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Darkath: No, I didn't. I thought I couldn't fabricate claims without a land border. Apparently that changed at some point. Well, now I know!
Saintrl: I know! Two turns in the same country! And it's not an OPM surrounded by hungry neighbors!
McGrey: Oh my. Now I do feel foolish. I'm so sorry. I didn't know!
Chief Ragusa: THAT is an excellent war goal!
Seelmeister: Yeah, when I saw that Netherlands took over leadership of the war my thought was: 'Yep, white peace it is. Maybe some ducats. Thanks.'
Stuyvesant: If Guantanamo suddenly flips to Portuguese culture we know what happened!
Director: I'll take anything the AI wants to give me with a big thank you!
Nikolai: Yep! Just what the doctor ordered.
Or not.
Idhrendur: Indeed! So far things are going well.
Saintrl: I know! Two turns in the same country! And it's not an OPM surrounded by hungry neighbors!
McGrey: Oh my. Now I do feel foolish. I'm so sorry. I didn't know!
Chief Ragusa: THAT is an excellent war goal!
Seelmeister: Yeah, when I saw that Netherlands took over leadership of the war my thought was: 'Yep, white peace it is. Maybe some ducats. Thanks.'
Stuyvesant: If Guantanamo suddenly flips to Portuguese culture we know what happened!
Director: I'll take anything the AI wants to give me with a big thank you!
Nikolai: Yep! Just what the doctor ordered.
Or not.
Idhrendur: Indeed! So far things are going well.
CHAPTER XIV: DUTCH WEST INDIES
Part 2: Give me Victory
(1635-1640)
Part 2: Give me Victory
(1635-1640)
Party in Portugal
As 1635 dawns our war with Caraibas is in pretty good shape: We've occupied four provinces. They have four left - two under siege, one with 4K, 2 ships and blockaded, the other with 10K, one caravel and also cut off. No Portuguese in sight, and their dwindling fleet size says we should be safe.
Through 1635 first Barahonas (Dominican Republic), then Tortuga (Northern Haiti) falls. The latter requires us to storm the walls in September. This involves some loss in manpower, but more importantly it hurts our army morale, so I decide to wait a few months before striking the beleaguered army in Les Cayes (Southern Haiti).
As it turns out, this hurt Caraibas far worse. Their economy apparently goes into freefall, for they begin disbanding fleets and armies. By the beginning of December there's simply no one left, and we walk into Les Cayes and Dominica. Now we wait.
We're still waiting in August 1636 when our richer plantation owners ask about us ceding church functions to them. I agree for 62.46 gold, which allows us to comfortably pay off two more loans (2 left).
By December it's over: Dominica and Les Cayes surrender, and we're at +31% warscore vs. Portugal. My first thought is to help finish off Brazil, but the Netherlands already has that covered. They're completely occupied. This means it's time to take a long look at Portugal itself:
Tempting, though that 8K army in Beira has a decent commander. It's probably easier and safer to go after other targets: Portugal's navy now consists of 3 carracks, 4 caravels and 2 flytes. A carrack and both flytes are pinned in Lisbon. There will be no naval interference if we keep our fleet together.
One problem: Our caravels are still weak from travelling and fighting. I detach them, and send all our carracks and flytes with 8,000 men, dropping half off at the Azores. The other half are en route to Cape Verde when I notice our fleet is on the verge of disintegrating, so instead we move to Arguin, the Dutch holding on Morocco's southern border, to rest for a month or two before proceeding.
While our fleet is enroute to the Azores, we get the opportunity to switch governors:
I didn't really care either way, and was curious who'd get to choose our new governor. This apparently triggered a Dutch event where they chose a bureaucratic candidate on our behalf. That's alright: I wouldn't mind building up admin power anyway in case we have more negative stability events.
While waiting for our fleet to recover, Portugal decides they've had enough:
Freeing Marathas weakens Portugal's eastward push, and gaining Antigua for ourselves is a nice boost. We immediately begin coring it. Netherlands also finished colonizing Moron (Central Cuba,) which also joins the DWI. Plus two provinces and very little bloodshed? Deal!
Peace is Dull
By January 1638 our fleet is finally strong enough to risk the hazardous voyage home. We pick everyone up and settle in Puerto Rico by August. Needless to say our caravels, once back at 100%, resume duties protecting Caribbean trade. We also find out our bureaucracy is corrupt (-2.5% taxes for 5 years)
In February we take Diplomacy-14 (Galleass). We could have taken Trade Ideas-1 or Naval Idea-1 much earlier, but honestly I'd just as soon continue teching up, especially as we're going to fall behind due to our 1/1/4 'republic' governors.
We pay off the last of our loans, and it's time to think of targets. Of those near me, I can't DoW Shawnee or Aztec due to lack of border, nor Britain or Spain because they're independent and I'm not. Caraibas and Brazil are both protected by truce.
I could DoW Spanish Florida, and looking at the numbers I should gain advantage, but no doubt Spain would intervene and order me to back off. The numbers aren't promising: They have 120 ships to Netherlands' 76, and 115K men to our parent's 23. (Apparently they either disbanded a bit after the war, or Gelre was contributing more than I thought.) So... No. Spain's too powerful right now.
Protestors argue we should have a stable government. I tell them that if they wanted a stable government, moving somewhere where your overload several thousand miles away picked your governor was a really stupid idea and lose 10 prestige.
It's only in early 1439 that I take Darkath's excellent advice and see if we can forge a claim anywhere. We do: Jamaica. All other avenues are closed to us (or at least too foolhardy to consider), so in 1642 we'll be fighting Caraibas again. I hope to have 3 active claims by then, and doubt Portugal will have recovered enough to avoid another thrashing.
That is, of course, if we're still here.
Johan's Dice
Reign: 10 years
Roll Needed: 3+
Roll: 4
Continue: Yes
Good.
As some recompense for a relatively slow turn, I am proud to present North America:
I like Tea and Crumpets, you should conquer - I mean liberate - them too. And Moose. I like Moose too. But the Iroquois can keep their Reprublicans.
Considering the limitations of a colonial nation, everything seems to work out very well under your benevolent reign. I hope you stay around long enough to wage an war of independence (or at least prepare the DWI for a success).
Considering the limitations of a colonial nation, everything seems to work out very well under your benevolent reign. I hope you stay around long enough to wage an war of independence (or at least prepare the DWI for a success).
That was a pretty good result in the war, and hopefully your claims will secure some territory in round 2. An interesting looking north America as well - Spain may have gone further north but it's nice to see that fledgling Norwell an colony.
I think this is one of the few times I'm hoping your next dice role comes up short - being a protectorate is very limiting and with the prospects of an independence war fairly remote, I'm not sure how much fun beating up the Portuguese every 5 years will be!
I think this is one of the few times I'm hoping your next dice role comes up short - being a protectorate is very limiting and with the prospects of an independence war fairly remote, I'm not sure how much fun beating up the Portuguese every 5 years will be!
Looks like the war went well enough.
Colonial nations seem to be pretty boring to play, especially if one cannot colonize yet. Beats being a vassal or a PU junior though.
Colonial nations seem to be pretty boring to play, especially if one cannot colonize yet. Beats being a vassal or a PU junior though.
Bit of an unusual place for Spain to colonize in this game. In-fact I would say that the colonizers are all colonizing in locations they traditionally never did historically speaking.
Florida seems out of place. You should conquer it! What's the worst that could happen...
Also it seems that "spain" is actually aragon. Seeing that their colony is named "catalan canada"
Good to see that you (and your colonial overlord) won the war and that you got something out of it as well. Nice. Perhaps not as astounding as turning Morocco into a North African powerhouse, but considering your mean beginnings here, certainly well done.
That map of North America is so messed up, it's beautiful...
So Spain, how d'ya like it in Newfoundland? Es muy frigo, no?* And then there's Florida, which encompasses my hometown, Philadelphia, the state of New Jersey and New York frickin' City... Oh, and then there's the apparent difference between Spain proper and Catalonia. And Norway taking over Maine (I guess it's a lot like Minnesota, except with more of a coastline). It's messed up beyond comprehension and I don't blame the British (English?) from steering well clear from that mess.
*I promise to stop embarrassing myself by abusing the Spanish language going forward.
That map of North America is so messed up, it's beautiful...
So Spain, how d'ya like it in Newfoundland? Es muy frigo, no?* And then there's Florida, which encompasses my hometown, Philadelphia, the state of New Jersey and New York frickin' City... Oh, and then there's the apparent difference between Spain proper and Catalonia. And Norway taking over Maine (I guess it's a lot like Minnesota, except with more of a coastline). It's messed up beyond comprehension and I don't blame the British (English?) from steering well clear from that mess. *I promise to stop embarrassing myself by abusing the Spanish language going forward.
That's not Maine, that's the Canadian maritimes! Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, though Norway would obviously call them something else. Also they got the Gaspe peninsula in Quebec.
Oh dear... You are, of course, absolutely right. I guess I have very little to show for my Master's in Geography... <Hangs head in shame>
Anyway, CatKnight, could you possibly evict the Norse from North America, so as to erase this stain on my reputation?
I particularly liked the reference to your 'colonial overload'. A bit of Freudian slippage showing, perhaps?
Hit 'em again - harder!
Hit 'em again - harder!
I fouund this run on a small colonial nation quite interesting. And I don't think it would make sense to do it anything different than it is now, though I see how colonies could screw up bad their master's plans by playing stupid and that is indeed troubling.
... I wouldn't go so far as to define "worse", but this is definitely better than Shan.
... I wouldn't go so far as to define "worse", but this is definitely better than Shan.
Well at least your war went well. Interesting to see that a colony can create a war between European powers, and something to remember should I ever colonize anything.
Although being a CN is a bit slow, it would be interesting if the DWI can grow into a Carribean superpower. If the DWI does grow that much over time it'll be interesting to see its affects come the late 1700s.
Other than that looking forward to your next moves!
Although being a CN is a bit slow, it would be interesting if the DWI can grow into a Carribean superpower. If the DWI does grow that much over time it'll be interesting to see its affects come the late 1700s.
Other than that looking forward to your next moves!
Did you also advise the Spanish on the location of Florida?
That was a relaxing stroll in the park war. Just what the doctor ordered. I too enjoyed the colonial overload and thought the Dutch province settled was quite appropriate for your new governor. It is going to be rather tedious if you have to conquer Caribas one province at a time. If you've got the conquer Caribas mission, choose it and hope for the best next war.
Zing!
Or, in a desperate effort to regain some sort of standing: touché.C'mon, CatKnight, get this show on the road already so that we can bury my embarrasing 'Maine Incident'!