A Venice Divine Wind 5.1 AAR

[diegoami]

It was obvious it was going a tough day at the Senate. The merchants were furious. It was them who still wielded the real power in Venice.
Now a new COT had opened in Cyprus and they had gone mad. "What is the doge going to do about this ?" - one cried. "He is in China" - was the answer.
"In China ? Maybe he should think more about the Mediterranean sea - where we are supposed to control the trade!" cried one Merchant. "Cyprus and Andalucia" - cried another.
Soon, everybody was crying "Cyprus and Andalucia!".
One of the member of the Council of Ten then asked "But what about Venice's reputation ?". Everybody laughed.

To conquer Cyprus and Andalucia, Venice is allowed to get a bad reputation

 

[Edlar89]

Bending the house rules are we?:huh:

 

[diegoami]

Bending the house rules are we?:huh:

Damn you caught me o
But but but but.... Cyprus !

 

[diegoami]

1611-1612 : The conquest of Andalucia

In August 1611, our mediocre doge dies. We are soooo sorry...

The new has Administration skill 7. We should get out of overextension quickly.

Meanwhile we defeat the Spanish in La Mancha.

But the biggest Spanish stack is sighted in Africa.

In September 1611, in effect, we lose the overextension modifier, along with the crusade modifier. But also the effects of trading in Grain - Cyprus is probably responsible for that.

In fact, we had increased our army taking into account this modifier. Now are over the force limit. Well, our economy can take that, but still...

We rout the Spanish stack in Badajoz, while Great Britain cedes three provinces to Granada: Wessex, Kent and Labourd. But maybe Labourd will become Navarran, there are rebels there. Crazy world...

Meanwhile, our troops are retreating from Russia. It is a challenge making sure they do not take too much attrition. Russia is unforgiving. Venice too.

After assaulting Andalucia, we make peace with Spain. In the fragmented Iberia, a Venetian Andalucia will hardly be noticed. We have now a bad reputation.

We are now at peace, but our war exhaustion is pretty high. We are not allowed to start a war if our reputation is bad, this is going to be the house rule.
Map of Europe in November 1611.

We are pretty happy that we are not lagging technologically. In fact, we are technologically more advanced than most OPMs. The only countries who are more advanced are the trading powerhouses, such as Provence, Bourbonnais, Bar, Ulm, Navarre, Baden, Lorraine, Alsace, Siena and Mecklemburg. I recognize these countries just watching at this map. Am I a freak or am I a freak ?

We are taking some attrition in China as well, we had to split our armies into 3k stacks.

Trading in Andalucia turns down to be harder than expected. In fact, I learn how owned COTs work. You don't get a penalty for uncored COTs and infamy, instead you get a bonus for the trade value of the provinces who trade in the COT. But unlike our other COTs we, we own a little part of the trade value, that is of the provinces covered by this COT, which isn't enough to get a decent chance to place merchants in Andalucia. Oh well. We will build marketplaces in those provinces. Or we will conquer more provinces in the region, such as Fez, Marrakech and Spanish Africa.

Trading in Grain comes back - but Cyprus has to be taken all the same. Meanwhile, we build marketplaces in the provinces who trade grain.
Trade tech 23 is researched.
In April 1612, Muscowy annexes Smolensk. Muscowy may turn out to be strong after all.

 

[diegoami]

New house rule :

- War cannot be declared if the reputation is worse than tarnished.

 

[vasziljevics]

...Russia is unforgiving. Venice too.

haha you're style gets better and better over time

 

[diegoami]

haha you're style gets better and better over time

Thank you

 

[Malurous]

Granada conquering Wessex and Kent from GB is certainly one of the most random things I've seen this game produce lately.

 

[diegoami]

Well, I think we can all agree Venice is very strong.

His income is about 12 times better than the second best

Over 500k soldiers

470 ships

We do not need to mint.

And I have shown you we are not lagging technologically.
But what would the AI make of it ? Hrmm....
Let's start an intermezzo.

 

[vasziljevics]

those income values are REALLY low considering you are in the 1600s - though on second thought you've managed to grab all the New World, Africa and India for Venice and you also own most of the CoTs so the poverty of the rest of the world is not that surprising...

 

[Malurous]

those income values are REALLY low considering you are in the 1600s - though on second thought you've managed to grab all the New World, Africa and India for Venice and you also own most of the CoTs so the poverty of the rest of the world is not that surprising...

Not to mention that whenever someone manages to grow in power (and therefore potential for wealth) he's there to rip them apart.

 

[unmerged(58610)]

Cyprus steals all your trade. Annexation is too good for them. Portugal is expanding in north america. That can't be allowed. Spain refuses to take the hint and takes part of Adal. The Venetian Senate is growing wise. Who cares about reputation when the only voive that matters is yours?

 

[diegoami]

Intermezzo 2 : The Doge's nightmare (1)

The doge was having a nightmare. It wasn't real. The history he was living - wasn't real.
He was part of a computer game, a computer game played in the future. Although he didn't understand the concept of computer, it was as like the Republic of Venice was controlled by a human being and all other countries by some sort of retarded "Artificial Intelligence".
For some reason, the human who controlled Venice, chose instead to sit and watch while controlling the vassal "Naxos".
At first, no difference was noticed. Venice declared war on the Ayutthaya and in October 1615 gained 5 provinces.

Venice also kept fighting the hordes. They fought the Kazah and the Chagatai, but their war exhaustion was very high. They had some trouble dealing with rebels.
In fact, one of the provinces defected back to the Pattani in December 1619

For some reason, the army size was reduced to 300k - he was sure it was about 500k 8 years before. The war exhaustion had reached 16 and would stay at that level for the years to come.

But at least, Venice was expanding at the expense of the hordes. The provinces of Chuy and Tian Shan were successfully colonized.

But Venice was pretty unconclusive when dealing with rebels. For instance in China.

In fact, soon a province, Guanxsi, defected to the Ming.

At least in America the rebels were under control - but not in Cuba. It is a good thing they were peasants and could not defect.

By May 1626, The income had decreased to 12k and the army size to 230k. Another province was lost to the Ming.

Income and army sized climbed back up again somewhat. But Venice did not seem to know how to deal with rebels.

In September 1628, Rajputana declared independence.

In June 1629, Croatia declared independence. Venice's prestige was now at 77.

In September 1629, Indus defected to Baluchistan.

This was the map of Europe in October 1629.

He was pretty sure Samarkand used to be Venetian. Now it belonged to the Timurids.

In May 1630, Crete declared independence and soon "conceded defeat". So it was lost.

America was still under control, there were rebels, but being all connected, the soldiers had no trouble putting down the revolts.
But in Indochina, another province was lost.

Another was gained, though, in Europe. Silistria.

Ifni defected to Algiers in December 1630.

Ratchaburi was lost in March 1631.

And Sus was lost in August 1631.

 

[diegoami]

Intermezzo 2 : The Doge's nightmare (2)

Venice ended up being at war with Switzerland in 1632. But the war did not lead to anything.
France was also having trouble. Our WE was still at 17.
By November 1633, Hormuz, Kerman and Fars had defected to Persia.

By March 1634, Lampang and Aceh had defected to Malacca.

Calicut meanwhile had defected to Vjanagar. Ceylon declared independence in March 1634

All of Venetian Africa was lost by July 1634.

The COT Malacca, at last, was lost in July 1634.

Maharatastra, Kondravidu, Kongu were lost in India. In January 1635, Madurai declared independence.

Particularly humiliating was the defection of Andalucia to Spain.

In America, the continent was controlled by the government, but the islands had been taken over by rebels.

Telingana, Kandesh were lost in India by October 1635

Italy was also visited by revolts of all stripes, who were increasingly hard to put down.

By August 1636, Bambuk and Bure had defected to Mali.

Chagatai became Venice's vassal. Some provinces could be recovered. Toubkhal in Africa...

and Maharatastra in India. Still, it was humiliating.

In December 1638, the capital had been occupied by peasants. 18k peasants were marauding in Treviso, along with rebels of all stripes.

To cap it, Switzerland declared war on Venice. Ceylon peaced Venice and was lost forever.

 

[diegoami]

Intermezzo 2 : The Doge's nightmare (3)

White peace with Croatia was accepted. Osjek was lost forever. The situation in Italy was critical.

Luckily, a quick peace with Switzerland was reached and Switzerland had even to cede Schwyz.

For some reason, provinces occupied by peasant revolters tend to defect back to Venice...And the revolters turn into soldiers.

It is our allies, Austria and Augsburg, who save the day in Italy and rout the peasants.

The province Kelantan, in Malacca defects back to Venice.

But in Italy, Styria manages to declare independence.

Venice has now 175k soldiers - what happens to them ? Madurai white peaces and is also lost.

Styria's independence is short lived and the country is quickly annexed. But Gakwar, in India, declares independence in July 1642.

In South America, the revolters seem to get somewhat more successful.

There are several crisis areas in the Mediterranean in December 1644.

We lose Zeila in January 1645.

Gakwar gets a white peace. Golconda is also lost to Vijanagar. Bundelkhand declares independence in June 1646. India is a lost cause, since troops have been recalled to put down revolts in Europe.

In fact, it seems that now it is Greece that cannot be saved.

In fact, in December 1646, Morea declares independence. 5 provinces are lost.

Venice's troops are ineffective - in effect, Venice's prestige is now at around -80. It is the allies troops who have some fight left.
But in India, another country declares independence, Maharatastra.

It seems we might recover Morea after all....

But in the end, Venice peaces Morea and recovers a province, Janina. The other ones are lost.

Tooubkhal is also lost - forever this time.

Meanwhile, a big Brabant has taken the Netherlands' place. Another crisis area - the Caucasus.

By February 1649, two provinces are lost in Egypt : Delta and Alexandria.

 

[Memento Mori]

When looking at experiments like this, with empires being left to the AI and loosing colonies like crazy, I realize what happened in the 2nd half of XX cent. - God went afk

 

[diegoami]

Intermezzo 2 : The Doge's nightmare (4)

Somehow, the situation in the Caucasus is brought under control.

But in August 1650, Venice loses Mecca.

In October 1650, Sind declares independence. Venice loses another COT, Kutch.

Another COT is lost in April 1651, Astrakhan.

Deccan declares independence in January 1652. Madras defects to Vjanagar.

Venice has annexed Mantua, who has led to some rebel spawn there. Still, Italy is a region where rebels should not prevail.

In August 1652, all of the provinces in Indochina are lost. Pattani declares independence.

Udajpur defects to Rajputan. By now, income is 9300 ducats yearly. Dadra defects to Maharatastra. War Exhaustion does not go down and is still around 17.

Venice and Pattani white peace. The Venetian Chagatai is cut off and will be probably lost.

Venice, though, manages to vassalize Deccan. Naples is annexed, while rebels maraud in Italy.

In America, there are particularist revolts, but the situation seems to be still under control.

In April 1636, Dalmatia defects to Croatia. I have trouble understanding why the AI is failing so spectacularly. But WE in the meantime has gone down, to around 11.

In the Caucasus, Dagestan has been lost to the Qara Koyunlu.
By May 1657, we seem to be back in control in Italy.

In spite of all this, Venice manages to be a technological leader.

By September 1657, all of the provinces in mainland China have been lost.

Meanwhile, several other provinces have defected to Qara Koyunlu and the situation in Anatolia and the Caucasus looks dramatic.

Malwa defects to Malwa. WE is back to 14. Situation in Asia in December 1658.

and in Europe in January 1659.

Bursa defects to Saruhan, who is our vassal though. Konkan defects to Ahmadnagar. Ak Koyunlu declares independence in November 1659.

Venice's income is now at 7500 ducats yearly. Damientia defects to the Mameluk. The Middle East seems to be a lost cause too.

 

[Ricardo Rolo]

It really hurts to see What the AI did to your empire is nothing short of criminal ...

 

[diegoami]

It really hurts to see What the AI did to your empire is nothing short of criminal ...

Yeah But maybe it is just a nightmare...

 

[diegoami]

Intermezzo 2 : The Doge's nightmare (5)

Venice's army is down to 140k. The AI has hardly scuttled a ship and Venice has still around 400 ships, though.
In September 1660, Ramazand declares independence. Which probably spells doom for the Venetian provinces in Asia.

In South America, the rebels seems to have gotten stronger.

WE is still 17. I have lost count of the provinces Venice has lost in the Caucasus.

Particularists are also active in the Spice islands.

In December 1661, Aleppo is lost. In July 1662, Byzantium declares independence and gets a white peace almost immediately.

This is a map in July 1662. Crete is cyan, but belongs to Trebizond.

In December 1662, Beirut defects to Syria as well.

On a closer look, the situation in South America seem to be going out of control.

Gaza defects in March 1663. But Venice has still some fight, in fact manages to conquer Jaffna.

The isolated provinces in Asia are also being slowly lost.

Qara Koyunlu has filled the void left by Venice in the Caucasus, although they have problems of their own.

In November 1665, another COT is lost : Berbera.

In April 1666, Bythinia defects to the Ottomans. Tian Shai is lost in July 1666. Azerbaijan in February 1667. But even more worrying, for the first time since decades, Venice hasn't the biggest army. Bohemia has more soldiers.

Chuy is lost in April 1667. In the same month, Montenegro declares independence.

In August 1667, Hainan is lost and with it our last province in China.

Khurasan is lost in December 1667. Greece seems to be the next in line.

Venice's yearly income is now 5700 ducats. Karshi is lost in November 1669.
Judea defects in December 1669, after Byzantium and the Ottomans have expanded at the expenses of their neighbors. They don't fight against Venice, but among themselves now.

But at least, there are no more rebels in Italy and Greece.

But by November 1670, in South America, the particularists have become widespread.

Sinai defects in March 1671. Candar collapses. Dulkadir declares independence. The winner, in Anatolia, are the Ottomans.