CHAPTER XXI: HUNGARY II
Part 1: Kicking Anthills
(1730-1735)
Second Verse
Welcome back to Hungary and our ongoing efforts to destabilize the world one country at a time!
Let's see what's changed:
Not as much as you might think.
Same dynasty. Hungary westernized last time we were here and has done a good job of catching up, but with most western countries in the 24-26 range, that Admin-20 is still a bit short. We don't like Poland or Austria - same as last time. We aren't fond of Bohemia either. Our alliance with Spain has stood the test of time. Everyone else is just icing on the cake.
We have a CB on the Ottomans, Austria and Venice. Let's attack the Turk! Wait, just kidding.
The Ottomans are in a nasty war already: They've gone toe to toe versus Russia over some border province. They have 280K soldiers, the Russians 200. Both are Military-26. Should be a good match.
Poland and Austria have joined up with Bavaria and Wurtemberg to take out the Livonians, Teutons and Hansa. They're winning as well, which makes intervention tempting...except Spain is Poland's ally, and it looks like they'll side with them if I do.
Anyway Austria is also busy, with France and Utrecht, fending off Mitrehead and Magdeburg. I don't want to interfere with that. Incidentally, I don't have the faintest idea where Mitrehead is hiding these days: Tuscany's owned Rome for several years now.
Venice has Milan and Siena as allies. They also have 57 ships, and I'm not even close. This makes the city of Venice impregnable and any campaign somewhat fruitless.
This leaves Bohemia. Bohemia is allied with Anhalt, Brunswick and Ulm. Oh, the Emperor (still Palatinate!) will help if we do this. Well, if Spain helps then the Emperor isn't an issue.
Ulm Rising
It takes a year to get ready. During this time I forge claims on Ratibor (Bohemia) and Sieradz (Poland). The latter may prove useful someday, and the former will save us some war exhaustion and stability. We also pass the 'De Heretico Comburendo' Act, which gives us +2% Taxes, +0.5% Missionary Strength, and increases the chance of church reform. Since that ship sailed a long time ago, this is a free bonus.
Our merchant placement isn't bad. I only move one, leaving us with houses in Venice, Alexandria, Ragusa, Wien and Constantinople with the former three protected by small trading fleets.
In July, Bohemia gets into a war with Saxony, Bavaria and Utrecht. All the easier.
By November our naval officers are retiring (-10% Naval Trad), but with only fifteen warships (six of those transports) .. well, naval campaigns aren't part of our future.
A new year, and Bohemia discovers our agent. Too bad. We snub them by holding a huge party where we welcome Ratibor to the Hungarian Empire. It goes over so well that we get Diplomacy-25 (Three Deckers). We then tell Bohemia to give us the province or pay the price.
They aren't impressed.
Despite the above screenie, Spain can't be bothered so it's HUNGARY, Milan and Savoy vs. PALATINATE, Anhalt, Bohemia, Brunswick and Ulm.
Oh dear.
We'll have to do this fast. We siege Ratibor and Bohmerwald. The Bohemians attack Bohmerwald, so I leave a minimal garrison and send the rest of the army to help defend. They invite all their buddies (including ULM.)
In July 1732 the two armies collide. We have 31,000 under Domotor Kinizsi, who was Hungary's choice for general of the year until I realized he was out of his league. (F1 S2 M4 Sg0) The had 38,000 under Josef Vaclav Veliky (5/4/3/1).
Right.
We sent our entire army home to recover. The costs of this recovery threw our budget into the negative, and I took loans to hire 12K more soldiers. This was much more than the Hungarian force limit (48/31 after the purchases) but...well, I needed to try.
Over the autumn and winter we recovered our strength, crushed an 8K Anhalt force and a few 1K stragglers. We then noticed the Bohemian army, alone, in Saxony and rolled the dice.
History will credit Veliky with being the better commander. Personally, I think it was ULM.
Our army tried to reocver in Krakow, but they chased us out of there with heavy losses. Bohemia wasted their chance to annihilate our army as we retreated to the Turk border.
This is ridiculous. I have better things to do.
That may seem like a heavy peace. Perhaps you're right, but we had no land connection to the Ukraine anyway.
What I didn't expect was this giving the emperor enough of a boost to enact the next reform. This is going to make dealing with the HRE that much harder.
Interbellum
For some reason our army is really proud of how we performed in that war.
Sure, guys. Go celebrate. BTW, I'm finding you another commander if we do this again!
We reduce our army back to the 31K limit and begin rebuilding our economy. A merchant company helps: We're offered a long term investment or short term payout. The latter is worth 510 gold, which is enough to pay the army while they heal while dealing with loans.
We're rewarded for our economic care by learning Administration-21. This opens up Absolute Monarchy when I have some more Admin points.
It's July 1733, and I look in on the Turk/Russian war. Ugh. The Ottomans have seized most of what we'd consider the Crimea and are pushing into the eastern steppes. This..could be game over. If Russia can't at least hold the Ottos to a stand still, then we have our game winner.
Army size: Ottomans 153K, Russians 193K.
Hm...
So a few things appear to be at play here. Obviously the Russians are spread all over the place, which explains why the Ottos are taking so much land. This also is probably limiting Russian losses, and they should have much better manpower.
Hm...
So, if I can just give the Ottomans a little bit of a push, that might turn the tide. Why do I care? Well, maybe I don't. Certainly this is the best I've ever seen the Ottomans do in any version of EU. Still... Still, if you were a ruler in this world, wouldn't you want to try to break up one of the hegemons threatening to just take it over? Especially one on your border who's taken land from you in the past?
Me too.
Go Team Spain!
So it's HUNGARY, Spain (Catalan Canada, Florida), Milan vs. the OTTOMANS, Morocco, Portugal (Caraibas, Portugese Brazil, Portuguese Mexico) in what might pass for this world's Seven Years War.
My official war goal is of course Hunyad, but I'm not hopeful. Certainly if we win convincingly I'll take it, but really just weakening the Ottomans will answer. If Russia and Spain are weakened in the fighting as well, then that's probably good for the rest of the world.
Naturally there will be casualties, at least until Spain shows up. I'm out of my league and we all know it. In May nineteen of their ships (6/6/7/0) crush my war fleet (0/0/9/6) and even gain a transport for their troubles. Whatever, guys.
I once more invaded two border provinces (Hunyad and Maros). Interestingly, they seemed inclined to ignore me and counterinvade Maramaros. I sent the army home to check them. Meanwhile, the Spaniards landed in force along the Albanian border leading to the first two major battles in July 1734.
The Spaniards win easily, and by the end of the year have a few large armies in the Balkans. I'm not as lucky, losing 12K to their 9K, but it's enough to check their advance and bleed them a little. By October I'm confident enough to return to Maros and lay siege. The Ottomans don't press their luck.
By December 1734, it's on.
Code:
Nation Current Army Manpower
Ottomans 104.9K 5.4K
Russia 145.8K 416.6K
Spain 208.2K 111.7K
What do you think Johan, should we wreak some more havoc?
Johan's Dice
Reign: 5 years
Needed: 2+
Roll: 4
Continue?: Yes
Sweet.