This is my second attempt to play the House of Zähringen of Baden, starting from the founding of Freiburg (1st of May, 1120) until I can survive the Medieval times and exit to Europa Universalis IV (if possible). You can read about my first attempt here. The reason I abandoned that game was incompatibilities introduced with the Rajas DLC and the expanded map. Since I just installed the Nomads too, I believe I will be safe enough for the next few months until I finish this game.
There is an importance difference though: this time around I will be playing at Ironman mode. If I fail, I am dead. Since I will be playing my head here, I won't be trying too extreme gambles here, apart from the necessary stuff to create the Duchy of Baden at my own pace, inside the Holy Roman Empire. I am not planing to become king of all or anything, after all.
This was my old post in the old AAR. It is still valid, I guess:
Hello everyone.
This is my AAR of the new campaign I am starting with the Zähringer Dynasty. The House of Zähringen was an illustrious medieval dynasty (it is even in the end game score comparison, fairly low) that dominated the Swabian region in the 11th and 12th century before continuing as the House of Baden. Since I live in Freiburg (and a neighborhood of the city called Zähringen) I find it rather cool I can play as them.
In real life the Zähringer of Freiburg died out with the main line of the family in 1218, but I plan to do better than that, establishing a dynasty of a small but respectable demesne. My starting date will be the 1st of May in 1120, to coincide more or less to the date of the founding of Freiburg. Actually the city was probably founded earlier, but at that point in time got permission to operate its market by the local lord, Konrad, the guy I will be playing at the beginning as pater familias of my dynasty.
I have two main goals:
If I manage to reach 1444 I will save the game and continue in Europa Universalis IV as an alternate reality Baden (with the descendants of the original Zähringer in place) trying to become the premium nation of the HRE. But that's story for an EU4 AAR that will come later.
It is important to note that I will not take unnecessary risks, I will play as if my head is at stake. I do not need to grow huge to achieve my goal (of survival), I just have to establish myself. This shall be an epic saga that starts in 1120 and finishes in early 19th century.
Can Baden become the premium nation of Germany?
There is an importance difference though: this time around I will be playing at Ironman mode. If I fail, I am dead. Since I will be playing my head here, I won't be trying too extreme gambles here, apart from the necessary stuff to create the Duchy of Baden at my own pace, inside the Holy Roman Empire. I am not planing to become king of all or anything, after all.
This was my old post in the old AAR. It is still valid, I guess:
Hello everyone.
This is my AAR of the new campaign I am starting with the Zähringer Dynasty. The House of Zähringen was an illustrious medieval dynasty (it is even in the end game score comparison, fairly low) that dominated the Swabian region in the 11th and 12th century before continuing as the House of Baden. Since I live in Freiburg (and a neighborhood of the city called Zähringen) I find it rather cool I can play as them.
In real life the Zähringer of Freiburg died out with the main line of the family in 1218, but I plan to do better than that, establishing a dynasty of a small but respectable demesne. My starting date will be the 1st of May in 1120, to coincide more or less to the date of the founding of Freiburg. Actually the city was probably founded earlier, but at that point in time got permission to operate its market by the local lord, Konrad, the guy I will be playing at the beginning as pater familias of my dynasty.
I have two main goals:
- survive the Medieval era until the Renaissance, outdoing the historical Zähringer who had their main line extinct
- start as a nobody (a Count in the Holy Roman Empire at the height of the Investiture Controversy) and grow my demesne and territories until I can form the Duchy of Baden, having no one above me but the Emperor himself
If I manage to reach 1444 I will save the game and continue in Europa Universalis IV as an alternate reality Baden (with the descendants of the original Zähringer in place) trying to become the premium nation of the HRE. But that's story for an EU4 AAR that will come later.
It is important to note that I will not take unnecessary risks, I will play as if my head is at stake. I do not need to grow huge to achieve my goal (of survival), I just have to establish myself. This shall be an epic saga that starts in 1120 and finishes in early 19th century.
Can Baden become the premium nation of Germany?