This Genoa AAR may reassure those of you who worry that the game is too easy. Admittedly, this isn't the best game of EU I've ever played, but it does indicate that the game keeps humans playing minor powers within the bounds of historical plausibility more often than not. I'm playing on difficulty hard, AI aggressive.
Genoa starts the game in 1492 with Corsica and the center of trade in Genoa. Annual income is a meager 100 ducats, 40% of which comes from fees levied on foreign traders in the CoT. Genoa starts with a strong fleet of 28 warships, led by the exceptional admiral and statesman Andrea Doria. Unfortunately, the maintenance cost of this fleet amounts to about 75% of income, so that I can barely afford to build more than 2000 infantry per year.
Genoa begins the game in an alliance with Tuscany, Parma and the Order of St. John, although relations are so poor with its allies that their support in the event of hostilities is unlikely. France is allied with the Papal States, Savoy and Poland. Spain is allied to Milan and Naples. As a result, the prospect of expansion in Italy is initially problematic.
I decide to start with North Africa until opportunities open up in Italy. I grab Tunisia in 1497. Milan drops out of the Anglo-Spanish alliance when France attacks England in 1505, and I immediately annex it. To my irritation, Savoy manages to annex one of Kurpfalz's provinces in the course of the Anglo-French war. As it turns out, Savoy holds onto this real estate for the rest of the game, which thwarts any hopes I may have had about forcefully annexing Savoy. My treacherous allies desert me in the war against Milan, so I annex Parma in 1516. Thanks to these acquisitions and investments in infrastructure, my income is up 250% from the start of the game.
I'm off to a good start, but I'm also utterly isolated diplomatically and not particularly popular with anyone. The biggest threat to my security is a new alliance between Savoy and Venice. Improving relations with France or Austria will be an expensive project, so very early on I have to choose my key ally possibly for the remainder of the game. The Austro-Hungarian alliance is quite strong, but France had already scored a number of victories against the Spanish and had even grabbed the Marches from England. I eventually join the French alliance with the Papal States, Lorraine, Baden and Switzerland in1535.
In 1551, I make a generous gift to the Pope so that he looks the other way while I annex Tuscany. I gamble on taking a 500 ducat loan to get the war over with quickly. Foolishly, I allow the remainder of the defeated Tuscan army to retreat to Florence while I besiege Pisa. This gives Tuscany time to build up an army of 70,000 men, and I have to settle for just one province in the peace treaty.
The situation in Italy takes a turn for the worse when Portugal peacefully annexes Naples' two provinces in 1570 and extends its influence in Tuscany. Savoy and Venice declare war on me two years later. Fortunately, France and the Papal States come to my defense. Unfortunately, Savoy pays them both off with indemnities while a 80,000 man Savoy-Venetian army besieges Milan. I eventually fend off the attackers, but I suffer crushing losses that take years to replace. In a second war in 1589, I have to pay a small indemnity for peace but manage to capture maps from the Savoyard fleet that reveals most of Africa and the New World.
By the end of the century, France, Turkey, Austria, and Spain are the leading powers. The Turks are able to bring most of the independent Muslim states excluding Morocco, Persia and the Mamelucks into an umbrella alliance. Turkey finishes off the Mamelucks and grabs four provinces from Venice and three from Austria-Hungary. Spain wins a series of wars against France and its allies, and despite the Dutch declaration of independence in 1576, Spain controls seven provinces in Germany and the lowlands. Spain has also completed the conquest of the Aztecs and has a solid empire in the Americas. France continues to extend its gains against the English by annexing the Midlands and Ulster in 1592. Austria completes the annexation of Bohemia in 1591. Elsewhere, Russia has struggled to gain even a single territory from Kazan, and the Swedes have lost ground against the Teutonic Order while scoring big gains against the Danes. Portugal has spent much of the century in a state of bankruptcy.
One of the most significant trends early in the 17th century is the implosion of Russia. Moscovy loses four provinces to Poland, including Novgorod, by 1621. Russia even loses one territory to Kazan. The power vacuum is filled by Astrakhan, which by 1618 controls twelve territories.
Back in Italy, I begin the century by vassalizing Tuscany, deciding that peaceful annexation will be cheaper than taking on the state's huge standing army and daunting fortifications. In 1626, I declare war on the Papal States. Although I occupy Rome, I am unable to dislodge the Pope's large army in Bologna and have to settle for the annexation of Romagna.
Two problems of long term significance crop up in the 1630s. First, Austria seizes Mantua from Venice, which separates me from my arch rival and rules out annexation by either gold or cannon for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, I no longer have to worry about the Savoyards and Venetians joining forces to grab Milan. Second, my outstanding debts have elevated the inflation rate to 75%. My 500 ducat debt would require me to save for a decade in order to pay it off, and funds are needed to boost my army and my diplomatic stature now that I have pissed off the Pope. I have to resort to creative debt management to keep interest costs under control. Perhaps it is a cheat, but I take advantage of the fact that one can always borrow new debt for lower interest rates than existing debt. Pay old debt off with new and the debt becomes manageable. Thank God for gullible bankers.
I was finally gearing up for a death blow to the Papal States when disaster strikes. A random event in 1663 causes my entire army to desert! It takes me 15 years to rebuild. In the interim, Tunis declares independence, and Portugal moves in and seizes my former beachhead in North Africa. I finally annex the Pope's last two territories in 1678.
The second half of the 17th century is distinguished by the increasing assertiveness of the Austrians. They annex two provinces from the Turks in 1654. Austria then turns on its former allies the Hungarians, grabbing three territories in 1682. I am somewhat comforted by the fact that the Turks and Hungarians will keep the Austrians busy for a while. I am doubly relieved by Austria's declaration of bankruptcy in 1692. But with Poland and Bavaria now in the Franco-Genoese alliance, I am concerned that an Austro-Polish war will drag me into a conflict that I have no hope of winning. The problem is simple: there is no way for France to get troops into Italy other than by sea. Savoy somehow manages to field a standing army of over 150,000 men, and Switzerland has a some 50,000 men under arms. Both are too hostile to vassalize cheaply.
Despite its losses to Austria, Turkey remains very much a force to be reckoned with. Poland loses six provinces to the Turks in the 1600s. More remarkable is Turkey's peaceful annexation of Astrakhan's twelve provinces in 1684. Turkey even manages to annex the Irish province of Leinster from England in 1682.
One of the other key trends in the 17th century is the spectacular recovery of Portugal. Portugal harnesses its rich Brazilian, African and Indian possessions to become Europe's wealthiest nation by a large margin. Portugal also has managed to stay out of major European land wars, concentrating instead on building up an almost unassailable dominance of the high seas. Portugal also inks an alliance with England, Venice and Savoy, leaving it with good support in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic.
I close the century with the peaceful (but very expensive) annexation of Tuscany. This is a tremendous accomplishment, since Tuscany has become one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in Europe. It has a conscription center, a huge population, heavy fortifications, a textile industry enhanced by a trade manufactury and an army of over 70,000 men. Following the acquisition of my 8th Italian territory, my annual income is up to 480 ducats. Unfortunately, my inflation rate is up to 120%! I can barely afford to recruit 4,000 men per year.
Early in the 18th century, Spain's strong position in central Europe begins to unravel. Cologne and Lorraine declare independence, and Spain soon finds itself separately at war with the Netherlands, Switzerland, Baden and France. When the dust settles, Spain has lost four provinces to France, Holland and Baden. The Spanish take out their frustration on the Portuguese and English by grabbing Oporto and two English cities in North America. On a side note, the Bantu Empire declares its independence from Portugal in southern Africa. The Portuguese crush the upstart 'empire' before anyone can find it on the map.
I had no sooner paid off my debts when the Poles declare war on Austria in 1734. Foolishly, I honor the alliance, thinking perhaps that I might have a shot at Mantua. But the Austrians show up with a horde of troops, destroy my precious army and run amok in Italy. Thankfully, the Poles surrender a province for peace before I am forced to hand over any of my own occupied territory.
By this point, most of the surrounding territory is rather heavily fortified. Thanks to inflation, I can only afford to build 10 pieces of artillery every two years. I decide to take the path of least resistance and focus my resources on building an expeditionary force capable of capturing Spain's thinly defended and lightly fortified Mediterranean islands. In 1747, I declare war on Spain in the hope that France can keep them distracted while I do some island hopping. What I hadn't counted on was that the Spanish fleet would show up in force. To make a long story short, the Spanish destroy about 30 years of military spending on ships and troops. When they land a large force in Italy, I have to cough up a year of income to sue for peace.
While I am blundering around, France rapidly emerges as the dominant player in Western Europe. By 1763, France has annexed Baden, Lorraine, the rest of Spain's territory in the lowlands and five provinces in Spain itself. France also controls two provinces in Scandinavia and two in the Netherlands, as well as Jylland and Holstein. Finally, the French control three provinces in Britain and all of Ireland by 1670. They have a decent stake in India as well.
The other rising star is Austria. Austria absolutely manhandles the Turks, ultimately capturing eleven provinces by the end of the century. By the middle of the century, I see the writing on the wall. The only way I'm going to be able to hold onto my territory in northern Italy is to open a corridor to France so that they can protect me against the Austrians. Instead of rebuilding my military, I pour all available funds into a diplomatic offensive. In 1767, I manage to vassalize both Switzerland and Venice. I also significantly improve relations with Savoy, which is now a vassal of Bavaria.
By 1782, I have annexed Switzerland and built up a respectable army. I immediately declare war on Austria, and the French send a huge army into Tyrol. The brief war ends with Austria handing me Mantua. Now that I have territory adjoining Venice, I am able to politically annex my old rival and its three island provinces in 1786.
I end the game with 16 territories plus three trading posts in West Africa. I never got my colonial ambitions off the ground, since my 150% inflation rate had raised the price of colonists to the point that I could only have send them out once every two years. Nonetheless, my control of most of Italy and two centers of trade had raised my annual income to 800 per year, on par with the likes of England, Turkey and the Netherlands.
The final standings gave France a narrow victory over Spain, followed by Austria, Turkey, Portugal, Prussia and China. I came in last place with a paltry 356 victory points, about a third of China's total. In spite of her losses in Europe, Spain ended the game many times wealthier than any other European nation thanks to her sprawling empire. Sweden rallied from early losses to control most of Scandinavia north and west of Ingermanland. Germany was as unconsolidated at the end of the game as at the beginning. However, the Germans did quite well in the Baltics at the expense of Russia and Poland. Prussia controlled six provinces, and the Teutonic Order held four including Novgorod. Russia had just six provinces left. Kazan, Siberia, the Golden Horde and all of Asia remained independent. The English put in a poor showing, although they did have large holding in North America. Instead of trying to recapture their occupied territory from France, the English repeatedly and pointlessly declared war on Scotland. Incidentally, the Japanese once again ended the game with their signature flourish - a trading post in Canada.
Genoa starts the game in 1492 with Corsica and the center of trade in Genoa. Annual income is a meager 100 ducats, 40% of which comes from fees levied on foreign traders in the CoT. Genoa starts with a strong fleet of 28 warships, led by the exceptional admiral and statesman Andrea Doria. Unfortunately, the maintenance cost of this fleet amounts to about 75% of income, so that I can barely afford to build more than 2000 infantry per year.
Genoa begins the game in an alliance with Tuscany, Parma and the Order of St. John, although relations are so poor with its allies that their support in the event of hostilities is unlikely. France is allied with the Papal States, Savoy and Poland. Spain is allied to Milan and Naples. As a result, the prospect of expansion in Italy is initially problematic.
I decide to start with North Africa until opportunities open up in Italy. I grab Tunisia in 1497. Milan drops out of the Anglo-Spanish alliance when France attacks England in 1505, and I immediately annex it. To my irritation, Savoy manages to annex one of Kurpfalz's provinces in the course of the Anglo-French war. As it turns out, Savoy holds onto this real estate for the rest of the game, which thwarts any hopes I may have had about forcefully annexing Savoy. My treacherous allies desert me in the war against Milan, so I annex Parma in 1516. Thanks to these acquisitions and investments in infrastructure, my income is up 250% from the start of the game.
I'm off to a good start, but I'm also utterly isolated diplomatically and not particularly popular with anyone. The biggest threat to my security is a new alliance between Savoy and Venice. Improving relations with France or Austria will be an expensive project, so very early on I have to choose my key ally possibly for the remainder of the game. The Austro-Hungarian alliance is quite strong, but France had already scored a number of victories against the Spanish and had even grabbed the Marches from England. I eventually join the French alliance with the Papal States, Lorraine, Baden and Switzerland in1535.
In 1551, I make a generous gift to the Pope so that he looks the other way while I annex Tuscany. I gamble on taking a 500 ducat loan to get the war over with quickly. Foolishly, I allow the remainder of the defeated Tuscan army to retreat to Florence while I besiege Pisa. This gives Tuscany time to build up an army of 70,000 men, and I have to settle for just one province in the peace treaty.
The situation in Italy takes a turn for the worse when Portugal peacefully annexes Naples' two provinces in 1570 and extends its influence in Tuscany. Savoy and Venice declare war on me two years later. Fortunately, France and the Papal States come to my defense. Unfortunately, Savoy pays them both off with indemnities while a 80,000 man Savoy-Venetian army besieges Milan. I eventually fend off the attackers, but I suffer crushing losses that take years to replace. In a second war in 1589, I have to pay a small indemnity for peace but manage to capture maps from the Savoyard fleet that reveals most of Africa and the New World.
By the end of the century, France, Turkey, Austria, and Spain are the leading powers. The Turks are able to bring most of the independent Muslim states excluding Morocco, Persia and the Mamelucks into an umbrella alliance. Turkey finishes off the Mamelucks and grabs four provinces from Venice and three from Austria-Hungary. Spain wins a series of wars against France and its allies, and despite the Dutch declaration of independence in 1576, Spain controls seven provinces in Germany and the lowlands. Spain has also completed the conquest of the Aztecs and has a solid empire in the Americas. France continues to extend its gains against the English by annexing the Midlands and Ulster in 1592. Austria completes the annexation of Bohemia in 1591. Elsewhere, Russia has struggled to gain even a single territory from Kazan, and the Swedes have lost ground against the Teutonic Order while scoring big gains against the Danes. Portugal has spent much of the century in a state of bankruptcy.
One of the most significant trends early in the 17th century is the implosion of Russia. Moscovy loses four provinces to Poland, including Novgorod, by 1621. Russia even loses one territory to Kazan. The power vacuum is filled by Astrakhan, which by 1618 controls twelve territories.
Back in Italy, I begin the century by vassalizing Tuscany, deciding that peaceful annexation will be cheaper than taking on the state's huge standing army and daunting fortifications. In 1626, I declare war on the Papal States. Although I occupy Rome, I am unable to dislodge the Pope's large army in Bologna and have to settle for the annexation of Romagna.
Two problems of long term significance crop up in the 1630s. First, Austria seizes Mantua from Venice, which separates me from my arch rival and rules out annexation by either gold or cannon for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, I no longer have to worry about the Savoyards and Venetians joining forces to grab Milan. Second, my outstanding debts have elevated the inflation rate to 75%. My 500 ducat debt would require me to save for a decade in order to pay it off, and funds are needed to boost my army and my diplomatic stature now that I have pissed off the Pope. I have to resort to creative debt management to keep interest costs under control. Perhaps it is a cheat, but I take advantage of the fact that one can always borrow new debt for lower interest rates than existing debt. Pay old debt off with new and the debt becomes manageable. Thank God for gullible bankers.
I was finally gearing up for a death blow to the Papal States when disaster strikes. A random event in 1663 causes my entire army to desert! It takes me 15 years to rebuild. In the interim, Tunis declares independence, and Portugal moves in and seizes my former beachhead in North Africa. I finally annex the Pope's last two territories in 1678.
The second half of the 17th century is distinguished by the increasing assertiveness of the Austrians. They annex two provinces from the Turks in 1654. Austria then turns on its former allies the Hungarians, grabbing three territories in 1682. I am somewhat comforted by the fact that the Turks and Hungarians will keep the Austrians busy for a while. I am doubly relieved by Austria's declaration of bankruptcy in 1692. But with Poland and Bavaria now in the Franco-Genoese alliance, I am concerned that an Austro-Polish war will drag me into a conflict that I have no hope of winning. The problem is simple: there is no way for France to get troops into Italy other than by sea. Savoy somehow manages to field a standing army of over 150,000 men, and Switzerland has a some 50,000 men under arms. Both are too hostile to vassalize cheaply.
Despite its losses to Austria, Turkey remains very much a force to be reckoned with. Poland loses six provinces to the Turks in the 1600s. More remarkable is Turkey's peaceful annexation of Astrakhan's twelve provinces in 1684. Turkey even manages to annex the Irish province of Leinster from England in 1682.
One of the other key trends in the 17th century is the spectacular recovery of Portugal. Portugal harnesses its rich Brazilian, African and Indian possessions to become Europe's wealthiest nation by a large margin. Portugal also has managed to stay out of major European land wars, concentrating instead on building up an almost unassailable dominance of the high seas. Portugal also inks an alliance with England, Venice and Savoy, leaving it with good support in the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic.
I close the century with the peaceful (but very expensive) annexation of Tuscany. This is a tremendous accomplishment, since Tuscany has become one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in Europe. It has a conscription center, a huge population, heavy fortifications, a textile industry enhanced by a trade manufactury and an army of over 70,000 men. Following the acquisition of my 8th Italian territory, my annual income is up to 480 ducats. Unfortunately, my inflation rate is up to 120%! I can barely afford to recruit 4,000 men per year.
Early in the 18th century, Spain's strong position in central Europe begins to unravel. Cologne and Lorraine declare independence, and Spain soon finds itself separately at war with the Netherlands, Switzerland, Baden and France. When the dust settles, Spain has lost four provinces to France, Holland and Baden. The Spanish take out their frustration on the Portuguese and English by grabbing Oporto and two English cities in North America. On a side note, the Bantu Empire declares its independence from Portugal in southern Africa. The Portuguese crush the upstart 'empire' before anyone can find it on the map.
I had no sooner paid off my debts when the Poles declare war on Austria in 1734. Foolishly, I honor the alliance, thinking perhaps that I might have a shot at Mantua. But the Austrians show up with a horde of troops, destroy my precious army and run amok in Italy. Thankfully, the Poles surrender a province for peace before I am forced to hand over any of my own occupied territory.
By this point, most of the surrounding territory is rather heavily fortified. Thanks to inflation, I can only afford to build 10 pieces of artillery every two years. I decide to take the path of least resistance and focus my resources on building an expeditionary force capable of capturing Spain's thinly defended and lightly fortified Mediterranean islands. In 1747, I declare war on Spain in the hope that France can keep them distracted while I do some island hopping. What I hadn't counted on was that the Spanish fleet would show up in force. To make a long story short, the Spanish destroy about 30 years of military spending on ships and troops. When they land a large force in Italy, I have to cough up a year of income to sue for peace.
While I am blundering around, France rapidly emerges as the dominant player in Western Europe. By 1763, France has annexed Baden, Lorraine, the rest of Spain's territory in the lowlands and five provinces in Spain itself. France also controls two provinces in Scandinavia and two in the Netherlands, as well as Jylland and Holstein. Finally, the French control three provinces in Britain and all of Ireland by 1670. They have a decent stake in India as well.
The other rising star is Austria. Austria absolutely manhandles the Turks, ultimately capturing eleven provinces by the end of the century. By the middle of the century, I see the writing on the wall. The only way I'm going to be able to hold onto my territory in northern Italy is to open a corridor to France so that they can protect me against the Austrians. Instead of rebuilding my military, I pour all available funds into a diplomatic offensive. In 1767, I manage to vassalize both Switzerland and Venice. I also significantly improve relations with Savoy, which is now a vassal of Bavaria.
By 1782, I have annexed Switzerland and built up a respectable army. I immediately declare war on Austria, and the French send a huge army into Tyrol. The brief war ends with Austria handing me Mantua. Now that I have territory adjoining Venice, I am able to politically annex my old rival and its three island provinces in 1786.
I end the game with 16 territories plus three trading posts in West Africa. I never got my colonial ambitions off the ground, since my 150% inflation rate had raised the price of colonists to the point that I could only have send them out once every two years. Nonetheless, my control of most of Italy and two centers of trade had raised my annual income to 800 per year, on par with the likes of England, Turkey and the Netherlands.
The final standings gave France a narrow victory over Spain, followed by Austria, Turkey, Portugal, Prussia and China. I came in last place with a paltry 356 victory points, about a third of China's total. In spite of her losses in Europe, Spain ended the game many times wealthier than any other European nation thanks to her sprawling empire. Sweden rallied from early losses to control most of Scandinavia north and west of Ingermanland. Germany was as unconsolidated at the end of the game as at the beginning. However, the Germans did quite well in the Baltics at the expense of Russia and Poland. Prussia controlled six provinces, and the Teutonic Order held four including Novgorod. Russia had just six provinces left. Kazan, Siberia, the Golden Horde and all of Asia remained independent. The English put in a poor showing, although they did have large holding in North America. Instead of trying to recapture their occupied territory from France, the English repeatedly and pointlessly declared war on Scotland. Incidentally, the Japanese once again ended the game with their signature flourish - a trading post in Canada.
