This is the last episode of this AAR since I went and nukes everything for the 1.08 patch.
1600
A new century begins and it is a new world for Brandeburg. We are no longer a small, poor outpost in northern Germany. We now have more than doubled in size and reach to the Baltic. Our traders control Danzig and are even pressing the Hanse traders in Holstein. We do not rank with the great powers of France, Spain and Poland but we are clearly more powerful than most of our other German neighbors.
We begin the new century by trying to repair our relations with Austria but our effort achieves little.
1601-1602
Another overture to Austria fails to bring any returns. The February, Austria, Bavaria, Milan and Helvetica face off against Bohemia and Saxony. This clash of arms ends in October with no tributes from either side.
1603
January, we send a large personal gift to the King of Austria but again gain nothing for our advances. This is a dead end for our diplomacy and another ally will be sought out. In October, Spain, the Papal Sates, Genoa, the Knights and Savoy go to war with Navarra, Portugal, Venice, the Order, Hanover and the Hanse. I can only hope the Hanse can muster enough military effort to take Western Pommerania from the Spanish. In December I forge a royal marriage with the Netherlands.
1604
In April, France and Spain make peace and the Hanse effrort to take Western Pommerania was unsuccessful. In July, France does again 250d from the Netherlands. Our finances continue to improve and in December we launch a national bank.
1605
The addition of the matchlock to our forces should make the gunpowder weapons more useful in combat.
1606-1607
March 1606 and 1607, I send letters of introduction to both Saxony and Bohemia. I view the preservation of Bohemia as a useful tool. The buffer between the Electorate and Austria is useful to me.
October, 1607, a massive revolt of breaks out in Danzig and over 30000 peasnts storm the citadel. The revolt is crushed by December but I lose 5000 men in the process.
1608
Venice, Portugal, the Order and France begin a war with Wallachia- the Turks are not involved- in August. I receive this news the same day that the efforts of the nobles to expand the fort in Madgeburg is finished. It is now second only to Kustrin in our territories and among the largest forts in Europe.
1609
We further expand our colony in Luga. I am forced to join the Saxon-Bohemia alliance when my efforts to renew my Hungarian alliance take too long.
1610
Russia enters the time of troubles, maybe they won’t declare war on the Kazan anytime soon? Our trade expands yet again and our merchant companies take on additional strength.. Kustrin continues to be an unstable province and the heretical Calvinst preachers once more have fooled a large percentage of the population.
1611
Troubles or not, Russia, the Danes, and Pskov are once more at war with Kazan but this time the Kazan have the Horde and Crimea to aid them.
1612
The Franco-Wallachian war has ened and the French now have control of the Holy City. Judea and Samaria have been handed to the French. In October, my alliance crumbles and out of the ruin I create an alliance with Saxony but Bohmeia rejects my offer. In November, the Turks, Wallachia and Georgia declare war on the Hungarians- who’s new allies abandon her. In December, the Poles declare war on the Turks and Wallachia.
1613
I have started the building of the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. It will bring great credit to the Elector. In June Eastern Pomerania revolts but the army is already on site and crushes in it’s crib. In July, I send a letter of introduction to Hanover- who’s alliance expires in November of 1614.
1614
I send two more letters to the Hanoverians before November but my efforts fail as Hanover chooses a Netherlands alliance over mine. Bad news in the Balkans. In May the Hungarians cede Serbia to Wallachia and cede Croatia to the Turks in December. That news coupled with w humiliating defeat by peasants in Eastern Pomerania has me in a most sour mood.
1615
In February, the rebsl are crushed and the Berlin Academy opens. I arrange another royal marriage with the Order but appear unable to extricate them from their alliance with the Hanse and Venetians. In November, even more bad news arrives regarding the Turks. Poland cedes Galcia to the Turks. The Turks are only a few hundred miles from Western Prussia. I would love to lead an anti-Turkish alliance but I lack the contacts in Poland and Austria to form much of a coalition against them.
1616
Native annihilate the colony in Louga. Colonialism is a dead end for the Electorate. The cost is high and the returns appear too low- along with the high risk. France and England can have the savages if they want them.
1617
March, Austria, Hungary, Wurttemburg, Bavarisa, Milan and Helvetic declare war on Bohemia and Lorraine. In June, I launch a trade embargo against the Crimea. Their traders had been very aggressive in Danzig. August, Russia, Demark, Pskov and the Swedes declare war on Kazan and the Golden Horde. I swear in 120 years I personally could have taken over Kazan.
1618
Bohemia has finally passed it’s lifespan. 130000 froegn troops sit inside its borders. Moravia is soon to fall and Erz will be right behind it. Sudenten has already fallen. There are no Bohemian armies in sight. I wonder if the Bohemians would like my aid now. Frankly, with the size of the armies crawling all over her I am glad I am not involved in this war. The war ends in November with Bohemia only ceding Moravia to Austria. This places me ona direct border with Austria- who does not like me. I am not pleased with this development.
1619
In January , Austria adds Alsace in a peace with Lorriane. Austria has now added two valuable provinces.
1620-1621-1622
in 1621 I once again lost vast amounts of capital put towards expanding our trade as the result of some bad business ventures. These continued setbacks are deeply hurting our ability to remain competitive in the centers of trade across Europe.
1623
May, a civil war has erupted in Turkey. Good, let the heathens fight amongst themselves. A clever alliance might even find the time to declare war on the Turk during this hour of weakness.
October, I renew my alliance with Saxony, Hanover and the Netherlands. We now have a continuous band of Protestant allies from the French border to Poland. We can all aid each other in any conflict.
December, a brief revolt by the peasants in Eastern Pomerania.
1624
The clergy is speaking out against our government because of our tolerance polices. Their dissent is quickly put to rest however.
1625
August, Austria, Hungary, Wurrtemburg, Bavria and Milan go to war with Lorraine, the Palatinaat and Bohemia. The war ends in November with no tributes.
1626
January, with a heavy army presence, we begin construction of a naval arms manufactury in Eastern Pomerania. The war against corruption is never ending and we have lost another battle. So much revenue has been drained that inflation is soaring. In Sept, Crimea, Algiers and Iraq declare war on Poland and Parma.
1627-1628-1629
Feb 1629, Crimea send Poland 117d for peace and in December of the same year Poland, Parma and Georgia declare war on Turkey, Astrakahn and England. The clever Poles waited until the Turkish civil war ended, how nice.
1630
January, Poland tries to do the right thing my waging war against the Turk but has the Austro-hunarian alliance declare war on her. The Austro-Hungarians are feeling frisky as they also declare war on the Turk and his ally in the same month! February, the same tired Russian alliance goes to war with the Kazan and the Horde.
The Hanse declared war on myself in the same month. The Hanse has pulled in their Portuguese, Venetian, French and Teutonic allies. I do not call on any of my allies. The Hanse have long outlived their lifespan and their nation is mine.
March, Georg Willhelm’s 35000 man force attacked Mecklenburg against a 44000 man Hanse army (where did they find these guys?). The battles is short and savage. George loses 4000 men and the Hanse 20,000 flee to Holstein. George pushes into Holstein and actually arrives before the Hanse army does and when they do he attacks again and disperses the rest of the Hanse army. He loses only a few hundred men. In April, I sign a white peace with the Teutonic Order. I have good relations with them and they really have no way to get involved in this war. In April, the siege train arrives in Mecklenburg and the siege begins. George beats back a hastily raised Hanse army of 6000 in May and then withdraws back into Brandenburg with 26000 men. In August, the Poles reclaim Gallacia from the Turks win a move that I am fairly ambivalent about. September 5, Mecklenburg falls and the siege force marches on Holstein and open the siege in October. During that same month a French force of 33000 men lands outside of Danzig. Frederick Wilhelm marches from Eastern Pomerania and meets the French. He loses 3000 men to the French’s 4000 but is driven from Danzig.
1631
February, our monarch takes another stab at the depleted French forces. Frederick Williams army, rebuilt to 34000) faces off against the siege force of only 17000 Frenchmen. This time he scores a decisive win (2000 Brandenburgers against 15000 Frenchmen). In March, the Austo-Hungarains, Wurtemburgers, Bavarians and Milanese go to war with the Turks. In May, Holstein falls into my hands. I have control of all the territory of the Hanse. The siege train heads back to Brandenburg and leaves just before a 40000 man peasant revolt breaksout. Geroge pushes his force north and subdues the rebels in July. Meanwhile, the French land two more amphibious forces. A 22000 man force lands in Eastern Pomerania and Frederich Wilhelm marches west to meet them from Danzig. His 27000 man army bests the French and inflicts 12000 casualties on them while losing 8000 of his own men. The victory allows me to finally achieve a white peace with the French. With the French disposed of I turn to making peace with the Hanse. I decide now is the time for bold action and annex all the remaining Hanse territory: Holstein and Mecklenburg (Bremen was under the control of the Netherlands and Western Pomerania remained under the control of Spain). The Electorate is now 9 provinces large and in control of 2 centers of trade which our merchants rapidly move to dominate. The state is by far the most powerful in northern Germany and with the Saxony, Hanover, Netherlands alliance I have a great deal of stability.
What happens next? I do not know. A terrible destruction known as 1.08 has visited our world and things will never be the same again. Hope everyone who has been following the AAR enjoyed it and this actually isn’t a bad stopping point since I got a bit far on the power mongering thing but everything did seem to happen so organically that it did not feel like wild expansion. One last note, I really enjoyed playing a minor power. The sense of being on the brink I got in several wars is a sense I never had with one of the great powers. There is much more of a struggle for everything with the minors. Maybe in 1.08 I’ll try the Teutonic Order.
1600
A new century begins and it is a new world for Brandeburg. We are no longer a small, poor outpost in northern Germany. We now have more than doubled in size and reach to the Baltic. Our traders control Danzig and are even pressing the Hanse traders in Holstein. We do not rank with the great powers of France, Spain and Poland but we are clearly more powerful than most of our other German neighbors.
We begin the new century by trying to repair our relations with Austria but our effort achieves little.
1601-1602
Another overture to Austria fails to bring any returns. The February, Austria, Bavaria, Milan and Helvetica face off against Bohemia and Saxony. This clash of arms ends in October with no tributes from either side.
1603
January, we send a large personal gift to the King of Austria but again gain nothing for our advances. This is a dead end for our diplomacy and another ally will be sought out. In October, Spain, the Papal Sates, Genoa, the Knights and Savoy go to war with Navarra, Portugal, Venice, the Order, Hanover and the Hanse. I can only hope the Hanse can muster enough military effort to take Western Pommerania from the Spanish. In December I forge a royal marriage with the Netherlands.
1604
In April, France and Spain make peace and the Hanse effrort to take Western Pommerania was unsuccessful. In July, France does again 250d from the Netherlands. Our finances continue to improve and in December we launch a national bank.
1605
The addition of the matchlock to our forces should make the gunpowder weapons more useful in combat.
1606-1607
March 1606 and 1607, I send letters of introduction to both Saxony and Bohemia. I view the preservation of Bohemia as a useful tool. The buffer between the Electorate and Austria is useful to me.
October, 1607, a massive revolt of breaks out in Danzig and over 30000 peasnts storm the citadel. The revolt is crushed by December but I lose 5000 men in the process.
1608
Venice, Portugal, the Order and France begin a war with Wallachia- the Turks are not involved- in August. I receive this news the same day that the efforts of the nobles to expand the fort in Madgeburg is finished. It is now second only to Kustrin in our territories and among the largest forts in Europe.
1609
We further expand our colony in Luga. I am forced to join the Saxon-Bohemia alliance when my efforts to renew my Hungarian alliance take too long.
1610
Russia enters the time of troubles, maybe they won’t declare war on the Kazan anytime soon? Our trade expands yet again and our merchant companies take on additional strength.. Kustrin continues to be an unstable province and the heretical Calvinst preachers once more have fooled a large percentage of the population.
1611
Troubles or not, Russia, the Danes, and Pskov are once more at war with Kazan but this time the Kazan have the Horde and Crimea to aid them.
1612
The Franco-Wallachian war has ened and the French now have control of the Holy City. Judea and Samaria have been handed to the French. In October, my alliance crumbles and out of the ruin I create an alliance with Saxony but Bohmeia rejects my offer. In November, the Turks, Wallachia and Georgia declare war on the Hungarians- who’s new allies abandon her. In December, the Poles declare war on the Turks and Wallachia.
1613
I have started the building of the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. It will bring great credit to the Elector. In June Eastern Pomerania revolts but the army is already on site and crushes in it’s crib. In July, I send a letter of introduction to Hanover- who’s alliance expires in November of 1614.
1614
I send two more letters to the Hanoverians before November but my efforts fail as Hanover chooses a Netherlands alliance over mine. Bad news in the Balkans. In May the Hungarians cede Serbia to Wallachia and cede Croatia to the Turks in December. That news coupled with w humiliating defeat by peasants in Eastern Pomerania has me in a most sour mood.
1615
In February, the rebsl are crushed and the Berlin Academy opens. I arrange another royal marriage with the Order but appear unable to extricate them from their alliance with the Hanse and Venetians. In November, even more bad news arrives regarding the Turks. Poland cedes Galcia to the Turks. The Turks are only a few hundred miles from Western Prussia. I would love to lead an anti-Turkish alliance but I lack the contacts in Poland and Austria to form much of a coalition against them.
1616
Native annihilate the colony in Louga. Colonialism is a dead end for the Electorate. The cost is high and the returns appear too low- along with the high risk. France and England can have the savages if they want them.
1617
March, Austria, Hungary, Wurttemburg, Bavarisa, Milan and Helvetic declare war on Bohemia and Lorraine. In June, I launch a trade embargo against the Crimea. Their traders had been very aggressive in Danzig. August, Russia, Demark, Pskov and the Swedes declare war on Kazan and the Golden Horde. I swear in 120 years I personally could have taken over Kazan.
1618
Bohemia has finally passed it’s lifespan. 130000 froegn troops sit inside its borders. Moravia is soon to fall and Erz will be right behind it. Sudenten has already fallen. There are no Bohemian armies in sight. I wonder if the Bohemians would like my aid now. Frankly, with the size of the armies crawling all over her I am glad I am not involved in this war. The war ends in November with Bohemia only ceding Moravia to Austria. This places me ona direct border with Austria- who does not like me. I am not pleased with this development.
1619
In January , Austria adds Alsace in a peace with Lorriane. Austria has now added two valuable provinces.
1620-1621-1622
in 1621 I once again lost vast amounts of capital put towards expanding our trade as the result of some bad business ventures. These continued setbacks are deeply hurting our ability to remain competitive in the centers of trade across Europe.
1623
May, a civil war has erupted in Turkey. Good, let the heathens fight amongst themselves. A clever alliance might even find the time to declare war on the Turk during this hour of weakness.
October, I renew my alliance with Saxony, Hanover and the Netherlands. We now have a continuous band of Protestant allies from the French border to Poland. We can all aid each other in any conflict.
December, a brief revolt by the peasants in Eastern Pomerania.
1624
The clergy is speaking out against our government because of our tolerance polices. Their dissent is quickly put to rest however.
1625
August, Austria, Hungary, Wurrtemburg, Bavria and Milan go to war with Lorraine, the Palatinaat and Bohemia. The war ends in November with no tributes.
1626
January, with a heavy army presence, we begin construction of a naval arms manufactury in Eastern Pomerania. The war against corruption is never ending and we have lost another battle. So much revenue has been drained that inflation is soaring. In Sept, Crimea, Algiers and Iraq declare war on Poland and Parma.
1627-1628-1629
Feb 1629, Crimea send Poland 117d for peace and in December of the same year Poland, Parma and Georgia declare war on Turkey, Astrakahn and England. The clever Poles waited until the Turkish civil war ended, how nice.
1630
January, Poland tries to do the right thing my waging war against the Turk but has the Austro-hunarian alliance declare war on her. The Austro-Hungarians are feeling frisky as they also declare war on the Turk and his ally in the same month! February, the same tired Russian alliance goes to war with the Kazan and the Horde.
The Hanse declared war on myself in the same month. The Hanse has pulled in their Portuguese, Venetian, French and Teutonic allies. I do not call on any of my allies. The Hanse have long outlived their lifespan and their nation is mine.
March, Georg Willhelm’s 35000 man force attacked Mecklenburg against a 44000 man Hanse army (where did they find these guys?). The battles is short and savage. George loses 4000 men and the Hanse 20,000 flee to Holstein. George pushes into Holstein and actually arrives before the Hanse army does and when they do he attacks again and disperses the rest of the Hanse army. He loses only a few hundred men. In April, I sign a white peace with the Teutonic Order. I have good relations with them and they really have no way to get involved in this war. In April, the siege train arrives in Mecklenburg and the siege begins. George beats back a hastily raised Hanse army of 6000 in May and then withdraws back into Brandenburg with 26000 men. In August, the Poles reclaim Gallacia from the Turks win a move that I am fairly ambivalent about. September 5, Mecklenburg falls and the siege force marches on Holstein and open the siege in October. During that same month a French force of 33000 men lands outside of Danzig. Frederick Wilhelm marches from Eastern Pomerania and meets the French. He loses 3000 men to the French’s 4000 but is driven from Danzig.
1631
February, our monarch takes another stab at the depleted French forces. Frederick Williams army, rebuilt to 34000) faces off against the siege force of only 17000 Frenchmen. This time he scores a decisive win (2000 Brandenburgers against 15000 Frenchmen). In March, the Austo-Hungarains, Wurtemburgers, Bavarians and Milanese go to war with the Turks. In May, Holstein falls into my hands. I have control of all the territory of the Hanse. The siege train heads back to Brandenburg and leaves just before a 40000 man peasant revolt breaksout. Geroge pushes his force north and subdues the rebels in July. Meanwhile, the French land two more amphibious forces. A 22000 man force lands in Eastern Pomerania and Frederich Wilhelm marches west to meet them from Danzig. His 27000 man army bests the French and inflicts 12000 casualties on them while losing 8000 of his own men. The victory allows me to finally achieve a white peace with the French. With the French disposed of I turn to making peace with the Hanse. I decide now is the time for bold action and annex all the remaining Hanse territory: Holstein and Mecklenburg (Bremen was under the control of the Netherlands and Western Pomerania remained under the control of Spain). The Electorate is now 9 provinces large and in control of 2 centers of trade which our merchants rapidly move to dominate. The state is by far the most powerful in northern Germany and with the Saxony, Hanover, Netherlands alliance I have a great deal of stability.
What happens next? I do not know. A terrible destruction known as 1.08 has visited our world and things will never be the same again. Hope everyone who has been following the AAR enjoyed it and this actually isn’t a bad stopping point since I got a bit far on the power mongering thing but everything did seem to happen so organically that it did not feel like wild expansion. One last note, I really enjoyed playing a minor power. The sense of being on the brink I got in several wars is a sense I never had with one of the great powers. There is much more of a struggle for everything with the minors. Maybe in 1.08 I’ll try the Teutonic Order.
