Sing a Septinsular Song (Ionian Islands)

[anomanderus]

Two questions- Sweden had Denmark in their sphere, so did they form Scandinavia?

And are you considering conquering Greece to get yourself some more states to add to the USI with Greeks in them. Lots of Greeks actually. Conquer Greece and you'll probably have the manpower to take out the Ottomans. Maybe.

[MasterOfGrey]

This is really quite good, the poetic structure is certainly entertaining, quite novel.

Shame you lost 8th spot though, think a little conquest of Greece is now in order?

[Quacky]

I think you're hitting the same problem I have. I was somewhat inspired to do a similar thing and am making an Icelandic empire but I don't think I can ever get the industry up to get into great power. I would suggest hunting around the world for tasty places to invade, in the 1890's I noticed Atjeh and Brunei both had around 7-10% clergy in every province so I invaded and turned them into states each with literacy around 80% from the start so it didn't kill my research potential.

[Selzro]

Two questions- Sweden had Denmark in their sphere, so did they form Scandinavia?

No, they didn't. I think it's because Austria has some of the cores they need, and Sweden is not powerful enough to take on Austria. It's strange, I remember in early versions of the game Scandinavia would form more often than not, while now in each and every game either Prussia or Austria get Jutland and Greenland/Iceland early in the game, leaving no hopes for a Scandinavia to form.

And are you considering conquering Greece to get yourself some more states to add to the USI with Greeks in them. Lots of Greeks actually. Conquer Greece and you'll probably have the manpower to take out the Ottomans. Maybe.

Shame you lost 8th spot though, think a little conquest of Greece is now in order?

Hm, Greece... There are two problems with that. First, I have excellent relations with it, because I placed it in my sphere during my brief stint as GP, so I won't be getting any cassus belli; and second, Greece's population is not that large - just 140k POPs, last time I checked. Africa has lots of people, and I should be able to colonize two or three regions in total, but I don't intend to make them states.

I think you're hitting the same problem I have. I was somewhat inspired to do a similar thing and am making an Icelandic empire but I don't think I can ever get the industry up to get into great power. I would suggest hunting around the world for tasty places to invade, in the 1890's I noticed Atjeh and Brunei both had around 7-10% clergy in every province so I invaded and turned them into states each with literacy around 80% from the start so it didn't kill my research potential.

That's an enticing idea, although it does go against an unspoken house rule I have in my head: with the exception of Ionian Africa (which I needed to become a GP), I only conquer islands. That way, I can rely on my navy, rather than my pathetic army, to defend them.

This is really quite good, the poetic structure is certainly entertaining, quite novel.

Thanks! I felt like doing something different.

[Selzro]

Canto The Seventh


For over two years there was peace after that,
But the Sultan then asked for his island back.
The Ionian president staunchly refused
And none could the crisis then hope to defuse.




The Turks made for Corfu, as per standard tactic,
But Ionian leaders were wise to their antics;
The hero Kallergis and his sidekick Stanotas,
Determined, as the first said, to ‘kick some more Porte arse’.




Within a few days, in Taranto’s Gulf,
Both fleets met in battle, the war to resolve.
The Turks were defeated, and half their proud ships
Were sunk to a glorious feast of the shrimps.




Both sides commissioned new ships after that,
The Ottomans clippers and many frigates,
While Cypriot shipyards promptly churned out
Steamers to blockade all Ottoman towns.




Many were then the sea battles fought
With all Turkish counterattacks coming to naught.
Vainly they tried to break through the blockade
That spanned from Albania to distant Kuwait.




But far from all that, where few men dare to go,
Ionian settlers reached the Belgian Congo.
Kigali was populous, rich; and its coffee
Hit the world market like a quick shot of morphine.








It was finally June of 1892
When the last great blockade run was launched with ado.
The Ottoman ships launched attacks from all ports
With cannons and rammings and tricks of all sorts.




But the Ionians held fast and the Sultan gave up
And conceded more islands, so clearly fed up,
After 35 battles, losing 39 ships,
War exhaustion increasing; it was time to desist.




The Ionian ships, as was then the custom,
In one great fleet gathered with patriotic gusto,
Along with the army for one big parade,
In Lesbos, that instance, and great cheer was made.

[Megaherz]

Well the sultan brought it on himself this time didnt he?

Thats what he gets for underestimating >: D

[Morrell8]

Selzro, I've been watching your AARs, and I have enjoyed each of them, this one is no different.

[King50000]

The AI never learns does it

[Neoteros]

You're a f*****g genius, man... Not only you are managing to get an insignificant country to Great Power status, but you're doing it with humour and poetical mastery. Hats off, people.

[Quacky]

Next war you go for free people or maybe Libya?

They don't have any more islands if I remember and you certainly don't want a land border.

[Selzro]

Thanks, all!

The AI appears to be stubborn, but having played some more it seems to be adapting, somewhat. You'll see in the next chapter. I've thought about taking Libya, or rather liberating Tripoli, but I think a free Albania as a buffer state would be better for my safety. The problem is that I can't properly campaign on the mainland to occupy the necessary provinces for that to happen, but we'll see what opportunities arise in the future.

[cyrylc]

You are a genius, Selzro.

[prodigiousbstrd]

Your the greatest genius ever! I just had to add on to that.

[Mr. Santiago]

Instead of creating a buffer Albania, can't you somehow improve Greece? I know the AI bailed out when the Ottomans declared war on you.
Also, can't you gain enough warscore from the blocades alone for them to hand over more land?

[Selzro]

Flattery will get you everywhere, cyrylc and progidiousbstrd!

I've also considered improving Greece, Mr. Santiago, but blockades give less warscore than you'd think (probably because so many Ottoman provinces are inland). For instance, the Ottoman Aegean Islands required 38 warscore (IIRC), which was halved when I occupied them. Without occupying Thessaly, there's little chance of getting enough warscore for it through blockades alone (though in the last war I got a whooping +3.5 warscore out of naval battles - 35 of them!). I do have a plan for getting powerful enough to challenge the Ottomans on land, but it will likely take a couple of decades to bear fruit.

[Selzro]

Canto The Eighth


A more civil age seemed at first to be dawning,
And Ionian reps could at times be seen yawning
At the great Swiss convention to regulate war.
But if powers need rules, weaker ones need them more.




Yet the nation did grieve in the May of next year,
At the untimely loss of their admiral, dear;
‘Aristidis Kallergis – we have ill news – is dead.’
Wrote the papers, ‘In other news, Haiti is red!’






But adventures in Africa vied for attention;
Big game hunting in Ujiji, Zanzibar’s wild diversions,
People eaten by cannibals, or so it was assumed,
And most wondrous of all, the young pharaoh exhumed.








Until trouble began, on the Portuguese border;
An Ionian ventured, while following orders,
A little too far and got nabbed in Macao.
Only one thing to do: ‘It was always ours!’ vow.






Macao was rioting at around that time,
But Zanzibar’s brigade soon put things in line –
In line to be shot; while off Portugal’s coast
The two fleets competed who could outgun the most.




It was then that the Sultan, with timing most cunning,
Launched his third great invasion, and the one most alarming,
Since the Ionian ships, with a few weak exceptions,
Fought the far Portuguese, and could give no protection.




In Corfu they landed, 26,000 men,
Said Bey’s dread army, on conquest intent.
But Corfu then hosted the Ionian home army –
Three brigades, but led by a man not too barmy,

Strategos Venizelos, his first name Leonidas,
Like his name-sake of yore, he stood fast under fire,
And commanded his men in an epic defence –
If he failed, all was lost; so the battle commenced.




In October the fleet, being recalled in haste,
Reached the Ionian Sea, as it seemed not too late,
To battle the Ottomans for naval control –
Their new commerce raiders the lanes did patrol.




The fleet was victorious and then, in November,
The Ottoman army, surrounded, surrendered
Its arms and its flags to the bold Venizelos –
The defending Ionians, then, let out great bellows.




Not as lucky was Chios, which was left undefended,
And the Turks’ second army sailed across uncontested,
Before the Ionian fleet could react.
But it did sink some Ottoman ships in the act.






The war escalated on land and on sea;
Venizelos campaigned to set Epiros free,
But he had to retreat when the Turks brought reserves,
After his expedition got on their nerves.




On sea, two new ships the Ionians christened,
The ironclad ‘Diakos’, so new that it glistened,
And the new monitor ‘Filiki Eteria’ –
They joined the good fight, mostly in the Aegean.

But the Ottomans too had a new card to play,
When with monitors they came back into the fray.
There were many fights fought ‘till 1899,
When a white peace was signed, and all was then fine.




But a war yet remained, and with Swedish support
The Portuguese hoped the Ionians to thwart.
Yet they didn’t have boots on the ground to oppose
In Lindi and Somalia their colonial foes.

So when peace was decided with the Ottoman Porte,
They couldn’t do much for their African ports.
The Ionian navy went on the attack,
While Swedish troops failed to get Somalia back.




In July the Swedish king sued for a peace.
Macao was Ionian and the triumphant fleet
Gathered in Zante for the last great parade
Of the century – the parliament victory claimed.

[Neoteros]

well done... Macao's yours!

[Selzro]

well done... Macao's yours!

I couldn't resist the tea, and Macao is as good as an island with all the chance of China fighting me over it... Also, Portugal has been having a very rough game. Spain has been systematically taking away everything from it - Macao was the only state left to claim with that casus belli! I figured, better Ionian than Spanish (though I'd have prefered a colonial casus belli, so I could take Portuguese Lindi, which is standing between Ionian Lindi and the sea).

It should be noted that I came very close to defeat in Corfu. It was careless of me to leave on an expedition without enough ships to patrol the Aegean and Ionian Seas, and a defeat there would have meant the end of my main army and no chance of kicking the Ottomans out until I would have to agree to their terms and give up the Aegean Islands... Also, commerce raiders and then monitors was a good surprise coming from the Ottoman AI. They really made a clever effort this time.

[loki100]

great update, it must have been scary when that Ottoman stack landed

[MasterOfGrey]

My god! That's one of those scary wars that you remember forever. Must have been tense, great job though, the Ottoman's look like they might cause you some more hassle between now and 1936 though.