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Fortune favor the brave.... A Dutch AAR

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Oct 28, 2004
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Hi ! This is my first AAR. I know I am not a good writer but hey what the heck, after reading so many AAR I just have to try to write one if not just to please myself. I am playing - VIP 0.4B. Difficulty/A.I aggresiveness normal. (I am not really a good player :rofl: ). There are some fictional events in this AAR which I will explain in greater detail in my next update.

Introduction

Amsterdam, Netherlands- 29th March 1837

My father always reminded me and my younger brother Dennis, each man makes his own luck. Though I am sure my father is not acquainted with Manifesto Destiny but I am pretty sure he meant the same thing.

All his life, he refused to bow down to others thinking and endeavour to educate me and Dennis though we are just a lowly pier worker’s sons. Whilst others’ father drink away all their hard earned wages in the numerous pubs along the main street of Rotterdam, my father would save almost all his wages to buy books for us in the old flee market. He always says, “the boundaries of our knowledge also serve as the border of our ignorance”. I carried his words to my heart as long as I breathe.

Rotterdam in 1817 is a bustling sea-port town. I have the great fortune of following my father to the pier and witness for myself the hustle and bustle of the pier. Cargo ships aplenty carrying spices from Sumatra, silk from China and tobacco from Dutch West Indies docking at the harbour waiting for their respective owners or buyers to pick up the goods. Great fortunes are made right here with various trading houses displaying their company’s flag valiantly but only one caught my eye and in times to come I was to play an important role in this company.

“Fortune favour the brave and the brave favour the sea” he would said as he explained to me how the Spaniard plundered mountain of gold from the Inca, how the Arabian dominated the spice market, how the Portugese make their fortune from places with name likes Goa and Malacca. “These are brave people and their knowledge of the sea have make them rich….rich beyond words.”

My father died an old man in our small house near the pier. Other than me and Dennis, no one mourn his death and no one would miss him.

But papa I miss you………. I choked as I remember his last word.

Extracts from the Journal of Jan-Peter Koorne, Vice Director-General of Amsterdam Kamers, Nieuw Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnies, nVOC.
 
prussiablue said:
Hi ! This is my first AAR.
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and, judging from the start, hopefully not the last!


 subscribes.
 
Chapter I



Oranje Charter


The Dutch East India Company (Vereenidge Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) was chartered and established on March 20, 1602 when the Estates-General of the Netherlands granted it a monopoly carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational company and the first company to issue stock.

The VOC consisted of 6 Chambers (Kamers) in Amstredam, Middleburg (Zeeland), Enkhuizen, Delft, Hoorn and Rotterdam. Delegates of these chambers convened as the Heeren XVII (the Lords Seventeen).



The logo of the Amsterdam Chamber of the VOC


To the counsel of Heeren XVII, eight delegates were from the Chamber of Amsterdam, four from Chamber Zeeland and one from each of the smaller Chambers. Access to the seventeenth seat was rotated among the Chamber of Zeeland or one of the smaller Chambers. Amsterdam had thereby no decisive voice. Particularly the Zeelanders were at the start up of the VOC suspicious for this. This fear was not unfounded, because in practice it meant that indeed Amsterdam stipulated what happened.

The Dutch got off to a start when in 1605 armed Dutch merchantmen captured the Portuguese fort at Amboyna in the Moluccas which was to be the first secure base of the VOC. In the Indies, the foundation of Batavia (now known as Jakarta) formed the permanent center from which the VOC enterprises, more mercantile than colonial could be coordinated.

VOC is a product of a brand new concept unheard of in Europe. A collective enterprise form for the sole purpose of reaping as much as profit as possible through colonialism without any direct aid or support from the existing government. All ships were built from the profits of the VOC. Soldiers were paid from the coffins of VOC. As a means to extract as much profit as possible from the natives, officers of the VOC carried out their task relentlessly and with little mercy to the natives. Methods used to maintain the monopoly included violent suppression of the native population, not stopping short of extortion and mass murder.

Over the next two hundred years of so, VOC would successfully acquired or established great trading ports in the East Indies such as Melaka, Aceh and Bantam. Their dominance in the East Indies Archipelago ensures their monopoly of the spice trade.

By 1700 VOC has outgrown itself and had grown to become a state-within a state and the dominant power in the archipelago. It is the richest private company the world has ever seen with over 150 merchant ships, 40 warships, 50,000 employees, a private army of 10,000 soldiers and a dividend payment of 40%.

The Golden Age of VOC soon faded just as the century ended. With the emergence of an aggressive and highly competent British East India Company and the continuance wars between the United Provinces and England, the VOC finally got into financial trouble. This proud establishment was officially condemned to the archive of history when the company was dissolved in 1799 and following the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the former colonies of the VOC was awarded to the Crown and bequest the status of Crown Colonies.


From the ashes the phoenix rises. Even before the ink went dry, a group of wealthy and (greedy) merchants from various commerce chambers in Netherlands decided to form a new enterprise with the aim to revive the old glory days of the VOC. Appropriately the new company was named Nieuw Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnies, nVOC.

But they understand, time has change and a new generation of politician is in the government. No longer can things be done the old way. But a man’s greed and his lust for wealth will always be there and this virtue as they like to call it, shall be their guiding star for them to chart their new empire in time to come.
 
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prussiablue said:
..VOC..was the first multinational company and the first company to issue stock.

It is the richest private company the world has ever seen with over 150 merchant ships, 40 warships, 50,000 employees, a private army of 10,000 soldiers and a dividend payment of 40%..was dissolved in 1799..

From the ashes the phoenix rises..nVOC..But a man’s greed and his lust for wealth will always be there..
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nice background.
 
GuyB said:
So, are you going to crush Belgium?
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hmmm. does a bear shit in the woods? LOL




this post is set to self destruct in 48 hours. :D
 
Prussiablue,

Hmmm... The Netherlands is one of those AARs I've always wanted to do, but I know I will never get around to.

I'm glad to see the task is in your able hands! You're off to a great start! My interest is piqued.

Rensslaer

p.s. You can probably tell from my handle that I'm fond of Dutch names, anyway. Do I have any Dutch blood in me? I don't think so... perhaps a trickle. But my alter ego does! ;)
 
Interesting start, prussiablue. I've not seen too many Dutch AARs so this will be an educational AAR if anything. Nice backdrop. Now let's see some action. :D Good luck!
 
Thanks to all of you out there for showing interest in this AAR. I was contemplating whether to continue writing this AAR, while since there are some encouragement, I guess I will stick around for a while :rolleyes: .

To GuyB, I am no going to hold you back. No I don't intend to crush Belgium, the flemish are my brothers (for now) :rolleyes: Anyway I am going to pick the option to satelite them in the Treaty of London event which I will not dwell into in this AAR.

To the rest Ghostwriter, Mettermrck, Coz1, thanks for your kind comment to a newbie, greatly appreciated.

To of course to Renssalaer, as you know I have been following your briliant Fire warms the Northern Land AAR and it's your excellent style of writing that inspire me to write this AAR.

I have started playing, but I need help. Can someone tell me how to save the screenshots for it to be uploaded. I read somewhere you press F11 but I tried and somehow no result.. :eek: .. Million thanks.
 
prussiablue - first, we all love to see new folks come on board and we hope you will decide to keep this going.

As for screenies - poke around the main AAR page and take a look at the Links thread that is stickied. It has quite a bit of knowledge to pass on for folks asking this type of question. I know it helped me. It looks as though you have already figured out how to post certain pictures in your thread. Now all you really need do is find those shots that the F11 function left on your computer. Usually in "my pictures" or some such, but I'm not the most computer savvy person to say. I'm sure there are plenty of others who could give you better advice.
 
prussiablue said:
To of course to Renssalaer, as you know I have been following your briliant Fire warms the Northern Land AAR and it's your excellent style of writing that inspire me to write this AAR.

I have started playing, but I need help. Can someone tell me how to save the screenshots for it to be uploaded. I read somewhere you press F11 but I tried and somehow no result.. :eek: .. Million thanks.
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PB, I'm flattered! I'll look forward to seeing your writing. As you "might could tell" my own writing has improved alot over the past year, simply from the challenge of writing a story line not dictated by me!

When I'm playing, I'll stop to take a screenie every time I think I even might use a particular moment or event in the AAR. It takes up a lot of space on your HD, but it's better to have it rather than wish you did. The files will appear (.gif, I think, which will need to be modified) in your Vicky directory.

Since beginning the AAR, I'm always thinking of how the AAR might develop from the gameplay. The screenies become a part of both the story and the planning for the story.

Looking forward to an interesting story!

Rensslaer
 
Page 113, Netherlands under the House of Orange by Wim de Kok, former editor of Amsterdam Post.


The year 1836, started no so auspiciously for King William I of Netherlands. The Belgian Liberal and Catholic factions that opposed to his autocratic rule and so inspired by the revolution in Paris, finally have the bravery, albeit foolish to declare Belgium as a sovereign and independent state.

King William I have no desire to see his United Netherlands kingdom falls apart and refuse to recognize the rebels. Troops were sent to major cities like Brussels and Antwerp to squash the rebellion.

King William I knows if Belgium fails to gain recognition from the major powers, their rebellion momentum would not be able to sustain. Alas, few months later the evil French Foreign Office announced to the world that France would recognize Belgium as an independent and sovereign state and would accord them the appropriate diplomatic status. This insult, short of guaranteeing the independence of Belgium effectively closed the door for Prussia and Austria, the slightly pro-Dutch countries, to intervene in the civil war. Even the Brits, which have publicly, advocate a solution whereby the Dutch is to grant semi-autonomy to the Belgian as a way to resolve this conflict, distant themselves from further diplomatic intervention.

With the defeat in the diplomatic front and an unprepared army, King William I reluctantly agreed to sign the cease-fire agreement in 1837 which effectively means the recognition of Belgium as a sovereign state. Whilst the Belgian rejoice, King William I was too ashamed to sit on the throne and chose to abdicate in favour of the crown prince whom is to be known as King William II, king of the Netherlands and grand duke of Luxembourg.

For the next 5 years, King William II pours all the resources of his kingdom into preparing for the revenge he so much craved for. He can never forget the look of his father after signing the cease-fire agreement and by 15 January 1842, 10 days after the cease-fire agreement expired, the reformed Dutch Army was ready to reunite the kingdom in what historian term as the First Benelux War.



The war went smoothly for the Dutch Army, the Belgium was caught totally surprised by the speed of the Dutch attack. Relying of their old trick, the Belgian try to entice other major nations to intervene but King William II was prepared this time.

Knowing full well the internal problem the French are facing at the moment, King William II is confident the French would not come to the aid of Belgium this time around. Austria and Prussia are still pro-Netherlands and so this leaves only United Kingdom.

During the entire period of the war, the Dutch foreign offices work tremendously hard attempting to improve the relationship between Netherlands and UK. Millions of florins found their way into the pocket of influential statesmen in Westminister. Netherlands was even prepared to trade their claims on Sekondi, (Africa) for British favour.



By late May 1842, the remaining Belgium Army was trapped in Tournai and total victory was no longer in doubt by the Dutch High Army Command. Belgium fate was finally sealed when United Kingdom undertakes to guarantee the independence of Netherlands. On the same day itself, King Leopold I of Belgium sent his envoy to sue for peace.


url=http://xs.to]
guarantee_and_peace.JPG
[/url]


The Treaty of Rotterdam 1842 expressly stipulates Hasselt, Brugge, Namur, Chaleroi and Antwerpen were to be ceded to the kingdom of Netherlands with immediate effect and thus end the First Benelux War.
 
prussiablue said:
url=http://xs.to]
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Oops! "Say again, PB... Did not copy. You were frammerschnortz, over!"

Aside from missing an open-bracket on the beginning of this, I'm also not seeing the pix. Are you missing a "www." in there somewhere? :)

Edit: -- For whatever reason my computer can't see the photos... I can only see from someone else's computer. Don't have this trouble with any other AARs... strange!

Other than having to slap my computer monitor upside its aerials to try to clear the picture, that seems a very, very good start to your Grand Adventure!

Good job with the Belgians, and wipe that smirk off the face of those evil French Foreign Office types!

Rensslaer
 
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GuyB said:
What difficulty are you playing on, prussiablue?
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Normal/Normal
 
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