Did somebody say Franconia?

[The Swert]

(To new readers, this AAR is now getting quite lengthy so if you don't have the time to read it all and want to catch up to the action i suggest you start at one of the Interludes which will give you an overview of the situation at that point)

Hello world. This is my first post on the forums and i thought i'ld use to to create an AAR about the country of Franconia.

First of all i will be using a so-called 'vanilla' EUII v1.09. This shall also be hopefully my first full GC game after a few games mucking around with Castile, OE, France and England.

Many of u might be thinking, Franconia, who are they? i can't remember seeing them in EUII. Well Franconia is an ahistorical country that Bavaria can release as a vassal as early as 1419 containing the province of Ansbach. In order to play as them i will first play as Bavaria to release Franconia as a vassal, save and then load the game as Franconia.

Franconia is the minorest of German Minors. Playing as Bavaria is hard enough but Franconia begins with 1 city, 1 province, $0, a poor monarch, and with half of all income going to Bavaria. So small infact that there is no events file or leader file for Franconia. It should indeed create for a fun and challenging game.

Due to the already mentioned difficulties i am going to be playing this game on Easy/Normal difficulty level.

I have already begun the game and will hopefully write this AAR 10-20 years in arrears and accompany it with political screenshots every 10 years to show more clearly the progress. Wish me luck, chapter 1 coming soon.


Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 ---- Independence: A mistake? ---- Jan 1419 - Mar 1428
Chapter 2 ---- The Mirrorland ---- Mar 1428 - Feb 1432
Chapter 3 ---- Foriegn Invasion ---- Feb 1432 - Sep 1438
Chapter 4 ---- The (HR) Empire Strikes Back ---- Sep 1438 - Jul 1443
Chapter 5 ---- Bohemian Rape-sody ---- Jul 1443 - Nov 1449
Chapter 6 ---- The War of the Rhine ---- Nov 1449 - Oct 1459
Chapter 7 ---- The Eternal War ---- Apr 1459 - Aug 1473

Interlude 1 ---- 50 Year Report ---- Jan 1419 - Jan 1469

Chapter 8 ---- The Imperial Civil War ---- Apr 1475 - Apr 1482
Chapter 9 ---- Oh how he was wrong ---- Apr 1482 - Nov 1489
Chapter 10 ---- End of an Era ---- Nov 1489 - Mar 1499
Chapter 11 ---- The Dormant Years ---- Mar 1499 - Apr 1512
Chapter 12 ---- Ain't no Mountain High Enough ---- Apr 1512 - Mar 1519

Interlude 2 ---- 100 Year Report ---- Jan 1469 - Jan 1519

Chapter 13 ---- Years of Hell ---- Mar 1519 - Aug 1532
Chapter 14 ---- Raising the Saw-Tooth Flag ---- Aug 1532 - Mar 1547
Chapter 15 ---- Nor-way to the West ---- Mar 1547 - Dec 1552
Chapter 16 ---- The Showdown Begins ---- Dec 1552 - Jul 1555
Chapter 17 ---- The Ems Expansion ---- Mar 1558 - Feb 1566
Chapter 18 ---- Thunder in the Alps ---- Apr 14 1564 - Mar 7 1570

Interlude 3 ---- 150 Year Report ---- Jan 1519 - Feb 1569

Chapter 19 ---- Burgundy + The Blues = Orange + Gold ---- Mar 7 1570 - Jan 1579
Chapter 20 ---- Expanding the League ---- Jan 1579 - Jun 1589
Chapter 21 ---- The Price of Peace ---- Jun 1589 - Jul 1591
Chapter 22 ---- The Indebted Years ---- Jul 1591 - Feb 1603
Chapter 23 ---- Rumble in the Bronx---- Feb 1603 - Aug 1612
Chapter 24 ---- Scope and Compass ---- Aug 1612 - Aug 1624

Interlude 4 ---- 200 Year Report ---- Feb 1569 - Jan 1619

Chapter 25 ---- Casus Belli Lotharii Regnum ---- Aug 1624 - Aug 4 1631
Chapter 26 ---- North, West, South, East ---- Aug 4 1631 - Feb 14 1644
Chapter 27 ---- Operation Charlemagne: Part 1 ---- Feb 14 1644 - Feb 19 1650
Chapter 28 ---- Operation Charlemagne: Part 2 ---- Feb 19 1650 - Jan 27 1659
Chapter 29 ---- Intolerant Cruelty ---- Jan 27 1659 - Feb 1 1670

Interlude 5 ---- 250 Year Report ---- Jan 1619 - Jan 1669

Chapter 30 ---- The Great Baltic War ---- Feb 1 1670 - Jan 10 1681
Chapter 31 ---- Operation CharleAAAHH! ---- Jan 10 1681 - Sep 22 1690

Conclusion
------------------

 

[Duke of Wellington]

Good luck. Sounds like an interesting choice and I will follow this. Welcome to the forums.

 

[The Swert]

Chapter 1: Independence: A Mistake?
Independence Day - Gift to the State
Jan 3rd 1419 - Mar 29th 1428
------------

Franconia had been a pain in Bavaria's side for a long time. Discontent with being just another part of the Wittelsbach empire the Franconians longed for independence. From their stronghold of Nuremberg, the largest city in the region, the Franconians had launched numerous rebellions in the early part of the 15th century which although unsuccessful disconcerted the Bavarian Duke Ernst.

After long discussions with his advisors, as well as his good friends the Austrians, Ernst came to a decision that would restore stability to his duchy. He planned to allow the Franconians semi-autonomy by releasing the region of Ansbach as a vassal and by installing a ruler beloved by his people but completely useless when it comes to government. This man was Johann II who despite his name was to become the first king of Franconia. Ernst was sure that under the guidance of this idiot the Franconians would soon come crawling back to his empire's knees. But how he was wrong...


The state of the world on Jan 3rd 1419, the day of Franconian independence. Franconia is the light brown country in the centre.

As dawn rose on Independence Day Johann II had a lot of work to do. Sure he had a kingdom of loving supporters and a large productive city in Nuremberg in which to place his offices but that was about it. Franconia had no army, no money, no merchants, no diplomats, and half of what little he did have was going to Bavaria. Johann got to work.

It was May 1419 before he was able to commission a diplomat and with it, in a show of defiance not expected by the Bavarian Duke, he cancelled the vassalisation with Bavaria and became sole ruler over Franconia. Oh how the people rejoiced, it was one of Johann II's happiest days.

The happiness would not last long however as he soon found out just how hard it is to govern. His empire's income was a meager $5 a year he needed to make some economic changes. His first concern was getting enough funds to place a tax collector in Nuremberg, he knew this would double his income but he would need $50 for the initial investment. He considered taking out a loan but his $5 a year wouldn't even cover the cost of the interest let alone create enough funds to repay the loan. Johann tried a different tact in 1420 as he sent out merchants with the little money he had to Venice. Johann was lucky as his merchants were able to secure places in the market and income started to come in however his luck would soon turn around. Johann's low administrative skills in combination with an average trade level resulted in the trade efficiency to lower from 25% to 18% in a matter of just 2 years. The profits were diminishing and it was becoming harder and harder to maintain his place in the Venice market. Deciding it was now too risky to spend his meager funds in the off chance that a new merchant would expand his trade he tried to establish trade agreements with his neighbours to try to keep the merchants already deployed in Venice long enough to cover their placement costs. Agreements were successfully made with Venice, Bavaria, Wurtemberg and Mantua and the plan seemed to be working. However by Jan 1423 his last merchant had been outcompeted and trade as an answer to his economic problems just became unfeasible as the majority of nations extended their trade advantage over Franconia by discovering tech level 2.

Nevertheless the treasury was growing and his economics advisors told him that in the about 4 more years he would have enough money for a tax collector. "Patience is a virtue" was Johann's motto during these years as he waited. However the time was all but wasted. Commissioning 3 diplomats a year, Johann was able to create marriages with Bavaria, Wurtemberg, Austria Mantua, Portugal and Denmark and got accepted into an alliance led by Bavaria (joined 1419) including Wurtemberg (joined 1419), Ragusa (1420 till 1421), Mantua (joined 1420).

Finally, in Jan 1427 there were enough funds in the treasury to commission a tax collector. Franconia's economy was finally assured even if trade remained out of the question. But this was just the beginning of things Johann knew and as 1428 rolled along just as his tax collector was complete and the income started mounting it was at this time that his good governance finally paid off. Johann recieved a Gift to the State of $100. It was delightful news but Johann was a philosophic man. He wondered why the gift came exactly at the time that he had just pulled his country out of its depression, right when he didn't need it anymore, when had it come a few years earlier it would have been the gift that saved the nation. Not to say Johann wasn't gracious, he was very gracious so gracious infact he decided that he couldn't spend it all at once. However there was something he knew he needed, he needed somebody to hoist the Franconian flag and wander the countryside displaying the honour and might that it stood for. He needed an army...

----------
Meanwhile around the neighbourhood... (these sections i will add at the end of each chapter to keep u externally orientated)

• 1422 Austria captures Istria from Venice
• 1424 Magdeberg defeats alliance of Saxony, Hessen and Hannover and captures Hannover
• 1427 Magdeburg defeats alliance of Hessen, Saxony and Wurzburg and captures Hessen
• 1427 Baltic alliance of Mecklenburg, Bremen, Holstein, Prussia, Pommern and Teutonic Order declare war on Madgeburg

Meanwhile around Europe...

• 1420 The Hundred Years War comes to a very diplomatic end. Orleans captured by English
• 1425 Castile captures Gibraltar from Granada, Granada becomes a vassal
• 1420 Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Siebensburgen and Luxembourgh create alliance
• 1422 Wallachia, Serbia defeat Ragusa. Wallachia captures Ragusa
• 1421-1424 Novgorod gets divided between invading parties Sweden, Denmark and Muscovy. Novgorod retains just Novgorod and Kexholm
• 1421 Ottoman Empire captures Morea and vassalizes Byzantium
• 1425 Ottoman Empire capture and annex Duchy of Athens
• 1423 Poland captures Danzig from Prussia ending Baltic War
• 1424 Eire invaded by Scottish, English and French. French capture Connaught, Leinster and Munster

 

[Duke of Wellington]

A very difficult start and patience really is of the utmost importance. You have been lucky I would say that Austria did not come for you.

 

[Dark Scipio]

Franken! Very nice. I am keen to read more.

 

[Grundius]

Nice start. Good luck with it.

 

[unmerged(60725)]

I've always wondered what that funny country that wanted independance was like... Good luck.

 

[The Swert]

Chapter 2: The Mirrorland
Gift to the State - Peace of Dresden
Mar 29th 1428 - Feb 26th 1432
------------

Johann II had just been awarded a Gift of the State of $100. With his tax collector in Ansbach now built he decided to use the money to invest in some armed forces. Johann looked around before deciding which type of troops would most suit his empire. The landscape in the lands around Franconia was dominated by forests and mountains meaning that cavalry would not be able to use their speed in the event of an attack. Johann chose to invest solely in infantry and two months later he had 7000 men to protect his kingdom in a force he christened the Ansbach Army.

7000 men was the most that Ansbach could maintain cheaply however as the year drew longer Johann started feeling a little cramped and vunerable in his sole city of Nuremberg. He craved expansion as he looked to his borders...

"as he looked to his borders"

To the south he had Wurtemberg and Bavaria, these nations were the closest of his friends. Any expansion against them would be difficult diplomatically and politically and that was not a situation Johann wanted to find himself in.
To his east lay Austria, the powerhouse of the region. There were some people who offered Johann 20 VPs if he were able to conquer Salzburg but Johann could only scoff at such ambition. Austria had recently displayed its military prowess against Venice, their armies were large and well equiped and in combination with their alliance with Hungary and co, the odds would be insurmountable.
To the north was Bohemia, under the leadership of the protestant Hussites. Any war against these pagans would undoubtably earn support of the Pope and stability would not be sacrificed if a war were to occur but the Hus were powerful. Outstanding leadership, overwhelming armies and an alliance with Poland and Lithuania made Bohemia a no go zone.
To the west...what is that in the west? The flag looked exactly the same as Franconia's and their king had the same name. This is bizarre, thought Johann, its like looking into a mirror and Johann did not like mirrors. This land who called themselves Wurzburg was declared the Mirrorland and their claims to existance was declared void. Johann prepared for war.

"like looking into a mirror"

War was declared in July and alliances on both sides were utilised. It was to be Franconia, Bavaria, Wurtemburg and Mantua vs Wurzburg and Saxony. As Johann waited for stability to restore he decided to expand the Ansbach army to beyond the cheap maintenance threshold with the assumption that many of the men would soon no longer need maintaining. Another 3000 men were added and once the training was finished and morale gathered and stability restored they were ready for for an offensive.

However the war was already underway with the Saxons sending an army down to Wurtemburg. The Ansbach Army went to support their allies and with overwhelming numbers the Saxons were defeated. The first taste of blood strengthened the army for real battle that was to follow. Stalking the retreat of the Saxons the Ansbach Army was able to meet a combined force of Wurzburg and Saxony in Wurzburg. Despite greater numbers, their morale was low and the Wurzburg cavalry was rendered useless in the wooded battlefield. Victory was Johann's, who told his army to lay siege to Wurzburg, it was now October. The battered Wurzburg army returned in November and January but could not liberate the city and nor could a Saxon attempt and by February the enemy had nothing left to throw at Johann. The city of Wurzburg fell in September of 1429 and immediately peace was made with the mirror Johann which ceeded ownership of Wurzburg to Franconia. The war had been a marvellous success for Johann as he decided to relax a little.

The Saxons however were not giving up as easily as Wurzburg did, they would not accept a white peace. More troops were trained to revitalise the Ansbach Army and in October they were sent into the Saxon state of Anhalt and laid seige. The Saxons responded by sending a new army to lift the siege but yet again the Franconian infantry routed the Saxon army in the first non-forest battle of the war. The siege was completed in June 1430 and Anhalt was under Johann's control. The Saxons however were stupider than Johann thought as they yet again declined to sign a white peace. Seeking a reprieve the Saxons entered the Baltic alliance led by Mecklenburg however this backfired majorly, they were forced to declare war on Magdeburg, Brandonburg, Poland, Lithuania and Bohemia leaving them completely surrounded by enemies. After more plees of peace were declined, Johann had no choice. He sent restored the Ansbach Army again and sent them into Sachsen and defeated the desperate men of the enemy. After 5 more easy victories, the fleeing army was finally cornered and destroyed once and for all in Anhalt in January 1432. Without an army and with Bohemia laying siege to their capital Johann finally got Saxony to agree to a white peace in February 1432 with the rest of the alliance, who had been mainly spectators, signing a white peace with Saxony in October.

----------
Meanwhile around the neighbourhood...

• 1429 Austria defeat Helvetia. Austria gains Schwyz
• 1430 Magdeburg annexes Bremen
• 1430-1431 England defeats The Palatinat and Lorraine, Lorraine annexed by England, Mainz to England, The Palatinat becomes english vassal.
• 1431 Baltic alliance loses war against Magdeburg after Mecklemburg captures Magdeburg and Magdeburg captures Mecklemburg. Pay $30 reparations
• 1432 England, Burgundy, Gelre declare war on Magdeburg
• 1432 Hungary defeat and annex Helvetia

Meanwhile around the Europe...

• 1428 Brittany captures Picardie and Vendee from France
• 1429 Poland renews war with Prussia
• 1430 Savoy loses war to French alliance. Piemonte to Provence, Savoy become french vassals
• 1431 Algiers loses Kabylia to Aragon
• 1432 Naples loses Apulia to Ottoman Empire

Political map of Europe as of September 1429

 

[Duke of Wellington]

Phew, good to get out of the one province minor status and no longer face annexation daily. I thought you might end up getting ganged on by your neighbours but you struck it lucky there.

 

[Grundius]

A well-fought war. Good expansion. Getting to 2-province soon-to-be-major status is the first step towards global dominance!

 

[CatKnight]

2 provinces is pretty good. 4 is better! Maybe in five years it's time to have another chat with the Saxon 'horde'

 

[unmerged(60725)]

Very nice war!

1432 Naples loses Apulia to Ottoman Empire

Hmmm... sounds familiar...

 

[The Swert]

First of all may i thank all those who have replied to the AAR so far, ur feedback is much appreciated and if u have any questions about the game i'll be happy to answer them. Secondly may i say that writing this game as an AAR has really brought it to life and made it much more fun to play than an ordinary game. Today i bring to you a double feature, i was only going to include the 2nd of these chapters but i felt it was necessary to shed light on the events leading up to it as well. (i've run out of time, will bring 2nd feature tomorrow)

Chapter 3: Foreign Invasion
Peace of Dresden - Fall of Magdeburg
Feb 26th 1432 - Sep 6 1438
------------

The Peace of Dresden in Feb 1432 ended the war between Franconia and Saxony as well as Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Modena and Mantua a few months later in October. This was good news for Saxony although they were still at war with Magdeburg, Brandenburg, Bohemia, Poland, Lithuania, Denmark and Sweden. What happened to their country next was practically inevitable. Even at the time that the peace was signed, Bohemia had Dresden under siege and the Saxons were completely without an army. In December 1433 Bohemia made peace with Saxony forcing them to change to Protestant and give up Anhalt to Bohemia. The Lithuanians were next to invade Saxony and lay siege. By 1435, the siege had succeeded and Sachsen then became a province of Lithuania.

Saxony was not the only german nation to come under foreign invasion however. The highlight of the game up to this point had been the little vassal that could. Magdeburg, vassal of Brandenburg, had throughout the 1420s single-handedly conquered Hannover, Hessen and Bremen. Obviously after 3 force-annexations Magdeburg were not the most popular country around. In Dec 1432 England, Burgundy and Gelre declared war on Magdeburg and 2 month later The Palatinat joined the invasion. The large Burgundian armies were too much for Magdeburg. After losing control of Hannover, Bremen and Hessen to Burgundy, Madgeburg were lucky to negotiate a peace in which they only lost Hessen and Bremen in April 1434. Magdeburg had paid its price for its rapid expansion but maintaining its atrocious reputation their enemies could still taste blood. In 1436 the Polish alliance of Poland, Lithuania and Brandenburg declared war with Brandenburg cancelling the vassalage. The battered Magdeburg could put up no opposition as the Lithuanians captured both Hannover and Magdeburg. In Oct 1437 Lithuania signed a separate peace with Magdeburg with Hannover becoming Lithuanian and Madgeburg becoming a vassal. The Bohemians, who at first dishonoured their alliance to avoid the war finally joined alongside Poland in Jan 1438 and Magdeburg's fate was decided. Magdeburg was captured by Bohemia in September and fully annexed despite being a Lithuanian vassal.

It was a tale all too familiar around the Holy Roman Empire. When Johann looked at his latest maps in 1438 he was disgusted at the number of foreign invaders taking hold in the Empire. Infact only 13 of the original 28 Holy Roman countries still existed:
- Holstein was now Danish
- Mecklenburg was Swedish
- Münster, Friesland, Bremen and Hessen were Burgundian
- Lorraine and Mainz were English and The Palatinat an english vassal
- Hannover and Sachsen were Lithuanian
- Anhalt and Madgeburg were Bohemian
- Alsace and Bern were Hungarian
- Köln was a vassal of Brittany.

Johann during these years had been a quiet observer. Always looking for expansion, he was too late to jump at Madgeburg like the others had. His next objective was to somehow unite his 4 core provinces, Ansbach, Würzburg, Mainz and Pfalz, the next on his list being Mainz. Mainz however had been conquered off The Palatinat by England in 1431 and with the Ironclad alliance between Burgundy and England, obtaining Mainz would be quite a struggle. His other option was to try and take Saxony, the stomping ground of the previous war, but Saxony was now only in the history books. Bohemia and Lithuania who shared a strong alliance with Poland and Brandenburg now owned these lands and taking them would be no easy feat either.

Things started to change as 1438 approached though. Bohemia, during a brief stint outside their Polish alliance declared war on Hungary on January 2nd. The Hungarian alliance came alive, most crucially with Austria joining the war. Just 2 days later however, Burgundy declared war on Luxemburgh. This event changed the face of europe. England dishonoured their alliance with Burgundy and the entire Hungarian alliance dishonoured their alliance with Luxemburgh. By the end of the month, England and Bohemia had allied with Poland, Lithuania and Brandenburg whilst Austria had joined Franconia's alliance in what was becoming a Holy Roman Alliance.

Johann saw this as a brilliant chance to take Mainz, with the Burgundians out the picture it would only be only a cut-off England on that front, all he would have to do was hold back the Polish, Lithuanians, Bohemians and Brandenburgers on the other front. He was hoping for the Austrians who already had troops marching through Bohemia would protect his flank. Johann started up the barracks and brought the Ansbach Army up to about 13000 men and then he waited for the right moment. In September 1438, Bohemia took Madgeburg which did not please the catholic community and gave Franconia and Casus Belli on Bohemia, who, since the previous year, no longer had the Hussite Regency leading, they had a king with poor military skill. The planets had aligned and the time was right for war...

----------
Meanwhile around the neighbourhood...

- read the chapter

Meanwhile around the Europe... (dates to follow)

• 1433 Mameluks capture Tripolitania from Tunisia, Tunisia becomes vassal of Mameluks
• 1433 Government of Teutonic Order falls, Sweden gain Estland & Livland, Polotsk declares independence
• 1435 Wallachia capture Kosovo from Albania and annexes Naples
• 1435 Eire annexed by Scotland
• 1436 Castile diploannexes Navarra
• 1436 Muscovy captures Kexholm from Novogorod

Coming soon... Chapter 4: The (HR) Empire Strikes Back

 

[CatKnight]

Now this sounds exciting!

I'm glad you're enjoying the writing. I've found that as well with Tannenberg: Once you start writing about it, events take on a new meaning and you find yourself reacting differently to it. What was once the AI just being grabby is now a mortal insult to your nation good enough for a generation of on and off warfare.

I agree, all these foreigners on Imperial soil isn't good. Perhaps Franconia will end up being the Empire's champion?

 

[The Swert]

Chapter 4: The (HR) Empire Strikes Back
Fall of Magdeburg - 1st Hannover Revolution
Sep 6 1438 - Jul 1 1443
------------

The Fall of Magdeburg and its annexation by Bohemia gave Johann II of Franconia a Casus Belli on Bohemia and Johann took full advantage of this. In December 1438, Franconia declared war on Bohemia and in doing so also declared war on the Polish alliance of Poland, Lithuania, Brandenburg and England. Franconia was joined by their Holy Roman friends Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Mantua and Modena however Austria, who was also part of the alliance escaped having to declare war on the Polish alliance since they were already at war with Bohemia when Franconia declared war (bug?). Franconia lost 0 stability for this move as Bohemia was still a protestant nation and a Casus Belli existed.

Johann knew that the early stages of the war were going to be most crucial with his country being on the frontlines. To support the expected losses in the near future Johann constructed 5000 new troops in addition to the 13000 already serving in the Ansbach Army. The first enemy troops arrived on Franconian soil on new year's day, it was large Lithuanian force substantially outnumbering the Ansbach Army but with the Würzburg forests on their side and the Lithuanian cavalry stranded, Johann was able to defeat them. Johann did not fear the Lithuanians no where near as much the English who, led by Talbot, assaulted Wurzburg in February. Talbot, as good a leader as he was, was leading a small army, more than half of it made up of cavalry. His attempt was unsuccessful and using the counterattacking strategy that ravaged the Saxon army in the last war Johann ordered the Ansbach Army to follow Talbot back to Mainz. Talbot tried the make a stand in Mainz but his army kept on fleeing across the Rhine river and Johann laid siege. The reserve army was completed in April and they were ready just as time as a Polish army was marching towards Ansbach through Bohemia. The Polish king had weak military skills but the troops were more advanced than the obsolete Lithuanians. The Polish were defeated with a little help from Bavaria. The rest of 1439 was spent patrolling the borders basically with the 2 Franconian armies meeting any opposition as they entered Franconia whilst intermittently laying siege to Mainz.


The state of europe February 1439

In February 1440, Bohemia made peace with Hungary (and Austria), Austria who had besieged 3 of their provinces gained Moravia for their efforts. This however meant that Austria was no longer defending Johann's flank with the eastern enemies now being able to use Bohemia as a stepping stone to Franconia. In March Johann II died, and his son Sigmund came to the throne, Sigmund (434) was a slightly better diplomat than his father (234) but still a poor king. By June, Mainz was captured from Talbot who nevertheless continued his attacks but now basing himself in Lorraine. Throughout 1440 the attacks were coming fewer and farther between and Sigmund was able to rebuild lost troops as he was almost singlehandly taking on this grand alliance. Bavaria had been involved in 1 or 2 battles but Wurtemburg stayed home whilst Mantua and Modena were blocked off from the war by Austria.

In the beginning of 1441, Sigmund sent his troops on the offensive attacking Sachsen in a two-army assault. The Lithuanian army was large but their technology just couldn't match the Franconian infantry. In February the puncturing continued as the troops marched into Brandenburg, who had most of their army in Küstrin, defeating the retreating Lithuanians and the small Brandenburg regiment. It was then that Bavaria, leaders of the Holy Roman Alliance, signed a peace with Bohemia, which changed the war geographically. Now the only avenue between the eastern enemies and Franconia was through Sachsen.

Meanwhile Talbot had returned so the armies in Brandenburg had to turn around to lift a siege in Wurzburg. Sigmund offered the English a peace demanding Mainz but despite a war percentage in the 30s, the English wanted 32 for Mainz and the english king's superior diplomacy allowed them not to surrender it. The Ansbach army was on patrol again but mid-year they were able to put Sachsen under permanent siege. The Lithuanians tried to lift it in June and again in December but it was almost like the infantry of the Ansbach Army was invincible in the german forests. By February 1442 Sachsen was captured and in May the war took another twist. Bohemia declared war on the Swedish alliance of Sweden, Denmark and Norway with Poland, Lithuania and England following suit. This new enemy took the pressure off Sigmund as thousand upon thousand of enemy troops started heading for swedish Mecklemburg. On the same day, Pommern entered the arena, having left their Teutonic alliance they joined the Polish Alliance and entered wars both against the Swedish alliance and the Holy Roman alliance.

The Long March
By June 1442, Sigmund was getting sick of the war. Lithuania would not give up Sachsen and England would not give up Mainz. With no access to any more english provinces, no more progress could be made there. He figured that the only way to make Lithuania accept losing Sachsen was to inflict more damage on Lithuania specifically. The Ansbach Army which had now shrunk to just 5000 men set off towards Brandenburg on what was to be the Long March. In the same month, Bavaria made peace with England for a meager $6, hardly worth the bloodshed inflicted by Talbot thought Sigmund.

The Ansbach Army travelled through Brandenburg and Pommern dodging the major armies of the enemy and met up with a band of Danish men besieging Hinterpommern. Wishing them good luck, the army continued entering Küstrin and then a pretty empty Poland in Poznan and Wielkopolska. Dodging a force in Masovia, the army passed through Podlasia before reaching their destination in Lithuania. The Ansbach Army was down to 3000 men but even that was enough to defeat the 1000 defending Lithuania. Finally, with Lithuania under siege, Bavaria was able to negotiate a peace with Lithuania in which Sachsen would become Franconian in May 1443. It was delightful news and made the last 5 years no longer a worthless war.

The route of the Long March of the Ansbach Army

However the war still raged and as the Poles finished their siege of Mecklemburg they were heading Franconia's way en masse. The remnants of the Ansbach Army were now heading back through Poland before finding themself trapped between 2 Polish armies. Sigmund was staring a disastrous defeat in the face in both the battles that ensued and their was a distinct threat that the recent gains would soon become losses. However just at the critical moment, as both battles burned on, Bavaria made a peace with Poland which ended the war for all concerned.

Only 500 men on the Ansbach Army remained and they made their way home via the new Austrian lands. In total Franconia was left with only 5000 men and all the lands of Germany and eastern Europe were suffering from huge war exhaustion. Sachsen, which had now been conquered 4 times in the last 10 years has +11 war exhaustion and the riot risk was real. It would take quite a few years of peace for Central Europe to get back to normal but Sigmund could rest easy knowing one thing. Just before peace was declared, Hannover had declared independence of Lithuania and declared war on their former owners. The Polish alliance was war exhausted and with the Swedish war still raging they could not afford another war. The alliance fell apart, leaving Lithuania to deal with Hannover all by itself. Poland, Lithuania, Bohemia, England, Brandenburg and Pommern all went their separate ways and never again would the world see such an alliance that stretched from Ireland to the Crimea. Sigmund could only smile...

----------
Meanwhile around the neighbourhood...

• 1440 Austria captures Moravia from Bohemia
• 1440 Luxembourgh annexed by Burgundy
• 1440 Oldenburg annexed by France

Meanwhile around the Europe...

• 1439 Byzantium converts to Catholic after the Council of Florence
• 1439 France captures Bretagne, Vendee & Picardie from Brittany and Cevennes from Auvergne
• 1440 Karaman loses Adana to Cyprus, Sivas to Ak Koyunlu, Konya to Ottoman Empire and become ottoman vassals.
• 1440 Eire declares independence from France
• 1440 Teke annexed by Ottoman Empire
• 1440 Siebenburgen annexed by Moldavia
• 1443 Apulia annexed by Ottoman Empire

Coming soon... Chapter 5: Bohemian Rape-sody

 

[unmerged(14689)]

My, my. That's quite an epic march!

Thinking about what could have happened along the way (the Lithuanians usually have some large armies running around), I'd say you did a great job, albeit with a bit of luck. Nice going!

 

[unmerged(60725)]

Wow!

One beautiful war. The tactics looked great and I think you did very well.
Bavaria made peace fo $6! That's why I hate the AI. Especially when they're your allies.

 

[The Swert]

Chapter 5: Bohemian Rape-sody
1st Hannover Revolution - 2nd Hannover Revolution
Jul 1 1443 - Nov 1 1449
------------

After the devastation that Central Europe was left in following the war between the Holy Roman Alliance and the Polish Alliance there was a much needed period of peace for Franconia. The immediate period after the peace was one a quick struggle for vassalage. The alliance had now been well established with Franconia and Austria being the obvious leaders and this was demonstrated when, the day after peace was declared Bavaria became a Franconian vassal in the most ironic of fashions. The day after that, Wurtemburg was declared an Austrian vassal and a month afterwards Mantua was declared an Austrian vassal also.

Sigmund's success in the war and vassalization of Bavaria were to be his greatest achievements as he died in September 1443 and was succeeded by his brother Gottfried I (434). Gottfried built a tax collector in his new province of Sachsen and waited for time to pass for its war exhaustion of +11 to die down. He was settled with just waiting a decade or so before starting another war and trying to get his technological investment to compensate for his no longer meager national size. It wasn't until November that the Ansbach Army returned from their Long March and Gottfried's 5000 men were stationed in Sachsen to prevent any rebelious activity.

1444 passed by quickly with no events of significance occuring in Franconia and 1445 was much the same until April when Austria declared war on Bohemia. Franconia joined the war, as did the rest of the alliance but Bohemia was alone since the collapse of their alliance. Bohemia was hit hard by the previous war and had recovered least of all the nations involved. They had a stability of -3 and their lands were split in two; Magdeburg and Anhalt in the north which were under threat of revolting and almost completely ungarrisoned and the traditional Bohemian lands in the east. Gottfried, although illprepared for another war, saw it as an opportunity to capture the northern provinces whilst Austria battled in the east.

Gottfried immediately sent the Ansbach Army, still with only 5000 men, into Anhalt where 1000 Bohemians waited. They were no match for Franconians and by the end of April, Anhalt was under siege. The Austrians too had invaded and were soon besieging Sudeten and Bohemia whilst the Bohemian force had their eye on retaking Moravia. In September, Gottfried had 4000 new troops ready and sent them into Madgeburg where they met a less than 1000 men resistance. The Ansbach Army had made short work of Anhalt's single siege value and were soon able to support the Madgeburg siege with Anhalt now in Gottfried's hands. Madgburg did not give up as quickly as Anhalt dragging the siege out until June 1446. Austria meanwhile was making tough work of Bohemia Major with numerous failed attempts to destroy the Bohemian army and lift the siege on Moravia despite more than double the armed forces. Their sieges were also not going so swiftly as they now besieged Bohemia, Sudeten and Erz but it looked as though the Bohemian siege was actually going to beat all those sieges.

After standing by for almost a year waiting for the useless Austrians to penetrate but instead watching them lose control of Moravia, Gottfried sent his men in himself in June 1447. Believe it or not where the Austrians failed with superior numbers the Ansbach Army was able to accomplish with inferior numbers as they defeated the Bohemians in Moravia. The Austrians soon rushed to recapture Moravia as the Ansbach Army followed the Bohemians to Silesia but this time failed to defeat them. By the end of 1447 the Austrians had captured Sudeten and Erz but were still working on Bohemia and Moravia.

By early 1448 the Ansbach Army had regrouped and regained morale and were ready for another assault on the Bohemian army. This time they were successful and the remnants of the Bohemians were forced to retreat straight into the Austrian army were never seen again. The Ansbach Army besieged Silesia and, after a successful starvation strategy, had control by June, whilst the Austrians still worked on Moravia. In July however Anhalt was revolting and the Army returned to Germany swiftly to defeat them before they could gather momentum. Using Silesia as leverage, a peace was declared with Bohemia in Dec 1448 in which Anhalt and Madgeburg would become Franconian and Silesia was returned to Bohemian control, much to the disgust of the Austrians who had just finally finished capturing Moravia and now had another province to take before claiming total victory.


The State of Europe in January 1449.

It would take Austria another 11 months to capture Silesia whereby Bavaria was able to claim total victory with Bohemia and give Erz, Sudeten and Silesia to Austria. Bohemia was now left as an island in an ocean of Austria and peace was brought to the Holy Roman Alliance once more, and this time it was to stay a while.
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Meanwhile around the neighbourhood...

• 1444 Lithuania re-annexes Hannover
• 1444-5 Poland accepts peace with Sweden then Denmark for $34
• 1444-1447 War between Hungary alliance and Burgundy alliance. Burgundy settles for $14
• 1449 Hannover revolts against Lithuanian rule for the second time

Meanwhile around the Europe...

• 1444 Qara Koyunlu became vassals of Ak Koyunlu.
• 1444 The government of Wallachia falls. Ragusa claims independence
• 1444 Eire loses Connaught and Munster to Aragon
• 1444 Morocco become vassals of Portugal
• 1444 Moldavia captures Ruthenia from Hungary
• 1444 Sweden annexes Teutonic Order
• 1445 Lithuania annexes Polotsk
• 1446 Ottoman Empire annexes Candar
• 1448 France diploannexes Savoy

Coming soon... Chapter 6: The War of the Rhine

 

[unmerged(60725)]

Good job! Franconia's definately growing well.

 

[Grundius]

Nice going. You aptly outmaneuver your enemies, while you have inferior forces. Good work!