A History of the World According to Paradox: A Hands-Off AAR, Part Two

Nivenus

Corporal

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Jan 4, 2013

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #441

WolfSnakeCaffer said:

well your wish will probably be granted, as that is America in 8/10 games.

Click to expand...

I wonder why that is. In theory the game should more commonly replicate the power distribution that occurred in real-life history, although perhaps expecting one country to dominate 2/3 of the continents does seem undesirable from a balance POV. But at the very least, one would think that it would be difficult for Mediterranean powers like Etruria in this timeline to maintain a steady hold on their colonies, since they're vulnerable to a blockade of the Strait of Gibraltar. The only powers that should conceivably do well are those that directly border the Atlantic. Well, and maybe Russia or an unusually aggressive China, Korea, or Japan from the opposite side.

 

Last edited: Mar 12, 2013

WolfSnakeCaffer

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Jul 25, 2012

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #442

I would be more surprised to see Etruria not in the new world, then in the new world 100 years from now. Its a game, so maybe they tried for realism, but in the end North America always looks really ugly.

 

M

magritte2

Passive Surrealist

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May 22, 2007

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #443

Nivenus said:

I wonder why that is. In theory the game should more commonly replicate the power distribution that occurred in real-life history, although perhaps expecting one county to dominate 2/3 of the continents does seem undesirable from a balance POV. But at the very least, one would think that it would be difficult for Mediterranean powers like Etruria in this timeline to maintain a steady hold on their colonies, since they're vulnerable to a blockade of the Strait of Gibraltar. The only powers that should conceivably do well are those that directly border the Atlantic. Well, and maybe Russia or an unusually aggressive China, Korea, or Japan from the opposite side.

Click to expand...

It's worth remembering that more countries tried to have colonies in the Americas actually wound up with them. And though I agree with you that the Mediterranean powers do tend to colonize too readily in EU3, in the specific case of Etruria and Austria in this game, I don't think it's that unlikely. Keep in mind that Gibraltar itself is controlled by the Papal State which is a neutral entity, Austria has a very strong alliance with Navarra, and Etruria is stronger than any Mediterranean power except the Ottomans in OTL, and has a foothold in the south of Spain. Also, Denmark--which is really the only power well-positioned to impose a Gibraltar blockade--hasn't been all that interested in colonizing thus far and isn't especially hostile to Etruria or Austria.

 

Lord Curlyton

General

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #444

Yes, I think that the relative peacefulness of the Danes in relation to Etruria and Navarre is the biggest surprise. Usually powerful neighbors love to tear each other apart, though maybe once they all get Colonialism CB on each other and/or Imperialism CB that will happen.

 

marshon

Loremaster of quotes

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Feb 18, 2013

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #445

danes Is to my understanding more powerful then Navarra, well maybe not now when austria is PU with them

 

WolfSnakeCaffer

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Jul 25, 2012

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #446

Which is why everyone is suprised Denmark didn't try to expand their Spanish holdings.

 

Lord Curlyton

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #447

IIRC Basque is a separate culture group from the Iberian ones so sadly there won't be any Nationalism CB gained by Navarre at Gov 30. And Austria better damn well not inherit *grumble grumble*

 

JoshtheHawk

Rikskansler

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Jan 30, 2013

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• Mar 12, 2013

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• #448

Freedom for the basque!

 

Seelmeister

Rampant Lion

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• Mar 13, 2013

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• #449

The colonial race looks intriguing, plenty of scope for conlict out there with so many neighbours in on the act. Was particularly satisfied to see Etruria and Bohemia getting invovled - given their geographic locations it makes perfect sense.

 

marshon

Loremaster of quotes

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Feb 18, 2013

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• Mar 13, 2013

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• #450

love the fact that norway got "vinland"

 

M

magritte2

Passive Surrealist

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May 22, 2007

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• Mar 14, 2013

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• #451

SOUTHEAST ASIA, 1576-1607

Hostility between the Sultanates of the Malay Peninsula and East Indies and the Buddhist realms of Indochina continued through the late 16th century. Sultan Gadzibadi Saktirai of Aceh had succeeded in bringing down the formerly powerful state of Ayutthaya, and in 1576, decided it was the Khmer’s turn to submit to the will of Allah. He was joined in this Jihad by all his Muslim neighbors in Southeast Asia. But while the Khmer were able to call on his neighbors Lan Na and Shan for help, the other Buddhist powers in the region ignored his plight.

Even so, the Khmer Kingdom might have survived were it not for the revolt of the Laotian people of the Mekong Valley. The Laotians rallied behind the banner of Sisavang Vong Panh and took advantage of the invasion to declare the Kingdom of Luang Prabang a year after the war began. The Khmer were thus deprived of the rice paddies of the Mekong Valley to supply food and hopelessly outnumbered in the Battle of Udong. The crushing defeat at Udong spelled the end of Khmer independence, as they were annexed in 1578.

Southeast Asia in 1581:

Rather than rallying against the aggressors from the South, the Buddhist nations in the region initially chose to fight amongst themselves. The newly created state of Luang Prabang was unable to find allies to protect it from the Northern Buddhist Alliance of Lan Xang, Dai Viet and Taungu and were forced to cede the northern half of their nation to Lan Xang in 1581.

But after Aceh swallowed its former vassal Brunei, Taninganwe II Khin-Nyuht of Taungu was alarmed by the growing power of the Sultanate. With Taungu and its allies on the attack, things might have gone badly for the Atjehans…except that Taungu was drawn into a disastrous war to try and save Deva Bengal from being swallowed by Bihar the following year. Caught between the Muslims and the Hindus, Taninganwe quickly ended its hostilities with the Muslims. But though they succeeded in preserving Deva Bengal’s independence, both nations were forced to pay reparations to the Biharis in 1587. With a mind to weakening the states on its eastern boundary, Bihar also compelled Taninganwe to spin off the tiny states of Bengal and Pegu.

Encouraged by the success of his allies in Aceh, Sultan Abd ar-Rahman Shah III of Malacca made his own bold move in 1588. Deciding that the combined fleets of Aceh and Malacca could handle the powerful Vijayanagari navy, he decided to attack their Malayan outpost in Perak. The gamble paid off and not only were they able to take possession of Perak, but Vijayanagar also released a small Hindu statelet called Gujarat.

Vijayanagar’s difficulties in the region continued when the ever-rebellious Balinese proclaimed themselves independent again and began swallowing the neighboring state of Majapahit. Vijayanagar was unable to reassert itself on the islands, but Malacca managed to regain a foothold on the island of Java in 1596.

Though the Muslims were triumphant on the battlefield in the closing years of the 16th century, the Atjehans faced tremendous resistance in their Buddhist territories. The passive resistance of the Buddhist monks to their attempts to promulgate Islam throughout their realm stirred revolts in the former territories of Khmer in 1587 and again in 1596, which had to be ruthlessly suppressed. A similar rebellion briefly recreated the state of Pattani, but it was crushed and annexed by Malacca in 1592.

By 1600, the Sultanates seemed clearly ascendant and the Buddhist states to the north were crumbling, as they were beaten in a second war with Bihar to the west. Though the alliance between Dai Viet, Lan Na, and Taungu still held, a revolution had begun against the despotic rule of King Narawara of Taungu and the peasants of Dai Viet were revolting against their oppression.

Southeast Asia in 1600:

Eager to continue pressing his advantage Sultan Gadzalbadi II of Aceh attacked Lan Na in 1601. But desperation had driven King Narawara to seek strong allies from farther afield. The Sultan had heard of his entreaties with the Manchu, but had considered them too far away to be of consequence. What he had not anticipated was that the Manchu would bring East Asia’s sleeping giant into play. Ming had never shown an interest in the South before, nor indeed an interest in much of anything beyond its borders. But Emperor Tianqi Shang took a dramatic change of course with predecessors and entered the war on the Buddhist side, perhaps fearing the rise of a powerful Muslim kingdom on his southern border with a messianic zeal to spread its faith.

Aceh and Malacca were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers that Tianqi was able to bring into the field. Within two years, not only had the Atjehans conceded defeat to Lan Na, they were forced to let the Khmer from their dominion as well. The destruction of its army led to a new round of revolts. Rebels in Brunei declared independence once again in 1604, Ayutthaya followed suit the following year, while Mon patriots seized control of other provinces and declared their allegiance to Pegu. By the fall of 1607, Aceh had lost all its possessions on the mainland.

Malacca did not lose nearly as many troops in the war with Ming as Aceh had, however. It was still able to subjugate Bali in 1607, so that the islands (well, the civilized ones) were firmly under Muslim control, even if the mainland had been largely lost. Even so, though their rule was brief, the religious zeal of Aceh had ensured that Islam had a strong presence in Indochina…virtually guaranteeing decades of turmoil to come.

Southeast Asia in 1609:

Religion in Southeast Asia, 1609:

 

WolfSnakeCaffer

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• Mar 14, 2013

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• #452

well that was short lived

 

SirkTheMonkey

Field Marshal

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Feb 10, 2012

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• Mar 14, 2013

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• #453

An interesting turnaround between the start and the end of the period. I wonder if Ming will keep flexing its muscles in that region or if the intervention was a one-off.

 

WolfSnakeCaffer

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Jul 25, 2012

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• Mar 14, 2013

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• #454

Ming hasn't been that aggressive compared to what they normally are like.

 

JoshtheHawk

Rikskansler

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Jan 30, 2013

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• Mar 14, 2013

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• #455

Freedom for the Khmer!!!

 

Mathrafalovich

Major

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Sep 21, 2012

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• Mar 14, 2013

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• #456

Well Islam may at least survive in Malaysia. Unless Vijayanagar gets starts intervening again.

 

Lord Curlyton

General

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• Mar 15, 2013

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• #457

Ming was only drawn in via alliance chain. Until they become Manchu via event they are pretty much f*cked in terms of being able to do anything. When playing as Ming that's basically the only way you can expand for a 100-150 years until you can finally balance the bloody Imperial factions out to finally be functional. If Vijay had problems holding on to what they had seized earlier its unlikely they will be able to keep what they took. Personally, I'm rooting for a collapse by them as it makes India more interesting.

 

Nivenus

Corporal

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Jan 4, 2013

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• Mar 15, 2013

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• #458

I'm hoping Islam sticks it out in SE Asia - it's been wiped out pretty much everywhere else.

What's the purple religion BTW? Mahayana Buddhism? Confucianism? Taoism? Amalgamated Chinese religion?

 

I8Strudel

First Lieutenant

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Jun 29, 2011

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• Mar 15, 2013

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• #459

Nivenus said:

What's the purple religion BTW? Mahayana Buddhism? Confucianism? Taoism? Amalgamated Chinese religion?

Click to expand...

Confucianism, yes. Though since only Ming, Manchu, & Korea have it it's essentially just "China religion" as far as the game's concerned.

Also, I'm hoping that we'll see some dominant Buddhist nations rise again before Europe comes knocking. Buddhism always does terrible in my games so it's nice to see some orange in Asia again.

 

Lord Curlyton

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• Mar 15, 2013

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• #460

I don't know how it happened, but in my latest Spain game when Ming got annexed by Manchu per the event, Manchu became Buddhist, perhaps due to low stability and likely rebels all over the place. So Confucianism was wiped out in that game almost completely by the end.