Chapter 23: Peace, War and More Peace.
Three things have to be done before I go to war against Savoy or Venice again.
The first is repaying my loan, which is easy, given the fact that I have plenty of money.
The second is rebuilding my navy. I want plenty of trade ships, but I also want a sizeable combat fleet and the ability to move an entire army at once. This is going to take a lot of money and a couple of years.
The third is modernising my army. I never seem to build enough cannons to get the perfect ratio. Time to change that once and for all.
After repaying my 600-ducats loan, I still have enough left to support Baroque Music. This will give me +1 prestige per year for 20 years at the cost of 10 Admin Points and 120 ducats.
The king’s reputation gets tarnished and I choose to lose 100 DP instead of 1 stability, which would have cost me more in Admin Points.
January, 1609. Admin Tech Level reaches level 17. Since I still have Defensive and Exploration Ideas to finish, I decide to go for Administrative Ideas instead. My first pick would have been Expansion, for the extra colonist, though.
Delaware is finally cored, and I start work on Pamlico, hoping to reach Miami before Spain or Portugal do.
Sweden wants Friesland, but for some reason or other, the Emperor doesn’t agree. He calls me in and France takes over as warleader. I send a large army to Hamburg, but I will let the HRE draw the first blood. They can soak a ton of Swedish Manpower. I am still recovering from Austria’s last war.
In August, I get 5% global settler increase. This will be more than a little welcome to grow my colony faster.
Mainland Denmark was taken without firing a single shot, but now the Swedish are determined to make a stand. They will loose this battle, and open up the way into Sweden itself.
Notice my army standing by in Stade.
Sweden is allied to Russia, but they have prior commitments. Lithuania will loose a couple of provinces in the peace deal. I believe Smolensk is one of them.
After another failed Swedish attempt to lift the siege of Copenhagen, the time is ripe to take a more active part in the proceedings. I start carpet sieging everything south of Stockholm, watching an Austrian army of 18,000 head into what used to be Norway.
The king of France dies. His son, Henri III, is a 5/2/0. Funny side-note: The Von Habsburgs are not even in control of Austria anymore, where the royal dynasty is now Wendel.
While I am sending a secondary force into Finland, this decision pops up. The benefits are too good not to take it. Of ourse, what I failed to take into consideration, was the effect is would have on both my legitimacy and Royal Marriages. The first takes an initial nose dive from 51 back to 25. After renewing a couple of my RMs, I end up with a Legitimacy of 19. About half of what I started this chapter with.
On cue, rebels start popping up in France. They are easily dealt with, but they are still an annoyance.
Remember that Austrian army that headed for Norway? Apparently, they got eaten by the Swedes, because out of nowhere pops a large Swedish army (24,000), and they start munching on my siege stacks. I loose 2 of them before I can intercept the enemy.
Finally, in 1614, after 4 years of warfare, Sweden gives in. I would have preferred to release Norway instead, but this will, hopefully, still provide a healthy buffer.
At any rate, I want to start getting things done on my end.
My trade ships have finished building and I am working on my Galleons, but with the Swedish navy out in force, it is too risky to assemble them into working squadrons.
The very next day, I reach Diplomatic Tech level 18. Merchantmen become available. For a moment, I toy with the idea of scrapping my 21 Flutes, but what the heck. They are only transports, after all.
French ideas are fully realised and I must admit, even though Administration wasn’t my first chocie of Idea, the 25% discount on mercenary costs are always nice to have in a pinch. With my income, I could conceivably keep a bunch of them as fulltime retainers.
The king is so thrilled, that he orders more Galleons to be build, and even produces an heir, Louis XV (I think). He is a 1/2/5, so that should balance out nicely with his father’s stats. Provided this one actually survives, that is.
A huge monument is build to commemorate our victory over Sweden and our 20-year-peace with the HRE. I find myself in debt once again, but this affectively doubles my Legitimacy.
I am making 40 ducats per month, even with the 2nd largest army and the 5th largest navy in the world. Time to make better use of that, I think.
I pull my colonist out of Pamlico and send him to Santee. I have 11 regiments on their way over. Once the colony has been started, and depending on expenses at the time, I plan to send him on his way again, to finish the American East Cost as quickly as possible. I have been extremely lucky here, so far, but we all know you can’t rely on luck alone.
A look at the Western Trade Node. Being embargoed by 3 nations here effectively makes me a second-rate power in this node, but how can anyone effectively compete with the British supremacy here? As I write this, I cannot help but wonder how the changes in Wealth Of Nations will effect trade in this node. Would I send my 30 trade ships to harass British trade power instead?
I enact 2 decisions: Sunday Schools (+1% Missionary Strength) and Advancement Of True Religion Act (+1 revolt risk for +1% missionary strength). This shaves off at least a couple of years to convert Holland.
My claims on Savoy will run out in 5 years, so I still have some time that can be used to let my Manpower recover.
The Holy See. I am fairly confident that I don’t have to worry about a thing in this regard for the time being. I haven’t even done anything except maintain my cardinals when someone (mostly Spain) tried to compete over them. Pure luck, really.
The Académie Française will give me 10% bonus on Administrative Tech for the next 10 years, and it doesn’t even cost anything! Awesome!
Unami becomes a core in 1618. As soon as Pamlico and Santee are done, I will have my very own Colonial Nation. What should I call it, I wonder?
Let’s make a game out of it, shall we? Post your suggestion for a name and I will pick the one I like best. And you will get to see it immortalised in these pages.
Holland becomes catholic in June, 1618. History is changed once again.
Ile De France, however, as was expected, will not be so easy. Even after raising my stability to +3, I am still coming up short in Missionary Strength. By my calculations, adding a level+4 fort to the province will not even be enough to get it done. It would seem like I am stuck with this last Protestant province.
Austria “wins” another war against the Ottomans and Algiers (white peace) and enacts a third Imerial reform.
April, 1619. Here is a look at France’s military strength. I have never build so many artillery regiments. Let’s see if they are worth it.
Savoy finally, after 25 years or so, dissolves the coalition against France. For the first time in, what feels like a century, France is no longer on anyone’s death list.
I reach Military Tech level 17.
It is now june, 1619. My Savoyard claims will end in December, 1620. If I want to hit them, now is the time. My tech is up-to-date, and my MP has reached the 100K again. Savoy’s allies are not very powerful: a couple of 2-province minors in northern Germany.
The only uncertain factor, is the Austrian response. How will they react? Will they respect our longstanding alliance, or will they do their duty as Emperor? With a large number of allies and a really scary general, they could conceivably gum things up for me.
But we are France. Ruling is our destiny! It must be done!
Don’t forget to vote for the name of my CN, and I will see you next time!
Also what does the Versaille decision give you except prestige?
