Pax Germania!

Thanks for the positive feedback guys

Rules, well, here goes: Very hard, furious, fog of war on.

As for house rules, theyre more preferences and guidelines i play by rather than rules. No wars without CB, respect of truces, restrain whenever possible getting too much BB (ie, favor defensive wars and diploannex, which makes the savoyan DoW very useful for me), prefer to unite Germany with as little blood as possible, ie, preference for diplomacy with the HRE, keep good relations with the christian world.

Finally im playing a slightly modified GC with added/modified events mainly; both to correct historical issues, and to add some ahistorical possibilities with complex triggers that can bring some nice surprises. Friends of mine highly recommanded it, but I didnt look through the files, so I dont know what to expect

As for my goals, hmm, well my first goals are uniting the HRE and having fun. Past that, I'd like to turn my nation into a colonial power once/if I inherit the dutch lands and go for the traditional dutch areas. In Europe, I figure due to some BB control, creating a powerful empire across central europe will take time. I'll see then. Not ruling out WC if possible.

Edit: RE, pics; Hmm, yeah I guess i could, but only a tad later on, its already 1542 so I need to catch up on the AAR I'll start taking pics.

((Note: two friends are playing from 1422 to 1442 and might keep playing, so these human opponents should add a little spice. Theyre not playing directy threatening nations though; aragon and england. However Aragon is allied to France so they end up fighting eachother often))

Albert V was a bit worried about the state of his coffers, and thus ordered war taxes to be raised early in the conflict, as his armies were marching simultanously to siege Piedmont and Venise. The fight he had with his advisors who wanted to siege Istria was still fresh in his mind, but he had no doubt at all the right choice had been made. Venise was still damaged from the war with the hungarians, waiting for her to attack in Istria might proove dangerous.

As for Piedmont, it was seen as an excellent western border for the future empire. The Archduke was much less interested in the french lands west of that line. Siezing it from Savoy would be proper revenge for her declaration of war. And thus the Imperial Guard reached Venise, ready for the first large scale confrontation since her formation: 36,000 men were firmly awaiting the 30,000 austrians, but the latter had better morale and training. It was a very bloddy affair but Ziegfried's shock tactics prevailed and the legions of the north flooded through the mountain passes. Things went much more smoothly in piedmont where the army of Savoy was busy fighting allies in Bern. Mantua sent garrisons to support the siege on Piedmont and Bavaria did the same with Venise. A garrison so large the Archduke had part of his troops split away to prevent attrition in Venise. Of course these 12,000 men were not to sit idly: Only 8,500 men were protecting Istria.

By the end of 1422, three critical towns were thus under siege when the nobles of Austria, using the absence of the troops and a temporarity fit of insanity that pocessed Albert V who was beginning to think the world was his', went to demand that they recieve some of their former rights back. Albert threw a fit at first but in a moment of lucidity accepted to reinforce the power of the aristocracy. A strong aristocracy might not oppose the centralization of the state he thought.

In the west, a new war sparked up, with england teaming up with the iberian powers and once again Burgondy to reclaim lost lands in France. The Austrians, their hands full with contigents of italians attacking Piedmont and Tyrol, were quite happy to watch and see. Far in the southeast, Byzantium has survived the onslaught of the Ottomans who brought peace with them; an interesting turn of events.

The timing had been bad for a fit of insanity, but despite it the gains were solidifying. Piedmont fell the armies of Austria, and his not-so-sane lordship demanded to pursue the savoyans in their homeland against the advice of his advisors. Fresh reinforcements, the last the manpower pool could afford, were set up as a guard over piedmont while the Army of Italy set siege to Savoy. Soon after came the news of the fall of Istria, and the papal armies failure at reclaiming piedmont. But then a shade on the picture: The savoyan armies, which had been busy north for some time, managed to capture Bern late in 23, despite allied support, and where marching back home. The Army of Italy was awaiting them.

Alas reinforced by their victory northwards the savoyans managed to destroy the Austrian positions and to throw back the exhausted imperial armies to Piedmont on new year's eve. There they quickly merged with the young recruits who had defeated the papal armies and set up a static defense. Reinforcements would come in due time.

In the balkans, Dalmatia was now besieged and Istria firmly controlled. The strategists had been saying for awhile the city would fall in about six months. Thus the Archduke, finally recovering his sanity, thought it was high-time for a new front. A diplomatic front of course. The Knights' offer for a white peace were turned down: this was a defensive war and would remain so until unilateral victory. Diplomatic ties and royal marriages were concluded using the diplomatic momemtum that ensued, and the Archduke made note that he had 3 productive merchants in tago, astrakhan and, ironically, Venise. Not a bad state of things for a country outmatched by major trade powers; but now many of his merchants would be mostly used to maintain the gains in these areas.

Some menpower had been freed up, so the archduke raised new war taxes to take advantage of it. Furthermore, a gift to the state was made by wealthy merchants pleased by the trade expansion. The outcome of the war seemed increasingly predictible as reinforcements arrived a few months later in Piedmont, for a new attack on Savoy. Hopefully, the allied forces that had liberated Bern to the north would assist. It was now 1425, and the end of the war would have to come sooner or later. So a new siege began as messengers from the balkans brought news of imminant venitian collapse, warning the archduke time was right for peace. All along, the archduke had the worry Bern, the main defending power, might conclude a weak peace with Savoy. So for 50@, dalmatia and Istria, Venise was removed from the war as far as Austria was concerned. The Habsurg lands now covered historical posessions in Istria and went as far as Ragusa to the south, at very little diplomatic cost. The armies thus freed up recieved a new war plan: the destruction of the papal states.

As much as it pained Albert, the pope was now his enemy, at least for a time. He intended to buy his forgiveness later, but for now his states were a threat. His decision could lenghten the war greatly, but he wanted to use this opportunity to force the papal states into vassalship. For this, a separate peace with Savoy could be useful; and the fall of savoy in early 1426 brought the perfect timing for this. Albert toyed with the idea of anexing piedmont and vassalizing Savoy, but came to determine Savoy itself would have to be part of his lands someday, and that simply vassalizing the country with no annexions would be wiser. Paying 114@ as first tribute, Savoy accepted vassalship. The kind Albert had the money put aside to help them rebuild their state and earn friendship with them. Meanwhile, separate white peaces were signed by Genoa, now busily at war with another neighbor, Milano, Byzantium too far away to care, and The Knights, because they were powerless in the conflict. The showdown with the pope was about to begin.

Despite some war weariness and a strong papal army, late 1426 brought a string of military victories and the beginning of three new sieges. Albert had no intention of ever annexing the papal states, unlike Savoy; they were sacred and outside the borders of the HRE. Yet, they would make a nice southern wall and income once he would have taken care of the little italian states in tuscany and siena - which are Holy Roman territory. It was a goal fighting for, with long term benefits.

Yet his armies would have to endure no less than two additional years of siege to see the fall of Rome. When the day finally came, peace was concluded quickly, and a weary Albert was more than happy to recall his armies to the north. The Italian campaign's effects were subtle with no annexion of territory, but thanks to the activity of his diplomats in rebuilding the relationships with the beaten nations, he knew they would proove fruitful.

Meanwhile, France's latest war came to an end with surprising events. Separate peaces and backstabs had been the rule - Aragon finished the war on her own side, against both England and France, ((No treaties were broken, there was a separate peace and then a minor ally made all hell break loose)) Burgondy had wrested control of Lorraine, previously force annexed by France, in a separate peace, and Britain had to settle for a white peace after half a decade of spilled blood, thanks to the interference of the Scots in the middle of the campaign for France. Aragon gained control over Navara. The ferocity of these wars amused Albert V, who thought the more the west would wage war upon themselves, the more time he would have to consolidate his gains and put down the frequent revolts in Dalmatia. Additionally, the faithful archduke used this time to petition the pope for forgiveness for the war, and promised to do all he could to prevent war his the southern states again. With overwhelming tributes of religious loyalty on one side, and political vassalship on another, the pope was in no position to refuse. Austria was absolved, and the Habsburgs moved on.

In the East, Hungary grew in power by annexing Croatia and setting her eyes on Ragusa and Albania. With the Ottomans on the other side of Byzantium, they could afford to do so in relative security. More in the north, Hannover and Prussia both seemed to be turning into powers after reaching the respectable sizes of 4 provinces each at the expense of their neighbors. Making good note, Albert sent two of his daughters to marry their princes and, tired of bloodshed, consulted his advisors on new means of expansion. He felt hishands bloodied by the war against the pope - and wanted to focus again on his plans to the north.

In early 1429, after copious gifts to his vassal of Baden, he managed on his second attempt to secure their territory and annex them to Austria. He definitely prefered the pen to the sword. He soon realized though, that this caused fluctuations in the relationship he had with his neighborgs. Austria's economy had been improving substantially since the end of the war though and if the Archduke had blown a sizeable amount of his wealth by ordering Fine Art Academies built in the capital, he still had some wealth, and was not in a hurry.

Ordering his advisors to inform him of any fluctuation in the systems of alliances to seize opportunities, he secretly set up a calandar of growth. Over the next ten years, every one of his lesser allies would join the growing realm of Austria! It was the plan he had masterfully concieved 10 years before and he would put it into action, slowly but safely.

Over the next couple of years, Austria watched Europe and fought vaillantly with words and gold. With England waging war to her scots, France started annexing her vassals and growing into a power. Aragon, working closely with Castille, expanded into northern africa. Burgondy assimilated Cologne, Bohemia made gains into Poland, Hungary grew in the balkans, Danemark lost a war to Hannover and Holstein in the process, and things seemed quite busy in the east. But outside the catolic world, Austria had few eyes and little influence.

In these conditions, Bern joined the Fatherland in 1432, year during which it should be noted Savoy and Genoa both dishonored their military alliance going to war with the Ottomans. Having ambitions over these states, invitations to join Austria's alliance were issued. After some "golden" persuasion, the pact was concluded.

Shortly after, the diplomats of Austria in France left the Kingdom in favor of Burgondy. Symphathic to this point to the French's plights for national sovereignty and unity, the austrian leaders, upon hearing about the king of France's plans of annexation for Savoy, an hard-won vassal of Austria, pulled out their ambassadors of the young nation. Instead, they sent them to Burgondy, an old enemy of France, who had not only no claims on Savoy but who also promised to be Austria's shield against the french in exchange for their support. Part of the Holy Roman Empire, Burgondy has a natural sympathy for the Austrians that is not present in France. A dynastic tie was concluded with them, and at Paris' outrage, with England as well. Warhawks in Vienna pressed the Archduke to jump on the opportunity to move against France using the french ambitions and interferances as casus belli. But still reluctant to give up peace, Austria replied by strenghtening bonds with Savoy and Alsace. This remained still an era of peace, but dark times between Austria and France loomed on the horizon.

Vienna's pressures to her allies grew fiercely though, and with Bavaria's and Wurtermberg's annexions, and the vassalisation of Genoa (!) in the next three years, nothing, not even the feuds between his nobles or the costly war against corruption in the upper echelons of Austrian management, managed to alter the Archduke's great moral. The Empire, slowly, was bowing to him! Note was made that Byzantium and Venice lost the previously mentioned war with the Ottomans. The cost was the full annexation of Byzantium. Deeply catholic, the Habsburgs and their nobles were deeply concerned by the fall of the bastion. One way or another, the turks would now have to be kept in check.

As he negociated the surrender of Mantua, the Habsburg archduke made new plans based on this turn of events. His wife, hungarian by birth and his link to their throne, convinced him to get closer to her motherland. A pact of military access was quickly signed in August 1436. Austria's adriatic squadron grew quickly in Istria, giving the Habsburgs a window on the seven seas. An excellent year boomed the coffers of Austria and reducd inflation, setting the stage for agressive spending. Was a new crusade preparing against Islam?

((I gotta go, will finish to 1442 later))