Chapter 16, the Croatian Empire
---The journal of Emperor Gregoric of Croatia and Montenegro and all its Colonies---
The 28th of February, 1921
Earlier this month, my
dear mother died, choking to death on a piece of lemon frosted sponge cake while dinning with the King of Spain, her step-son and my half-brother. They did always say sugar was bad for you… Sugar with arsenic is even worse for you, they tell me.
The Senate was forced to give me the throne, despite being only 16 as legally I could assume it on my 16th birthday - it just wasn’t customary. I am delighted to say I immediately ordered the redecoration of the palace to remove the hideous pink drapes and the fluffy clouds painted on the ceiling by my mother.
Also, I decided to proclaim the Empire of Croatia, for a grand age of expansion is ahead of us.
The 31st of March, 1921
Our athletes returned victorious from the Olympic Games this month, bearing many golden medals that we have proudly rubbed in the face of all the foreign diplomats. Ah, prestige is lovely!
The 31st of June, 1921
It is WAR!
It is time for the rightful conquest of the uncivilized masses of the world. Such lucky masses, I should think. Not to mention we are freeing them from the tyranny of a democracy.
Also, as a side note mechanical saws have come into use.
The 31st of August, 1921
Most of Johore is already covered by Croatian troops from neighbouring Atjeh, and more are making their way across the strait.
The 31st of October, 1921
All of Atjeh is covered by forces, and we meet no resistance. Sieging the provinces of Johore is swiftly underway.
Also, interchangeable parts are invented and implemented in Croatia. Clipper Design will be instigated next.
All the naval tech currently researched. It’s not very much
The 31st of December, 1921
While our forces slowly force Johore to its knees (War is rather less exciting than it’s made out to be), new nine clipper transports are ordered in Atjeh.
The 31st of March, 1922
It’s not till march that anything interesting has happened. And all that’s happened is that communist have rebelled in one province, a pretty standard event in Croatia - the army puts them down by the end of the month.
The 31st of April, 1922
It is decided that I will pay off the people, and give them some very (almost non-existent) unemployment subsidiaries. It’s supposed to stop, or at least decrease the rebellions, I’m told.
Also, clipper design is completed. My mentor says it’s a great advance, I think it’s yawn-worthy. I pointed at random at the next advance out of the many they offered, and so steamers are being invented.
Also, did I mention that all the Sunni worshipers in Croatia have emigrated, been murdered or converted? Our nation is now only made up of Catholics and Orthodoxy’s.
The 31st of May, 1922
Our alliance with Spain broke like someone had hit it with a sledgehammer this month. My half-brother begged me to support him against France, but that is one juggernaut Croatia is not ready to face.
Plus, our new ships all completed.
The 31st of June, 1922
An annoying, rather dreadful poet began lamenting about the lack of a national Malay identity. I wanted to put have him knocked off his perch, to put it mildly, but my mentors said otherwise.
The 31st of August, 1922
Jiggs,
not the Irish dance, were implemented in Croatia. They -yawn- increase productivity I’m told.
Johore also sent a begging diplomat asking for white peace. I introduced the diplomat to this big guy with an axe that I call Mr Executioner.
I also decided to read the details of the local wars for entertainment, and found some interesting events unfolding. The unlikely alliance of the USA, Columbia and China is pitted against the just as unlikely alliance of Russia, Sweden, Portugal, Krakow and Persia, fighting over Mongolia.
Meanwhile France is beating up Spain badly, and Siebenburgen is again trying to invade Central Hungary - a war it would win easily if it wasn’t so pathetic and banded its armies together instead of letting Austria-Hungary pick them off one by one.
The 31st of November, 1922
France has launched a new war against Czechoslovakia, while still at war with Spain. However it has on its side various nations, including the Ottomans, Oldenburg and the Papal States - Czechoslovakia is on its own.
Meanwhile, Mr Executioner has been busy with Johorian diplomats over the last months.
The 31st of December, 1922
I’ve got money to burn, so I sent some Spain’s war - 778 ducats a day to be precise, to help them against France.
The 31st of January, 1923
Yugoslavian Pan-Nationalists, who have plagued Croatian monarchs for nearly a century, rose up against this month. I however am happy to squash them, as it appears to be getting rid of the dumbest members of society - I mean, who else would rebel as part of a badly organized, very small group of men in a nation which has 20,000 men ready to squash them at any moment, after your predecessors have been aimlessly dieing for the same reasons for the last sixty or more years.
But at least, finally, two of Atjeh’s provinces have fallen. And yawn worthy steamers have been invented. We are losing money swiftly, because of our subsidiaries of Spain, but why shouldn’t we buy new, expensive, ships?
Naval plans are, I’m told, next on the research agenda. I couldn’t care, I just told the Senate to choose.
The 28th of February, 1923
Europe is being ravaged by war as I write this. It all looks so much fun; I almost regret not joining Spain.
A map of war torn Europe.
Also, the 3rd Croatian Elections have started, and Integral Distillery Process has been invented.
The 31st of March, 1923
Johore finally falls, and is annexed by our glorious Croatian Empire, just as we sink their entire navy the same day.
It is a day for celebration.
The 31st of April, 1923
With Socialists a growing power in the parliament, I order the passing of the 14th Hour Workday Bill - which basically does what it says it does.
I also order lots of infantry constructed in the new territories.
The 31st of July, 1923
I’m bored, and not losing enough money, and I want to weaken Czechoslovakia, so I decided to fund France. 4859 ducats a day will now pour into their treasury from Croatia’s reserves of 2.12m ducats that is just sitting in the bank. I in turn also cancelled the subsidiaries to Spain.
The 31st of August, 1923
Four new brigades are formed in conquered Johore this month, and Jacobins rise and are quickly squashed in the same place (Johore).
The 31st of October, 1923
Our first new form of ship is commissioned this month. A Commerce Raider.
The 31st of November, 1923
I ordered the cancelling of our program to encourage bureaucrats in Atjeh, and ordered that we begin encouraging them in Johore instead - to bring civilization to the savages.
Also naval plans are finalised, upping our supply range for ships by roughly 10%. Iron streamers, aka iron clads, are next on the menu of inventions.
Also, a new map of Europe I had drawn up:
The 28th of February, 1924
The Olympic Games has again called upon us to host the Olympic Games. I said yes to get them off my backs.
The 31st of April, 1924
You never imagine money could vanish so quickly. Our treasury of 2.12 million ducats has shrunk to just 723k ducats, so I was forced to stop the increasingly costly subsidiaries to France.
The 31st of September, 1924
Yugoslavian Pan-Nationalists have rebelled again this month, another assurance that life is going on as normal in Croatia.
The 31st of October, 1924
For the first time in quite a while, a
real rebellion has taken place. Jacobins have taken arms in many provinces, although even now they are very little of a thread.
The 31st of January, 1925
Finally, the last rebels have been put down and Iron Steamers have been invented. Now, I just have to hope that something better than the simple 2km/h speed increase arises from this.
A Modern Divisional Structure is being researched next.
The 28th of February, 1925
This month I got bored, so I declared war on Siam for Udon Thani. An Empire has to grow, doesn’t it?
(Authors Comment: I’m not sure what went on in Asia. So far I’ve seen a proletarian dictatorship in Atjeh, a democracy in Johore and a bourgeois dictatorship in Siam. Also, while I never actually looked at Burma’s page in-game, comparing to the screenshots I have and the flagfiles for BUR, a democracy in Burma.
)
Meanwhile, Switzerland has declared war on Austria-Hungary for the unpronounceable region of Karnten-Steiermark, and Burma has jumped on the opportunity and declared war on Siam for Luang Prabang.
The 31st of March, 1925
While our forces crush a new Communist rebellion in the Croatian homeland, the army in Johore has moved across the border into Siam, while other forces are ferried across from Atjeh.
Meanwhile, our fleet sinks the Siam one.
The 31st of May, 1925
Our forces have settled into sieging all but three provinces of Siam, which are the ones already taken by Burma.
The 31st of June, 1925
The first provinces of Siam fell to Croatian sieges this month, Alor Setar captured by our brigade in the area.
The 31st of July, 1925
All of Burma south of its capital has fallen to Croatia, and the rest of the nation will soon become ours. Also, our athletes did well at the Olympics again.
The 31st of September, 1925
I decided to expand on my war, and demand Luang Prabang from Siam. More land for our glorious new empire.
The 31st of October, 1925
Siam has fallen, and conceded defeat - ceding all our demands over to Croatia.
A map of Croatia’s Asian holdings.
The 31st of December, 1925
First thing first, I ordered the construction of railroads in all of the newly conquered provinces. Second, I commissioned a new brigade of guards in Pola.
The new year is looking bright.