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Chapter 1: Manifest Destiny
Part 5: The Second Mexican War
“Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world... “- James K. Polk
Part 5: The Second Mexican War
“Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world... “- James K. Polk
The USA can go to war with Mexico at anytime. Before war however, there are some minor things to take care of. During the war with Spain some colonies were able to become states and with the war now over it can be done. I did not extend slavery anywhere this time around. Actually the only states that slavery was ever extended to were Oklahoma and Texas.
I don’t know exactly what causes the civil war to start. I do know I don't want to be fighting Mexico and all of a sudden the south tries to leave the Union. I’ve seen the CSA appear in 1857 and as late as 1870 or not at all. I’m fairly certain it’s tied into consciousness so I passed some decisions to help out. The Trail of Tears decision was also used, which makes Cherokee an accepted culture. The United Kingdom is banned from Mexico, that will block them for a year from influencing Mexico. Several things can go wrong if the UK is able to influence Mexico during and after the war. To prevent anything unfortunate from happening it is best to win the war as quickly as possible.
Time to get the lower 48 (err I guess Cuba makes that the lower 49) so the Manifest Destiny event is fired, giving the USA its western cores. I didn’t know about the increase to consciousness from the decision so I’m glad I used the other decisions first.
War is declared on Mexico and so begins the 2nd Mexican War. New Mexico is selected as the first wargoal. It is closest to where my army is deployed and will be occupied first. Training begins for a hussar brigade.
The same plan will be used from the first war with Mexico, hang back and wait for the Mexican army to make its move. Once Mexico commits itself to sieging an American province the U.S. army will counter.
It certainly didn't take the Mexican army to make its move. Mexico invades Texas in the foolish hope of retaking it.
The U.S. moves in to intercept the Mexican army but the Mexicans were not ready to commit to a battle and retreated back into Mexico. Seeing a chance to strike a blow against Mexico the Americans pursue the fleeing Mexicans into Mexico, where they were able to catch up to them and start a battle. The battle is won and the Mexicans suffered heavy casualties. They are pursued and are wiped out in the following battle.
Onward to victory!
Clean Coal is finished and work begins on Market Structure. Hopefully this will boost a young U.S. economy!
I believe that the previous army was Mexico's entire standing army. There are several reserves around the map and they are all heading towards Oregon. All U.S. ground forces are ordered to the west to crush this force.
Only the new mobilized troops are on the map. This confirms that Mexico's standing army has been defeated. Mexico still has some fight left and has rallied a sizable army of 17,000 men. This force is besieging Portland (which seems a popular place to attack).
The march to Oregon was slow and the entire Mexican reserve force has marshaled at Portland, a total force of 23,000 men. The upcoming battle could determine the war.
With the full might of the U.S. Army bearing down on them, the Mexicans were defeated. In the follow up battle they were destroyed. It looks like investment in Muzzle-loaded Rifles and Army Professionalism paid off. The occupation of Mexico can begin.
Market Structure is finished and work begins on Interchangeable Parts. I still want to improve the economy.
Over in Europe it looks like a war is going to break out. I don't envy the NGF having to fight Austria, France and Russia all at once. Let the Europeans fight each other, it will only make America more dominate in the long run.
Mexico is a big place and will take awhile to occupy it all. I have no choice but to mobilize to increase the occupation speed. This war needs to be over as quickly as possible to deny the UK the chance of bringing Mexico into its sphere.
Mexico is building more troops and sent them off piece meal to California and Utah. To help prevent this I've positioned some troops to block off access into California. Once the reserves are brought down I can seal off Texas as well.
I have slowing been adding wargoals throughout the Mexican conflict and I now have all my cores added to the wargoals.
My math skills have led me to ruin! I need 114 warscore for all my cores. This is most upsetting it looks like I will need one more war to get all my cores from Mexico.
Hoping to end the war quickly, an army is sent to capture Mexico City. In the same fashion as the first war.
American forces landing at Veracruz
Interchangeable Parts finish and I start Biologism because of the education efficiency. An educated population is a powerful population.
Mexico City is captured but peace does not come. Mexican resistance at this point isn't much and by much I really mean hardly anything at all. A few 3,000 man armies were built but were destroyed quickly, before they could group together. Here is a current look at what I have occupied. Sadly not nearly as much as I ‘d hoped for by this time.
Biologism finishes up and I start Nationalism and Imperialism. After N&I is finished we can do a little warmongering. Influence begins on Hawaii. Its time America had a mighty Pacific island naval base!
Its been a year since Mexico city fell and nothing much has happened. Mexico isn’t even building new armies anymore. I’m just moving from province to province. The warscore still isn't high enough to acquire three wargoals. It is still upsetting that I won't be able to get all my cores. I've done it before in this way I don't know what changed. I decided Arizona will be left to the Mexicans, it saddens me.
All the provinces I have cores on are occupied but Mexico still wants to carry the fight on. Seems silly, they have no army and are not training replacements.
Napoleon of the West, eh?
A few more provinces are taken and Mexico sees reason but it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, Arizona remains under Mexican control. Besides the pride issue, it really isn’t that hurtful gameplay wise. I will still have a core so I can go to war for free in 5 years. The prize was California, with it the war was a success. The real danger now would be an alliance between the UK and Mexico. The U.S. won’t be much of a military threat to the UK until around the 1860s.
With this update Chapter 1: Manifest Destiny comes to a close. It was a glorious time for America with the liberation of many states; Texas, Cuba, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and California. Mexican treachery kept Arizona out of American hands, which is intolerable. It will be rectified. America must now build and grow strong now to challenge more powerful foes than Spain. The Europeans still have their talons buried deep in the Americas.
As always, thanks for reading!
yes, we are curious about the next target (which is probably mexico) 
is there any specific trick, to get all the empty North American lands into the United States territory? (let's say that you let Mexico annex republic of Texas)
I asked because for some reason, mexico and me, are competing colonially in Nevada-Utah, but mexico escalates this to crisis, and UK side with mexico, forcing prestige loss and territory loss (or early war with UK)
. It's probably best to get this empty territory for free of charge, rather than use warscore against mexico, or worst of all UK!
ideally you'd want all this nice 'MURICAN TERRITORY before the Civil War erupts
EDIT: LOL for some reason, everytime I play vick2, and see the technology "clean coal", I always start thinking of Mitt Romney
is there any specific trick, to get all the empty North American lands into the United States territory? (let's say that you let Mexico annex republic of Texas)
I asked because for some reason, mexico and me, are competing colonially in Nevada-Utah, but mexico escalates this to crisis, and UK side with mexico, forcing prestige loss and territory loss (or early war with UK)
. It's probably best to get this empty territory for free of charge, rather than use warscore against mexico, or worst of all UK!
ideally you'd want all this nice 'MURICAN TERRITORY before the Civil War erupts
EDIT: LOL for some reason, everytime I play vick2, and see the technology "clean coal", I always start thinking of Mitt Romney
yes, we are curious about the next target (which is probably mexico)
is there any specific trick, to get all the empty North American lands into the United States territory? (let's say that you let Mexico annex republic of Texas)
I asked because for some reason, mexico and me, are competing colonially in Nevada-Utah, but mexico escalates this to crisis, and UK side with mexico, forcing prestige loss and territory loss (or early war with UK)
. It's probably best to get this empty territory for free of charge, rather than use warscore against mexico, or worst of all UK!
ideally you'd want all this nice 'MURICAN TERRITORY before the Civil War erupts
EDIT: LOL for some reason, everytime I play vick2, and see the technology "clean coal", I always start thinking of Mitt Romney
Mexico shouldn't have enough colonial points to be able to compete with you enough that it gets to the crisis point. I just make sure that as soon as I'm able to invest more into a territory I do it.
Yes it is 100% better to get the empty territory by colonizing and not going to war.
EDIT: There really isn't a trick to getting all the territory before Mexico. I go Idaho then Washington ASAP to prevent the British from sneaking in. Then I only start to colonize when Mexico does it first. Eventually they should pull out of one territory to concentrate on another. Which I think backfires because then you get the protectorate and can move on to the other one.
yea, thanks for the tip,
I did better this time, in my USA starting game. You have to be extremely wary of the colonial competition in these empty areas in the beginning, always be looking out for that situation, always look out for the "establish protectorate" when it appears.
What is the exact mechanic to this colonial competition, I wonder, who gets the "final slice" so to speak, who gets protectorate and territory?
-I was fighting Mexican-Texas war at the same time, I won the status quo and annexed Texas. On top of that, I won competition at Utah, Oregon and Nevada (those middle areas)
-Then I got a head start, against possible UK (they're not starting yet) in Washington and Idaho.
-Only problem for me, is that my influence against UK, inside Mexico is not as strong as I would have liked. Possibly though, I will take out all my cores from Mexico, in the Mexican american war (it might be a gamble though, UK intervention possible... especially if the war drags out for long)
I did better this time, in my USA starting game. You have to be extremely wary of the colonial competition in these empty areas in the beginning, always be looking out for that situation, always look out for the "establish protectorate" when it appears.
What is the exact mechanic to this colonial competition, I wonder, who gets the "final slice" so to speak, who gets protectorate and territory?
-I was fighting Mexican-Texas war at the same time, I won the status quo and annexed Texas. On top of that, I won competition at Utah, Oregon and Nevada (those middle areas)
-Then I got a head start, against possible UK (they're not starting yet) in Washington and Idaho.
-Only problem for me, is that my influence against UK, inside Mexico is not as strong as I would have liked. Possibly though, I will take out all my cores from Mexico, in the Mexican american war (it might be a gamble though, UK intervention possible... especially if the war drags out for long)
For colonial competition once you pull ahead so far you can establish a protectorate. You can pull ahead by continuously investing in your colony. Your opponent will be forced to do the same or loose the colony. Mexico doesn't have a lot of colonial points so you can pull ahead.
Next time I'd recommend influencing Mexico before you jump into the Mexican-Texas War. Ideally what you want to do is get Mexico's opinion of the UK down to hostile and get Mexico's opinion of you to friendly. Then ban the UK from Mexico. Finally get 100 influence points with Mexico (this slows down UK when they come back). You don't always have time to do all of that before Texas is annexed so do what you can.
To permanently solve the problem take Belize from the UK when you can.
Next time I'd recommend influencing Mexico before you jump into the Mexican-Texas War. Ideally what you want to do is get Mexico's opinion of the UK down to hostile and get Mexico's opinion of you to friendly. Then ban the UK from Mexico. Finally get 100 influence points with Mexico (this slows down UK when they come back). You don't always have time to do all of that before Texas is annexed so do what you can.
To permanently solve the problem take Belize from the UK when you can.
In the next war I'd grab Durango or Sonora too (make the goal one of those first then tack on Arizona for free). Sure it costs infamy, but you really want Mexico firmly under your thumb and your borders will look nicer as well if you get both. Also in the late game Mexico does have a habit of rising up to GP status if left alone too long. You also get a lot more pops that assimilate easily, which will make you all the more stronger as you go forward in the game. Finally, Durango has precious metals, which will help your budget. The infamy hit you can burn off in a few decades.
Yes, when you erect the border wall on the souther US border, it will be cheaper and shorter wall to build.... when you build it in former Mexican-USCA border
Not that you should stop there, most definitely not!
To the South Atlantic!
To the Bering Strait and Hudson Bay!
Not that you should stop there, most definitely not!
To the South Atlantic!
To the Bering Strait and Hudson Bay!
Not a bad idea but I need to save infamy for the Europeans. There are many wars to fight if I hope to dislodge them from the Americas.
We can't leave Goldwater hanging. Arizona will be liberated at some point.The state of the future Barry Goldwater must be liberated! This is an outrage!
If I build walls how can I invade themYes, when you erect the border wall on the souther US border, it will be cheaper and shorter wall to build.... when you build it in former Mexican-USCA border
Not that you should stop there, most definitely not!
To the South Atlantic!
To the Bering Strait and Hudson Bay!
Also reminds me of Ron White's "paying for the war" joke.
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It would seem from that result that it makes no real difference whether you intervene to save Texas from Mexico or let it be swallowed as the result in the later Manifest Destiny war will always leave you mathematically short.
And I sympathise with your experience of the tedium of having to wait to occupy province after province for enough warscore when Mexico has been rendered utterly defenceless.
And I sympathise with your experience of the tedium of having to wait to occupy province after province for enough warscore when Mexico has been rendered utterly defenceless.
Looks that way
Yes, warscore amounted to just over 100 (it was probably 113), even with Texas historically integrated, in the first war (status quo)
Then, the warscore is just too much to accept for the rest of historical US cores, (with all empty land successfully US colonized)
Two wars of re-conquest against Mexico are necessary it seems!
I wonder though, whether it makes a difference, in terms of truce time (rather time available after Mexican conquest, until ACW starts), to split the cores more evenly, between two warscores (or fight a long first war, capture everything, except Nevada-Utah)
If time matter then I'd let Texas get annexed then go to war for Texas and one more state. The infamy hit would be big but you'd only need two wars instead of three.
Yeah, it is bothersome that it takes two wars (or three if you count the Texan affair) to take the territory that the US took from Mexico in real life with one war (plus the 1853 Gadsden Purchase).
Yes its going to take me 15 plus years what the U.S. got in two year. From what I understand it was done for MP reasons. I don't play MP so I don't know how that effects MP games.
Nicely done against Mexico! At this rate you're going to run out of North American territory to conquer... I mean liberate... in no time.
In a French game of mine, the US didn't conquer its OTL border with Mexico until 1873. It took Nevada-Utah in the 1850's after annexing Texas in the 1840's, and during the Civil War, it sued for peace with the Confederacy when Mexico attacked. The US then took California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
