Chapter 2: Aragon gets stupid
As of April 1, 1400, I have merchants to send and Andalucia is now filled. A quick gander at the CoT screen will let me explain my simple trading formula: take the highest CoT that has the highest value of 2 * success chance * CoT value. In essence, I want the highest chance to place a merchant that will bring back the most money. Simple. Later, this will get harder, as my compete chance in foreign CoT's will be 1 only because Paradox believes in giving a sporting chance.
A quick look at Portugal later in April shows that Portugal must have moved the a slider and kicked off a nice big rebel stack. Luckily for them, they start with one of the best generals in the game, but Noble Rebels generally get decent generals and they reinforce (from the infinite rebel manpower pool, instead of the wimpy Portuguese manpower pool). This will provide me with a lot of future amusement.
On May 6, 1500, Aragon decides to show off IN's handy alliance AI...i.e. that the AI generally won't take stabhits to join any war that might potentially be dangerous, unless there is a lot of trust, or some cores at stake. I defend Navarra, and Aragon's allies suddenly remember that they need to reorganize their sock drawers.
In response, I raise 6 regiments of cavalry to counteract the starting Aragonese king who usually rocks. Also, if Castille is human controlled, bet on Aragon, France, and Portugal being lucky. As you can see, Granada is already armyless and under full siege.
Our fears of King Marti are justified - he's 5 shock. This will get humiliating...especially since I've made my first mistake of the game - I forgot to up my army maintenance after I dropped it once Granada's armies were dead. Beating a 5 shock king is hard enough with morale...
...and a lot harder without it, leading to a thrashing that mercifully ends on July 16th. Sad part - I nailed them right after a failed assault, so the infantry wasn't even fighting, it was 6 cavalry wailing on 3 cavalry.
In October I try again (still without noticing the lack of maintenance), and even with more regiments, I get pummelled by November 23rd.
Enrique's advisors finally notice that the army wants to be paid, and on May 15th, 1401, Castille scores it's first military victory against Aragon - apparently, Aragon ran away after they realized how tiring it is it keep butchering Castillian cavalry.
A little bit of chasing nets a dead Aragonese regiment on July 16th in Girona, and then the main force gets beaten on July 4th.
Apparently, beating Aragonese makes France like to marry off daughters, so we accept a royal marriage with France on July 4th. Maybe I'll inherit!
Finally on July 12th, two good things happen: Granada is forced to pay 25 ducats and cede Almeria and Gibraltar, and Enrique forces Marti to surrender his entire army in Rousillon. The Granadan war is done, and the war with Aragon is now down to sieges.
As of April 1, 1400, I have merchants to send and Andalucia is now filled. A quick gander at the CoT screen will let me explain my simple trading formula: take the highest CoT that has the highest value of 2 * success chance * CoT value. In essence, I want the highest chance to place a merchant that will bring back the most money. Simple. Later, this will get harder, as my compete chance in foreign CoT's will be 1 only because Paradox believes in giving a sporting chance.
A quick look at Portugal later in April shows that Portugal must have moved the a slider and kicked off a nice big rebel stack. Luckily for them, they start with one of the best generals in the game, but Noble Rebels generally get decent generals and they reinforce (from the infinite rebel manpower pool, instead of the wimpy Portuguese manpower pool). This will provide me with a lot of future amusement.
On May 6, 1500, Aragon decides to show off IN's handy alliance AI...i.e. that the AI generally won't take stabhits to join any war that might potentially be dangerous, unless there is a lot of trust, or some cores at stake. I defend Navarra, and Aragon's allies suddenly remember that they need to reorganize their sock drawers.
In response, I raise 6 regiments of cavalry to counteract the starting Aragonese king who usually rocks. Also, if Castille is human controlled, bet on Aragon, France, and Portugal being lucky. As you can see, Granada is already armyless and under full siege.
Our fears of King Marti are justified - he's 5 shock. This will get humiliating...especially since I've made my first mistake of the game - I forgot to up my army maintenance after I dropped it once Granada's armies were dead. Beating a 5 shock king is hard enough with morale...
...and a lot harder without it, leading to a thrashing that mercifully ends on July 16th. Sad part - I nailed them right after a failed assault, so the infantry wasn't even fighting, it was 6 cavalry wailing on 3 cavalry.
In October I try again (still without noticing the lack of maintenance), and even with more regiments, I get pummelled by November 23rd.
Enrique's advisors finally notice that the army wants to be paid, and on May 15th, 1401, Castille scores it's first military victory against Aragon - apparently, Aragon ran away after they realized how tiring it is it keep butchering Castillian cavalry.
A little bit of chasing nets a dead Aragonese regiment on July 16th in Girona, and then the main force gets beaten on July 4th.
Apparently, beating Aragonese makes France like to marry off daughters, so we accept a royal marriage with France on July 4th. Maybe I'll inherit!
Finally on July 12th, two good things happen: Granada is forced to pay 25 ducats and cede Almeria and Gibraltar, and Enrique forces Marti to surrender his entire army in Rousillon. The Granadan war is done, and the war with Aragon is now down to sieges.
