"Mir san mir" - Bavaria (patch 1.4, VRRP mod 1.14 final)

[PrawnStar]

Interesting - Bavaria is one of the few countries I've played more than once as there ae so many fun options.

Does the mod change something about the Crown from the Gutter - no cores on all Germany and ability to annex every German culturecountry (including Lux!) once you SOI them? It should let you take out Prussia without any infamy - which you can spend on Austria - right up to the point you sphere them as well...

[seattle]

Does the mod change something about the Crown from the Gutter

Good question! Maybe the creator "Konrad Richtmark" can tell you more about it. IIRC he has subscribed this AAR.

[KonradRichtmark]

No, I haven't touched the Crown from the Gutter in any way. The only possibility for it being different from the vanilla event is if it was changed in some later vanilla version (since VRRP is based on 1.1 files wherever it replaces anything from vanilla, therefore missing a few of the vanilla version changes).

[PrawnStar]

Thanks Konrad Richtmark

seattle Interesting you didn't feel there was much to gain from 'the Crown from the Gutter' - presumably you'd rather stay Bavaria than form Germany? (with all those cores and the sphereling annexations on all German culture countries).

[seattle]

Chapter XI: "Frog Tartare (1910-16)"

As my infamy (limit: 30, decrease in peace -0.15 for everyone and a more action-loaded game without going overboard) decreased, I had to decide on the next conquest.
The options are basically Prussia, Austria and France. I decided to take on France for three reasons: 1. I can use the terrain to my advantage, 2. only they are ahead of me in the GP rankings and I can only overtake them with a great victory 3. I plain to like them.

This is what we want:


Three bordering regions which will be just fine with the infamy-limit.
Preparation: Get Spain out of France's SoI and into mine. Spain fields a 100+ army and will be perfect to envelope France.
Strategy: Defend the mountain fortresses until the French bleed out, then blitz the country to break their will and make them sign the harsh contract.

The balance of powers:


...and France hasn't even mobilized yet (a function I haven't used at all as Bavaria). Once mobilized their army reached 400 brigades! We got tanks and the latest army techs, good leaders and favourable terrain.

The first months:


France lost hundreds of thousands of brave, but badly trained and poorly lead soldiers.
The war of the minor allies turned out to be fun. My side did great: Modena occupied Italian States, Colombia pushed back Brazil and Spain quickly defeated Portugal and then kept France just busy enough for me to finish the job. Only Egypt was overrun.

The war took just one year and the diplomatic preparation of getting Spain to switch sides was probably the deciding factor.

The peace deal utterly shattered France, the former number three in the world:

[brycef]

I can see you either taking on Prussia next...the borders need redrawing. :-)

[History_Buff]

I can see you either taking on Prussia next...the borders need redrawing. :-)

and Germany needs forming if I do say so myself. To bad that you are getting so close to the end date. I doubt you intend to extend the timeline.

[seattle]

Thanks Konrad Richtmark

seattle Interesting you didn't feel there was much to gain from 'the Crown from the Gutter' - presumably you'd rather stay Bavaria than form Germany? (with all those cores and the sphereling annexations on all German culture countries).

I kinda want to form Germany, just for the storyline twist. As long as I don't have German minors in my SoI, I don't gain any territory from it (I tried and then reloaded). All I get is an infamy hit, plenty of political reforms that turn my population Socialist because the social reforms haven't changed yet -> can't change'em because the Upper House is still Conservative -> revolts -> next election I become either Liberal or Communist.
You see, there is really no upside for me yet. I could try to get the German minors on my side, then it might be worth it.

There's plenty more to come. Some major wars will break out with an insatiable mega power and perfectly timed backstabbing action! Stay tuned!

[seattle]

Chapter XII: "Pandemonium (1916-22)"

Notice the "Worker's Commonwealth", never seen a communist British Empire before...
In 1917 three major wars broke out with long-reaching consequences:



1. US-aggression
As expected the Russian colonies on American soil were a timebomb. The war itself quickly became a stalemate. China seized the moment and caused the Russians to fold to the American demands. 1 of 2 colonies remain which will probably cause another war soon.

2. Sino-Russian War III
In the first one, Russian conquered some Chinese regions. The second and third one looked like major Chinese victories with a lot of Siberian gains, but both ended with a puzzling white peace. Unfortunate. Peace deals are brokered way too soon. Hope this will change in the future.

3. Franco-Prussian war
Now this one came as a surprise. Just look at the war score! The far inferior Prussia attacks the French coalition. Surprisingly with success. Prussia quickly gains the upperhand and starts occupying Northern France, raising territorial demands.

Then everything changes: Austria perfectly times a surprise attack. With Prussian forces deep in France, Austria blitzes the Prussian heartland forcing Prussia to first sign a white peace with battered France. Then Prussia had to fold to the harsh Austrian demands and give up 2 regions!

Prussia came very close to expand at France's cost and got soundly beaten just months later due to the Austrian masterpiece.



In 1922 more pandemonium is about to break lose with more US-aggression and Bavaria's grand plan to assert hegemony over battered Prussia.

[KonradRichtmark]

And this pandemonium happened all on its own, without you having to cheat to trigger it?

[seattle]

And this pandemonium happened all on its own, without you having to cheat to trigger it?

I always declare "divine intervention", so yes: it happened all on its own! The grand finale will be awesome, guaranteed!

[KonradRichtmark]

Goody

[seattle]

Chapter XIII: "Prussia's Final Curtain (1922-29)"

Just realized that Bavaria also has the "assert hegemony" casus belli. Hmm let's see, Prussia is severely wounded, our mutual border is in dire need of plastic surgery... hmm...
I got it: We need to destroy Prussia to prepare a unification of Germany under Bavarian leadership!



I like my chances, especially considering my much stronger allies.
This is the plan of attack:



Seize the cut-off Prussian Provence to the south, quickly eliminating the enclave of Sigmaringen and grab Alsace-Lorraine. Hold the rest of the line. Or to be more precise, first rush armies into the bordering territory of Prussia's allies (some German minors). Why? They will immediately mobilize. If I reach their ground before they can do it, their mobilized divisions will be destroyed on the spot.

First battles:


Prussia's army proved more resiliant and formidable than I had expected. Every victory was costly and we didn't plan on reserves. I had to quickly raise the defensive budget. Bavaria is in danger to bleed out! The strategy of destroying the minors before they could mobilize worked rather well. Soon Prussia was on her own.

The war took two more years though. Not because of Prussia's resistance, but a costly diplomatic blunder on my part. By accepting peace with all of her allies, I had no access to the eastern half of Prussia! Since I wasn't contend with asserting hegemony, but also demanding Alsace-Lorraine, I had to beef up my warscore.

After almost two years of diplomatic efforts, I could get Braunschweig to allow me military access. My armies immediately flooded Eastern Prussia and forced them to sign a peace deal.

Now 80% of my army was stuck in Braunschweig with no way home, d'oh again!!!

---------------------------------------

What followed was another dick move by Austria, grabbing Brandenburg with Prussia's capitol Berlin pushing Prussia out of the Great Powers.

Two Sicilies was as cowardly as the Habsburgers and invaded me with only 20% of my army in Bavaria. Constant commie rebellions pushed Bavaria to the edge of destruction.



Two Sicilies invaded with over 200 brigades and I had to invent the elastic defence well before von Manstein. Where ever a Sicilian army appeared, I entrenched my remaining forces nearby in mountaineous terrain and lured them into the trap. It worked because they constantly had a numerical superiority. I had the terrain, fortresses and my best leader. Slowly but surely the Sicilian armies shrunk and when I finally brokered a deal with two neighbours, I unleashed my previously trapped main armies.

Were it not for the ever increasing rebellions and my high infamy, I would have pistol whipped Sicily. So I decided to only humiliate them (for 0.8 infamy) and make peace.

--------------------------------

Next phase: German unification
After my glorious victory over Prussia, about 10 neighbours wanted to become my allies which I accepted. Now I only had to sphere the remaining German minors to trigger the unification.

Then the crown was offered my again by the people. This time I took it, deciding to bury the monarchy with Bavaria. The new Germany should become a democracy and even the most liberal people should always be reminded that the Bavarian monarchy achieved everything they had today.



Seven years remain and I have big plans left. Many Southern American countries are almost in my SoI and I have to get Brandenburg back from Austria. The remaining years should be interesting.

[PrawnStar]

Excellent - if that's Lux you should be able to SOI them into joining as well - just check they are still a German primary culture.

Beat up Austria

[seattle]

Chapter XIV: "Interlude (1929-31)"

The new democracy had a myriad enemies. Commies and nationalists alike realized that they wouldn't be able to implement their agenda by democratic means. Their numbers increased every week.



My hope was that the running election would sort things out. After all, for the first time everyone was allowed to vote (although not everyone's vote was equal).


D'oh!!!

The commie's last attempt to undermine democracy was starched by my loyal army:


Germany's SoI is ever increasing. South America is pretty much uncontested, so I sphered it:


After releasing my colonial posessions (inherited from Hanover), my infamy dropped to a level that would allow me to wage war against Austria's sizeable army. To my surprise, the Habsburgers became allies with the USA. Whatever:
"Wir Deutschen fürchten Gott allein, sonst nichts in dieser Welt!"
(We Germans fear only god, nothing else in the world!)

This will become the war of all wars. The odds are stacked heavily against us:


For the first time, I'm in doubt of my decision. This DoW was more Wilhelm II. than my previous Bismarckian wars.

[KonradRichtmark]

Fear no USA! They're on the other side of the globe. If you keep back a modest reserve army, you should be able to eliminate any landing American troops before they get in more.

[Nikolai]

What Konrad said! Onwards to glory!

[seattle]

Chapter XV: "Ragnarök (1931-36)"

The final war commences:


My strategy was to beat Austria to a pulp before the USA would come into the fray. For the first time ever I mobilized my population, thus fielding a whooping 500 brigades with the army tech tree fully developed.


The Austrian army was utterly outclassed to a shocking degree, enabling me to gain ground quickly.


That's all folks, Austria completely occupied. The US nowhere to be seen. Now it was time to up the ante. Time to fubar'em:


Half of my demands were covered by casus belli, the other half pushed me to the infamy limit.

Post-war borders:


My masterplan for the future: "demographic beautification" by importing a sh*tload of Asian chicks!


This is getting really annoying. Every year the same commie rebellion. How can you prevent that?


What are they even bitching about? My people live in luxury. Immigration rate is increased by 500% due to the luxurious life my farmers have. Hence the Asian invasion. I even lowered taxes to 2% afterwards and still commie rebellions. I can't do any social reforms which would prevent those uprisings. Any solution?


The final result:

[Thandros]

Good going. Number 2 isn't that bad so you could have done better but in this it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference

[tedescooo]

I'm sorry, but... Holly shit! 100k Chinese immigrants!!!

BTW... Great AAR, sadly über ugly borders.