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!