• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

alscon

Magister Inquisitiones
83 Badges
Feb 28, 2013
3.303
1.759
  • Victoria 2: A House Divided
  • Victoria 2: Heart of Darkness
  • Europa Universalis III: Chronicles
  • Crusader Kings II: Holy Fury Pre-order
  • Stellaris: Federations
  • Crusader Kings II: Conclave
  • BATTLETECH: Flashpoint
  • Stellaris
  • Stellaris: Galaxy Edition
  • Stellaris: Lithoids
  • Stellaris Sign-up
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Cadet
  • Stellaris: Nemesis
  • Europa Universalis IV: Rights of Man
  • Tyranny: Archon Edition
  • Stellaris: Digital Anniversary Edition
  • Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Together for Victory
  • Crusader Kings II: Monks and Mystics
  • Europa Universalis IV: Mandate of Heaven
  • BATTLETECH
  • Surviving Mars
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Death or Dishonor
  • Crusader Kings III
  • Age of Wonders III
  • Europa Universalis IV: Cradle of Civilization
  • Imperator: Rome Sign Up
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Expansion Pass
  • Age of Wonders: Planetfall - Revelations
  • Stellaris: Apocalypse
  • Cities: Skylines - Parklife
  • Stellaris: Distant Stars
  • Europa Universalis IV: Dharma
  • Stellaris: Megacorp
  • Crusader Kings II: Holy Fury
  • Imperator: Rome
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Age of Wonders: Planetfall Premium edition
  • Age of Wonders: Planetfall Deluxe edition
  • Age of Wonders: Planetfall
  • Age of Wonders: Planetfall Sign Up
  • Stellaris: Ancient Relics
  • Victoria 2
  • Cities: Skylines
  • Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado
  • Age of Wonders: Planetfall Season pass
  • Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword
  • Crusader Kings II: Way of Life
  • Pillars of Eternity
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Expansion Pass
hUEcJzD.jpg


Welcome to this AAR. Enjoying the random AARs in EU IV, and inspired by the new random setup of El Dorado, I thought I'd venture out of my CK II Romans and try to run an EU IV AAR besides it, featuring gameplay in a random world with random basetax. As my first try at a gameplay AAR, the style will be different from my Romans, and right now, I have enough time to try my hand at two AARs at the same time, so why not? I think the quality of either one shouldn't suffer, and if it does or I have less time at my disposal, I'll switch between weeks and inspiration. Enough introduction, now there are the rules, and then let's begin!

Rules & Setup:
-I would describe myself as medium player, without min-maxing, so don't expect wonders ;)
-There is no random nation button in the random setup. So I've created a primitive nation on Okinawa (no three mountains of the AI in this one), switched to observer and used the ledger to alphabetically sort the tags. Assigning them a number (411 in total), I then use random.org to determine which nation I'm going to play, switching with the help of the console. Sounds more complicated then it is. I only have to keep Okinawa existent else I can't start the save. (As of 1.11, I don't think I have to do this anymore, but I don't think it will have a big impact anyway.)
-As a gameplay AAR, it will be more screenshot-heavy. And there is not much research involved; all history was overthrown as soon as I hit 'random setup'.
-The playtime with each nation will have a base of ten years (plus two months for the first and 5 years for the last), and after those ten years I'll throw a dice: more then three (4,5,6) and I'll go on for ten more years, so a maximum of twenty (-five for the last)
-Normal difficulty, no lucky nations. I'd disable those advantages myself either way if take one over.
-If it wasn't obvious, no cheating.
-I give myself a chance to overrule entirely isolated nations (e.g. a lonely tribe in Alaska)
-Should I be annexed, the last autosave (half-yearly) will be used I switch to observer and continue from then on
-For mods, I'm using Unit Packs Extended Lite to have the 'premium' units run around, and have set the defines.lua file to colour wasteland as well as choose ideas based on strategical choice (is it necessary or not in a random setup?)
-For the update rhythm, whenever I feel like it. Hopefully at least once a week.
-All major DLCs, no American Dream or ship packs
-That should be it. Have fun?

Table of Contents:
Chapter One: Why don't I have my Elephant flag anymore? (Gondwana)
Chapter Two: Jurassic Africa
Chapter Three: Independence or Death (Tver)
Chapter Four: Prussian Cherries (Brandenburg)
Chapter Five: A different kind of Reconquista (Jalayirids)
Chapter Six: An Unexpected Discovery
World Update One
Chapter Seven: Runes from the East (Manchu)
Chapter Eight: The not-so-nomadic Horde (Bavaria)
Chapter Nine/ Part One: Rice in the Desert (Pagarruyung)
Chapter Nine/ Part Two: When old Friends call...
Chapter Ten: The Lorrainian-...Lorrainian? Commonwealth (PLC)
Chapter Eleven: The Cross of the Reformation
World Update Two: 1551
Chapter Eleven and a half: The Manchurian Mistake (Haixi)
Chapter Twelve: Tropical Vikings (Sweden)
Chapter Thirteen: A Horde in the Jungle (Sibir)
Chapter Fourteen: The Son of the Sun in the Plains (Inca)
Chapter Fifteen: A divided Tea Time in the HRE (Patiala)
Chapter Sixteen: Dcgiorogjhfirjo – Exploring the Chaos Theory (Ning)
World Update Three: 1601
Chapter Seventeen: The Middle Ningdom
Chapter Eighteen: Yet another horde... (Yeren)
Chapter Nineteen: Indians for the Great Elephant (Kiowa)
Chapter Twenty: Elementary, my dear Wessex (Aïr)
Chapter Twenty-One: Amairica
Chapter Twenty-Two: From Great Heights to the Lowlands (Yarkand)
Chapter Twenty-Three: The Green Isles (Connacht)
World Update Four: 1671
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Great KhaZar (Part One) (Russia)
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Great KhaZar (Part Two)
Chapter Twenty-Five: Louis l'Imbécile (Orléans)
Chapter Twenty-Six: A New Hope
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Saxon Tiger (Bengal)
Chapter Twenty-Eight: On Midgard's top - or close to Valhalla? (Norway)
World Update Five: 1721
Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Luck of the Mexicans (Mexico)
Chapter Thirty: The truth behind the Celtic Andeans (Connacht Peru)
Chapter Thirty-One: The true colony of (S)Iberia (Venezuela)
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Green Red Horn of Africa (Sokoto)
Chapter Thirty-Three: A small dose of Imperialism (Mexico)
World Update Six: 1771
Chapter Thirty-Four: An Undead Vulture (Scotland)
Chapter Thirty-Five: Lake Huron (Huron)
Chapter Thirty-Six: France? Nupe. (Nupe)
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Remove...Pyramids? (Serbia)
Chapter Thirty-Eight: West vs. East - Part One (Jalayirids)
Chapter Thirty-Nine: West vs. East - Part Two
World Update Seven: 1821
What-If-Scenario One: Natives in Control
What-If-Scenario Two: Full-Scale Imperialism
What-If-Scenario Three: The Natives Strike Back
 
Last edited:
Chapter One: Why don't I have my Elephant flag anymore?

ImYdLIm.jpg

It would have been very fitting, except for the ears; because we are Gondwana, a tribal despotism in Africa centered around Benin, ruled by the wise chief Arjuna Simha I. We are worshipping elephants, cows and all other kinds of animals, so we have at least some similarities with our ancient home. We are the strongest Animist power of the region, sharing the faith with Funj, Oman, Frankfurt, Kiowa, Blackfoot and Imereti. The other nations are our Sunni enemies, just like in the world before God played dice. What we have kept are our looks and our names; but now, we are West Africans, and infused by their ideas.

pXGHGHF.jpg

Our rivals being Oman, Lüneburg and Rewa Kantha, I ally and RM Frankfurt, Kiowa and Funj. We animal-worshippers must hold together if we want to beat the Sunnis. Well, not all of us: Oman and Imereti have different gods. And Imereti has trouble finding any allies; they will be an easy target, so I fabricate a claim on Bauchi while I build up the army to its forcelimit of 10 and recruit a general. Arjuna Simha Deogadhi, besides sharing our great chief's name, is the ideal person for the job: A 0/4/1/1.

DsYnvLE.jpg

As the claim finishes, I get the mission to become friends with Spain. On the other side of Rewa Kantha, our not-so-Catholic friends share our love for elephants, so we ally and marry them as well. 'The Central African Wedding' doesn't sound as good as 'The Iberian Wedding' though, and we both have male rulers, so they thankfully don't get a personal union over us.

SYgz3Qd.jpg

Then Arjuna Simha is sent to fight Imereti, to teach them our elephant-spirit is stronger then the oryx-like god they have on their flag. Deogadhi shows them the truth in Marghi before chasing them down to Bagirmi.

ZpWB35c.jpg

Though being so far away from their original home, the Gondwanese are not too unhappy about it. The soils are very fertile, and the chief rejoices at a higher income while his men deploy a carpet over Imereti. He also rejoices at the birth of his heir, Ram Sah. But most of all, he loves the sight of Animist Darfur nationalists running rampant in Rewa Kantha. Even while they were both in India, the chief never liked their aggressive flag. It didn't fit them. Now that they were bigger, and Sunni as well, their first chance to hold the promise of their flag ended shamefully.

NGdj1JO.jpg

Arjuna Simha's Gondwana was more successful, even if they had traded their elephant for a running man on their flag. Imereti was annexed, a bunch of poor provinces, the north being Sunni as well. I granted all provinces more autonomy save the two three basetax ones. The people didn't see the coming victory, but instead thought they did feel more comfortable in India after all. Hirde Garha-Mandli would return in their darkest hour and take them back there, deliver it from the evil that sent them to Africa. As great as the conquest of Imereti was, it still felt wrong and the government supported this tale.

Zj80UbU.jpg

To combat the unrest, I raised the stability to one, inspiring the people to start religious sacrifices and encourage divination. The Great Elephant will save you all, people! Rewa Kantha sadly managed to beat the rebels in Waddai, and I thought of attacking them, but their alliance with Kara Del discouraged me from it. Lüneburg, being ally-less like Imereti, was a much juicier target. The traders agreed, paying to establish monopolies in the future Gondwanese land.

Fiikrjs.jpg

Meanwhile, the economy was good enough that I could hire an inquisitor and an army reformer. Thanks to the extra missionary strength, I could start teaching the infidels in Daura the wisdom of the Great Elephant. The recently conquered Imeretians disliked it. In the north, they fought for Allah, and in Mandara, they claimed only the Magnificent Oryx would bring the light. Deogadhi lost too much time thinking about this, and half the army was annihilated by the Oryx-faithful.

FAF7Uxa.jpg

Kanuris in Kotoko saw their chance to rise up as well, and I entered negotiations to prevent this. Recruiting five fresh regiments, Deogadhi was woken up from his theological slumber and returned, to smash the Oryx this time.

CjWBVgj.jpg

With the hegemony of the Great Elephant finally uncontested, its idols and poems spread all around, ignoring the fact that the Sunnis still were in arms. Deogadhi cured this by dealing with them, even if they had the better general.

lws8WzX.jpg

The rebels dealt with, I turned to Lüneburg. They sadly (for them) still had no ally. The Great Elephant should provide them with shelter. After general Arjuna Simha delivered a shocking experience to the lost Lüneburgians in Dallol, the Ivory Alliance covers the African Germans who miss the protection of their emperor badly. They are not the only ones missing protection; the merchants soon realized that after the conquest, Gondwanese wouldn't be those the Songhai would like to see the most. Raising the mercantilism and giving them guards calmed their spirits.

3Koho2R.jpg

Lüneburg fell and the autonomy of the Sunni land was raised. The Ivory Alliance would provide shelter against outer threats, and a big revolt could smash Gondwana into pieces under the AI, so I figured less tax an manpower was worth it, not that it would be much anyway. Daura finished converting, and I started bringing the spirit of the Great Elephant to Katsina. The Yao populace in Bagirmi was still restless, and so the local fortification expert stayed there to reinforce the walls. All I could do was build another infantry regiment and await the inevitable Lüneburgian revolt.

32vmQPG.jpg

But before it came, the end of my ten years' reign in Gondwana came. I'd annexed Imereti and Lüneburg, and even if most of these lands are poor, the Animists in Africa are in a good position, as Spain on the other side of the continent has also annexed Alençon. The religious unity is low though, and revolts will shake the Indians in Africa. Taking Oman would help raising the unity... And this will be my next goal, as I've rolled a 4, meaning I have ten more years in Gondwana.

KMAueKy.jpg
 
This is interesting...
 
@ eliaspays: Thanks! This one is different, and I promise none of the AAR shall suffer. And as I find it easier to update this one, I'll do it when i feel like it. Like now.

@ RepublicanIV: That's good to read. I hope so!



Chapter Two: Jurassic Africa

We return to Gondwana, southern part of the world after the supercontinent Pangaea broke up. More precisely, we look at the doings of the arjanasimhasaurus rex. A dangerous predator, this creature has already spread over all of East Gondwana, and has made an intrusion into Laurasia, the northern continent, and is already responsible for the disparition of the imeretiodon and the luneburgus laurasisus, peaceful herbivores. Still digesting the luneburgus, arjanasimhasaurus rex proves itself being a very invasive species and preparing to advance on the west.


It could have sounded like that in the Jurassic. My wise king didn't know that, but he told the Sultan of Rewa Kantha a comparable metaphor, with the Great Elephant trampling over the Prophet. He wasn't amused, but that has been the goal of the metaphor, and helped Arjana Simha's martial reputation.

rmTi5k9.jpg

Setting as my next mission to conquer Liptako and fabricating another claim, I finally had a casus belli on Oman, only bordering their capital before. Those Omanis always need to be special in some kind, so they were not part of the Ivory Alliance and instead prayed to a camel spirit they knew from back when they were still Arabs. They managed to sway Frankfurt with their false words, but the Germans have already proven to be disorientated far from their emperor. Also, the Blackfoot were on Oman's side. As it won't be as easy as before, I waited until the rebel threat was gone.

EfuqinI.jpg

To combat this threat, Arjana Simha summoned all chiefs of Gondwana to earn their support. In the name of the Great Elephant, he was no longer a despot, but the high chief of the Gondwanese federation. I got rid of the +1 unrest, and had a nice bonus for my army instead. Accepting the Songhai chiefs as core parts of the nation, it lowered the revolt risk even further. I decided to wait two years, until the unrest was gone.

sqY9Phg.jpg

With the Lüneburgians appeased and their rebel faction going down after reaching 90%, as well as Katsina converting, I decided the time had come to teach Oman the truth. Before attacking, I built my army up to my new force limit of 15, and hired Dhundya Palamaui, a 3/2/1/0 general. He should help Deogadhi if the enemy splits up.

BmCGIcS.jpg

The Ivory Alliance was then set in motion against the camel riders, but Funj said no. Even if the Omani king had called them 'a bunch of primitives who shouldn't have spawned yet' and declared them their worst enemy, king Rajab still had hope for a diplomatic solution. Kiowa, willing to do anything as long as it was the contrary of Funj's doings, followed my call to arms, while Frankfurt sided with Oman. They would be running back to their imaginary emperor soon enough.

5jO8vXX.jpg

The armies spent some time running around each other, both taking attrition, until I left Deogadhi in Liptako to await the charging Omanis. Having forgotten their friends, this bought my men enough time to wait for Palamaui and the Kiowans. The morale and general advantage on my side, the Ivory Alliance carried the day and the retreating enemies split up again. Palamaui sets after the Blackfoot and annihilated them in Lobi.

m9uDIgk.jpg


Yjtn7jS.jpg

Leaving one regiment behind in Lobi, I then reinforced the battle in Wagadugu, where my other army engaged the enemy. The reinforcements came at the right time, as victory is achieved, although at high costs.

J74TemI.jpg

No matter – Frankfurt fleed to their home, probably hoping for their Imperial saviour, while Oman shattered into the opposite direction. The Kiowans were going after Oman, while Palamaui once again ended a nations' army in Gwiriko before deploying to siege.

eUmVKa2.jpg

Only now I researched miltech 3, earthen rampart; now that the most fighting has been done. I should have probably awaited it before, but oh well. I also consolidated my battered army in Frankfurt and built three shiny new mercenary units who helped finishing off Oman. As the carpet was once again rolled out, the economy of Aribanda rejoiced that I was preoccupied with the war. The people rejoiced less when I told them they should join the army instead.

Mzgf2UL.jpg

The Blackfoot were the first to see their errors, and accepted vassalization. I said Frankfurt would regret their choice, and so I annexed them, in order to give the territory to the Blackfoot later on. Germans and Africa don't fit together. Real African Indians and American African Indians work much better together, as the Kiowa have proved.

y8MLLKO.jpg

If the help against Oman wasn't enough, they also helped against the Tuareg patriots who had risen up. Tuareg patriots who, however, did take whoever wanted to lead them, and therefore had cheap, but also bad foreign leaders, and therefore took a beating.

vNxia3Y.jpg

They inspired the artisans though, who didn't rise in revolt, but protested against the financial policies of the federation. Smarter, they were the ones getting paid by the government, not like the Tuareg who paid for the ones leading them to their deaths. I consolidated my regiments again after dealing with the rebels.

Tx7gXUT.jpg

Then Oman gave in. They were given no other choice but to return to Arabia, where they belonged. I began coring and selling the Frankfurt provinces to Blackfoot, when Kara Del announced me their rival. You're welcome, you were mine from the beginning. My religious unity was now at 75%, and the West African Animists were all united under the Ivory Alliance. As ruling member, Gondwana naturally was entitled to get half of its unofficial underlings' trade power.

lptUxUT.jpg

I bought down the war exhaustion, and as all had cored, another good harvest was brought in. The Indian peasants really found fertile soil in Africa. On the other hand, they complained the army threw lives away. Why did they complain then? Didn't having less mouths to feed make the harvest such a good one? Still, having no conflict planned, I agreed to lessen drafting. Just before, I had raised the army to number 17.000 men anyway, with 6.000 being mercenaries.

Jnjv1qo.jpg

Awaiting another decade to end, I had to accept the nobles' request for increasing pensions. Gondwana would have a hard enough time with the Sunnis even without losing stability in the future. Still, I had created a federation for this ungrateful pack, and Arjana Simha probably just wanted to retake some of his rights. He missed being a despot. Letting his anger out, he was probably the one killing the army reformer; not needing him now, the economy thanked him.

XUuIqQI.jpg

And with this murder, my time in Gondwana comes to a close. Arjanasimhasaurus rex has eaten omanitrodocus and frankfurtosaurus, as well as having started to hold blackfootops as food reserves. Sunni Laurasia won't have an easy time against the Ivory Alliance, I think. If Gondwana takes religious ideas, it could even convert them and create Animist Pangaea. But its more probable that Kara Del and Rewa Kantha will tear Gondwana apart.

Rqsw0XW.jpg





So, where to next? Number 383 – Tver. And where is it? Far away from mother Russia – a small nation along the Pacific Coast of Peru.

3w4Gm9D.jpg
 
Chapter Three – Independence or Death

So we are in the small Russian principality of Tver. Many things are true about us in this world as well: we are small, we sound Russian, and we even managed to take our horses with us, having access to druzhina cavalry, even if the Europeans of this world are far away. Else our flag would make no sense. Maybe we are only riding llamas. We even have a big mean overlord; it is not Muscovy, it's Tripura. But it's not good anyway.

RecVz1l.jpg

On the other hand, we share a dynasty with the OPM on the other side of the Netherlands, the Mamluks. Not that it would help much. Being confused about the Luyes on each side of it, the Dutch want to see us dead. Being allied with our big brother Tripura, they won't move against us though. Tripura is also allied with the Totonac and Ouchi. Setting as my goal to gain independence, I take all who want to support me, Cajamarca, Korea and Cusco. Yes, Cajamarca and Cusco, both not far from their real location! Their local knowledge probably is responsible for the smugglers who run rampant in Tver. Wurzburg and the Mamluks don't want anything to do with me, and Sarig Yogir probably supported Tver in their last war with Tripura, which ended badly; reason enough for them to say no.

ZhA4dmf.jpg

I build an army, of four regiments, one of them cavalry I really shouldn't have here. As our wise overlord begins our annexation, I am forced to move and turn my king and his heir into generals. Konstantin will lead the glorious army, as we declare our independence, just before Tripura could celebrate our successful annexation. Of frustration, their two-star general dies. Good. Still, as we have a truce with them, our reputation and stability suffers. A lot. But who cares, else we wouldn't exist any more.

rbtKMiE.jpg

Our overlord's alliance has 8.000 more troops under arms and immediately swarms all over Korea, efficiently having an even greater advantage. Hoping for a wonder, I place my army in Pisqupampa, while Cajamarca defeats the Dutch in Wankapampa. The South may be lost, but not the North!

2TmVfeN.jpg


uRctxzT.jpg

Then a Totonac army appears, and crushes that glimmer of a hope. Cusco tried to help me, but a 15k stack from the enemy smashed them into pieces. The nobles see the situation and want to make as much money as possible before they make their escape, but I tell them to take it like men. The stability can't fall more, so who cares for some nobles? Heck, would they revolt, it would probably help me!

18KsT9t.jpg

Korea bows out of the war, ceding Macaya to Tripura. In revenge for dragging them into a hopeless war, they curse king Yuriy, who swiftly falls from a cliff and dies. Konstantin has no time to mourn his father, as the enemy death stack appears and sends him routing from Pisqupampa again.

gGgsUO8.jpg

Feeling like a zombie, I assemble my troops together with the Cajamarcan ones and try to liberate Chanchan from the Dutch. Despite being the attacker, we chase the Dutch from our home and set after them, liberating Cusco from the Tripuran siegers along the way. As the fleeing Dutch are caught in Puno, I take my first loan from many.

1D4Sy8d.jpg

Somehow, Konstantin found enough time while his nation's existence is in danger to conceive an heir, Dmitry. Motivated by this, he ends the Dutch rout in Piwra and lays siege to their capital. Seeing their allies in trouble, Tripura leads the army that ravaged Cajamarca (the nation) to free the Dutch capital. Cajamarca (the city). Konstantin celebrates his greatest victory and sets after them.

LqCxt6v.jpg

Overmotivated, I didn't notice that my great allies thought that they were better off alone. Instead of leading more then 7.000 men, Konstantin attacks the recovering Indians with only a bit more then 3.000 and suffers another defeat. Unimpressed, somehow the farmers and miners are more productive while their king and his soldiers fight for their freedom, despite full war exhaustion and no stability at all.

TKYBzKJ.jpg

The reassembled enemy stack eats the small pieces my clever allies left behind as they chase after me. The Dutch siege Chanchan again. Then, the 10k enemies find my battered army in Wankapampa, and I am ready to see the end come. But surprisingly, Cajamarcan reinforcements have escaped the onslaught and are enough to tip the balance in my favour; the victory is so great that the Totonac propose a white peace. Legends of Konstantin II Luyes, the Russian mountain warrior, are born that day.

kgQTJRr.jpg

The legend does not reach Cajamarca, who surrender the place of the victory to Tripura. Honouring his new title, the Dutch are defeated in Chanchan once again. Tripura ends any dream of independence when their army arrives almost immediately after the end of the battle, where the Russian regiments are dissolved.

ydfAZ0h.jpg


84YgFUJ.jpg

The end is near, but Tripura sets off to Cusco, leaving the Tverians in the certain knowledge they will return. After they occupy Jauja, they send me a peace offer, which I decline. Konstantin will never bow to Tripura. He would rather die! Tripura accepts this. Annexing Cusco, they march to Cajamarca, where Konstantin made his last stand at the head of 1k fresh mercenaries. His last ordinance, to burn everything Tver has, was not enforced by the nobles.

RPmvoog.jpg

Ouchi peaces out as well, but it is too late to save Tver. Enraged by all their defeats against the Tverians, the Dutch annex its land. Legend has it that Konstantin, the Russian mountain warrior, continues to roam the Dutch Andes, and all kinds of suspicious deaths are attributed to him...

q1zwUlG.jpg





So Tver was not my most successful turn. I could have covered Tver in loans, mercenaries and new generals, but it would collapse anyway, so it's better it left the world in an honourable way. Honourable is a good transition to our next station: In the West of Honshu, a nation renowned for its soldiers awaits...
Number 55, Brandenburg!

vKcdD7v.jpg
 
Looks like Russians don't like the South American climate too much. Is Brandenburg a Daimyo or the Shogun?
 
Can we see the world map please?
 
@ Migthy: Less balanced, but a bit, yes. Civ 5 would be the custom setup. But random is more fun IMHO.:)

@ eliaspays: So true. I'd like to know if Russia has the same problems, the tag exists. You'll see about Brandenburg.

@ RepublicanIV: I didn't want to break any surprise by starting with the world map (I haven't looked at it myself actually). After having seen each continent though, I will bring one though, as well as an update of my previous stops in 1501 (or earlier, if I get annexed again...)



Chapter Four – Prussian Cherries

Welcome to Brandenburg, soldier! Our proud nation is embroiled in a war against Mainz; and with no emperor to save them, the archbishop will fall... What do you say? Their ruler is no bishop? And he is the emperor? No? The Shogun? Whatever. We are independent, and are crushing their pitiful try to withstand our might. Bow to the Kurfürst! No? We are a Daimyo? Even better. More morale is always welcome for our excelling army.

ccDCbet.jpg

We are severely indebted with a lot of 4-ducats loans, but with the Aragonese (a coastal Chinese nation) and another Daimyo, the Kazakh, on our side, we have already occupied most of Western Japan. We can also research the pike square, what I immediately do. We are lacking behind in admin tech, but the military is and always will be our pride. It is already great, so I set my mission to make our cherry blossom the envy of Japan.

eLRRp8l.jpg

Unpausing, we win the battle we were engaged in against Shun. I then split my army and send one half, 3k men under Siegmund von Quitzow (3/3/1/0), to stop reinforcing armies of the Shogunate, who come quite handily in packages of 1k. Then Aragon finishes the siege of Awa and joins me in my eastern expedition; with its 10k men attached, I skilfully dodge the Japanese patriots running rampant in Qi, smash Polotsk and advance on Mainz' northern province.

18kZVp9.jpg

Beating Polotsk somehow gives me the chance to show that my cherry blossoms are the best in all Japan. I then take as my mission to marry Mombasa. Why Mombasa? Well...

eX3G8On.jpg

That's why. Together with Medri Bahri (weird, in my other random world game they also hold China) and Scotland, they are the superpowers in Asia (Hannover gets a severe beating from all sides). As they also have a foothold in Chikuzen, I think it's better for Brandenburg not to get on their bad side. Even if they have a rebel problem right now.



The Shogun requests peace. But I wouldn't gain much from Mainz releasing all the Daimyos, so I decline. Instead, I lead the Kazakhs to Bungo and finish off their last army, the one of Shun. Then I impose my terms. Brandenburg shall rise. All territory occupied by me shall be mine. Also, Brittany and Mainz become my vassals. If there is a German reigning in Japan, it should be Brandenburg!

qkheOle.jpg

With Japan dominated by a new power, I enforce my heritage. Heathens, like the Animists from the Siberian clan council of Qi, are not to be tolerated. With Izumo (4BT) appearing to become the centre of a great power, the serfs in Suo (3BT) move out. Sure, Suo may be just adjacent to Izumo, but is badly governed anyway.

1sQhs7N.jpg

Mainz, what a surprise, felt better as Shogun. They don't accept being reduced to a vassal status, even if they still call themselves Shogun of all... Mainzia? Their former underling in Polotsk supports this. Stockholm syndrome on nation scale, called Mainz syndrome? The Shogun also wants to marry into his new overlord's family. I let him. Both vassals are already disloyal, anything to keep them in the fold is welcome. The Kazakh, angry I didn't give them Tosa, break our alliance.

wADncPS.jpg

Then, Qi collapses – and Brittany gets its Japanese provinces, including the Kai gold mine (3BT), making my vassals almost as big as me, and certainly richer. To keep them in line, nothing is better then to show them what happens to my enemies – the Kazakh will soon see they were only my friend as long as they were willing to. Seeing that Mainz has a 'supported independence of our subject' -modifier, I think they may only be free due to our great soldiers. Well then, one shouldn't bite the hand that feeds one – I declare war on the traitors, using the Breton wargoal. Not that I want to give anything to my disloyal minion. Aragon doesn't join due to debts, but I don't need them anyway.

jmap6Oq.jpg

With Berari nationalists threatening to revolt, I lower my war exhaustion and raise my stability back to one, as well as harsh treat them. The Kazakhs decided to visit the Mt.Fuji, laying siege to Suruga, while I have split my army in half on their provinces. Each time they want to attack one, I move von Quitzow, leading a cavalry regiment, and they stop. This game goes on until Mino falls after 219 days of siege.

7PCziVC.jpg

I then figure I can focus my army on Owari, not that it would serve any purpose other then ending the tiring reaction movement I had to do. Having a 21% chance to fall, I am confident the end of the Kazakhs is near. But somehow, without assaulting, their siege is finished in 63 days compared to Owari's 573. Furious, I attack the Kazakhs in Kyoto, beating them up as one can expect from Brandenburg. Returning to siege Mino, where the Kazakh resistance ends, von Quitzow dies, being replaced by Paul von Dossow (2/6/0/1).

2aB28SK.jpg

At the same time as my glorious shipbuilders run low on supplies, Berari nationalists, three stacks of 8k each, rise up. I have a 6k men army, and my vassals would rather see me dead. Ouch. Brandenburg should really focus on their army, being an island nation doesn't help. Who needs ships? I only have one cog. At least they import the supplies from Mombasa, giving me the chance to marry them. Now if I could ally them and they get their rebel problem under control... But first, I need to deal with mine.

oBYsbMS.jpg

The impudent Kazakhs are annexed for turning their backs on mighty Brandenburg. I naturally reward my loyal Samurai for making me the strongest Japanese power, but they fail as I attack the Berari in Kyoto. I was confident my morale advantage and von Dossow's shock value could reach a victory, but rolling a 0 in each shock phase meant that I received a beating. No luck this time.

kZg7cbA.jpg

As every man in our nation should, a concerned citizen offers his services to Georg Wilhelm. The Ronin is sent to a garrison in Mino, as this castle is in dire need of someone who knows how to hold off the enemy. I also take three 16-ducats loans to hire mercenaries. Time for round two, rebel scum!

3X0iRje.jpg

This time, von Dossow chases the rebels out of the Imperial city. Still, I don't feel like I can take on the others and see the Breton army moving towards Echizen, before the castle falls to the Berari. Do you want to do something, finally? No, they only want to take a front seat in watching their great overlord collapse, stopping in Etchu. Fine! I won't give them this pleasure. Disloyal pack. Our great military minds discuss how to deal with the rebels, and I press them to choose a more defensive doctrine.

YU2moYz.jpg

The rebels from Echizen moved to Mino, and I split my army to bait the rebels in Awa to cross the strait to Settsu. Regaining control of Awa, with its 7BT, is essential for my economy. They decide to move in, and shatter in all directions. Meanwhile, even my new Ronin captain couldn't hold off the rebels from taking over Mino for more then four months. Either he was incompetent as well, or I really shouldn't have destroyed the walls when I took the castle the first time. The Bretons are laughing at this incompetence from a safe distance.

6dffKiT.jpg

Seeing that the more numerous rebels are losing, the liberty desire of my unruly vassals goes down, after it reached 100%. Thankfully we still have a truce, else they would have declared war long ago. As the Berari move on to Owari, I attack them head on: farmland as well as a decisive advantage in morale and general assure my victory. I lower my military maintenance to finally have a green balance again, and liberate city after city.

uwy9xhc.jpg

The rebel threat dealt with, and the liberty desire shrinking, the people turns to culture. They speak of Siegmund von Luxemburg, and I tell them he couldn't do anything here. This causes a scandal at court, and I pay an advisor to calm things down. The great Siegmund would only be lost for a short time before he would adapt to this world. Appeased, the peasants bring in another record harvest. Really, it seems being somewhere else helps your agricultural knowledge.

prCJ5Gn.jpg

I also start repaying loans, until even the last one is paid back. The great reign of Georg Wilhelm gets turned into a Nogaku performance, and the people rejoice at his rule. It brings Shun to stop supporting Mainz' independence. With nobody to back them, they are almost loyal now. Looking over to the mainland, I see that Mombasa is not blessed by the same rebel-fighting efficiency and has to release Khalka. I hope for Japanese patriots to rise, but they don't. At least not until my turn with Brandenburg ends.

S0keTmX.jpg

As I roll a 1, I leave the Daimyo ruling over the Shogun in a position where he can continue to dominate Japan. The vassals are almost loyal, and Aragon is still there to help in an eventual independence war. I don't see any other difficulty for them to eat Shun,Champagne and Polotsk. Maybe taking Chikuzen from Mombasa may be harder, but Brandenburg is now in a good position to unite Japan. And its economy is now positive.

590WMd1.jpg




Leaving Asia behind, I reach another nation built on martial traditions. A horde, one that you don't see in a usual game: Number 160, the Jalayirids. And I said not in Asia, so where are they? A very promising strong power in Iberia!

KHfQs8c.jpg
 
Last edited:
Good grief this is a confusing map.

I have so many questions!

1: Do the moved around nations have the local cultures and faiths or have their primary cultures and religions become the main ones for their provinces?

2: How badly will Scotland wreck its neighbours with China Base Tax, Western Tech and all that land

3: Is tech dependent on normal map or new map?

4: How will the protestant reformation strike?

The western, eastern, ottoman and even muslim tech nations will probably have a much easier time with weaker neighbours.
 
I think I'll answer those before it gets more confusing:

1: Each nation lives with the local cultures and faiths. Therefore, Animist Gondwana and Shinto Daimyo Brandenburg. They only keep their names and unit sprites (hence the new random mode with new nations. But I like this one for the increased silliness of it and the chance to see all different kinds of sprites. And here for the narrative element ;))

2: Not bad, considering they are Chinese as well :)

3: Yes, tech depends on the map: Gondwana was Sub-Saharan, Tver Andean and Brandenburg Chinese. Right now, there wasn't much of a disparity, so I didn't have to show any ideas or tech, as they hadn't picked up any yet.

4: As usual, in the European Catholic lands.

Scotland may still wreck their neighbours, but they have to do it as Chinese themselves. ;) And I hope to clean up the map as I go on. :)
 
So any nations in provinces where they would be catholic are now catholic themselves. Interesting.

Those popups though:

"Jalayarids converted to Protestant!"

Also, what about formable nations? Do they all exist or not? I mean I see Spain and the Netherlands but not (I.E.) Castille or Holland anywhere.

Also where the world map at?
 
Wow, that is a whole new take on playing random nations. It's hard to keep track of who is where. At least it makes for some very amusing scenarios. :D
 
@ RepublicanIV: I think the AI won't form any nations. At least if they exist, it shouldn't be possible as well. In my other random game, English Bourbonnais controls all of Britain, but GB is an Aztec minor who keeps getting annexed and released...
It is possible for Brandenburg though to unite Japan. I think that can be an exception.
Patience will be rewarded :rolleyes:. I'm surprised how fast I can write the updates, and I think I can hold two per week for some time. A world map will come.

@ Michaelangelo: It's confusing at the beginning, but the big players are quickly recognized. And then it's just fun to see the absurdity :p



Chapter Five: A different kind of Reconquista


So we are the Jalayirids. This gives us a chance to look at Europe, and one has to say it is... different. Thinking back of Tver, I can't help but notice that the Sunni Khanate of Russia is the strongest power. And I can't help but feel that the new Scandinavian order is much like the old. Naturally, there are a whole lot of other oddities.

oU7D9fy.jpg

Let's take a closer look at central Europe, as it is hard to see from the European perspective. The emperor of the HRE is not as unusual as the rest, as it is the Hansa. Sunda and Powhatan remind me a bit of Burgundy and France, while Flanders and Bengal resemble Austria and Bohemia. I'll leave the electors in the shadows for now.

wNoIEEh.jpg

But Europe is not important to the Jalayirids, Iberia is. Right now, my predecessor has spent 250 admin points to core Toledo, a 15BT province he took from Ryukyu. 15BT? Yes, Toledo is one of the richest provinces of Europe, unlike the backwaters of Paris or London for example (both have 1BT...) Let's take a look at the economic mapmode, and we see that Southern Iberia is the richest region of Europe. It is our region. Good...

unTfXBm.jpg

Turning to our actual position, we have just annexed a subject; Mutapa, I believe, had Lisboa and Beira. We have written a national epic, about fulfilling the Mongol dream of reaching the Atlantic, support the Florentine school, and we have a cardinal in our administration, who is probably responsible for the cessation of church functions which affects us. The war against Ryukyu was not easy, as we have no manpower left. Also, we are a bit behind in admin and miltech, while we are at diplo seven. The AI thought it was wise to take Innovative in these circumstances. I say that was not such a good idea. We are an Iberian power with an excess in diplo points, our monarch and our heir are capable diplomats. You know what that means: Exploration ideas. I have allied Powhatan before looking at the economic mapmode, Sunda would probably have been better, but with my army, led by Iqbal Jahagir (1/4/1/0), I set my sight on reconquista, against Egypt. I also keep my admiral, as I don't want any bad surprise from the African fleets.

eLbA9Ka.jpg

Egypt may have 7k men, but half of them are in Africa. Albania won't join them either, only Marwar and the Timurids. Therefore, as soon as the morale of my troops and ships is full, I invade them. They don't withstand long in Jabal Tariq. Even if we are at war again, the people reclaims a post-war relief. It wasn't me who threw lives away carelessly, you fools! But fine, I can live with less tax if I need to. The pope agrees with my thinking and the effort of reconquista, so he declares one of Ahmad's ancestors a saint. Who? Genghis Khan?

hZuty3W.jpg

Egypt is swiftly occupied, and their exiled troops move to Murcia, where they can't do anything. They want peace at every price, offer me Granada, Cadiz and their treasury. But their price isn't high enough. In good old Mongol thinking, all that counts is their full annexation. Therefore I decline, and move a mercenary force as well as 6k men under Khan... I mean King... Ahmad to occupy Marwar. Meanwhile, I receive happy news from Gondwana and the previous occupants of my land: Spain was at war with Xi and Rewa Kantha, and the Great Elephant won!

3xHyKnX.jpg

Somehow, the Africans don't think Ahmad is a good general (which is true, but still... theirs aren't better). With 5k men, first Marwar, then the Timurids attack him in Tangiers. Even without reinforcements, he won the first battle, and the second as well. Our tribe is mightier then theirs! (I need a tribal feud CB.) I then unlock my first colonist and send Ahmad's men to lay siege to the Timurid land, Oran.

16KeXum.jpg

As he arrives in Oran, the Marwari army returns and attacks Jahagir's mercenaries in Tangiers. As the Timurids appear as well, I quickly send Ahmad back on the ships and he arrives just in time to save the day. Fleeing, the Marwari accept being forced back to India, leaving their African lands in the good hands of the Vimaranes/Jalayirids. Having my foothold in Africa as well as no enemy fleet opposing me, I dismiss the admiral and grant them more autonomy.

jyzaxyh.jpg

Seeing that my enlightened rule bears its fruits, the nobles demand recompensation. I need as much stability as possible to prevent/delay rebellions, so I pay them off. The event is less deadly with this patch, but it still forces me to take a new loan after I had paid back both AI ones (I missed six ducats). I also research miltech seven, the limber, giving me access to cannons, before I annex Egypt.

efaghEe.jpg

With the return of peace, I start colonising the only empty province I can see, Arguin. Seeing it full of angry natives, I send the mercenary force as garrison there. With my king's and his heir's only knowledge of military being that they have to hit the enemy with the pointy end, I hire an army reformer, Mirza Sa'id. His abilities are of good use, even more so as Ahmad dies, leaving Hussain in charge of the country.

YoUYhG1.jpg

Without Khan Ahmad, the merchants in Genoa suffer. I tell them to stay at home then. From there, they can divert the trade of Safi instead. The colonials suffer even more, being sustained by the Genoese trade. There were only 100 settlers, they knew the risks. The last consequence of Ahmad's death is that general Jahagir follows him into the grave. Does nobody like Hussein? 'Abd al-Karim Mohsin (1/2/3/0) replaces the general.

pQgBp77.jpg

My truce with Ryukyu ends, and I contemplate attacking them. Problem is, they are allied with two of my three allies, so I wait a bit more. Yan decides to make the decision instead of me, and attacks Kangra. I honour the call to arms, hoping to get Coimbra and Porto, my claims, out of the war, as well as perhaps a Ryukyuan province, as they decide to help Yan. Looking at the bare numbers, the Yan ruler must be insane, but he's not even a militarist.

hIBNefv.jpg

I take one army to besiege Yan, while Mohsin smashes Ryukyu in Leon. Two of my colonial mercenaries set sail to the Ryukyuan Canaries. Yan attacks my troops in Porto, but Kangra reinforces and Yan retreats.

ZDkAoPW.jpg

Mohsin pursues Ryukyu to Madrid, and wipes them out, proceeding to siege their provinces. My other army sets after Yan, and wipes them out in Coimbra.

oB7G3hb.jpg

With all of the enemy under siege, Yan remembers they are allied with the Creek, and call them to help. A purely Indian battle in Aragón ends in Powhatan's favour, and the alliance's focus shifts eastward while I control all Western sieges.

qNY2L6J.jpg

Then, the Egyptians revolt in Granada and Gibraltar. Kangra celebrates this by making peace with Ryukyu, not giving me Castilla La Vieja, but instead releasing Buton. The new nation promptly allies them and me, and joins the war before I can diplo-vassalize them. I need to assemble my whole army, so I wait until the sieges in Yan finish before moving against the Egyptian rebels.

OekRVdM.jpg

As all Yan falls, I march against the rebels in Gibraltar, beating them. I then attack the other uprising in Andalucía, but get a beating. I consolidate my army, build two cannons and hire some mercenaries for round two.

mS5P6KD.jpg

Leading nobles complain that cannons are flawed and we should return to horse archery, but I ignore them. Powhatan beats up another Creek army.

pYksaQU.jpg

As Arguin starts producing wine, the same nobles continue to argue that old methods are still the best. I ignore them again, before proving that my cannons were worth their price, crushing the uprising. I deploy my men to free the land, when 1491 begins. I wonder if I will see the end of the war, that Kangra gives me some provinces and that Buton becomes a Jalayirid vassal, and roll a 4, means that I do!

Yp4Vlzc.jpg

Now that I've seen most of the world, it is time to present a world map, without North America. I doubt you'll see much, but the next update will feature a closer look at the different regions of the world.

CCKQmFR.jpg
 
I wonder how ideas work for random nations. Do they take whatever ideas the nation that usually occupies that spot would take? I'm just curious if the nations in Western Europe will actually attempt colonization. At least we know that the Jalayirids will. ;)

It'll be fun to see how this world turns out once everything consolidates into a few blobs instead of a bunch of tiny nations.
 
So nations have the tech group, main culture and main faith of their new provinces but maintain their flag, colour, name, ideas and ambitions? Is that how it is?

Also, Russia can into Golden Horde. And Jerusalem can into Scandinavia. And Hannover can into Steppe. And Tlaxcala can into Khiva. Well you get the jist.
 
Yes. Only cultural/regional ideas (like German, West African etc.) get replaced (Gondwana for example has West African ideas, while Spain keeps Spanish ones, even if it is Animist :laugh:)

As for the idea choice, it should be based 'on strategic choices'. It doesn't spoil anything to say that I've seen that Air and Champa (the two masters of Britain) have both taken Exploration while I've played the next ten years.
 
Well, looks like the Reconquista is on a good track. Sad that you weren't muslim though.
 
Would have been more fitting for the Jalayirids, but they have their capital in Algarve, so they are Portuguese Catholics... Even if their first names suggest something else :rolleyes:.



Chapter Six: An Unexpected Discovery

The rebel holdings are not yet taken, that I seize the occasion to get an easy end of the reconquista. The Aztecs and Albania were fighting, and the Aztecs had gotten the worst of the war. That left their ally in Almeria, Qara Qoyunlu, without protection. Else I would have waited a bit to recover manpower, but now I launch a full-scale invasion of Qara, Qasim and Aydin while my allies finish off Creek. Qasim, only allied to Qara and Aydin, is declared co-belligerent.

gUFPZGC.jpg

Husain is a good administrator, so I research admin five, Constable&Temples, while my army takes out QQ without much resistance. As the rebels surrender Andalucia, my colonials complain again. This time, they claim that not the Genoese merchants, but the Egyptian rebels financed them. I feel they just want to ruin the crown, but give in, not willing to lose two hundred colonists.

wb8xtWA.jpg

I land armies in Tangiers, and drive out Qasim from its homeland, before I march south and Mohsin's mostly cavalry force smashes Aydin. The reinforcements force me to take another loan, but for that, all of the enemy is under siege. At least I thought so until I saw that Qasim holds Agadir. No biggie, they can't move away from there.

bV1uQ0o.jpg

Kangra then settles for a peace, giving their loyal ally what I've expected, Valencia, Coimbra and Porto, while they take Aragon for themselves. Great! I celebrate by unlocking Quest for the New World, reducing my war exhaustion to zero and vassalizing Buton.

pdRAp0t.jpg

My great fishing fleet provides hardy seamen for my military fleet, who gladly join it. Each fight it had was against Muslims leaving their occupied port, so there were no great risks for the sailors. Less then for the rest of the population, as they once again complain due to the past war. We are still at war, people! Wake up!

VGquBQT.jpg

Meanwhile, Champa looks like the dominant power in Britain. As I wrote earlier, both Champa and Aïr have taken exploration, though I didn't know it back then. I wish that Aïr will have three colonial nations... As I occupy all of my Moroccan enemies, the inhabitants of Tangiers complain, which I counter with negotiation and a well placed bribe of thirty ducats, before finally moving to Agadir and wrapping up the remains of Qasim as they retreat right into my waiting army in Haha. Sadly, nobody claimed the defender of the faith at that time. I would truly laugh at their pretensions.

LXqTluA.jpg

As I don't want to overextend, Aydin only has to give me Dukkala. Qasim and Qara Qoyunlu on the other hand are not so lucky; there can only be one horde. I hope the Jalayirids will conquer the Timurids later. Not forgetting Agadir again, I sell it to Denmark; it's better to have my army in one place.

3nJPzJh.jpg

The cities disagree, wishing more rights. All Husain tried to do was to organize the cities in his new Muslim lands like in Christian Iberia... No way I lose my legitimacy. We were nomads before, cities didn't even exist back then – so they can't demand old rights, I argue. They don't like that argument.

qX3jgRB.jpg

Having a truce with just about everyone around save the Aztecs, I settle for waiting until the Ryukyuan truce is up. More lands in Africa would only tank my religious unity, and I am in dire need of it if I don't want the Jalayirids to collapse later on. It worked in Gondwana, they still stand as I can see. So I look around and see that Yan would now be willing to accept vassalization, and I start working on it: guarantee, alliance, royal marriage, trade transfer, improving relations... As a vassal, they won't make any more suicidal attacks. And they will stop building that wall along our border. Chinese obsession when they see a Mongol.

WbAnJyp.jpg

Then, on the occasion of the 1st of December 1494, I get a surprise I hadn't wanted. The whole world gets revealed, at least everything the nations of the world know. This has to be a side effect of the custom nations discovery fix. I guess nobody will find El Dorado in this world. Conquistadors and Explorers are mostly useless. Well, I have to deal with it. I see that Gondwana is still strong, and Brandenburg starts unifying Honshu and Hokkaido. I also take a look at the electors of the HRE. The Hansa is clearly a well-liked emperor.

zYCmEo0.jpg

As a most pious Catholic king, Husain puts a cardinal into his service, and I start converting Cadiz (will take 166 months). I'd love having an inquisitor, but there is none available. Instead, I continue contemplating the world and see Manchu (Sweden) conquer most of Transylvania (Norway). The usual, just with other tags. But Muscovy becoming a vassal of the Russian horde is... different. Though one could say it is a bit like a Russian state paying tribute to the Golden Horde.

LoRLaDC.jpg

Turning back to my own matters, Lollards in Porto dislike my cardinal minister. An undisciplined mess, their revolt is crushed. Then, the natives in Arguin, that have been calm for a long time, start being assimilated. That would be fine, if the colony didn't have 993 settlers already. All of a sudden, I had that inexplicable urge to kill some Mongol colonist, but thankfully there are none around me. Instead, I send this incompetent idiot Zîyad Mirza to Ceara, hoping he'll end as shrunken head.

8YQt0fI.jpg

My government agrees with me, and develops a more efficient way to deal with the colonial administration. My inflation forces me to use caution, but it pays off nonetheless. Having no money at that moment, a doctrine of 'kill them first, then ask questions' is installed. Some wonder why it should only apply to savages and ask themselves why Kangra holds Aragon now. We have a claim on it, so they must be our enemies, no? Wrong, it was only a Creek province, peasant rabble!

OcmapqH.jpg

After our excellent conduction of diplomacy and bribes, Yan accepts becoming our vassal. Zîyad Mirza has to spoil this by begging for money once again. *********! I haven't enough cash, so they are on their own this time. Can't Mirza be one of the dead, that useless *******! I calm down a bit knowing that the Vimaranes have eclipsed the Creek and Aztecs.

BkwQn1H.jpg

Ryukyu didn't manage to re-ally my allies this time. Only Québec. Having a very good experience fighting against nations starting with a Q, I don't fear them. That they have pretender problems and are no threat to me either way doesn't influence my decision. I overwhelm Ryukyu in Madrid, and send a second army to the Canaries, where I reach another victory.

Ed1jM5a.jpg

While Québec is no threat on land, with Nupe and Kangra dealing with them, their fleet sinks my Sevillan trade fleet. No problem. I feel confident enough to deny the offer of some shady people, research Pike&Shot (miltech 8), before Québec concedes defeat. On their own, Ryukyu has no choice but to become a part of the glorious Jalayirid/Vimaranes kingdom. This makes me eclipse Aïr. Nobody shall rival our might!

JAQTkv0.jpg

I start building some more ships, and hire a master minter. Nearing the end, I see that Brandenburg annexes Brittany, the Aztec really fill in the role of Morocco by annexing Aydin and Denmark, and the Hansa keeps the Imperial title.

NgnhW57.jpg

Even on my last day as ruler of the Jalayirids, Mirza manages to upset me. I truly hate that lousy colonist. Now he provoked the natives. Also, smugglers take advantage of his incompetence to avoid paying for Ceara's new fish resource. Time to leave before I edit him out of the save...

ks72m1N.jpg

A very successful turn, the Jalayirids have become an unrivalled power in Iberia. They can become the strongest realm of all if this goes on. Truly lucky that the RNG brought me here.

0LPnxEl.jpg

Okay, so where to next? Number 131, Golkonda? Not possible, annexed somewhere along the line. Number 120, Frankfurt? They got in the way of the Great Elephant. Number 186, Kiev? What RNGesus giveth, he taketh. A 2PM in the Indian Ocean. With both provinces 'part of different continents'. Fun times ahead. I hope I can do something else than just sitting on my islands for ten years.

JvoYwaS.jpg



To get a better view of the world, I'll make a small world update for Sunday. India will be important for Kiev, I think.