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It's easy enough once you can lure the Dutch into attacking you. Dig in bonuses are quite a bit higher in APD. Just finished that game in 3rd place with the Philippines under my belt. The trick is tons of dreadnoughts and State Capitalism or Planned Economy to boost your industry with your spice money. Malaysia might be able to get enough Capitalists, though, since it's small enough. I would still recommend acquiring all of Sumatra and Java, regardless of your plans otherwise. Their spectacular population is the only way you can get an army large enough to fend off the British Empire.

Thats interesting indeed. I never considered to lure someone into starting a war on me, it looks like a very promising approach overall.
 
Chapter 4 - Apocalypse Almost


From the third Book of Johore
In these days gruesome news reached the sultan
and he turned his face against the dark grey clouds and cried:
"Why have you forsaken us!"



Large parts of Johore and Api were sinking into agony as wave upon wave
of illness struck the poor people in the 1850s and 1860s. Many brave
men, woman and children fell victim to cholera, tuberculosis and
typhus as well.


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From the Book of Revelations
The sultan was wandering in anxiety. He did not know what
to do or what to expect, lesser even where this plague
came from.


"We did not deserve this. Have I not done everything what the lord told me to?
Have I not obeyed and followed his law..."


Just as the sultan wanted to leave the empty mosque,
the lord raised his voice once more:


Yes! You have and you shall carry on to do so.


But why are you punishing us? Why did you let my
people suffer so greatly, though they have done
nothing but working hard and following your word?


Do not question my ways for it is not in your
power to comprehend! 'Tis but a mere test of faith.
I gave your people, and all mankind for that matter,
a free will and brains to use. Let that be a warning,
you and your kind have it in your own hand to end
such rigor in future days. Do order your scholars and
apothecaries to find a cure, a medicine to heal your
peoples wounds.



Oh lord, I will gladly do, but all our scholars
are occupied with exploring the ways of western countries.
They seem to be wise in many ways that are still
locked away from our understanding.


See to it then for you have your own part to play,
The nation of Johore needs many a reforms to be ready
for a western way of living.



And so the lord left the sultan alone in his mosque and
the peoples faith was subject of further testing.


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But hope was not all forlorn. A spirit of curiousness
and ambition spread throughout the schools and
academies. Even the sultan himself studied day and night,
he gathered his advisors around him and elaborated numerous
reforms to overhaul the nation and have it renewed for
future tasks to come.


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But it did not go unnoticed what happened in little
Johore, in fact many of eyes and ears were resting on the
Sultanate.


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Wow, and I thought my Ionian Islands had it bad in the early years...

I'm loving this! Keep it up! :)
 
Ouch. I'm surprised you have anyone left.

Wow, and I thought my Ionian Islands had it bad in the early years...

I'm loving this! Keep it up! :)

Thanks I'll try my best to do so ;)
My working population of 136K in 1844 went down to 85K in 1871. So roughly 60% did survive the plagues.
On the upper side: it wiped out all potential reactionaries which means until now its rebellion free reformation.
 
Thanks I'll try my best to do so ;)
My working population of 136K in 1844 went down to 85K in 1871. So roughly 60% did survive the plagues.
On the upper side: it wiped out all potential reactionaries which means until now its rebellion free reformation.

And it could help with increasing your literacy too.
 
Thank you for a very creative approach!

You're welcome. Glad you enjoy it :)

And it could help with increasing your literacy too.

Indeed, upon westernization the literacy had climbed up to 35%. But then again as Atjeh and Bali joined, it went down to between 18 and 20%.
 
Chapter 5 - A Civilizing on the Horizon


From the old Testament according to Ali
After long years of restless reformation, the holy land of
Johore had changed fundamentally. And it was good.

Farmers had cultivated their rugged and weedy fields.
And each seed they planted yielded hundredfold its weight.

Miners had thrown away their old sticks to craft new iron pickaxes.
And each gold mine yielded twice as much than before.

Merchants had left their offices and opened up trading routes.
And their shops now contained ten times as many goods.

Officers had left the taverns and devised training plans.
And their soldiers now marched and fought thrice as fierce.

Scholars had written their insights on paper and binded to books.
And three times more students now learned their wisdom.
And the word of the lord spread quickly.



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As the Sultanate concluded its decades of seclusion in 1871 it verily resembled
a western monarchy. And upon opening their borders, believers from lands
far away came to praise the lord and offer their services for the holy land.*
Sultan Ali was moved to tears as he looked over his prospering realm.


And the word of the lord spread quickly indeed.


More than thirty years had passed since the lord had revealed himself to Ali.
The Sultan had become old and frail. Years and years of austerity and sorrows
marked his face and body and he summoned his son Abu to prepare him for the crown.
As sultan and prophet Abu should rule Johore and continue the divine mission,
his father once begun.


And Abu was eager to serve his country. He loved Johore with all his heart,
and wished to see its banner across all of Malaysia. Be it with the
help of divine forces or not.


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From the letter of the prophet Abu to the Balinese
Brothers and sisters: praise the lord! The time has come to unite our forces
for the good of all Malay people.
[...]
I know you are a nation of great pride and giving up your long lasting
independence for the lord and the greater cause is a tremendous sacrifice.
To honor your legacy and your people I shall grant you a final battle
between our brave and noble armies to measure their forces. With a victory
your nation shall join ours; may they be united forever!



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From the new Testament according to Abu
And the holy land of Johore was growing larger and larger.
Johorians, Bruneians, Atjehnese and Balinese were now united under the
banner of the lord. But more people were yet to follow.


And the prophet Ali said unto his people:
"See how the enemy trembles in fear! The Queen is afraid of our noble Sultanate and
the great things it is to unveil! The British in their empire are divided and
unhappy for they are driven by greed and spite. They have no right to stay in Malaysia.
So let us be strong and hard working and united to seize the opportunity when it is
arrived."



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* The waves of immigration lasted till the end of the year when all foreign believers had arrived in Johore.
 
"With a victory
your nation shall join ours"

It's a good thing the Sultan didn't specify whose victory it would have to be. :p

The Worker's Commonwealth! I haven't seen that since 1.1!
 
Wow - It's not every day you get to see the Worker's Commonwealth appear.

One question, how has the Netherlands not colonized Borneo yet?

"With a victory
your nation shall join ours"

It's a good thing the Sultan didn't specify whose victory it would have to be. :p

The Worker's Commonwealth! I haven't seen that since 1.1!

I was equally puzzled when the message popped up, but none the less delighted :) Too bad it happened just during my last two annexations so i missed what exactly caused this beautiful sight.
Couldn't have happened while I was bored with westernization...

Maybe the phrasing was not entirely clear, but the Johorians somehow decided to grant Bali one final victory before annexing them. I simply have no other explanation for losing a battle with half of the casualties and 25% more troops to begin with :D

And finally the Netherlands are just about to finish colonizing Borneo. Just got delayed a bit it seems.
 
Chapter 5 - Crusade to Bangkok


From the fourth Book of Johore
In these days the prophet and son of holy Ali, Abu visited the
King of Burma. Word of the lord had spread to Rangoon and the
Burmese people were following the Johorian way of westernization.
Abu rallied the king and his generals to proclaim the lord's vision.


And he said unto them: "If you take one branch, you can break it easily.
If you take a bundle of branches, the force to break them must be
far greater. So let us bundle, let us unite to fight the Siamese
infidels! They block the roads between our nations and try to
keep us separated. They hinder believers of our both realms to unite
and pray together. Every follower of the lord must be guaranteed to
travel freely between our holy shrines and temples. And the Siamese
community of believers must be liberated as to pursue their beliefs
and prayers freely. So let us march for Bangkok.
Let us march under the banner of the lord!"



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So it was decided and so it was done. Burma occupied the northern
provinces and Abu lead his men to conquer Southern and Eastern Siam.
Abu ordered Siam to give their Eastern provinces to Luang Prabang
for they showed their gratitude by praying and honoring the lord,
who had commanded to unite their country after long times of separation.
Siamese blood dyed the jungle soil around Nakhon Sawan dark red as the Siamese and Johorians marched home.



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Siam was beaten but stubborn. Their king more than ever refused
to obey the lord but rather pled the capitalists for help. America
was a mighty empire, but far away from their shores their power
meant nothing.



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The victory of Johore and Siam had spread a wildfire among their
neighboring nations. The word of the lord eventually reached the
secluded empire of Japan. Shoguns heart was softened by the lord
and he allowed the Japanese community of the lord to pilger to the
holy land.
Every Japanese believer was free to pay a visit and a tribute to
the lord. The community of the lord was closer and stronger than ever.



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The lord saw the british grew fearful and confused.
And it was good.



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Looks like you might get those Johorian territories after all!
 
Looks like you might get those Johorian territories after all!

Indeed, I am incredibly lucky with this one it seems.

It gives me no end of pleasure seeing Britain implode. As always, great update!

Thanks very much. I also enjoy seeing big empires implode. Sadly it doesn't happen very often :(

Australia freed in 1887!! This is great, keep it up.

Hooray for Down Under! This is such a rare moment in Vanilla AHD.
 
Very interesting, and from the looks of it, strange game developing here. Colour me interested.
 
You might be feasible for an Indonesian APD AAR......

Funny how Siam gets kicked by Burma and Johore....

Our Burmese brothers honored the lord a whole lot :)
But I don't know about Indonesia. I'd have to be so very lucky again :D

Very interesting, and from the looks of it, strange game developing here. Colour me interested.

It really is. Nothing to complain about, so its almost too good to be true ;) Also, Central Europe looks pretty messy.