40 Years On: Friedrich von Manstein's Brandenburg

[unmerged(58610)]

There is still one island of Protestant sanity left in a sea of popish idolatry in Brandenberg. A clear demonstration of what the Deus Vult national idea will do for you.

You lag behind in several key areas, except land tech and government. Is it not a bit shortsighted not to build up good relations with Burgundy to have them alongside you in future conflicts with the French? Those Tuscans and Knights are seriously teching!

All that temple building and patrons of the arts must be good for stability. Lots of missionary work and other province improvements whilst you wait for your manpower levels to recover is about all you =can hope for. it is to be fervently hoped thatthe war bled the French as badly as it did you.

It must be time for another war against the Turk?

 

[SonofWinter]

I hope you've built up the forts to their max, before you waste a missionary on a conversion. Every level of a fort increases your chance of conversion by a few % points. Time to get cracking on ridding yourself of the heretics. Good job. :rofl:

 

[Deus]

the update was good, like an engine of a motorbike idling ominously before the start. I believe that more action is on the way, The kings military stats are way too good for wasting him.

 

[Rensslaer]

Magnificent victory against the French!

Wasn't it Director who said your country looked like a "big red square" back not long after you started?

Now you're the "bigger red square"!

Rensslaer

 

[J. Passepartout]

This is a reminder of how great (except for the low manpower from the last war, which will surely replenish itself) Brandenburg is.

So a colonial has risen the ranks?

 

[unmerged(4007)]

Interesting about the tech situation. I'd think with a nation of your size and the wealth coming in, keeping up wouldn't be too difficult. And it seems that, for the time being anyway, you've hit the limit of what human waves can accomplish. That said, I'm sure that against the Islamic hordes, your tech levels would be comparable. So I say it's agree with those saying you should defend Christendom against the TRUE threat to the South.

As for an AAR of my own, probably in the not too distant future, I just got the game Tuesday, so I'm still getting comfortable with it, and trying to find a nation I'd like to play.

 

[Lord E]

A great Emperor die together with many great generals old of age and wars, but the new generation takes over, even some from the new world. But for Brandenburg there seems like little is really changing because Brandenburg is just continuing its great work and securing its positions as the best and leading nation in the world. Great work

 

[Snake IV]

As for Lithuania - I doubt we'll ever see a war with them.

Awww, but that's no fun

Or this will mean that Lithuania will be the agressor, which will mean that is might be fun after all

 

[coz1]

Fb-fb:

Duke of Wellington - Well, I took Deus Vult as Chief Ragusa mentioned which helped keep the Protestants out, though I have a goodly amount of reformed in former Austrian lands. France is the one really having religious troubles.

Chief Ragusa - With Burgundy, I am on the fence. Every five years or so I decide to take a different path with them - either be friendly with them and try to get them as a vassal, or take what I want by force. It eventually gets decided for me, one way or the other. And yes, I realized I was way behind on temple building so I got busy with that.

SonofWinter - I have been building forts in those territories I wanted to convert, but perhaps not to the fullest level. If I can get a 66% chance or more, I usually go for it. It's been fairly successful.

Deus - Fear not, he will use those stats to his best abilities, especially as they are far better than his father's were.

Renss - I suppose a "Big Red Square" is better than a "Big Red Blob."

J. Passepartout - Yeah, I decided to throw that in there since it said he was from Mixtec. Sometimes it's easy to provide a little extra fictional narrative and sometimes, not so much. But I figured it was time a colonial got some input in the goings on.

shawng1 - Yes. Especially since my inflation is now at zero, it is much easier to keep pace (or get ahead if I decide to, which I do for a few things.) As for more war vs. the heathens...trust that I will not let up until the Turk is no more.

Lord E - Thank you sir. And I too thought it fitting that Friedrich waited until he had proved his religious worth well in his Turkish wars and stuck it to the French! His was truly one of the best reigns of the game, even with some fairly lousy stats.

Snake IV - They are such good friends. Why would I want to mess with that when I have plenty of other potential foes? Just seems counter-productive. Besides...well...let me wait on that last point for an update or two and then perhaps it will be clear.

To all - I hope to have another update up later today sometime that will get us through this decade hopefully. Then perhaps I can get to 1700 by the weekend where we'll have another screenie bonanza. I've played up until 1714 and there have been some interesting developments, I can assure you. Some might even surprise you.

Thanks for reading and leaving such great comments everyone!

 

[unmerged(4934)]

I have very much enjoyed watching this AAR unfold. It has also taken some time to remember my password here. Coz, you make me wish I could afford the game and the computer upgrades necessary to try it out. Great writing and playing!

 

[coz1]

stephanbathory - Thank you very much. I wish you could get the game. I know a lot of people are struggling with financial requirements in order to play EUIII. But it's good to know you are enjoying the game at least through this AAR. Really - thanks a lot!

And another update follows that is pretty action packed. Enjoy.

 

[coz1]

* * *

* * *​

And so it was that in 1683 Tuscany decided to test this Emperor’s spirit by declaring war against the Holy Father, one more sign of aggression from Italian powers bent on denying his Holiness. Having thought we had ceased these acts of heresy by defeating France, it was a surprise that small Tuscany would make such a move. But it was clear that we must act if we could hold our heads high towards God.

We immediately made plans to take action and our forces were ready to declare war against the Tuscan Duke by September. Both of our allies joined, of course and we moved swiftly into all provinces owned by Tuscany, including the Papal lands they had by now been stolen.

We saw battle against the Duke in all of his provinces and won each by December of 1683. They had also been at war with Sicily during this period and had even sacked Naples, but knowing the wrath of the Emperor was already upon him, the Duke of Tuscany wisely opted for a white peace. From there, the Duke traveled north as best he could and had finally gathered enough force to lay siege to Pisa. But Firenze had fallen in January and our other forces were quickly doing their work to the south. The Emperor’s cousin, Luitpold von Hohenzollern was sent to meet this last Tuscan force and the Battle of Pisa was had in March of 1684.

Winning easily, Luitpold chased that rag tag army all the way back to Firenze and beyond. Rome would fall to us in April, and Abruzzi finally in the summer. After one last brief skirmish, the Tuscan Duke agreed to a harsh peace. He would cede to us not just the provinces of Roma and Abruzzi, but also pay damages to the tune of some 50 gold pieces and release his claims on Pisa, Sienna and Ancona. Immediately upon signing that document, the Emperor then signed a second one releasing the Holy Father as a full vassal of the Empire in his own lands of the Papal State.

The rest of that year was spent regaining regimental strength and moving soldiers into position in the southeast. And in February of 1685, General Luitpold von Hohenzollern would take ship to the Sea of Crete. Arriving by the following month, we were in suitable position to continue the re-conquest of Greece. A fresh declaration of war was sent to Osman IV and once more our troops were off to battle for the glory of God.

General von Hohenzollern would disembark in Antalya while our other forces crossed land into Thrace, Smyrna, Corfu, Naxos and our Milanese allies marched on Anatolia. It was clear our mission was worthy, taking as a sign the successful conversion of Wurttemburg to a strong Catholic province. And by August, Thrace would fall as our Lithuanian allies had defeated Osman completely in Silsitria and were besieging that province. Antalya would fall the following month and Smyrna, Naxos and Corfu by November. By the beginning of the following year, all of the western Ottoman provinces would be in our hands and an army was on their way to Sinope and Sivas in the east. And the Sultan had met both defeat and death in one last battle for Constantinople. By the time General Perlowski had arrived and taken Sinope in May of 1686, the Sultan’s son, Selim had attempted to raise the banner against us and met a resounding defeat in the Battle of Sivas.

It would take until December of 1686 for Sivas to fall, but once it had, we were the clear masters of all Turkish land and Selim II had little choice but to admit defeat just as his father had before him.

In January of 1687, Sultan Selim would make peace with all of our allies. Lithuania would receive Silistria, Milan would receive Anatolia and we would receive Corfu and Smyrna. It was a fair peace, and a kind one and Selim II greedily accepted, pleased that he was allowed to keep some of his former Kingdom.

Europe, 1687​

Almost immediately after the war, Emperor Albrecht traveled to Danzig to meet with his allies and a conference was held. At one such meeting, a pact was signed between Lithuania and the Empire. The Lithuanian King had requested a royal marriage with the Empire and was quite willing to do anything the Emperor wished to make that happen. Off handedly, Albrecht V mentioned perhaps becoming an Imperial vassal as well as their current title of elector. The answer he received surprised him but the Emperor accepted and shook on it right then and there. It seemed the long-standing friendship with good ally Lithuania had finally borne the fruit that many thought might never be possible.

 

[unmerged(4934)]

Excellent work freeing the Holy Father from the clutches of the evil duke and once again pushing back the Turk. Tell me, when exactly will you be removing those despicable foreign rulers from rightful German lands?

It is no longer a marriage of equals between you and Lithuania, eh? Nice!

 

[PrawnStar]

Vasselising Lithuania one word RESULT!!!

 

[unmerged(66313)]

Wow, that's a huge vassal in your pocket!

Excellent work there dealing with the Ottomans and Greece is finally freed (or ...erm... under a new kinder ruler). Any chance of releasing it as a vassal or is that not possible?

Can't wait to see what your next move could be. Keep it up and thanks for the update!

 

[unmerged(58610)]

How many bb points will annexing Lithuania cost? That is certainly a great turn of events. Two more wars and the Ottomans will be history. Making Milan yours vassals, if they aren't already, would be a good move, too.

Silly Tuscans.

 

[unmerged(53911)]

Definately not expecting the Lituanian Concordat!! You have become Europe (for all practical purposes). France should be very afraid.

With regard to your tech levels. I have also allowed my trade levels to lag (playing as England). I don't really see the upside, unless there is a plan to change how the system works in future versions.

 

[unmerged(4007)]

egads! That's one huge Brandenburg!

KUTGW!

 

[J. Passepartout]

I was mentally listing the things I might comment on but Lithuania as a vassal really takes the cake. Exelente arriba arriba!!!

 

[germanpeon]

Wow! Now nothing short of the entire world declaring war on you at once can stop you! Good work, but will it be easy to annex Lithuania?