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Chapter 3

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Chapter 3: Before the Storm
1871 - 1881

After 10 years of internal autonomy it was becoming clear to Hungary that in order to retake its rightful place under the sun it will have to loosen its ties with the Hapsburg House. Austria however is during this time a powerful nation, which despite the setbacks with Prussia, still commands respect and is superior to Hungary in many ways. The decade and half following the Austro-Prussian War finds Hungary focused on industrial expansion.

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Hungary's army is clearly overshadowed in the first half of the decade. The cultural and economical focus of the research establishment reaps its first benefits as Budapest is accepted by the world as one of the lesser centers of thinking and art.

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Unfortunately, it will not be by pen alone that Hungarian independance will be achieved. For the moment, a professional army that outnumbers Austria's is beyond our reach. A large reserve army will provide added muscle and relatively modded cost. At the end of the decade, around 32 reserve divisions will be able to be raised. IT is Hungary's plan to intiate the Second Independace War after the year 1881. As time passes more resources are diverted into a standing army.

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Due to the banning of the conservative party, the landowners elect the Communists into power. The party is absolutely against everything that the country and its leaders stand for and by royal decree the Liberals are put back into power. Wide spread voting fraud is suspect as the reason for this shocking result. But this shows that the nation's elite is no longer able to choose wisely in respect to Hungary's long-term goals. The voting rights are thus further liberalized to ensure following voting results.

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No longer does a man have to own land to be able to vote. A simple wealth criteria is introduced. Public meetings are allowed and the freedom of press is not limited by censorship. However the establishment retains the power to ban political parties for the moment and in order to placate the rich only non-socialist trade unions are allowed. This political process brings the Szabadelvu Part into power with Laissez Faire economical, Protectionist trade policies, which enable the Hungarian industry and economy to grow fastest.

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And Hungary continues to grow stronger. With its huge cash reserves and technological advancement ahead of its master, Budapest shops in Vienna. For 90,500 and one technology we receive 3 other blueprints and the province ofKarlovar on the Adriatic coast. This province not only contains rare metal deposits but provides a wider access to sea for Hungary. It is not much, but it also makes Hungary adjectent to Senj with Iron Ore deposits. Hungarian rulers debate whether to obtain this province peacefellu prior to the outbreak of hostilities or in a peace settlement. This would demand a diversion of at least a single division for the southern front and the issue remains to be open. Due to lowering of taxes the growh of Hungarian cash reserves is no longer as explosive and it remains to be seen whether we will be able to afford another purchase.

The army is expanded by 1881 to 20 divisions to Austria's 14. A cavalry army of 60 000 men is positioned on the Galician border with Austria. Two 70 000 men strong infantry armies are based in Trencin and Sopron. As a form of luxury and gesture of status Hungary commissions 2 ships to be built. A somewhat obsolete ironclad that might be good enough against the Turkish fleet and a more modern Monitor that will sail from the docks at Ogulin during the year of 1881.

The naval base in Ogulin is rapidly expanded as well into the highest possible state. Yet most of Africa is still beyond the reach of any Hungarian endeavors, despite the nascent Hungarian Colonial Company's best efforts. Hungary has more pressing issues at hand far closer to home than joining other nations in their race for Africa.

The focus of research becomes military technology and tactics. The army is in place with 30 reserve divisions waiting to be mobilized and wrest full control of Hungary for Budapest!
 
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robou said:
the landowners... communists.... what? How do conservatives decide to vote to the extreme left?

yes. by some fluke the one party that most closely represented their views was the communist party. maybe the jingoism? :D a week later they were out of office ;) we were decades ahead of bela kun!

half way finished, 20 years to go.
 
Előre! Onward!

Good to see militarisation coming along nicely. The aditional picture is also very original. Good work!

On quick note, though, in hungarian, its Trencsény, not Trencin. I also have some qualms about only 30% oh Hungary being hungarian, but I dont want to start a balkan flamewar.
 
Herbert West said:
Előre! Onward!

Good to see militarisation coming along nicely. The aditional picture is also very original. Good work!

On quick note, though, in hungarian, its Trencsény, not Trencin. I also have some qualms about only 30% oh Hungary being hungarian, but I dont want to start a balkan flamewar.

Welcome on board :) I realize that Trencin is spelled differently in Hungarian, but I opted for Trencin for several reasons: 1.Vicky uses that spelling 2.being Slovak it comes naturally to me to write it that way 3. but most importantly, Im too lazy :D its less typing!

I fully agree with you on the population break down. As far as I am concerned, Hungarians constituted roughly about 50% of the population in the late 19th century. I dont know about other states but Slovakia for example has no Hungarian POPs in 1861, which I know for a fact isnt right. If I was more upset, I might just edit my files, but its not a game-breaker for me.
 
Chapter 4

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Chapter 4: Pro Libertad
1882

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In June 1882 the new rifles are issued to the hungarian armies. It is the one item that Budapest has been waiting for before it severs its ties with Austria. Hungary has had a good relationship with Austria. Unfortunately, Vienna does not view Budapest as an equal partner, but as a satellite. This limits the foreign policy of Hungary considerably. It is therefore decided that Hungary will claim independance. As such, a peaceful resolution with the Hapsburgs is unthinkable. The only path is that of war.

In Fall of 1882 the mounting tension between the two countries leads to Budapest leaving its alliance with Austria. On October 20th 1882 a formal declaration of war is delivered to Vienna. It is a repeat of the Uprising of 1848. But Hungary is no longer the agricultural country it was before. It is the 10th most industrialized nation in the world. It has 6 million more inhabitants than Austria. An standing army of 60.000 more than the Hapsburgs and a reserve pool of 320.000.

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Due to the changing diplomatic landscape Austrian troops begin shifting towards the Hungarian border. The trigger for this is the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian alliance. The battle plan of the Hungarian army is simple. The planners intent to take advantage of the scattered nature of the Austrian troops all along the extensive border. The 3rd Army (Knight) in Galicia consisting of exclusively mounting troops will move into Austrian Ukraine, engage the single divisions posted there and eliminate them as a fighting force before they can merge into one.

The 1st Infantry Army (Northern rook) will invade Moravia from Slovakia, engage any Austrian troops in the vicinity and prevent the unification of the Galician, Bohemian and Austrian are of operation into one battlefield.

The 2nd Infantry Army (Souther rook) consisting like 1st Army of ~70.000 infantrymen with cannon and Slovak Guard units will invade Austria proper and occupy Vienna, forcing the Hapsburgs to accept our demands.

Finally, on the Croatian coast was formed a small unit of 9.000 Croat cavalrymen. This special formation "Istria" has only one purpose. Invade the province of Senj with its iron deposits and secure this for Hungary. The country at the moment lacks any siazble iron deposits and this makes Senj the sole target of annexation in the peace negotiations.

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Formation "Istria" crosses the border between Karlovar and Senj and attempts to assume control of the province for the rest of the war. The 9.000 cavalry troops are basically outside of the war for the duration of hostilities. The unit prove too small to quickly subdue the region, but more units could not be spared.

3rd army (Knight) crosses the Carpathian mountains and engages the Austrian garrison there. The battle lasts for a number of days and predictably ends in Hungarian victory. But the front is long and the Slovak border is not protected at all. Small Austrian detachments march into Trencin, Kosice, Uzgorod. It quickly becomes clear that the 3rd army is insufficient for the task. While able to defeat the individual Austrian units, there are simply too many to defend Slovakia from invasion.

Luckily, news from the west are far more encouraging. 1st Army (Northern rook) units cross the river Morava into Moravia and quickly defeat the garrison there. They tend proceed to assume control of both Brno and Olomouc.

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Further south, 2nd Army (Southern rook) fights the enemy around Vienna. The Austrians defend the capital fiercely and the battle wages for long enough time for the first reinforcements from other areas to arrive. In the end, the numerical superiority of the Hungarians decides. Generals on both sides are only memorable for their mediocrity.


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Both 1st and 2nd Armies (rooks) move in closer to co-ordinate their moves in expectation of a concerted Austrian effort to regain control of Vienna. The Hungarian armies chase away the smalled Austrian detachments of no more than 30.000 soldiers, but it is becoming painfully clear that the Emperor has still strength for a pro-longed conflict. In the first weeks of winter the Hungarians retain control of Olomouc, Brno and Vienna, but the other fronts do not look so great.

The Hapsburg troops from Italy are used both to strentghten the Austrian operations as well as conduct invasions into western Hungary proper. Only the reserve divisions will be able to stop them since there is nothing between them and Budapest.

The Carpatian front is in trouble as well. 3rd Army (knight) has pushed specific enemy units back into Galicia, but Trencin, Kosice and Uzhorod are under Austrian control. With a sole enemy division pushing into Transylvania. The situation is unstable.

Reports of a Serbian uprising in Voivodina only reinforce the sense of gloom in Budapest. If there will be any salvation, it will come from the Honved reserves, which should become battle ready any day now.

However it seems the Emperor has lost his head once again and the Austrians are in a far worse shape than thought. A peace offer arrives in Budapest:

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The terms are far better than what Hungary wanted. On January 1st 1883 the 9 week war is over. Hungary becomes an independant nation and an equal with other countries and Vienna. In their haste fro peace, Vienna has offered several provinces in Poland and Galicia.

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This creates a dilemma in Hungary. Zator (coal) provides a corridor to German Silesia and cuts Austria and its Galician provinces into two and so does Tarnow (wheat). Stryj (coal) is a poor Ukranian province beyond the Carpatians. Keeping these provinces in Hungary is out of the question. A more appealing option is to create a rump Poland from the western two and a free city of Ukrainian Stryj. In the end, as a gesture of good will towards Vienna, all three are returned to Vienna for military technology and $800. The money is used to improve relations with Austria and possibly renegotiate the Austro-Hungarian alliance on a basis of equals. Hungary remains a monarchy with a junior branch of Hapsburgs as its rulers and retains the Adriatic provinces of Senj to the south and Friume to the north of its naval base.

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Hungary is not far from Great Power status in 1882. Budapest ponders what strategy to pursue however. Should it be the industrial expansion that has suited us so well until now? Is Hungary rich and populous enough to be able to provide manpower for further growth? Especially with ruling parties that prevent minorities to advance socially?

Should instead Budapest focus on cultural progress and become the center of art and philosophy and through associated regard throughout the world become a great power?

Or should the armies march across the Balkans to both liberate the nations living in the shadow of the crescent and reap glory? The natural ally for this policy is a partnership with Russia and the diplomats have been working for a decade on improving the relations between St.Petersburg and Budapest. The memories of Villagos in 1849 are long forgotten and Hungary's dearest partners are both Austria and Russia.
 
Those landowners are confused wanting communists :)

So, off with the Austrian yoke. Now time to seize Hungarin destiny by both hands.
 
Chapter 5

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Chapter 5: Great Power
1883 - 1893

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During the Austro-Hungarian War that ended on January 1st, 1883 Russia, France and Greece have been fighting the Ottoman Empire along with an allied Britain. By the spring of 1886, Austria has joined Russia in their struggle and invaded enemy holdings on its borders. It seemed that the "sick man of Europe" was finally terminally ill. Hungary has moved its troops into position in the previous months in order to prepare for any possibility and by May 1886 was poised to attack.

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Serbia has been vassalized by the High Porte and was part of the coalition. The military plan for Hungary was to sweep into Serbia and Bosnia. Serbia was to knocked out of the war and loose its ties to the Sultan. With 3 provinces and between 20 and 30 thousand soldiers, they would not pose a great threat to Hungary. Only the 1st infantry army (Eastenr rook) was to face Serbia.

The 2nd Army (Western rook) also consisted exclusively of infantry and was intended to invade Eastern Bosnia. March eventually into Sarajevo, defeat any Turkish armies along the way and eventually sweep through Macedonia, rendez vous with the 1st ARmy and jointly march onto the Ottoman capital via Rumelia.

3rd Army's orders were to engage Turkish troops in Western Bosnia and occupy the province as far as Novy Pazar, with its iron mines. Potentially march in the wake of the main armies and swing southward into Thessaly. This time however, the enemy outnumbered Hungary and would not easily yield territory in the mountainous passes of the Balkans. The Hungarian High command to a certain extent anticipated difficulties and a general order of mobilization was issued and on May 15th Hungary has declared war on the Ottoman Empire. Turkey was soon joined by their allies: Serbia, Hedjaz and Egypt.

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Turkey and Serbia were ill equipped to meet the initial Hungarian attacks. Belgrade was isolated by the maneuvers of the 1st Army (Eastern rook), but Serbian units were not utterly defeated and retreated east into Ottoman territory. They would march into Serbia and prolonged the subjugation of Serbia. After several battles, 1st Army gained control and fought Serbians around Belgrade. The battle seemed undecided and 2nd ARmy had to march eastward to aid the battle. Once Belgrade fell, 1st Army marched south to (again!) chase away the Serbian army from Bor and force Belgrade behind the negotiating table. This last battle decided the fate of Serbia and in October 1896 peace was signed. Belgrade stopped being controlled from Constantinople and the province of Bor was transfered to Hungary as a staging area into further expansion into the Balkans.

3rd Army of 60.000 dragoons proceeded to occupy Bosnia outside of Austrian control, but had to avoid directly assaulting Ottoman positions as the terrain rpoved highly benefitial for defense. This restrained proved later quite far-sighted as the Reserve divisions learnt through great sacrifice.

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By winter of 1886 the battle lines ran from the Roumainian border in the north to the Adriatic sea in Montenegro. The Austrian army performed poorly against the Ottoman army and slowly the war boiled down to a conflict of Turkey and Great Britain on one side and Russia, Astria. France and Hungary on the other. Thankfully for Hungary, London was engaged in battle against St.Petersburg exclusively.

Bor, the newly acquied region in Eastern Serbia was used as a staging ground for the 1st Reserve Army of 60.000 recruits. This defended the rear of 1st Army to march into Western Bulgaria and commence the conquest of Rumelia.

2nd Army continued its process of subjugating the mountain passes and valleys of Bosnia. Unofrtunately, Turkish troops oncentrated in souther Bosnia and only through high casualties were they able to be dislodged from Podgorica. This opened the gate towards Macedonia to the 3rd Army to fan out and gain control of as much territory as possible.

2nd Army had to reorganize and Reserve divisions replaced the battered formation in order to boost the strength of 2nd Army. The size grew to beyond 200.000 soldiers. Bosnia was quickly overrun and 2nd Army marched through Montenegro into Kosovo. It was believed that nothing could stand in the way of this largest Hungarian Army in a rather secondary theater of war.

Austrian ended the war and by spring of 1887 Hungary was fighting the bulk of the Ottoman Army alone. During the year, Russia signed peace with the Porte in order to concentrate on its quickly deteriorating conflict with Queen Victoria.

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Ottoman troops took strong defensive positions in Northern Albania. 2nd Army approached through Kosovo. The commander assumed that his numerical superiority (of roughly 100.000) would sweep the enemy away. 3rd Army was detached to patrol and occupy Eastern Macedonia. The Battle of Shkoder proved the costliest battle of the entire war and lasted for weeks. The fighting in Thrace kept the High Command distracted and the local commander in charge scattered the lives of the young recruits willing to prove their spirit.

The battle started promisingly with the huge advantage of Hungarian army. But as the fighting continued and the weather deteriorated in autumn, it was becoming obvious that the mounting casualties could not be sustained and that possibly the fortress of Shkoder will not be even captured. Lower commanders began rising their voices against the continuous assaults, which with little artillery support were only spending enemy bullets that could always find their target.

From the 260.000 troops at the start of the battle roughly 40.000 remained at the end of the battle. The rest were either dead, wounded or captured. The Turks sustained high casualties too, but in no way comparable.
Ottoman counter attack defeated the retreating 2nd Army and the disaster was completed! The defeat of Shkoder became a national nightmare comparable to Mohacs (1526) or Vilagos (1849).

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Suddenly, the entire western theater of operation collapsed. 3rd Army was in no way able to both police the conquered territories and defend Western Macedonia from Ottoman attacks through Thessalonica. The last reserves were thrown into Bosnia to shore up the defenses. However, Turkey had its hands free to deal with Hungary and with great speed the gains of previous months were lost. Western Bulgaria, Macedonia, even southern Bosnia was lost to a local band of loyal Muslims.

The last hope for Hungary rested in the hands of General Lengvary and 1st Army. During the year of 1887, 1st Army fought its way through Rumelia towards Constantinople. By the autumn of late 1887 during the fiercest battles around Shkoder, 1st Army with attached reserve divisions could see the Golden Horn through their binoculars. During January of 1888, Hungarian troops laid siege to the Turkish capital. Fierce enemy attacks launched from Asia prolonged the siege by weeks and the outcome was not certain. Should a large Ottoman Army appear from the depths of Asia and challenge General Lengvary to a pitched battle, the tide of war could be turned clearly in Turkey's favour.

By January 1888 general Lengvary finally captured the ancient capital of Byzantium. The negotiations were commenced not right away. For several days Hungarian diplomats awaited the re-capture of Pristina by the 3rd Army in order to demand it in the peace negotiations.

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On January 10th 1888 the peace of Izmir was signed between Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. In addition to the provicne of Bor gained from Serbia, Hungary became the new controller of Nis and Pristina in Kosovo, Podgorica and Novy Pazar as well as Bihac, Banjaluka, Tuzla, Foca and Sarajevo in Bosnia.

The iron mines of Novy Pazar as well as the lumber producing Kosovo provinces were kept by Hungary due to economical reasons. Bor became an important corridor to Kosovo for Hungary and thus Serbia was reimbursed by Serb provinces within Bosnia: Banjaluka, Tuzla, Sarajevo and Foca. Podgorica was granted autonomy and Montenegro became the youngest country in the Balkans.

Budapest was hoping that the Ottoman enclave in Southern Bosnia will revolt at some point and throw off the Ottoman yoke. Should they unlikely join Hungary, they were promised in secret accords to Belgrade.

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After the war, Hungary clearly became one of the Great Powers. It superceeded Russia, after St.Petersburg's crushing defeat from the hands of the British Empire. But the price for this was high. The thousands of dead, especially the disastrous battle of Shkoder proved that for offensive action in this era of industrialization, well-supplied and well-equipped professional units are needed.

The army had to be rebuilt following the war and priority was given to artillery and engineer brigades. In order to catch up technologically with other nations, the small coastal province of Fume was returned to Austria after a decade. Industrialization was encouraged by basically abolishing taxes to the richest. Wine and furniture became major exports of industry. A steel factory was built in Budapest in the new decade. Immigrants flocked into the central Hungarian industrial heartland to find new jobs. Hungary built a transport fleet and an expeditionary force of 50.000 mounted infantrymen. Hungary has become a Great Power, and as such we deserve overseas territory! The goal of this expedition was not clear yet. Do you(the reader) have suggestions?


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robou said:
thats a hefty peace, but it has put you on the world map at least :)

most of the provinces were 2% value at the negotiating table. i think my war score was 32% and i got 30% worth in the peace negotiation :) i was happy AI accepted since things werent going that great.

im hoping to execute one more war against the ottomans and liberate more balkan territory. perhaps give the kosovo region to serbia.

all of the african coast is taken so i dont think ill be able to establish any colonial claims. i might emulate italy and conquer a piece of the black continent once 1900 rolls around.
 
Got the peace just in time by the sounds of things, otherwise you might have been in serious trouble.
 
Chapter 6

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Chapter 6: Final decade
1893 - 1901

Thank you everyone for reading this AAR. I hope you had at least a fraction of the fun reading about Hungary as I had writing and playing it. I'll wrap up the final years of the game. They were rather uneventful. Turkey declared an additional war, but Hungarian troops remained in their Kosovo strongholds. I captured southern Bosnia, but settled for White Peace since the army expenses were killing my budget. The liberals remained in power. In 1900 Austria declared war on me! With an allied Germany, Austria gathered a powerful coalition. Germany offered peace as the coalition leader for a single Roumanian province. After the war I handed over the Serbian provinces back to Serbia. A series of cultural events boosted my prestige even further and secured me a firm 8th place in the global rankings.

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VÉGE
 
Not bad to sneak into the Great Power rankings.
 
well a great power place is better than not, but would have been nice to see Hungary leap a little higher. Still, liberals... what can you expect :p
 
robou said:
well a great power place is better than not, but would have been nice to see Hungary leap a little higher. Still, liberals... what can you expect :p

i was hoping to do so, but i think ive found the limits of a semi-historically playing hungary. my goal wasnt to declare wars on european nations that couldnt be explained well. for example a war with lets say belgium to bag me some rich industrial provinces. instead i was struggling in the mountains of the balkans versus turkey.

the african coast was covered in claims, so despite investing in my naval base, my colonization attempt collapsed before it even started.

stnylan said:
Not bad to sneak into the Great Power rankings.

thanks! the biggest contributors were actually the liberals :D who boosted my industrial score beyond recognition. i had more industrial points than russia! and a few well placed cultural techs that were responsible for at least 200 prestige points.



the reason i didnt write out the last chapter in more detail was that the AI declared this big wars (which warranted my trademarked map design) but settled for minor consessions: turkey - white peace and austria/germany - Cluj. everything else was humming along as before and as such there was no point in writing out long meandering paragraphs. since i dont believe in reloads, that is what in the end we got :)