the Venetian reserves were organized and the Swedish army defeated in Udine.

Following the victory over the Swedish Army in Venice and the defeat in Naples, The allies of Sweden and Two Sicilies perhaps deciding the the conflict was too devastating, called for peace offering Sicily to the Venetian Empire.

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November 6th 1851: The Sicilian War ends

Cheers were heard all across Venice, taking Sicily had proven that the Venetian people were the dominant power in Italy.

soon after the Venetian Council received dozens of reports from factories in Sicily, without knowing it They had annexed a very industrialized island!

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Money began to flow into the pockets of the Capitalists of Venice and more factories were being built propelling Venice to be one of the most industrialized nations in the World!
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And not very shortly after,

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The Empire of Venice, 1853
 
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Congrats to your victory over the Sicilians and even more to your advancement to GP. Are you going to remove the Ionian Isles from UK SoI and then annex them? Are you going for more land in Egypt, eg Palestine?
 
Thank you for your Updates and your first 2 chapters!

Well done i can only say, whats your infamy rating now?
 
Talk about a lightning war - if I tried to play that way, I'd be eating humble pie in a heartbeat. Three cheers for Venice though, and very enjoyable to read. I'm interested in seeing where you go from here - you've got a few really unique avenues of expansion, that's for sure.
 
I'm not sure if the Ionian Isles would be worth it, i was actually thinking about picking a fight with the Ottomans for their slice of Africa, although that could be gettting ahead of myself considering their allied with france and the United Kingdom.

My infamy was at around 24.9 at the start of the war lol looking at it right now though its 22.18 looks like i get to hold off again on invading again!

I got really lucky in my war with Sicily, i'm just glad the Swede's didnt land anymore brigades!
 
Nice conquests - soon you can form Italy, lead by Venice!
 
You still need 3 chapters for the contest, i hope you will be able to get them in time till the 15th November.

Also i want to know how you will go on with your quest, so i hope to see updates soon :)
 
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Your last Update was on the 28-10-2010, so a update is overdue.

Please Update till the 8th November 2010 or you will get -20 points substracted from your total score.

You also still need 3 chapters for the contest.

I hope you will be able to update in time :)