Greetings everybody and welcome to my 2nd AAR! 
This AAR will use the mod "Byzantine Empire" created by the modder hammerfalls( credits to him! ) with slight modifications by myself.
The mod is a what-if the Byzantine Empire defeated the Ottomans and survived into the 20th century, I hope you will find it enjoyable.
It will be played on Normal/Normal settings and because of the mod it will also be played on HoI2, not Doomsday. Please bare with me.
Enjoy!
After capturing the Ottoman Sultan in 1453, the Byzantines entered a long phase of slow expansion.
By the end of the 18th century, all of modern day Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Israel had been annexed as well as most of the Balkans and Iraq.
However, a series of incompetent emperors began to lose control of Libya and many outlying regions. By the time of Napoleon the empire had lost present day Libya, the Black Sea coast, and their colonies in southern Italy.
The Byzantines entered a new isolationist period trying to hold the empire together but causing it to fall behind on many technological and cultural developments. In the early 19th century, the Byzantine won the First Balkan War and the Arab Civil War, growing complacent.
In the later 19th century, the Byzantine lost the Russo-Byzantine War and with it the Balkans. After defeat in the Second Balkan War, the empire signed an alliance with Germany and when World War I broke out, the Byzantines sided with the Central powers and lost. Good relations and the establishment of a Constitutional monarchy modeled on the British system led to closer relations between the Byzantines and British in the interwar years. At the start of the great depression in 1931, the British sold the island of Cyprus back to the Byzantine Empire.
In 1932, the Byzantine Empire fought the Third Balkan War that began when Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania declared war over a series of minor, longstanding territorial disputes. The Byzantine victory took two years to accomplish but was extremely successful at regaining lost territories. British intervention stopped Yugoslavia and Bulgaria from being annexed, although they Great Britain settled for large territorial concessions and recognition of the Byzantine conquest of Albania.
As 1936 opens,the Byzantine Empire is faced with an ailing emperor and his son to young to take the throne. Communist tensions are growing and relations have been deteriorating with both Italy and the Soviet Union...
This AAR will use the mod "Byzantine Empire" created by the modder hammerfalls( credits to him!
) with slight modifications by myself.The mod is a what-if the Byzantine Empire defeated the Ottomans and survived into the 20th century, I hope you will find it enjoyable.
It will be played on Normal/Normal settings and because of the mod it will also be played on HoI2, not Doomsday. Please bare with me.
Enjoy!
Introduction
After capturing the Ottoman Sultan in 1453, the Byzantines entered a long phase of slow expansion.
By the end of the 18th century, all of modern day Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Israel had been annexed as well as most of the Balkans and Iraq.
However, a series of incompetent emperors began to lose control of Libya and many outlying regions. By the time of Napoleon the empire had lost present day Libya, the Black Sea coast, and their colonies in southern Italy.
The Byzantines entered a new isolationist period trying to hold the empire together but causing it to fall behind on many technological and cultural developments. In the early 19th century, the Byzantine won the First Balkan War and the Arab Civil War, growing complacent.
In the later 19th century, the Byzantine lost the Russo-Byzantine War and with it the Balkans. After defeat in the Second Balkan War, the empire signed an alliance with Germany and when World War I broke out, the Byzantines sided with the Central powers and lost. Good relations and the establishment of a Constitutional monarchy modeled on the British system led to closer relations between the Byzantines and British in the interwar years. At the start of the great depression in 1931, the British sold the island of Cyprus back to the Byzantine Empire.
In 1932, the Byzantine Empire fought the Third Balkan War that began when Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania declared war over a series of minor, longstanding territorial disputes. The Byzantine victory took two years to accomplish but was extremely successful at regaining lost territories. British intervention stopped Yugoslavia and Bulgaria from being annexed, although they Great Britain settled for large territorial concessions and recognition of the Byzantine conquest of Albania.
As 1936 opens,the Byzantine Empire is faced with an ailing emperor and his son to young to take the throne. Communist tensions are growing and relations have been deteriorating with both Italy and the Soviet Union...
(Written by hammerfalls)
Emperor Eleftherios I Venizelos stood on his balcony in the Imperial Palace, watching the sun rise above his beloved capital of Constantinople. As the sun rose, which was making the city look like it was made of pure gold, he sighed.
He have had trouble sleeping lately and he felt weak, not as 20 years ago when he had reformed the Empire into what it was today.
True, it was he who had saved the Empire from certain disaster by transforming it into a democratic nation modelled after the British, even if it had meant that he himself was forced to give up his absolute power.
But it had been worth it.
At first the democratic reforms had frighten the people, but slowly they had adapted and calmed down. Being under a dicatorship for over 1000 years can make changes difficult as many conservatives had noted.
However, with the opening of the Senate to all citizen of the Empire and with elections introduced in all provinces, the common people opinion was heard and reforms was made in both the economic and agriculture administrations of the Empire, improving life for all the people.
The Emperor let the sun shine on his weary face as he looked towards the ancient church of Hagia Sofia.
The Church was truly a marvel to see. Being the symbol of Greek Orthodox and the City of Constatinople itself it was the greatest building in the city and had been rebuilt three times under various Emperors, one of them being Justinian the Great himself.
Sometimes it amazed him how the Empire had managed to survive so many hardships that had been thrown at them.
Eleftherios held a personal admiration of Emperor Basil for his victory over Bulgaria back in 11th century and for saving the Empire from certain destruction even if he didn't approve for his punishment towards the Bulgarian Army.
Emperor John II Komnenos was also a favorite of the Emperor due to the fact that he never ordered someone killed or blinded despite his long reign.
One of the greatest threat the Empire had faced must have been during the Fourth Crusade when Constantinopel was almost attacked due to Emperor Alexius IV inability to pay the crusaders the sum they had been offered if they helped him topple the reigning Emperor in Constantinople.
The plan had succeded, but afterwards Alexius had refused to pay the promised fee and the crusaders had been prepared to attack the city.
If it hadn't been for one of Alexius courtiers, Alexius Ducas and the fact that the rich heartland of Anatolia was still in the hand of the Empire after the victorious Battle of Manzikert in 1071 who knows what could have happened?
However, Alexius Ducas succeded in overthrowning the Emperor and paid the crusaders their fee which made them lift the siege.
Afterwards the Empire prospered and in 1453 the Ottoman Sultan was captured, bringing an end to the Turkish presence in Anatolia.
The sun was now high above the city, nearly blinding Eleftherios as he looked.
Now it was 1936 and his beloved Empire was still here...as it should be.
The Emperor returned to his chambers, determined to get some sleep before the meetings later...
The Empire by 1936
Emperor Eleftherios I Venizelos stood on his balcony in the Imperial Palace, watching the sun rise above his beloved capital of Constantinople. As the sun rose, which was making the city look like it was made of pure gold, he sighed.
He have had trouble sleeping lately and he felt weak, not as 20 years ago when he had reformed the Empire into what it was today.
True, it was he who had saved the Empire from certain disaster by transforming it into a democratic nation modelled after the British, even if it had meant that he himself was forced to give up his absolute power.
But it had been worth it.
At first the democratic reforms had frighten the people, but slowly they had adapted and calmed down. Being under a dicatorship for over 1000 years can make changes difficult as many conservatives had noted.
However, with the opening of the Senate to all citizen of the Empire and with elections introduced in all provinces, the common people opinion was heard and reforms was made in both the economic and agriculture administrations of the Empire, improving life for all the people.
The Emperor let the sun shine on his weary face as he looked towards the ancient church of Hagia Sofia.
The Church was truly a marvel to see. Being the symbol of Greek Orthodox and the City of Constatinople itself it was the greatest building in the city and had been rebuilt three times under various Emperors, one of them being Justinian the Great himself.
Sometimes it amazed him how the Empire had managed to survive so many hardships that had been thrown at them.
Eleftherios held a personal admiration of Emperor Basil for his victory over Bulgaria back in 11th century and for saving the Empire from certain destruction even if he didn't approve for his punishment towards the Bulgarian Army.
Emperor John II Komnenos was also a favorite of the Emperor due to the fact that he never ordered someone killed or blinded despite his long reign.
One of the greatest threat the Empire had faced must have been during the Fourth Crusade when Constantinopel was almost attacked due to Emperor Alexius IV inability to pay the crusaders the sum they had been offered if they helped him topple the reigning Emperor in Constantinople.
The plan had succeded, but afterwards Alexius had refused to pay the promised fee and the crusaders had been prepared to attack the city.
If it hadn't been for one of Alexius courtiers, Alexius Ducas and the fact that the rich heartland of Anatolia was still in the hand of the Empire after the victorious Battle of Manzikert in 1071 who knows what could have happened?
However, Alexius Ducas succeded in overthrowning the Emperor and paid the crusaders their fee which made them lift the siege.
Afterwards the Empire prospered and in 1453 the Ottoman Sultan was captured, bringing an end to the Turkish presence in Anatolia.
The sun was now high above the city, nearly blinding Eleftherios as he looked.
Now it was 1936 and his beloved Empire was still here...as it should be.
The Emperor returned to his chambers, determined to get some sleep before the meetings later...
The Empire by 1936
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