Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but 1.06 has certainly caused me to change my style of play considerably. After playing a few games historically in order to learn the new ropes, I decided to play a more ambitious game in which I would flush history down the toilet. But I didn't want things to get too difficult, so I figured I'd pick Malacca. With its rich CoT and easy access to prime colonization grounds, including King Jakarta, building an Asian empire should be a cinch, right?
v1.06 GC, Very Hard / Furious
Goals:
Some stats on Malacca at start:
Ready? Hold on tight, now ...
---
The Rise of the Sea-Dog Sultans
Chapter One
Imagine, if you will, that we are on the Malaysian peninsula in the early Fifteenth Century. (If you won't imagine, it will make the rest of this very difficult. So just do it. Good. Was that so hard?) Now, as we enter the city of Malacca, capital of the Sultanate of Malacca, we find Megat Iskandar, the Sultan himself. Looking a bit more closely at this man, we see the toll that the years have taken on him. He is haggard and weary, and as ready for the knackers yard as a person can get. But his eyes reveal an inner vision greater than himself, a vision that, unbeknowst to him, shall soon propel his people down a path they could never have imagined. Unless they're all insane, of course. The Sultan appears to be listening to suggestions from his advisors. Listening, but not heeding. For this man does not need advisors, such are his leadership abilities (8/8/7). Let us cock an ear toward the conversation ...
---
"Your Grace, I beseech you! Claiming the throne of Atjeh could be construed as an act of aggression!"
"That's because it is an act of aggression, you dolt," the Sultan stated flatly.
"But ... Sultan ..." stammered Chief Eunuch Abdullah Al-Dindin. "Your daughter will likely be killed when your proclamation reaches Atjeh!"
"Well, I didn't marry her off a year ago because I liked her," replied the Sultan with a wink.
"Sultan, I do not believe we have the resources ..."
"... to defeat Atjeh alone? You are correct, for once. But that is why I agreed to enter an alliance with Ayutthaya, Cambodia, Pegu, Vientiane and Taungu."
"Sultan, I seriously doubt ..."
"... that they will all join us in a war? You are probably correct again, amazingly as that may seem. But Ayutthaya will join us. And if the others refuse the call to arms, the alliance will fall apart, which will leave one less coalition plotting against Malacca."
"Still, Master, I feel this course of action is far too dangerous ..."
"Bah! Have some balls, Abdullah."
At this the eunuch was silent.
---
The Sultan was right. Only Ayutthaya and Pegu honored the alliance when Malacca declared war on Atjeh on the final day of 1421. Cambodia, Vientiane, and Taungu broke off to form other alliances, and this angered the Ayutthayan Devaraja, upon which the Sultan was heard to comment, "Tough titty." Or something like that.
Sadly, Megat Iskandar would not live to see the end of the war against Atjeh, as he died with the year 1423. His successor, Sri Mahârâja Muhammad, was not quite as skilled (6/6/5), but was competent enough to lead Malacca to victory in the Atjeh war, and in April of 1425 Atjeh agreed to cede the province of Riau and 75 ducats, in addition to becoming a vassal of Malacca.
Muhammed's reign would be a prosperous one for Malacca. He oversaw the founding of the sultanate's first colony in Jakarta, as well as the establishment of trading posts in Manado, Jambi, Palembang, Sunda, and Bandung. Malaccan trade filled the Sultan's coffers with gold, and merchants were sent to the nearby trading ports of Shanghai and Ganges. Relations with Atjeh were repaired as well, for Muhammed gave much financial aid to the humbled vassal so that it could be rebuilt. Relations improved so much that in 1430 Malacca left her alliance with Ayutthaya and Pegu in order to forge a new alliance with Atjeh, an alliance that would last for 16 years, after which Atjeh agreed to become an integral part of Malacca.
Alas, Muhammed was unable to keep breathing long enough to complete this union himself, and was succeeded by Abu'-Shahid Ibrâhîm, who was at best a mediocre leader of men (4/5/4). Fortunately, his reign was only to last for two years. In 1446, Ibrâhîm was killed in a freak harem accident the details of which remain cloudy to this day. His replacement was the most able Muzaffar (8/4/6), whose silver tongue achieved the long-anticipated absorption of Atjeh. Muzaffar ordered more trading posts to be founded in Flores, Sumbawa, and Banjarmasin, and the expansion of Sunda into a proper colony. The population of Jakarta was through increased colonization expanded to over 600, after which the local natives saw the grace of Allah and joined the swelling ranks of Malacca's population.
Malacca and her Neighbors, 1450
By 1450 Malacca had established herself as the dominant nation of indonesia, but nevertheless her position would soon be challenged ... rather foolishly, really, but challenged nonetheless.
---
Stats for the math hungry, all in 1450:
v1.06 GC, Very Hard / Furious
Goals:
- Dominate the Spice Islands early
- Give Portugal the finger when they arrive
- Use island wealth to project power into mainland Asia
- And beyond
Some stats on Malacca at start:
Code:
[color=red]
Religion: Sunni
Culture: Malay
Provinces: 3 (Malacca, Perak, and Johor)
DP sliders:
Aris. 8
Cent. 5
Inno. 5
Merc. 3
Offs. 7
Land 2
Qual. 6
Serf. 6
Monthly Income 2d
Technology:
Land 0
Naval 0
Trade 1
Infra. 0
Support Limit: 9k men
[/color]---
The Rise of the Sea-Dog Sultans
Chapter One
Imagine, if you will, that we are on the Malaysian peninsula in the early Fifteenth Century. (If you won't imagine, it will make the rest of this very difficult. So just do it. Good. Was that so hard?) Now, as we enter the city of Malacca, capital of the Sultanate of Malacca, we find Megat Iskandar, the Sultan himself. Looking a bit more closely at this man, we see the toll that the years have taken on him. He is haggard and weary, and as ready for the knackers yard as a person can get. But his eyes reveal an inner vision greater than himself, a vision that, unbeknowst to him, shall soon propel his people down a path they could never have imagined. Unless they're all insane, of course. The Sultan appears to be listening to suggestions from his advisors. Listening, but not heeding. For this man does not need advisors, such are his leadership abilities (8/8/7). Let us cock an ear toward the conversation ...
---
"Your Grace, I beseech you! Claiming the throne of Atjeh could be construed as an act of aggression!"
"That's because it is an act of aggression, you dolt," the Sultan stated flatly.
"But ... Sultan ..." stammered Chief Eunuch Abdullah Al-Dindin. "Your daughter will likely be killed when your proclamation reaches Atjeh!"
"Well, I didn't marry her off a year ago because I liked her," replied the Sultan with a wink.
"Sultan, I do not believe we have the resources ..."
"... to defeat Atjeh alone? You are correct, for once. But that is why I agreed to enter an alliance with Ayutthaya, Cambodia, Pegu, Vientiane and Taungu."
"Sultan, I seriously doubt ..."
"... that they will all join us in a war? You are probably correct again, amazingly as that may seem. But Ayutthaya will join us. And if the others refuse the call to arms, the alliance will fall apart, which will leave one less coalition plotting against Malacca."
"Still, Master, I feel this course of action is far too dangerous ..."
"Bah! Have some balls, Abdullah."
At this the eunuch was silent.
---
The Sultan was right. Only Ayutthaya and Pegu honored the alliance when Malacca declared war on Atjeh on the final day of 1421. Cambodia, Vientiane, and Taungu broke off to form other alliances, and this angered the Ayutthayan Devaraja, upon which the Sultan was heard to comment, "Tough titty." Or something like that.
Sadly, Megat Iskandar would not live to see the end of the war against Atjeh, as he died with the year 1423. His successor, Sri Mahârâja Muhammad, was not quite as skilled (6/6/5), but was competent enough to lead Malacca to victory in the Atjeh war, and in April of 1425 Atjeh agreed to cede the province of Riau and 75 ducats, in addition to becoming a vassal of Malacca.
Muhammed's reign would be a prosperous one for Malacca. He oversaw the founding of the sultanate's first colony in Jakarta, as well as the establishment of trading posts in Manado, Jambi, Palembang, Sunda, and Bandung. Malaccan trade filled the Sultan's coffers with gold, and merchants were sent to the nearby trading ports of Shanghai and Ganges. Relations with Atjeh were repaired as well, for Muhammed gave much financial aid to the humbled vassal so that it could be rebuilt. Relations improved so much that in 1430 Malacca left her alliance with Ayutthaya and Pegu in order to forge a new alliance with Atjeh, an alliance that would last for 16 years, after which Atjeh agreed to become an integral part of Malacca.
Alas, Muhammed was unable to keep breathing long enough to complete this union himself, and was succeeded by Abu'-Shahid Ibrâhîm, who was at best a mediocre leader of men (4/5/4). Fortunately, his reign was only to last for two years. In 1446, Ibrâhîm was killed in a freak harem accident the details of which remain cloudy to this day. His replacement was the most able Muzaffar (8/4/6), whose silver tongue achieved the long-anticipated absorption of Atjeh. Muzaffar ordered more trading posts to be founded in Flores, Sumbawa, and Banjarmasin, and the expansion of Sunda into a proper colony. The population of Jakarta was through increased colonization expanded to over 600, after which the local natives saw the grace of Allah and joined the swelling ranks of Malacca's population.
Malacca and her Neighbors, 1450
By 1450 Malacca had established herself as the dominant nation of indonesia, but nevertheless her position would soon be challenged ... rather foolishly, really, but challenged nonetheless.
---
Stats for the math hungry, all in 1450:
Code:
[color=red]
Provinces: 14
6 full cities, incl. Jakarta
1 colony
7 TP's
DP sliders:
Aris. 9
Cent. 5
Inno. 4
Merc. 5
Offs. 7
Land 2
Qual. 6
Serf. 5
Money:
Monthly Income 18d
Inflation 3.6% (thank you Exceptional Year)
Technology:
Land 1
Naval 1
Trade 2
Infra. 2
Support Limit: 20k men
Badboy is at zero, thanks to 24 years of peace.
[/color]
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