Appendix #2: Twice as useless as appendix #1?
Let's begin by looking at the global economy!
First, we have the second largest income in the world. However, I direct your attention to the
massive amount of cash Oman is hoarding. I'm quite certain that, were this game to jump straight to HOI3, they would spend everything on nuclear weapons and win the game on the first turn. A very crafty plan, Oman. We'll break down the income more in a bit. Note Spain's massive inflation -- Philip V was no wiser in this game, it would seem. Of course, Spain could be Kilwa instead... I finished 7th in the world in total manpower, BTW -- between Vijayanagar and the Hansa. Russia was first. I had 79 total techs... oddly enough, behind both New Japan and Alaska, who had 83 and 82 respectively. I was still the most advanced formerly Chinese tech country by far. But you want to know my score, don't you?
Then that is what you shall have!
We're #8! We're #8! I actually have the highest Dip rating in the world. I am quite pleased, all things considered. But who is our winner, the only person to guess that I would come in eighth? Keep reading, my friends.
Feast your eyes on one of the most dominant religions in the world:
That's mighty fine converting, if I do say so myself. Of course, persuasion helps with that, and the best persuasion is persuasion with guns. Lots and lots of guns.
6th in the world is not too shabby. I have no idea why the Hansa is armed to the teeth, with almost double its force limit. Actually, a few nations are over their forcelimit, but none to the degree of the Hansa. I was #5 in global artillery -- behind Bohemia, Russia, the Hansa, and the Ottomans -- so I did learn my lesson. Now, navies, on the other hand...
Imagine how large my navy would be if I didn't recklessly and repeatedly sink it? 96 more ships than #2. Essentially -- Great Britain + Oman < Japan. That's the kind of math you can sink your teeth into. If ships had teeth. Well, sometimes the figureheads do. I was #1 in Heavy Ships and Transports. #2 in Light Ships (GB had four more than I did) and Galleys (Denmark had 11 more).
Back to armies for a moment, these were what I had at the end of the game:
All well armed, except the Surabaya garrison, which I'm pretty sure I inherited from an annexed vassal.
The next few charts cover income distribution. I think there's some neat stuff here, so let's take a look! First, taxation:
Russia has the most tax income in the world. I dare say no one is surprised. I'm pleased Japan is 4th, and slightly surprised the Ottomans have less than I do. Note the absence of Portugal, but the presence of a Portuguese CN, Caraibas. A shout out to Algiers, with a respectable income. Production is pretty much the same; some late game manufactories push me into 3rd place there (behind Russia and Bohemia). Zhou actually has more production than tax, which is a bit odd -- I think there's a modifier of some kind at play there. Ayutthaya is in the last position, with significantly more production than tax (15.46 to 21.45).
Here's trade:
A very clear correlation between trade and naval power, you'll recognize. The only truly land based power here is Russia. Nice going, Kilwa, by the way -- if only you didn't have such obscene inflation. A very respectable #2 for Japan! Japan is 4th in the world in gold, with Russia, Spain, and Portugal ahead of them. However, if Japan absorbed Alaska, we'd jump to second place. Way to go Alaska! Or, more properly, way to go Japan for finding the sweet gold deposits! This next (and final) income chart is my favorite: we have a new Spain in our timeline, and it isn't Spain.
Portugal earns more from her colonies than the rest of the planet
combined. If New Japan was even the least bit profitable (it's like Alaska without the gold), I'd have a better showing. We only had six colonizers in our timeline, only one of whom was wildly ahistorical -- me. I do lead the world in income from vassals. I am this timeline's Portugal when it comes to vassals. That earns me less than 2 ducats per month, so it's less impressive than it sounds.
Pie charts!
The world has a single coalition: Alsace vs. Bohemia. This is not destined to be one of the world's greatest coalitions, I have a feeling. Portugal is absolutely destroying Spain in a war.
We conclude this AAR by remarking that Japan, far from busting, is the third greatest country of
all time according to the game's rankings.
If you, dear reader, much like me played a lot of EU3, you may benefit from breaking some of the nasty habits which I'd developed.
1. Loans are your friends. Inflation need not be crippling (unless you're Kilwa).
2. Mercenaries -- although I didn't use them -- are an excellent way to supplement a low manpower country. They are not utterly useless, as I found them in EU3.
3. Do not underestimate artillery.
4. Trade is, surprisingly, easier to understand (and more profitable) in EUIV. I can only assume WON makes it more so.
5. Do not scout the Pacific with your entire fleet.
Before closing out this AAR, I would like to invite our glorious contest winner,
Sakura_F (apropos, no?), to share their vision for my next AAR. The stage is ours, my friend!