Austria GC AAR - New player, mistakes were made

[InnocentIII]

Austria GC 1.08 Normal/Normal
(I have only played EU for two centuries of game time or so, tutorial and two GCs. My first GC as Portugal was in "sandbox mode", I cheated. The second was at easy and I did not play long. I have read other AARs and prefer those which reveal what game moves a player has made, so we can compare tactics, and which limit other descriptive language to reviews of strategy of past or future battles. I have tried to produce such an AAR, hoping that newer players can learn from my mistakes, and even veterans might appreciate my fortunes and misfortunes.)
We have no traders or colonists, and one diplomat, so we arrange a royal marriage to Spain.
Turkey Declares war on the Mamelukes. This is pre alliances, mano a mano.
April 11, 1492 Spain Annexes Granada. We have a permanent Causis Belli against Bohemia, but I don't want to be the first in Europe to declare war.
May 12, 1492, we have waited long enough. There is limited defense force of 9000 in Moravia, we will lose some stability for declaring war on a fellow Catholic (-1), but it turns out we recover that soon enough.
We send the Austrian Imperial guard into Ostmarch, bordering Bohemia, ready for the declaration of war. We declare war and send 4000/3000 into Sudeten, which we have chosen over Moravia to avoid a border with Poland. We send the remaining 21000/13000 into Bohemia, hoping to capture the capital and Sudeten for a quick pickup of one province and cash.
I receive a merchant, I attempt to place him but cannot. I hope to learn what they are for soon.
No defenders in Bohemia, as I expected. The walls are intact (3) so we lay seige. Our army in Sudeten proves too small to lay seige, so we will finish Bohemia first. Those 9000 enemy are seen headed to Ostmarch, so a minimal beseiging force left in Bohemia itself and the rest sent to defend Ostmarch, defeat the enemy and return to rejoin the seige.
We arrive after the enemy, on July 6, but we made quick work of them. Enemy losses are 7500 to my loss of 3000/600. I break off 3000/2000 for Moravia to pursue the enemy, and the rest return to Bohemia. I may simply take the whole country. I raise 8000 infantry in Austria itself.
July 27 they beat me to Moravia but I arrive and wipe out 1300 for a loss of 40 men.
August 24 Spain(Milan, Naples) declares on France(Savoy, Papal States). This will prove to be the first of many foolish declarations of war by different nations.
September 27 Bohemia (1), Sudeten (1) and Moravia (3) walls intact, but enemy forces total 5000.
December arrives, it is getting cold out, but enemy walls are scratched Bohemia (0) Sudeten (-1).
December 11 sees serious damage to Sudeten walls (-5).
We propose Royal Marriages. Poland/Lithiuania, as I plan conquests to the rich south, not the north (relations -135 to -120); Brandenburg declines; Helvetia accepts (-53 to -38).

1/1/1493 Census 61d. Raised 8000 in Austria, sent earlier 8000 to Silesia where enemy troops are being raised using 1493's taxes, I assume. Force in Moravia is too small to beseige, Sudeten walls crack further (-6).
February 4 our 8000 infantry arrive in Silesia before recruits are summoned, by the tenth the walls are suffering (-2).
March 4, Bohemia siege going well (-3). Recruit 8000 more and move Austrian 8000 to Moravia.
The enemy's raw recruits in Silesia, 10000/3000, fight what had been 8000 men. We win but our troops are down to 4300 and our enemy lost only 500 men. My main force, broken off from Bohemia previously and used to defend Ostmarch, is sent to Erz to intercept these recruits.
Troops arrive in Moravia to find walls sturdy (3), so they are sent to join the Silesia force.
May 8 in Erz my veteran 10600/8000 meet his weak 9500/2900, victory cost us 100/100 While our enemy lost 3300/700. His 6200/2200 remnant head to Bohemia, we pursue.
My three seiges go well, Sudeten (-7), Bohemia (-8) and Silesia (-4).
We were fooled, his troops were sent to Moravia, not Bohemia, and are now headed to meet my recruits in Ostmarch.
June 9, the Bohemian capital falls! We will defeat the remaining troops and take the provinces one by one. We leave 3000 to cover Bohemia and the main force 11000/12000 move to Sudeten.
On June 12 England(Portugal) Declares against Scotland(Poland, Spain, Milan, Naples,Lorraine). This will prove to be the second major war to go against the agressor.
The enemy force of 6000/2000 face my 8000 in Ostmarch, and my recruits lose. Main body redirected to Ostmarch instead of Sudeten, too soon it will turn out, this far too much marching for my main body of men.
My 11000/12000 face his 6000/2000 in Ostmarch, my low morale costs me again and he loses 1600/200 to my losses of 2500/800. My troops flee to Presburg.
In the middle of this battle, August 1, both trade and infrastructure improve (to tech level 1). I now know what traders are for now and I can send Tax Collectors, when this war ends.
40d of remaining 47d spent on 5k infantry. Loans loom.
My main force is reinforced to 14000/11000 but will rest at home before fighting again.
September 16 Mamelukes make peace with the Turk, losing 58d, Lebanon and Nubbayasin.
Loan taken on September 20.
1000 Cav raised, more infantry will be raised in Austria when current recruiting ends. Our enemy sits in Ostmarch, with no interest in either our capital or his it seems. Silesian walls are little more than rubble (-9), Sudeten force is now too small to beseige, but large enough to prevent the repair of its walls (-7).
We are low on Manpower! I thought I was restricted by recruiting in small provinces, but we have no manpower left. I raise all I can, 1000 Cavalry, and wait. Much of the loan sits unused.
Our fully rested main body, 14000/11000 will take Ostmarch before the enemy troops being raised in Moravia come online. On second thought, Moravian troops will be killed while raw. He has raised 7000 In Moravia. I hope I arrive before his forces can leave the province and combine with his main body.
October 21 His 7000 face my 14000/11000 in Moravia. 3300 of his men lie dead, as do a few of mine. I follow his men to the main body in Ostmarch.
December 2 in Ostmarch my 10000/11000 (attrition in Moravia perhaps? Or were there more losses than I noticed?) Fight his newly combined force of 16000/2000.
December 9, after one week of fighting (the enemy fought long and hard before breaking, thank God), my losses of 700/500 compare well to his losses of 10000/700. A minor enemy force of 3000 raised in Erz were thrown, still raw, at my 4000 holding Bohemia, and ran. My main forces pursue his to Moravia.

1/1/1494 63d, but my enemy can hardly be doing as well. 3000 infantry, the maximum, raised in Ostmarch, 5 Merchants sent to Venice to estanblish our first trade.
January 5 Silesia finally falls! We hold Bohemia and Silesia, we are covering Sudeten, and must also take Moravia and Erz to annex the enemy. The victorious Silesian force sent to Erz.
On January 7 My 9000/10000 meet his combined but demoralized 7000/1200 in Moravia. Though our morale slumped so quickly that it worried us, we eeked out a victory with 600/200 losses, to his 5000 dead. Our enemy has only 3000, who flee. Bohemia makes the first peace offering, Silesia for peace, but our war aims now include the entire country.
My raw 2000 Cav are sent to Sudeten to train while raising the force to seige levels.
February 7 the last of the cavalry Arrives in Sudeten and the seige recommences (-7).
My main force, the Imperial Guard, reaches Bohemia. Reinforced by troops already there my main body is restored to 17000 men, half infantry and half cavalry. They are sent to Moravia to lay seige to that province.
February 25, 12000 in Erz face the remnant of his once large army which now numbers 2000/600.
While He loses 800/100 he cannot replace, my lack of cavalry proves decisive and I lose the battle and 1200 men.
Bohemia again offers Silesia. His victorious Erz forces seems to be pursuing my weakened, defeated force into Silesia, so I send the 4500 men in Bohemia to intercept. Poor intelligence, he was headed to Bohemia and we meet there on March 29, before my troops had left. I lose 400 to his loss of 1100/300, leaving him with an honor guard of 100/200, which I pursue to Erz.
I feel the war has entered its final phase.
April 10 I may be wrong, he raises 4000/3000 In beseiged Silesia, 4600 of them get away.
His 2000/2600 arrive in Erz to face my 4000 on May 8, I fear lack of cavalry will tell even in his exhausted condition. I win but 4000 again get away.
My defeated but recovered 10500 return to Erz to face men rumors say are being recruited there.
His 4000 remnant arrive in Bohemia to begin their seige, let them sit quietly.
June 12 - a total of 14000 of our troops were waiting in Erz for his 6000 recruits, 4500 again get away, my army there is dispatched to finally finish the seige of Sudeten.
July 18, England gives up Marches and Lancashire to Scotland to secure the peace they had chosen to break.
September 9 we finally take Sudeten, and move to relieve Ostmarch from the desultory seige (one we had forgotten in fact) it has been under for many months now.
With only two province to take to annex Bohemia, Erz and Morovia, the enemy offers Sudeten and Silesia.
October 1, as Ostmarch is being relieved half my merchants quit (Random event).
In Ostmarch only 1500 enemy Cavalry escape of his once 4000/3000 force, he flees to Moravia, and we pursue. Moravian walls cannot last much longer (-5).
October 16 his Cavalry arrive first in Moravia and only 800 live to run away.
November 24 Spain gives France Compte and Flandres to France to end a war they too had chosen to start.
December 3, Moravia Falls when the main body of my army arrives. Off to Erz! Bohemia offers me Moravia and Silesia only.
December 29, the seige of Erz begins with largely intact walls (0). Our enemies forces consist of 4000, who are beseiging Silesia, hah.

1/1/1495 census 73d But all of Bohemia will soon be ours. Manuel I now rules Portugal.
February 1, the walls of Erz are suffering (-4), soon it will be time to see if the war has been worth the cost.
March 1 the walls suffer further (-5). April 1 more damage is done (-7) but our armies are melting away in the province! Nearly 2000 per month lost to attrition. We notice that the forage here in Erz will support only 10,000 troops, so an assault is ordered.
It fails, though the defenders are down to 4000. The remaining 5000 infantry in Austria are sent to Erz. Our total land forces are now reduced to 10000/9000, all far from home.
May 19 our enemy offers us Moravia, Sudeten and Silesia for peace. Oddly, he is so caught up in his plea to let his nation go that he sings (yes, he sings) "let us go", we respond, also in song, that we will not let them go. This is repeated several times, and sounds oddly familiar.
June 10 my second assault fails, but he is down to 1400 defenders, though we have 8000/8000 troops to our nation's name.
July 5 A new war begins, Poland(Sco,Spa,Mil,Nap,Lor) declares war on the lonely Teutonic Order.
On that date another assault is ordered, on July 9 it succeeds. After more than three years of war, Bohemia is annexxed.

Our losses to date are 60000/8000 of which two thirds were to attrition. Clearly more attention needs to be paid to when and where we fight. These will cost 480d/250d to replace, meaning that Bohemia cost over 700d.

We have Diplomats but no cash so royal marriages are tried with France and Spain, who refuse, and
Scotland, who accepts. We need an alliance to belong to, preferably one which will merely defend
for some years. With this in mind we join Spain, who likes us (+55) along with Poland, Scotland, Milan, Naples and Lorraine in a great alliance. Since few of our other new allies care for us this seems the one way to avoid war.
Our local relationships are not going well, most hate us now, Poland (-194), Bavaria (-140), Venice (-140), even Helvetia (-114). From Austria the map looks red.

At our post war audience with Emperor Maximillion he asks if I didn't simply see Causis Belli against Bohemia, and leap. I notice what a fine carpet the Emperor has. He also suggests that I check forage before beseiging provinces, and if forage is low, bring enough forces to assault immediately. Further, that I consider leaving expensive cavalry at home for any long seige with poor forage. He then gently points out that if we are about to annex a nation, it is counter productive to seek out their armies, which would soon become our armies. I point out that taxes should be 125 next year, up by more than 50d per year, in 14 years Bohemia's acquisition will be paid for, and for centuries the rest will be profit. I note that our nearby neighbors hated us before the war started, and Poland is now an ally. The Emperor notes that France is likely to fight our new ally Spain again, and France won last time. I reply that France is large but far away, while Poland, though smaller, is very, very close. Poland actually has by far the largest land force at 180,000, and the only way to an alliance was through Spain. We part amicably, but I suspect that the Emperor has developed doubts about my abilities, just when I am learning from my errors.

August 23, 1495 Kazan is annexed by Russia.
October 10 Portugal Declares war on Morocco. Our armies are up to 21000/9000, treasury at 42.

1496 Census 119d. We have 11000/9000 in Austria, and 11000 in Boh with 3000 in gold rich Styria, and we spend our ducats on men as fast as we can, though all infantry. A check shows Poland down to 110,000, while our 33,000 compares well to the other majors, even the Turks.

In March Tax Collectors sent to Styria and Ostmarch, which we believe we are unlikely to lose. Repaying the loan in 1498 will be tough, treasury 26 ducats, enough for 3000 more men.
September 15 France(Savoy, Papal States, Helvetia, Navarre) declares war on England(Hansa, Portugal, Persia). May they all die of attrition.
Denmark and Navarre agree to Royal Marriages, but not the Papal States.
October 28 The Knights(Tuscany, Parma, Genoa) declare on the Papal States(Navarre, France,
Savoy). Much of Europe is now at war, will Spain see an opportunity to attack a distracted France? Will we be drawn into war so soon?
November 20 - Sweden declares on Parma (Genoa, Knights), did I miss a common border?

1497 Census 125d, treasury 143. We will try to save enough to pay the loan. The
annual land forces census shows us nearly even with many majors, including Poland! Only Spain
and France outstrip us greatly, doubling our 35,000, but Spain has more men. Perhaps we
made the right choice after all. Still, if Poland takes all or most of the Teutonic Order
her army can be built quickly to surpass us by far. We achieve metal canonballs on this date
(Land tech 2), but the Poles have Field artillery already, which we do not expect until 1499.
With this news it suddenly dawns on us that we are landlocked. We make our first research adjustments, reducing naval research to what our monarch's skill provides for free, reducing trade somewhat and boosting land combat research. Bailiff promoted in Salzburg.

March 16 We laugh aloud when news reaches us that Poland (with five, albeit distant, allies) has sued for peace with the lonely Teutonic Order, paying 142d. Another humbled aggressor.

July 1 Silesia revolts, 11000 peasants beseige the city and my Bohemian force of 14000 are sent to quell the rebellion. We arrive August 5th and for 1000 losses the rebel scum are defeated.
Royal marriages in September to Palatinate (-93 to -78), and Hannover (-133 to -118).

1498 Census 112d treasury 204, we can pay our debt of 200 in September. The French and Poles have double our 36000 troops, while Spain is reputed to have 180000, though we have roughly the same number of troops as all other majors.
January 22 Parma pays 250 to the Papal States for peace. On February 1 The Papal States pay 106d of that amount to the Knights for peace. Had Parma held out ten more days they may have had peace for free, while the Pope was wise to spend 144 Parman ducats in those ten days.
April 9 Louis XII assumes the throne in France.
May 1 Our infrastructure research reaches the High Renaissance (2), we can build refineries.
October 2 We are now debt free.
November 1 With 26 ducats to our name we send a letter to the Polish King (-162 to -151). With our alliance we are gradually improving our relations with Poland.

1499 Census 128d treasury 136. Poland again doubles our army of 36000, as does France, while Spain is reputed to have over 200,000 men under arms, surely an absurd exaggeration. We exceed only the Russians, the Portugese and the Turk. With our slow recruiting (which is up to 27000 per year) we will have to begin now to face hostilities some years down the road, 10000 are recruited in Bohemia and a Tax Collector is sent to Presburg.
January 5 Turkey(Wallachia, Crimea, Tunisia, Hedjaz) declares war on the Mamelukes.
February 22 Russia(Denmark, Pskov) declared war on the Golden Horde.
March 1 Trade level reaches High Renaissance (2), we can place traders, if we acquire a coast.
June 1 We can now make Field Artillery (land 3). When funds permit, we will.
Portugese Royal marriage (-93 to -78). Spain refuses to exchange maps, as do many others.
All 25d are spent on a letter to Poland (-143 to -130), slow steady improvement.
Trade research reduced to zero, where Naval and stability (+3 since mid war) have been. We will not need monopolies or trade embargoes anytime soon. Each month 12d go to Land tech, 8d to infrastructure and we receive 3.4d in cash. Inflation is 5%, the most in Europe.
October 22 The Golden Horde pays 22d to Russia for peace.
November 1 We should not have left our army in Silesia, the peasants revolt, but this time from within the fort! We assault before their morale improves, losing 1000 to retake the buring town.

1500 Census 128d treasury 139. Crown Price Ferdinand rises to take control of our armies. Perhaps our next war will be shorter with a true leader. Our land forces of 50000 are respectable, double the Turks, and nearly equal to the Poles, though France and Spain are far superior. We order 2000/0/20 raised in Austria, and our 10000 in Bohemia to join them, giving our leader a force of 23000/8000/20. If only some excuse for war with Venice were to arise! Another letter to Poland (-126 to -117).
February 1 Ferdinand will get his cance to train, the peasants are unhappy (Random Event 5% chance of revolt in national provinces for one year).
May 1 Silesia again revolts, briefly, but at home the governors report no risk of rebellion (unlike nationalism apparently unhappy peasants have a +5% revolt risk, not minimum 5%).
November 1 The Treaty of Tordesillas is signed, we hope someday it will affect us.

1501 Census 130d Treasury 145d. Alexsandr Jaggieloncyz assumes the throne of Poland, on which we congratulate him (-107 to -101). It hardly seems worth doing. As our war seems some way off, Bailiffs are promoted Odeburg and Moravia. We continue our policy of having merchants in Venice only, the five there have been sending 32d home per year for many years now at virtually no cost.
Yet another war gone bad, Turkey gives the Mamelukes Lebanon back to end the war it started.

1502 Census 129d Treasury 164d. Our 51000 troops exceed Poland's, but Spain has 200,000 and France has 300,000, and for France the bulk are certainly in Europe. Our relationship with Poland improves with time (+1 each month, now -90), we add the money we had been sending to Poland each year to our recruiting efforts. 12000 infantry raised (at 9d each) and a Tax Collector sent to Sudeten.
February 1 Another revolt in Silesia, no larger than the others (14000), but which our troops barely suppress with the loss of 5000 men, who cost us four months income to recruit.
June 1 The bloody peasants are again unhappy (Not-so-random Event revolt risk +5% for a year).

1503 Census 131d Treasury 150d. Our 58000 man army outstrips all but the still-ludicrous armies of Spain and France. Our Alliance with Spain, and therefore Poland, expires in 1507, and our royal marriage with Poland in 1517, so we send nothing to the Poles (-80). Venice has allied with Hungary for nearly two more years. We have no wish to fight a two front war, and the Hungarians are one of the few nearby countries who can stand us (+60). Ferdinand demands a war, we desire one, but annexing small countries, Bavaria comes to mind, will have us labelled the mad dogs of Europe. We must bide our time and hope that fortune favors everyone, eventually. 2000/1000/10 recruited in Austria. Tax Collector to Carniola.
July 16 England cedes Wessex to France to end their seven years war, during which France's army grew exponentially. We wonder where their troops will head next. A war between France and Spain could be an exciting opportunity, or a serious threat. We wonder whether even Venice would be worth closing the distance between ourselves and France.

1504 Census 132d Treasury 147d. Land forces as before. We raise 16000 infantry now, knowing that if the need arises the more expensive troops can be raised with loans.
Februay 24 Spain declares war on the Aztecs. In March Sweden matches the insanity of their declaration of war on Parma by making a separate peace with Genoa for 233d.
October 24 Ferdinand and his 50000/10000/30 move to Styria just in case the expiration of Venice's alliance with Hungary presents us with an opportunity to acquire that nation.
November 11 Meeting with Emperor Ferdinand. We remark that Venice has no allies, but royal arriages with Hungary, Helvetia, Milan and the Hanseatic League, though marriage is not alliance. His majesty's review of the map, however, shows that Venice holds Corfu, Crete and Cyprus, and therefore cannot be annexed by us. This means that the real prize, Venice itself, is beyond our grasp. A war would mean an attempt to take Mantua, Venice and Istria, for the purpose of obtaining Mantua and Istria plus cash. For this we would thus lose stability (-3 to 0), give Venice Causis Belli, and leave ourselves vulnerable for years. On the other hand, Venice cannot be annexed until we have a coast, which that would give us, but rebuilding our army will be hard enough without having to build a navy from scratch. The armies stay home, they will have work soone enough.

 

[Grundius]

Interesting AAR.

I have to go so I can't read it all to the end yet, but the story is nice. The only nation I played so far in the GC/IGC is Austria and I really like them. Chosing Poland as an ally is the single best thing you could do. I ended up at war with them a couple of times anbd was seriously squished despite having a combined force pf pver 150,000 men at one time. Allthough I agree on some things Maximilian said, you should keep it up. Looking forward to future instalments!

BTW
Von Furchtberg is on his way: he is an even greater leader than Ferdinand - you'll see him around shortly

 

[BiB]

von Frundsberg has a 3 for sieges. Excellent time to expand quite a bit

 

[Hawk]

Your doing a very good job on this AAR and in your game. What are your plans for the future of Austria?

 

[unmerged(410)]

It is really interesting though I fear you won't be able to continue indefinitely with the same detail. In the meantime, it is detail wich makes the story.
Very ambitious start - and very lucky that no-one interrupted you by some well-placed declaration of war.

Funny how you liked to make your cavalry parade in front of enemy fortesses in order to draw their fire and thus exhaust their supplies of gunpowder. Not sure your cavalry liked the ingenious tactics.

 

[InnocentIII]

The Second War of Austrian Agression

1505 Census 133d Treasury 142 Vasily III rules Russia. Walls in our largest province, Bohemia, raised to permit garrison of 10000 (level 2).
Bavaria building walls, which we cannot permit. The declaration of war on May 10 hurts our stability, which we will repair soon we hope (stability -3 to 0, all research to stability). Ferdinand will take 30/10/3 to Bavaria and then withdraw the cavalry, which we place in a separate army with 10 artillery to match the speed of the main force. Infantry, 18000, will head into Ansbach, and 20000 from Silesia will head to Sudeten.
Wurtemburg, but not Thuringen, joins Bavaria. In Ansbach my 18000 face 9000/1000, we lose the battle and 5000 for their loss of 4000/800. The Silesian force will arrive shortly. In Bavaria our 30000/10000/30 face 15000/10000/10, we lose this battle as well, losing 4000/1000/7, to their 5000/0/5. We leave with 26000/9000/23. Tyrol beseiged by 9000 Bavarians. We are heartened by the thought that losses so far are equal, which increases our advantage in size.
July 3 Silesian army of 20000 sent to Ansbach, we begin our seige with walls intact (3).
August 6 Bavarian 10000 recruits defeated instantly in Ansbach, Ferdinand returns to Bavaria. 20000/10000/5 beseige the Tyrol. 22000/9000/23 face the now 8000 recruits in Bavaria. They are nearly annihilated to our loss of 1000 infantry, and another seige begins (3). Cavalry sent home. The Bavarians demand our treasury of 3d for peace.
We assault Ansbach on September 13 losing 2000 of 18000 to their loss of 3000 of 5000.
On October 6 we assault Bavaria, losing 1000 to their loss of 3500 of the 5000 defenders.
On November 2 we take Ansbach by assault. We will assault the intact (2) and nearly enhanced walls of Bavaria as soon as possible. December 10 we assault Bavaria, taking it in 3 Days. On that date we decline their offer of Ansbach for peace, and annex the nation of Bavaria. Bavaria and Ansbach are now our largest and third largest provinces in population, respectively.
Our new, former Bavarian, 5000/8000/5 army fights the too-loyal Wurtemburgians in Tyrol. Ferdinand moves on Wurtmeburg proper, and lays seige to the garrison of 10000 (walls 4).

1506 Census 135d Treasury 139 Zygmunt I Stary now rules the Poles. Recruit 10000 infantry in Austria, and 10 artillery in Bavaria.
March 3 sees Wurtemburg's walls untouched, we need more artillery. Our total forces are now at 61000/15000/30.
We have enough forage in Wurtemburg to sustain the seige forces, and settle in for a long seige with only 30 cannon total.
June 13 walls damaged but intact (2), reduced again in July (1), August (0), and September (-1) though attrition is now a problem with all our artillery present and we lose 2 of them.
In October the walls suffer (-2) and in November our artillery finally tells (-5). December is similar (-7). Our total attrition losses are small (roughly 1000 infantry total and 3 artillery), we must report this change to his majesty after the war.

1507 Census 125d treasury 129d Our Stability (2) hurts tax receipts. Tax collector sent to Erz.
January 9 we capture Wurtemburg, for a net loss of 3000 men and 5 cannon. We decline the inevitable offer of a white peace, and annex. Stability returns (+3). Patience is a virtue. Our total forces of 60000/15000/25 are not far from our pre war levels, and we have three fine provinces added to our empire.
Reviewing the diplomatic front we find that our allience now expires in exactly ten years. Poland is neutral to us (-52) while most of the rest of Europe now hates us passionately (France, Venice etc -200). Regrettably this includes Hungary (from 60 to -140), who has re-allied with Venice. A letter explaining our recent war repairs this fence somewhat (-140 to -120), a letter in February also helps (-120 to -99).
July 6 The Aztecs give up Tuxpan and 250d to buy a temporary peace from Spain.
December 1 Wurtemburg revolts, 3000/15000 In Bavaria sent to deal with the 14000 rebels, they are defeated with few losses, but not until the new year.

1508 Census 162d Treasury 193d Reviewing our changes in just fifteen years we cannot help but smile at the threefold increase in our nation's tax base, and we can now recruit 40000 men on short notice in event of war. We improve the walls in our mountainous, gold producing region of Styria. A letter to Hungary receives a cool reception (-99 to -90), we hope to restore neutrailty with Hungary but not at that price.
May 1 The Hanseatic League(Portugal, England, Cyrenaica, Georgia) declares war on Hannover.
June 1 Our Land tech research produces a new theory on Artillery support (land tech 4).
August 24 The Hanseatic League joins those who regret their wars, paying 23d to Hannover.

1509 Census 163d Treasury 225d The walls in Bavaria and Ansbach are improved (to level 2).
June 6 Henry VIII assumes the throne of England.
July 1 Bavaria revolts, put down by our Wurtemburg army, perhaps the new walls were premature.

1510 Census 174d Treasury 206d Tax Collector sent to Tyrol completing that process, we will not have Judges for many years as things stand (due in 1523). 6000/0/20 raised in Austria.
June 1 Silesia revolts (Nationalism down to 2%), and the force stationed there defeats them.
July 1 Ansbach revolts, Bavarian army supresses quickly.
October 4 France(Savoy, Papal States, Helvetia, Navarre, Mamelukes) declares war on England(Portugal, Cyrenaica). The Pope should explain his alliance with Mamelukes.
October 27 Poland(Spain, Scotland) declares war on England(Portugal, Cyrenaica), Milan dishonors the alliance but we do not. We only wish an enemy were near, say, Venice.

1511 Census 174d 179d The whole world is at war and we are effectively left out of it. God will not allow this to happen. The walls of our capital are improved.
In April the Emperor in a rage bans trade (Random Event, trade embargoes for five years).
May 1 Wurtemburg revolts, and Venice(Hungary, Milan, Teutonic Order) declares war on us! Why are we not surprised?
Milan's army alone equals ours, so a conquest of Venice itself is planned to secure peace.
June 6 Hungary beseiges Presburg and our forces in Wurtemburg lose to the rebels.
June 17 Milan and Venice beseige the Tyrol. Silesian troops headed to Wurtemburg.
July 6 Crown Prince Ferdinand arrives in Venice with 45000/0/45. 60000 enemy beseige Tyrol and 48000 beseige Presburg. Wurtemburg is cleared of rebels.
July 22 The assault on Venice fails, costing us 1000 men (and precious morale), defenders reduced to 6000 men. Hungary's assault on Presburg fails, with modest loss (48 to 42).
September 1 The second assault on Venice fails leaving 3500 defenders, but attrition is our true enemy now. How we wish we could pick up a province in this war, but speed is of the essence.
October 12 Tyrolean walls will not hold much longer (-4).
October 28 Joyous news! Three brave me with one cannon send 50000 Hungarians back to their seige positions in Presburg. Medals are ordered in Vienna.
This time we will wait for full morale recovery before the third assault on Venice.
November 13 Tyrol falls, but to Milan not Venice. Our Bavaria force of 21000/11000 awaits orders.
December 1 We assault Venice, on the 17th we take it. Men rush to the Venetian foreign office only to find all of their maps burned. Our troops there are are down to 31000/0/43.
December 19 Venice accepts a peace, paying indemnities (we had 4 stars) of a few ducats (~40). Sforza seems have all of Milans forces in Styria, this will be a problem for him.

The Emperor discusses the war with us, asking why we did not call on our allies, at least Poland, to act with us. I avoid discussing the cause of the war, and reply that Poland's refusal to defend would be more of a problem than her decision to join would have been a help. In truth, I was so saddened and stunned at the time that I did not think of asking Poland. When I called in a diplomat after months of war it did not appear to be possible to ask for their help. The Emperor notes, without rancor, that had our Bavarian army been in Austria, we could have routed the Magyars after their failed assault in Presburg (either one), possibly knocking Hungary out of the war. Then, with time suddenly not pressing us, Mantua or even Milan could have been ours. We assure the Emperor that, as with attrition, we have learned the lesson of counterattack.

1512 Census 164d Treasury 218 Selim I assumes the throne of Turkey. 15000 Infantry raised in Austria, 6000 in Bavaria, and the Silesian army returns to its base. A letter to Hungary is ignored (-91 to -89), ending our efforts there for some time. Poland's forces exceed ours for the first time since 1499, whie England is virtually undefended.
April 6 War reduces Milan's army from pre war strength of 60 to 20, though he rebuilds to 42.
July 29 England signs a separate peace with Scotland ceding Bristol, Yorkshire and Midlands and paying 250d in indemnities. There is grave danger in having many enemies.
October 1 Parma, the Knights and Sweden sign a white peace.
November 1 Wurtemburg revolts and is supressed.

1513 Census 175d Treasury 180d We continue to fortify the mountains in our south, Tyrol will be improved. A letter to Poland is well received (-67 to -52). If Poland had fought us in the last war we would have risked extinction as a nation. Another letter in February (-50 to -36).

1514 Census 175d Treasury 184d Raised ten cannon in Austria and 3000 cavalry in Bavaria. A letter to Poland is well received (-36 to -18).
April 1 The Emperor, perhaps to make amends for his trade embargo, inspires our countrymen to fortify our northern border (Random event, walls in Erz to level 2).
August 11 Turkey(Algiers, Morrocco, Iraq) declares war on the Mamelukes(France, Savoy, Navarre).
September 19 We hope our allies do not mind, but a continuous war, even a phony war, is not to be wished, and we sign a white peace with England.
October 2 Cyrenaica accepts Allepo in return for peace with the Mamelukes.
November 1 The reformation promises to shake up all of Europe, but peace awaits us for a while yet.
_______________________________________________________________________

Thanks for the feedback.
Grundius & BiB - yes, "vonF" as I call him, gets plenty of work, a few infantry and 100 cannon for once the province is cleared.
Hawk - Plans? Oh, yes, well mostly I attack people who are near me. Then, later, everyone in Europe hates me and I have no further need for plans.
ChryonO - I cut out some of the detail of the frantic moments in future fights (which is just as well, because I have very little idea of how poorly the enemy faired at times), but for the most part I think readers still have enough information to decide what they would have done, e.g. not throwing away cavalry.

 

[unmerged(410)]

I'm enjoying this.
I have never played an agressive game (I'm more of a builder myself and I'm fond of discoveries and settlement of colonies), but I'm suprised at how easy it is.
Do continue, including the detail.

 

[Grundius]

Great instalment!

I like your AAR. So far, MOST AARs I read are more stories then actual battle-reports. Maybe I read too few of them...

VonF is btw a good name for him, cause personally I always forget his full name (Yeah, it's a shame, but my orders are always given via Maximillian of Karl, so it's okay as long as they know his name)

Sad thing you forgot Poland. I must say that this is a part of the game which is sometimes not very clear, the small rectangle in the upper right corner slips by unnoticed from time to time.

About Hungary: The frist diplomat I send in the game is almost always to them: And until now they always accepted my offer of an alliance.

Let's hear more of your endeavors!

 

[unmerged(1949)]

War, War, War! Why not make Love instead?

Sir:

I have greatly enjoyed your commentary on your misnistry in Austria. You certainly have been fighting alot. I try to play using the Hapsburg idea of Making Love Not War. I spend a bloody fortune on personal gifts to targeted takeovers, like Bohemia, Bavaria, Milan. Once these beauties are in my fold through annexation, I consider Venice, Savoy or Genoa as a target. (Notice, I didn't include Hungary. It isn't worth it.) Of course, you need to be abit luck in vassalization of your targets and annexation, but it does work. I also buy peace with the big boys using personal gifts and make my alliances with those I plan to annex. It may not bring the glory of war, but we don't have to clean up the bloody mess war makes.

Tyreynolds

 

[InnocentIII]

Thanks again for the comments. War has its disadvantages - I am in a period of peace (up to 1550 I think), but I KNOW the next war will bring in everyone around me that I have not annexed (badboy up to 63), it's been more than five years since I made peace with anyone. So I may be in the process of proving that war makes for early success and later failure. Ariel's AAR makes me wonder if diplomacy might pay for a year or two, but, aside from my allies there isn't anyone I want to be friends with. We'll see.

 

[Grundius]

Anger,Fear, Annexation - the dark side are they.

Blablah - No but for real, when playing Austria, you have to find the perfect balance of conquest/diplomacy. The first real shot I gave at the (I)GC humbled my aproach of the game of European dominance - I annexed evreyone I could lay my hands on and ended up in a continuous circle of war, from which I could not escape. On the other side, no aggression means no real fun, I think. Find balance!

 

[InnocentIII]

The Third and Fourth Wars of Austrian Agression

December 4 France accepts Cannault in return for peace with England, England keeps Calais,
France keeps their CB.

1515 Census 175d/Treasury 186d Francois I rules France. The Emperor takes us aside and says that word from his far flung relations is that Austria is near to being considered the mad dog of Europe (badboy 23), and our next annexation or declaration of war should be done with the intention of fighting all Europe.

1516 Census 175d/387d Felipe I rose to become King of Spain. Twenty cannon and 5000 cavalry recruited. Letter to Poland (-18 to 0).
February 15 England cedes Cornwall to Spain for peace.

1517 Census 175d/227d Spain's army is now our size, while Poland's and the Turks are somewhat larger, and France's far larger.
January 2 Russia(Denmark, Pskov) declare war on the Golden Horde. We renew our royal marriage with Spain.
February 14 Portugal and Morocco sign a white peace.
March 1 Emperor Maximillian suffers an attack of madness (Random Event, 5 months insanity).
Gripped by this malady the Emperor is heard to claim that I am the one controlling the country,
and that he himself has been dead for more than 500 years.
June 14 Mamelukes pay 97d to the Turks for a few years of peace.
December Renew royal marriage with Poland (-7 to +7), but not with Helvetia.

1518 Census 176d/419d We will consider a refinery, the income and other advantages would help in a larger province like Bohemia, though our country produces no wine or sugar.
February 20 The Golden Horde cedes Bojutar and Kujbyschew, plus 141d, to Russia.
Our Monarch's continued insanity affects our research, perhaps the doctors said five years?
December 1 Wurtemburg revolts and is put down by 10000/19000 from Bavaria.

1519 Census 176d/612d Emperor Maximillion dies. Karl V rises to our throne, but Carlos I of
Spain becomes Holy Roman Emperor. Worse, Poland doubles our army and rivals Spain and France. The refinery is abandoned, for now, and 39000 infantry raised.
In May more infantry, 6000, raised in Bohemia.
August 1 The ships we are incapable of making have improved to Caravels (naval tech 2).

1520 Census 176d/379d Suleyman I rules Turkey, and we have a new leader, von Frundsberg, who is skilled in the art of seige. Ferdinand is sent to Bavaria while vonF takes charge of the main force. To avoid war now would be folly, we control 120,000/17000/73, and have two fine leaders.
May 28 Our leaders move south to Tyrol and Stryia. 17000 Infantry ordered in Austria, and war is declared on Venice(Hungary, Milan, Papal States,Teutonic Order).
Jun 12 30000/0/73 face 10000 In Venice, Mantua is beseiged and a Hungarian force sits in
Presburg. We lose 4500 in Venice to the enemy's loss of 9000. Tyrol is beseiged by Milan.
Istria (3) beseiged by spare infantry, Venice (5) and Mantua (2) beseiged. 20000 in Presburg
defeated by 5000 Hungarians. 70000/12000/150 Papal forces rout us in Matua, we lose 10000/10000
December 3 Tyrol has fallen to Milan again, but Venice falls with no assault. We will take
Mantua then make peace. We beseige Emilla to rout recruits. Hungary rejects a white peace.
Milan moves on to Bavaria we assume. The Pope's forces, apparently cut in half (40k), head to
Austria proper.

1521 142d/346d We are mid war and raise more troops.
January 21 Hungary takes Presburg. Three forces now converge on Austria, so an assault of Mantua is ordered, two days later it is ours. We receive Manuta and a few ducats for peace.
Despite recruiting our forces are down to 100,000/8000/68. The Papal Forces routing our cavalry was a huge loss, we did not expect their army to be that large. Still we have a new province, and a coast (but no port, hahahaha, oops). Mantua is a fine province, and with CB Venice may save us the trouble of declaring war in the future. We order Manuta's walls repaired. Milan appears to have a mere 13000 troops defending it as a result of their positions when the war ended, we hope the Pope's armies are similarly indisposed.
October 26 Savoy and England sign a white peace.

1522 Census 162d/168d Stability not yet recovered (+1) and yet taxes are near pre war levels. We recruit more infantry to replenish our forces of 105,000/11000/68. Our sources in Mantua tell us that the Pope is constantly fighting Cyrenaican forces in Emilia.
May 1 The Sudenten revolts, lower stability (+1) is costly, we still work on it with most of our
monthly income. By June 3 peace is restored there.

1523 Census 155d/160d 14000 more Infantry recruited. As royal marriages expire they cannot be renewed because we are pariahs.
August 1 Stability improves (+2) we adjust spending to hit maximum before the end of next year.
October 1 We develope a new weapon, the Arquebus (land tech 5).

1524 Census 169d/193d Milan has a population of 110,000 and 13000 defenders. Our next war may make us hated all around, but we will enjoy it. The Pope has 34000 visible forces.
We recruit 8000/3000 this year, to add to our 145,000/14000/68
April 29 Crimea declares war on Astrakhan.
September 1 Bavarian rebels appear in the midst of our standing army there.
September 10 Mamelukes(France, Savoy) declare war on the Hedjaz.

1525 Census 194d/200d Hannover is the first to turn protestant. We save our money to promote Judges when they become available.
In April Ostmarch, Salzburg and Austria struck by plague killing half their people (yet another
negative random event).
September 1 Infrastructure research produces Chief Judges (level 3), which are appointed to
Bohemia and Bavaria.
September 23 The Hedjaz are annexed by the Mamelukes.
November 12 Spain declares war on the Aztecs, again.

1526 Census 194d/235d Prussia converts. Judges sent to Austria and Styria.
January 17 Crimea accepts Lugask for peace from Astrakhan.
April 5 The Aztecs are annexed by Spain.
July 13 The Papal States acquires Aleppo from Cyrenaica in a peace treaty.

1527 Census 194d/229d Thuringen and Sweden convert. Silesia and Salzburg get judges.
April Our Monarch's efforts have produced a fortress in Austria beyond our ability to construct
in the ordinary course of events (random event, fortress improvement). Hungary has 32000 visible, Milan 13000, and the Pope 41000 in Emilia alone, so another war is ordered to secure Milan's 120,000 taxpayers. We will annex Milan, take Venice and make peace.
April 24 Only Venice and the Teutonic Order join Milan when we declare, perhaps this will be
easier than we thought.
May 21 A quick Victory in Milan and the seige begins (1). Our secondary force of 20000/0/10 leaves, to avoid attrition, and vonF stays with 30000/0/57. Infantry headed to Istria to see if
we can't take another Venitian province, and one with a port, to boot. The secondary force heads to Venice. The seige of Istria is abandoned as we have no cannon and the forage is horrible (10).
July 12 Milan demands 5d for peace, Spain declares war on the Inca.
July 22 Our force of 20000/0/10 crush Venice's defenders of 2000/5000 and beseige Venice (5).
August 24 Milan's walls are suffering (-4).
September 23 Milan is taken and their offer of a white peace declined. However, Milan is the
alliance leader, and we feared that annexation would end the war [stupid me, I annexed Bavaria, the alliance leader, in my second war, and then Wurtemburg]. Still, their forces are still about, and we would have to beseige first Venice and the Istria to gain another province, so annexation is decided upon... and refused!
October 11 Bavaria is beseiged by Milan's 10000/3000/0, we will collect those men shortly.

1528 Census 128d Treasury 133d The lack of stability shows. Helvetia and the Hanseatic League convert. Twenty cannon ordered in Mantua.
January 23 We capture Venice again and deline a white peace. vonF sent to Istria.
March 1 Silesia revolts, and is quelled. Wurtemburg revolts, we destroy the men but must retake our fine walls (level 2 strength 3). We beseige Istria (5).
August 1 Stability improves (+1), Istria's walls harmed for the second month running (3).
October 2 Our additional 20 cannon arrive in Istria and the town is taken. Venice gives us
Istria and 189d in indemnities. On the same day we annex Milan. vonF sent to Wurtemburg.
We now have a dock, and a huge new province. Stability improves with the annexation of Milan (+2). We will be perfectly at peace soon. Judge promoted in Ansbach. We are despised by all who know us (badboy 35, France is 0 by the way). We will soon learn why this is considered bad.

 

[InnocentIII]

Before We Knew What War Exhaustion Meant.

November 22 I am awakened by cheers in the palace hall, a page announces that The Papal States have declared war on us, and Venice has joined them. I note the excitement all around me and think "Ooo, ahh, that's how it always starts, but then later there's running, and screaming." vonF who is travelling in Styria headed to Wurtemburg, diverts to Venice. A counterattack force of 14000/16000 waites in Milan. Twenty cannon for Wurtmeburg ordered in Bavaria. We will knock out Venice, and teach the Pope a lesson in manners. Emilia (pop 67000) seems a reasonable goal. A large Papal force (strength 60) heads to Milan, so we withdraw to Tyrol.
December 22 the Fourth Seige of Venice begins (2).

1529 Census 188d Treasury 203d Infantry are recruited, 20000 (cost 10d each now).
January 18 A Papal force poor in artillery, 56000/15000/10 reaches Milan, which cannot support so many troops (attrition 9). Our orders were misunderstood and vonF arrives in Istria, to return to Venice.
March 1 Milan's walls hold (2) while the enemy dwindles to 45000/13000/10. vonF arrives in Venice and the extra infantry are sent to Istria to enter Ilyria, perhaps. The Pope is training men in Emilia, our Tyrol force is ordered to meet them uppon graduation from the academy.
April 1 Milan's walls suffer (-1) as do our enemies 41000/13000/10.
April 15 We arrive in Emilia, few enemy there and none in Romagna. Cannon arrive in Wurtemburg.
April 23 We take Venice, vonF heads to Emilia.
May 1 Mantua revolts, Ferdinand and his counter attack force leave Emilia for Mantua. Papal forces suffer further in Milan 37000/12000/10, walls holding (-2). We chase defenders from Istria, and rebels from Mantua. The walls of Milan will not hold (-7).
July 2 the seige of Emilia begins (0). The Pope has three provinces and only the reduced army in Milan, 30000/10000/10, we may simply annex his Holiness. The world hates us already.
July 18 Milan falls, but the 26000/5000 in casualties it caused were worth the temporary loss.
August 23 Our two leaders meet in Emilia as the Pope seems to be moving to relieve it.
August 26 Enemy 30000/10000/10 face our 20000/15000/76. We win with great loss of life, 16000/1000/10 on our side, and roughly 20000 of the enemy. All losses are of men we expect to be ours eventually. A sad day, indeed.
In October Emilia's walls suffer (-2). The seige of Illyia goes poorly with 8 cannon (3), but 20 will be available from Wurtemburg (-8) soon, we hope.
November 6 We capture Emilia, but since the Pope's forces are in Romagna, and we need to capture Rome simply to grab one province (because the enemy has Milan), we must now defeat his armies as well as take his towns. We capture Wurtemburg and the cannon are sent to Illyria.

1530 Census 171d/185d Palatinate converts. 18000 Infantry raised, this is the dangerous time, we are extended and vulnerable to declarations of war by others. We invade Romagna with 28000/11000/67. We are interrupted by 5000 men, who are destroyed.
March 10 28000/11000/67 face 20000/7000/0, we are defeated losing 5000/1000 with equal enemy losses. Cannon arrive in Illyria (2).
Rematch in Emilia and this time we win, rubber match will be held in Romagna.
May 5 Milan revolts and reduced forces of 10000/10000/58 vs 17000/5000/0 fight in Romagna.
We win on the 8th and take Romagna on the 9th, off to Rome.
July 11 Our forces of 6000/10000/55 fight 1000/1000/0 Papal foes, real winners in the war are our enemies. A loan is taken to raise 26k Infantry so that we may not seem weak in our moment of triumph.
July 17 We beseige Rome itself (-1).
August 1 Spain signs a white peace with the Incas. Rome's walls suffer (-4).
September 4 Thuringen declares war on us, another acquisition in the making. We withdraw from our futile seige of Illyria (walls still 2). Rebels take Milan from the enemy and it returns to our control. We need more rebels like that.
October 20 Rome's will fall soon (-7). Russia(Denmark, Sweden) declares war on the Golden Horde(Astrakhan).
November 18 Rome is ours. We decline Romagna and Emilia, but we cannot annex the Papal States and we have no idea what other land the Pope owns! Bah, we remember now, after scanning the map, that the Pope took Aleppo in Lebanon, and we offer to accept the peace we just declined, and make peace. So many mistakes this war. A white peace is signed with the Teutonic order.

1531 Census 194d/204d England converts, we beseige Thuringen with 21000 infantry, artillery are on their way. Walls of Milan are improved. We need a period of peace.
March 28 we do not get it, Hungary(Venice, Teutonic Order, Papal States) declare war on us. These countries are weak however, and Hungary suffered for her declaration (stability -1).
vonF sent to Thuringen, Hunagary will suffer next. Thuringen's 9000/1000/0 has Wurtemburgs walls hurting, however (-3). Presburg beseiged by Hungary 7000/17000/0 (1).
May 17 Our force of 25000 lose 1000 to defeat a Hungarian army of 5000 in Pest, and move on to Magyar. vonF reaches Thuringen (3).
June 11 Magyar beseiged (2). Once we have defeated these foes we should have peace for much of five years, we hope.
August 20 99 Cannon now working over Thuringen (0).
September 2 Thuringen takes Wurtemburg and moves to relive its homeland, Ferdinand and 11000 cavalry move to cut him off as our beseiging force has few infantry (9000). Sudeten beseigned by recruits of Thuringen 8/5/28, which we hope to take intact in the peace.
September 15 Ferdinand 0/11000/0 intercepts in Wurtemburg 9000/1000. We lose 2000 cavalry and wipe out their men. Romagna revolts, and Ferdinand heads to supress. Thuringen walls failing (-2), as are those of Presburg (-3) and Magyar (-3), but not Sudeten (2).
October 21 We have captured Thuringen, but we must retake Wurtmburg before we can annex.
November We pray for three men and a cannon as Presburg is suffering (-7), Magyar (-6) and Sudeten (-2) also. We may need to storm Wurtemburg.
Novembeer 21 Presburg falls, Wurtemburg beseiged (1).
December Romagnan rebels put down, Istria revolts and the province is taken by rebels.
December 18 Wurtemburg captured from Thuringem and they are annexed. We joyously welcome 7000/4000/28 in Sudeten, as well as maximized stability. Magyar's walls crumble (-8), we may take a few Hungarian provinces.
December 25 Golden Horde pays Sweden 250d to end their war, battle in Moravia, my 16000 vs Hungarian 8000. They lose 5000 for my loss of 1000.

1532 Census 205d/213d Snow hits Magyar, the walls had better fall soon. Hungarians fight my rebels in Istria, very generous.
February 1 The Magyar walls hold (-8), the snows recede showing 6000 dead due to attrition. Our overall forces of 112,000/14000/124 increased by 18000 recruits.
February 16 Pest is beseiged by 19000 men (1).
March 12 Magyar falls. No Hungarian forces worth mentioning are present.
March 30 Tuscany(Parma) declares war on us. Parma has a large force (60) but not Tuscany(10). Ferdinand and his 13000 cavalry recalled to Tyrol. Peace would be welcome.
April 4 We beseige Transylvania with 16000 (4) and Croatia with 14000 (4).
April 20 Tuscany's force of 6000/0/40 poses a threat to Romagna, so Ferdinand ordered there.
May 1 Parma 50000/1000/80 beseiges Milan. Our walls will suffer but so will he, and Tuscany is the alliance leader, so if Parma take Milan, negotiations will be unaffected.
May 28 Ferdinand annihilates Tuscan forces, with few losses, he moves to Florence.
Parma's assault on Milan fails, he is reduced to 44000/0/70 exhausted troops. Ferdinand redirected to Milan.
June 18 Golden Horde annexed by Russia.
July 26 Croatia falls, we lose 3000 horse in Milan and kill 14000 men and destroy 15 cannon. Milan relieved. Ferdinand sent to rout 11000/1000/0 Tuscan troops in Romagna.
August 29 Tuscans annihilated for a loss of fewer than 1000 cavalry. Pest taken.
August 30 We accept Hungary's offer of Croatia and Pest for peace. vonF sent to Istria before the revolt spreads. Ferdinand to Modena to rerout the army there. We lose 5000 Cavalry however, but kill 17000/0/25.
October 24 New recruits, 9000 Tuscan horse, beseige Romagna. Is the Duke made of ducats?
October 28 vonF arrives in Istria with 1500/0/96 (2), we will give him more infantry soon.

1533 Census 273d/292d Boyard rules Russia. Annual income of 273 shows that our wars are paying off. Ferdinand reinforced by infantry, we cannot afford the speed a pure cavalry army has. We recruit 22000/2000. Parma has 9000/9000 beseiging Romagna (0). Istria retaken on the new year.
February 20 Our 20000/0/20 arrive in Modena, the seige begins (1).
March 29 Romagna's walls failing (-5).
May 1 Emilia revolts.
June 9 vonF Helps restore peace to Emilia and on to Luca. Modena (-1), Romagna(-6), Parma down to 7000/7000 in Romagna through attrition.
July 1 Our progress in Modena catches Parma's in Romagna (each -6), vonF in Luca (0).
July 24 We capture Modena and annex the nation of Parma. Ferdinand reinforced to 16000/7000 in Emilia, he is sent to relieve Romagna.
August 1 Our phantom navy now has early guns (naval tech 3).
September 25 Lucan walls damaged (-3) and Florence beseiged (4).
October 1 We capture Luca.
November 1 Modena revolts, Ferdinand sent.
December 7, a day which will live in infamy, Baden(Palatinate, Lorraine) declares war on us.

1534 Census 271d/291d Kleves converts, Silesia revolts. Palatinate beseiges snowy Thuringen with 10000/5000. 29000 infantry recruited.
January 27 vonF's seige specialists reach Florence (3). Thuringen's snows contain 34000/6000 enemy, for the time being (walls 4). Silesia supressed.
February 1 27000/5000 remain in Thuringen, but the snows melt (3).
March 4 Spain(Scotland, Cologne) declares war on endangered England(Portugal, Persia, Hanseatic League). Florence walls reduced (-2). One war may be about to end.
April 1 Thuringen now holds our entire enemy, we hope, 48000/6000/30 (1). Baden is beseiged by 35000 of our men (too many) and Florence nears capitulation (-5).
April 29 Not before time we honor the alliance that has saved us for so long [oops].
May 1 Modena revolts. Thuringen holds, the enemy lost 4000/1000 to attrition.
May 5 Alsatian recruits wiped out in Alsace, but our enemies assault Thuringen and fail and we are further than we'd like from our counterblow.
June 4 Disaster! The end of our nation may be near. Savoy(France, Mamelukes, Helvetia, Navarre) declare war on us. Scotland and Spain honor the Alliance, Cologne does not, what of Poland? It was not in the alliance!

 

[unmerged(3438)]

Well that's one good AAR, showing both the good and bad tactical and strategic choices.
I must say you look to have been a bit too agressive for your own good. Rather than keep on attacking your neighbours why didn't you try and spend a bit of that money on improving your relationships (in order to later vassalize and diplomatically annex) rather than getting as big an army as the other majors ?
Still you have to make mistakes to improve (especially considering the manual !)

 

[InnocentIII]

War and Peace and War

June 29 Milan beseiged by Savoy 23000/11000/75. Our walls are firm (level 2, strength 2), but
they have plenty of artillery. We annex Florence, which has fallen to us. If we escape with our
skins then we will have a large Empire. We buy off Helvetia for 13d.
July 17 20000 arrive in Thuringen to face an exhausted enemy of 45/5/30, One big win and we may buy peace from these three nations. We win, losing 11000 men to the enemy losses of 7000 or so. Baden rejects a white peace (no stars), the victors pursue the defeated to Mainz, and Baden will be beseiged by 22000 troops, which are growing hard to come by. Savoy rejects a white peace. Milan must have repelled an assault we missed, the atackers, 62000/10000/72 are exhausted, and Ferdinand's 13000/6000 are sent to rout them (walls -1).
August 24 Ferdinand wins quickly, and pursues to Savoy. Back in Mainz our 9000 men meet a weary 24000/3000, but other enemies will arrive shortly (strength 13).
September 4 Only 6000 of our victorious force remains in Mainz, and enemy losses are difficult
to gauge (multiple armies apparently 45000). We should not have thrown 35000 into Baden,
attrition is hell. The 6000 brave men are now expendable, they will follow the enemy to Pfalz.
October 15 Ferdinand wins round one in Savoy with negligible losses, inflicting many, Savoy,
including reinforcements, is now reduced to 25000/10000/73 and headed to Milan, we pursue. We win in Pfalz as well, losing only 1000 men, the enemy may be down to 17000/3000/0 from 45000/5000/30, but in the heat of battle, with so many enemies, it is difficult to tell where the enemy went to. We pursue into Cologne.
November 1 Istria revolts, vonF's 13/0/111 head to supress. Despite our victories Savoy rejects a white peace (one star). Ferdinand will pursue from Milan to Nice. vonF redirected to Savoy.
Our 5000 men are stuck in Cologne [years later they would be annihilated in a different war long after I had forgotten them], and so Baden (walls 4) is abandoned to strike at the near dead army headed to Mainz. From what we can see Spain does well in France, and Poland is weak.
November 28 Our 18000 fight 38000/8000/57 in Mainz, they are not as exhausted as we'd hoped. We win after 2 weeks of battle, losing 3000 to the enemy losses of 4000/1000/0. We pursue to Baden.
December 25 An unhappy Christmas finds Ferdinand's 7000/5000 meet a relatively recovered Savoyan force of 25000/9000/73 in Savoy.

1535 Census 284d/Treasury 309d Ferdinand may be fighting his last battle. 30000 Infantry
raised. With that addition our land forces consist of 103,000/3000/109, though it does not seem half of what we need.
January 12 Ferdinand's surviving 2000/3000 win the day in Savoy, he pursues 22000/8000/70 to Nice. Baden rejects a white peace despite our slight advantage (one star).
February 7 In Mainz we face 13000/3000 with 13000 fresher troops, we win. In Savoy we wait for the enemy and their slow artillery to arrive when they do 1500/3500/0 of our brave men face 22000/8000/70 enemy.
March 16 We lose in Mainz, Baden rejects a white peace(one star), as does Savoy(2 stars).
March 18 We capture Savoy! A (very careful) review shows that Savoy owns only two provinces, so we might now annex it if we can take Nice. Poland has returned to our alliance.
April 21 Our defeated armies are pursued to Thuringen, and emerge victorious.
May 1 Wurtemburg revolts. Istria is still revolting, we recall.
June 25 We defeat the rebels in Wurtemburg with our new 29000 man force, but the enemy arrives in the aftermath and defeats us.
July 23 Genoa joined the enemy, enters Savoy and defeats us. These additional armies render a continued fight pointless. We secure Flandres for Spain in a general peace. Now to Baden. We notice that we lost Wurtemburg to Palatinate, but we do not see when.
August 19 Tyrol is beseiged by the Palatinate, threatening to split our country. I offer
Wurtemburg to Palatinate for peace, they accept, and (except for the war with England which does not involve usin actual fighting) we are at peace for the first time in ages.
September 1 Thuringen revolts. Loan extended (interest from 7% to 10%).
September 18 Sweden(Denmark) declares war on us. We grew tired after 17 days of near peace.
September 25 Crimea(Iraq, Georgia) declared war on us, Thuringen supressed.
October 2 War of the week continues as Prussia declares war on us. Are there no Mongols?
December 19 Ferdinand finally restores order in Istria.

1536 Census 290d/298d We like our income level. We renew our correspondence with Poland (-107 to -95). Walls enlarged in Emilia (to 2), Judge promoted in Mantua. 2000/1000 recruited.
March 22 Istria is beseiged by Georgian force of 6000 cavalry.
April 1 Thuringen revolts.
May 1 Thuringen revolts again from within, Silesia revolts. Thuringen retaken without a seige.
July 1 Silesia revolts, Sudeten beseiged after rebels defeated. War exhaustion strikes us.
Prussia and Sweden reject white peace offers but England accepts.
October 1 Russia(Pskov) declares war on Sweden(Denmark). Istria releived, Croatia revolts.
October 6 England buys peace with Spain for Wales, Lincoln and 60d.
November 7 Rebels routed in Croatia, Georgia down to 3000 Cavalry. Georgia rejects but Sweden accepts a white peace offer. No diplomats left, and two wars brewing.
December 1 Georgia wiped out, Thuringen revolts. vonF sent to Sudeten.

1537 Census 238d/248d Luca revolts. 24000 infantry recruited. Thuringen beseiged.
May 6 Lucan rebels defeated, vonF beseiges Sudeten. News arrives in the capitol that Crown
Prince Ferdinand died fighting in Luca. A state funeral is held in his honor.
May 10 Prussia accepts a white peace. Georgia lands 5000 infantry in Istria.
August 9 Sudeten falls, 5000 Crimeans land in Istria. Both Georgian and Crimean armies wiped
out, Crimea rejects a white peace.
December 1 Thuringen nearly taken (-6), Bohemia revolts. Hugary(Venice, Teutonic, Papal, The
Knights) declares war on us. The Pope still owns Aleppo, so we will take Magyar and sue for a
quick peace.
December 16 The Pope beseiges Romagna with 11000 horse. vonF and 18000/0/101, who have recaptured Thuringen, sent to Magyar.

1538 Census 247d/258d Brandenburg and Denmark convert. Sudeten re-revolts. 25000 infantry recruited. Crimea accepts a white peace, leaving Hungary and friends as our only enemies, for now.
February 1 Luca revolts, Bohemia recaptured.
March 1 Luca beseiged. Infrastructure reaches Early Boroque (4) allowing Fine Arts buildings.
March 20 vonF beseiges Magyar(-1). The Fifth Seige of Venice(5) begins, for old time's sake.
April 1 Silesia revolts from within. Hungary rejects a white peace.
May 21 We beseige Silesia. We take Magyar, but Brandenburg declares war on us on the very same day! We suspect a deliberate plot. Alliance leader Hungary accepts a white peace.
June 1 Mantua revolts. Brandeburg beats us in Silesia and beseiges the rebels.
August 1 Thuringen revolts.
September 1 Pest revolts. We beseige Brandenburg.
October 27 Luca falls, Ferdinand's old army heads to Pest.
November 15 We capture Brandenburg. No-one declares war on us. Had we made peace with England three years ago war exhaustion could have been avoided. Ferdinand might still be alive. Brandenburg pays 250d for peace. Revolt risk disappears virtually everywhere. Judge to Modena.
November 29 Hessen(Kleves) declares war on us. Two weeks too late, my friends.
December 29 Thringen beseiged by 15000/10000 Hessen forces.

1539 Census 226d/368d Hessen is assaulting. vonF will wait for the outcome and move in with his 13000/0/101.
January 23 Hessen added more men (to 24000/10000) and took Thuringen by storm. We retook Pest, and recruit 13000/5000 in Austria.
February 1 Florence revolts. Hessen catches vonF in Sudeten and wins. We lose 9000/0/12, and the enemy beseiges Sudeten.
April 3 vonF reinforced, he and 28000/0/89 are sent to Thuringen and on to Hessen. We retake Florence.
July 12 vonF beseiges Hessen, out of supply. Attrition should be worse for the enemy in
Sudenten (walls 1) than for us in Hessen (4).
October 19 Yet another war, but this time we are uninvolved. Turkey(Crimea, Iraq, Georgia)
declares war on the Mamelukes(France, Savoy, Helvetia, Navarre). vonF is down to 20000/0/89 in Hessen(-5). Hessen is down to 12000/7000 in Sudeten(-4).
November 13 vonF takes Hessen and moves to Kleves, while 12000 infantry beseige Thuringen (4).
December 4 We beseige Kleves(1). Hessen rejects an offer of our peace for their cash (2 stars).

1540 Census 253d/261d We have beseiged Thuringen for some time and now face rebels there. We lose 1000 men to the rebels and restart the seige. vonF recalled to Hessen.
February 1 Hessen takes Sudeten, and moves to Erz. vonF will try to retake Thuringen and
restore our lines of supply.
April 13 We recapture Thuringen. Hessen refuses to pay cash for peace, an offer they will never receive again. Sudeten is retaken by storm. On to Munster.
August 22 19000/0/89 beseige Munster.
September 3 Iraq pays the Mamelukes 189d for peace. We storm Munster and head to Kleves. A page reminds us that Sweden ceded a province to Russia last year for peace while we were busy.
October 25 We beseige Kleves. More men are on their way. Debt repaid.
November 1 Croatia revolts.
November 13 We capture Kleves. Kleves, and then Hessen, are annexed, bringing a good many men with them. Overall we now have 64000/18000/100

1541 Census 290d/311d Silesia must be retaken from rebels. 30000 Infantry recruited.
April 12 Croatia suppressed. vonF arrives in Silesia and takes it. No wars, no rebels, no debt.
How long will this last?
July 27 Turkey accepts Syria and Sinai from the Mamelukes. We expand trade in Flandres (225d) as our five merchants in Venice (205d) provide only 12d per year now. Perhaps we were too generous obtaining this CoT for our ally? No, better Spain than the enemy.
November 1 Munster revolts, vonF sent. Our empire is large now, travel is time consuming.

1542 Census 335d/348d Teutonic order converts. vonF held in Bohemia, we will recruit a standing force for our northern territories. 24000 recruited. A personal gift to the King of Spain is well received (+14 to +58).
After fifty years of control of Austria we review. Our nation's empire stretches from our Spanish ally's holdings in Naples all the way to Spanish Netherlands. Our annual income has grown more than six fold. We can recruit over 80,000 men at a moment's notice. If Spain and France continue to fight each other, and they will, we may well surpass each of them. We will suffer through many wars, but with patience each peace will find us stronger than we were before.
March 2 We waited too long and Munster has fallen. vonF resent, he recaptures in July.
August 2 A letter is sent to Spain (+58 to +73). This lifesaving alliance must be maintained.
September 4 A Royal Marriage with Spain improves matters further (+73 to +88).
December 28 Our other critical relationship is cemented by marriage, Poland (-95 to -80).

1543 Census 346d/365d Judge to Emilia, we will save for a Fine Arts building.
May 1 Florence and Emilia revolt, threatening independence.
August 1 As the Italians are put down, Pest revolts, and Munster revolts from within. We have
four forces, one in Mantua 22000/7000, one in Austria 45000/13000/0, vonF in Bohemia 20000/0/100 and 20000 in Hessen.
September 4 Calais and Leister are ceded to France by England for peace.

1544 Census 299d/564d Income drops 50d, revolts are expensive. We continue to save.
March 1 Modena revolts.
July 1 Having defeated Modena and Munster, we now face revolt in Kleves, which is supressed.

1545 Census 346d/932d Thuringen revolts. A fine arts facility is considered for Austria, but we
build a refinery in Luca at the last minute, both because it is cheaper (636d not 810d), and also
because we need the boost to trade more than stability, in which we will be fine. Either we will
defend in wars, or annex at the end of wars restoring stability (or both). We look to the future with some trepidation. We know that once war is declared the deluge of wars, like last time, will strike.

 

[InnocentIII]

Sorry about the problems skipping lines, the post preview showed them looking fine.

 

[InnocentIII]

The Fifth War of Austrian Aggression

January 1545 recruited 6000/6000 Reviewing our history recently we feel that we have negelected our cavalry. They cost four times as much but they are necessary.
February 20 Thuringen supressed.
May 1 Our scientists unveil Early Pistols (land tech 6). How do they know they are early?
August 1 Emilia and Pest revolt.
August 6 Russia(Pskov, Teutonic Order) declared war on Astrakhan(Crimea, Turkey).

1546 Census 320d Treasury 331d We recruit 33000 infantry. We have 120,000/18000/102 now.
September 1 Luca revolts, rebels defeated and beseiged.

1547 Census 337d/350d Saxony and Scotland convert, removing the Scots from our alliance, or so we are told. Ivan IV rules Russia. A personal gift from his majesty to the King of Poland helps our relationship (-80 to -13). Letter to Spain (+66 to +77). No recruiting just yet.
January 29 Edward VI rules England and we celebrate with deflation (random event prices -33%). We take out a loan and recruit 0/11000/30, to take advantage of sale prices.
March 1 Our phantom navies now have metal cannon balls (Naval tech 4) and our traders can establish monopolies (Trade level 3).
April 1 Thuringen revolts again, still no war. Henry II rules France, maybe he will start it.
May 1 Modena revolts. In September it is Luca's turn, December is Istria.

1548 Census 330d/357d Jean Calvin creates new churches in February, prices back to nearly pre-deflation so we wait on recruiting, but inflation down to 0% from 15%.
April 1 Croatia revolts. We dare not start a war with so many enemies, but we cannot wait forever. Crimea pays 122d to Pskov for peace.
September 3 Crimea cedes Lougansk and Kouban to Teutonic Order for peace.
December 15 Astrakhan gives up 128d and Donets to Pskov for peace. We recruit 40000 infantry.

1549 Census 335d/342d The waiting is getting to us, perhaps if three armies took Palatinate out in a rush? We shall think on it. New infantry form a second italian army, our fifth force.
A personal gift to Poland does little (-13 to +4).
We have decided to start a war with the French alliance, secure a quick peace and then deal with those who jump in on us while we fight. Genoa is lightly defended (22) while Helvetia(75) and Savoy(60) have many troops. We will take Genoa's capital to force peace with the alliance, then fight the latecomers. France, Savoy, Mamelukes, Helvetia join them. Spain and Poland Honor our alliance, Lorraine and Cologne do not. If the war goes well we will continue it for a time, if not we must have Genoa.
March 28 England(Portugal, Hanseatic League, Persia, Mamelukes) declares war on us.
April 5 Saxony(Brandenburg, Hannover) declares war on us. vonF moves on Saxony, we should have had him for Genoa, but did not.
April 19 Venice (Knights, Papal States, Hungary) declares war on us, as does Palatinate (Baden, Cologne!).
April 20 Our 28000/11000 face 13000/1000 enemy in Genoa.
April 26 Denmark(Sweden) declares next. May 3 its Prussia. We lose in Genoa.
May 6 Spain joins us against England (Poland was at war) and both Spain and Poland join against Denmark(Sweden). We do not call on allies for other wars.
May 30 We take Ahalt by storm. The forces in Milan have melted (from 150 to 122).
July 2 Brandenburg takes Silesia and we fail to take Saxony, but our other Italian army, 31000 strong, arrives in Genoa.
August 1 Hessen revolts, we rotate armies in Genoa after an assault. Very foolish, it restores the garrison! Genoa rejects a white peace. We take Saxony and annex it. The war has added two provinces to our realm so far. We will see what the future brings. Spain signs a white peace with Helvetia which they had been assaulting.
November 3 Atrakhan pays 133d to Teutonic Order for peace.
December 21 Hungary took Pest, we took Brandenburg. Milan almost taken but attackers have been cut in half.

1550 Census 216d/277d Savoy takes Milan, Genoa resists another seige. Savoy demand 250d and Milan, which we decline.
March 15 Venice takes Tyrol, Papal states take Romagna. Assault of Magdeburg fails, Venice too. We take Magdeburg and Brandenburg cedes it for peace. We are plus three provinces so far.
May 6 We capture Hannover, who accepts a white peace (3 stars).
June 20 We give 15d to England (triggering a loan) for a general peace, and the same to Genoa. We will not call our plan brilliant, and the wars are not over, but we have lost no provinces and picked up three, so we are pleased for now.
July 17 We fight Helvetia in Milan, they may regret their separate peace, as they can now be annexed. We take Venice on our third assault. Venice rejects a white peace (3 stars).
July 27 Russia, abandoned by allies, pays Crimea 250d for peace. France accepts Luxembourg and Artois from Spain for peace. We cannot help but think that we are partly responsible.
December 14 Venice takes Istria, and refuses it for peace.

1551 Census 229d/236d We invade Helvetia rather than beseige Tyrol. We beseige Pfalz, though vonF has been gone since the start of the war. In the midst of all the dispatches we do not know when he died, or if he was alive as the war started. We win in Helvetia (4). Palatinate takes Thuringen, we take Pfalz. Palatinate accepts a white peace.
Remaining wars Venice(etc), Prussia, Denmark(Sweden), Helvetia. Pfalz force sent to retake Anhalt from the rebels. We are forced to give Pest and 7d to Hungary due to our losses to her (had we rejected the offer stability would have suffered).
March 20 Astrakhan gives 111d and Uralsk to Russia for peace. Venice and Helvetia reject white peace offers.
April 1 Thuringen revolts (stability +2).
June 23 Spain annexes Navarre, so the war was not a complete disaster for our ally.
September 18 Ahalt retaken from rebels. Helvetia going slow (2). Munster, Modena revolt.

1552 Census 158d/164d Milan revolts, we have a mess to clean up after the war. Helvetia abandoned as not worth the effort.
February 5 Istria retaken. We accept a white peace from Venice and extend a loan. Denmark rejects peace, leaving them, Prussia and Helvetia.
March 1 Munster revolts.
March 1 We increase monthly income to pay 17d to Denmark for peace. After new taxes in April we do the same with Helvetia.
June 1 Automatic white peace signed with Prussia, ending the wars.
Our post war conference with the King is subdued. We are down to 60000/13000/112, and we lost Pest, but we gained Saxony, Ahalt(with a fine arts center) and Magdeburg. More importantly we got through the period of war which had to come at some point. The loans hurt, however, 400d. The King's only criticism was that, since taking Genoa quickly was the key to our whole strategy, we should have had cannon in that force. We agree that the execution was poor, but the plan itself was fairly sound, the best way to take on France is to make sure we pick which of its allies is the leader in the war, and take the Leader's capitol. If the war goes well, continue it, if not make peace, and scoop up the other enemies who have appeared after the war started. The key to the next war will be choosing who to absorb, and ending the shooting wars (i.e. aside from the phony wars against England, Prussia, Denmark) to leave the last country for slow absorbtion. Hungary seems a good target, given time we could annex the entire nation with three or four forces of 15000/0/50.
July 1 Kleves revolts.
October Munster and Saxony retaken. Kleves retaken in November and December.
We end the year 1552 with peace and quiet.

 

[unmerged(3438)]

I know now how dear cavalry and artillery are for Austria, but I am still amazed you manage to win battles with so little cavalry forces. Also cavalry gives quite an advantage when dealing with rebel forces.
Be careful, once the Turks have finished with the Mameluks they may look to you (although with polish help it should be OK).

I still congratulate you again : the way you describe both your mistakes and successes is great.

 

[InnocentIII]

The Sixth War of Austrian Aggression

1553 Tax 373d Letter to Poland (-7 to +10). We have only 58/13/111 so we recruit 36000 infantry. Our overall plan now is to reduce the number and power of contiguous countries until we are strong enough to begin chipping away at France. If we can annex a fair number of the countries near us, future wars should be less painful, both due to fewer enemies and our increased strength. In May Turkey(Crimea, Iraq, Georgia) declares yet another war against the Mamelules(Savoy, Genoa). Two of our old enemies (Savoy and Genoa) are engaged, and without France? Tempting, but we shall see. Any war would have to be declared by others, since we recently made peace. The last war seems less succesful as time wears on, we should have picked up more when the enemies were reduced at the end. England is now ruled by Mary I. Spain is still fighting in Genoa, as a result of Spain's separate peace with Helvetia in the last war.

1554 Tax 384d We order 80 more cannon for our Italian army, and 3000 men. In May Kleves, and Florence revolt. In September Kleves revolts again.

1555 Tax 369d Hessen and Emilia revolt. We recruit 14000/7000 In April Trade research has reached Early Boroque (level 4), allowing trade embargoes. In June Russia(Pskov, Teutonic Order) declares war on Sweden(Denmark). Loan extended. In November Romagna revolts.

1556 Tax 368d We have a new monarch: Ferdinand I now rules Austria. 19000 infantry recruited in Italy. Bailiffs sent to Romagna and Istria, walls expanded (to 2) in Magdeburg. In February Munster revolts. Mamelukes give 16d and Arabia to Iraq for peace. In March, resenting the new walls, Magdeburg revolts. In October its Istria. In November Emilia, December Magdeburg again.

1557 Tax 358d This is a loan year so 200 must be saved, 16000 recruited in Italy. In March Croatia revolts. We now have 45/9/75 in Milan for possible action against Savoy, who seems to have few troops, and Genoa, who is constantly beseiged by Spain. In July Hessen revolts. In September its Munster. Time for a new round of wars.
We declare war on an undefended and vulnerable Savoy (Genoa, Mamelukes). In October Hungary(Knights, Venice, Papal States) declares war on us. Our 44/9/75 meet Savoy's larger-than-expected 39/6/0 in Savoy. France(Helvetia, Prussia) declares on us next. Spain joins us but Scotland and Poland dishonor our alliance. On the 23rd Brandenburg(Hannover) join the parade. We should hit the alliance leaders, make peace with some countries and leave one or two enemies to digest at our leisure. We win the battle and beseige Savoy(4). Our other armies move on Hannover and Magyar. A review shows that this was not a loan year so we recruit 21000 infantry near our capital. In November The Hanseatic League(Portugal, England, Persia, Cyrenaica, Moldova) declares war on us, and Palatinate(Baden) joins the parade. Hanover (1) is beseiged. A quick assault on Magyar (2) fails. Russia gives Savolas to Sweden for peace.
Savoy's attempt to lift the seige of their capital fails, but reminds us that an assault had better succeed on the first try in Savoy or our weakened troops will be driven out.

1558 Tax 313d We accept Savoy's offer of a white peace. Our forces there are down to 21/4/69. This was not the original plan, but Savoy is well defended and our other enemies cannot say the same. This is especially important now that Poland (-1 to us) has joined Savoy's alliance. We pause to regret our foolishness in not preserving the Polish friendship, four unused diplomats and a hundred ducats would most likely have kept them in the alliance, and now they will soon be enemies since we expect to annex several nations, which should ruin our standing in their eyes. 37000 infantry recruited. Hanseatic leage beseiges snowy Magdeburg (1) with 47/12/40, we are glad we enhanced the walls there. We take Magyar and Hungary accepts a white peace (4 stars), ending the seiges of Venice in Croatia and the Pope in Romagna. Now enemies to the North and west can be annexed. Palatinate, Baden, Brandenburg and Hannover seem vulnerable. Hannover's walls are failing (-5).
March We capture Hannover, but on April 3 its government falls, recovering Hannover, ending the war and preventing annexation! Our victories in Savoy, Magyar and now Hannover have brought us nothing but casualties. Magdeburg lost to the Hanseatic League, but we go after their capitol: Mecklenburg beseiged (1). Helvetia pays Spain 250d for peace. In June our 12/0/91 defeat a roughy 22/6/10 Hansa army in Mecklenburg (-2). Helvetia, now free of Spanish troops, beseiges Milan. In September Brandenburg takes Silesia. We capture Mecklenburg from the Hanseatic League, they give us 14d for peace (4 stars). Now Brandenburg, Helvetia (1), Baden and Palatinate can be taken and annexed. In October Baden takes Thuringen. Helvetia is proceeding well (-2), but a Swiss relief force is on its way. Hungary(Knights, Venice, Papal States, Lorraine) declared war on Poland(Genoa, Savoy).
November In Helvetia (-5) our 17/0/66 defeats 15000 Swiss pike. We lift the seige of Hessen.
December Our armies take Helvetia, and on the 17th we annex yet another country.

1559 Tax 262d We recruit 30000 infantry. In February we relieve Munster and beseige Kustrin (3), Brandenburg's (3) other province. Kustrin walls reduced (0). In March we capture Brandenburg on our second assault, and move to retake Silesia. Brandenburg has 15/4/13 in Erz (2). Our armies march on Baden, and lay seige (4). We retake Silesia by storm, but Spain cedes Hainalt to France for peace, who rejects a white peace with us. We are now France's only adversary. Kutrin walls suffering (-5). In June our assault in Kutrin fails, we beseige Thuringen to retake it. Baden (-2), Erz (1). In July we capture Kustrin, and we annex Brandeburg, welcoming 10/3/13 to our armies. Francoise II rules France, and rejects a white peace. France apparently must come through Helvetia to get to Austria, we wish them a long winter.
August Luca revolts, 22000 French arrive in Helvetia, some 70000 will follow. We relieve Munster and annihilate 14000 enemy infantry. French forces now number 69/6/200 in Helvetia (4), we hope the walls hold. In September the French lose 12/1 in the first month encamping in Helvetia, we must keep this province and avoid annexing The Palatinate, so that France will most likely (depending on allies)have to come at us through the Alps.
October We beseige Mainz, we may take all but the Palatinate capital. France loses another 10000 men in Helvetia (4). In November we retake Thuringen by storm, Baden (-6) should be annexed soon. Helvetia (2) attackers reduced to 38/2/200. In December Magdeburg revolts. France is down to 31/1/200 in Helvetia (1), they have lost over 40,000 men to attrition. We try to storm Wurtemburg, but fail. Hungary gives 105d and Carpatia to Poland for peace. We take Baden, and annex our third country this war.

1560 Tax 378d Franz Josef now commands forces for Austria. France reinforced Helvetia (0) but still only has 24/9/200. We recruit 36000 infantry. Palatinate accepts a white peace, as does France. Peace, for a time. We should not have recruited before our diplomats were sent out. Crimea pays 45d to Pskov for peace. Our post war conference with the King shows his Majesty in high spirits. Our original plan to take Savoy did not pan out, but we followed the broader plan of making peace with many enemies, leaving our armies ample time to annex those which remained. The King is especially pleased with our acquisition of Helvetia, which has already proven to be a great defensive asset.
April Magdeburg and Luca suppressed, all revolts done. After three letters to Spain we have improved relations (+3 to + 47). New loan taken to replace the one coming due. In June Teutonic Order gives Lugask to Crimea for peace. In December Catherine de Medici rises to the throne of France. We repay our old loan. Our land forces now consist of three armies: Italy has 41000 men, Franz-Josef in Austria has 31/0/69, and a northern army in Thuringen has 27/0/84. We will be at peace for a few years, but taking on France is beginning to look like a real possibility, if only Poland were back in the alliance. We cannot fight both of them.

 

[InnocentIII]

The Seventh War of Austrian Aggression.

1561 Tax 414d We still have some burning provinces so we will get more in times of true peace. A personal gift to Spain does little (+44 to +58). We train only three diplomats a year so the two we have will have to serve for a time. Walls expanded in Silesia and Kustrin, the Poles like us not (-107). We notice that our refinery in Luca never got built or was destroyed.
January Russia (Pskov, Teutonic Order) declares on Astrakhan, which they annex in October.
Revolts - Brandenburg in April, Hessen, Luca and Modena in September.

1562 Tax 378d Another personal gift to Spain (+61 to +104) in addition to the letter late last year helps our relationship. We repay a loan, one to go in 1565. Hessen revolts in July.

1563 Tax 434d Another personal gift to Spain (+103 to +160). The land forces census shows Austria and Spain atop the standings, with France desperately low, and Poland equal to the Turk but well below our power, which is 91/3/164, we recruit 0/6/0. With Spanish holdings spread throughout the world we are now the most powerful land force in Europe. We also own more territories than any power but Spain, who dwarfs the rest of Europe in that field. Walls enlarged in Baden. In August Charles IX ascends the throne of France.

1564 Census 434d/440d Maximillian II now rules Austria. 15000 Infantry recruited. Walls expanded in Luca, Romagna and Moravia. In March We develop metal bullets (land tech 7), we allegedly have the greatest land technology in Europe (and the largest army) but scentists tell me that they learn from our neighbors (+2 neighbor bonus). Odd.
August Turkey(Crimea, Iraq, Georgia) declares on the Mamelukes(Aden, Oman) yet again.
This is our second consecutive revolt-free year.

1565 Tax 434d Judge to Odeburg. 15/3/0 recruited. We send two letters to Poland regretting our current distance (-107 to -92). National bank created allowing loans of 500d.
June We take a 500d loan to repay a 200d loan, probably not wise, but we will build a refinery in Baden. Brandenburg revolts in September.

1566 Tax 417d Treasury 722d Selim II rules Turkey. In April we order a refinery in Baden.
June The Mamelukes give Jordan, Lebanon and 119d to Turkey for five years of peace.
Revolts - Helvetia (May), Saxony (July) In October Russia(Pskov, Teutonic Order) declared war on Sweden(Denmark).

1567 Tax 405d Council of Trent. We buy 60 cannon, raising our two armies in the north to over 100 each. Revolts - Hessen (September, December)

1568 Tax 420d In April we complete the refinery in Baden. 11000 men added in Italy.

1569 Tax 436d Treasury 709d We can now recruit 113,000 men at a moment's notice, so we are not convinced that recruiting in peacetime is needed. Our relations with Poland have been built up (-51), but their alliance lasts four more years. In August Sweden pays the Teutonic Order 144d for peace, Baden revolts.

1570 Tax 425d Treasury 1058d We must repay our foolish 500d loan this year. We begin slowly building our navy, three ships are ordered (42d each), one each in Istria, Romagna and Modena. Genoa cannot be annexed without Corsica, and Venice without her islands, and Rome without Aleppo. Walls expanded in Croatia. In May Sweden pays 102d to Pskov for peace. Loan repayed. Three more ships ordered.

1571 Tax 436d Treasury 648d This peace is lasting too long. We renew our long-absent royal marriage with Poland (-50 to -35), we are great friends, still, of Spain (+180). We recruit 7/6/10 for our northernmost army, which has suffered from the rebellions. Our alliance with Spain expires in September, we will have to lead the next alliance, which will cost us the minor allies Spain had brought in. In September we create a new alliance with Spain, with Austria as its leader. We will hope to add Poland in December 1573 when its alliance runs out. Maximillian II sends a personal gift to the Polish King, a life-size statue of the grandfathers of the two men, with the names and dates of the wars they fought together at the base, which brings tears to the eyes of our old friend's monarch (-35 to +58). We order three more warships.

1572 Tax 436d Kustrin revolts in the new year. Our new gift to Poland was not so well received (+56 to +66). Walls expanded in Munster and Istria. In April Saxony revolts, in October, Helvetia. Three more ships ordered.

1573 Tax 400d Two letters and another personal gift are well received in Poland (+61 to +166). 5/1 recruited in the North. In December our good friends in Poland rejoin us in an alliance with Spain, and all is right with the world. We can feel a war coming on.

1574 Tax 436d Treasury 638d Henryk Walezy rules Poland. We begin correspondence with Murad II, the new Turk, to test the waters (-200 to -181). In March Hessen revolts. In May Henry III rules France. In August Denmark(Sweden, France) declares war on the Hanseatic League(England).

1575 Tax 420d Treasury 923d The Swiss revolt to bring in the new year. We recruit 0/5/60 in Milan for possible action in France if the situation permits. We recruit 18000 in and around Baden for Franz-Josef, who is headed to that province. 34000 recruited in Austria and Bohemia as an eastern force. In April research reveals the Arquebus (land tech 8). Time to use them.
On August 2nd we declare war on France(Sweden, Denmark) and our allies join us. 48/5/60 move on Lyonnais, and Franz-Josef moves into Helvetia to take France-Compte. Genoa(Savoy) declare war on us and our allies again join.
September Palatinate, Hungary and England (Hanseatic League) all declare as well, our allies join us against Hungary and England. We want Palatinate for ourselves. Teutonic Order(Russia, Pskov) declare next, but as they are far away we will not call on allies, it would distract Poland unnecessarily from their job in Hungary. We turn down the chance to pay 8d to France for peace. Surely this is a sign of their weakness? The Papal States join in the fun, again allies not called on. Cologne offers her existence to give us a route to the Isle de France by declaring war. Franz-Josef faces Savoy's 45/10/68 with his force of 34/3/103 in Helvetia. FJ wins, we also capture Lyonnais, but a French force enters Helvetia, and a Palatinate force is on its way. FJ defeats each, with Palatinate arriving just after his win over France, his total losses were 13/2/8, though the enemy's were much higher. FJ moves on Wurtemburg. Hansa rejects a white peace as they beseige Magdeburg.
December Our army of 35/2/60 faces 7/0/10 in France Compte. We beseige Magyar and Pest with minor armies (16000 and 18000 respectively).

1576 Tax 349d Baden revolts and fights the Palatinate army there. Rudolf II is our new King. FJ beseiges Wurtemburg (1) but attrition will be costly. We recruit 12/0/30 in Austria, 8000 in Bavaria, and ponder a French offer of Lyonnais, which we decline and beseige France-Compte. We were tempted but saw Spain headed through France.
Swiss rebels are defeated by Savoy. The next French offer of Lyonnais may be accepted.
March The Fench offer Lyonnais again and we accept, moving the France-Compte force there to attack Savoy in Helvetia.
April FJ captures Wurtemburg, and moves toward Mainz. Spain is working over Genoa pretty well. An attempt, our second, to relieve Munster also fails, even though our army is larger than Cologne's force.
May We take Magyar but lose Munster to Cologne. The conquerors of Lyonnais lose in Helvetia (4), and retreat to Tyrol, a much diminished force. FJ beseiges Mainz. Genoa pays Spain 49d for peace, but rejects a white peace from us.
July Our northern army relieves Kleves, Cologne has foolishly split its army, and heads to Cologne.
August We capture Pest.
September 7000 brave men defeat 19/4/30 Hansa enemy, and win only to face Magdeburg rebels the same day, who took the town from within. We assume that our technology was the edge against Hansa. We beseige Cologne. The Hansa accept Jyland from Denmark for peace, but reject a white peace from us. We decline Pest from Hungary, for now. Genoa and England reject white peace offers, Savoy is still in Helvetia (2). We take Mainz, on to Pfalz. We retake Magdeburg from rebels.
October We capture Cologne, but must retake Munster to annex.
November FJ and another force totalling 16/0/125 arrive in Pfalz to face 20/4/16. We win and beseige Pfalz (4), and then Munster (2). Savoy pays 186d to Poland for peace. There have been Polish armies all over our territories for some time now, but none in Hungary. We pay England (Hanseatic League) 13d for peace, and accept Pest from Hungary.
December Turkey(Wallachia) again fights the Mamelukes.

1577 Tax 343d We recruit 34000 infantry. Genoa rejects a white peace, Helvetia (-7) may fall to Savoy. We notice that Savoy is out of the alliance for the purposes of our war already, so our white peace offers to Genoa were pointless. Persia (Portugal) declares war on Turkey.
January Savoy takes Helvetia, and moves on Lyonnais.
March Hessen revolts in the midst of our battle there, we lose and the Palatinate face the rebels. Our Italian force, plus 8000 from Hungary, move to relieve Romagna (-6). We capture Pfalz but lose Romagna. We annex the Palatinate, which we believe is our thirteenth country annexed. FJ will now move south to assist our forces there.
April Kustrin revolts. Savoy fails in an assault on Lyonnais but we fear we are too far distant (17000 men in Tyrolia) to take advantage. Genoa pays Poland 130d for peace, which they could have had from us for free. Our army arrives in Romagna, 13/0/30 facing 13/0/0 Papal foes, we win and beseige Romagna (2). 17000 men reach Helvetia and Savoy is still weakened in Lyonnais.
May Sudeten revolts. 17000 fresh men face 14/2/54 Savoyan men in Lyonnaise, we win with few losses on either side and pusue to Helvetia.
June We recapture Munster, and annex Cologne, a dagger pointed at the heart of France.
July We win in Helvetia, and a minor fight in Milan, and pursue to Savoy. FJ reaches Helvetia and heads for Savoy. Venice(Pskov) declare war on us. We missed our old foes. Stability maximized.
August Lorraine(Knights) declares on us, our allies support us. We win in Savoy and half our infantry, 15000, move to Nice, FJ stays in Savoy (3).
September Magdeburg revolts, the northern force is headed to Kustrin.
November Magdeburg and Kustrin supressed, Thuringen revolts. England(Hanseatic League, Cyrenaica) declares war on Scotland. Occupied but unconquered Genoa finally accepts a white peace. We are working on three seiges: Savoy (-4) Nice (4), Romagna (-1).
December We capture Savoy, FJ moves to Nice.

1578 Tax 368d Saxony revolts from within, war exhaustion is rearing its ugly head. We recruit 29000 infantry. In February Sudeten revolts from within. Teutonic Order accepts white peace, leaving Papal States, Savoy, Venice(Pskov), and Lorraine(Knights). Venice takes Istria, and destroys our 8 ships at sea (with 3/30/?) as they flee to Romagna. Lorraine will take Pfalz (-7) soon. We retake Romagna and accept a white peace offer from the Pope. Savoy, Venice and Lorraine to go.
April We relieve Lyonnais which was near capitulation (-7) to a small Savoyan force.
May Persia payed Turkey 78d for peace.
June We relive Pfalz, having travelled all the way to Alsace and seen Pfalz still holding. We beseige Venice (5) yet again. Nice hurting (0). We beseige Lorraine, who rejects a white peace.
September We left Lorraine to pursue them to Pfalz and win again. Nice (-4).
October Mamelukes pay 76d to Turkey for yet another peace. Venice takes Croatia, which they reject for peace, we would not mind losing our border with the Turk.
November FJ captures Nice from Savoy, on to Helvetia, which we must retake to annex Savoy.

1579 Tax 448d Venice besiges Styria. Lyonnaise revolts. We recruit 18/5/20 near our capitol. Lorraine rejects a white peace (one star) even though she has few armies and Spaniards in Alsace. In February our tiny (4 ships in Modena) navy now has galleons (tech level 5). We chase the enemy from Pfalz back to Lorraione, win, and acept her offer of a white peace. We need to take Helvetia (0), and make peace with Venice (still 5) before any new wars break out. We nearly take Helvetia by storm, but 1800 defenders remain. One of these weakened armies supresses Lyonnais, which we remembered was revolting. Rebels in Sudeten still beseiged in the north.
May We retake Sudeten. We retake Helvetia from the Savoy, and annex Savoy. One war left.
July We give up on Venice (5), relieve the Venetian seige of Sytria and move to Istria. FJ moves to Venice. We turn down a Venetian demand for istria, Croatia and 15d.
December Venice's walls are finally hurting (-3), we hope to be at peace soon.

1580 524d/556d War pays, as our income shows. Walls expanded in Savoy, Pfalz and Cologne. More spending will wait until we see if the new year brings peace, or more war.
February Pfalz revolts. Venice offers peace for Croatia and 230d, which is acceptable but for the cash, so walls expaned in Lyonnaise and 10000 infantry recruited in Bohemia. Russia(Teutonic Order, Pskov, Venice, Prussia) drags many countries into a local war with Crimea(Turkey). We capture Venice. They reject our demand for cash, and then our white peace offer (two stars).
May Nice and Pest revolt, we are playing with fire here, a new enemy would put us into real war exhaustion danger, and we are approaching the five year anniversary of some of our peace treaties. We therefore end our last war by giving Croatia to Venice, and vow revenge on their grandchildren. However, we are at peace. Our army is reduced to 70/4/263, and our navy was nearly destroyed (eight of twelve ships sunk by Venice, one more lost somehow, maybe in brief Genoan seige of Modena?).
The post war conference with the King is more celebration than discussion. We proved that we can take on France and capture territory, and from Cologne (or Lyon) it is a short trip to Paris. Our empire now consists of all Italy north of Naples except Rome, Venice and Genoa, we own all of central Europe to the border with France except Lorraine. We believe that we have annexed fifteen countries, and there are not too many left. We are truly in the big leagues now, and with Poland and Spain both allied to us and good friends (140+ each), France has much to fear.