Chapter 51: I'm going to beat the Brabants off of you !!!
After relieving France of a few provinces, we set up phase two of Operation:Core with a few GTYs...:
Brabant currently holds 2 cores, Luxembourg seems an appropriate target for their aggression, as well as the BBB's, who will no doubt be looking for other OPM's in the general vicinity to devour to regain her stature.
The calendar hits the first of May, and we regain our not so long lost STAB, as well as learn of some obscure sea current we have no use for. Our newer acquisitions leave the HRE, and one gets the Provincial Court System decision. 40d for -1 RR doesn't seem like much, until you go to war again. It's a lot of littles that add up.
Boina gets another Native Clearance Event courtesy a rejuvenated CAV. It's looking like we'll hit zero before we get it settled. Only 4K to go...
Hadramut becomes the latest member of the REFormation as Austria claims defender of her faith. Might come in handy...
Our BB is is decent 7.26 with a steady 1.21 a year burn off. Not great but it could be worse. Still plenty of room to work with.
The end of July trips the Exceptional Year event, netting us 200d.
We get a steady stream of Merchant Hokey Pokey as each CoT gets hit every couple of months. They really hate it when you compete them out...
And Banten joins Boina in the "I don't wanna be a colony" club.
And with that, it's election day. And our good man Carafa survives to rule another day... Or two.
Things are goin well in the Caribbean for Portugal and GB. The CoT in Mexico is forced out business by the one owned by Portugal in Florida...
Boina again fails in it's colonist acceptance program. Another round of attacks on natives is followed by Liepzig converting and then Rouer(I still think I'm missing an important vowel)gue.
As December hits, the time is right...:
Austria will be a bonus, though at this point will be a simple ATM withdrawal should she join in...
Normandy is able to take part in the festivities this time around, though she doesn't do much.
Nice thing is the single BB for the DoW. As usual, the first battle is naval as I forget to pull my ships in off patrol. I try to pause and get them out of the battle, but the 16 ship Brabant Navy with 5 shock Admiral sends my poor 5 lights to the depths far too quickly.
Brabant then injures itself with another AI pointless embargo. I'm going to have to stock up on embargo's for dummies books...
Nicer than the 1 BB DoW is the fact Austria looks the other way at our "incursion". It's just me and the 'bant.
One thing I should say, never underestimate a small country this size...:
Not that they're a problem long term. It's just you can lose an army or two before you realize what happened... Which is what I seem to be trying to do. As I get set to go in, this little surprise stops me dead in my tracks as i have to reroute a few things to make sure I'm covered. The 2/6/2 5th DIV in Antwerpen is attacked by the combined Brabant force, 2/24/0...
The battle rages past the new year, where some 20 odd buildings complete, customs houses and a few market places.
I able to get help to Antwerpen and foil the attack...:
The cost to the Brabant Army is high as they suffer heavy casualties. I'll take a 1:3 count, though it could have been better if I had been able to get help there sooner.
The army jumps from Antwerpen to Zeeland and arrives first, clearing a 1K CAV recruit as it arrives. The 5th CAV out of Thüringen arrives to assist the CAV unit already there, and their combined numbers are enough...:
The once proud armies of Brabant are no more, and we are free to do as we please.
A few small pop up battles ensue, but we go into siege mode to finish up the war.
Venezia suffers from Hokey Pokey as Rebs pop in Valenciennes. All my guys are busy in Brabant... I have to stop the presses and come down to get them. Koblenz approves and goes REFormed as a result.
As April turns and I know I'm in the clear I green light the next round of Custom's Houses. I started with double digits, then to 9, then 8 tax provinces... Some 20 plus are slated to finish a year from now.
As our CAV make light work of the REBs, we start to spread out into Brabant. We receive word that the Swahili have collapsed, and put away a pop up Zeeland.
We then get another directive from the game that says we're not done with France just yet...:
*rubs hands together and smiles*
Looks like we'll have something else to do soon enough.
By June, our Stability is back from the DoW, Menabe has a workshop and we hear news of some "other" Indian territories in the new world... We also complete the permanent evacuation of natives on Boina in an effort to stop wasting colonists.
Before the first week is up, Vaanderen becomes the first of Brabants provinces to wear the purple stripes. Vermandois celebrates with conversion to all things REFormed and we discover Tape.
After a lengthy stay on Banten, I had to remove the unit there and take it up the coast for some R&R... The colonist arrives while they're away...:
At base tax six, she might break even... It's sad, but it'll take another level of Naval Tech to settle Sunda.
Shortly after the initial colonist, the 4K infantry return from R&R, inciting the natives to get all angry and paint themselves and throw things. It just makes for alot of extra clean up.
Back in the Mainland, we take control of one of our cores...:
It's all down hill from here. We set the cruise control to paint the town purple striped and kick back for a bit.
The only other game in town is Hokey Pokey, and I'm sick of that one. Auto send keeps me at six, and a few of the CoTs are just going to have to stay that way until I can get the NI swapped out.
I also go back and revoke some of the embargoes I had. I need at least another 10% to keep everything locked down, probably 20% before I can keep them out for good.
As October fades, Christolf I of Mecklenburg is elected HRE and Boina finally accepts its first colonist. (joy...)
Osnabrück falls mid November with Gelre following in early December. The day after Zeeland goes striped giving us our second core. The day after that Limburg dons the purple, and the day after that it's Holland that falls to the siege armies of The Empire.
The fleet that ravaged our patrols is pushed out to see, where it's met by the 40 ship 2nd FLT out of Calabria. I actually lose a big ship in the battle, but compared to the enemy's loss of it's 6/10/0/6 fleet, it's nothing...
It's awhile before the last province of Breda falls, but fall it does, prompting the offer of "piece"...:
I have to leave money on the table, but territory wise I couldn't ask for much better. The CoT in Holland was 62% WS... Heaven help Brabant if I get a core event on it... Even so, the provinces are good ones, and two are cores making for a very profitable campaign.
The nicest part...?
Our BB... Can't beat that with a stick.
Well, I could, but it's just a picture in screen, it's not real... And I really don't have the cash for another monitor right now...
April fool's Day in 1606 brings news of the collapse of Guyenne. Only if you had listened to me... You would own half of France by now.
On the 5th. the screen is filled with yellow words floating into the air and banners proclaiming the Custom's Houses are done.
There's still alot to do, and I have some cash to do it with...:
All of the provinces I take seem to be like Leipzig. I can see France building Manufactories in many provinces, but alot of the minors just let there provinces sit while having thousands in ducats sitting around. Sucks to be them I guess.
I'm at the point where I can float alot of garbage colonies and provinces now, so Eastward expansion into the spice trade can begin in earnest.
Apparently Christolf I of Mecklenburg wasn't all he was cracked up to be as Gustav II Wilhelm (???) gets elected emperor in May. Love the name. Just throw the "II" in there anywhere. Yes, I am Ant III Racer, Earl of Supper Dish and Lord of three dogs.
How about a quick look into the world of finance...:
Portugal is making a nice run up the ladder. Her New World Empire is very large now. GB continues to soldier on. France is still rich enough to be a problem. The countries that got the lucky tag late are all doing very well, which is what we had hoped for. Japan should be making an appearance here soon, and the other Original lucky, Delhi isn't too far off the front page.
After some Land Enclosures and Abandonments of the HRE it's back to business in the exciting world of infrastructure. I checked the military stats, and it appears VIJ is warring right now. I wanted to wait until she was full strength to go in...
I do start moving units down to Muscat and Dhofar. The time is fast approaching for an Indian Incursion.
While the troops are moving, I tend to the colonies, sending new ones out whenever one is available. A couple of revolts pop, mostly in far away places. Everything on the fringes has it's own regiment for this purpose. I hate with a passion having to drag armies around by boat. It costs, and is why I have nearly a third the armed forces higher than I normally would have... But not having to do anything but read about the revolts is worth it. And it's not like we don't have the money...
Antwerpen is next up for Holey Pokey. Checking the province report, I see Novgorod has 5 merchants there and is bucking for the monopoly. I can't have that... They get an embargo.
Boina receives it's second colonist with open arms as a revolt pops in Brabant. Tangiers gets a merchant evicted and in checking the CoT Granada is in place for a monopoly there. Yes. They get an embargo too. The Brabant Rebs are two and out as I get some new forces together.
St. Kitts approves and converts to the ways of the nation. Unfortunately all is not well in the land of the Milanese...:
I decide to pay the 40d, doesn't hurt to see what happens.
With the expansion in Europe, and with moving forces down to the South, I have need of some new watchdogs for Reb patrol around the north. The first new unit is the 7th CAV out of Nevers under the command of 1/3/0/1 General Paleologi Monteferrato. It will be up to these units to patrol some rather large areas, but with good generals they will be up to the task. They also serve as my only defense against any aggression from neighbors... Something I'm not so confident in.
Units are being pulled from all over The Empire to head for Dhofar. Both of my Transport fleets are headed there two. I'll have one stationed in Dhofar and one on the Indian coast, and I'll switch them as I send men across by sea. This will make sure I always have a fleet ready when men arrive and enable me to keep a fleet on standby if I should have to retreat and can't get back to Kutch.
April brings news of all our Customs Houses completing. In checking the tote board I have seven missionaries still active after Vaanderen converts. I start a number of new Market Places and a few courthouses to round out the month.
In May, I lose another missionary as Whydah converts, followed a week later by Brabant finding the way. Production income in Brabant is huge... 44.13 a year. It pulls half as much money as Görz.
Banten and Boina are progressing nicely, and we receive word in August that Banten will produce Spices... That's excellent news. It's followed in September with news of Silistria, Transylvania, Bessarabia, Cherson and Budjak all going core.
It proves to be too much good news... :
With Trade tech just about done, and Gov plugging along nicely, I decide Production Tech has to eat the bullet. It's only a year anyways, but it still sucks. Besides, my Advisor gives me 30d a month, so I still net 5 in the deal.
1607 proves to be a good year for cores as Neumark, Ruppin, Meissen and Pottsdam all become officially official. My Trade Tech also hits 23, so it's time to move on into something else.
All of this is too much for General Pallavicini. He dies on October 17th. I don't even know if ever even fought a battle...
Dominica is next for the Merchant HP, and it turns out it's Normandy, my faithful ally who is poised to steal my monopoly. Ally or not, an embargo is issued. I won't let countries take monopolies from me.
Swahili collapses again, And I get another bad event...
Don't think Friday the 13th escapes me...
The one star parade of advisors continues with a Sheriff. Sorry, a six gun is needed in these here parts, not a one shot wonder.
Dresden gets a free Fort 3 courtesy the defensive event. Works for me... I also get word that slaves will be the "good" produced in Boina. For awhile...
As the new year rolls around, we continue to amass troops in the south. It takes awhile to get everyone down there... While we wait, March rolls around with news of Antwerpen and Mecklenburg becoming cores. Nice boost to EOY there. Aures is so happy she converts for us.
I have to Embargo Scandinavia for more HP madness, though it's really a ploy to get Barcelona's trade numbers up. I can build a CoT in Roussillon if I can get Aragon's above the magic 400 mark. The move pops her value to 358.60 and climbing...
April brings some more buildings done, and we embargo Castille to see if it will help Aragon over the hump... Alas, it all goes to Andelucia... We tried.
I finally get a spread of discoveries to Delhi. The capitol sports 40.80d a year in TAX income. I love that province...
For a long while it's nothing much. A few colonists, a few events, a few buildings. Minor stuff. In July, Linz and Steiermark go core, lending some color to an otherwise bleak landscape of time.
A revolt in Jabal Shammar re focuses my attention to the south, where I see my men are nearing their destinations. The game must know I'm near ready, because my leader dies...
Our new fearless leader is none other than...:
Ah yes, computer dater extraordinaire... With a solid MIL rating. He'll come in quite handy if the general generator is nice to us.
Tangiers is next to play Merchant Roulette, and Ojisek becomes a core. Which is a good thing because I forgot all about them...
From the "I simply can't walk away from this" dept...:
Nope. Free core... Spice province... Done deal.
I figure I've given VIJ enough time to recover from her warring ways.
I check the ledger and see she hasn't disappointed me...:
Her 80K plus are almost double the last time I checked. That's good enough for me.
I start to station ships as protectors along the sea lanes around Kutch. VIJ has a sizable big ship fleet, and I can't leave the lanes open to them at all.
Zanzibar hears of our impending invasion and rebels. The 1K revolt is swallowed whole by the 4K permanently stationed there.
As I get things finalized, St. Kitts, Nevers, Franch-Comte, Auvergne and Othe all core for us. Alot of EOY cash in those provinces. I also hear that Toulouse has declared it's independence again from the BBB... You know what that means.
On Feb 16th, 1609, the first ground forces from The Empire disembark from Dhofar and head for Kutch. Our army is so happy to see action again... All except General Sfrondrati. He promptly dies. Another one that I don't think saw a single battle.
With a couple 2/4/2 siege armies in place to augment the standing defensive army, the decision is made to DoW the VIJ...
We learn of the capitols of Ayunhaya, Champa and Shan as they join in against our naked aggression. Normandy rushes in with a towel to cover us in the war...
True to form, VIJ issues an embargo craftily designed to hurt only them selves... The game celebrates our aggression with two useless advisors.
We head the 5th BAT from Kutch into nearby Sind, defended by a 7/4/0 VIJ contingent. It will be a good test of strength vs the enemy forces giving me an even better idea of just how many men I'll need to bring in.
The 2/4/2 2nd Siege out of Provence heads into adjacent Ahmadabad while the third army stays home to protect the beaches.
Antwerpen loses a merchant, but no clear monopoly means no embargoes.
As is usually the case, the first battle is a naval one as a 12 big ship VIJ fleet attacks my pirate patrol around The Andamens Island. I manage to pull them out to safety and port them.
Our first land battle goes far better...:
A decent result for being out numbered. Still, losing that many men a battle means at least another three or four units over here. Siege units and a few 4K INF should be enough along with one decent CAV squad for cover.
the 7/4/0 formation seems to be a VIJ staple. It's an interesting number, one that would be detrimental to use in HT³ given the bonuses... Even here it's a disadvantage to them. A 4/7/0 would fair just as well and be cheaper to maintain.
I decide to push the 3rd Siege out pf Piedmont into Jodphur as the 5th DIV heads home. The 3rd is met by another band of VIJ soldiers...:
That puts four armies of 7/4/0 in the box. That's 44K out of the 80K they have... So either there's more in the fog or they are otherwise occupied with another war. Either way, I have another round of troops due into Kutch soon. Once they arrive I should have enough to firmly establish a beach head. All I'll need is a few 4K INF to act as anchors for the line.
We'll see how it all turns out next time...
Till then...!
T
*sniff sniff*
