I feel sad now, because I once conquered Portuguese Africa as the Zulu, but never screencapped it.
Post Your Heart of Darkness Empire!
- Thread starter calvinhobbeslik
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I've had games where Austrian cored states in south and eastern europe have turned german after uprisings, not part of germany originally.
It's because of internal migration. All the rando minorities migrate to places where they don't have cores and assimilate.
A sort of mini-AAR to show off two empires in a multiplayer game (using HPM and the beta patch, plus a few minor flag changes and things):
The World after the Second World War
click for larger world map
A Runthrough of the Great Powers
Perfidious Albion is hideously good at basically everything, and generally refuses to be helpful to her allies. Standard U.K. behavior.
While she stalemated in a few Oregon/Columbia wars against the U.S. early on (and the American coalitions always managed to occupy all her American territories even when she did win), Britain is a dominant power in North America, and responsible for all the bordergore there.
Spanish-Dutch interventions were considered, but even the great allied fleet was wary of taking on the wave ruling Britannia.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands surged back into importance after re-annexing the rebellious Belgian territories (they had both been under British protection right until Belgium rose to great power status... leading to an immediate Dutch invasion which in turn catapulted that state into the great powers). This was followed by a seizure of Panama (for canal plans that would take forever to finish due to the Dutch scientists' poor understanding of nitroglycerin) and then continued with interventions against China (generally coinciding with similar Spanish attempts).
Feeling threatened by the rising power of the Italian states and Japan, the Dutch blockaded the burgeoning Japanese empire as well, eventually forcing them out of Egypt and using that and their diplomatic influence as a springboard for seizing most of East Africa.
The Dutch monarchy has historically been very accommodating to reformists (aside from those who wanted to make the upper house not be appointed by the monarch, a reform which was only passed after bitter struggle), and the government is incredibly socialist:
(Party Loyalty map mode - yup, he put all national focuses into Socialist support)
Their socialist heavy sphere (including the Andine Federation, previous influence in Sweden - which rose to Great Power status briefly at the end of the game - and their failed protection of the People's Republic of Italy) has had more than it's share of secondary powers and industrial powerhouses, which has supported the vibrant Dutch economy and the largest dreadnought fleet in the world.
(a selection of major fleets in 1936 - dreadnought spam is beautiful, although my Spanish fleet is no longer as competitive as it used to be)
The last superpower is the German Empire. Unlike the first two, Germany's might is almost entirely land based, with few colonial aspirations or ships. This is not a handicap, though, if your map of the world is in Europe - or reachable from Europe.
After a late start (Prussia was beaten up continually by France and Austria early on), Germany has been dominant in European wars - fortunately on the side of the Dutch and Spanish. Since the first World War, where Spain decided to side with their German allies over their Russian ones, Germany has been a core element of the Spanish-Dutch alliance. Aside from these wars, the German government has been fairly passive in world affairs - preferring simply to continue expanding their sphere in Eastern Europe.
The United States of America has a thriving and developed industry, but its continued losses (first stalemates with Mexico, then devastating losses to British blockades) leaves them a vulnerable power. The four main political blocks are only a few percentage points apart, and quite unwilling to compromise - while the Workingman's Party has served the people for a long time due to clever political schemes, the other three major parties are all waiting to throw the ship of the state in their own direction.
Despite their land losses (especially the massive New English industrial region - although this is slightly compensated for by American influence over the similarly great Canada), the U.S. is still the place to go for high quality and high tech goods, perhaps trying to prove that a state that serves the workers can triumph over the militaristic and regressive Old World powers.
They have held an on and off alliance with Spain, after backing down on the Cuban issue (which Spain, who had taken a lot of effort to make it a fully recognized state, was pleased by) - but Spain was reluctant to face the wrath of the British.
Japan had a tumultuous time becoming an accepted great power. After the Meiji reforms, they found their island surrounded by a Dutch blockade - the Dutch wanted to keep Japanese power in check (and eventually intervened a second time with a more direct goal of taking over Japanese influence in Egypt), and were supported happily by the Spanish (who hoped that a weaker Japan would bring Spain back into power). The Japanese government mobilized one of the largest armies in the world, ready to fight off this threat... but the Dutch refused to land, and the fledgling Japanese navy was decisively crushed.
Japan would face more issues when, after launching an invasion of China to prop up their influence in Korea, the Russian army arrived to cut them down to size. After a devastating war for both sides, the Japanese were forced to retreat to their island and cede the disputed Sakhailin islands.
But Japan refused to die, and rose again as European affairs broke up Russian power and took Western fleets back to the homelands. They gained French colonies in Africa, and then expanded on this to beat up Portugal for more (while threatening a larger African war if Spain intervened). While they have had few allies, Japan is still a rising power in the world despite the world's attempts to keep it down.
Another country that refused to die was the Spanish Empire. Chained down to a poorly educated and reactionary populace, the Spanish monarchy fought several major civil wars against the Carlist rebels - a struggle that would continue (in lesser forms, but also in full on civil wars) all the way to 1936 and beyond. Spain limped into the industrial revolution, struggling with its great legacy project of completing the Suez canal and falling in world status, but like Japan it did not die.
Remaining strategically neutral in Europe, and ensuring its security in North America against the United States, Spain swung its considerable military assets towards Africa and Asia to do its time honored tradition of empire building. By the sword, Spain opened the Suez and seized Socotra - providing the last link in their once overextended empire. By the sword, Spain raced with the Scramble for Africa and took wide swaths of West Africa (although the French would force them to back down from some).
And, of course, by the sword Spain continued to fund its odd adventures by forcing reparations from the Chinese (and Koreans) after any imagined slight. Propped up by Chinese funds, Spain became the greatest paper tiger in European politics, building the second greatest battleship fleet (after their allies, the Dutch) and getting involved in whatever short wars its allies needed help in (short wars, because long wars were too expensive).
By the end, the Spanish strategy of "fake it until you make it" worked out, and Spain entered the post second World War era with a thriving and growing economy, a massive army (mostly in its Chinese administration), and a small but capable fleet of well designed dreadnoughts (who made the Mediterranean back into something like the Roman Mare Nostrum, enjoying its hold of both entrances).
(but also, Carlists are the worst - almost as bad as illiteracy itself)
Italy enters the post second World War era finally spreading its wings, and the world worries.
After long being denied their unified nation, and seeing several of their states get broken up (well, mostly the Two Sicilies, which lost Sicily to rebels who quickly filed for British protection), Italy finally formed as a fledgling power in the late nineteenth century, under French protection and a unifying pope.
This theocratic rule was short lived, as the frustrated Italians installed a communist government instead. The Dutch decided to intervene, and were supported by the Spanish (in the first war to use gas weapons - both the Spanish and Italians had invented the technology in the years directly prior to the war, although neither figured out how to deal with the consequences until later). While the Dutch succeeded in making the Italian state their puppet, they were soon overwhelmed by enormous Liberal, Reactionary, and Fascist civil wars (usually all happening at the same time). When the first World War swung around, the Dutch armies retreated over the hundreds of thousands of dead rebels, and engaged diplomatically with the eventual victors of the dreadful civil war - the Italian Fascists.
While Italy still lacks many lands it considers core, including the still communist Sicilians, it has expanded rapidly under Dutch protection - although its expansion is sometimes quite worrisome to the nearby Spanish (I should note here that the Dalmatian land Italy has is not due to Italia Irredentia decision - they took it without cores, because fascists).
Any other government might worry about their public image, but not the Italians:
(yup, the Dutch are propping up this pariah state)
France should barely be considered a great power. In fact, during the worst bits of the second World War they were not (Sweden took their position)
France was once the dominant force in the European continent, content to keep Germany broken with the help of its friend, Russia. This strategy failed in the first World War, where the Franco-German conflict spiralled out into the Netherlands and Spain as well as a wide array of smaller states.
Strangled of their colonies, and forced to cede the Pyrenees and Calais to the victors, France turned to politicians who modeled the Italian school of thought - brutal purges and strong militaristic stances.
The second World War proved this approach faulty, as the worried Spanish and Dutch forces felt free to intervene against the friendless French, and extended their humiliating power over the state. In the following years, even the Canadian Republic defeated the French in open war, and it remains to be seen whether the idea of a French state can even survive (although the fascists are still enormously popular).
(the European front of the second World War - except for Bulgaria, which was the first of the three European allies [France / Albania / Bulgaria] to fall. It wasn't even fair.)
A Special Note for China
We can't leave before discussing China, of course. We can't say much about the huge and humiliating cycles of punitive wars by the Spanish-Dutch alliance, nor the inevitable reactionary uprisings that set the country aflame in between each war. We can say that they at least were saved from the Japanese invasion by the onset of the Russo-Japanese war, and that the Dutch at least remembered the importance of Chinese money in their rise by building many railroads there in their later days.
While the cycle of punitive wars hurt, the last war - that World War that France dragged them into - hurt more. The reactionary turns of their rebel infested governments had left little room for technological progress, and even the largest and bravest Chinese armies were nothing against the onslaught of the modern world's most devastating machinery.
(they never had a chance)
Spain and the Netherlands, noting the danger that the initial Chinese invasion had posed for their treaty ports, established a large coastal perimeter where they would directly administrate for the Qing emperor ("for" him in name only, of course) - securing an even better source of Chinese money and manpower for the future.
(pictured, the border of the Spanish administrative region - in sphere map mode to make the distinction between our close colors clear)
A Few Economic Notes
Here's a picture showing the differences in foreign investment by the end set of great powers (minus a lot of Spanish investments that got lost over time). I don't know why Japan wants Mexico so much.
And now some pictures of the top producers in several resources, showing the Spanish and Dutch presence in world markets:
Fabric and Clothing: The nice stuff is all Spanish (aside from all the stuff which is British)
Drinks: Although they lag in the alcoholic stuff, caffeine is nearly a monopoly by the allies.
Stuff to Eat or Smoke: A solid production for their large empires.
Industrial Goods: The United States shows its economic dominance finally, but the Spanish and Dutch stay competent.
Strategic Resources: Note that the Andine Federation, Romania, the Rattanakosin Kingdom, and Brazil are all in the Dutch sphere (and Sweden remains very close).
Military Goods: Not particularly a strength for either.
Some other Goods (including Iron, which I forgot when making Strategic Resources): Furniture comes from Germany. Luxury Furniture comes from America.
The Future
(click for larger: Map of the Quintuple Alliance (and relevant spheres) that won the last three big wars and dismantled Russia, France, and Austria-Hungary)
Can the successful expansions of the Dutch and Spanish last?
Probably not.
The World after the Second World War
click for larger world map
A Runthrough of the Great Powers
Perfidious Albion is hideously good at basically everything, and generally refuses to be helpful to her allies. Standard U.K. behavior.
While she stalemated in a few Oregon/Columbia wars against the U.S. early on (and the American coalitions always managed to occupy all her American territories even when she did win), Britain is a dominant power in North America, and responsible for all the bordergore there.
Spanish-Dutch interventions were considered, but even the great allied fleet was wary of taking on the wave ruling Britannia.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands surged back into importance after re-annexing the rebellious Belgian territories (they had both been under British protection right until Belgium rose to great power status... leading to an immediate Dutch invasion which in turn catapulted that state into the great powers). This was followed by a seizure of Panama (for canal plans that would take forever to finish due to the Dutch scientists' poor understanding of nitroglycerin) and then continued with interventions against China (generally coinciding with similar Spanish attempts).
Feeling threatened by the rising power of the Italian states and Japan, the Dutch blockaded the burgeoning Japanese empire as well, eventually forcing them out of Egypt and using that and their diplomatic influence as a springboard for seizing most of East Africa.
The Dutch monarchy has historically been very accommodating to reformists (aside from those who wanted to make the upper house not be appointed by the monarch, a reform which was only passed after bitter struggle), and the government is incredibly socialist:
(Party Loyalty map mode - yup, he put all national focuses into Socialist support)
Their socialist heavy sphere (including the Andine Federation, previous influence in Sweden - which rose to Great Power status briefly at the end of the game - and their failed protection of the People's Republic of Italy) has had more than it's share of secondary powers and industrial powerhouses, which has supported the vibrant Dutch economy and the largest dreadnought fleet in the world.
(a selection of major fleets in 1936 - dreadnought spam is beautiful, although my Spanish fleet is no longer as competitive as it used to be)
The last superpower is the German Empire. Unlike the first two, Germany's might is almost entirely land based, with few colonial aspirations or ships. This is not a handicap, though, if your map of the world is in Europe - or reachable from Europe.
After a late start (Prussia was beaten up continually by France and Austria early on), Germany has been dominant in European wars - fortunately on the side of the Dutch and Spanish. Since the first World War, where Spain decided to side with their German allies over their Russian ones, Germany has been a core element of the Spanish-Dutch alliance. Aside from these wars, the German government has been fairly passive in world affairs - preferring simply to continue expanding their sphere in Eastern Europe.
The United States of America has a thriving and developed industry, but its continued losses (first stalemates with Mexico, then devastating losses to British blockades) leaves them a vulnerable power. The four main political blocks are only a few percentage points apart, and quite unwilling to compromise - while the Workingman's Party has served the people for a long time due to clever political schemes, the other three major parties are all waiting to throw the ship of the state in their own direction.
Despite their land losses (especially the massive New English industrial region - although this is slightly compensated for by American influence over the similarly great Canada), the U.S. is still the place to go for high quality and high tech goods, perhaps trying to prove that a state that serves the workers can triumph over the militaristic and regressive Old World powers.
They have held an on and off alliance with Spain, after backing down on the Cuban issue (which Spain, who had taken a lot of effort to make it a fully recognized state, was pleased by) - but Spain was reluctant to face the wrath of the British.
Japan had a tumultuous time becoming an accepted great power. After the Meiji reforms, they found their island surrounded by a Dutch blockade - the Dutch wanted to keep Japanese power in check (and eventually intervened a second time with a more direct goal of taking over Japanese influence in Egypt), and were supported happily by the Spanish (who hoped that a weaker Japan would bring Spain back into power). The Japanese government mobilized one of the largest armies in the world, ready to fight off this threat... but the Dutch refused to land, and the fledgling Japanese navy was decisively crushed.
Japan would face more issues when, after launching an invasion of China to prop up their influence in Korea, the Russian army arrived to cut them down to size. After a devastating war for both sides, the Japanese were forced to retreat to their island and cede the disputed Sakhailin islands.
But Japan refused to die, and rose again as European affairs broke up Russian power and took Western fleets back to the homelands. They gained French colonies in Africa, and then expanded on this to beat up Portugal for more (while threatening a larger African war if Spain intervened). While they have had few allies, Japan is still a rising power in the world despite the world's attempts to keep it down.
Another country that refused to die was the Spanish Empire. Chained down to a poorly educated and reactionary populace, the Spanish monarchy fought several major civil wars against the Carlist rebels - a struggle that would continue (in lesser forms, but also in full on civil wars) all the way to 1936 and beyond. Spain limped into the industrial revolution, struggling with its great legacy project of completing the Suez canal and falling in world status, but like Japan it did not die.
Remaining strategically neutral in Europe, and ensuring its security in North America against the United States, Spain swung its considerable military assets towards Africa and Asia to do its time honored tradition of empire building. By the sword, Spain opened the Suez and seized Socotra - providing the last link in their once overextended empire. By the sword, Spain raced with the Scramble for Africa and took wide swaths of West Africa (although the French would force them to back down from some).
And, of course, by the sword Spain continued to fund its odd adventures by forcing reparations from the Chinese (and Koreans) after any imagined slight. Propped up by Chinese funds, Spain became the greatest paper tiger in European politics, building the second greatest battleship fleet (after their allies, the Dutch) and getting involved in whatever short wars its allies needed help in (short wars, because long wars were too expensive).
By the end, the Spanish strategy of "fake it until you make it" worked out, and Spain entered the post second World War era with a thriving and growing economy, a massive army (mostly in its Chinese administration), and a small but capable fleet of well designed dreadnoughts (who made the Mediterranean back into something like the Roman Mare Nostrum, enjoying its hold of both entrances).
(but also, Carlists are the worst - almost as bad as illiteracy itself)
Italy enters the post second World War era finally spreading its wings, and the world worries.
After long being denied their unified nation, and seeing several of their states get broken up (well, mostly the Two Sicilies, which lost Sicily to rebels who quickly filed for British protection), Italy finally formed as a fledgling power in the late nineteenth century, under French protection and a unifying pope.
This theocratic rule was short lived, as the frustrated Italians installed a communist government instead. The Dutch decided to intervene, and were supported by the Spanish (in the first war to use gas weapons - both the Spanish and Italians had invented the technology in the years directly prior to the war, although neither figured out how to deal with the consequences until later). While the Dutch succeeded in making the Italian state their puppet, they were soon overwhelmed by enormous Liberal, Reactionary, and Fascist civil wars (usually all happening at the same time). When the first World War swung around, the Dutch armies retreated over the hundreds of thousands of dead rebels, and engaged diplomatically with the eventual victors of the dreadful civil war - the Italian Fascists.
While Italy still lacks many lands it considers core, including the still communist Sicilians, it has expanded rapidly under Dutch protection - although its expansion is sometimes quite worrisome to the nearby Spanish (I should note here that the Dalmatian land Italy has is not due to Italia Irredentia decision - they took it without cores, because fascists).
Any other government might worry about their public image, but not the Italians:
(yup, the Dutch are propping up this pariah state)
France should barely be considered a great power. In fact, during the worst bits of the second World War they were not (Sweden took their position)
France was once the dominant force in the European continent, content to keep Germany broken with the help of its friend, Russia. This strategy failed in the first World War, where the Franco-German conflict spiralled out into the Netherlands and Spain as well as a wide array of smaller states.
Strangled of their colonies, and forced to cede the Pyrenees and Calais to the victors, France turned to politicians who modeled the Italian school of thought - brutal purges and strong militaristic stances.
The second World War proved this approach faulty, as the worried Spanish and Dutch forces felt free to intervene against the friendless French, and extended their humiliating power over the state. In the following years, even the Canadian Republic defeated the French in open war, and it remains to be seen whether the idea of a French state can even survive (although the fascists are still enormously popular).
(the European front of the second World War - except for Bulgaria, which was the first of the three European allies [France / Albania / Bulgaria] to fall. It wasn't even fair.)
A Special Note for China
We can't leave before discussing China, of course. We can't say much about the huge and humiliating cycles of punitive wars by the Spanish-Dutch alliance, nor the inevitable reactionary uprisings that set the country aflame in between each war. We can say that they at least were saved from the Japanese invasion by the onset of the Russo-Japanese war, and that the Dutch at least remembered the importance of Chinese money in their rise by building many railroads there in their later days.
While the cycle of punitive wars hurt, the last war - that World War that France dragged them into - hurt more. The reactionary turns of their rebel infested governments had left little room for technological progress, and even the largest and bravest Chinese armies were nothing against the onslaught of the modern world's most devastating machinery.
(they never had a chance)
Spain and the Netherlands, noting the danger that the initial Chinese invasion had posed for their treaty ports, established a large coastal perimeter where they would directly administrate for the Qing emperor ("for" him in name only, of course) - securing an even better source of Chinese money and manpower for the future.
(pictured, the border of the Spanish administrative region - in sphere map mode to make the distinction between our close colors clear)
A Few Economic Notes
Here's a picture showing the differences in foreign investment by the end set of great powers (minus a lot of Spanish investments that got lost over time). I don't know why Japan wants Mexico so much.
And now some pictures of the top producers in several resources, showing the Spanish and Dutch presence in world markets:
Fabric and Clothing: The nice stuff is all Spanish (aside from all the stuff which is British)
Drinks: Although they lag in the alcoholic stuff, caffeine is nearly a monopoly by the allies.
Stuff to Eat or Smoke: A solid production for their large empires.
Industrial Goods: The United States shows its economic dominance finally, but the Spanish and Dutch stay competent.
Strategic Resources: Note that the Andine Federation, Romania, the Rattanakosin Kingdom, and Brazil are all in the Dutch sphere (and Sweden remains very close).
Military Goods: Not particularly a strength for either.
Some other Goods (including Iron, which I forgot when making Strategic Resources): Furniture comes from Germany. Luxury Furniture comes from America.
The Future
(click for larger: Map of the Quintuple Alliance (and relevant spheres) that won the last three big wars and dismantled Russia, France, and Austria-Hungary)
Can the successful expansions of the Dutch and Spanish last?
Probably not.
- China will not remain a sleeping dragon forever (it already got up to 40% civilization progress, despite the constant rebellions in the steal-money-from-China years), and the administrative zones can't last. Japan is also definitely a power in the East, and its navy is no longer a non-issue.
- Japan is also gaining in Africa, especially against Spain's weak brother Portugal. Sweden also loves to push into Portuguese lands (the Dutch have always held them back when the Spanish threaten war), and this could strain the alliance in the colonies.
- Italy is a problem - especially when combined with Spain's ally, Yugoslavia (also fascist). There's no way those two are surviving side by side, and while weak at sea now, Italy will someday be seen as a threat by Spain.
- There's also "some damn thing in the Balkans", or perhaps somewhere else in the chaotic post-Austrian lands. Lots of extremist governments, lots of overlapping claims, and several friendly great powers jostling for influence.
- Even worse, North America is waiting for a large war to explode again, with all the post-United States broken up and being pushed against each other.
- 20
My modest little Iran. She's not much to look at, but I'm quite proud of her all the same, as I'm an extremely poor Vicky player. And I at least did decidedly better than the real Qajars 
.
.
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Random Dutch colonialism !My modest little Iran. She's not much to look at, but I'm quite proud of her all the same, as I'm an extremely poor Vicky player. And I at least did decidedly better than the real Qajars
At least she is good looking. Quite a shame you couldn't reclaim the Caucasus but well Russia is a beast
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Random Dutch colonialism !
At least she is good looking. Quite a shame you couldn't reclaim the Caucasus but well Russia is a beast
The thought of going against the Bear was a little too intimidating
.The thing I was really disappointed about was that I entirely forgot about Khiva and the bits of Kokand I wanted until near the end; thus, my ambitions of owning all of Uzbekia were dashed by time-constraints :/.
Still, I got most of the Iranosphere back. Perhaps attacking the Ottomans would have been a good plan, but I seem to recall that she was allied with Russia for most of the game.
The real irritations were Japan and America, both of which took a perverse delight in interfering in my conquests. Japan also had the irritating habit of sphere-ing all the Central Asian countries; I did get some profound satisfaction at annhilating all their invading armies, though.
The Dutch were pretty amusing, yes
they kept adding a bit more of Arabia every few decades. They did steal Yemen before I could, though, which irked me somewhat.Oh, yes, I don't think it's visible but Eritrea and most of Ethiopia are my colonies.
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You should've taken Arabia.The thought of going against the Bear was a little too intimidating
The thing I was really disappointed about was that I entirely forgot about Khiva and the bits of Kokand I wanted until near the end; thus, my ambitions of owning all of Uzbekia were dashed by time-constraints :/.
Still, I got most of the Iranosphere back. Perhaps attacking the Ottomans would have been a good plan, but I seem to recall that she was allied with Russia for most of the game.
The real irritations were Japan and America, both of which took a perverse delight in interfering in my conquests. Japan also had the irritating habit of sphere-ing all the Central Asian countries; I did get some profound satisfaction at annhilating all their invading armies, though.
The Dutch were pretty amusing, yes
Oh, yes, I don't think it's visible but Eritrea and most of Ethiopia are my colonies.
Attack one of the Otto's allies for humiliation.
My modest little Iran. She's not much to look at, but I'm quite proud of her all the same, as I'm an extremely poor Vicky player. And I at least did decidedly better than the real Qajars
Remove Ottoman!
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This is the furtherest I've ever got in Vic2, and my last game for the time being.
First we colonized the continent (not thanks to luck, I think I've found a way to do it with Transvaal with a reasonable chance of success, I'll explain if someone is interested) and become a GP, then, thanks to the manpower from colonies, we turned to our preferred target:
The number of our primary culture pops, Boers, increased a bit during the game.
2500 Boers in 1836.
37 790 Boers in 1845, after the conquest of the other Boer state, Oranje.
1 600 000 Boers in 1928. Early health reforms (thanks to the militancy driven up by war exhaustion in the war against Oranje), medicine, and I suppose, some assimilation, explain that increase.
Boers even become the majority in some provinces (orange is their colour).
Boers migrated everywhere on the continent and allowed me to turn more then 20 colonies into states. I think the colonial migration is much more likely when the capital is on the same continent - the only other time I've seen that many colonies become states is when I played as Egypt (=> Arabia). The bright green provinces are states.
The nasty English were driven off South Africa, Ireland and Scotland are free and under our protection.
And of course, we remained a presidential dictatorship.
First we colonized the continent (not thanks to luck, I think I've found a way to do it with Transvaal with a reasonable chance of success, I'll explain if someone is interested) and become a GP, then, thanks to the manpower from colonies, we turned to our preferred target:
The number of our primary culture pops, Boers, increased a bit during the game.
2500 Boers in 1836.
37 790 Boers in 1845, after the conquest of the other Boer state, Oranje.
1 600 000 Boers in 1928. Early health reforms (thanks to the militancy driven up by war exhaustion in the war against Oranje), medicine, and I suppose, some assimilation, explain that increase.
Boers even become the majority in some provinces (orange is their colour).
Boers migrated everywhere on the continent and allowed me to turn more then 20 colonies into states. I think the colonial migration is much more likely when the capital is on the same continent - the only other time I've seen that many colonies become states is when I played as Egypt (=> Arabia). The bright green provinces are states.
The nasty English were driven off South Africa, Ireland and Scotland are free and under our protection.
And of course, we remained a presidential dictatorship.
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I can't help feeling I'm missing some exploit or trick you've been using. Not to undermine your achievement, but how did you do it ?
I love how you conquered the Heavenly Kingdom before China could. Were you at war with China when they spawned?
I believe anybody can do it, and I'll explain gladly how (hopefully without too many mistakes in English).
Step 1: Oranje
Start by making conquest casus belli against Oranje from the day one. You have one brigade each, but Transvaal has 6-7 provinces and Oranje only 3, and that's a major advantage. Don't engage them in combat, even if you win, you'll lose too many troops and your army won't survive the attrition when occupying their provinces. Just occupy their three provinces while they are occupying yours, and you will be able to annex them. With only one brigade, the war can last 5-6 years, because they'll often liberate one province while you are occupying another. It is easier if you had disbanded your starting infantry regiment and replaced it with a dragoon. Use the militancy due to the war exhaustion to pass health and education reforms.
Step 2: Zulu
Here is where you some luck is involved, but a very moderate amount of it. Wait for Portugal or UK to start making establish protectorate CB against Zulu. As soon as they are discovered, start making your own casus belli. If they are not discovered early, it doesn't matter - you make CB a little bit faster (thanks to jingoism) and they won't start raising the organisation of their armies until they had finished making the CB - that means that between the moment when they have the CB and the actual attack, up to two months can pass. Your only task is to get your one and only brigade to the capital province of Zulu before the UK or Portugal. It easy when you calculate a bit (I'll explain further if necessary, the strategy is a bit different according to the attacker, Portugal or the UK). After the other two provinces are occupied by the other attacker, you can annex them (unless their army managed to escape and occupy some of your provinces, in which case you wait for the attrition to kill them, and it will kill all their army eventually). Granted, if the CB was not discovered at all, or was discovered really late, or Zulu remained independent until the late it the game, there is little you can do, but it is usually attacked somewhere in the 40s or 50s, and the CB is usually discovered before the two thirds of the making process, so unless you are unlucky, it is possible to conquer it that way. Also, a little hint: if Portugal attacked Oman for Lindi consessin, it will often start making CB against Zulu immediately after the war is over.
Step 3: Johore
If Johore still exists when you annexed Zulu, you should conquer it immediately. You'll need as much money as you can get in order to build level 3 naval bases. Build 3 or 4 ships (they will be in bad shape when they arrive near Johore, so you'll disband them then) and with troops provided by your Zulu provinces, you should conquer it without problem. If your infamy is too high at that point, you might need to release Natalia, one of the provinces of the ex-Zulu kingdom. Don't do it unless you are over the infamy limit, because there are some rare Boer pops in that province.
Step 4: Sinai
Conquering Sinai will give you even more money then Johore, indirectly. When you conquered Oranje, you got a border with the UK. From that point on, the UK will start slowly improving their relations with you, until they finally sphere you. You must avoid this, because when sphered you'll lose your revenues from tariffs, and as I said, you need all the money you can get. Now, if you conquer Sinai before you get sphered (you have time until late 50s), suddenly all the other GP's will become interested in you - the UK will have to spend their influence fighting them off, and won't get the opportunity to sphere you. In the 50s, the Egyptian army usually doesn't exists any more, so conquering Sinai is not an issue if you have 5-6 brigades, which you should have, thanks to Zulu pops.
Step 5: East coast of Africa
Get as many concessions on the east cost as the infamy limit and time allow it, starting with the most southern Omani province, because Portugal will push north from their colony. They'll probably have taken Lindi by that time, but you could take Zanzibar, Kenya and Somalia. Watch closely at Ethiopia, if it takes Eritrea from Egypt, there is a great chance they will be attacked by Spain. This must be prevented at all cost, because once Spain is in the region, they usually attack Egypt for Dongola, which gives them access to uncolonised territory. So, if Spain tries to take Eritrea from Ethiopia, you must do if first. It is not particularly difficult as far as timing is concerned, because Spain will first declare war, and only then send troops from mainland, which will have to sail all around Africa before they get to their target.
Step 6: West coast of Africa
You need a foothold here. The easiest target is Liberia. They are in the US sphere, although usually not a satellite any more in the 50s. Start making establish protectorate CB immediately after the Last John Brown's raid event in the US, and then wait for the US civil war to start before attacking. The US won't bother you during the civil war at home. The other potential target is Sokoto, but they are by that time either in the US sphere or friendly with them, so the same strategy applies.
Step 5: Colonial power
You should now have enough money to build level 3 bases in all of your provinces. Start researching the level 3 bases immediately after the tech becomes available, in 1855, in order to be able to build monitors and ironclads in the early 60s. The two previous naval techs should be researched before 1860, so that you can research the tech which enables monitors and ironclad immediately on the 1 January 1860. Build as many ironclads as you can before 1870 (you won't be able to build a lot, because you can produce them only in the ex-Zulu province, which is the only one to have a land connection to your capital), complement them with monitors. Get all the techs necessary for colonization, and don't research anything from 1868. The spared research points will be used to get the machine guns tech and hopefully, the colonial negotiations, a little bit before the others (don't forget that you are disadvantaged at discovering it, because you are not a Great Power).
Step 6: Start of the colonial race and the multiplication of the colonial power
Logically, the first thing you do when you have discovered colonial negotiations and are able to colonize is to settle in the provinces your desire the most. This won't work, because with all your ships and bases, you don't have enough colonial power to colonize more then 4-5 provinces, 6 at most if you played really well before. Instead, you'll use all your colonial points to connect your bases on the east cost of Africa to your capital, by taking the shortest route, around the Portuguese. This is the key element of my strategy, here is why. A level three base, let's say in Zanzibar, gives you 12 naval supply points. By building the maximum amount of the best ships you can in that base, and that means 4 monitors (they weight 3 supply points per ships and give you 10 colonial power each), you get a maximum of 40 colonial power. Now, a level 3 base that has a land connection to the capital gives you 40 naval supply points. By building the maximum amount of the best ships you can in that base, and that in this case means 13 ironclads (they weight 3 supply points per ships and give you 12 colonial power each), you get a maximum of 156 colonial points, PLUS 40 free additional colonial points because the base is connected to the capital, that makes 196 CP, almost 5 times more then in previous case. So, just by connecting your bases on the east coast to the capital, you get 40 colonial points for each base, plus 28 more naval supply points per base, and the possibility to make ironclads in them.
Step 7: Building walls around colonizable territory
Even when your colonial power has been multiplied as described above, you won't be able to colonize everything you want. For one, the other GP's will start colonizing to. The strategy here consist in barring them from the largest amount of territory possible, by using Portuguese colonies, Sokoto, Egypt, the Ottoman empire and the ocean as the building bricks of your wall, bricks you'll try to connect by the shortest way possible by your own colonies. It is important to start from the west, because that's where the colonization race always begins. With only three colonies, you can completely bar the colonization route from the west, from the ocean to the Ottoman held Tripoli. Next is the south-western coast,from where France and sometimes Denmark tries to colonize the central Africa. Here, also with three colonies, you'll connect Sokoto with the Portuguese Mozambique. The sparsely populated African south is the last place the AI will try to colonize, usually the UK and sometimes Dutch, so it should be taken care at the last moment. The east coast is already safe, because of colonies made while connecting it to the capital. Then the priority is to colonize any free provinces left outside of the wall, usually Benin and few other very populous provinces south of Sokoto are still without colonies by that time. As you can see below, it is possible to make this kind of "wall", around all the colonies Transvaal has with only 8 provinces.
You can't compete with the GP's for territories, if they are approaching your wall, or are trying to take one of the provinces in it, stall them, colonize around, and then abandon the disputed province.
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You can easily siege Zulu too. Take Oranje, then declare war on Zulu. Let them siege your provinces (you're too weak to fight them off) and siege Zulu. Your army should be a dragoon and a artillery. You siege Zulu before the Zulu can siege you.
I don't have two brigades at that point, keeping "alive" one brigade by encouraging soldiers is the best I can do, and against it Zulu would get attacked while besieging and destroyed. With their 9 brigades, I think they would also attack an army of two brigades.
They would attack it but they are AI so they wouldn't.
No two brigades? Usually you should have two