Irish Isolationism - A Narrative EU4 (Megacampaign) AAR

[blklizard]

Hi! This is my first attempt of a megacampaign. As the title suggests, I'll be playing as Ireland (or maybe under a different name depending on my modding). The CK2 game was my first attempt at the game so it was a rather interesting experience to say the least. This will also be my first time playing EU4 so I'll be learning as I go. I have played EU3 in the past but there are enough differences for this to be a completely new experience.

I will be doing things a bit differently where I'll be doing this in parallel with my CK2 AAR. I have completed the actual CK2 game but the AAR is progressing at a much slower pace. While my CK2 AAR focuses on Ireland, this EU4 AAR will be focusing on the of the world outside the regions with Irish provinces leading up to the start of the EU4 gameplay while I work on the modding of the game to suit the start I have in mind.

I am currently using a friend's EU4 game for the maps to be shown. I will be transitioning into the actual EU4 gameplay once my CK2 AAR ends and I get the EU4 game along with the DLCs during special sales (I will update once I get these). This AAR will be narrative style and the backstories should take awhile to cover. Because I wasn't paying attention to the world outside my immediate vicinity during my CK2 game, I will be making up the backstory completely from scratch.

Below are the changes (no particular order) I'll be modding for the game.

Spoiler

-Taxes, production and manpower improved for provinces Munster and Meath due to their importance in CK2.
-Indian Peninsula will not be changed at all
-Favors to increase trust: 20
-Favor cost for AI to enter war: 20
-Trust lost for dishonoring call to arms (caller): 30
-Trust lost for dishonoring call to arms (others): 0
-Trust lost for not giving land when promised: 30
-Trust lost for separate peace: 30
-Peace cost for vassalizing tripled
-Peace cost for releasing annexed nation halved
-Peace cost for forming union: 80
-Fraction of war score for war goal: 0.9
-Years to integrate vassals: 20
-Liberty desire where no diploannex progress is made: 30
-Regular colony growth: 1
-decline of Byzantium modifier: meant to cause the collapse of Byzantium
-decline of Seljuk modifier: meant to cause the collapse of Seljuk
-hurting for men modifier: negative effects if less than 10% of total manpower
Espionage Idea:
-agent training: +1 diplomat, +1 diplomatic relations
-efficient spies: +50% spy network construction, -10% advisor cost, +10% fort defense
-bonus: +50% rebel support efficiency, -1% prestige decay
Maritime Idea:
-ship's penny: -20% ship cost
-merchant marine: +50% national sailors modifier, +1 merchant, +10% trade efficiency
-bonus: ship repair, +15% trade range
Quality Idea:
-bonus: +5% discipline, -33% land attrition
Quantity Idea:
-mass army: +50% national manpower modifier, -10% discipline
-expanded supply trains: -5% land attrition
Naval Idea:
-naval glory: +100% prestige from naval battles, +1 prestige yearly, +5% trade efficiency
-superior seamanship: +15% morale of navies, +20% trade range, +1 merchant
-bonus: +10% ship durability, -10% ship cost
Economic Idea:
-bureaucracy: +15% national tax modifier
-organized construction: -15% build cost
-nationalistic enthusiasm: -15% land maintenance modifier

 

[blklizard]

Reserved!

 

[Idhrendur]

Oh, curious. I like megacampaigns. Any plans for Vic2 or a HoI game? Or is that looking too far ahead?

 

[blklizard]

Oh, curious. I like megacampaigns. Any plans for Vic2 or a HoI game? Or is that looking too far ahead?

I have Vic2 and the DLCs (never played this game either so gameplay should be entertaining) so I have plans but it'll be quite awhile till I get there. I need to get my hands on the EU4 and its DLCs first.

 

[Hootieleece]

Make sure you get Art of War and Common Sense DLC's.

 

[blklizard]

Make sure you get Art of War and Common Sense DLC's.

I plan on getting all of them during a special on Steam since I have awhile before I can even start gameplay.

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 1

Genghis Khan stood on the hill of a foreign land which he had conquered very recently. His personal bodyguards were several meters away from him after he said he wanted some privacy. He stared at the sky waiting for an answer from his God who had guided him through his numerous victories. No foreigner had lived to regret standing in his path as he pushed westwards towards the unknown.

There wasn't a single cloud in the sky but, without warning, a lightning struck down almost where he stood. Genghis Khan felt no fear as his God gave him a vision about his descendants. The vision was so clear he needn't his shaman to explain it to him. The great Khan of Mongolia walked towards his men who were shaken by the lightning but he showed no expression on his face.

When he walked up to his horse, Genghis Khan stopped in his tracks. The two of them had been through numerous battles seeing a close bond formed between them. Genghis Khan could see understanding in the horse's eyes and smiled slightly. He then mounted his horse and took off with his bodyguards rushing to catch up. What they didn't see was the single teardrop in their Khan's eye.

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

I'm curious to see how the rest of your world developed. Consider me subscribed.

 

[blklizard]

I'm curious to see how the rest of your world developed. Consider me subscribed.

Welcome! The rest of the world will be quite fun to see how it develops in EU4.

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 2

Sultan Malik stood atop the walls as he stared at the terrifying Mongol horde which had gathered outside the city. He had sent numerous armies to battle the horde but they had all returned defeated assuming they survived the engagement. Now, the Mongols were threatening the capital of the Seljuk Empire so he must personally lead his men to victory or they would meet their demise.

The Mongols were using siege weapons his people had never seen before. These siege weapons were throwing projectiles that exploded upon impact and the walls of the capital were already taking severe damage. The sultan could see the feared Mongol cavalry awaiting for a breach before they began their charge. He had heard far too many stories of his cities falling to the Mongols and their populations massacred in the looting that followed.

Never being a religious man, Malik got on his knees and prayed in earnest for the first time on the walls to Allah. He prayed for a miracle to happen to save him and his people from these scourges from the east. His eyes were closed until he heard the cheer of his men followed by the sound of thunder. He stood and stared out at the chaos amidst the Mongol formation. Moments later, the Mongol army miraculous withdrew from the battle resulting in the end of the siege.

 

[blklizard]

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 3

Genghis Khan stared at the roof of ger as he thought back to his last battle outside the Seljuk capital. His men were winning the siege but, without warning, he and his horse were struck by lightning. He passed out from the lightning but his horse hadn't been so fortunate. Genghis Khan had never shed so much tears until the death of his loyal horse who had been with him since he united the tribes in Mongolia.

While he did survive the lightning, Genghis Khan sustained serious injuries and remained in bed for several days. He might not have shared with the others but he suspected his time was up. He could feel his body weakening with each passing day and, when he realized he couldn't get out of bed, he made a surprising decision to abandon all Seljuk territory so they could withdraw to their own territory.

He explained that the lightning was a sign from their God that they weren't meant to bring about the fall of Seljuk. They must withdraw before they make more mistakes and anger their God further. Genghis Khan never made it before they left Seljuk territory but his body was eventually carried back to his home in the Mongolian plains to be properly buried. His last wish was for his sons to keep pushing westwards.

 

[Michaelangelo]

A lightning bolt is a pretty bold sign. Guess the Mongols were not destined to expand quite as far under Genghis Khan in this timeline.

 

[blklizard]

A lightning bolt is a pretty bold sign. Guess the Mongols were not destined to expand quite as far under Genghis Khan in this timeline.

They were a disappointment until fairly late game.

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 4

The death of Genghis Khan almost saw the collapse of the Mongol Empire. His sons and grandsons broke into multiple factions as they competed for power. The resulting conflicts first saw all Mongolian territory in China breaking free into multiple Chinese states. Those Chinese states were so busy fighting among themselves that they paid no heed to Mongolia which was a blessing to the Mongol Empire.

The internal strife would eventually end at a devastating cost for the Mongol Empire. In addition to the land lost in China, Whatever gains made against the Seljuk Empire were lost over the years. The Mongol Empire once had so much promise but the death of her leaders saw her first decline. For the next few generations, the Khans of the empire fought desperately to hold onto their power as the once feared empire practically vanished.

Yet, the Mongol Empire was never meant to utterly collapse following a lightning strike. She would be given a second chance at glory when a young Khan by the name of Tayang rose to power. Tayang was only fifteen when he became the Khan and his rise was due to an assassination of his father who was said to be poisoned to death. There was no evidence pointing to who was responsible for his father's death.

Being only fifteen, Tayang was naturally looked down upon by others in the Mongol Empire. He was seen as a little lamb who rose to the top not due to his abilities but simply due to his birthright. Therefore, there were many who plotted to take the title of Khan from this young man. What they never expected was the hidden talents of Tayang which were brought to the surface in the environment he was growing up in.

Since a young age, Tayang had always been a humble person who never boasted his accomplishments which were actually many. He proved to be an excellent horseman since the age of five and could keep up with all the other adults during hunts. Tayang also loved literature from other cultures with his own collection stashed away under his bed which he read whenever he could. His thirst for more knowledge eventually brought him in contact with books written by the Muslim assassins.

Ironically, the books by the assassins proved pivotal for his rule as Khan since the content taught him much about intrigue. Tayang learned to observe his surroundings more often and could differentiate his friends from his enemies by studying those around him. He was also better at unraveling plots and used his enemies against each other. After all, his enemies all desired power so they weren't going to remain idle until their path was cleared.

When his father died, Tayang was devastated since, being the favorite, the two of them were really close. It certainly didn't help that the death was caused by poisoning which wasn't an honorable way to go for a Khan. Tayang was determined to bring about stability to the remnants of the Mongol Empire and he would use everything at his disposal to achieve that seemingly impossible goal.

The Khan first narrowed down his biggest threats or, rather, those who held the greatest power in the Mongol Empire. He then rated their loyalty and determined if they needed to be removed permanently. If his most influential warriors were disloyal, he couldn't count on them to serve him properly. If was far better to dispose them and pick those he could trust than tempt fate as his father did.

Thus, Tayang began to play a very dangerous political game in the Mongol Empire where nearly everyone wanted him dead. He knew not who he could trust and that included members of his own family. His brothers, especially his two elder ones, were displeased he got the title of Khan so, above everyone else, they had a greater desire to usurp his power and take it for themselves. One false move and Tayang would be found dead under mysterious circumstances. The Khan didn't intend on sharing his father's fate.

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

Tayang gets it.

 

[Twighlight Array 17]

The real tragedy is the horse's death. This looks engaging, subbed!

 

[blklizard]

Tayang gets it.

He knew what he needed to do during the CK2 era.

The real tragedy is the horse's death. This looks engaging, subbed!

Welcome! I hope I can keep making this engaging.

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 5

Tayang understood that there were two things his disloyal subjects were after: wealth and power. Wealth was determined by the land one owned while power was determined by the titles one had. His subjects were after one, the other or both which meant they were predictable regarding on what motivated them to take action. Tayang planned to use their motivation against them.

Those seeking wealth only were generally less dangerous because, by granting them a plot of land, they would be ever grateful. Those wanting the titles, especially one like Great Khan, were far more of a threat to Tayang so he needed to focus on them more often. The greater the power his subjects possessed, the more ambitious they would be in obtaining an even greater title.

Like all things in life, a man wouldn't appreciate things that were given to him at no cost. Therefore, Tayang had no intentions of giving away titles for free in hopes of making his subjects more loyal. If they got one title easily, then they would certainly sought for more until they wanted to be the Great Khan. Tayang planned to make the titles obtainable but those who desired it would need to work for it.

One thing the Khan learned from the assassins was that one didn't always needed to get his hands dirty. It was often far easier to use the rivalry between his enemies so they could eliminate one another benefiting him in the end. Since there were so many desiring titles, he would let them fight over the titles. During the process, they would ideally kill for the titles reducing his number of enemies for him.

Thus, Tayang announced during a meeting that he wished to grant a few higher position titles along with land to those he felt were worthy. The prospect of both title and land certainly got the attention of those present. The Khan could see clearly the greed in their eyes and knew without a doubt they would do everything in their power to acquire what he was offering. They were all ears the moment he made the announcement.

According to customs, he explained that those who were true warriors deserved both. Therefore, those who wished to have title and land must prove themselves to be worthy warriors of the Mongol Empire. Tayang announced that he would organize a number of tests like horseback archery to determine the final candidates. He could see many of those present displeased with the idea of tests.

Not all his enemies were fit as many of them inherited their titles just as he did from his father. To put more pressure on them, he clarified that everyone within the empire could participate in the tests. He wouldn't do anything to prevent those worthy from acquiring what they deserved. This clarification certainly brought out some hate from some of his subjects but they kept their mouths shut.

Tayang fully understood that he was alive because the powerful nobles were weighing the pros and cons. No one wanted to be labelled as the killer of the Khan and most certainly didn't want his rivals to benefit from the situation. Their own game of intrigue and power struggle was what kept the Khan alive for the moment but Tayang wasn't about to put his fate in the mood of his nobles.

With the prospect of title and land, the Khan effectively pitched the power nobles against one another. They would look for ways to eliminate their rivals to get an easy victory and, in doing so, Tayang could narrow down those he needed to personally dispose of. Meanwhile, the tests would have an alternative benefit for him which would help him rebuild the empire from the grounds up.

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

I wonder if Tayang ever read any Sun Tzu...

“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”

 

[blklizard]

I wonder if Tayang ever read any Sun Tzu...

“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”

I wouldn't be surprised if he came in contact. Mongolia did conquer China at one point.

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 6

With no one to trust, Tayang basically kept to himself with his plans. He kept his ear open to gossip to see how things were developing and spread rumors about his nobles whenever possible. The rumors were never tied to him but the impact they had were noticeable. With the tests nearing, his most powerful nobles were already suspicious of one another about some unfair advantage during the tests.

When he wasn't spreading rumors or listen to gossip, Tayang spent his time meeting some younger warriors who weren't well known and had neither power nor wealth. These warriors were seeking for a chance to rise through the ranks and they were very ambitious. Their lack of ties to existing nobles made them possible allies. Given a chance to speak to the Khan himself, the warriors were honored to have the opportunity.

From the conversations, Tayang was able to learn about the personality of the warriors and determine who was a friend and who was an enemy. Those he felt he could trust would be invited to his feast before the tests to show his appreciation. The Khan understood that, once the tests were over and blood was spilled among his nobles, he would need replacements who were loyal to him.

During the feast, Tayang was certain there would be deaths. His nobles were already tense about the tests and the rumors he spread earlier that day certainly didn't help. He kept some bodyguards with him who he could trust and, avoiding his drink, he kept a watchful eye out for trouble. If the nobles wished to fight, he would let them have the stage as he stayed away from the chaos.

One of his powerful nobles had a drink too many and started insulting another powerful noble which soon escalated the situation. Tayang saw the warriors of the nobles draw their weapons but he didn't intervene at all. He merely gestured to the young warriors he personally invited to join him as he watched the show. With more insults thrown, all restraints were gone and the warriors were in a brawl.

 

[Michaelangelo]

These men that can be placated with land and titles are terrible Mongols. What kind of nomad would ever want to be tied down to a specific piece of land?

 

[blklizard]

These men that can be placated with land and titles are terrible Mongols. What kind of nomad would ever want to be tied down to a specific piece of land?

Many generations have passed so they might have converted to different cultures.

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 7

Tayang watched in amusement as the warriors of his nobles fought among themselves. Heads and limbs were flying but the insults were still thrown across by the nobles. Soon, the entire interior was covered in blood and corpses but the anger of the nobles still hadn't subsided. The nobles were soon fighting between themselves until there was only one man standing. The survivor paid a price with an arm cut off though.

The survivor was an elder brother of Tayang and the man expressed his discontent about not getting the title of Khan. Seeing his brother somewhat crippled didn't bring any sympathy from Tayang who had his empire to worry about. The Khan and his followers left the feast without tending to his elder brother's wounds. Later that night, Tayang learned about the death of a brother.

The feast was a great success with the Khan eliminating his most dangerous threats. Their deaths meant their positions were open, though their children would like to challenge that since they claimed to be descendants. The Khan was going to install new nobles he could trust to top positions so he needn't worry about his back. There were far greater things to attend to for his declining empire.

Having loved the stories of Genghis Khan since a very young age, Tayang always envisioned himself of walking the same path of conquest across the known world. That wasn't possible when he first became Khan since his nobles had their own agendas and sought his death as a result. With his internal threats eliminated swiftly and decisively, Tayang could finally put his dreams into reality by rallying his warriors for new conquests.

His new nobles were eager to prove themselves since they were personally promoted by the Khan himself. The honor of being selected and the upbringing that was much harsher than most guaranteed the loyalty of these men. Tayang counted on their loyalty and desire to prove themselves to bring glory to the Mongol Empire once again. The empire would rise once again with him as the leader possibly rivaling Genghis Khan in reputation.

 

[Nuada Airgetlám]

Looking forward to seeing Tayang get to his real work now the prep is done.

 

[blklizard]

Looking forward to seeing Tayang get to his real work now the prep is done.

Ironically, Genghis Khan also had a lot of preparations to make before his conquest of a good chunk of the world.

Backstory - Mongolia

Chapter 8

Making the Mongol Empire great again wasn't as easy as most believed it would be. Tayang might have united the Mongol people under his rule again in the remnants of the Mongol Empire but they were not in the best situation to expand rapidly. Their military was in shambles after so many internal strife and Tayang had just reorganized his court which meant some time was needed for the transition to his new system to be completed.

His option of reconquering China was definitely dashed with the rise of the Ming Empire in the east. The Chinese Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, had managed to conquer the various states which broke apart from the Mongol Empire and consolidated his control. Luckily, Emperor Zhu had no interest in expanding into the desolate steppes so Tayang shouldn't be expecting an invasion from the newly formed and powerful Ming Dynasty.

Remembering the stories he heard about Genghis Khan, Tayang, being a very superstitious man, chose to not antagonize the Seljuk fearing a similar fate as the once mighty Mongolian warriors. There was plenty of land to conquer in the west without going through Seljuk territory which was exactly what Tayang had in plan. He wished to accomplish what Genghis Khan failed to do due to his untimely death.

With his people unified for the first time in a long time, Tayang allowed them to enjoy a decade of peace and prosperity while he sent men out to gather intelligence of his neighbors in the west. If Tayang was worried about powerful enemies to the west, he would be terribly mistaken as he soon learned from his agents. The regions had been very divided as the smaller states were vying to be the dominant power.

A decade of peace saw his people recovering in manpower while his preparations for war were basically completed. All he needed was to decide upon his first target and the Mongolian invasion westwards could begin. There were too many choices so Tayang picked the easier ones to give his men confidence which they were lacking following the decline and near collapse of the Mongol Empire.

Half a dozen small states fell easily to the Mongol Empire as their constant warfare drained their manpower and weakened their defenses. Tayang then pushed further westward where the locals fared no better against the Mongol Horde. Pretty soon, the Mongol Empire was double its size a decade ago and her losses for these new gains were minimal allowing Tayasng to continue his push.

His superstition kept him in check when it came to Seljuk territory but, to be on the safe side, he sent a diplomat to the Seljuk sultan requesting a non-aggression pact. The sultan, with no desire of conquering further north, agreed to the pact seeing the two nations unlikely to be at conflict as long as Tayang was alive. With the threat to the south basically nonexistent, the Khan could further progress westwards.

The steady conquest of the rising Mongol Empire saw many people fear the Mongol Horde. In response to further expansion of Tayang, many small states banded together to counter this terrifying threat. Their coalition helped slow down the Mongol expansion but they could never halt the advances. Despite forming the coalition, the rulers of the small states were often too divided to really offer real resistance against the Mongol armies.

For those who were more unified against a common enemy, Tayang would use intrigue to build distrust between them. The agents were simply reminding the rulers what would happen after the horde was repelled since their differences weren't settled. Suspicions about opposing rulers plotting for their land and the prospect of losing men to the conflict when others in the coalition seemed to do nothing easily planted seeds of doubt.

The Mongol advances eventually halted with the death of Tayang. The man was a true warrior who always led his men personally into the enemy ranks. He sustained numerous injuries over the years but it was a terrible illness that eventually took his life. His body was taken back to Mongolia where it was buried in an unmarked grave just like what was done withe the body of Genghis Khan.

On his death bed, Tayang spoke to his two sons who were his only two children. During the decade of peace and prosperity, his wife bore the two children before dying relatively young. Since then, Tayang refused to marry again and chose to raise the two boys himself. He took them with him on his campaigns and allowed them to see the actual battlefield. With his death, he divided his empire in two to split between them.

The eldest one would rule over much of the Eurasia Steppe called the Mongol Empire while the younger one, the son Tayang considered more talented, would rule over the newly conquered regions called the Great Horde bordering a fair number of threats in the west. The two sons were devastated by the death of their father and promised to do their best to avoid the collapse of their nation by banding together against any enemies they faced.