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misterbean

Fumbling My Way through History
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Oct 18, 2009
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Introduction.


Hello everyone. I am back with a brand-new EU4 AAR. I was originally planning to do a Brandenburg or Sweden AAR after I finished my current HOI3 tutorial, but all the changes and features in The Cossacks made me change my mind.

As you can see from the banner, I have decided to embark on a tale of English adventures using the release version of The Cossacks expansion. Of course, I will be using the Random New World (no fantasy empires).

This is an Ironman campaign. Hence the title of this AAR. My goals are to unite the British Isles as soon as possible and stay out of Europe as much as possible. After that, I will explore and colonise. This should be a relatively peaceful campaign, centered on trade and colonies, but you never know how things will work out.

Will we see the might of the British Empire arise or will we have to bear the ages with a stiff upper lip? Let’s find out!

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: King Crap and Rufus the stableboy. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/#post-20294681
Chapter 2: Rebels, Money and Allies. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-2#post-20325259
Chapter 3: War Of Flemish Independence. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-2#post-20355323
Chapter 4: Bloody Battles And Empty Oceans. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-3#post-20369995
Chapter 5: Breaking Burgundy. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-3#post-20390904
Chapter 6: Manpower And Loans. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-4#post-20424223
Chapter 7: Austrian Morale. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-4#post-20441685
Chapter 8: Maghreb Mayhem. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-5#post-20472369
Chapter 9: colonists And Estates. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-6#post-20514503
Chapter 10: The Reign Of Queen Anne I. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-6#post-20551925
Chapter 11: Colonial Wealth. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-8#post-20586689
Chapter 12: One Night In Paris! http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-8#post-20614044
Chapter 13: A Look At The World. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-9#post-20619890
Chapter 14: The Not So Terrible English Civil War. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-9#post-20669338
Chapter 15: Trade Bonanza. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-10#post-20703966
Chapter 16: Java! http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-10#post-20822260
Chapter 17: Liberty. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-11#post-20850709
Chapter 18: I hate Colonial Nations! http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-11#post-20917680
Chapter 19: The End Of Provence. http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/british-steel.894106/page-12#post-21036035
 
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Subscribed! For once I will be able to follow you along from day one. :)
 
Subscribed! For once I will be able to follow you along from day one. :)

Always welcome. I was going to write the first chapter, but I've been having fun watching DDRJake get stuck between the Ottomans and Castile as Mzab :)
 
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I am also excited to get in at the beginning. Also, I'm sad that I had missed your latest HoI3 tutorial. I'm going to have to go back to read it.
 
I was originally planning to do a Brandenburg or Sweden AAR [...] but all the changes and features in The Cossacks made me change my mind. As you can see from the banner, I have decided to embark on a tale of English adventures using the release version of The Cossacks expansion.
Out of curiosity, what exactly about The Cossacks changed your mind from doing BRA or SWE AAR? The lack of nobility estate for ENG/GBR due to the Parliament?

Of course, I will be using the Random New World (no fantasy empires).!
Will it be a surprise exploration RNW, or are you going to verify it's a decent RNW landmass before committing? If it's the latter, perhaps don't show the RNW to us?
 
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Chapter 1: King Crap and Rufus the stableboy.


The start of an England game can be rough if things go wrong, especially early on. There’s a delicate balancing act going on here.


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On the one hand, there are the Burghers and the Clergy. They have to be given loyalty, but preferably without giving them too much influence. England’s nobles are represented using the Parliament, and they too have to be kept happy.


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And of course, there’s king Crap, who is absolutely useless, both in bed and outside it. I need his wife to get some leasure time with Rufus the stableboy, so I RM Tyrone, Leinster, Castile and Austria. If the king is out visiting his relatives abroad, he won’t be around to watch Margaret. Together with the Royal Marriage I already have with Portugal, this immediately puts me one above my relations cap, but desperate times make for desperate measures.

Rufus my boy, do your thing!


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I said that things can get bad quickly, but at least in the case of international politics, I get lucky. Denmark doesn’t really concern me, while France and Burgundy are to be expected as rivals. I manage to ally the same nations I RM’ed earlier. With a tiny bit of effort, both Tyrone and Leinster eventually become my vassals.

With all of those forces set to defend me, France and Burgundy are sure to be quiet for a while. I would very much like it, if they ate each other for the next years.


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As long as there is no heir, the War of the Roses is a definite possibility, so I will need to raise manpower as much as possible. A 10-year bonus of 5% MP is just what the doctor ordered. For those of you who have never played England, you need to choose an edict to put up for discussion in parliament from a list of possibilities. Then you choose which MPs to bribe. Some are bribed with money, some with Monarch Points, Legitimacy or Army/Navy Tradition.


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I get a pretty good couple of advisors. More diplomatic reputation, less unrest, better army morale. Could be much worse.


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I’m still working on the Irish when I get a claim on Artois in Burgundy. Good. Something to keep in my back pocket.


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Parliamentary sessions come with fun little events that require you to spend more money or to re-bribe someone. In this case, the PM for Kent has to be given another 5 military tradition before he will accept living conditions in the city since I don’t have 25 ducats to spare.


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After that, it’s a matter of waiting. The War of the Roses doesn’t care that you’re at war or at peace, so even if I wanted to, I couldn’t risk using the troops for anything.


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In September 1445, it becomes clear that Rufus did his job. We have an heir with strong claims! The dynasty is saved. The king gets a son and Rufus is given a farm in Meath as reward for services rendered. What’s even better is that he really did a good job. An heir with 3/5/6 stats is not to be sneezed at.


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France and Burgundy take out their frustration at not being able to DoW me on each other. Good, if it keeps them both too weak to be a threat.


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Now that we have an heir, king Crap is put at the command of an army and send to Connaught. This is Leinster’s claim on the province, but since Tyrone is the first one on the scene, they’re the ones to get the occupation, and the province goes to them in the peacedeal. Leinster is so furious, that they steadfastly refuse to put a claim on Munster, who are out of my reach for now. Eventually, I will opt for the peaceful solution (read diplo-vassalisation). No need to send in the army, when a rose can do the job just as fine. Just don’t ask me what colour that rose is :D

The downside is that I now have 6 relations out of a possible 4 until I can annex the Irish dukes.


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While Castile and Aragon go to war over Navarra, I put some thought into the Scottish problem. They feel threatened enough that I might be able to ally them, but they are clearly too big for a diplo-vassalisation. They are, of course, guaranteed by France, who is at war against Burgundy, but they would still come in to defend Scotland.


The Lollard heresy pops up, and I choose to oppose them. No need to antagonise my neighbours or the pope more than I have to.


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It is December 1448 before the Burgundians can put enough pressure on France that they would renege on their promises towards Scotland. Time to go to war!


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The Scottish army chooses to stand and fight in Lothian, which is a huge mistake. With 11 regiments against 32, victory is an almost foregone conclusion in the Lowlands. Even better, it turns into a complete stackwipe. I guess they didn’t have enough funding for their army.


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While I mop up the reinforcements, France peaces out against Brittany, losing their only direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. I can only hope that my 48% Warscore, their own debt and their War Exhaustion will dissuade them from joining my war.

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Thank you for that nice event, game. Too bad the timing is not perfect, but the +1 Diplo Rep always comes in handy.


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The besiegers of Lothian lose 2000 men in the legendary Scottish winter that lasted until July 1449. Speaking of timing :confused:


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By the time winter does start, the war is over. Scotland is no more, and the Irish are our vassals. Part one of the campaign goals has been established, and it’s been less then 10 years.


See you next time!
 
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Out of curiosity, what exactly about The Cossacks changed your mind from doing BRA or SWE AAR? The lack of nobility estate for ENG/GBR due to the Parliament?


Will it be a surprise exploration RNW, or are you going to verify it's a decent RNW landmass before committing? If it's the latter, perhaps don't show the RNW to us?

No, just a matter of being able to go exploring a lot faster plus the combo of WofR, parliament and estates that really appeals to me. It is a true exploration. I don't know what's out there any more than you do. Well, I've played until 1506, so I have SOME idea by now. But you'll just have to wait until we get there.
 
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You are very lucky with the French situation and the War of the Roses handled for you. I'm hoping you will get Maragreth of Anjou too, if Henry does not die. And you know, snow (can be linked to winter) in July isn't completely out of the place in Northern Norrland here, so why not in Scotland in 1449? :p They are in the Highlands maybe?
 
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Hail Rufus, savior of the realm! What a stud; that's a nice heir indeed.

The stars are aligned in your favor, with France taking a blow from Brittany like that.
 
You are very lucky with the French situation and the War of the Roses handled for you. I'm hoping you will get Maragreth of Anjou too, if Henry does not die. And you know, snow (can be linked to winter) in July isn't completely out of the place in Northern Norrland here, so why not in Scotland in 1449? :p They are in the Highlands maybe?

AFAIK, in july, there's a lot of rain and wind in the lowlands. Snow not so much. Then again, it might have been a very small, 1-year iceage :D

Hail Rufus, savior of the realm! What a stud; that's a nice heir indeed.

The stars are aligned in your favor, with France taking a blow from Brittany like that.

Queen Margaret wouldn't associate with just any old stableboy. There are standards to uphold, you know :p

re: France/Scotland. I've had games in the past where France maintains the guarantee until the 17th century. I've had games where they turn it into an alliance. There's no telling what might happen. you just have to keep your eyes peeled for a perfect opportunity.
 
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That's a heck of a start. Since you say you want to stay out of Europe as much as possible, do you plan to eventually abandon your continental holdings? It seems like France is looking vulnerable...
 
That's a heck of a start. Since you say you want to stay out of Europe as much as possible, do you plan to eventually abandon your continental holdings? It seems like France is looking vulnerable...

I'm going to hold on to them until Blobby comes calling because they are quite valuable in terms of trade. Same for Calais and Burgundy.
 
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Colour me interested! Not a bad start at all for the first Cossacks AAR around. Looking forward to see how you handle those filthy continentals. :p
 
Colour me interested! Not a bad start at all for the first Cossacks AAR around. Looking forward to see how you handle those filthy continentals. :p

Thank you and welcome. First AAR using Cossacks? Really? That'd be awesome.
 
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