The days of easy conquest/mil expansion are over. I was Portugal in the GC. It was ugly. In 1419 Portugal finds herself at war in N. Africa with Fez and Algeria. I use tried and true military tactics to mil-annexed Fez and nearly all of Algeria (save the capitol). I increased my Muslim tolerance and stationed small garrison armies (6,000) in each province to fend off any revolts. Got my first naval explorer and was busy around the coast of S. America when things began to turn badly.
Tunis DoW and all the N. African nations join the fray. One 50,000 army marches up from Morocco, a 27,000 army breaks out from the remnants of Algeria, and a beastly 45,000 army storms West from Tunis. My small garrisons fought off the first wave (which surprised even myself) but the armies of Allah kept coming.
At the same time my ally the Papal States calls on me to join in some insignificant war up there in Europe. I honor the alliance and discover that England has taken sides with the enemy alliance. Now a 20 warship English armada stations itself off the coast of Portugal. It stands between my troops in N. Africa and the high manpower resources of my core provinces. Under command of my great explorer, my own 18 warship navy gives battle of the coast of Gibraltar and losses to the mighty English guns.
The English control the sea and end all hope of re-supply in time to save N. Africa. In the end I loose my navy, my explorer and all my holdings in N. Africa.
Three cheers for the AI. It's going to be a lot harder to act like an EU I cowboy and get away with it.
Tunis DoW and all the N. African nations join the fray. One 50,000 army marches up from Morocco, a 27,000 army breaks out from the remnants of Algeria, and a beastly 45,000 army storms West from Tunis. My small garrisons fought off the first wave (which surprised even myself) but the armies of Allah kept coming.
At the same time my ally the Papal States calls on me to join in some insignificant war up there in Europe. I honor the alliance and discover that England has taken sides with the enemy alliance. Now a 20 warship English armada stations itself off the coast of Portugal. It stands between my troops in N. Africa and the high manpower resources of my core provinces. Under command of my great explorer, my own 18 warship navy gives battle of the coast of Gibraltar and losses to the mighty English guns.
The English control the sea and end all hope of re-supply in time to save N. Africa. In the end I loose my navy, my explorer and all my holdings in N. Africa.
Three cheers for the AI. It's going to be a lot harder to act like an EU I cowboy and get away with it.