So, an exciting session!
vR and OrangeYoshi, having more-or-less won the game by their military skill, graciously left in order to make room for other players. This drastically changed the diplomatic situation, as the anti-hegemonic alliance almost instantly collapsed - a process helped by the supple diplomacy of Jodokus, the new Russia player, who made considerable concessions of territory to his most dangerous enemies, Persia and Bavaria.
I agree completely with your strategic analysis. With the Slavs effectively ended as a threat (mostly due to being much nicer and amenable to deals), eyes naturally turned to those other players who have shown that they are willing to go to war at the drop of a hat. Malaya has been making death threats to Catalunya and Africa for years now, and has threatened wars of blockade just for kicks. Not just threatened, in fact: Croatia and Russia have suffered 'eternal war for the lulz', as the Malayan player so eloquently put it. Rumour has it that their leaving is partly due to this frankly bridge-dwellery behaviour. As both Catalunya and Ethiopia (both nations consisting primarily of coastal provinces) are both very vulnerable to blockades and past targets of unwarranted (well, warranted by us owning things Malaya wants, like money, Australia and South America) Malayan aggression, we were displeased to learn that Malaya was planning to build 2k ships.
When Malaya sought to enslave the brave peoples of Khmer, Catalunya took it upon itself to intervene and rescue the valiant and culturally diverse Khmer, going up against the numerically superior but geographically scattered Malayan fleet. Ethiopia was indisposed, unfortunately; its temporary ruler (i.e. substitute player) was unclear as to the diplomatic situation (more about that later). Alone against the Malayans, navally speaking, Catalunya managed to achieve no more than a white peace, but securing Khmer independence and the Croatian treasury (as Malaya was demanding some 15k).
Once that truce had ended, though, the true Emperor of Ethiopia returned, and the diplomatic issue resolved. Malaya claimed a NAP was in place; however, the agreement he was referring to was one specifically designed to stop Africa from helping the Russians (back when the Slavs still threatened to overrun Eurasia), not a carte-blanche NAP. I should know; I wrote the thing. All signatories but Malaya agreed that such should be the interpretation; of course Malaya would choose to interpret it to suit its needs.
When Malaya attacked Croatia again without warning, Catalunya did not hesitate to intervene on Croatia's behalf. In Africa, too, clearer heads prevailed, and the Africans, spearheaded by the glorious Solomonid navy, chose to support Catalunya in neutralizing the Malayan threat once and for all. During the course of the war other nations which had felt threatened by Malayan antics pledged their support: the Mesoamerican Maya Republic and the English Kingdom, once more independent of the Burgundian yoke. These nations were still burdened by NAPs with Malaya, no doubt forged under duress, as Malayan NAPs are wont to be.
The glorious navy of the Afro-American Coalition naturally prevailed, and now Malaya is under blockade; peace terms are being discussed among coalition members. We will keep in mind the fate Malaya had planned for Khmer, the fate of Japan, and the Malayan promise that it would destroy its enemies given the chance. We intend to see to it that the Malayan war machine makes no more victims.
Otherwise, things were not very interesting in Catalunya. Its navy grew to previously unknown sizes, its manpower is slowly returning to levels last seen before the capital move - still far behind the true land powers. Catalunya has shown to be a naval power, after all.
(AAR reward: naval tradition)