Doge Day Afternoon – by the “A Team”

[Warspite]

Thanks SM and Carligula.

I was surprised to get the files and see how well off Venice was. I mean the treasury was up to 700. There was just a few changes I made, things I do in most my games as Venice.

1. There was much being spent on naval tech, with Venice I have found naval tech takes care of itself so I stop all spending to it all together. That money is better spent on other things.

2. I thought I would have enough money for my invasion to annex moldavia and wallachia but I lost more than i thought. So I put half of the budget in stability and the rest into treasury.

3. When I DOW moldavia I took a -3 hit to stab, which then caused revolts to spring up. So I had to put much focus on lifting stab again. It was at +1 when I died.

4. I rushed to get an alliance becuase we were very much badboys Problem was that Austria dishonored the alliance right away. I now regret having even asked them to join in anything. Sweden is not a big threat when they DoWd us. But we still have Genoa though.

5. Religious tollerance was made equal for all. We still have many muslim territories so I try to reduce revolt risk in all provinces as much as possible.

6. I got lucky with an exceptional year event, so that was nice.

With the generals Venice gets, they are a blast to play. It is my favorite country in the game. They really get weak leaders way later on though so its good we are taking advantage of our first 200 years to conquest. I had big big plans but allas I was murdere...... ahhh died

 

[Warspite]

One more note on Venice. I never go after the Ottomans or the east countries first because of the religion involved. Though I get a cassus belli on the ottomans with no stab hits. I dont like taking all those muslims territories and comprimising religion revolts.

So Like the B team did, I usually go after the "rich booty of Italia" first then after I secure the wealth, stability from that. I then am able to crush an other foe. LIke the Ottomans. Having many generals is very nice too.

with 1.5 version, I have found it very easy to diplo annex countries too. So that is a useful tool early before you become scum

 

[unmerged(6777)]

Well done Warspite.

Part of the reason I went after the Ottomans so early is that I was trying to ensure they didn't take Byzantium since that...

(1) allows them to maove their capital to Thrace
(2) same event changes some of those provinces from Orthodow to Muslim
(3) almost immediately a CoT opens up in Thrace

By doing them right away I was able to take them with only 2 Muslim provinces which I also had enough money to try to convert. Though the odds aren't so good, I'd rather contend with nearly endless revolts in 2 provinces and good stability in all of the rest than risk the massive revolts after a particularly nasty event.

Having Genoa in the fold is nice, as they're a definite diplo-annex possibility.

Thanks again for helping us out, and I'll definitely keep your email address handy in case of future glitches. Who knows, you might be able to help the B-Team out sometime too (looks like they need it! )

 

[Sharur]

Hah! We don't need no stinking A-teamers!

Good job, Warspite, it seems you did manage to get something done in your short reign, even if it was for the wrong team

 

[Baron Jukaga]

Nice Warspite, I had Nicky in the B team thread, and knowing nothing about him, you might find my interpretation of him... different. Hard to get any wars done in less than 2 years, eh?

 

[unmerged(4007)]

Yet another Nicky

On September 12, 1473, the 69th Doge, Nicolo Marcello, assumed the office and title of Doge of Venice. He inherited a war with Wallachia and Moldovia, a seperate war with Denmark, an allaince with Genoa, and stability that was sub-optimal (+1). He did inherit a sizable treasury (943d). But he also inheriterd a revolt in Crete.

Our first order is to send 14000 men to the fleet standing by off Thrace, where they will transport the army to deal with the rebel scum. We also move to return Islam to the second class religion it ought to be considered. Infidels will not be treated as well as Christians. And the pogrom will continue in Asia Minor in hopes that we might convert them in due course.

On September 29th, Moldova province is captured, and the Moldovians come crawling to the peace table, offering 217000 in gold and Bujak for their insolence at having made war to them. Since canon law prohibits annexing their land entire at the moment, we agree to their terms, knowing that they have offered us their entire treasury and the one province they have outside their home province. We immediately split the 11000 man army in Moldova, sending 5000 to aid the seige of Wallachia, and 5000 to aid against the almost certain rebellions in Bujak.

On october 8th, the Cretans are crushed, and we maintain a military presence there due to the dangers of war exhaustion and proverbial Cretan dishonesty. In November, trying to reduce our revolt risks, we spend liberally to pacify the nobility of the realm (up to +2 stability). They find the bride suitable. We also send a Christmas gift to our Genoan allies of 210,000 ducats to ensure their continued goodwill. We also hear that the seige of Wallachia is progressing fairly slowly, but is at least, progressing (-2).

On January 1, 1474 we increase the fortifications in Dobrudja (lvl2). And we receive a white peace offer from Wallachia on the same date. Scornfully, we send it back to them telling them the only terms we will accept are their king's willing abdication and their realm's absorbtion into the Greater Venetian Empire. These terms like them not, but they will find no other ones.

On Febuary 1st, the fruits of these long wars are seen, as war protests occur in Bologna, we send the home army, 21000 strong to deal with it. We also note that our merchant empire at home has been left to languish, and we send 3 merchants into our home Center of Trade--which only has FOUR merchants operating in it now. On March 27th, the rebel scum are defeated in Bologna, and news from Wallachia says the city is well ablaze, an unholy aura surrounding it (-6).

We begin in April to make the necessary maneuvers to ensure that when peace is achieved with Wallachia, that peace will be in truth restored to the realm. On the 30th, this is done by the signing of a white peace with Denmark. We continue our diplomatic maneuvers by gaining military access through our Genoan allies on May 12th. Midsummer is marked by a revolt in Bujak, but the army in place crushs it in little more than a week.

 

[unmerged(4007)]

On June 29th, the Wallachian capital is stormed and the city sacked. Their King is dragged in chains before the Doge and forced to sign the treaty which removes their realm from existence, and then his carcass is thrown into the dungeon to rot. Our armies have covered themselves in glory once again.And the realm knows peace for perhaps the first time in a decade. We quickly make use of it, aside from Bujak, which is too unruly yet to rebuild, we begin a process of upgrading fortifications in all our European holdings. By November fortresses are ordered to be upgraded in every province that was not satisfactory (lvl1), these include Albania, Helles and Romagne.

On October 7th, we at last return the realm to optimal stability (+3), but alas, we do this at the cost of kowtowing to the clerdy and acceding to their demands (-1 innovation). Soon after, an illness seems to grip the ambitious Doge, and he dies on December 2nd, 1474. Briefly lived, but gloriously reigned.

 

[unmerged(6777)]

Nicely done shawng1. Not a long reign, but a profitable one none the less.

Here are the two screenies that shawng1 took during his reign;

1473 - Moldova is captured

Wallachia under siege

 

[kurtbrian]

That was a quick one!

 

[unmerged(8608)]

Well done.

And MrT, I notice you're sporting a shiny new avatar.

 

[Secret Master]

Not a bad run, Shawng1.

Gee, did it ever occur to us that we are pretty damn bloodthirsty over here on the A-Team. Even our short-lived Doges are conducting full military annexations.

 

[unmerged(8608)]

just a little note, I've gone back and edited my reign on page 5. Now that i've got some time on my hands, I thought it needed a little work. I might do some more at a later date, but that'll do for themoment.

 

[unmerged(4007)]

Secret,

Well that annexation was pretty much gift-wrapped to me. But it was sweet to scarf it up anyway. Heck, that's as many provinces as the Junior Varsity has taken and kept the whole game, isn't it?

 

[Warspite]

Originally posted by shawng1
Secret,

Well that annexation was pretty much gift-wrapped to me.

Give me 40 years in one term and I will gift-wrap most of Europe for you

 

[unmerged(6528)]

Truth be told, the reign of Doge Pietro Mocenigo was not an eventful one. I was an aspiring biographer when I wrote this, and I thought to begin a great tale with the reign of this doge. It would be a biographic tale that I would begin anew with each Doge as he was elected. It would be a great document and live throughout the centuries as the new “History” of Venice. However, more years than I care to count, some bad investments, and ill luck, I find myself with only the preface. The reign of Pietro Mocenigo.

There are many things Mocenigo thought he was, and many things he was in reality, not. He believed himself to be a great military leader, and as such, spent most of his time engaging to mock battles, and training campaigns with the army stationed in Sicily.

It should be noted that during this period, Venice had quite a large number of men under arms, though this was somewhat hard to see, since the army was scattered about protecting Venetian possession all over the Mediterranean Sea, The Italian Peninsula, and the both their European and Turk holdings. Added to this, there were two naval squadrons. One anchored in Crete, the other in Sicily.

It is rumored that in the first few months of his reign, he mapped out strategies to attack every conceivable enemy from Austria, to Naples, to the Moslem states of the east. In reality, none of these were feasible. The army was too scattered for a real campaign, and Venice stood more or less alone in the world. Only her ally of Genoa stood with her, by Military pact, and by blood.

Speaking of Blood, it was this thick substance that has meant so much throughout the course of history that kept the greatest enemy of Venice off her borders. Austria. Austria was the German speaking empire that had conquered the rich province of Lombardia, threatening Venice’s Italian agenda. And it was at war with England, Burgundy, and Auvgerne. This would not have been significant, save that Burgundy had conquered Savoy, and it was through this former state that Austria would launch its invasions. Only this distraction, and the tie of marriage kept Austrian troops off Venetian soil.

The Doge took office on December 2nd of 1474, and left it on the 23rd of February 1476. During that time, he increased trade in both Tago and Flandern, his assistance causing Venetian Merchants to dominate the local markets. Trade was actually the only area in which he did manage to have a reasonable impact. Other than that, little else can be said about this doge.

He continued to oversee the building of fortifications his predecessor had begun, as well as commissioning a fortress in Anatolia in late March. And roughly around the same time, he did learn something from his exhaustive military study, and increased the overall quality of the troops, bringing them to a peak efficiency and skill.

There were only three other notable events in his reign. The first was the death of General Colleoni in late June of 1475, an uprising by Wallachian rebels in October, which was crushed with 11 to 1 losses in favor of the Venetian army, and the refusal of the Pope to meet with an emissary of the Doge, deeply offending the government. However, the Doge balked at the idea of going to war against the spiritual leader of Catholic Europe, so nothing was ever done about it.

Though there was little going in Venice, this was not true of the rest of the world. Austria showed no sign of slowing its offensive, and in the west, by the time the Doge left office, England had stripped two more provinces from a reeling France. There was continued strife among the German states, and it was rumored, far to the east, that the splintered tribes of the once great Horde made alliances, broke them and made war against each other in an endless cycle.

Though Venice was quiet for the moment, the rest of the world missed not a moment.

It should be noted for posterity that the rather pompous author who wrote this piece was mysteriously killed after publishing this "unnofficial synopsis" of the Reign of Doge Mocenigo. There is still a somewhat lively debate about whether it was ordered by the former Doge, or by a group of scholars who were simply disgusted by grandiose phrasings and claims of the author.

 

[Secret Master]

Ahh, good show for the A-team, Rath. Short as it was...

There is still a somewhat lively debate about whether it was ordered by the former Doge, or by a group of scholars who were simply disgusted by grandiose phrasings and claims of the author.

I vote for the former Doge myself.

 

[unmerged(6528)]

Thanks SM, I really had a tough time coming up with much to write for this guy. I mean like 14 months, with a nation recovering from a series of improvements? Ahh well, I always enjoy doing my part.

Lets keep this rolling A Team .

RJ

 

[thames]

The Reign of Doge Andrea Vendramin.
- from the Annals of Venice

The future doge, Andrea Vendramin – sometimes misspelled as Vendamin – was born in the Repubblica Serenissima di Venezia – in the city of Venice herself – in the Year of Our Lord 1406 as the oldest son of the patrician Giovanni Vendramin. The family was old and family legend had it they were actually Romans nobles fleeing the corrupt court of the later (Western) Emperors at Ravenna.

He had several tutors as a child and learned from an early age Latin as well as the local tongue, history, mathematics, philosophy, law and music. His father never managed to be elected Doge and died bitter when Andrea was only thirty-five.

While he was still young, Andrea raised his family’s fortune and fame higher by recovering a Relic of the True Cross. As Vasari later reported on the event, which gave rise to the renowned painting by Titian in the following way: “By what chance I know not, the fragment had fallen from the Ponte della Paglia into the canal, and in their veneration for the holy wood of the Cross of Christ, numerous people plunged into the water; it was however the Will of God that none other than the master of the Fraternity (Andrea Vendramin) was found worthy to recover it…”

Due to being somewhat myopic, Andrea had to forego the pleasure of serving in the ever-victorious armies of Venice. Instead he prepared himself stringently for the day he was elected as Doge – a day a soothsayer had prophesied the day he was born – first as his father’s secretary and after his death as Council Member in his own right. It was long in coming, but on 22nd of February 1476 Andre Vendramin was elected Doge di Venezia at the perfect age of seventy. Finally he could leave his mark on history…

He immediately changed the Income distribution by denying all funds to naval research, which was far ahead of the competition and he also reduced the speed a little to trade and infrastructure research in order to double the effort into land research. He strongly felt the army needed to improve its technology.

Going through the record, the new Doge noticed Venice actually had a temporary Casus Belli against the Papal States. As an admirer of the old Roman Republic, Andrea secretly dreamed of restoring it and to liberate the eternal city from the corrupt clutches of the Church – thus the Casus Belli was Godsend – so to speak.

The only Venetian army in Italy – in Romagna – consisted of 16,824 foot, 1,965 knights and 22 canons. Doge Andrea Vendramin ordered them to Marche – next door to Rome and sat down with his Council to compose a Declaration of War against the Pope Sixtus IV.

On April the 1st war commenced and the Frontline Army in Marche immediately started out for Rome. The Pope had not seen the danger and there was no Papal army present when the Venetian army arrived three weeks later, so the army sat down unopposed to siege Rome. Unfortunately, the Pope had managed to order a call-up of soldiers, so the Venetian army knew they would have to fight a battle in a few months time, which happened on July 4th.

Pope Sixtus IV was too stringent with the cash, and his all knight army – 13,000 strong – were completely unprepared to face the battle-hardened army of Venice and they soon had to leave the battlefield – and rode to the Venetian province of Marche. They left 3,000 of their comrades behind, while the Venetian army lost 5,000 foot and a few hundred knights. Harder to replace were the seven canons also destroyed.

Doge Andrea Vendramin secretly paid the leader of the papal army in Marche a substantial bribe to stay put and pretend to besiege Marche instead of riding back to Rome and confront the Venetian army, when they had sufficiently recovered. Thus, the siege of Rome went on undisturbed for the rest of 1476.

The first of many revolts during Doge Andrea Vendramin reigns happened on July 1st in Bujak. Geography was not one of Doge Andrea Vendramin strong points and he had to consult a map before he could order an army to deal with it. Apparently the rebel army just had to form and Ismail, the capitol of Bujak immediately surrendered. Doge Andrea Vendramin was not amused and ordered the army already in Bujak to deal with the situation – after ordering the hanging it’s commandant. There were limits to how much incompetence Doge Vendramin could accept in others.

On August 1st, the Rebels in Modena succeeded with their rebellion against France and declared independence – and war against her formal master of course. It was a short war and one December 1st France recaptured it. Fortunately – this time – France left Modena in peace and only vassalized the republic.

Andrea Vendramin had secretly hoped Modena would defect to Venice, but a semi-independent state was better than a province of France. Italy would one day all belong to Venice, so Doge Andrea Vendramin swore, as all Doges had sworn before him.

To increase the likelihood of capturing Rome before the Papal army accidentally captured the Venetian city of Ancona in Marche – Doge Vendramin ordered half the army in Sicily onto the local fleet – the Messina Squadron – and sailed to Rome. They disembarked there just before the end of 1476.

The second rebellion of Doge Vendramin’s reign happened on the 1st of January 1477. It too succeeded in capturing the local fortress without any delay – this time in the city of Silistra in Dobrudja. Conspiracy was word much in fashion in Venice in the beginning of 1477. Doge Vendramin straight away ordered the Thrace Regiment, stationed in Wallachia, to march to Dobrudja and crush the rebellion.

And then, on the 21st of January 1477 Venice captured Roma. Doge Vendramin at once ordered the annexation of it. He left Pope Sixtus IV in place – for now with a stern warning never to rebel or else…

To be sure, Doge Vendramin ordered the Vatican shrunk to just a few hundred acres around St. Peter’s and turned the rest of Rome into a normal city under Venetian control. He ordered all armies in Italy to march to Marche to be combined into one huge Frontline Army – just in case – except for the Sicilian contribution, which he sent back to Sicily.

On January 27th the peasants in Antalya refused to see the light and change their heathen ways. They also rebelled for good measure – the third rebellion of the reign. Doge Vendramin once again consulted the maps and sent a local army to deal with situation.

The armies sent to Dobrudja and Antalya both failed initially and had to retreat to recuperate. Doge Vendramin was not amused, and ordered both commanders hanged – to improve morale, as he put it.

The rebels in Dobrudja had secretly followed the retreating Venetian army and attacked them again in Rumelia and once again this unlucky army lost. Doge Vendramin was not amused and ordered the new commandant to be hanged and quartered. Fools had no future in his Venice…

During the summer of 1477 matters improved slightly. Thrace regiment had finally rested long enough and returned to Rumelia on the 19th of June. In just two days the regiment crushed the rebels and moved on to Dobrudja to besiege the place. On the 4th of July the rebel scum in Bujak surrendered. Doge Vendramin was pleased for once.

On August 1, the people of Smyrna rebelled. Fortunately for Venice, the local regiment, though on it’s way back to Antalya, stopped long enough to crush the fourth rebellion of the reign. Then they moved on to Antalya and managed to wipe them out – it only took ten days. By now the fifth rebellion – in Anatolia was in full swing. Thus the regiment had no time to rest before setting out again. Fortunately, this new revolt was easily crushed. Bujak tried to rebel a second time – on January 1st 1478 – but the local regiment showed no mercy and wiped them out in just seven days of fighting.

At the end of his reign Doge Vendramin tried to shore up his relation with his only ally – Genoa – sending them a letter. Seeing how hated Venice was and knowing how bad Doge Vendramin diplomacy skill was – it’s a miracle it improved relation at all – with a whole point.

Whenever he could he sent out multiple merchants to important Centres of Trade – but as his skill was not nearly as good as he believed – Doge Vendramin only managed to secure new one new place in Genoa and one in Novgorod. Unfortunately, he also managed to loose one place in Venice at the end of the reign.

Doge Andrea Vendramin died peacefully on the 7th of May 1478.

 

[kurtbrian]

Nice one!

you managed to annex Rome even with that short time span

 

[Lt. Tyler]

Oooh, you A-teamers are in soo much trouble!

Annexing the Pope, how rude. You just couldn't pass up that wealthy high manpower province, could you thames?

Well I'm praying to God that France, Austria, Poland/Lit, and Castille all come your way, aiming to take you all down a couple notches:


God/Crom, I've never prayed you before...I don't have the tongue for it.

Just grant me revenge...against the A-team that is, they're a dastardly lot, much worse than some snake cult. Or maybe they're the same, Thusla Doom...MrT. See the connection?

And if you don't listen, then to Hell with you!


<special prize to the person who can name the co-writer of the movie that's adapted from, which is arguably his best work ever>

EDIT - sorry, this is dreadfully OT, and on further reflection should have been moved to the OOC thread - apologies, even to you A-teamers, dastards you are though!