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unmerged(88716)

Captain
4 Badges
Dec 10, 2007
354
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  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • Divine Wind
  • Hearts of Iron III Collection
  • Heir to the Throne
Hello warriors :)
I've never really finished any game as it gets boring after you get to be strongest and largest around the block. Hope I do it here.

I choose Lorraine, difficulty very hard, no lucky nations.

It looks like it's going to be challenging and hopefully not so very hard.

113991lorrainestart.jpg


Lorraine has a big disadvantage as it's landlocked at the start and so close to France and Burgundy. And of course having 0,5 morale less than others.

The advantage is being a HRE member so I count on the emperors help when I get attacked. And the level2 fort on capital...

The strategy - well - attack as much as I can, gain as much COTs as soon as possible and get stronger than France in 40-50 years. Hopefully by eating chunks of France in that process. Then the western European powers. And the world tour...

As the first years are most interesting for me I will put some more details into it and cut the details as I go stronger and bigger. I hope you enjoy it and it doesn't drain your bandwidth...

I'll show you some progress here.
map1495.gif



1. First conquests 1399.-1402.
2. Going down on Italy... 1409.-1418.
3. Going down on Italy... 1409.-1418. continued
4. Expansion Pack Vol. 1: 1419.-1428. Burgundy and Aragon
5. First taste of France 1928.-1931.
6. Expansion Pack Vol. 2: 1432.-1443. Aragon and Portugal
7. A new trip to France and a lot of mess: 1444.-1447.
8. First European tour 1448.-1459. - France, Spain, Austria, Norway, Denmark, England
9. Trying to stay a good boy - 1462.-1468.
10. I'm BAD 1469.-1477.
11. Wars on Muslim states 1478.-1490.
12. Discovering America, wars go on... 1490.-1495.

13. Further expansions to the east 1496.-1500.
 
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First conquests

FIRST CONQUESTS

I can't attack any HRE members at the start so I have to look somewhere else for expansion.

My firs goal is to get some coastal provinces and Brittany is pretty obvious client for that. With overseas allies in Ireland and relatively small - I hope to get 3 of their provinces soon.

As I've played a lot, I know how it usually starts - a lot of wars all around.

Burgundy usually goes after Hainaut, Castille goes after Granada, England bites a pieces of Ireland and so on...

Naples will attack Urbino (Ancona) which is not part of HRE and is allied with Ferrara which is a nice foothold into university rich Italy. And after Brittany I plan to eat as much of Italian university provinces to boost gov. tech research.

So from the very start I warn Naples to get casus belli on them. And ally with Lorraine to get casus belli on them when they refuse to go to war against Naples :D Don't want the -3 stab hit for attacking Brittany.

I get the passage through France, Switzerland and Milano, and my first 5 diplomats are well spent.

I refuse some alliance requests, the ones I'm about to conquer soon. But i accept it from Brabant and England.

1c1400y02newking.jpg

I get a lousy new king with 1/0/2/0 skils. He can run, I give him that :rolleyes:


Naples attacks Urbino. I respectfully refuse Urbino's call to arms and Declare war on Naples. As expected - Brittany refuses that war and they give me the CB.

I build some cavaly and visit Brittany's coast

1c1400y5franceloraine1.jpg

The ping-pong war makes me chase their army around while France sees the opportunity and declares war on Brittany. They come to Armor before I get there and I see the war doesn't go as planned. I let France to beat the rest of Brittany's army and occupy their capital.

1c1401y6brittanyvictory.jpg


After France gets Armor, I take 2 provinces.

Unfortunately - while I was busy with Brittany I didn't get to wage any battles with Naples. Thay have taken Urbino what was expected and when I finaly got there the peace deal was made for the lack of battles :mad:
First time it happened to me :D

1c1402y7losereputation.jpg

I loose 3x1 reputation by making some royal marriages in missions. I don't mind that for now - if I get into succession war, I get some army tradition, and I let pretender rebels do the job. That way I get their rebel armies for nothing when they win and I can go on with a new war...

When I get stronger I usually turn to noble republic.

114048lorraine1404.jpg

For some years I lay peacefully as there are no nice wars around. France beats Burgundy but only take 1 province. I have a nice army advisor gaining 0,8 each year.
 
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Going down on Italy 1409.-1418.

Going down on Italy 1409.-1418.

2c1409y01warburgundy.jpg


In 1408. Scotland attacks my ally England. I join in hoping to take some provinces from Burgundy, Scotland's ally. Scorching the land of my core provinces and attacking from France and surrounding states gives me some small victories but Burgundy's 2:1 advantage in army numbers soon show. My 2 core provinces are occupied while I'm reducing their armies.


2c1409y02cwarmilan.jpg


This smells bad; I take 2 loans to get some mercenaries and bridge the income gap. Fortunately England and Scotland sign a peace treaty just in time to help Genova which was attacked by Savoye. Almost right after Naples attacks the Papal state. Naples was warned so I join the war.

After a while Milan attacks Papal state too so I join the third war.
Waiting a bit, of course, to see that Milan's allies Burgundy, Hungary and Bohemia stay out of war with Pope.

Now I'm a leader in 3 coalitions and it starts to be interesting.


2c1409y03savoygenova.jpg


First victim is, of course Savoy - the smallest of them all. Milan can't go to Savoy while I'm fighting it so in 1410. victory is mine and I get two Savoy provinces.


2c1410y01milannaples.jpg


Aquileia has taken 2 Milan's provinces while they were occupied with Venice and Genova. Papal state sieging Siena, me in Pisa and fighting the Naples down there.


2c1411y01papafreespisa.jpg


Unfortunately Papal state makes Peace with Milan after sieging Siena and the deal is to set Pisa free. :(
I lay siege on Siena now. Papal stae makes white peace with Naples- OK, I have a safe harbour in Popes yard now.


2c1411y02cdefendingcoas.jpg


In the meantime Naples and Milan are sending smaller units to my french coast so I have to keep some units there too. Fortunately they make beachheads without generals so I can deal with them relatively easy.


2c1411y03newgeneral.jpg


They land there all the time and my army tradition gets over 30. I take a general and it is a decent one 2/4/0/0.


2c1411y04defendfromnapl.jpg


France has taken Brittany :( But they don't care about me so far. I have another royal marriage with them. More fighting on french coast...


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I lose some battles in Nice, but I get back for more. Milan has taken Military drill so It's even more difficult to beat them :(


2c1411y07somebattleswon.jpg


2c1411y0runningfromnapl.jpg


Keeping Naples on guard down there, I get my ass kicked in Apulia and run back to Pope for some holy water.


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Beginning of 1412. OK, Nice is Milan-free for now. But they keep coming. Which is good, their main army just gets smaller as they waste small armies in Nice and french coast.


2c1412y03newkingrene2.jpg


I have a new king, finally a good one for some asskicking.


2c1412y04morevictory.jpg


More victories against Naples marines. Wasted :D


2c1412y05morechasing.jpg


Milan tries to land at Siena, but they miscalculate the odds :D Naples is at Nice again... Baad AI, very bad.


2c1412y06firstidea.jpg


September 1412. - finaly the first national idea. Military drill it is. Just have to make the morale gap smaller.

2c1412y07goingtomilan.jpg


Finaly, with my morale boosted, I go to Milan to see how good I am. Well, Milan has a 6 star general who shocks pretty well.


2c1412y08withrebelshelp.jpg


The battle goes on im Mantua while I destroy Milan/Naples forces in Finistere. The rebels in Morbihan help a lot. I beat the enemy, they retreat to Morbihan, rebels beat them, they get back to me to be destroyed. Thanks :D


2c1412y09rebelsandmilan.jpg

Milan gives me trouble in Mantua-Parma ping-pong chasing. They just don't die as quickly as they should. I can't blaim them.


2c1412y11coastvsmilanan.jpg


Naples is on my coast again. They're very welcome.


2c1412y09rebelsandmilan.jpg

More fighting in Parma...
 
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Going down on Italy... :) Continued

Going down on Italy... Continued

2c1413y02cmilan.jpg


And more... they have a steady flow of new men. Rebels are siezing Siena :(


2c1413y03milanlost.jpg


So I lose and pull out for a while. His shwartz iz bigger than mine :(


2c1413y04coastnaples.jpg


Rebels are helping me again to fight the Naple's marines..


2c1413y05coastnaples2.jpg


They get back and they are no more...


2c1413y06milan.jpg


October 1413. With my forces rebuilt and manpower drained (425 :)) I go to Milan again. Where is their general? Caught in a sex scandal? Who cares!


2c1414y02milangoingwell.jpg


Early 1414. It's going well, they got Siena back but I'm firm on their mainland. More Naples units in Nice...


2c1414y03milanprogress.jpg


State of war. Looks good for me. Most of the score is from battles, and the rest from peace with Papal state I guess... The war is 6 years long now.


2c1414y04rebelshelpnice.jpg


Nice looks good.. For rebels :D Lombardia about to fall. And more fun on french coast...


2c1414y06milanfalling.jpg


Milan is almost dead, It won't be long now.


2c1415y02cloosesome.jpg


1415. Naples decides it's best to move their main army to french coast. OK.


2c1415y02closemore.jpg


Naples beats me again. OK.


2c1415y04gain3provinces.jpg


In the mean time Milan is finito. I got three Milan's provinces in a peace deal. Not bad. University in Parma. Moving down to siege Naples's provinces.


2c1416y03napleslose.jpg


Now with my reinforced cavalry and best general I finally beat Naples main army in 1416.


2c1416y04naplesgone.jpg


Gone for good


2c1416y06waronpope.jpg


What now??? Genoa and Papal state attack Corsica? Austria and Venice stay out. I'm in


2c1416y07loossome.jpg


I lay siege on Rome and Liguria. Golden horde is kind enough to declare war on Genoa and soon take their only province left on Black sea coast. Thanks a lot


2c1417y01victorynaples.jpg


I got three provinces from Naples.


2c1417y02cpopevasalized.jpg


Papal state is heaven...


2c1417y04popevasal.jpg


Got some money from Pope and made him my vassal. Now I have to be a good master for a while to avoid excommunication.


2c1417y07annexgenova.jpg


Genoa is beaten and after some hard thoughts annexed. My badboy is 12.30 and 15 is my current limit. English call me to some war which I refuse and my prestige is down 25 points.


2c1417y09elector.jpg


Still I get to be elector


2c1418y01castilleallian.jpg


And it looks I have impressed Castille. I do.


2c1418y01military.jpg


Military stats AD 1418. Ranked by manpower as I still don't get in first page by army numbers. But I think it looks good.


2c1418y04newgeneral.jpg


I have fought well and with 84 army tradition I get a great general. And 67 is a nice reserve if this one dies too soon...


2c1418y06revolting.jpg


Revolts are going to be a real pain in the ass..


2c1418y07allies.jpg


The situation.


2c1418y0augustroyalfran.jpg


I want to have another wife from France. They like that too...

I'm pleased with my progress so far.
Amazingly in last 20 years Burgundy has proclaimed guaranties for me twice (why twice??? because of that short war??) They've been a very nice neighbor, but I think I won't be as good to them.
Burgundy is my next target. I want to conquer Franche Comte to join with Savoye and I hope to get their COT.
 
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@ Hitmanalex
Thanks. The picture is wrong but the message stands. I don't take alies from HRE which I want to atack later, I give them warnings. With strong Bohemia as emperor at the start I don't want to mess with them.

@ blsteen

They couldn't fight me in my landlocked cores and I stayed in France to lure them in :rolleyes:

@ spock2
Thanks, more update coming now. I'll check Bohemian rapsody :)
 
Expansion pack Vol. 1

Expansion pack Vol. 1


3c1419y02cstats.jpg


August 1419. My stats are pretty good for now. I have 1 great and one good general. Inflation is high 9% but my income is fine. A new king, Charles II is here.


3c1419y01burgundychance.jpg


It's November 1419., Burgundy's army (17 units - 5000 strong) seems to had some troubles with rebels and I think it's the right time to attack them before they recover. For some unknown reason I don't get -3 stab hit as I seem to have a CB on them, but I don't know why. And it's not marked on top of the screen... They are allied with Venice, Savoye and Scotland. My main cavalry is in my capital and smaller force is in Savoie. Their weak army goes to Lothringen - their reinforcements will come slow there. So my armies go to Franche Comte to kill their strong infantry first.


3c1419y03cburgwon.jpg


Their cavalry is beaten once at Franche Comte and it retreats to my capital to join with their sieging forces. Savoie cavalry is a bit late...


3c1420y01burgloses.jpg


January 1420. My cavalry joined goes to Lothringen and drives them out, back to Franche Comte. I went scouting north with one unit but I retreat back to Barrois...


3c1420y02cburglostmain.jpg


Well - that was too easy - their main army is gone. Savoye is under siege.


3c1420y03csavoyvasalize.jpg


Savoye is conquered, I vassalize them. Scotland sieges Rome.


3c1420y07losevenicewarm.jpg


November 1420. I lose a battle from Venice but the sieging of Burgundy is going well. I swept the north and they have no more soldiers. I siege provinces with 1000 soldiers and it takes time.
Some rebel problems in Verona can wait...
Milan was warned so when they and Urbino attack Pisa I join in to defend... Naples is with me.


3c1420y06venicestabup1.jpg


War goes well, Scotland is gone from Rome, I get +1 stability for being a saint.


3c1420y10clashmilandela.jpg


Hungary wants me, I accept. They may come in handy against Austria if needed. I forget Venice for a while, if they want to fight rebels in Verona - fine with me. Milan goes to Mantua and I have to retreat. Milan sieges Pisa, I hope they are doing well...


3c1421y01clashmilan.jpg


Early 1421. My forces coming from north as I win a battle in Milan.


3c1421y02cmilangone.jpg


My cavalry is here and their infantry is gone. Urbino sieges Ancona but they're weak. Verona ans Savoie are about to fall to rebels. Naples is on my side moving north, sieging Siena, soon to siege Romagna.


3c1421y03ccancelmission.jpg


I cancel the mission in hope to get a royal mariage mission. I get it. Vlaandern about to fall and that will be the end of Burgundian war. I am also at war with Morrocco, on a crusade with Spain and it helps a bit. I can't get there but occasionaly they or Algeris land to my french coast so I'm also busy there.


3c1421y04burgundyvictor.jpg


With Burgundy beaten I take 2 provinces north with a CoT and Franche Comte to link with Savoie. France is at war with England again, so I'm safe for now.


3c1421y05wararagon.jpg


Still in war with Milan, Aragon gives me a good excuse to beat them too. Aragon was warned because I need a foothold there to contain Castille and Portugal later on. I have no coastal cores, no navies, so I have to stop them from colonization if I can. From the start i have access through France and I hope to keep that privilege. Aragon's allies stay out and, of course I'm in command of that war too.

Scotland preferes to fight England which is losing to France, as expected.

I enter a royal marriage with Castille to be a bit safer from them once I get some Aragon provinces.


3c1421y07pisaannexsiege.jpg


October 1421. Milan has annexed Pisa, now I attack them there. Their forces destroyed in the north, while Naples sieges Urbino and Siena.


3c1422y02cpisavasal.jpg


Early 1422. brings victory over Urbino, and as alliance leader I vassalize them. This doesn't make sense because Naples conquered them, but I don't mind. Aragon doing well with Sardinia but they stay out of my coastal provinces for now.

1422-03-milan-victory.jpg

Milan is defeated and I take 2 provinces. Naples gets nothing...


3c1422y05badboyreform.jpg


My badboy is extremely high so I change to despotic monarchy to raise the limit to 27. I need some space to get some Aragon's provinces and for further conquests. I can live with -1 stability hit.


3c1422y06royalferrara.jpg


With my BB reputation better I finaly get to meet a woman from Ferrara. She's cute but I like the one from Palatinate too. Bigamy improves reputation...


3c1423y01aragonlose1.jpg


I send my first army to Aragon while the rest are cleaning up the rebels. I lose twice so I get back to France for a while...


3c1423y02close1rep.jpg


I lose some more reputation and get a new mission. I will keep that mission for a while as +2 stability is a nice reward.


3c1423y03cnewking.jpg


I get a new king. Not a great warrior. Have to get into another RM with Castille.


3c1424y04aragonforreal2.jpg


After dealing with rebels in spring of 1424. I finally gather a decent numbers to crush Aragon's main army. I chase them around for a few months until they drop dead.


3c1425y02caragonvictory.jpg


In August 1425. Aragon is finally defeated. I can't get their island provinces and none of my allies are still at war. Aragon and his irish vassal are sieging Nice, but too late.. I take 4 provinces. Nothing happened a while as I'm usually sieging with 1 regiment and leaving it there until a garrison gets larger, so it takes time to get all provinces.

3c1425y04situation.jpg


With 2 CoT's and new conquests my income is great. Inflation is also ranked no. 1.
Manpower is larger than Castille's, but still falling back in Army numbers. BB is OK.


3c1426y01francerelation.jpg


Now France, finally out of war with England, thinks I might be a nice victim. They insult, I give 2 military accesses which they cancel. My great general has deceased so I take 2 new ones scared of the attack. One is great, the other... not. At the end of year I enter a royal marriage with France and I feel safer for now.


3c1427y01gain3cinflatio.jpg


Given the choice of -2 stabhit and +3 inflation, I take inflation as the provinces are rebelious enough.


3c1428y01francedowburgu.jpg


In January of 1428. France sends us another insult. I have a strong cavalry in my capital and small cavalry around to scorch the land in case of invasion. A month later France declares war on Burgundy - they have a CB on them. I have no CB on Burgundy, but I decide to declare war on them too because I'd hate to see France growing bigger and Burgundy is so weak. I get -3 stab drop.


3c1428y02cwarburgundy3s.jpg


My cavalry was quicker to get into Burgundy, France helps me siege Bourgogne, but they got to Cambray first.


3c1428y03cvictoryburgun.jpg


France takes Cambray. I take two provinces in the north.


3c1428y04warwithfrance.jpg


Finaly - having taken two Burgundian provinces on which France has a core on - they declare war on me. Cleves as the emperor sucks, with their 2 regiments. We have 50k they have 80k. But Fance has been at war with England a long time and it shows on their war exhaustion.

Hey ho let's go....
 
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Looks like a crazy fun game! *Subscribes*

Bigamy improves reputation...
:rofl:
 
France vs Lorraine. All too often I see the war ending the wrong way...
 
Look at my AAR and France in there:)

I sopose u would like to have that France:)

you are doing wery well, my France is just as I like it - a good opponent

a couple of suggestions for your AAR

use JPEG instead of PNG pictures, quality 40-50%, they make smaller file sizes

don't DoW with -3 stabhit. better turn protestant and take Uuam sanctum NI. than your progress will be much faster, the'y even declare wars on you... fun
 
A taste of France

A taste of France

Now France...

5c1428y02firstlosses.jpg


I scorched Artois and pull back to Vlaanderen but the French don't wait there - they charge and siege the province. I try to get back there to defeat their demoralized armies, but antoher large stack approaches so I ran away. I manage to scorch Antwerpen and run again to Brabant to get south.


5c1428y04winninghere.jpg


While I lose north I have a good general in Lothringen so their infantry stack is easily defeated. I keep chasing them back to France. One of their large armies goes from Vlaanderen to Valenciennes, I'm trying to get there from Brabant first and destroy their small siege there.


5c1428y05cwinninghere2.jpg


Destroying their armies goes well. They siege my provinces in south with their vassals.


5c1428y07goeson.jpg


The chase in France goes on while I fight with their second army which came back from Vlaanderen.


5c1428y08armydestroyed.jpg


Destruction continues... HRE emperor Cleves lays a first siege while I fight.


5c1429y02helpingvalenci.jpg


It's early 1929. and I'm starting to chase them away in south. HRE emperor Cleves lays a first siege while I fight.


5c1429y03lostvlaanderen.jpg


Finaly a big victory in Valenciennes. They have taken Vlaanderen and siege scorched Antwerpen... I can handle with some lost provinces as long as I keep destroying their forces.


5c1429y05cbigarmieswast.jpg


Their 20K stack is decimated. I'll try to liberate Vlaanderen as my WE is raising due to the occupied provinces.


5c1429y06.jpg


Their armies are wasted thanks to my great general. He'll get a monument somewhere.


5c1429y08map.jpg


Although I've lost 4+1 province the war is going well


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Vlaanderen is retaken and their 20K stack almost gone. A big blow!


5c1429y11southernfront.jpg


Southern front looks better - Provence's armies are defeated and I rush south to Aragon.


5c1429y12vlaanderenfree.jpg


More fighting in France while they finally charge on Antwerpen. But they are worn out with attrition there.


5c1429y13julyveniceengl.jpg


Agressive playing always makes you a lot of enemies just waiting to get some revenge. Big wars also make great opportunitie to join and take a bite of a half beaten party.

July of 1429. brings me another war. Venice declares war on me, England and Naples join. I'm lucky that Austria stays out - their 20K army would be a terrible blow to me at this point.


5c1429y14stats.jpg


The progress says I'm winning war with France; their armies are more than halved from start, but I still haven't taken any of their provinces and they've got 3 of mine occupied.


5c1429y15csiegingfrance.jpg


August 1429. The English Have taken Vlaanderen and rebels are sieging Valenciens. But I'm sieging eastern France with small units and English are not allowed into France :D


5c1429y16southernfront.jpg


Roussillon is liberated and I chase Foix armies back to Bearn.


5c1429y18franceincleves.jpg


After taking Antwerpen, remains of French armies go to siege Cleves but I destroy them there. Finally I conquered some french provinces. 2 rebels stacks take Valenciennes. The English are going from Vlaanderen through Brabant and Luxemburg to my capital. I will chase them...


5c1430y01beatenenglishr.jpg


I got them in Lothringen.


5c1430y02wasted.jpg


And destroyed them in Barrois. I don't know if I'm happy or sad with this stupid AI which goes to enemy teritory without a decent general...


5c1430y04stats.jpg


The stats again. French are pretty tired. My manpower is getting down to 10 K.


5c1430y05ccleaning.jpg


The cleaning of french armies goes on towards south. My sieges are going well.


5c1430y06peacewithnaple.jpg


I left Naples to do what they want in Italy - they destroyed Papal army and went to Urbino with one big stack leaving the provinces I took from them without siege. English siege Rome. Finaly when I get there and counterattack with Urbino Naples offers me a peace deal. I'm happy to take it as I can't spare a lot of armies on italian front and Venice is sieging Verona...


5c1430y07southernfront.jpg


Verona is occupied, I'm trying to take it back to get down WE.


5c1430y08southernfront.jpg


At the end of 1430. I managed to bring some cavalry from France which poses no threat at this point. Venetians are destroyed and Venice is sieged by peasants.


5c1431y0situation.jpg


Situation says the France is almost dead, but my WE goes to 9. Manpower reserves are 1000....


5c1431y01peacevenice.jpg


Venice sees the war goes wrong and as alliance leaders they offer me a white peace. I take it. Now England sees the powerless France and DoW on them as they didn't get any of my provinces.


5c1431y02warsonfrance.jpg


The fun goes on - Holland wants a piece of France and Portugal wants some too.


5c1431y03warsonfrance.jpg


Aragon wants a piece for themselves, and Algeris and their allies also joined in few months ago... My sieges go on while English take west.


5c1431y04peacefrance.jpg


Finally in September 1431. I am fed up with this war - I take 4 southern provinces to link up with Aragon as I plan to expand more towards Castille and Portugal. I must have a free passage there and I doubt the France would give me access after this war. Cleves gets a pleasure of cooperating with me. They made no war effort except sieging but I thank them for that. My two provinces on west coast of France will stay isolated until the next war. I have to leave some troops there to fight the rebels but as I've taken them 30 years ago they are mostly peaceful now.

I say I'm doing fine for a Lorrainian...
 
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