AAR on first ever time to play EU – out of the box!
Set up EU 1.08, IGC 2.0F
I chose Free Eire, Free Brittany, COT in Anglia, and Instability Hurts. Playing England.
Game settings Normal/ Aggressive
I read the manual, get confused, and start the game.
The rule of Henry VII
Henry VII is a usurper, but dedicated to centralising the Kingdom. He continues to bribe the nobles (Stability) but appoints tax collectors whenever and where ever possible. As soon as full stability is gained, we focus on trade and infrastructure
I notice that Scotland doesn’t like us much. We send them letters of flattery, gifts, and finally they agree to a Royal marriage. This proves wise, because in 1495 France and others declare war on us. Scotland doesn’t. No one supports us
The French quickly take Calais and Meath, helped by the fact I can’t work out how to load troops onto ships! French landings in Kent and Wessex are swiftly dealt with by Norfolk, and my fleet does reasonably well. The French offer us peace in exchange for Calais, and we accept. The King curses me for a weakling…
The next few years are spent rebuilding our forces, and arranging marriages with half of Europe (France, Portugal, Brandenburg…) Cabot discovers Delaware and two other territories, and a colony and TP successfully established. The second Cabot only manages to discover one province in W Africa before dying.
1502-1508 The Wise Regent
With “Calais” engraved on his heart, Henry VII is buried. Surprisingly, the Regent is a master diplomat (score 8) and we quickly build up relationships to 200 with Scotland. Three attempts to vassilise fail… But in 1503 we discover how to get troops on ships! Rejoice! That was seriously annoying me!
In the rest of the world, wars rage. France gains Modena and Milan, but Brittany declares independence, and gets away with it! Lots going on in Eastern Europe, but I am too overwhelmed with playing with various sliders, wondering what this button does, etc. to take much notice…
1509-1520 A Quiet Time.
Henry VIII comes to the throne, and lives a quiet life. Manhattan is successfully colonised, but we are nervous of the Spanish Treaty of Torsedillas.. Missions are given, and ignored. The young King has an obsession with capturing Guyenne it seems. My merchants have an equal obsession with Venice trade!
We start promoting judges when we can afford it. A lone explorer and troops manages to uncover just about the entire Eastern Coast of what we call New England, we are upset to find some French in Fundy. The King urges us to follow some new religion so he can get his leg over more often. We are attracted more by the fact that all the Protestants we meet seem industrious and adventurous, but are unwilling to be alone in Europe, especially with Scotland and Eire on our doorsteps… We advise that stability at home may be best. Scotland has at least 100k men under arms!
1520-1524 First steps to Union?
In 1520, the French alliance breaks up. We immediately ask Scotland to join us in a pact to defend the Isles, and they agree! In 1521, the Scottish nobles, keeping their ancient privileges intact, agree to be Henry’s vassals. He is most pleased.
We now decide to delay conversion until we have got our Northern brothers to join us. We think that this at least a ten to fifteen year project, so the alliance must be kept strong for at least that time. Many of our English nobles are unhappy with what they see as Scottish carpetbaggers, as they had their eyes set on a military campaign, and estates galore. We see an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. In 1523, we let the Irish go free, the Clan chiefs hate us anyway. We immediately claim the throne, declare war, ask the Scots to join us. In a short campaign, we capture Ulster and Leinster, and settle for Ulster in the peace talks. We plan to do this again in 5 years, to keep our alliance with Scotland strong and to gain experience in how to wage and settle wars with a weak and isolated foe… at least, we hope that they will remain isolated. A protestant revolt in Wessex is put down, as the first states in Europe convert
1525 New opportunities?
While rebuilding stability after our short war (many questioned our unchivalrous cancellation of a long standing vassalation with Eire, immediately followed by a cynical land grab before they could find another protector) we “borrow” maps from the French. It reveals much of the world we knew not of, the Middle East, much of Africa, some of Asia. We will need some time to take in all this knowledge. We must share this with Scotland, and hope that it will convince them that there is more wealth and glory to be had working together to take advantage of this, than to remain separate and bickering.
Future strategy: Get to level 5 on Naval tech and get a shipyard to get colonists. Keep on taking chunks of Eire, and hope to annex Scotland peacefully before they convert. We will then convert all of Britain, and leave Europe to their interminable wars while we explore the world, meet interesting people, and kill them. If we ever get
powerful enough, we will take that damn Guyenne…
Set up EU 1.08, IGC 2.0F
I chose Free Eire, Free Brittany, COT in Anglia, and Instability Hurts. Playing England.
Game settings Normal/ Aggressive
I read the manual, get confused, and start the game.
The rule of Henry VII
Henry VII is a usurper, but dedicated to centralising the Kingdom. He continues to bribe the nobles (Stability) but appoints tax collectors whenever and where ever possible. As soon as full stability is gained, we focus on trade and infrastructure
I notice that Scotland doesn’t like us much. We send them letters of flattery, gifts, and finally they agree to a Royal marriage. This proves wise, because in 1495 France and others declare war on us. Scotland doesn’t. No one supports us
The French quickly take Calais and Meath, helped by the fact I can’t work out how to load troops onto ships! French landings in Kent and Wessex are swiftly dealt with by Norfolk, and my fleet does reasonably well. The French offer us peace in exchange for Calais, and we accept. The King curses me for a weakling…
The next few years are spent rebuilding our forces, and arranging marriages with half of Europe (France, Portugal, Brandenburg…) Cabot discovers Delaware and two other territories, and a colony and TP successfully established. The second Cabot only manages to discover one province in W Africa before dying.
1502-1508 The Wise Regent
With “Calais” engraved on his heart, Henry VII is buried. Surprisingly, the Regent is a master diplomat (score 8) and we quickly build up relationships to 200 with Scotland. Three attempts to vassilise fail… But in 1503 we discover how to get troops on ships! Rejoice! That was seriously annoying me!
In the rest of the world, wars rage. France gains Modena and Milan, but Brittany declares independence, and gets away with it! Lots going on in Eastern Europe, but I am too overwhelmed with playing with various sliders, wondering what this button does, etc. to take much notice…
1509-1520 A Quiet Time.
Henry VIII comes to the throne, and lives a quiet life. Manhattan is successfully colonised, but we are nervous of the Spanish Treaty of Torsedillas.. Missions are given, and ignored. The young King has an obsession with capturing Guyenne it seems. My merchants have an equal obsession with Venice trade!
We start promoting judges when we can afford it. A lone explorer and troops manages to uncover just about the entire Eastern Coast of what we call New England, we are upset to find some French in Fundy. The King urges us to follow some new religion so he can get his leg over more often. We are attracted more by the fact that all the Protestants we meet seem industrious and adventurous, but are unwilling to be alone in Europe, especially with Scotland and Eire on our doorsteps… We advise that stability at home may be best. Scotland has at least 100k men under arms!
1520-1524 First steps to Union?
In 1520, the French alliance breaks up. We immediately ask Scotland to join us in a pact to defend the Isles, and they agree! In 1521, the Scottish nobles, keeping their ancient privileges intact, agree to be Henry’s vassals. He is most pleased.
We now decide to delay conversion until we have got our Northern brothers to join us. We think that this at least a ten to fifteen year project, so the alliance must be kept strong for at least that time. Many of our English nobles are unhappy with what they see as Scottish carpetbaggers, as they had their eyes set on a military campaign, and estates galore. We see an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. In 1523, we let the Irish go free, the Clan chiefs hate us anyway. We immediately claim the throne, declare war, ask the Scots to join us. In a short campaign, we capture Ulster and Leinster, and settle for Ulster in the peace talks. We plan to do this again in 5 years, to keep our alliance with Scotland strong and to gain experience in how to wage and settle wars with a weak and isolated foe… at least, we hope that they will remain isolated. A protestant revolt in Wessex is put down, as the first states in Europe convert
1525 New opportunities?
While rebuilding stability after our short war (many questioned our unchivalrous cancellation of a long standing vassalation with Eire, immediately followed by a cynical land grab before they could find another protector) we “borrow” maps from the French. It reveals much of the world we knew not of, the Middle East, much of Africa, some of Asia. We will need some time to take in all this knowledge. We must share this with Scotland, and hope that it will convince them that there is more wealth and glory to be had working together to take advantage of this, than to remain separate and bickering.
Future strategy: Get to level 5 on Naval tech and get a shipyard to get colonists. Keep on taking chunks of Eire, and hope to annex Scotland peacefully before they convert. We will then convert all of Britain, and leave Europe to their interminable wars while we explore the world, meet interesting people, and kill them. If we ever get
powerful enough, we will take that damn Guyenne…
2 game playing hints - 1) to avoid any more protestant revolts increase your protestant tolerance by using the religious tolerance slider (I'm sure you've found that, right?) and 2) turn off the silly missions - they just get in the way. There's enough to do and worry about in the game and there are enough opportunities for self-imposed missions to keep you busy.