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Morocco can make for a very fun fame, and while you've been busy playing what was essentially Burgundian politics the AI has done a pretty decent job of uniting northwest Africa

Looking forward to this!
 
This is a great AAR, Catknight - thanks for doing it!

I just got EUIV two weeks ago, and this 'world tour' is giving me all kinds of insight into countries, strategy, and the endless possibilities here in EUIV.

Plus, of course, it it wonderfully entertaining and amusing! I try not to laugh at my desk...but you make that very, very hard some updates. :p
 
While Luxembourg ended... anticlimactically, I have good hopes for Morocco! This will be the first time you'll interact with a country you previously played with (Tripoli). Shall they be crushed under the boot of the new North African Union? Will you recreate the barbary pirates and terrorize the Mediterranean? I'm sure it will be very amusing. I love this concept by the way. In many AARs the country becomes very powerful and it becomes kind of stale, but this is refreshing and surprising. Thanks for doing this!
 
COMMENTS: Once more, apologies for vanishing. Madness at work, not much better at home, then the stomach flu for added fun. Life's certainly not boring.

I also apologize if the details are slightly lacking. I actually played and took notes for this session almost immediately after posting the last one, so at this point some of my notes are .... hard to read. :)
********

Sir Garnet: If you look closely at the bottom of my 'defeat' screen, there's a button there labeled Spectator. Clicking on it puts you in 'Observe' mode and you could let the game continue if you want. What I do is save the game off, then reload and randomize a country from the startup screen.

ZechsMerquise73: My, you are ambitious. We'll see what we can do.

Chief Ragusa: Well, Director gives his thoughts later on the dual relations issue. I also read a good commentary on it in the EU IV forum: Basically, if the AI wants to ally with me, I always have the right to say 'no'. The AI doesn't have the right to refuse me - except by refusing to take action to raise my relations.

I'd also like to see Morocco build a small colonial empire along the African coast.

Belgiumruler: And now we know why!

GreatUberGeek: Algiers at least. I left Tripoli with a pretty good alliance, and it's still there.

Director: "What do you mean those buggers don't want to be friends? Well, I have my answer right here in this nuclear tipped pen!" Hm. I'll have to work on my Sean Connery impression.

McGrey: I'm not sure if the Straits count for Westernization. I'm not going to count on it. Your options for which way to conquer look good to me.

RMcD94: I don't know. I suspect it has some skill, since I've seen some pretty weird colonial maps.

tnick0225: Oh, I have no problem going up against a former country. In fact it sounds like fun.

Mathew01: That would be the problem. And he isn't very sick.

Stuyvesant: Algiers is definitely the easiest target. I suspect Mali could be the most rewarding if I can actually get there and hold it.

InnocentIII: Burgundy's getting too big for their britches.

Storey: Well, I thought I was just going after one bee, not the entire hive!

Lamahorse: Confucian actually.

Nikolai: That sounds like a fun goal!

Orlov Kruskayev: Yes, that was a beautiful quote.

eugene171: Maybe. It'd be one hell of a war.

Stuyvesant: That too!

Seelmeister: The AI's actually doing a decent job keeping countries together. I remember back in the EU2 days you'd hop into a new nation and wonder what the heck the AI had been drinking.

Shalkai: I'm glad you're enjoying it. EU IV is definitely the best version of this series. I'd recommend start with one of the medium nations - large enough to stay alive, small enough not to be overwhelmed with options - and see what happens.

DennisRoos: Thanks. Yes, I'm enjoying it also (when I can get to it.) As for interacting with my former country, yes. That does feel a little weird. But not for long: Tripoli may be in the way of our new West African Union/Western Caliphate.
 
CHAPTER VIII: MOROCCO
Part 1: Uniting Barbary
(1563-1570)


Looking for Trouble

After our rather quiet end to Savoy and being forced to play nice in Luxembourg, I'm ready to go liberate some land from tyrannical overlords. First let's see what Johan gave us to work with:

156305Setup_zpsc4f49fbb.jpg


Okay, our Sultan isn't much to look at. He does have a military advisor that I may keep around for awhile, as we can afford him. Our country modifiers seem built for a modest trade empire, perhaps simulating the Barbary States' piratical ambitions.

We have solid allies in the Mamluks and Tripoli. We also have three enemies: Portugal, Algiers and Mali as well as three rivals: Portugal, Algiers and Savoy. Portugal makes sense. Savoy's a little out there, but I get it. Why poor little Algiers? Possibly because they're trying to build a coalition against us and doing a miserable job of it. We'll get back to them.

Our long term goal should be exploration ideas. Even if the AI mucks it up afterwards, if we can actually conquer and hold Mali then Morocco instantly turns into one of the strongest states on the board. To do this we need to get to Admin-10 (currently 8). I also want to get to Military-11 (currently 10) before we do some serious warmongering, as we get new infantry/cav AND artillery units at that level. On that note we have 24 regiments under arms (17 inf/5 cav/2 art) as well as 6 carracks, 5 cogs and 7 caravels to protect trade.

For once we don't need to play with merchants: Those in Genoa and Tunis are feeding trade to Sevilla where I pick it up. That works for me. Our inflation is ridiculous: 13.85%. That's what we get for signing up for just any credit card. We'll let it go for now to conserve Admin points since I don't see us buying much short term.

So, first thing to do is raise our military maintenance to full. Almost instantly we hit Diplomacy-10, which gives us a bonus to trade efficiency and range. I also upgrade our army units to the best available. While waiting for that to sort itself out, let's look at our potential foes.

156305Diplomatic_zpse2a87c7d.jpg


Working counter-clockwise: That is tiny Fez across from Gibraltar. Fez is Catholic, which makes them a natural target. However, they're in the midst of an independence war from Portugal they're probably going to lose. Further, there are 13K Portugese hiding behind those rebels. No... Much as I like the idea of a Rereconquista, I want those new units before we seriously consider Christian bashing. Plus, if Portugal gets their land back, 1) they'll be less inclined to want mine as they have no cores or claims, and 2) we'll have borders for eventual westernization.

Mali is tempting, but I have no way of getting to a province I know about. We're blocked from Mali's coast and can't see Timbuktu to strike from the north.

Tripoli is an ally. That alone wouldn't stop me, but they're also allied to the Ottomans, Mamluks and Yemen. I'll have to get back to them.

Algiers now....is the only member of a coalition against me, has a number of enemies, and no allies. Well, that was easy.

First we do switch our rivals around to stop antagonizing Portugal and start antagonizing Algiers, then...


Annoying Allah

156305DoWAlgiers_zps3139b0ab.jpg


On May 8, 1563 we declare war. None of my allies want in to an obvious selfish land grab: No problem. I do get a bit of a scare as my units are still recovering after upgrading units and so low morale, but Algiers is content to siege Laghwat. We chase them out by June and blockade Algiers' fleet.

Our armies play cat-and-mouse across the desert sands. Al-Djazair and Bejaia are under siege by autumn, leading to the one land battle worthy of the title:

156311BreakArmy_zpsa8d6067a.jpg


A supplemental battle destroys them entirely. By January all of Algiers is under siege. Now it's a waiting game: Kinda like waiting to take your wife out to dinner. Only less tedious. And somewhat faster.

In September Al-Djazair falls, forcing their 13 ships into battle with our 11. We have the wind gauge however, and capture 2 galleys before chasing them into port at Bejaia ... which falls in November. The second battle nets us 2 cogs and sinks a galley. Our only general dies during the siege, and some of his supporters angrily strike at pilgrims they deem unworthy to pass through Moroccan soil. Of course we protect them for +25 piety.

In February 1565 Annaba falls, leading to a third naval battle that destroys the Algierens entirely. Their government capitulates days later.


Stalking like a Caged Camel

I still don't want to take on Tripoli's powerful alliance, so we need to scout out other targets. Portugal's defeated Fez, and the northern Mediterranean coast looks particularly unappetizing, so while we begin coring Algiers (costing us precious Admin points) I get MA through Mali.

156505Explorer_zpsab1dc2ad.jpg


The plan is to send a single regiment through Mali, 'exploring' them by virtue of our MA. Then once we know we can establish a foothold without wasting years attriting through Terra Incognita, crush them. It occurs to me while planning that I'll meed the Maliese coast if I actually want to core anything. Well, we'll cross that bridge later.

A 'promising general' (by event), Maimun Sellani (F1 S2 Sg3) leads the expedition. It doesn't last long: We fight Tuat nomads and win at 1:3 odds, but we're still a bit tired when we enter Taudeni and meet 6000 more nomads. Only Maimun returns with tales of the desert's terror. You know what this calls for? Right?

More peasants!

While taking on a mission to improve defenses in Fez, the Sultan himself leads a second expedition to the Maliese border with 6 regiments. Both Tuat and Taudeni fall before his might, but there is no defeating the rules of the game. We may have MA with Mali. We may be able to click on several Maliese provinces to establish a path. We simply can't enter Terra Incognita without a DoW though. By April 1566 we're back home again and cancel the MA.

I stew on this for awhile, long enough for Algieren rebels to rise up and get slapped down for their efforts. By now our budget's a little cramped, but so are those of the local imams, and let it not be said that we're not good Muslims.

156611Donation_zpsb216225d.jpg


So long as you're not foreign Muslims of course.

1567 passes in the blink of an eye with all of Algiers quietly coring and our diplomats encouraging those in Portugal and Spain to tear apart their fellow Christians instead. Tripoli is getting nervous, with Yemeni troops stationed inside their border in case we go after them anyway. As a counter we ally with the Ottomans and back it up with a RM.

And now, you're saying, we're running out of excuses not to try a re-reconquista. And you may have a point: A very rough estimate puts us at 185K men versus their 125, but I still want those new land units before I try something so dangerous. Let's face it: With Spain and Portugal the leaders of their alliance, the bulk of the fighting would be in and around Morocco.

Then, in October 1568, Yemen decides to throw the Muslim Alliance into an uproar.

156810YemenDoWMamluks_zps1067b084.jpg


Well, I am not fighting the entire Muslim world, but I wouldn't mind joining the slaughter and perhaps seizing Alexandria. We get MA through Tripoli and work our army's way through their land while building a fleet of flytes to help transport men back and forth. An influx of unbelievers, no doubt Mamluk Shiite scum, come through and we send them right back for +25 piety.

We get to the border in November 1568. I'm about to declare war and, by habit, check to see if my allies would like to join despite the fact they're already in. That's when I learn Tripoli joined the war on MAMLUKS' side!

So it's the Ottomans and Yemeni vs. Mamluks and Tripoli, and of course the Ottos are kicking butt. This is my best chance to destroy liberate Tripoli. I begin forcing a claim on Tunis, retreat to my own territory, cancel MA through Tripoli and wait for it.

1569 is just an exceptional year according to the game, and the Mamluks are getting dismantled. Not all goes well though: Tripoli notices our claim attempt, slowing us down. We respond by breaking their alliance. In September 1569 the Ottos siege Tunis.

I should DoW now, without the claim, but we're at Stab 0 and I don't want to spend the Admin points on stability that we should be spending trying to get to Admin-10. No...no, it won't do. And so I wait.

157001MamlukWar_zpse2a6d642.jpg


It's January 1570. The war won't last much longer, but I'm hoping just long enough us to get our claim so we can join the fray. If so, I don't see the Mamluks defending Tripoli and even if they do they have no army. We'll just move into position, wait for the Ottos to peace out, and take over/start new sieges.

If the war ends, we may have to DoW on that day anyway and hope the Mamluks are too exhausted to do anything useful. We cannot allow the Ottos to suddenly decide to guarantee Tripoli's independence or, worse, rebuild their alliance.


Johan's Dice

Reign: 7+ years
Roll Needed: 2+
Roll: 4
Continue: Yes
 
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You've always got the choice of saying no to an ai alliance offer. I can see that a country might like us, but we think they're scum. If you then allied with them, riots could ensue at home or civil disorder at the least. There's no mechanic for allowing us to change our people's opinion of someone else. We have to wait for them to do that. We can't mount a charm offensive on our own people.

Good start with Morocco. Algeria annexed. Now you just have to hope the ottos don't get smart and force Tripoli to release Tunisia and take a province next to the mamluks. You're hoping your claim succeeds before the ottos conclude their war with Tripoli. You have cleared out the natives, so a DoW on Mali is doable.
 
Well Morocco is definitely off to a good start. Tripoli seems to be in trouble, and interesting seeing the Ottos and Mamluks duking it out.
 
Welcome back

RMcD94: I don't know. I suspect it has some skill, since I've seen some pretty weird colonial maps.

Be a fun quick mod to make every nation in the world to choose Exploration as it's first idea. Stick it on observe and see how fast the world gets colonized. All those eastern asian nations in Australia
 
It must be weird planning to stomp Tripoli and Mali. Good start there.
 
Algiers was easy (insert unfunny remark about getting "Easy As"). As far as Tripoli is concerned, the suspense mainly seems to come from seeing what comes first - your claim/CB, or the Ottomans' peace. Doesn't look like Tripoli will pose much of a challenge, which would be great (more time to prepare for the Great Malian Adventure Trek).

A 'promising general' (by event), Maimun Sellani (F1 S2 Sg3) leads the expedition. It doesn't last long: We fight Tuat nomads and win at 1:3 odds, but we're still a bit tired when we enter Taudeni and meet 6000 more nomads. Only Maimun returns with tales of the desert's terror. You know what this calls for? Right?

More peasants!

That has a nice ring to it. :)

<A messenger bursts into the Moroccan throne room>

Messenger: My Sultan, I bring grave tidings: Maimun Sellani and his expedition were ambushed by savage nomads and slaughtered nearly to the last man! Brave Maimun had to hack his way through hundreds of savages to report on this ill news!

Sultan: This is distressing indeed...

M: Indeed! Hundreds of men lie dead in the desert! Unburied, not facing Mecca...

S: I must consider how to respond to this tragedy...

M: Indeed! When one thinks of all the helpless widowers...

S: Tell me, did the expedition succeed in finding fabled Timbuktu?

M: Alas, it did not! All this senseless death for nothing! Those poor wives...

S: They didn't find it? This is truly a disaster!

M: <Now overcome with emotion> ...And the innocent children! Orphaned! Forced to beg in the streets!

S: All the money I've spent, the time I've wasted...

M: Oh the humanity! Won't someone think of the children?!?

M & S: <In unison> Something has to be done!

M: Indeed my lord! What shall we do for the suffering relatives of the dead?

S: Huh? Relatives? Who said anything about relatives? Sod them, fetch me a new, bigger mob of peasants and send them off to Timbuktu forthwith!
 
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What an opportunity to seize. Looking forward to the coming war with Tripoli.
 
Chief Ragusa: I haven't forgotten about Mali. They're about to slip down the priority list, but not entirely!

tnick0225: Very historical to see the Ottos and Mamluks duking it out. Not so common seeing Yemen in the midst. Yemen has about half of the Arabian peninsula as well as Ethiopia.

RMcD94: That would be fun!

Orlov Kruskayev: It is a little weird, but makes sense from Morocco's point of view.

Stuyvesant: I think it's fair to say the Sahara and its nomads have done more damage than any of my wars so far.

Idhrendur: Indeed. I've seen these alliances stagnate for decades at a time. It was quite obliging of Yemen to start that last war.
 
CHAPTER VIII: MOROCCO
Part 2: Thanks for the Memories
(1570-1575)


Echoes of the Past

So it's January 1570 and we're having a bit of a race: Can we get a claim on Tunis, and so DoW Tripoli with minimal loss of stability, before the Ottomans and Yemen finish off the Mamluks? As I hit unpause we're at 95.3%.

To be honest it's not as exciting as I expected: We get our claim on January 20. We declare war the same day. Our 27 ships join the 68 Ottomans blockading Tripoli's fleet of 16, we move 6K into Tunis to join the Ottomans there, and a battle immediately breaks out in Djerba between the rest of our army and some 3700 refugees.

157001DoWTunis_zpsafc4cbcf.jpg


I didn't say it was much of a battle.

Before the end of the month the Turk sacks Tunis, and Yemen immediately lets Tripoli off the hook so they can focus on the Mamluks. This is perfect! Tripoli has no army worth talking about, no prospects of getting help since the Mamluks decline to join our war, and we're already on the march. Tunis comes under siege in February, Tripoli in March, Sirt in April. We do fight one battle in Barqua on the Mamluk border, where 11K Moroccans slaughter 2K Tripoli..tan...i..ans? Libyans! Close enough.

After that it's not much of a war, which suits our merchants just fine. In fact, they grow complacent costing us 10% Global Trade Power. Then peasants get uppity about one of the regional governors, so we execute him for -33 prestige.

We storm Tunis in September, but the other cities are too heavily garrisoned. The Mamluks respond by reforging their alliance with Tripoli, but still won't join in. Much like the Algieran fleet, the Tripolitanian fleet is continually pushed east as we conquer port after port. By September 1571 it's over with predictable results.

157109Tripoliannexed_zpsf80f69b9.jpg


Next up: Damage control! How angry are my neighbors? The Mamluks hate me as a warmongering son of a Christian: No surprise there. The Portugese and Spaniards don't care: I guess Tripoli was too far away. The Ottomans still love us.


Good Little Muslims

Still, let's take some time to integrate our new territories. Our overextension is a small concern, and nationalists threaten all four provinces. Fortunately all are right religion, though two are wrong culture. We'll deal with that in time.

Of course, coring Tripoli/Sirt/Barqua (we need more for Tunis alas) uses up all our Admin points, while purchasing Defense Idea-7 (Improved Forging: Land Attrition -25%) uses up most of our Military. Exploration ideas and new units may be beyond us, but I like that land attrition modifier if we do decide to 'discover' Mali the hard way.

Then, in October 1571 the Mamluks decide to insult us. We respond by making them a rival since we have an open slot. Then I take a good, long look at their new borders:

157501Mamluks_zps99857d76.jpg


We can't conquer them in one war, of course. I'm not even sure we want to border the Ottomans. Alexandria though, we have a very real chance of getting Alexandria. I'm going to wait until the Mamluk/Ottoman truce ends, then see if they'd like to go adventuring with us.

Note to self: Start forging a claim when we get back.

So while plotting mischief against our Muslim brothers, along comes Ramadan.

157308Ramadan_zps3ddee2c1.jpg


Of course we celebrate! We don't want to anger Allah too badly. After all, we want our 72 virgins!

Speaking of fantasies, I'm going to digress for a moment. In the United States there are two multi-state lotteries. Just in case they don't have them in your country, in these lotteries you buy a ticket, and if you have the correct numbers you win the pot. The pot is a percentage of the total bought tickets, the rest going to administrative maintenance, and (in theory) government programs like education.

One of the multi-state lotteries is up to $660 million USD (or about 10 Euros.) I told my wife I wanted to erect a huge bronze statue like the Colossus of Rhodes. I was thinking of putting it in Cleveland, Ohio's harbor facing the Canadian border and giving our northern brothers the International Friendship Signal. She gave me a funny look.

Where were we?

Ah yes, Ramadan! Unfortunately our fine naval officers decide they don't feel like fasting. In fact, they feel there's no opportunity for their kind.

157211NavalOfficers_zps7d5f4168.jpg


Which is a bit ridiculous, but what can you do? Speaking of ridiculous and news from our northern brothers...

157310Netherlands_zps9da28001.jpg


That's not going to end well for somebody.

All things must come to an end however, including religious rites, so it is time for Eid al-Fitr and a huge feast.

157403Feast_zpsc4d0e5ab.jpg


Okay, a not so huge feast. I realized our Piety was already at 91%, so there's no need to go overboard with this Allah thing.

We continue sitting around, occasionally sending diplomats to Spain and the Ottomans to keep them happy. Our diplomats apparently gain some experience off this as we hit Diplomacy-11 (Canal & Shipyard), allowing us to construct the two namesake buildings as well as extending our colonial range. Now if we could only get some colonists!

As our turn ends, advisors tell me our economy is in shambles. Well, it is: We're up to 14% inflation.

157412CurrencyReval_zpsb4a56b36.jpg


I take the inflation as something I can avoid for now so long as I don't buy anything. I'm 25 Admin points away from starting to core Tunis and nothing must get in the way. I'll try to fix the inflation before it's over, but not right now.

So, as the turn ends Barqua's cored, we're waiting on two more, waiting on starting on Tunis, and lastly waiting for the Ottoman truce to end so we can stomp the Mamluks into the ground. What do you think, Johan?


Johan's Dice

Reign: 12 years
Roll Needed: 3+
Roll: 3
Continue: Yes

Close. Too close.
 
Yemen is big.

But anyway doing a good job with morocco. Be great seeing Alexandria added into the growing empire :)
 
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That marks a first. The first country you have already played annexed by a country you are playing. North Africa, aside from Fez /Portugal is now united. Now, if you could just be Ayutthaya for awhile ... A possible chance to westernize as Morocco.
Those Shiite Mamluks sure know a good insult -Christian, indeed! Play your cards right and you and the ottomans could take on the Mamluks with you taking the territory, whilst they tot up the warscore. Then after Yemen has finished off the Mamluks , you and the Turks can repeat using Yemen instead of the Mamluks as the target. Yemen may even convert the provinces for you. The Ottoman navy is rather large. The Moroccan fleet will have to grow over time. Fund those Barbary Pirates!
 
You're doing well. But don't forget Mali.:p
 
We do fight one battle in Barqua on the Mamluk border, where 11K Moroccans slaughter 2K Tripoli..tan...i..ans? Libyans! Close enough.

Nice. :)

One of the multi-state lotteries is up to $660 million USD (or about 10 Euros.) I told my wife I wanted to erect a huge bronze statue like the Colossus of Rhodes. I was thinking of putting it in Cleveland, Ohio's harbor facing the Canadian border and giving our northern brothers the International Friendship Signal. She gave me a funny look.

It's good for US-Canadian relations then that you didn't win. :p Then again, given that Lake Erie appears to be about 50 miles across from Cleveland to Canada, I suspect your bronze colossus would have to be at least Sears Towers-sized to be visible and I'm not sure you could pull that off, even if you had $660 million USD (which translates into slightly more than 10 Euros. You can probably add at least one or two zeroes :p).

Anyway... Nice job annexing Tripoli. I hope you can still get to Mali before the die rolls against you, but either way, it'll be interesting to see how the newly enlarged Morocco will fare against its bigger neighbors once your steadying hand is no longer there.
 
Alas, Tripoli, we knew him well...

Good job unifying North Africa. I didn't expect a full annexation of Tripoli, but I was pleasantly surprised. I agree you don't want a land border with the Ottomans, but you should try to take Alexandria, as it is the jewel on any crown. I hope you will soon be able to discover Mali, and make Morocco a truly great power to rival the Ottomans.
 
I see you as an outcast, in exile from your former court and manipulating Morocco to gain your just revenge...

"You don't want me to run your country? FOOLS! I now own your country! MWAhahahahaaaahaa!"

Of course I have a lot of idle thoughts like that. Had I won that lottery I'd have done something constructive like buying my own publishing company and devoting it, in true North Korean fashion, to promoting my own gargantuan ego... um, talent! Of course, I meant to say talent. Someone airbrush out that part of the post immediately!

Northern Africa could not be in better hands than yours (since I'm not playing, that is). The only possible improvement could be to put more of it in the same place.

[Swelling music from the Wind and the Lion gives way to the main theme of Lawrence of Arabia, God rest Peter O'Toole]. Forward to Cairo! On - On to Alexandria!