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Ashantai

Lost in Time
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Hello all and welcome to my new AAR!

After the success, failures and unbridled ambition of my previous AAR The Eternal Exile I was very eager to try again. I got such good feedback, and EU3 is such a good game that it was a no-brainer that I play the game again.
I learned some valuable lessons though - to play the game through to the finish before I started writing; which I did today. I also decided to play a single country through from 1399 to 1820 because the AI is so hopeless controlling a nation I give them.

I will be playing England -> Great Britain

The format of this AAR will be rather interesting I hope it will be a parallel narrative and history story, both of which reference each other, but can be read separately.

I am not going for a World Conquest and I will argue (hopefully with reason) that all the 'historical' events in this AAR are not only possible, but make sense.

I will be writing the first posts today.

Enjoy, and any comments, suggestions, complaints etc are welcome. :)
 
THE GREY EMINENCE

Contents

Rules and Notes

Narrative Prologue: A Birthday Present
History Prologue: Introduction to Britannia Triumphant
Chapter 1: A Letter Sent
Chapter 1a: The Rise of York - Edward IV (1399)
Chapter 2: Arrival
Chapter 2a: The French War - Edward IV (1399-1406)
Chapter 3: Her Ladyship
Chapter 3a: The Succession Crisis - Edward IV (1406-1410)
Chapter 4: An Invitation
Chapter 4a: Victory in France - Edward IV (1410-1416)
Chapter 5: Dinner and a Tour
Chapter 5a: The Last Years of Edward IV (1416-1425)
Chapter 6: Preparations
Chapter 6a: The Burgundian King - Charles I Bourgogne (1425-29)
Chapter 7: A Darker Side
Chapter 7a: The de Vere Ascendency - Charles II de Vere (1429-35)
Chapter 8: The Persephone
Chapter 8a: The Subjugation of France - Charles II (1435-45)
Chapter 9: A Keepsake
Chapter 9a: The Last Years of Charles II (1445-54)
Chapter 10: Arrival in Kirkwall
Chapter 10a: Mary I and the New World (1454-62)
Chapter 11: The Museum
Chapter 11a: War and Peace: Mary I (1462-78)
Chapter 12: Above and Below Stairs
Chapter 12a: The Crown in Darkness: Mary I (1479)
Chapter 13: A Midday Meal
Chapter 13a: The Stirrings of Change - Mary I (1479-97)
Chapter 14: Puzzles and Riddles
Chapter 14a: The Last Years of Queen Mary (1497-1505)
Chapter 15: An Overheard Conversation
Chapter 15a: The Scholar King - Henry IV (1505-1510)
Chapter 16: Suspicions
Chapter 16a: The Challenges of Reformation - Henry IV (1510-1523)
Chapter 17: The Library
Chapter 17a: Caroline's Accession - (1523-1532)
Chapter 18: The Secret Chamber
Chapter 18a: The Reformation - Caroline I (1532-1534)
Chapter 19: Turmoil
Chapter 19a: The Rise of Anglicanism - Caroline I (1534-1550)
Chapter 20: Confrontation and Revelation
Chapter 20a: Family Ties - Caroline I (1550-1563)
Chapter 21: Echoes of the Past - The Storm of Wrath (1399)
Chapter 21a: The High-Tide of English Power - Caroline I (1563-1579)
Chapter 22: Explanations
Chapter 22a: The First British Monarch - Elizabeth I (1579-89)
Chapter 23: Echoes of the Past - The Fallen Crown (1479)
Chapter 23a: The Warrior King - William III (1589-1601)
Chapter 24: Bad Tidings
Chapter 24a: The Crisis of 1602 - William III/James I (1602)
Chapter 25: Echoes of the Past - The Fall of King William (1602)
Chapter 25a: The Madness of King James - James I (1603-1608)
Chapter 26: The Railway
Chapter 26a: The Boy King - Henry V (1608-1616)
Chapter 27: Echoes of the Past - Caroline's Saviour (1521)
Chapter 27a: A New Course - Edward V (1616-1631)
Chapter 28: A New Threat
Chapter 28a: Sublime Absolutism - Edward V (1631-1639)
Chapter 29: Parting Words
Chapter 29a: Edward VI and the Crisis of Government (1639-1642)
Chapter 30: Ambush!
Chapter 30a: The Civil War (1642-3)
Chapter 31: Echoes of the Past - The Barley Field (1643)
Chapter 31a: Thomas Cromwell and the Republic (1643-1658)
Chapter 32: Sanctuary
Chapter 32a: The Lady Protector (1658-1665)
Chapter 33: Echoes of the Past - The Curse of Mortality (1665)
Chapter 33a: The Fall of the Republic and the Beaufort Restoration (1665-1672)
Chapter 34: Homecoming
Chapter 34a: British Power and Recovery (1672-1680)
Chapter 35: Investigation
Chapter 35a: The War for Empire - Edward VII (1680-90)
Chapter 36: Puzzle Pieces
Chapter 36a: Fundamental Changes, Growth and Reforms - Edward VII (1691-1697)
Chapter 37: A Royal Reception
Chapter 37a: The Imperial War - Edward VIII (1701-1708)
Chapter 38: The Royal Command
Chapter 38a: The Reign of Parliament - Edward VIII (1708-1722)
Chapter 39: Echoes of the Past - Hartford Burning (1814)
Chapter 39a: The Unfortunate Queen Elizabeth II (1722-1737)
Chapter 40: The Raid
Chapter 40a: The Seymour Ascendency - Henry VI (1737-1750)
Chapter 41: Treason and Plot
Chapter 41a: The War of the Grand Alliance - Henry VI (1750-60)
Chapter 42: Echoes of the Past - Bitter Freedom (1755)
Chapter 42a: The First American Revolution - Henry VI (1760-1770)
Chapter 43: Breaking the News
Chapter 43a: The Last Years of Henry VI (1770-1789)
Chapter 44: The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 44a: The French Revolution - James II (1789-1800)
Chapter 45: The Final Battle Part 1
Chapter 45a: A Global Empire and the Second American Revolution (1800-1820)
Chapter 46: The Final Battle Part 2
Chapter 46a: Summary and Conclusion to Britannia Triumphant
Chapter 47: Echoes of a Lost Time
Chapter 47a: End Notes
Epilogue - 1834


Monarchs and Leaders of England and Great Britain

House of York
- Edward IV (5/5/5) (r. 1399 - 1425 )

House of Bourgogne
- Charles I (7/7/3) (r. 1425 - 1429 )

House of de Vere
- Charles II (4/5/6) (r. 1429 - 1454 )
- Mary I (5/7/6) (r. 1454 - 1505 )
- Henry IV (8/5/4) (r. 1505 - 1523 )
- Caroline I (8/9/5) (r. 1523 - 1579 )
- Elizabeth I (6/6/7) (r. 1579 - 1589 )
- William III (7/5/8) (r. 1589 - 1602 )
- James I (3/3/4) (r. 1602 - 1608 )
- Henry V (6/5/5) (r. 1608 - 1616 ) (Regency)

House of Grey
- Edward V (3/7/8) (r. 1616 - 1639 )
- Edward VI (7/3/8) (r. 1639 - 1643 )

The Republic
- Lord Protector Thomas Cromwell (r. 1643 - 1658 )
- Lady Protector Alexandra Cromwell (r. 1658 - 1665 )
- Lord Protector Edward Drake (r. 1665 - 1668 )

House of Beaufort
- Edward VII (7/5/5) (r. 1668 - 1697 )
- Edward VIII (6/8/5) (r. 1697 - 1722 ) (Regency from 1697-1702)
- Elizabeth II (3/3/6) (r. 1722 - 1737 ) (Regency from 1722-1729)

House of Seymour
- Henry VI (8/8/7) (r. 1737 - 1789 )
- James II (4/8/3) (r. 1789 - 1814 )
- Anne I (7/8/5) (r. 1814 - )

(Note on indexing. All chapters with only numbers are narrative, while chapters with letters after the number are history. Usually they will follow one-to-one, but not always.)
 
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Mods and Notes

As mentioned before the structure of this story will be in two parts, alternating between history and narrative. Hopefully this works as well as I hope it will!

The version of the game I am playing is 5.1 DW with a lot of personal modifications. The basic mod is the one listed in my sig with other changes made later. Through the game I have made changes as I’ve gone along. These will be noted in posts. I have also edited the save game several times.
The most important thing for me is making a plausible, fun story. I hope I will succeed in this.

Ruler stats in EU3 have important benefits, but never really stopped the player doing whatever they wanted. In this AAR I have tried to follow the ruler’s stats as a guide of how they will act. My reasoning is the following:

ADM: Stands for intelligence, culture and general administrative capability. A leader with high ADM is most likely one with considerable talents and intelligence, while one with low ADM is either less intelligent or corrupt in some way.
DIP: Stands for personality and morality. A leader with high DIP is likely to be charismatic, persuasive or manipulative, a person of high moral or social beliefs. One with low DIP could be either morally deficient or unpleasant.
MIL: Stands for courage, commitment and willingness to fight offensive wears. A high MIL leader would be extremely determined, stubborn and in favour of expansion, while one with a low MIL stat might be passive or even cowardly, or more suited to internal development.
Combinations of these stats give me a good idea how they’ll react.

The history book section of the AAR will be written as though it was composed in the early 19th century, and will include quotes from ‘historical’ works from this alternate timeline. Obviously I am nowhere as good a writer as Shakespeare or anyone else who I will be replacing…so please be kind and try to see what I am trying to show for what it is.

Comments, questions and requests are very welcome. Even though the game is played to the finish the story is not, so if anyone has any requests or such please post and I will try and accommodate.

So you have a sense of what the world looks like I present…the world of 1820!

World1820.jpg


And now…we begin!
 
So you have a sense of what the world looks like I present…the world of 1820!

World1820.jpg

Wow, that's quite an empire you've got there, coupled to which there doesn't seem to be any other state in Europe with anything like your power. If Austria's HRE it might be able to put up a fight, but with the resources of five continents to draw on it can only really end one way.

I'm very interested to see how your rulers affect your development.
 
I'll point out a few of the interesting features of the world.

South America has Peru, Chile, La Plata, Columbia and Venezuala rebelled - mostly through my efforts.

Spain formed, but that's the very rarely seen Catluyna there and in India. They are now the second highest income nation in the world, mainly through trade.

Bohemia and Austria exchanged HRE crowns for years, and are still both very powerful.

Scandinavia formed and is my ally at the end of the game.

I turned off Daiymos so Japan ate all of them via diplo-annexing.

Byzantium still exists as that purple zone in Russia near the northern wasteland. Of course, they are a Catholic admin republic...naturally!

So anyway, very glad to have you here Dewirix! The actual AAR will start soon.

Thanks!
 
Ruler stats in EU3 have important benefits, but never really stopped the player doing whatever they wanted.

My Hindustan waiting 100+ years for an admin 7 ruler disagrees :D

Looks like fun, I'll be reading.
 
Very interesting idea, however you have left yourself an amusing safety gauge - if you have a monarch with a low administrative and diplomatic stats, but yet you want him to be efficient, according to your rules, he can be portrayed as someone brilliant, intelligent, having charisma - yet extremely corruptible and having no moral beliefs whatsoever. (Read: Machiavelli's prince) :D.

I can't wait how it gets played out :)
 
I greatly enjoyed following your last AAR, Eternal Exile, thus consider me subscribed for this one too! I'm quite intrigued by the format for this AAR and the world map of 1820 has certainly whetted my appetite. Do you have any plans to perhaps convert this game to V2 in the future? The 1820 map looks perfect for such a conversion.
 
I'll have to see whether I convert. As we know, GB is a monster in Vicky 2 as it is, let alone adding all America to it.

Memento: True, but as you'll see, I'm really prepared to screw myself over in order to make a good story! :p
MorningSIDEr: Glad to have you aboard again! :)
damienreave: Very true, but you know what I mean...very glad to have you reading!
Dewirix: Well, I didn't feel like conquering all of South America, so this was the next best option!

Oh, an important thing to note is that all infamy costs have been increased, and provinces now cost 8 base infamy to take. With the AI on low aggression this meant that the AI expanded pretty reasonably.

Another thing is that I ended up colonising all of America, but storywise this equates more to 'exploration and surveying' then actual occupation at once. The reason is that the AI tends to colonise unhistorically quick, so I had to keep up!

Thank you all for reading; I will make the first post today. :)
 
This looks interesting and I really ought to follow the AAR of one of my few fans. :)
 
Prologue

Arakhor: Thanks! I love your AAR, and hope you enjoy this too.

And now we begin....

Prologue – A Birthday Present

January 2nd 1820

It was a cold winter’s day in London, capital of the British Empire.

A lavish house stood on the main road leading from the centre of London to the palaces and halls of the royalty at Westgate. The three story building was made of solid brick and had little thought given to ornamentation. Instead, the austere façade had a single decoration; a brass plate by the door reading:
Sir Benjamin Adams M.P. and Family
Inside, in the top floor bedroom, a young man was asleep. The sun had risen over the chilly streets for an hour, but he was still burrowed under the quilt.

A5Bedroom.jpg


Suddenly there was a knock at the door. It opened slightly and a young woman looked in. She wore a cheap, though very clean, maid’s outfit.
“Master John,” she said, a touch timidly.
John stirred in the bed and looked out of his nest blearily. “What is it?”
“The Master sent me to wake you, sir. He said breakfast would be in fifteen minutes.”
He stared at her for a moment, still confused and half asleep. Finally he nodded. “Very well, Anne. Tell father I will be downstairs in fifteen minutes.”
“Should I prepare your clothes, sir?” she asked politely.
John pushed the covers back and stood up. “No thank you, though some hot water would be nice.”
Anne opened the door further to reveal a covered bowl. “I thought you would ask, sir,” she said with a smile. She placed it on a table by the mirror. “Oh, and happy birthday, sir.”
John smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

Fifteen minutes later John headed downstairs and into the long dining room of the house. He’d managed to comb his brown hair into some sort of order, and his blue eyes looked a little more wakeful then before.
Seated at the table already was John’s father Benjamin. Also present was his younger sister Alexandra and his older brother George. A place at the table had been set opposite Benjamin, but was also empty. It was a seat that was never occupied, yet was laid every meal.
“Ah, happy birthday, my boy!” Benjamin said, rising. He put down his copy of the London Era newspaper and embraced his son.
“Thank you, father. I didn’t hear you get back last night.”
“That does not surprise me; you can sleep through anything. I had to send Anne to wake you when you did not emerge.” He patted his son on the back and sat down. “Your academic reputation has proceeded you, son. Lord Westland offered you a place at King Edward College in Charleston.”
John smiled. “A generous offer, though I am not sure what my next move shall be.”
Benjamin looked at his son, trying to be stern, but it was clear that in the matter of his children he was too kind hearted to push the matter. “Do try to consider it closely, son. This is a great opportunity for you. With your degree it would be easy for you to find a career in the law. It is the path to greater things.”
“I will consider it, father,” John replied.
“Well, whatever your choice, I know your mother would be very proud of you. It’s at times like this that I wish she was here.”
John bowed his head. “As do I.”

The somewhat gloomy atmosphere was broken by George, ever irrepressible. “Happy birthday, Johnny!” he said.
“Thank you,” John replied, a little stiffly.
“Yes, happy birthday,” Alexandra said, smiling. She handed over a package.
John smiled a lot more warmly at his sister and opened the present. Inside was a new fob watch, the gold sparkling in the light.
“A present from us all, son,” Benjamin said. “I also remember that you wished to go to Paris later this year. I will provide for that. I have to go to a sitting of parliament there in may regardless.”
“Thank you, father, than you all.”

Suddenly George sprung up. “Oh, I almost forgot! There was something delivered for you this morning.” He went to the entrance hall and begun rooting around in his coat. Anne came to try and help, but George eventually liberated a wrapped package on his own from the coat and strode back to the table.
“What were you doing outside?” John asked.
“Taking the air,” George replied innocently. He handed over the package and the letter attached.

John hesitated for a second about which to open, but then pulled open the brown paper wrapping to unearth a book. It was titled;
Britannia Triumphant: The Transformation of England into Great Britain 1399-1815
By Lady Clarice Mendenhall

He stared at the book. It was quite thick, and several colour plates and drawings filled the centre pages.
“Oh, that’s nice! You like history and such things,” George pointed out with utter sincerity.
“So I’ve been told,” John replied dryly. After all, John had gotten full marks in his final exam; the first person in that course ever to do so.
The letter was even more puzzling. The back of the envelope had an ornate wax seal. He broke it and removed the letter.
“It seems that others have taken notice of you,” Benjamin said. “If I am not mistaken then this is the seal of Lady Mendenhall as well. A letter from a Duchess on your birthday, I got nothing so grand on my twenty first!”

John laughed and opened the letter. The handwriting was neat and correct, and was addressed to him.

Mister John Adams, 1st January 1820.
Dear John,
I hope this letter finds you in good health, and that you do not take ill to my contacting you. I would first like to wish you a happy birthday, and hope that you find the enclosed present both interesting and helpful. I had the good fortune to hear of your academic ventures at a soirée last night, which I believe your father also attended.
As a fellow historian, and someone who values such distinction I would like to invite you to meet me on the fourth of January at my London residence. This will be only an informal meeting, and you should not feel compelled to attend.
Please send a return message to me indicating whether you will attend or not. If so, I will send a carriage to your house at five pm Tuesday.
Yours sincerely,
Lady Mendenhall


John read the letter again, and wordlessly passed it to his father. Benjamin’s eyebrows raised.
“Extraordinary, John. Do you wish to attend?”
Before he could reply, Alexandra took the letter and read it. “That sounds fantastic! John, you must go! I’ve read all about her.”
“Yes, I hear she is a fine looking lady. Perhaps her appreciation will give great rewards!” George said suggestively, earning a stern look from their father.
“I cannot see the harm,” John replied slowly. He opened Britannia Triumphant at random and read a section, then closed it. “Yes, I shall go. I shall write her a reply and send it on the midday post. Do you know her address?”
Benjamin chuckled slightly. “You know that extremely large mansion opposite the palace at Westgate? That is it, Grey House.”
“But…that is massive,” John said, surprised.
“She’s one of the richest women in England.”
John finished his breakfast and left with the book and letter in hand. It had been a most interesting morning.

A6Package.jpg
 
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And a most interesting first post for this AAR. I'm rather intrigued to see what will come of this meeting with Lady Mendenhall.
 
We sorely missed not having your ARRs about. You do have a talent, one that I wished I had even the smallest glimmer.
Good luck.
 
This is an interesting approach--showing us the world as extant in 1820, and then revealing the narrative behind it. I eagerly await the unfolding of the story.

I've been curious since I first saw the endgame map--what is that orange blot in Aragon? The Netherlands?!
 
MorningSIDEr: Thanks! It will be quite...interesting, I promise.
Range: Aww, thank you! Don't undervalue yourself - your AARs show great skill, originality and effort, and it is I who should be thanking you for all the work you have done!
Chris Taylor: I'm glad you liked it. I thought it would be a rather different way of doing it. It's actually Catalonia, that rare and illusive Iberian revolter. They ended up in India too, and being the second most wealthy (by income) state in the world! They're not in South America though - that's Chilie!

Introduction to ‘Britannia Triumphant’

Summarised from the Introduction and Foreword of ’Britannia Triumphant’ by Lady Mendenhall.

GreatBritain1820.jpg


World1820.jpg


To a modern reader in Great Britain it can be difficult to imagine that once the world was a very different place. England in 1399 was a weak, divided and unstable realm divided between clergy and commoners, kings and commoners. By one account England in 1399 was weaker than contemporary Denmark and poorer than the contemporary Dutch lands. How then did this divided, fractious realm become the greatest nation since the glory of Rome?
The answer is one too complex to quickly assess. The purpose of this work is to make sense of this question, and to propose some answers. This book also seeks to explain that none of this was pre-ordained, and that the current stability and power could have come to an end very swiftly had not a few critical events happened.
This book will also address the role of leaders in the rise of England and the formation of Great Britain, from Edward of York to Queen Caroline to ‘Mad King James’ to the Republic and the Beaufort Restoration. It also shows that the current freedoms of the British nation were not assured until the early 18th century with the rise of the Seymour Dynasty.
In short, this book will describe just over four centuries of history, and will attempt to do so in a way that is understandable and comprehensive.
What this book will not contain is a spider’s web of footnotes and references. A work such as this should be able to stand on its own.

Lady Mendenhall, 1819.

1StartingSituation.jpg


2StartingRules.jpg


(I will place game-play notes and comments at the beginning or end if I have any. I will cover roughly 5-10 years with each history update, though sometimes more general topics will be covered.)
 
What is Edward IV doing around in 1399, when Henry IV should be being crowned? In our timeline, he seized the throne from Henry's grandson in 1461.
 
All shall be revealed. He is not the Edward IV of the War of the Roses, as you shall see, rather, he is the grandson of Edward III through his son Edmund. As you shall see Henry IV was never crowned, he never 'made it', as it were.
 
Looking forward to this one. An interesting and different approach to the historical 'textbook' style AAR.
 
This book will also address the role of leaders in the rise of England and the formation of Great Britain, from Edward of York to Queen Caroline to ‘Mad King James’ to the Republic and the Beaufort Restoration. It also shows that the current freedoms of the British nation were not assured until the early 18th century with the rise of the Seymour Dynasty.

If there wasn't enought to whet our appetites before this paragraph was bound to grab the attention. Very much looking forward to what comes next, especially given we're already starting off with a different history from our own.