Die Groot Trek: A Transvaal AHD AAR

[Werson]

In this, my first AAR, I will be playing as the Boer Republic of Transvaal. Historically it was annexed by the British in 1877, however this (hopefully) won't happen.

House Rules:
-No cheating
-No gamey tactics (I might break this rule only once, you'll see)
-Not going over the infamy limit
-No savegaming, no matter what

Goals:
-Become a democracy
-Become a Great Power
-Form South Africa
-Colonize Africa
-Take the Cape from the British

I'm using a little mod, that makes it so that the Boer Republics can form South Africa if you hold Ulundi (Zulu Kingdom), as well as Vrystaat (Oranje) and Transvaal. South Africa was modified so that Boer is the primary culture, instead of British.

This will be mostly a gameplay AAR, so don't expect fancy narratives. The start date is 1836.

The first update will be up pretty soon, today.

WARNING: This AAR will be image-heavy as my writing skills are not the best, I also think pictures explain the situations better than words.

 

[Ab Ovo]

Oh gods yes. I've been waiting for a Suid Afrikan AAR. Consider me subbed.

 

[uusak]

Sounds like this will be exciting! I'll be reading for sure.

 

[Werson]

Prologue: 1836 - 1841

One of the biggest advantages of Transvaal is its location as its isolated from all the conflicts in Europe and the Americas. In here I can choose who I fight and when, also, due to how small the country and population is, it will be easy to keep a stable economy and develop the country.

All our neighbors are weak, with the exception of the United Kingdom, which will leave us alone as long as we keep relations high. Portugal might not stay in the eastern side of Africa for long (hint, hint).

The Boer population is quite small, and only one regiment can be recruited, hopefully once I pass a couple of reforms and turn into a democracy people will immigrate here and assimilate.

We are in a pretty good position tech wise, as Transvaal has all tier one techs researched (with the exception of Experimental Railroad). I will research prestige techs so that I can reach Great Power status through prestige very quickly, educational techs to boost my literacy and get more research points, and supply limit techs to be able to fight uncivs without suffering attrition.

We don't have many resources, however Oranje has Iron and Coal, so once it's part of glorious South Africa we'll have enough to suffice.

As you can see in the picture above, there is Precious Metal in there, which is thanks to this:

Later on, there will also be another event in which gold will be found in Johannesburg, however that will take some time.


Since the population of Transvaal is very small the economy is easy to manage, and the diamonds only help further.

In September there is a border incident with Portugal, but one regiment is not enought to take them on. That'll have to wait.

Throughout the first four years all diplomatic points were spent improving relations with the UK and Oranje, which unsurprisingly asked for an alliance. We accepted.

The native African population was not happy being ruled by foreign Boers and were very outspoken about it, from singing poems, to shooting the police. The conservative Transvaali government also refused to open any other beer halls, as well as promoted child labor.

I chose all the options that gave militancy in those events so that I could pass this:

(kind of gamey, I know)


After I finished researching Romanticism, a discovery fired and granted me five points of prestige, which enabled me to take the "Great Trek" decision, which is supposed to make Boer POPs leave the Cape for Oranje and Transvaal, but it truly does nothing.

The brave Boers fleeing British imperialism were ambushed and slaughtered by the Impi of the Zulu, who not only killed the men as they usually do, but also killed the poor women and innocent children.

We shall have revenge...

 

[Ab Ovo]

Vir Suid-Afrika! Slag die Zoeloe!

Good luck in taking revenge.

 

[uusak]

Awesome update, Good luck in the upcoming wars

 

[Werson]

War and Politics: 1841 - 1850

After an arduous discussion between the president and his council, a declaration of war was issued to the king Mpande kaSenzangakhona of the Zulu Kingdom. The Republic of Oranje also agreed that it was necessary to avenge the fallen Boers by putting an end to the Zulu Kingdom, thus they joined the war.

The war was very uneventful, as the Impi refused to attack its technologically superior enemy, they instead sieged the mountainous bordering areas, suffering terrible attrition.

While most of the population of the Republic was happy with just making Mpande surrender, some radicals started fabricating a way to completely annex the kingdom. The Zulu menace had to be stopped.

After completely occupying and looting the villages of the kingdom, the King Mpande finally abdicated, accepting complete occupation of the Zululand by the Boers.

(My prestige actually decreased after winning the war due to not enforcing all my wargoals, oh well)

While most of the Impi died while moving through the Transvaali mountains, the remaining ones where conscripted into the army as a punishment for their actions, increasing the army from 3000, to 12,000 troops. 4 clipper transports were also built in the newly acquired coast.

Rumors were that the King Jessadabodindra of Siam planned on annexing the small Sultanate of Johor to its south. The victory over the Zulus made the Boer populace feel very jingoistic, and since the President saw that Johore was abundant in gold, the newly recruited regiments shall sail towards the Indian Sea and annex the Sultanate before the Thais.

The Republic of Transvaal really had no reason to attack the Sultanate, thus they were seen as infamous and imperialistic by fellow Europeans, oh such hypocrites.

War was declared as soon as the troops were in position to blockade the Johorian coast, however the British intervened in favor of the Sultan and sunk the fleet.

The southern part of Johore was quickly put under Transvaali control. The fleeing Johorian army was pursued into British Singapore, were they were quickly eliminated.

The army proceeded north to occupy Ipoh, and since the British were facing a great coallision in Europe (Prussia, Russia, Portugal, Spain, France, Denmark, USA, and many more) they had no option but to agree to our terms as they wanted to completely focus in their European theater.

The Sultan Ali Iskandar still had his royal guard in Ipoh, where he attacked the superior Transvaali army. They Sultan was captured and hanged.

With the annexation of the Zulu Kingdom and the Sultanate of Johore, the people of Transvaal felt as if they were in the same class as the native Africans and Johorians, thus a Democracy was proclaimed, in which only Boers could vote.

Many Europeans felt desperate as their homes were destroyed in continuous warfare, thus with the change to democracy many of them chose to emigrate to Transvaal.

I don't know how to end this chapter, so I'll just put a smiley.

By the way, Ab Ovo, uusak, and all lurkers, thanks for reading.

 

[Ab Ovo]

Soon the Boer flag shall fly over all Southeast Asia! Onwards to Dai Nam!

 

[Werson]

Soon the Boer flag shall fly over all Southeast Asia! Onwards to Dai Nam!

Dai Nam seems tasty, as I don't have too much infamy, however I have better plans.

They involve Africa (hint, hint).

 

[Ab Ovo]

*stares intently at the Orange Free State*

 

[Werson]

*stares intently at the Orange Free State*

That would get me lots of infamy, try again.

I'll give you a hint, read the "Prologue: 1836 -1841" chapter of the AAR again.

 

[Ab Ovo]

That would get me lots of infamy, try again.

I'll give you a hint, read the "Prologue: 1836 -1841" chapter of the AAR again.

Ah. I'm looking forwards to the conquest. Lisbon shall tremble.

 

[Werson]

Ah. I'm looking forwards to the conquest. Lisbon shall tremble.

Oh, it will, and 9 times.

I have everything ready for the next update, should I post it now, or wait until tomorrow?

 

[Ab Ovo]

Oh, it will, and 9 times.

I have everything ready for the next update, should I post it now, or wait until tomorrow?

Now. Pretty please?

 

[Werson]

The Scramble for Afr.. ermmm, Portugal: 1850 -1857

When an unciv asks for military access you know it's a UK spherling fighting wars from its master. When a secondary power does, you know it's a nation trying to carve a place in the sun for themselves. But when so many Great powers ask for military access you know something is wrong...

...and it was:

The investors called for war to recover their money, the liberals to punish the expansionist Portuguese. The president thus expanded the army and navy to declare war:

The President had better plans for Portugal, and demanded the monarch to leave its colonies in East Africa in control of the Boers.

War against Portugal would be simple, half of the army would occupy the southern part of Mozambique, while the other half would sail towards the northern part.

Then both would sail towards Angola to occupy it as well.

With most of Portuguese Africa occupied, and with no army to speak of, Fernando II of Portugal had no option but to let its colonies in Mozambique go.

Thus Transvaal grew more than twice its size in just one war:

Soon, other nations would partition Portugal as well, with Oman recovering its colonies in Zanzibar, Sweden taking South Angola, Two Sicilies taking North Angola, the Netherlands seizing East Timor, and Spain taking the Douro region in northern Portugal. Portugal was taken from 12th power in the world, to 48th. The Portuguese Empire was no more...

 

[gav1230]

Looking good! Though it looks like some of your images are showing that they've been deleted from photobucket.

 

[Ab Ovo]

A.) Transvaal Invictus!
B.) What the hell did Portugal do to merit such a hideous dismantling?
C.) Map of the results, perhaps?

 

[Jokurr]

That is a pretty impressive Transvaal!

Like gav1230 mentioned I can't see many of the pics from your first entry.

 

[Werson]

Looking good! Though it looks like some of your images are showing that they've been deleted from photobucket.

That is a pretty impressive Transvaal!

Like gav1230 mentioned I can't see many of the pics from your first entry.

Thanks guys, I'll try to fix those images ASAP.

A.) Transvaal Invictus!
B.) What the hell did Portugal do to merit such a hideous dismantling?
C.) Map of the results, perhaps?

Portugal had high infamy due to a war in which half of the World was fighting against the UK. Most of the UK's opponent's added a lot of wargoals because they had about +70% warscore, Portugal among them, then the UK brought its Indian troops home and slaughtered everyone. Thus half of the world is high in infamy.

After such disastrous war, Portugal tried to justify a Conquest CB instead of a Establish Protectorate one against Tunis. I don't know why. They were discovered and acquired about 16 infamy, making them dishonorable scum.

I'll post a map in a bit.

The map:

Everything is pretty normal, with the exception of Dutch Iceland & Greenland, Swedish Denmark, Confederate Cuba (first time I ever see the USA take on Spain for Cuba), and the partition of Portugal.

 

[dodedo]

great read! what are your plans for oranje and british south africa