God does play dice – A random AAR in a random world

[alscon]

I got beat up, but I would have colonized! Well, if it was a better turn I'd probably have tried to play them again. They do not fit into the grand scheme of this AAR anyway, so it's better if they disappear again.

Chapter Twelve: Tropical Vikings


So Haixi didn't go that well. Sweden on the other hand is one province away from Jalayirid Brazil and one from Creek's single colony. It will be a peaceful place, as I don't think I can take on JB. Creek on the other hand may be worth a shot; the continents are discovered, but not the Atlantic; maybe they are unable to cross the ocean. Anyway, let's take a look at glorious Tupinamban Sweden first. All my provinces are 1BT, save for 2BT Marajó. We have all Native advancements, and none of our Swedish ideas yet. Technologically, we are a tribe with 3/4/5, yet we still managed to bring Latin knights back from home. We probably already traded with the Westerners. Chief Oskar Gustavsson employs a spymaster, and has enacted divination and religious sacrifices, lowering unrest, stability cost and giving prestige. Finally, we field twelve of 21 possible regiments and are increasing decentralization.

The AI thought that it couldn't afford a colony. I remedy this miscalculation by sending Rangvald Wrangel to Amapa, giving me a border with Creek. Yes, the AI was right, Sweden falls into the red; but only a little, and only because I don't fire the spymaster. To be honest, only because I forgot it, but another reason may be that Sweden had 355 ducats with nothing else to spend them on. As soon as I unpause, the Commonwealth converts to Protestantism, leading to Sunda breaking their alliance. Please, AI, don't destroy all that I've done for the Lorrainians.

I wait for Creek's colony to grow a bit more, and observe how Jerusalem loses its richest land to Manchu. From now on, nobody should be able to stop them from dominating Scandinavia instead of my actual nation.

But then, enough waiting. Oiapoque has 937 colonists, and I declare war. Orléans and Québec join Creek's cause, and I hope they can't reach me. I move in, and seize the colony. Wanting to convert them to good Tupinamban Animists immediately, I recall Rangvald from Amapa... Only to see that I can't send him to Oiapoque. I have no ships, so I can't reach that province. My deficit heightens. I return my stability to +1, and do sack my spymaster. Merchants are worrying that severing my connections to the Catalans means the Europeans will get a financial revenge and press for mercantilism.

Now, the waiting begins. I spend my time using the trick to send and recall my colonist to Amapa each month to have the colony grow faster, and this brilliant known tactic inspires local workers to get new ideas as well. Cautiously, they are tried, and wool is produced in Amapa. I don't even want to know why a tribe in a tropical region needs wool, nor which animal is used to get it, but the idea worked.

Kangra sees that Creek is in difficulties, not even able to defend against some jungle tribe, and declares war. Following this, Creek seeks a white peace with Sweden. (Actually, after three years without any confrontation of the belligerents, it's an auto-white peace.) Rangvald celebrates by assimilating one hundred men of the local tribe into ours. He's much better then my Jalayirid colonist.

Seeing their last idea worked well, the administrative workers have another one. Shortly after, Oiapoque is self-sustaining, a Catalan Catholic province in the Swedish tribe. They have nothing to do with it, but claim that their idea worked again. I begin to core it, and see that Hosokawa tries to pay Pagarruyung back for their last failure, giving them Tunis. Now I'll make a comparison to the Haixi run: There, the US lost no province and began colonizing in West Africa thanks to their NI colonist. That means there is a good chance Pagarruyung starts now as well, but I won't know that before I see it as Africa is terra incognita for me.

Shu gets annexed by Hosokawa, and the empire starts to fall into religious conflict. Most of it has been converted, and the religious leagues are forming. In other news, Bavaria loses Sinjar to Ashanti and Creek gets reduced to an OPM by Kangra. Sadly, I doubt they'll start another colony again. Maybe I shouldn't have taken their only one, for the sake of plurality if nothing else.
...Just kidding, I would do it again. Sweden is not overpowered, and nothing beats good ol' rape and pillage!

Amapa grows to a full-province, and I start colonizing Cayenne, which gives me a border to Champani Colombia. Sweden can reform off them later. Seeing that it works so great, my workers have another idea. It would be nice if administrators would be that inventive in reality... Rethinking of it, they are a tribe after all. Back in our homeland, Manchu smashes Khandesh around, now being truly the uncontested first power in the region. Nice to see that the other version of us returns to success.

The Commonwealth continues on its wayward path. Taking Zürich from Djerid and Savoie from Crete, they lose their cross-shape, and a coalition forms against them, which promptly declares war. Doughlat, Flanders, Pattani, Timbuktu and the Hansa are facing them and their allies Pasai and Sukhothai. Doesn't look good. Especially Flanders. As Nepal joins in on the fun, I fear they will fall to OPM status again. At least Stanislaw doesn't need to witness it, as it is Algirdas who leads the nation to its downfall.

I am contemplating to attack Champani Colombia, as Louis II of Orléans gets elected as emperor of the HRE. He adds most of Italy to the empire. Making chief Oskar a general, a 1/5/1/0, strengthens my decision. But as I look at the date, the 17th December 1559, I give up my plan. The AI wouldn't win. At some point, Champa would enforce peace, and thousands of angry Irishmen would end the Vikings of the Amazonas. So better not. I prefer to see quality wool.

Bavaria falls into internal conflicts. A bit late, but it was expected. Goodbye Bavaria. In response, I research National Ideas (admin 4), and choose expansion as my idea group. Maybe Sweden can conquer Bavaria after it westernizes. It will at least keep a colonist around.

Then, I roll a one and leave Sweden behind, two and a half provinces bigger then before. The economy can sustain their colony in Cayenne, and as soon as it finishes, Sweden can reform its government, maybe embrace Catholicism and start colonizing. On the other hand, they may as well return to being a footnote of history. Whatever becomes of them, I'll see. For now, I am abandoning them in favour of number 346, Sibir. The mightiest of the Mayas.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Hopefully Sweden is strong enough to fend off the non-European Europeans until it can westernize.

Looks like a lot of possibilities for expansion in Central America. Should be a bit more eventful this time around.

 

[alscon]

All I can say for sure is that they won't conquer their ancestral homeland... If they do, I'll let the RNG generate some numbers, go buy a lottery ticket and end this AAR .

More eventful? Yes. A lot of possibilities? Appearances are sometimes not be trusted.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Thirteen: A Horde in the Jungle


Somehow, the RNG loves to throw me a horde to play with. The Jalayirids and Manchu, both doing pretty well actually, Bavaria, which is a real horde, and now, Sibir. I doubt that they are going to follow in the successful footsteps of their predecessor hordes, but we'll see. First of all, we have the problem that we don't have any Mayan reform unlocked, which will severely limit Sibir's survival chances. We are also walking on embers, have divination and a stifled production due to our Smithian economics. Who is this Smith anyway? Never put a foot in our jungle. It may be due to our economic ideas, from whose we've unlocked the first one. We may need this idea group to combat our inflation of 11%, so I keep it. Our tech is 5/7/6, which is not too far behind for our region. Finally, we are two regiments over our force limit, boosting a formidable fighting force of 13k troops, mostly due to the lucky general roll I had: Ibrahim Taiborey will be the terror of my neighbours, with his 4 shock. We have no allies, but who needs them anyway.

Apparently, Malabar was once a part of our glorious horde, so I set my mission to reclaim Ecab. I also cancel the military access I had for some reason, and prepare for war. Malabar is allied with all Mayas, Ansbach and Lithuania, and I get the Pima, the weaker one of the two dominant Nahuatl states (after Abenaki) on my side. Taking another look, I also spy a Creek province in Panama. Good to see I didn't throw them out of America entirely as Sweden, even if it will stay their only province.

Feeling confident enough to crush Malabar and Ansbach in a direct conflict, I declare war. Lithuania may look strong, but they have a problem: They are an island nation... without any boats . And their richest province, Puerto Rico, is occupied by peasants for as long as I can remember. It's more like an independent state of its own. Ibrahim moves into Uaymil and any resistance is futile.

Dropping 3k men to cover Malabar, Taiborey moves South, to face Ansbach's 5k men in Guatemala, with a similar result. I cover all Mayan land with my troops. Pima feels confident enough to attack the other Nahuatl block, and I have the feeling this won't end good for them.

You may have noticed that a Champan province had green stripes on it. They have attacked Hausa, and have just ferried in 6k troops. Hausa hates me, and has no allies. So I join in on the fun and attack them as well. As Champa rushes to liberate its occupied province, the Siberians besiege the Hausans.

Our perfect strategy proves to create a lot of orphans, perfect sacrificing material. Our stability increases as a result, which inspires the administrative workers again. Did it work? Did I chase away the foolish nobles in Pagarruyung for good? They didn't pester me in Sweden. Instead, the workers...without the nefarious influence of the nobles... Please stay!

Again, I take a look at a former nation: the Manchu. I've looked at them often enough in the last chapters, but it was important: After reducing Khandesh to an OPM, they unleash the religious hell that is the thirty years' war on Europe. The only great powers to miss out on it are Powhatan, the Jalayirids and Russia, but there are a lot of lesser nations not involved at all.

The wars I'm leading entirely consist of sieges now, and Champa sees that their involvement in Mesoamerican affairs is a lost cause. They retreat, taking Hausa's gold reserves with them, and leave the Africans to my wise rule.

My national bank falls into trouble, as it awaited the Hausan gold to fill up its coffers again. Damned Europeans took it, so I have to step in. In response, I reorganize my nation into a federation after the Gondwanese example, trading revolt risk for force limits and manpower.

Pima is in the progress of badly losing its war, while mine sees the incorporation of Ansbach. Has any German state I've met outside of Europe survived? With the new land and nothing left to core when Malabar surrenders, I unlock two economic ideas, Organized Construction and National Bank (How could it have financial problems before it existed? Can a nothing have debts?). This also leads to some twisted national identity as we think of ourselves as Olmecs.

I happily receive the message that the Jalayirids finally pulled their act together and start the reconquest of their African territories. The competence of the AI on one side is sadly cancelled out by its incompetence on the other one: After leaving their divinely given shape, the Commonwealth has to go back to the start. Maybe they'll have nice neighbours giving them there cores back, but I doubt it.

Waiting for the five years to pass before I can annex Malabar, some peasants break the monotony, but are swiftly pulled down by Ibrahim's men. Just before the war ends, Lithuania, from the safety of Jamaica, insults me. Apparently, they've invited Malabarian exiles, as those insult me as well. What have you smoked, Malabar? Your nation is dead, you shouldn't stain your reputation by entering history with a last act like this. 'The 20th July 1565, the rulers of Malabar proved their foolishness by insulting their soon-to-be Siberian overlords. As the annexation was sealed the 12th March 1566, this is taken as cause to massacre the whole population.' I mean there must be a cause for no unrest, even if it is only due to my cores there.

Counting my provinces, I see eighteen. I need twenty. My only possible ways to expand are the huge Abenaki vassal blob, wielding more than twice my army, and Lithuania, which I'm bound with by a truce, is allied to Abenaki and would provide only one province anyway. Being caught between a rock and a hard place, the gods demand blood. But I don't provide any. Instead, I arrange festivities. No god can topple Sayid Ahmad I Calakmul!

Sayid quickly rethinks his decision. He acted too rash, in euphoria due to the won war, and makes an arrow sacrifice, remembering the days as nomads, when the wide steppe was his nation's home... Nomads, as his Jalayirid brethren, vassalizing their former Creek rival. Yet it is not enough, and he tries to appease the gods with even more blood... sacrificing his ability to conceive any more children.

Strangely, his prayers are heard... in another horde, in Bavaria, where the internal conflicts end, leaving behind a relatively intact country. Furious, Sayid has to see his ally Pima losing all its vassals to Abenaki. The options for expansion now severely limited, I try to improve my relations with Champani Mexico, trying to gain them as an ally.

In another twist of fate, the bureaucracy proves successful, only for nobody wanting to work. It is a shame to have such a great administrative organ only to see that its profits are forfeited by a lazy people. Not willing to anger the gods any more, Sayid gives an alux what he asks for, hoping for some good fortune, like a Champan attack on Abenaki....

Yet none of this happens. Instead, the peasantry is unhappy that the first artillery regiment of Sibir is being constructed (researched a dip and mil tech), and has to be appeased by throwing their leaders into a cenote. Sadly, only after, not before, paying them off. The money disappears in the cenote as well, making the fortune of future divers.

As Brandenburg attempts to unify Japan by attacking Qi again, Sweden makes good use of my wise rule and reforms into a kingdom. This inspires the magnificent workers that have followed me to Sibir to sculpt a statue of Ek Chuai, which I proudly place in my capital Champutun. In celebration and awe, Cuetaxtlan finally converts to Mayan.

After realizing that I can't ally Champani Mexico, I try to conquer it, and forge a claim on Borrado. Kurland needs some buttering up before they let my mighty horde pass through though, so I take a look at Europe. The Peace of Westphalia has been signed, as the Protestant League takes a small defeat. Shortly after, exhausted from the long war, which saw Orléans almost entirely occupied by Sunda, only saved by Powhatan attacking Sunda on its own, emperor Louis dies and Anurutha I of Lan Xang takes his place. Lan Xang? That OPM the Commonwealth bullied? Yes. But they're now a 3PM, having gotten Savoie and Wallis back. After strong Orléans, a much weaker emperor.

Ibrahim Taiborey dies after his great service, and provides a sub-par replacement, a 1/1/0/0. Somehow, even if nobody wants to work, there are people rich enough willing to buy into nobility, which I accept as I'm already at stab 3. Problem is that they are so rich that they corrupt the bureaucracy. Oops.

The Jalayirids continue to prove that they are able to invade Africa, and Pagarruyung annexes the USA. With Sousse having 12BT, I think they will start colonizing once they've cored it. Seems that exploration will be less useless than their influence idea after all. Kurland finally gives me military access, only for me to realize that even as primitive, I can't attack Champani Mexico without involving their motherland...

And on this note, I end the Sibir run. Initially, I had rolled a 6, meaning I would go on with them, hence I end at 1571. But I can only initiate losing wars. Either I attack Abenaki and its vassal horde, putting my 20k troops against 45k; or I attack Champani Mexico. Dealing with their 5k is possible, but when Champa and its allies ferry over their armies, I would be toast. So I end the run, and leave for another nation I won't be doing much with: The Inca. Thankfully, only for seven years. I think it's still payback for the dirty trick I pulled as Bavaria. I may be inclined to overrule the RNG if it throws me another nation which is not entirely isolated. But that's for later. Let's bring glory to the Incas first (a.k.a. beat up Kachar)!

 

[Michaelangelo]

Well you did make some decent progress, even if you couldn't go the whole way.

I've had to deal with a similar situation as you will in Inca. Not much that you can do but beat up your only neighbour.

 

[alscon]

Well, good news! Forget what I've wrote, there's a change of plans with the Inca. I'm actually achieving much more then I thought, so I'll go the whole way with them.
Great RNGesus, I'm sorry I ever doubted you.

 

[alscon]

Chapter Fourteen: The Son of the Sun in the Plains


As I loaded up the save, a good omen immediately cast good fortune over my turn with the Inca. My friends from Sweden popped up before I could even get started! Not caring for monarch points as a Native American, I use caution again. Then, I take the usual look at the nation: We have 7k from 21 possible men under arms, and the general I hire, Coyllas Paucar (2/2/0/1) will be fine enough for the job. More troops would only ruin the economy, even though the 527 ducats in the bank will hold out some time. Speaking of economy, I can migrate, and do so, leaving Kitkehaki for Skiri.

Scandinavia is too close and I prefer getting in close range to eventual targets. North America has been mostly left alone by the Europeans for now, with Champa gaining a foothold in Mexico recently, but that doesn't mean there are no colonists; Scandinavia has a colonist ruler and has a settlement program; and the biggest tribe, Portugal, has already expanded a lot through colonies. You can take the nation out of Portugal, but not Portugal out of the nation.




I have a humiliate CB on Kachar, but I also have a mission available to conquer them, and pick it. Technologically, we are on par with our neighbours, at 6/6/6, and have picked two administrative ideas. Where's the fascination of that first idea group around the world coming from? I keep it for now. We are allied to Maeda and Ojibwe, other migrating tribes in our region, and also in Ojibwe's federation. Finally, we have religious sacrifices, divination, rite of passage and for now increased free trade. As Sikri produces fur like my former province, I start building a fortified house to get my force limit back up and raise my military maintenance to max.

As morale is full, I attack Kachar. Chinook, their ally, joins in. While I defeat the Indians in Hinonoeino and wipe them out in the follow-up battle of Skiri, the Chinook send the Maeda routing to Ojibwe's province of Yankton. I leave 1k men in Kachar, and head over to Lakota with my other troops.

The Chinook first ignore me, but then realize that Paucar has a siege pip. Before Lakota falls, they engage my army. I spy the Maeda army moving North, and hope that Paucar can motivate his troops to hold out long enough for relief to come. Having better military tactics, the children of the sun are able to withstand the attack of the fishes, and as Maeda arrives, the Chinook start to flee.

The Japanese follow the stream and prove to be the bear to the salmons. With no escape route left, the Chinook shatter into all winds. With no army left, it is only a matter of waiting until Lakota falls. The fall of the province leads to native helpers withdrawing their assistance to my trappers. Hello? Maybe we are the natives here? Or have we already enslaved the Chinook before they are annexed? Probably the latter one, as our state proves his resilience in the face of the uprising slaves.

As Hinonoeino falls, I annex both of my enemies. Maeda, outraged, breaks their alliance and declares me a rival. You know, Maeda, you are next. I feel like I'm leading Cusco to create the dominant Inca empire, only far more North. In order to connect and core Lakota, I create a colony in Oglala, and prepare to go on the warpath again by building four more regiments.

In preparation, I decide that I won't wait for Ojibwe's ruler to die to become leader of the federation. I therefore leave it, only to offer the Ojibwe to join mine. The boni for the federation leader have been nerfed a bit recently, but are still worth it. Then, fittingly, I get the mission first to insult Maeda, then to remove them from the map. It's good to have a CB, even with the natives' cheap stability. First an OPM, then the neighbourhood bully who can't stand having its former self around.

They are allied with the 2PT Lanao, but I still attack them and chase them out of Eeelalapito easily. They retreat into their ally's land. Though I wanted to leave them alone initially, I decide to take them out as well as they give shelter to my enemy, and recruit six mercenary and one cavalry regiment to take on their army. Eeelalapito falls, and Maeda's attempt of reconquering it fails miserably, pretty much like the first battle.

This time, I set after the fleeing Japanese, and meet Lanao's army in Haaninin. Paucar's battle-hardened men dispose of them soon enough. They rout to Niitsitapi, where the Maeda are licking their wounds, and Sikri's finest defeat them once again. Now begins a chase around Lanao's two provinces, until they give up and are wiped.

As Oglala starts to provide grain, I consolidate my army and start occupying Lanao. Again, the just enslaved Maeda are not assisting my fur trappers, and in revenge, I annex both Lanao and Maeda. If they are slaves, then they really need to part of the glorious empire.

I disband the mercenaries, thanking them for their good service, and establish a short-lived colony in Ashshipite to be able to core Lanao's land. Just as I recall and abandon the colony, some citizens decide to withstand my wise action and found a new colony at the old place. I said no. Ashshipite will have to wait. To convince them to settle in Oglala instead, I have to kill everyone setting a foot into Ashshipite. After 3 out of 4 initial settlers have been massacred, the colonists accept their fate, growing Oglala by fifty settlers.

Being down to 230 ducats, I lower the military maintenance to zero and start building longhouses. Soon, the monthly balance of -0.33 will be positive again. To celebrate, I ditch the administrative group for the exploration one. If the Inca don't build a huge army just because their force limit tells them they can, they can keep colonizing, and I want them to keep going after reforming as well, though I doubt this will happen. You never know. Just as I imagine a sprawling Inca empire, the wrath of my detoured settlers wakes me up. They steal my colonist's money, and I have to step in.

Just as I'm digesting the action of these spineless settlers, I realize that the Abenaki have passed their first Nahuatl reform, freeing their countless vassals. This would have been the perfect chance to strike for Sibir. Why didn't they do it earlier? I soon have to get back to my own business, as my favourite Incas strike again, now engaging into smuggling. All right, I see that murdering three quarters of your group was a bad idea. How about I leave you alone now, and then you stop?

My balance turns positive, and rebels shouldn't be a problem either, with +3 stability and accepted culture in the richer provinces of Lanao. As a Champan expedition passes through my land, I finish the colony in Oglala. This gives me the chance to strike a deal with my trouble-maker friends: They steal one of Champa's cannons for me, in return I'll let them go to Ashshipite. They accept. Champa carried around too many cannons to watch them all, and the theft is successful (mil tech 7).

As I work towards diplo-vassalization of Ojibwe, a straying son leaves the devastated land of the Chinook slaves to settle in the new land at the empire's tip, Niitsitapi. The first having 3BT, the latter 5, I let him go, also to bring the unrest down for good. Thanks to another short-lived colony in Omaha, Ojibwe accepts my offer of vassalization.

And such dawns the year of 1584. The Incas of Kitkehaki have left their homeland, to found an empire. And they succeeded. The son of the sun rules over a great amount of land, has gained a vassal and has a stable economy able to sustain the growth of the empire. Even if it did cost the treasury over 400 ducats, it was a nice turn in the end. As I roll a two, it is time to leave them behind, in order to return to the HRE, to Patiala. A nation in the North of Germany, divided by Keladi. Like the Commonwealth, now divided by Nepal in the South.

As a bonus, the age of colonization has now truly begun: After the Jalayirids and Champa, Aïr has founded the Aïr West Indies, though they probably won't do much more, with Champa close to conquering them entirely. Kangra, Powhatan and Pagarruyung have entered the scene, and Asakura has picked exploration as well. America, beware. The false Europeans/Africans are coming.

 

[Michaelangelo]

I see what you mean about your time with Inca not being as expected. You certainly expanded much more than I believed you could. Hopefully that gives them the resources to resist European colonization.

That HRE is a mess. It's also sad to see the Commonwealth cross no longer there.

 

[Lamahorse]

Who is the Emperor?

 

[alscon]

I see what you mean about your time with Inca not being as expected. You certainly expanded much more than I believed you could. Hopefully that gives them the resources to resist European colonization.

That HRE is a mess. It's also sad to see the Commonwealth cross no longer there.

Well, let's say I shouldn't make any more expectations after what happens in Patiala. Must be the Incan spirit which gave me the expansion potential...
We could call it the Commonwealth eyes now .

Who is the Emperor?

Lan Xang, gloriously encompassing Savoie, Wallis and Vaud. Although something happens to them in this update...

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Fifteen: A divided Tea Time in the HRE


Come here, and sit down. There's a quiet time ahead in Patiala. I've never seen this nation before, so I assume that it is one of the Indian minors. The name of our current king, Himmat I Ahluwalia, confirms my thoughts. And their unit model. As you could see before, we are at war with the HRE's bully, Lan Na. The second time, they have angered too many people, and are getting absolutely overrun by a coalition consisting of Keladi, Kanem Bornu, Ndongo, Danzig, some others and probably even their own people. Australia must be realizing that sometimes it's better to dishonour a hopeless call to arms, as they are besieged as well. Poland has just joined in and wants to get their core in Potsdam back, we are helping them, but even if this war has just started, there's not much else to expect then a victory.

So let's turn inward. As for most of the HRE, we are a Protestant nation. Our technology is 15/11/14, which means that we're ahead in admin tech, but lagging far behind in dip while not completely on par in mil. We have almost all German ideas, with full religious and offensive, two defensive and one diplomatic idea unlocked. For our small nation, which was involved in the league war, we have great generals leading our 6k men. We have enacted our religious decisions, and are experiencing obscurantism. Our allies are Poland, Macina and Manchu.

Poland is going to have an easy time occupying Stettin, so I send my men back to Braunschweig and look at my options. The only neighbour who likes us is Asakura, so I work on getting an alliance with them. For good measure, I get another one with Bengal. The obvious choices to attack are Danzig and Keladi, but both of them have a functioning alliance network, while nobody would join me. So I'm biding my time and ally the Hansa as well. More allies can never hurt.

After all these alliances are sealed, Keladi cuts Lan Na down to size a second time. They give Potsdam to Bengal, which is not good for Poland's war. But they free up Australia, which hasn't learned its lesson and announces its support of Lan Na, promptly getting invaded by 6k Patialans. No need to worry here, Poland, just give me something for my efforts later, OK? Seeing as my army is not home, the cities resist my efforts to unite the code of the nation. I only tried to create some unity in our divided state!

Well, the cities asked for it, and they get it: I build a spy agency in Braunschweig to supervise them closely in the future. Even if all my provinces are inhabited by pious Protestants, the king's spies motivate my missionaries so much that they are suddenly burning with zeal. Good luck finding an unbeliever around here. (Even though I love the depiction of the Protestants in this event ) I'm sure that their chats will be quiet. Unlike my chat with Poland: I know that I couldn't fabricate a claim on Leipzig, as it was Australia's capital. But I still wanted it! I certainly didn't support you so that you could take TWO lousy ducats plus a little extra income!

I delve into the alliance networks again and see that I'm hopelessly outnumbered whoever I try to attack. Well, save for Australia; but taking 70 base AE for declaring war without a CB and breaking a truce would be even more suicidal then attacking another neighbour. At least the emperor wouldn't be involved, as Lan Xang has other problems, such as returning to OPM status. Whose brilliant idea was to elect them in the first place?

Waiting for an occasion to present itself, a naïve relative starts blurting out national secrets. I encourage him: The only chance I have to win a war would be to get attacked: I have six allies who would gladly help me if I was to be attacked, but not in an offensive war. Let's take a look at my options:

Ndongo: Is allied with Keladi, Asakura and Bengal. On my side, only Macina's 4k men would help → suicide.

Keladi: Even worse. Only Asakura would help against Keladi, Ndongo, Danzig, Yarkand, Kanem Bornu and Flanders → suicide.

Pasai: Not much better. Allied to Powhatan, Nepal, Kham and Sukhothai, both Asakura and Poland would put me against one of Europe's strongest powers, who I doubt we could beat even alone → suicide.

Danzig would also put half the HRE against me, but alone.

Being condemned to wait if I don't want to die, I have to abandon the Hansa, as the aforementioned Pasaian alliance descends on them. Goodbye the Hansa. I replace them with Mali as sixth ally. Maybe I should break an alliance or two to let them attack me, but then I would lose, so it's better to keep Patiala safe. If I would have to guess, I'd say all alliance webs are around equal strength, so it is no wonder the HRE is such a mess. Add to this the fact that if someone grows, the coalition awaits, it will stay a very disputed region. The next one to suffer the wrath of its neighbours should be Nepal if the trend confirms.

Bored, I take a look at America again. Abenaki has experienced doomsday, and Sibir finally snatched Hatakeyama and should be able to pass their first reform as soon as it cores. Heading North, I see that the Inca are using their second colonist as well in Hidatsa. Looks like they really want to keep the dream of a Northern empire alive. Great! I have to correct myself though, as the only other native colonizing is Portugal, not Scandinavia.

I pour myself a cup of tea from Patiala, and watch as the Hansa gets annexed. From emperor to nothing. Tough luck. Another empire doesn't look in a much better state of affairs: A look at Medri Bahri says more then words could tell. The next empire is getting very close to uniting, with Brandenburg only needing to conquer the ally-less Shun next.

For some weird reason, my completely untested cavalry regiment thinks it is the best of the world. Not that I will charge anyone next. Instead, I unlock the last German idea, which fittingly represents that I'm only sitting in my Residenzstadt all the time. I also seal an alliance with the Commonwealth. Because why not. Divided nations must stand together. They thank me for the mental assistance by sending me an Italian engineer.

As nothing of interest happens, I am determined to end this turn in 1591 to get back to my normal period of xxx1-xxx1 years. A look at reformed Europe reveals that Protestantism is very successful in Central/Northern Europe, while the Reformed beliefs have only really taken root in Nupe, Jharkhand and Nagpur. Not even in the Commonwealth, though I doubt they are going to convert 14BT Lorraine soon. The can rejoice at their new electoral dignity though, bestowed on them by their former rival Lan Xang.

Finishing my tea, I leave Patiala behind without any regret. All I've done is building another alliance block in the HRE, after all. The RNG pays back my patience by sending me to number 415, a nation with a lot of promise in one of the most dynamic regions of the world. Have you guessed where the journey goes to? A nation with a lot of enclaves scattered around? Still no idea? When I say rebels, does it ring a bell? Certainly.


…


…


…


The next nation is Ning! And I don't think there will be a peaceful moment there. Chaos reigns! I really think my first impression won't fail this time.

 

[Crimson Drakon]

Chaos indeed! It looks like quite a bizzare war is taking place there... and the treasury is going down.. good luck!

 

[Michaelangelo]

I'd be quite amused if the HRE fell into chaos because of your new alliance web. And glory to the Commonwealth, the new elector!

It's practically your duty to clear up that hideous China. What a mess.

 

[alscon]

Chaos indeed! It looks like quite a bizzare war is taking place there... and the treasury is going down.. good luck!

There is much, much more then just a bizarre war there

I'd be quite amused if the HRE fell into chaos because of your new alliance web. And glory to the Commonwealth, the new elector!

It's practically your duty to clear up that hideous China. What a mess.

I don't think that anyone will attack Patiala, but one of its allies... Maybe its all for the good of the Commonwealth.
And saying that China is a mess is nice. There are no words to describe what's going on there.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Sixteen: Dcgiorogjhfirjo – Exploring the Chaos Theory


Patiala was a nice little break. No impact on the world. I expect my time in Ning to be the contrary – save for the result. With so many revolts here, Ning most probably won't last long. But I said I won't do any more predictions, so I'm just letting myself be surprised. For now, Ning is already involved in two wars, one to defend Mombasa from the Brandenburgian-Andean aggression and another to get Ningwu from Aragon and Scotland. I decide to focus on Aragon. Whatever happens with Mombasa is not my business, and they are going to get any losses back thanks to rebels anyway.

So let's look at our nation. Ying Jin is not the greatest king, and he has decided in all his wisdom to denounce Neo-Confucianism and enforce our heritage. Not that we would need any missionary strength... The economy is doing really bad for now, and it's due to having 4 more regiments than our force limit of 11. A bit much, so I dissolve two regiments. Our tech is 8/13/11, which means that we're only on par in dip, but not that much behind in mil. Of our Chinese ideas, we have unlocked the first two due to completing economic ideas and having the first quality one. Ning's only ally is Mombasa, and Medri Bahri, despite being in utter collapse, warns me. I think I'm safe enough not to care.

And now – let's delve into the chaos. I struggle to find all parts of our glorious nation. Being just a bit brighter then Huai doesn't help. I spot three isolated provinces in the North, one in the middle and three connected ones in the South. Well, there's a lot to do if I want to bring some ordnung into this mess. Probably that's the reason for Brandenburg invading. Both they and Scotland are our enemies, but still friendly to us; I guess they like my good intentions. It is horrible here.

Even though I am already fighting in two wars, Aragon is as well. They have attacked Min and their allies, Huai and Mombasa. And Medri Bahri is at war with Yatenga, Norway, Scotland and Huai, all independently from each other. I want to join in as well, but have military access for some reason and can't cancel it as long as Aragonese troops are around. As soon as they do though, Medri Bahri has a new enemy.

My troops are scattered around, and I want to get the Scots out of the war first before I turn towards Aragon, which has difficulties making progress into Mombasa. Yatenga peaces out with Medri Bahri, bringing in a new player into Chinese affairs. This horde looks like it wants to surround India. Do they want to end the chaos or just increase it?

Scotland has enough and bows out of both its wars. Now I can entirely focus on Aragon; I only leave 3k men behind to siege Medri Bahri. They are so full of rebels... Even some OPM could easily smash the formerly mighty empire around with no problem at all. To add to the chaos, Huai falls into civil war. Is there any constancy in this region?

Inexplicably, corruption spreads. I don't know why. May a reason be that nobody knows who is his overlord? Or that the country is separated into small parts? How could I stop it? Chaos breeds chaos. The corrupted at least bring some form of rule into it. My army clashes with Aragon's for the first time as they get to Ningwu, and Deng's men carry the day with almost no casualties on both sides. Even the killing power of armies is down? Not completely, as I wipe the fleeing Aragonese in Zhenjiang.

Strangely, the national bank makes profits. Warlords are paying back their loans now? Probably the Aragonese, who take two provinces from Mombasa. They also use my overconfidence to defeat my... interestingly composed army who attacked them in Xuanhua. I bring some infantry with me the next time and send them routing for good in Lu'an.

This region only becomes more beautiful as Norway gets away with all of Medri Bahri's ducats and Huai collapses, releasing Chu and Yi. Chu is close to my border, so I invade them instantly. Four wars at the same time, certainly a change from Patiala. Chu has no troops, so they can't resist as I shift around some men to cover them. I have men all around central China now. But I'm still winning all my wars. Well, save for the Mombasan war; the 32k men the German Japanese have assembled are frightening. With no immediate threat, I upgrade my troops upon researching the Spanish Square (mil 12).

If there was evidence needed that something is really going wrong in the state of China, I get a boost to ship production. As a landlocked nation. I know, there are rivers in Ning, but all of humanity doesn't know that one can use ships there in the period between 1444 and 1821. Yet I can build better ships now. In which port?

I managed to confuse Aragon enough with my shipwrights trying to blockade their ports with telekinetic powers that they surrender the province I want. Ningwu, 9BT, is a nice prize, as well as the spare cash. They are so battered they give up against Min as well, returning Bohori to Haixi... And the two provinces they just took from Mombasa back to them. No wonder there are rebels everywhere if they don't have the time to know who their ruler is before it changes again.

I repay my loans, gain ground on defenceless Medri Bahri, and vassalize Chu. Then, Medri Bahri falls into internal conflicts the same time they go bankrupt: Something they will get used to, as in the next five years, they roughly go bankrupt once every six months. Madness!

The chaotic situation in the celestial empire leads to 59k peasants uprising on top of the patriots running around. They immediately wipe the besiegers of Hanzhong. I like to imagine my 2k men, besieging the city... When all of a sudden, the doors open and thousands of armed African peasants storm out while thousands also fall in their back. Hell, it probably even rains peasants in all that chaos! I regroup my Northern army, and see as the Brandenburgian-Korean alliance I've managed to ignore for now heads directly into my direction. Whatever you want, my friend! Some cash and annul all treaties with Mombasa? I never knew them, great daimyo!

Peace with Brandenburg cost us a loan, but we're much, much better off then the celestial emperor. Speaking of which, it is time to impose our terms, as I don't want to run into one of the huge rebel hosts terrorizing the land. Huge rebel hosts that will, with some luck, break our Northern neighbour Khalka as well, falling into internal conflicts. In all that chaos, I manage to connect my middle territories, and take Yuanling in the intention of giving it to Chu.

The first thing I do after ending my last war is to reduce my war exhaustion by two. Then I see that Chu doesn't want my province, as they don't accept Miao culture. The only reason I took it in the first place was that with Ningwu (9BT), Wuchang (14BT) and Runing (1BT), connecting my Northern territories would overextend me. Now I am overextended. Not willing to see Ning collapse, I reluctantly return Yuanling to the only one who wants it, Medri Bahri, for free. I didn't want that worthless piece of rebel heaven anyway. Instead, I aim to quit the chaos and ally Korea and Brandenburg.

Finally at peace, I can take a look at Europe. The Jalayirids are proving their strength by helping Nupe to defeat two great powers, Kangra and Powhatan. The HRE coalition hammer is going down on Nepal. And the Commonwealth takes advantage of its neighbour's wars and seeks to reconnect its lands by conquering Garhwal.

Back in Asia, Brandenburg makes peace with Mombasa. They extend their power base in Manchuria, and give a ton of cores back to Medri Bahri. That's pointless, they just went bankrupt the fifth(?) time and will lose that land anyway... returning it to Mombasa. Make better peace deals, Brandenburg! Like Nupe, encompassing most of Southern France now. See these rebel occupation in Powhatan? I'll let you guess what kind of rebels they are (nationalists). All I say is that they seek to form an unusual/unused tag. The solution will follow at the end of this chapter.

My efforts of connecting the nation's pieces pay off, as the provincial governor of Ningwu manages to assert his authority enough to raise its base tax to ten. Sadly, the other side of the medal is that the nobles become aware of their power and a political crisis breaks out.

Seeing as Min just dealt with rebels in Jianning, I seize the opportunity to declare war on their demoralized army. Haixi can't reach me, and I think I can deal with Huai and Yi. But most of all, I need to expand Ning's power and maybe reach the sea, so that our great shipwrights can finally make use of their boost to ship production. I easily overwhelm Min's army, and disperse it as it routs to Chaochow.

I then manage to halt Yi's offensive in Waichow, sending them back to their homes, and stop Huai's try to attack my sieging armies in Ji'an. They flee, and are wiped in their isolated Northern province of Luoyang.

Now organizing my troops in Min, all I have to do is fend off the enemy's attempts to free South China from Ning's incursion. Chu's 4k strong army has also activated itself, and helps me clear this task easily. In other news, Majeerteen follows my advice and tries its luck against the ever-bankrupt Medri Bahri. Unlucky for them the Celestial Emperor has seen Brandenburg's generosity and has sealed an alliance.

While corruption rears its ugly head again, Crete has the audacity to annex the Holy Roman Emperor. Ja'far of Sus, a Venetian 2PM, is elected as his successor. I very much doubt that he's going to have any more authority in the HRE than Lan Xang had. Pagarruyung, emboldened by their colonial success, takes Titteri from the Timurids.

Then comes the year 1601. I've managed to clean up only a bit of the mess in East Asia. For now. As I roll a six, there are ten more years to go. After the world update. But first, time to answer the rebel question:

Who is revolting in Powhatan France?

France itself, after being annexed in Indonesia?

Chavchuveny, former holder of the Anjou region, Powhatan's Western half?

Or Rev.France?

Well, as I mentioned it... feast your eyes on Napoleonic nationalists rising in the turn of the 17th century! Powhatan's primary culture is Wallonian, having their capital in Artois, and so the Cosmopolitain people feels oppressed. The loss of the war against the Reformed of Nupe brought the relations to a boiling point. While they are helping their ally Pasai in Asakura, 60k nationalists have risen. And I don't think they can defeat them.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Well at least you are getting closer to connecting all your territory. A solid rock in the ever-changing sea that is China.

I didn't even realize that revolutionary nations could have nationalist rebels.

 

[alscon]

Let's hope it stays a solid rock when I leave

And the only nation who can is Revolutionary France, as it's the old tag from before AoW. Kind of how York and Lancaster can revolt in England, RFR can in cosmopoliaine provinces, it seems

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

World Update Three: 1601


It's time for the next world update, before I return to the instability itself that is China. To mix things up a little, I'm going to start with a look at the regions before a look at the ledger. Let's begin with the region we left before reaching China; North America. The Inca have changed their priorities and have founded no more colonies, unlike Portugal which is happily colonizing. Save for the arrival of Champani Mexico, not much has happened.

Unlike the North, Mesoamerica has had some changes. The Abenaki have lost their vassal block tot a reform before reaching doomsday, opening the door for more Champan intrusion and the Sibir to pass their first reform. Using Creek's Panaman colony, the Jalayirids are establishing their foothold for conquest as well. While Aïr couldn't afford extending their Caribbean colony more, Asakura has just joined the colonial game.

South America is split between the Native Andean region and the European/African East. Sweden is waiting to gain legitimacy before westernizing, and while the Jalayirids dominate Brazil, Pagarruyung has arrived in the South. Powhatan concentrates on La Plata for some obscure reason, and Kangra has reached the Falkland islands.

Crossing the sea, we see an ever-changing Eastern Africa, while the West seems firmly in the hand of the Sunnis from Kara Del and Rewa Kantha. Small European colonies are along the West Coast, but none has claimed South Africa yet.

The Middle East and India have solidified into bigger realms. One of the factors influencing the great Yatengan migration to China. Since the last time, most notably the Tlaxcala have lost the Eastern half of their realm, and Alsace has exploded in Bengal.

As I don't need to include a (definitely necessary) closer look at East Asia, here's Siberia instead. Land of the great nomadic Shamanist hordes. The Sardinian expansion into Europe has come to a stop, and they will have to struggle with the great Venezuelan and Kiche hordes... Not to speak of Russia. Hannover, former big player here, has been reduced to far-flung enclaves.

South-East Asia and Indonesia have condensed into bigger powers. Demak seems to be the best contender to follow into Scotland's footsteps, even if Dali and Luang Prabang will try to prevent this from happening at each cost. Since Connacht's failed invasion of Sumatra, Tafilalt has united the Sultanates to prevent another aggression from the island empire. Baluchistan already had to cede a province on Borneo again.

Now to the last region, Europe. Save for the HRE, big to medium powers have formed and are struggling for dominance. And for safety from the huge Russian horde, which doesn't yet have too much of a tech disadvantage to be no threat. They even have a foothold in Croatia.

As had to be expected, Russia fields the biggest army, by far this time. More then double the number of the Jalayirids' one, who have recovered from the failures of the legacy I left them. Champa, Manchu and Zazzau are the only other European tags with armies on the first page, as the hordes are still strong and the natives wield impressive numbers.

I won't speak much of the fleet potential, as most nations aren't even close to reaching it. Most don't care much for a strong navy; Russia, a total land power, has the fourth biggest fleet! The first colonial powers are the rulers of the sea, and if the emperor has one strength, its his Venetian galleys.

I'll also integrate a look at the countries sorted by income. Powered by their rich provinces and the American trade, the Jalayirids are the richest nation. Thanks to their gold, some unexpected countries like Miao and Kara Del an on the first page. It's still incredible how rich Siberia is; Kiche ranks fourth.

Finally, the actual score is dominated by Russia, of course. Thanks to winning the Kangran war, the Jalayirids are closing up, but not much. The European great powers, save for the Iberian Mongols, Champa and Manchu, are too busy to fight for domination to catch up... for now. The age of Europe will come, and the hordes will eventually have to reform or fall. All right, back into the chaos that is China!

 

[Michaelangelo]

Russia seems to be doing well for themselves and finally the Jalayirids are recovering from earlier losses. Champa clearly appears to be a major power player in Europe.

I would have thought Orleans would have been mentioned once, especially with control of most of Italy. That should make them fairly wealthy, I would think.

 

[alscon]

That Russia is a monster. With the influence of the rebels in this game, I do think that they're going to have a very hard time reforming/westernizing though.

Orléans' richest province is 15BT Mantua, but otherwise Italy isn't as rich as usual. Not like Southern Iberia. Still, they are pretty powerful; but they just came out of a losing war, and being emperor did them more bad than good; they held half of Greece and added it to the HRE . They are in a small decline; I fear more for Kangra and Powhatan to fall as Western European powers.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Seventeen: The Middle Ningdom


The lame pun is here to refresh your memory: We are the middle kingdom of the middle kingdom, and named Ning. We are also at war with Min, Huai and Yi, and we're on the winning side. All the enemy is doing is landing troops on Min's coast, while Yi stares at my army sieging Huai's westernmost province. Soon enough, my aggressive vassal has enough of the staring contest and moves in, defeating Yi. I head over to their single province and wipe them. The last province of Huai falls, and I take their Northern province Luoyang as well as the other one separated from its mainland. As I'm nice to fallen empires (save for Medri Bahri... well, it's still falling) Scotland gets one province as well.

Slowly tiring from Min's constant harassment of my... of their coast, I get military access through Demak and land on Hainan, smashing Min's last army to pieces. With Min close to falling, Medri Bahri once again goes bankrupt, leaving the way open for Ming nationalists and a lot more rebels to rise again. Ning, Min, Yi, Huai, Korea, Khalka, Haixi... this is the region where the nations are where you would expect them, and it seems there will be some more.

As I await the fall of Waichow, Nepal feels the wrath of the HRE. In other news from Europe, Asakura's failed war means that Champa loses its foothold on the continent, and the Commonwealth annexes Garhwal. Their first own step back into their cross-shape; let's hope it isn't their last.

In our chaotic situation, with war everywhere, the cultural establishment suffers. Well, for some decades now we're at war, and we're making gains. So yes, the sword is stronger than the book. It's so strong that we'll use it to weaken Khalka, supporting Confucian rebels there. Yi on the other hand is useless for our goals, so I let them produce great poetry by accepting their peace offer. It is said that one who suffers is a better writer, so I take all their money. Medri Bahri must have the greatest writers of the world then, as they go bankrupt once again as I accept the peace offer from Yi.

I reduce my war exhaustion, but Zhongyuan patriots still rise in Luoyang. I leave them alone for now, as Khalka collapses, releasing a juicy target, Mongolia. Having no troops, I immediately invade. The 6k pretenders are more of a danger to me than the newly recruited, easily disposed regiments. As I deploy the carpet, Brandenburg, the great defender of Medri Bahri, annexes Majeerteen as prize for its alliance.

Sus names Djerid as new elector, and Alsace collapses entirely in a civil war, leading to another great realm falling to the rank of 2PM. Ning on the other hand continues to grow, as I vassalize Min. I don't really care for AE, as the only ones receiving it are plagued by rebels and too weak to stand a chance against mighty Ning anyway. Huai joins the club of Medri Bahri bullies and declares a reconquest after Luan defected to them. Just as I had thrown them out of there...

Unlike the culture, the agriculture doesn't suffer under the constant war. An agricultural revolution in Huaiqing provides more income to the state, which I convert into mercenaries. For once in this world it's not because of methods in their old homes, as Ning is a Chinese country. Why not Jan Mayen? Growing such exquisite new crops as... seals?

These four new mercenary regiments join with the 6k who had been defeated by the Mongolian pretenders to form a new army under His Majesty Ying Jin himself, and destroy the patriots as well as the pretenders. Mongolia is open for a total carpet siege after king Ying beats the pitiful Mongol army of 2k men in Alxa.

The Commonwealth declares a reconquest of Westphalia, and Ying I is proclaimed a ruthless powermonger. Like king Stanislaw, he revels in this reputation. But he counters the downfall of culture by hiring an artist. The celestial empire goes bankrupt once again, and shortly after Ming declares its independence and Scotland peaces out. Ming, if you wonder, is like Korea not originally from here: It's an Indian tribal kingdom.

The last Mongol province falls, and I annex them. In celebration, I hire a general, Jin Zeng (0/5/1/0), and ally Ming. With my new power, I eclipse Medri Bahri, and get military access through Yatenga to move my army to Wuchang, to prevent them from revolting.

In European news, the emperor changes again; Gwijde II from Flanders is crowned. As it changes all the time, let's take a new look at the HRE: The electors really don't have a favourite. The Commonwealth is voting for Patiala.

Our Smithian economics stifle our production, as Gwijde is succeeded by Antoon. Somehow, the election of a new HREmperor incites the Salish Mongols to revolt; but before I move against them, I suppress the Wuchang rebels a bit more. Focusing on my homeland pays off, as a good harvest is brought in. I invest it in the government, raising my stability to one.

Shu, a 2PM West of Chu, declares its independence, as the Commonwealth annexes Westphalia. Way to go, the Lorrainians! Due to this, they also convert to Protestant. That's not the way to go. Do you want to stay on -100 prestige all the time or why are you always converting? China doesn't have any religious problems at least. Ning has after annexing Mongolia, but those conflicts are minor. As I move my full strength army of 19k North, Min gives up its thoughts of freedom. The middle Ningdom shall rise!

Full of confidence, Zeng's men take out the Mongols of Alxa. They march East, get attacked in Hohhot, but repel the attackers. After a short rest to reinforce a bit, not much due to my depleted manpower, the last Salish rebels are suppressed in Ereen. If you want to succeed, revolt in Medri Bahri!

While I liberate Ning Mongolia, Demak shows its superiority in SEA. They then rival me, and I return the favour. I also see that Shu needs just a bit of buttering up before I can vassalize them... even if they are an Iqta. Remember Pagarruyung? Hosokawa annexed OPM Shu there. Speaking of my Asian Africans, they have split the crumbling Timurids into pieces. That's for not helping me against the Union!

Due to royal marriages with the Iroquois and Mombasa, I'm far (5) over my relations limit. I cancel the access to Yatenga, and the marriages will solve themselves soon enough. Once again, my administration is corrupted, even though I'm actually making good progress in establishing a new order in China.

As corruption causes Manchu and Korean patriots to rise in most of continental Brandenburg, Kangra is ridiculized by Mong Yang (which is more or less Kongo). They had declared a holy war, when Nupe attacked them with this casus belli as well. Together with the Jalayirids, Nupe proceeded to smash Kangra around, and Mong Yang even managed to land in Asturias. Kangra had to release Bohemia.

I was so surprised that I ended this turn only the 10th March. I also eagerly awaited Rev.France's arrival, but I guess that Powhatan manages to liberate its occupied provinces fast enough to avoid a rebel victory. Such victories are achieved all the time in China. Still, I really hope that Ning can keep itself together, as I leave them behind. China is less of a mess now (it still is), and I hope Ning can continue this trend. I'm returning to the HRE, which has Doughlat as its newest elector, and go to a former emperor, number 407: Yeren.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Seems like collapsing in Asia is the latest trend. Be cool by giving into the rebel hordes and giving independence to all minorities!

I was hoping you'd form a line all the way down China. You were pretty close though.

 

[alscon]

And remember, folks: create the most hideous borders you can while collapsing!

Yeah, that was my goal. But I didn't want to overextend and couldn't core any land while at war with Medri Bahri . Let's hope the AI gets it done.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Eighteen: Yet Another Horde...


The RNG loves to throw me hordes, so here I land in the next one: Yeren. Actually fighting in a war against Touggourt which is basically already won. Instead, let's take a look at it's situation: Fallen form the rank of emperor some time ago, Huang Taiji von Regensburg dreams of old times... and as he's old and will soon pass into a better world, his heir, born under a favourable star, will have to accomplish his dream: Caesar (6/3/3). Huang Taiji has enacted all religious decisions save for the suffragan bishop act which would cost taxes, and has gotten military access through nations where I absolutely fail to see the strategic interests. Maybe I simply don't know the AI's master plan, but I still cancel those unnecessary diplo slots.

Orhodai Sikteri (1/2/2/1) commands our 12 of 19 sustainable regiments, and our tech is even with our neighbours on 16/16/17. Like our big brother in Scandinavia, we have Manchu ideas, which nicely boosts our military along our offensive ones. Yeren has also administrative ideas like everyone else, and has influence ideas who could come in handy in the HRE. Finally, its religious ideas reflect well that Huang Taiji has embraced the counter-reformation. As elector, we of course don't support our rival Flanders, but instead help Kanem Bornu; as they don't stand a chance, I support Sukhothai instead.

As I unpause, I spread out the famous carpet over Touggourt, whose last hope, Kutai's 5k men, are besieging Xiu Albania. Unluckily for them, 33k Bashkirians and Kanem Bornese have occupied their land, and Kutai has to pay for the expenses of the war, which proceeds smoothly. But I do worry about the development in the East: Zazzau has annexed Guarani, and is hostile to Yeren...

For now, they aren't moving though. As well as my administration, providing justice only to a few. As a response to this problem, a wave of obscurantism spreads over Yeren. Knowledge is power! Maybe then there will be justice for all.

Touggourt is forced to hand over Krakow for my mission as well as to bend the knee. Huang Taiji still dreams of being emperor, and having an underling is good for the morale. As I have to choose a new rival after eliminating Touggourt, I choose Zazzau, as both Bengal and Xiu are my allies. They don't like what I'm doing, and warn me not to provoke them even more. Easy to say when you have a much stronger army, Zazzau.

The 16th August 1612, the Bastille has fallen. Under king Napoléon Frédéric Bonaparte, the new nation of Revolutionary France has risen! Just like any other nation (with French ideas), they will try to establish themselves in this world. Northern France isn't very rich though, so they won't be too much of a threat to their neighbours. They have picked Exploration, so there might be another colonizer entering the scene.

As I unlock the university (admin 17) without being able to afford one, I choose aristocracy for Yeren's fifth idea group. Shortly after, Huang Taiji dies, leading to Caesar's coronation – and the end of all royal marriages. The von Regensburg family has spread to Touggourt as well as the Hansa, and while the first is a vassal, the second one has no heir, only an alliance with Bashkiria and is losing against Sunda. Caesar needs another crown for his head.

As Danzig tests the stability of Patiala's alliance web, with only Bengal declining, Yeren's noble knights march West, to claim the Hanseatic throne for their divinely blessed king. As they just got beat up by Sunda, reduced to an OPM, and go bankrupt the moment Yeren's army gets into sight, the battle of Baden is a very short one. I can imagine the Hanseatic troops, ready for the enemy's attack, already firing some cannons, when an emissary comes, announcing there will be no pay – and then all soldiers dropping their weapons, crying, surrendering. Bashkiria doesn't oppose my army more, as they are involved on Danzig's side against the Patialan alliance and have no troops on their land.

I raise my stability back to -1, as Zazzau gets caught fabricating a claim on Pest. Not good. They have already eclipsed me as a rival. Bashkiria's army appears, routing, takes a short rest in Sukhothai, then marches North again, after seeing that only hopeless battles await against their former ally. Their land occupied, and the Patialan alliance in sight, they have to pay and annul their treaties with our rival, the emperor. The Hansa crowns Caesar as His Most Catholic Majesty.

Ning picks off where I left and vassalizes Shu diplomatically. Meanwhile, Nupe takes its new vocation as sword of the reformation seriously and attacks Rev. France. Thanks to their Jalayirid alliance, they've become an aggressive conqueror instead of a small insignificant nation between Kangra and Powhatan. With the reformed successful, and Caesar recently crowned king of a former Protestant nation, the cardinal of Ostmark falls to the heresy as well, but thankfully his purse is deeper than his conscience.

The emperor is involved in a war against Kanem Bornu, which means that they're vulnerable. So I recruit a new general, luckily for me with 20 army tradition Giohoto Suru turns out to be a 3/5/1/2; I couldn't have hoped for a better one. Bashkiria sends an apology, wishes to restart our alliance, and with Wien as the wargoal and Xiu on my side, Yeren invades Flanders.

Their allies are busy in the North, and I swiftly defeat Flanders' army in Pressburg. I follow them down to Sus, but they take refuge in Venice, with Sus' fleet blocking the access. As Orléans sees a chance to strike at Sus, I return to the emperor's lands and deploy my carpet.

Goethals' men arrive in Salzburg shortly after, and engage the two regiments I had left behind to siege. Touggourt starts moving to reinforce the battle, but one day before they arrive, my men rout. Touggourt, like their benevolent overlord, also has a good general and sends Flanders fleeing. This time, they head far North, and I don't want to face the might of their allies, so I keep sieging.

As Brandenburg unites all of daimyo Japan, Australia sends a relief force of 4k men to free Mähren. Suru's 5k men are close, and send more then half their army under the ground. Just as things look so bright, with Flanders beginning to fall under my control, the big mean red blob of the East shows its bloodthirsty face. Zazzau pulls in Manchu as well as the two Greek states of Changsheng and Saxe-Lauenburg. Only Xiu stands on my side; things look grim.

 

[alscon]

Maybe I can concentrate my troops and strike at Zazzau before their allies arrive. Well, I can't. Thanks to Patiala, Manchurian troops are already in Sukhothai, and they are eager to show Yeren that they represent the united Jurchen tribes. They smash my Mayan allies in Graubünden, before Zazzau's first army under king Da'uda attacks my Mährian army. I immediately move in my other armies, my underlings as well, while Zazzau takes their other army to hopelessly outnumber me. I retreat, and the casualties are at least equal.

Seeing how Zazzau will smash me into the ground, I have to make peace with Flanders, settling for Wien and Böhmerwald, splitting the emperor's lands in two. Somehow, despite 48k angry Africans, not to count their allies, invading my territory, the grain farms have an exceptional year.

I am forced to make a last stand in Ödenburg. Suru with his battered, consolidated army has to face Zazzau's fresh second army commanded by its heir. Before they can reinforce, my men manage to pull of a Pyrrhic victory – only to be annihilated completely by the reinforcements, arriving three days later. The war is lost.

I know that the war is lost, but the people doesn't. Ignorance is bliss; I have only saved a bit more than 3k men, who are hiding in Edirne, as the enemy swarms over my territory. I try to make use of them and send missionaries to provoke a revolt in my newly gained land, but otherwise I can't do much. Nupe takes three provinces from Rev.France, and Patiala's alliances have worked out, as they manage to connect their lands. Impressed, I favour them as emperor, as the Commonwealth does. Maybe they'll be able to rally Doughlat's support as well?

In any case, the end of this war frees the Manchurian army. Not caring for anything along their way, they head straight for my four regiments in Edirne and wipe the floor with them before returning to siege. Yes, I know you are the greatest of all Manchu. I'm no threat for you. Not that they need it, they form a stack of doom of 70k men, and not only any resistance is futile, but also all I'm offering.

Watching as my provinces fall, Ning's efforts improve my falling humour. They make a next step to connecting their lands, and don't give back any cores to Medri Bahri or anyone else. Good job, Ning. Now, don't collapse, you hear me? Instead, they send the corrupted officials to me. Well, I hope at least this frees Ning of them... but don't follow me around like those production nobles who have been whining until Sweden!

As I've hoped, the Protestants rise in Wien, 23k. My enemies, who are besieging Touggourt with over one hundred thousand men now, make short work of the rebels. Russia also decides to push more into Europe, preying on my stalwart ally Xiu. I'm sorry, Xiu, but I already have 100k enemies running around my defenceless lands. I can't take 100k more. Shortly after, I am at least able to conclude a peace treaty, even if it is a very damaging one. Zazzau's thirst for land thankfully doesn't make it a crippling one though.

Now on my own, I work on rebuilding an army and alliances. Zazzau, bullying Canada to give them trade power, warns me again. Not that I'm able to attack anyone right now. I am able to ally with Bashkiria once more, and also with Kanem Bornu: My fault, costing trust and prestige, as they are Manchu's next prey. I have to dishonour the call.

As I am rebuilding, corruption flourishes again. Please... just go away... I manage to strike one more alliance with Djerid, risen from the ashes of Nepal, and work on improving my relations with Orléans, who has annexed Sus. A great power would make a great ally; maybe Yeren can flourish with Orléanaise help like Nupe with Jalayirid one, though Zazzau and Manchu are stronger than Kangra and Powhatan while Orléans is weaker. I also try to get on the good side of the new papal controller from South Iberia as I start the great Yeren Inquisition. Never heard of it? Proves its efficiency (or not).

As the new year dawns, I leave Yeren behind, with two new underlings, but with one huge neighbour just waiting for the end of the truce. In the end, they have made gains in this decade, but still look weaker... Let's hope the HRE gets itself together and prevents the outer powers from pushing into it too much. My next station surely won't meddle into Imperial affairs: I am returning to an old place, though not entirely; Kiowa, part of Gondwana's original Ivory alliance, will have to try to stop the Islamic advance.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Revolutionary France led by Napoleon Bonaparte just seems right. Too bad they got beaten up right away. Spread the revolution!

It's never fun being ganged up on by bigger neighbours. At least Ning is still doing well. So close to forming that line across China.

Africa should hopefully be interesting. Looks like most of your neighbours are collapsing, so plenty of prey at least.