Chapter 8: A Calculated Loss
Where we last left off, I had gotten distracted by my thoughts of why I dislike most of Europe. Oh, and we were going to attack Portugal again.
We've put Malindi on scutage, that way the Iberians can't get easy WS from fighting them and sieging their land.
About 100k vs. our 40k? Seems even to me
After thinking about it, I've decided to go for sheer numbers over better combat abilities, at least for now. We've got the money for a huge army, we just need the force limit. Plus, the next age objective of "capacity for a large army" is an easy one to meet.
Thanks to the inhabitants of Particularist Island, Portugal doesn't want to go for the easy WS. Plus, we get some nice vision on the north Atlantic, making it easy to keep track of the Iberian fleets.
Here's why I'm not worried about the Iberians larger troop count: Spain is using 40 transports to move a single unit. I guess every man wanted his own ship, bunch of drama queens
We're keeping an eye on these two colonies, and we're fighting off any Spanish forces that land.
Meanwhile, rebels in Malindi. But, we were prepared for this, we kept our army split in two, one on each coast. So we're able to put these rebels down without delay.
And out Brazilian holdings are, once again, proving to be the most vital of assets
More Portuguese corpses for the compost pile.
Pathetic.
Spain's still making good use of Naval supremacy and a fleet of transports, this time, they sent 5k!
They died, btw.
Now Spain's putting on their serious face, and it looks like this:
Meanwhile, we're putting on our serious face, and it looks like this:
Finally transporting a sizable army, good for you, Spain! you get a cookie!
Even though they have a numerical advantage, we have the terrain on our side!
Although, we did cut it kinda close
And now we play a game of Zoroafrica's national pastime, ping-pong!
Ping!
Pong!
Also, I love how there's a single infantryman left. Instead of becoming a cannoneer, he's going all "don't worry, men, I will protect you and your massive guns! Nary a single foe shall get past my rifle and bayonet!"
Looks like he abandoned his post, letting us wipe the floor with Spain's cannons
Some troops landed, but they quickly fled into the jungles of the north. We're super scary, BOO!
BRITAIN!
I guess we're not THAT scary
They want our land in Brazil. But since Spain has it sieged up, neither side gets ticking warscore.
Finally, after well over a hundred years, we finish our first idea group! DEUS VULT!
Also, our galleys are better now. But we don't have any, so it's kinda moot.
More bodies for the compost pile!
Britain only has 13 transport ships, so they used them all to bring 13k men to Loango.
Too bad we wipe the floor with their silly Union Jack.
After seeing Britain land, not being one to be outdone, Spain does the same thing with 14k men. But, they lose just as spectacularly as they usually do.
Well, after another short game of ping-pong, Spain seems to really love the sport!
But, it looks like we beat them TOO badly, and we ended up signing a white peace. Now we only need to deal with one "superpower" and one "threat".
Skip ahead a few years (nothing happened, no landings, no nothing), we have moved half of our army to Arguin, and the Portuguese fleet tried to pin us down. Too bad we were prepared and had built a few heavies prior to our war declaration.
Portugal is downright pathetic, they've lost almost all of their African holdings, and since they JUST got colonial nations in the mid 1500s, they have an absolutely tiny fleet and force limit.
We ended our war with Britain by giving them some money, and our Brazilian provinces. They weren't worth the hassle (Spain would get just enough WS from sieging them that they wouldn't want to leave the war until 6 years have passed, as opposed to the typical 5). Plus, we get some revaunchism, and we have plans for the so called "Great" Britain
But now, we're only at war with Portugal.
And now that WE have naval supremacy, we're able to do THIS
Your classic blitzkrieg, only several years after the war started
Now, I did forget to take a picture of the peace window, so I'll highlight the important things here.
Portugal now only has one province in Africa, and has lost their islands that they start the game with. They are no longer allied with Spain, and paid us some good chump change for our troubles.
But, most importantly,
WE TOOK BEJA. You know, that province due south of Lisboa? That means we have a direct connection in Iberia.
We also have a friend for the first time in nearly 150 years! And they're actually pretty strong
Religious map, for those who are curious. Right now, I'm questioning our ability to become the dominant faith, but we've still got about 230 years left, and we've not even TOUCHED admin efficiency OR absolutism yet!
And we get a really nice event, thanks to having both a master of mint, and a trader as our advisers! Well, HAD them, we fired them for 200 admin and dip mana.
And now, we declare a holy war on Adal, with the intent of eliminating both them and Ajuuraan from the map.
And we did just that. It was a boring war, so nothing to see there.
A quick look in Iberia shows that Spain is in a war with Bohemia. Opportunity is showing itself...
But before that, we release our newest vassal. We fed the rest of their cores to Malindi, so they only have the one province to start with. As planned.
And, they have religious ideas filled out, plus their own set of Najd Lite ideas!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!