I've seen the AI build some large empires before, but this one surprised me. Playing Burgundy, I managed to force a Personal Union with Hungary and Bohemia by around 1450, and inherited both before the end of the century (adding it to the list of France, Savoy, and several smaller inheritances, plus a long list of annexed vassals). That allowed me to begin encroaching on Golden Horde territory for infamy-free provinces, but my way was quickly blocked only a couple of provinces deep into Horde territory by provinces already occupied by Novgorod and Smolensk. After colonizing two provinces, I could go no further, so I peaced out with GH.
A decade or so later, the GH accepted peace with Novgorod and Smolensk, that put the GH back on my border for another war, and I was able to take two more provinces....and then bumped into Ming. They had already colonized and annexed Astrakhan some time before 1540, and were busily colonizing the provinces west of it, with a continuous wide band of provinces leading all the way back to China. No wonder Novgorod and Smolensk were having such success, Ming had wiped out almost the entire GH army and occupied most of their land.
Looking at the relative stats in the journal, I thought I was the biggest fish in the pond, but Ming clearly has me beat, with considerably more provinces and about 50% more troops than I have. I'm glad for the tech advantage at the moment, but sharing a border may give them a research boost and the ability to Westernize, so I might need to "liberate" a few of those GH provinces from them and create a few buffer states.
A decade or so later, the GH accepted peace with Novgorod and Smolensk, that put the GH back on my border for another war, and I was able to take two more provinces....and then bumped into Ming. They had already colonized and annexed Astrakhan some time before 1540, and were busily colonizing the provinces west of it, with a continuous wide band of provinces leading all the way back to China. No wonder Novgorod and Smolensk were having such success, Ming had wiped out almost the entire GH army and occupied most of their land.
Looking at the relative stats in the journal, I thought I was the biggest fish in the pond, but Ming clearly has me beat, with considerably more provinces and about 50% more troops than I have. I'm glad for the tech advantage at the moment, but sharing a border may give them a research boost and the ability to Westernize, so I might need to "liberate" a few of those GH provinces from them and create a few buffer states.
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