Double Domination: Germany versus Japan

[knul]

That's true... But if you get the right NI's, you should be able to earn enough to keep up tech wise atleast... Also Free people and Innovation might be good idea as well

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not worrying about keeping up with tech. In my experience, any well-managed Western-tech nation can keep up with the tech race. I was just pointing out that production and tax in Bavaria/Germany will not be stellar. Trade will do the heavy lifting for Germany.

do u plan to colonize much with Bavaria/Germany?

In general, I do not tell my plans in advance, as it would spoil the AAR. Would you read the AAR if I told beforehand everything I plan to do?

[Tallfellow]

And you should get access to some good CoT's in Europe, so yeah trade will help you out alot

[Arakhor]

This is an interesting AAR. I'm agog with anticipation!

[knul]

And you should get access to some good CoT's in Europe, so yeah trade will help you out alot

Only Europe?

This is an interesting AAR. I'm agog with anticipation!

Welcome Arakhor to this AAR. Nice to see that you are so pumped up for the next episode!

[Nikolai]

Slowly, the Pan-Asian Co-prosperity sphere is coming into being. Slowly, Germany prepares to take it's rightful place in the sun. What is not to be pumped up about?

[Tallfellow]

Starting in Europe anyway It all depends on trade range

[knul]

Slowly, the Pan-Asian Co-prosperity sphere is coming into being. Slowly, Germany prepares to take it's rightful place in the sun. What is not to be pumped up about?

If you put it that way...

To give you all something else to look forward to, I'm heavily editing the German unification event and it's not to make it easier for me

Starting in Europe anyway It all depends on trade range

I still forget about trade ranges in my games. I really was wondering why as Bavaria I couldn't trade in Alexandria (did they already boycott me?), until I remembered it's outside my range. Aah, those times in EU2 where as Firenze I was trading in China in 1500...

[Valiant_Hogers]

I like the trade range, makes a reason for Asian ports except East India Company.

[knul]

Turn 7, first half: no army, no navy

Jim: Hello, dear viewers, to the seventh turn of the match between Germany and Japan.

Bob: Hi everyone.

Jim: Bob, I think that in this turn, our contestants will unite Japan.

Bob: The chance for that is indeed very high. I look forward to this momentous event.

Jim: As do I. Just imagine the festivities, the glorious speeches...But first, let's take a look at the map of Asia, anno 1520.



Jim: What?

Bob: Apparently, in the absence of the Japanese team, Japan has been unified.

Jim: What a disappointment. Here we are, looking forward to this exciting unification, turns out it already happened off-camera! Where's the drama in there?

Bob: There is further bad news.

Jim: What can be worse than this?

Bob: Dai Viet is no longer a vassal of Japan.

Jim: How did that happen?

Bob: No idea, the history records show nothing remarkable.

Jim: What else is wrong?

Bob: How did you know there's more bad news?

Jim: Call it a hunch. So what is it?

Bob: Japan has no army and no navy. See for yourself.



Jim: That's ridiculous! How can they lose both a navy and an army? The previous turn they lost their navy and now they also lose their army? What's next, they also lose all their territory?

Bob: Please, Jim, calm yourself. Japan can take this setback easily.

Jim: You're right. But still.

Bob: The regency of Kimisai II starts rebuilding the army and navy immediately...
Jim: There's a regency?

Bob: Koretada died in 1513 and his son Kimisai is now only nine years old.

Jim: Great, so no foreign adventures.

Bob: Actually, with the need for rebuilding the army and navy, this might be the best time for Japan to have a regency. Anyway, by the end of 1521 the army has been rebuild with 45 infantry regiments.

Jim: Nice.

Bob: In 1523, 10 transport ships have been constructed. Besides the military build-up, lots of temples are being build.

Jim: Good to hear that cultural matters are not neglected in these dark times.

Bob: In 1525, Kimisai II comes of age and ascends to the throne.



Jim: Good timing, as the Japanese army and navy are ready. As his first act as monarch, Kimisai declares war on Dai Viet, without a Casus Belli.

Bob: Meanwhile, the Japanese team uses it influence in the Shinto priesthood that they gained by building all those temples to convince the priests to be open to new ideas and Innovative thought. A great Natural Scientist (six out of six stars!) is discovered during this and is quickly employed by the government.

Jim: The war goes swimmingly. In 1526, Dai Viet is annexed, the first Japanese territory on the mainland! Tibet and the other allies of Dai Viet continue the war. But wait! A lack of art diminished the glory of Kimisai!

Bob: Yet in the same month, the élan of the Japanese army improves Kimisai's standing in the world.



Jim: Huh. A lot of fuss for nothing, then. Anyway, besides the widespread construction of even more temples, in 1528 a white peace is signed with Tiber, ending the second Japanese war of aggression.

Bob: Nicely done. Having a foothold on the continent will prove useful in the future, no doubt.

Jim: Finally, good news! The patronage of art has finally paid off!



Jim: With this development, only one step towards Innovativeness is required for Japan to be able to Westernise.

Bob: Very good. It might be possible for Japan to Westernise in the next turn!



Jim: We can only hope. See you after the break!

[Avindian]

Kind of an anti-climactic unification of Japan I wonder why the AI keeps disbanding your army? Didn't it do that for Bavaria too?

[Tallfellow]

If you put it that way...

I still forget about trade ranges in my games. I really was wondering why as Bavaria I couldn't trade in Alexandria (did they already boycott me?), until I remembered it's outside my range. Aah, those times in EU2 where as Firenze I was trading in China in 1500...

Oh i remember that as well.. The good old days

[knul]

Turn 7, second half: a bad time for France

Jim: Aaaand we're back. The year is 1530 and the German team enters the fray. Bob, how's the situation down there?

Bob: Well, some interesting developments. Great Britain has formed, the Golden Horde is all but vanished, with Poland taking most of the spoils.



Bob: For the rest, nothing much changed.

Jim: Oh? And those two provinces, then?

Bob: What do you mean?

Jim: There, in Poland. Bavaria has gained two provinces.

Bob: Hey, you're right. Sorry, I missed that.

Jim: It's okay, Bob. Seems that they are already core provinces, too.

Bob: The archives show that there was a war of conquest for Breslau. Apparently these two provinces are the result of a successful mission given by the Referee.

Jim: I guess it's a good thing for our contestants, however, we are now forced to look at a particularly ugly border. Anyway, in other news, Bavaria has become the Papal Controller for the first time!

Bob: Aww, isn't that nice.

Jim: Indeed it is, Bob. And it seems that the German team wants to make full use of it. In January 1530 the Pope excommunicate the Venetian Doge and Bavaria declares war on Venice.

Bob: With Austria as the only significant ally of Venice, this will be an easy war.

Jim: Indeed. Within a month Austria concedes defeat. In September, Bavarian ally Tirol makes a separate peace with Venice, forcing it to release Epirus as a sovereign nation.

Bob: Meanwhile, domestically, liberals are angry about the narrowminded policy of the king.

Jim: Looks like a plot of our contestants.

Bob: Who knows? Anyhow, the king decides to appoint a liberal minister, making the government more Innovative.

Jim: Very good. The war also goes well. In 1531 Venice signs a humiliating peace, releasing another Greek nation, Morea. Also, Venice has to relinquish their vassalage of Ferrara.

Bob: But what's in it for Bavaria?

Jim: It's not clear to me. Perhaps it's to put down Venice, as it has been a bit of a troublemaker? Perhaps for the prestige the war gave the Bavarian throne? Or was it just to show the Princes who's the Emperor? We will never know.

Bob: Hey, Jim, look at that.



Jim: That's interesting indeed, Bob, France invading Great Britain. Quite a feat to get pass the British navy. But what's even more interesting is that a new Centre of Trade has been opened in München!

Bob: Interesting move. This means that Bavaria can now dip into it domestic trade, where before it went to Lubeck and Venice.

Jim: Seems that it works. Before, Bavaria had no trade income, while now about 15-20% of its income comes from trade. Still, the enormous costs for opening a new Centre of Trade.

Bob: Trade is further encouraged as contestant merchants push for more Free Trade. To top it of, the top Bavarian diplomat is fired and replaced by a superb Master of the Mint, which is probably a good move as inflation has risen to an uncomfortable 16%.

Jim: Not only in economics is Leopold busy. He once again makes the country more Innovative by siding with a controversial Natural Scientist and builds 30 regiments of infantry, almost doubling the army's size. He does however disband the artillery he built in the last decade on the advice of our contestants.

Bob: Thinks are going well for our Polish king. The Pope has even degreed that an ancestor was a saint!



Jim: Oh! Oh! Bob, do you see that?



Bob: Amazing! Britain has actually defeated France! A good thing for our contestants, as any loss for France is a gain for Bavaria.

Jim: Another thing that helps Bavaria against the Big Blue Blob is that in 1538, government technology has progressed to level 17, so that a new National Idea can be adopted by the Bavarian government. A National Bank is instituted, no doubt as reaction to the high inflation.



Bob: Tech level 17?

Jim: Yes, Bob, it's a technology maturity scale, a modified version of the Kardashev scale.

Bob: I know that! What I meant was that I thought that at level 18 a new National Idea could be adopted.

Jim: Sorry, you're wrong there. However, coincidentally Bavaria has reached Land Tech level 18 that same year, which means a big jump forwards in tactics and gunpowder weaponry.

Bob: That will keep Bavaria relatively safe from French aggression.

Jim: I sure hope so. With that, we have to say goodbye to our viewers. Until next time!

[blsteen]

A modified version of the Kardashev scale...
Down in the cellar with .0002

[knul]

I like the trade range, makes a reason for Asian ports except East India Company.

I agree. Also, it makes Free Traders like Holland more powerful. See for example Mecklenburg!

Kind of an anti-climactic unification of Japan I wonder why the AI keeps disbanding your army? Didn't it do that for Bavaria too?

If only now Germany forms off-screen, all is perfect :P

I don't know why the army and navy disappeared, as there was no war. It worries me a bit that patching to 5.1 might have lead to some bug. However, Bavaria hasn't disbanded any of its land forces yet. The Bavarian army was "disbanded" by the French, remember?

I can tell you that in the next turn I have seen no problems with disbanded armies. I hope it's just a fluke.

Oh i remember that as well.. The good old days

*EDIT*

A modified version of the Kardashev scale...
Down in the cellar with .0002

Okay, okay, a heavily modified Karhashev scale, in which all values under 0.001 have been mapped on a 1-72 scale. And the values have been split into 5 different categories.

Okay, you got me. It doesn't make any sense. Happy now?

[Omen]

Huh, a peaceful run for the German team and a waiting game for the Japanese team (who now reflects their team name at least) until their nice little war. I expect things will get noisier next time though! Perhaps with more France kicking shenanigans, or a nice war against Ming for the Japanese.

[blsteen]

If only now Germany forms off-screen, all is perfect :P

HA! Jim would be really unhappy

I don't know why the army and navy disappeared, as there was no war. It worries me a bit that patching to 5.1 might have lead to some bug. However, Bavaria hasn't disbanded any of its land forces yet. The Bavarian army was "disbanded" by the French, remember?

Forcibly disbanded

I can tell you that in the next turn I have seen no problems with disbanded armies. I hope it's just a fluke.

Awesome, that sucks that you have to spend the cash to build up a military only to have it disbanded

*EDIT*
Okay, okay, a heavily modified Karhashev scale, in which all values under 0.001 have been mapped on a 1-72 scale. And the values have been split into 5 different categories.
Okay, you got me. It doesn't make any sense. Happy now?

Immensely satisfied. And really, time travelling battle competition would inevitably lead to reams of statistics generated by computers and read by them

[Arakhor]

Have you considered calling the Japanese turn X.0 and the German turn X.5? It would make the titles less unwieldy.

[Michaelangelo]

It's good to see that Japan formed, even if the AI did it. Bavaria must be getting close to forming Germany by now. Also, I'm almost as interested on what is going on with France as I am with Bavaria or Japan.

[BootOnFace]

I love this AAR, and I'm surprised Japan didn't get invaded by it's rivals after the army and navy were disbanded.

[knul]

Huh, a peaceful run for the German team and a waiting game for the Japanese team (who now reflects their team name at least) until their nice little war. I expect things will get noisier next time though! Perhaps with more France kicking shenanigans, or a nice war against Ming for the Japanese.

Woa there! Both France and Ming have much bigger armies and much more manpower than Bavaria resp. Japan. It wouldn't be wise to attack them at this point.

HA! Jim would be really unhappy

Indeed, that would be a shame

Forcibly disbanded

Involuntary downsizing.

Awesome, that sucks that you have to spend the cash to build up a military only to have it disbanded

All part of the challenge.

Immensely satisfied. And really, time travelling battle competition would inevitably lead to reams of statistics generated by computers and read by them

Have you considered calling the Japanese turn X.0 and the German turn X.5? It would make the titles less unwieldy.

Are the titles that unwieldy? While you're right that your suggestion makes the title more compact, it's not really suitable for the gameshow/sports commentary setting.

It's good to see that Japan formed, even if the AI did it. Bavaria must be getting close to forming Germany by now. Also, I'm almost as interested on what is going on with France as I am with Bavaria or Japan.

As the unification of Germany depends on inheriting Mecklenburg, Bavaria could be either close to unification or it takes a hundred years.

France is indeed doing interesting things in this AAR. I'm quite grateful that France gives some diversion from the quiet Bavarian/Japanese business.

I love this AAR, and I'm surprised Japan didn't get invaded by it's rivals after the army and navy were disbanded.

Me too. Perhaps the AI also takes manpower and economy into account when deciding to DoW?