Hungary 1660-69
Finally I've got around to put an update together before Christmas
Back to our favourite Eastern power. It seems that the Timurids attacked Poland in the previous turn, not Hungary, but it all ended in white peace anyway (wimps!). Now, however, I find Hungary involved in 2 different wars against 2 German minors, Munster and Magdeburg. All to do with Poland and her lovely king, who still sits in Hungary's throne!
A couple of diplomats are quickly rushed to end these silly wars, the rest to insult the king of Poland. I don't think he takes the insults seriously any more...
At least the lack of executive power has made the AI turn its focus towards trade, note the thriving Hungarian commerce in the Caribbean - 3 merchants in St Kitts! I feel brave and send a few merchants to Thrace.
With no power to DoW I'm again locked in a waiting game. Both Timurids and Mamluks are heavily mobilised at my borders, so it's just a matter of time. I warn the TE, since they've proved to be more belligerent.
In 1661 I gain cores in two more Anatolian provinces. When Thrace eventually becomes core I'll try to move the capital.
I invest some money in building up a fleet to match at least the Mamluk vessels in the Black Sea. They currently have 3 fleets, one in the Black Sea, one in the Levant and one in the Indian Ocean, just to show off I'm sure.
Merchants trade, missionaries preach, diplomats insult... Hungary is becoming such a stable kingdom. In 1663 stability 0 is reached. More troops pile up in the Mamluk and Timurid borders...
I don't have to wait for much longer though, in 1664 the Timurids DoW me directly, their core in Alania too hot to resist. Unfortunately Poland assumes leadership in the war
(I guess this is to do with the PU? Otherwise given relative size I should be the leader).
Never mind, I'll try to make the most of it. A couple of average-ish generals are recruited, armies regrouped. As in the previous war, I let the Timurid Stacks of Death (henceforth TSoD) enter and get attrition in the Georgia-Crimea corridor, while I focus on the northern ex-Kazan provinces. I leave a mid-sized army in the Balkans and another one in the Caucasus to strike back as soon as opportunity presents.
However Poles and Bohemians don't rush to the front, in fact they take a year to show up
Eventually Poland helps out in the north while the Bohemians besiege the Golden Horde only province.
By October 1665 the TSoD has finally crossed the Crimean corridor, and I make the mistake of confronting it too early and with hardly any cavalry. Needless to say, the Hungarians get the beating of their lives by Babur IX, a really mean king-general. Retreat ensues.
Luckily the TSoD gives me a break and moves to Polish territory. That'll teach those pesky Poles to take wars with the TE a bit more seriously.
Elsewhere things look a bit better. By Jan 1666 the Golden Horde has been occupied and taken out of the war by the Bohemians. Unfortified land changes hands back and forth north of the Caspian, and sieges in the north start to succeed. Manpower totally drained though, a few mercenaries are called to make up the shortfall in the home front.
In April the TSoD continues its advance west and splits.
The north TSoD stays in Poland, and in a lucky turn of events, gets attacked by some Polish rebels
The south TSoD pushes into Hungarian territory, eventually stopped in a big showdown in Silistria
Which is won only just, and at a great cost. But at least the Hungarians got their own back
And the south TSoD is totally routed by Bohemians and Poles in Greece.
In the meantime my marauding cavalry in the Caucasus has sneakily made its way to the unguarded Timurid capital and besieged it. It falls in May 1667, although it doesn't give me the warscore edge I was expecting. At least it'll starve the Timurids of revenue. Somehow I feel a bit uneasy with all those Ming troops lurking around...
As the Timurids counter-attack and get back their northern provinces I keep fighting to recover some of my Black Sea provinces...
And try to grab as much unfortified Timurid land as possible to maximise warscore.
In February 1668 I notice that Bohemia has signed peace forcing TE to release Korashan. Good and bad, it is a race against the clock to get something out of this war before Poland ends it
I cling to my gains and start sending peace offers to the Timurids. With 18 to-23% WS the CoT in Ashtrakan (42%) is well out of limits, although I try just in case. I try asking for Sarai plus the core in Alania. They reject. I try Sarai plus 50 ducats, they reject
Eventually in October 1669 they accept peace: Sarai and 25 ducats, yes! It seems that holding the capital was worth it after all. Good luck with that TSoD, Poland!
No time for much else in the turn, other than worry about Ming crushing through the now weakened TE. I really don't fancy a confrontation with Ming just yet.