Novum Romanum Imperium 2.0 -- a Vicky 2 AHD Conversion AAR

[arosenberger14]

Nice update, things are off to a good start! Yemeni menace indeed What's the revolt risk looking like? Also, how is Russia not a Great Power? Are they uncivilized?

[Vrael_1492]

What country was Yemen in EUIII?

[varetta]

Wonderful update, I was wishing it.!!

Have you done any social/political reform?
Is your population so conservative for political changes?

[morningSIDEr]

Good stuff thus far, the prologue proved a compelling read and left you with a very interesting map! I'm glad the gameplay is now underway, rather annoying that the attempt to create a justification for war against Yemen went badly.

[Avindian]

it does seem as if your conversion process + AHD is going to limit the Empire for a while, and thats before liberalism and nationalism start chewing away.

Do like your multiple points of view, it seems you have a limitless imagination in that respect

Thanks!

I see a possible flaw in the Converter: it doesn't convert troop numbers from Regiments to brigades very well. Am I right? Also don't go commie!

Yeah, you're right. Especially when my legions were 10, 15, or 20k -- the 10 or 20k lose or gain a thousand troops or so. I have no intention of going Communist; no worries there

Great update again!

You have Free Press with a reactionary Upper House? We haven't seen the Politics screen, but if Cathleen is planning a liberal newspaper in a reactionary regime, I guess that means you have Free Press

So that war justification was very unlucky. Supposedly the more liberal reforms you have, the harder it is to keep it secret. With Free Press and Public Meetings allowed it's almost impossible (those nosy reporters!), but with a reactionary (no reforms) policy sometimes you can keep it secret all the way till it finishes. On the other hand, do you really need to worry about the Infamy limit?

You have a nice multi-culture empire there. Do those nationalities still have their original cores? In AHD that means they won't assimilate (good), so my fellow Hungarians won't disappear from your game .

Yes, those AHD bits are nice addition. Keep an eye on Movements, I think they'll provide some good story opportunities.

Are you planning a full Europe conquest (Roman Empire + Napoleonic Empire combined)? You don't really have any significant external competition (especially with Russia allied), so I guess the interesting bits will come with the liberal movement. I'm curious to see if Charles'll try to resist it or become an enlightened ruler and give up some control. With such a diverse Empire, the rebellions could be nasty.

I don't have free press; the idea was supposed to be that it was an underground newspaper. (I actually have the one right before Free Press -- State-Controlled, maybe?) All the cores are as they were in EU3, except for the New World cores I took from Italy to keep Revanchism from getting out of hand. Movements will indeed play a big role in our story

Vicky 2 doesn't allow much conquest without infamy, even in AHD, and since you can't declare war without a CB, a European conquest seems a bit impractical, unless of course I throw the whole infamy thing out the window.

Nice update, things are off to a good start! Yemeni menace indeed What's the revolt risk looking like? Also, how is Russia not a Great Power? Are they uncivilized?

Revolt risk, FOR NOW, is nonexistent. (Foreshadowing alert! ) At this stage in the game, GPs are based mostly on prestige, and Russia didn't have a whole lot. That'll change over time.

What country was Yemen in EUIII?

Good question. I want to say Brabant, but I'd have to check when I get home. Yemen is one of those "extra tags" the converter assigns to mostly German OPMs. You'll see Abu Dhabi fighting Belgium in a later update

Wonderful update, I was wishing it.!!

Have you done any social/political reform?
Is your population so conservative for political changes?

With Ruling Party Only and reactionaries in power, I can roll back any reform I want but not introduce new ones. There will be reforms in the future (why, the very next update may have a couple!), but not at the moment. Essentially, nobody cares what the POPs think.

EDIT: Just caught morningSIDEr's comment.

Good stuff thus far, the prologue proved a compelling read and left you with a very interesting map! I'm glad the gameplay is now underway, rather annoying that the attempt to create a justification for war against Yemen went badly.

I was pretty peeved, you can bet. This will greatly slow down future conquest attempts.

[Mr. Santiago]

Like loki said, I too enjoy how you neatly switch from one point of view to another, that adds speed to the story, IMHO.

I look forward to the effects of the liberal agitation, specially coming from Ms. O'Conner, who seems to be so close to the Emperor.

[Avindian]

Like loki said, I too enjoy how you neatly switch from one point of view to another, that adds speed to the story, IMHO.

I look forward to the effects of the liberal agitation, specially coming from Ms. O'Conner, who seems to be so close to the Emperor.

Thanks for the kind words!

[Sethanon]

Guessing from it's location I should say that Yemen is actually supposed to be Hainaut. Brabant's a little more up north and east.

Good update btw

[Avindian]

Guessing from it's location I should say that Yemen is actually supposed to be Hainaut. Brabant's a little more up north and east.

Good update btw

You're exactly right; it was Hainaut! Thanks for the kind words, as always

Should be able to update tomorrow; I'd do it tonight but I'm a little too tired.

[alpla]

Greattt

[Avindian]

Greattt

Thanks for the kind words

Update incoming!

[Avindian]

Chapter 2: The coming storm

Author's Note: Province level events will be not reported or saved as screenshots unless they're significant for story purposes. There are a LOT of them, as you might surmise, and I could very easily take a week to write half an update.

8 July 1836, Emperor's throne room, Rome

Charles I glared at his Chancellor with disdain. Instead of providing his Emperor with the intelligence he desperately needed to make an informed decision, Decimus was too often merely throwing his hands up in defeat. If only I had a son, I'd make Valerian Chancellor. Decimus' best skill was controlling the disparate factions of the Senate, and, well, I don't need to worry about that much any longer. One thing that Charles did have was much more rapid communications than any Emperor had ever had in the past. The electric telegraph was developed by a young American named Samuel Morse. Morse, who did not care much for the increasingly Francophile government in his native land, was hired by Alexander O'Connor in 1830, and the telegraph was the first of what would hopefully be countless useful inventions to come out of his laboratory. The inaugural telegraph line ran from Rome to Constantinople, which at least allowed Charles to consult Prince Valerian. Some of the Empire's most eminent businessmen were already salivating about the commercial possibilities, which appealed to the Emperor as well, but his first priority was to see all the major cities in his Empire -- London, Paris, Cairo, Jerusalem, and Madrid -- connected on one network. A smaller network already ran to Florence, and Morse assured him that he could begin producing his telegraph machines at a much faster rate soon.

When Charles glanced from the telegraph to the Chancellor, he knew which was by far the more useful and reliable tool. He envisioned even stronger ties to his Proconsuls in each provinciae, perhaps allowing him to bypass even a hand-picked Senate as he had now. In the meantime, he had to make do, and that meant, from time to time, stroking the Chancellor's ego until a worthy successor could be found. It wasn't as if the Chancellor were completely helpless; he'd caught something no one else had in an assay report from the regio of Karlovac. (That it was in fact Gaius Tullius Cicero that had noted the datum and not the Chancellor was something Decimus had no intention of allowing the Emperor to discover.) A further survey, ordered by Decimus, uncovered a previously unknown gold vein in the regio. Thanks to an unusually foresighted decree by the Emperor, all precious metals were determined to be the property of the Empire and the profits would be deposited directly into the Imperial coffers.

The telegraph began to clatter, and both the Emperor and the Chancellor eagerly awaited the news it brought. The intelligence network still answered to Valerian, for the most part, so he sent the most important news along to Rome.

Dear Emperor STOP My agents have uncovered some mischievous sorts in both Vienna and Sinope STOP We arrested one with a new newspaper called the Vox Populi STOP I am ordering a copy sent to you via fastest boat STOP Valerian

Charles snarled in frustration. He already knew about Vienna from one of the Senators that hailed from the area.



The newspaper bothered him. It was the first he'd ever heard of these so-called "Jacobins" -- named after some French cafe or something -- with any kind of printed literature. A recent census indicated that 37.1% of Romans could read, and if the author were the least bit talented, he would make sure that the local clergy got a hold of any inflammatory propaganda. As he was about to yell at his Chancellor, the Marshal of the Empire threw open the door.

"I see you got the telegram sent by Prince Valerian, Emperor."

Charles nodded grimly. "I did indeed, Bartolomeo. Do you have any recommendations?"

Bartolomeo shrugged unhappily. "If I knew where the ultimate source of the Jacobins was, I'd send a legion there immediately. I've already instructed the Vienna and Sinope garrisons to be on the alert for further activity."

With another withering glare at his Chancellor, the Emperor waved his hand dismissively. "There is little we can do, then. How go the efforts to resupply the legions?"

"Better than expected, Sire. We've stabilized at 78 brigades for the moment; our population still can't support all 78, but we've got the logistical support for 59 brigades already and the number is growing geometrically. With your permission, I'd like to employ the telegraph by connecting it to the major supply depots."

The Emperor smiled briefly, pleased at any sort of good news. "I will see to it that Minister O'Connor fills your orders after he connects our major cities. Our fleet?"

"The planned 'commerce raiders' are going a little more slowly, mostly due to our still new shipyards, but the most pessimistic estimates have 20 commissioned within two to three years."

"What advantages do the commerce raiders provide?"

Marshal de Ruyter extracted a small list prepared by Admiral di Medici. "They are faster, naturally, but also have thicker hulls. The combat power is a little less than a man'o'war, but the sheer speed advantage is enough to give us the power to strike and run away. We have some independent classes prepared, but for now they will escort our steam transports."

The Emperor frowned. "Won't that slow down our transports?"

"For now, my Emperor, that can't be helped. A flotilla of soldiers that arrives a day late is better than one that never arrives at all."

"True, true. Carry on, Marshal."

"Thank you, Emperor." Bartolomeo de Ruyter saluted and left. Chancellor Decimus also bowed and left, leaving the Emperor alone again. Surprisingly, however, he was not alone for long.

"Carlo? May I speak with you?"

Only one person in the entire world ever called him by his Christian name; his wife, Victoria. "Yes, dear, of course." Charles may have married her for political purposes, to ensure that the British did not revolt, but he was still a man and was hardly blind to her other assets. What bothered him was that Victoria did not think him blind either, and occasionally used his male weakness for her own purposes.

"Carlo, I know I have not been the best possible wife to you." The Emperor, a man of integrity in his personal life if not always in his public life, gestured for her to continue. "I also know that it is my duty, as Empress, to provide you with children. Yet, I find the prospect difficult."

If anybody else had said that, Charles would have taken it as an insult; but he and Victoria understood each other perfectly well. "I am but painfully aware of your absence from my bed, dear Victoria."

"I propose an arrangement. I do not think that I shall ever love you, and I know that you do not truly love me."

"Again, you speak truth."

"Very well. I propose that you and I... carry on as man and wife should, until such time as I am able to produce you an heir. In return, upon delivering said heir, you shall release me from our marriage as Head of the Roman Lutheran Church and allow me to marry whomever I see fit."

Charles I was absolutely stunned by the forthrightness of her suggestion, yet at the same time saw the wisdom in it. The two formally agreed a few moments later -- Victoria had insisted upon a written contract -- and they carried on their congress properly and much more regularly after that.
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21 July 1836, outside the walls of Rome

The elderly lieutenant knew he'd never make Centurion. He was already 45 years old, and he'd made too many political enemies. He'd never actually seen combat and didn't want to. During the Civil War, the lieutenant had been in southern Gaul on a honeymoon; his wife had left him two weeks later for another man after he refused to return and fight against the Pretender. The answer to his pain was found, as it is in so many cases, in the bottom of bottle. He would be forced to retire in another year or two, and he was just living out his days on his meager lieutenant's salary as a sentry as best he could. He took a pull from his constant companion and settled down to another boring day.

He checked his pocket watch -- the sole reward he'd earned for 25 years of service to the Imperial standard -- and found it was lunch time. He had some bread, cheese, and a little meat in a sack that he brought with him. As he sat down to eat, his eyes detected a faint rumbling. Huh. Sounds like rain. Maybe I can take off early tonight, he thought, and returned to the business at hand. A few minutes later, he couldn't help but notice all the road dust that was gathering on his bread. He set down his lunch with a growl and peeked out of his booth just outside the walls. He dropped his lunch. There must be a thousand people coming! No, ten thousand, at least! The lieutenant ran to tell the Captain of the Watch. Somebody was marching on Rome!


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27 October 1836, Constantinople

Valerian -- he still thought of himself as Valerian, not Valerii Dmitriyevich Farnese -- found himself enjoying his position as Prince of Constantinople immensely. Even with the telegraph, the Emperor in Rome was often most concerned about the political pressures in and around the Empire's capital. Although the huge march on Rome was peaceful, the simple ability of those Jacobin fools to gather such a large mob and coordinate it so effectively sent shivers down the neck of every noble, and the Prince was no exception. He'd found additional nests throughout the Empire and had even planned on creating a detailed map to send back to Rome, but his more immediate concern was his native land. Valerian had arranged to meet with some Russian financiers from Arkhangelsk. He'd been given a discretionary portion of the treasury, and had a feeling this venture would be particularly profitable for both Russia and Rome. His Captain of the Guard sent in the two brokers.

"Velikii Knyaz, [Grand Prince], we bid you good day. My name is Stepan Abramovich; my companion is Maksim Romanovich. We are the representatives from Kutuzov Shipping."

"Gentlemen, welcome! I am delighted to see somebody from the Rodina [Motherland]. How can the Roman Empire help you today?"

Maksim, the taller and older of the two, handed over a copy of his proposal.



Valerian already had some idea of what he would propose -- if the Empire of Rome bore the burden of construction costs, they would get a greater share of Russia's income when or if Russia entered the Roman sphere of influence, in addition to making it more difficult for the other Great Powers to hold as much influence in Russia. Valerian also knew what the Russians did not; that the huge orders the Emperor was placing in Roman shipyards would mean that somebody that could supply raw materials would also do very well for themselves personally. As the largest shareholder in the joint-stock company, Valerian stood to gain quite a bit. As he signed the contract, his guests were startled by the machine that started banging in the corner. Valerian explained the telegraph to the Russians, then showed them out. With the door closed, he checked the message.

Prince Valerian STOP We are at war with Yemen STOP Thank you for your assistance STOP May God see our victory this day STOP Emperor Charles I

Valerian had already received a preliminary declaration of war a few days ago, but there was a big difference between seeing "war" on a piece of paper and actually knowing one would happen.



The Prince called over to the Mayor of Constantinople and the Proconsul of Thrace. They were responsible for looking after the Empire's second city while he was in Rome. During war time, Imperial law demanded the heir be close by, in case the Emperor was killed in battle. Charles was no soldier and would probably never have dreamed of donning a soldier's uniform, but tradition was tradition and the law was the law.
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22 November 1836, Tournai, Yemen

One of the consequences of fighting in a relatively confined area such as the Principality of Yemen was the ease of coordinating forces. That the forces of the Roman Empire were not actually coordinated was as much the fault of the commanders as geography. The overall commander, selected by General Contadino, was Vittorio Bava-Beccaris. However, the much larger of the two legions involved was commanded by Carlo d'Absburgo-Toscana. The latter General was a political appointee. Emperor Charles, concerned about the already growing movements in the Empire, wanted to prevent one in Austria by appointing a Habsburg to a key role in the Imperial war effort.



None had converted their angst into action yet, but the Jacobins were growing in strength everyday. Carlo -- his name was Italian, but his father an Austrian -- dismissed the rebels as "mere vermin" to be squashed whenever the Emperor wished. He'd never governed, indeed had never commanded anything larger than a brigade at the war's start. Vittorio Bava-Beccaris had the seniority and the experience, but Carlo's massive ego refused to countenance being inferior to anybody, and his peculiar lust for the "German" way of war resulted in considerably more casualties than Vittorio experienced in their battles.



Both legions suffered negligible casualties, it is true, but Carlo's much more cavalier attitude to the lives of his men was worrying. Vittorio had to order his nominal subordinate three or four times to get something simple done; Carlo often claimed that his commands were "misplaced" by "incompetent runners." That made for a very icy working environment, even on the best of days. Now, with both legions sieging their respective provinces, coordination was less important, but Vittorio had heard from some of his commanders that the Yemeni army might have a sizable underground component. Carlo "took this under advisement", which meant he was going to ignore the threat.

Now, in a small war like the war against Yemen, there was little even a preening peacock like Carlo could do; but in a larger war? Well, General Bava-Beccaris was writing up a rather large report on his subordinate, determined to see that Carlo move no further in the chain of command.
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21 July 1837, Marshal's office, Florence

The war was finally over. The Yemeni soldiers defended their land well, and it took months to wear down their fortresses. Even worse, a large force of rebels rose up and attacked General d'Absburgo-Toscana's army.



The Emperor had also tasked Marshal de Ruyter with finding the true nest of the Jacobin rebels and putting them down. Prince Valerian's map was extremely helpful.



Clearly, the underground societies had spread farther and faster than anybody had anticipated. Thanks to the Marshal's careful support of infrastructure, there were now more volunteers than brigades; he could form some 93 independent brigades when the map was completed on 1 January, and in the months since then capacity had increased to a staggering 115 brigades. The Marshal reorganized the army, which now included 18 distinct legions, some of which had been renamed.



Many legions were too small to be anything more than reconnaissance elements, but those had a place in the Roman army too. The last three legions had been placed in Sicily to deal with the largest threat the Emperor had identified from the Jacobins. That served to calm things down in the region.

However, as a military man, the Marshal couldn't help but notice something extremely odd about the map. The biggest concentration was in the former lands owned by Transylvania. But the most interesting cell seemed to be in London. For some reason, that ran warning bells in the back of his mind, especially since, at this stage, only one of the cells wasn't on the Continent. It either had to be the newest or the source. Bartolomeo concurred with the Emperor that the former was more likely, but there was somebody... important in London. He just couldn't place the name for some reason.

While he worried about that name, his telegraph started up again. Fearing the worst -- a third march on Rome, perhaps, as a second had occurred in April -- he ran to the telegraph, only to see something much better.

Marshal de Ruyter STOP The Empress delivered twin boys two weeks ago STOP Named Constantine and Trajan STOP Per their agreement Empress Victoria has divorced Charles STOP Will marry a German prince named Alfred or something STOP Please come to Rome as soon as possible for the introduction ceremony STOP Chancellor Decimus.

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Updates may be delayed slightly, thanks to the all-encompassing awesome that is Mass Effect III I'll try to keep posting at least once a week, though!

[loki100]

interesting to see the stirrings of liberal dissent, at least the army is steadily recovering and you can stil engage in some degree of expansion

[Omen]

Mass Effect 3 is pretty fun.

A nice clean little war, but the revolution (though small) seems a worry.

[Mr. Santiago]

Mhhh. Two male twins, with equal right to the throne.... A split empire in the making, perhaps?

[Avindian]

interesting to see the stirrings of liberal dissent, at least the army is steadily recovering and you can stil engage in some degree of expansion

Yeah, although the huge infamy cost for taking Yemen is going to kill that expansion dead for now.

Mass Effect 3 is pretty fun.

A nice clean little war, but the revolution (though small) seems a worry.

It won't be small for ever; I didn't entirely get how movements worked in the early game, so I shoot myself a lot in the foot. There WILL be a huge rebellion, but it's going to build for a while.

Mhhh. Two male twins, with equal right to the throne.... A split empire in the making, perhaps?

I haven't really decided what I'll do with them yet. One of the great things about this kind of AAR is that even though I've played pretty far ahead (1860), the behind the scenes stuff I can sit and plan out and change, if I need to.

[morningSIDEr]

At least Yemen finally suffered the fate of annexation without attempts to justify war with her being bungled once again. The growing support for rebellion is a bit worrying but still in hand at present. It will be interesting to see how things play out.

[EU3NOOB]

Execute the rebel scum by defenestration! UNACCEPTABLE!

[Sakura_F]

Execute the rebel scum by defenestration! UNACCEPTABLE!

LOL... Ah, inter-Avindian AAR references. ^_^

[alpla]

Execute the rebel scum by defenestration! UNACCEPTABLE!

oh my god!
we have a Robespierre in the forum