The Chronicles of Frussia, Part IV : Become (Number) One with Frussia, oui?
PU France. Allies are Brandenburg (with PU Brunswick and vassal Holstein) only. Vassals are NAP, FIN, SIL, TRI, SAX, TIR, THU, ULM, MAZ, NOR, MOL, CYP, CRE, BYZ, GEO, LIT. In addition, the SOI is large enough that with enough cash and diplomats, more countries can be diplovassalised.
In 1523, Russia is fully Westernised with a modernised military, and Action and Reaction has just worn off. In other words, apart from its slightly backward tech, Russia is a fully functioning member of the Western tech group! The government is still a Despotic Monarchy - I had planned to switch to a Noble Republic, but I never actually inherited France due to the Horde wars, and fortuitously receiving two 7 adm rulers in a row (after a 3-5-3 imbecile) meant that I didn't have to switch anyway. All cores have long been reclaimed, and Russia and France respectively have the largest and second largest armies almost all of the time.
Having committed myself to "nation-building" in this game, I am pleasantly surprised at the number of formable nations which have appeared or could easily appear in this game. Spain was formed by Castille in the 1500s, Holland has cores on Friesland and Utrecht, and Scotland needs to annex London. Hindustan (not in picture) has also appeared, formed by Vijayanagar most likely. Ireland also formed from Connaught - and they got PU'ed and inherited by Milan, the current Emperor. France has only Orleans left to annex. And yes, that is a Papal Iceland. They're gonna need that Iceland once I decide to Restore the Pentarchy.
Most happily of all, Brandenburg, my longtime and most dearest ally, is but one Ostpreussen away from forming Prussia, having met all the other requirements including becoming Reformed, the Prestige, and the 7 dip ruler. And all I have to do is sell the territory to them ... once this stupid war with a horde who is totally occupied by someone else ends.
Of the big powers, Castille/Spain, Austria, and Bohemia are Orthodox and loving it. Switzerland also got converted but that mean old Emperor converted them back. The Scandinavians are Orthodox too but it's cost them a few territories to religious rebels. And the Muslim powers have blobbed well, but in this century the Europeans now have the advantage, and the wave of Holy Wars and Crusades is only just beginning...
Since I didn't actually convert to a republic, I realise that I could try to get myself elected HRE now that I don't have a reason to abandon my monarchy. It wouldn't be difficult - Trier and Saxony are already my vassals (snatched them in a random HRE war), Catholic Cologne and Protestant Brabant could be diplovassalised, and Orthodox Bohemia is now small enough to vassalise in a war, though they still want to vote for themselves. Milan has vassalised both Aquileia and the Palatinate.
My dream of getting Brandenburg elected Emperor is probably not going to be possible as there isn't a single Reformed elector (Brandenburg's vote was revoked by Bohemia when they were Emperor ...), but I'm really not that inclined to become HRE myself as I've done that for the past few games and frankly, changing tack and looking after the HRE when you've been doing your darndest thus far to alienate it would be a little too much to bear. However, I do like the fact that the Frussian alliance is still holding together despite all of us being of different religions, and perhaps I shall instead plan to make Brandenburg as powerful as possible and help them reduce the Emperor to a mediocrity - without being elected Emperor myself!
While there are still goals to be achieved (Restore the Pentarchy, Drive the colonisers to shift to the New World, Snake all the way to the Pacific, Convert
all the Christians to Orthodox), with complete Westernisation the challenges the game might pose are over, and I guess it's goodbye for now from France-Prussia-Russia aka Frussia.
Now go have yourself a Veal Orloff and some beer.
EDIT: Stupid typo.
