Episode 11: Rise of the republic
The first episode of the new Central Republic starts in style: with an election in november 1559. I choose to support a military candidate because I'm itching for a war.
However, we get a ADM 7 MIL 8 DIP 9 candidate, so we're stuck with the Eunuchs for now. Sorry, we have to wait for war.
In 1560 we get an architectural developments event. But now I use this event to go Narrowminded, as I want to strengthen the Temple faction.
We also receive the news that Creek has been annexed by Great Britain, further strengthening Albion's grip on the New World. All of the New World? No, one small colony of indomitable Norwegians holds out agains the Brits.
Anyway, in 1562 a momentous event takes place. A meteor is sighted! A month later a literati publishes some theory on this celestial phenomenon, but I didn't think it was that good. The Bureaucrats resign in anger, leaving a power vacuum to be filled by the Temple faction.
Mmm, we can DoW now...hey, Manchu has violated our Sphere of Influence. We can't have, can we? So I declare war on Manchu! Tibet, Khmer and Korea join the fray on the side of Manchu. Muhahaha.
This is a good moment to tell you a bit about my military approach in this AAR. I'm trying out something new (for me at least). I used to siege provinces. However, sieging is quite slow, quite unpredictable, encourages spreading your forces (a bad thing) and isn't really effective against high level forts, even with lots of artillery. In this campaign I will use assault as the main method of conquest instead.
The organisation of the Central Republican Army reflects this doctrine. I use corps, independent units of about 10 regiments strong, which will grow larger as technology increases supply limits. Corps are ideally as large as the supply limit of a controlled province with average base tax, so that they can move around without getting (much) attrition.
In this campaign I will use assault corps and battle corps. Battle corps are standard corps designed to combat enemy armies. They will have as much cavalry as possible with enough infantry for Combined Arms and will have artillery in the future. Assault corps are simple infantry-only corps so they can assault forts as best as possible. In my experience assaults on equal-tech enemies work if you have about 10k infantry per fort level, so for now my assault corps will have at least 10 infantry regiments. Assault corps names have a * in them, so you can recognise them from their names.
So Manchu is the first to feel my new doctrine.
Assaults are quick.
I also declare war on Zapotec, with a Colonial Conquest Casus Belli. I can't let Great Britain have all of the America's, can I (Norway doesn't count). Just in time, as in oktober
Buddha's smiles happens to us. I can choose between religious conversion of a province or loss of Temple influence. I choose the later, leading to the Temple faction stepping down after only 6 months of ruling. The Eunuchs now take over.
So now Asia and Central America are set alight by the Chinese Intervention War and the Conquest of Zapotec. Meanwhile Europe isn't quiet as well:
Dishounarable Scum Austria fights wars left and right against rebels and punishers. As you can see, poor Ulm suffers under the Austrian yoke.
But not all is death and destruction. Our first colony become self-sufficient.
And I formalize the scales and whatnot. Withour Bureaucrats, there is little else to do for our magistrates.
Anyway, Tibet falls after 5 months of fighting, accepting their vassalage to us. In november the 5th Corps lands in Zapotec. However, due to the large distance from Guam (Hawaii lies far outside our colonization range), most of the transport ships have sunk, taking with them the bulk of the corps. Only 3 infantry regiments land. However, against the primitives this is plenty and in june 1463 Zapotec is annexed, giving us our first foothold in the New world.
While the fighting in Asia continues, we have an election in november. I choose a Bureaucrat candidate as I need buildings. I get a ADM 7 MIL 9 DIP 9 doge. Again a candidate which "main" attribute isn't the highest. Oh well, if you can't stand randomness you shouldn't play with the factions.
The year is closed with the vassalisation of Khmer.
After two years of warring in the North, West and over the Pacific, I now turn my attention to Manchu's SE Asia's territory and to Korea's main land. As you can see, 4th corps is again blitzing through enemy territory. In Korea things go a bit slower, as the path to Korea's remaining territory is blocked by the Minamato shogunate, I can't bring my armies to them. I have a Military Access deal with the Emperor Of Japan, but this does not extend to his shogun apparantly. The transport fleet has to help out.
Luckily, the cabinet has
heated debates, which gives use the option to lose 3 infamy, lowering it to 12. To spoil this good news, Gondwana decides to join the Intervention War against us.
No idea what they want to achieve with it. It certainly doesn't help Korea, which is vassalized the next month.
In march 1565 we have beaten Manchu so badly that they agree to release the republics of Ayutthuya, Pegu and Skhotai, breaking Manchu's hold over South East Asia and instead gives us dominance over the region.
The 5th corps is reinforced in december. As we can't build level 1 forts, I have to disperse the corps over all the provinces to prevent nationalist rebels from taking over. We also repair most of the Great Wall, as the magistrate unemployment is soaring high. Funny enough, a lot of Chinese territory is north to the wall, so people are wondering what the Wall is supposed to protect. Well, job security of course!
A nice
boundary dispute happens to us. This will turn out to be quite important in the future.
I decide to look at the current wars.
As you can see, being Dishonourable Scum really makes you a target of opportunity to each and everyone. Apparantly especially the German OPMs are keen to take down Austria. Shame that it is allied with Castille and Venice. Otherwise they might have had a snowball's chance in hell.
In november 1567 we have completed the reparations of the Great wall, just in time for the third election of our young republic. I once again choose a Bureaucratic candidate so I can build forts in Central America. Luckily, we get an ADM 8 MIL 5 DIP 3 leader! In december the Bureaucrats take over after 5 years of Eunuch rule.
Four level 1 fortresses coming right up.
In march 1568 we have advanced enough for a fifth National Idea. I choose the always strong and dependable National Trade Policy. In november we get to strengthen trade even more as we get a slider move, which I used to slide towards Free Trade. The next month I declare the Statute of Monopolies, which gives another +1 move towards Free Trade.
The basic influence of the factions is now:
- Eunuchs: -0.25
- Bureaucrats: -0.25
- Temple: -0.75
We're quite close to balance! We only have to strengthen the Temple faction with 2 slider moves.
The next couple of years see little action, mainly building road networks and building Light Ships for pirate patrols, ending the tumultous 1560's with a quiet dignity.
Stats
From now on I will give stat overview per decade instead of per reign. This makes comparison between stat overviews easier.
Code:
change during decade change since 1399
1560 1570 absolute relative absolute relative
#provinces 63 67 4 6,35% 13 24,07%
yearly income 2044 4159 2115 103,47% 3321 396,30%
yearly income/province 32,44 62,07 29,63 91,33% 46,56 300,00%
inflation 1,6 1,3 -0,3 N/A 1,3 N/A
manpower 161 181 20 12,42% 96 112,94%
army 60 58 -2 -3,33% 19 48,72%
navy 51 58 7 13,73% 9 18,37%
Wow! In one decade, the economy has doubled! Who would have guessed republics are that awesome?
Well, it's not the republican form of government that enable this Wirstschaftswunder. First, in 1560 we had Mandate Lost and were at -1 Stability, while in 1570 stability was 3 and we enjoyed the Mandate. Monthly tax income and census tax almost doubled during the 60's because of this. But that's not all.
Code:
[b]Monthly income 1560[/b]
Efficiency Income
Tax (117%) 58
Production (51%) 61
Trade (54%) 28
[b]Monthly income 1570[/b]
Efficiency Income
Tax (149%) 113
Production (68%) 87
Trade (89%) 89
As you can see, production and especially trade efficiency skyrocketed, mainly because of rapid technology increase through Western neighbour bonusses. As you can see, Westernization to the Western Tech group is extremely powerful.
*EDIT* I forgot that Administrative Republic gives +10% trade efficiency and the increase in Trade efficiency from the Free Trade slider. So most of the trade efficiency gain isn't from research.
Next episode: generals with silver tongues