Sardaukar and the Two-Headed-Bird Empire Quest

[Sardaukar]

I started a GC (1.07 last beta) as newbie, settings on VE/Coward. I thought I'd share my experiences with the rest..at least you'll have fun

1435:

Oh my...Novgorod was something I just *had to* attack..those usurpers of the great fame of Russia shall be removed from earth. Oh why, why my neighbours just don't love me ?

I went away from Muscovy's "more the merrier" approach..and decided to pursue "Quality and Free Subjects" way. I hope to overwhelm my heretic neighbours by such approach. Golden Horde will have it's downfall soon..I promise to take their lands from them . I'll bid my time and build my army...

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[Alexandru H.]

Ok, but where is your AAR?

Seriously....

 

[unmerged(16363)]

Well... it seems to be a true After-Action-Report in essence. Direct and only reporting your actions.

Good luck!

 

[Alexandru H.]

I don't think it's that either...it starts in 1435 and the informations are so general, I first thought he was playing Sweden

 

[unmerged(16363)]

I know well of this, Alexandru, because this AAR was started based on doubts this guy had from the game. Well, let's let him do his work!

 

[Sardaukar]

I'm playing Muscovy...I think "Two-Headed-Bird Quest" was a hint More to follow But I thought this would be good as starting phase

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[Machiavellian]

Isn't Austria the two headed Bird empire, what with the Austrian double eagle?

Then again, the Romanovs(i think) had a black double eagle as a symbol.. or was that the Kremlin?

 

[Sardaukar]

We, Vasiliy II Temny (now you know why old monarchs referred them as *we*, they were referring to us grey eminences ) are delighted to have expanded our land a bit. Unholy heretics from Golden Horde are unhappy with our cancellation of vassalization. They will have what they deserve in future....

We are most unhappy about Swedish conquests of our sacred land in Kola and Karelia...that will be a future gripe between us and them. And the abomination..the Denmark...the Danes...have Ingermanland...that will not be left avenged. Punishment will be severe ! Battles against Novgorod went well...but due to our inexperience with this new system of war has greatly reduced our gains. We'll work to remedy this !

Our quest for Greater Russia with better quality will continue !

Our situation (to show sliders):

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[Sardaukar]

To our dismay...our neighbours, abominable Swedens, plasphemous Teutonic Order and old nemesis, Golden Horde, had very deep resentment towards our goals to improve life and prosperity in our land.

Sweden decided to try her claws on Novgorod...something that we couldn't let happen. After years of struggle, we have saved Novgorod from that evil Scandinavian influence, to be embraced by Mother Russia. Now we truly hug our misguided brothers in true fashion, from all borders.

Teutonic Order, those heretics, tried to influence events by military force...they were sent back with their tails between their legs, true to their demonic ancestry.

Suzdal, those no-good weaklings, who bow towards the Mongols of Golden Horde, and as such are too corrupt to rule over our opressed brothers, were also made to feel the new power of our military. They shouldn't have sided with those despised monsters of Golden Horde. Golden Horde remains a thorn in our pawn, despite the military success of our forces.

And why, oh why our neighbours hate us ? We are just trying to bring happiness with Quality and Free Subjects !!!

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[unmerged(16363)]

Sardaukar, good to see your progress. I've just mentioned your AAR at the bAAR!

I'll give you a tip, as I've already played Russia (but started from Novgorod): by the late 1700's you'll have an opportunity, via event, to strongly reduce your serfdom. Of course, it's a loooooong way to you until there, but...

And I like your approach of a free and quality Muscowy/Russia!

 

[Eochaid]

Hello Sardaukar, just like Anibal, I saw Alexandru H. mentioning your AAR at the bAAR, so I decided to stop by.

Your AAR is easy and pleasant to read, your screenies making it all the better.

Howevere, you might want to give us a little more details. Not much, just a few words on how your war went and stuff like that. That way it'll be a great first AAR.

By the way you should try to get Kola and North Karelia back as soon as possible, before the Swedes colonise and fortify them.

Cheers,

the bAARtender

 

[Sardaukar]

Oh the joy and happiness !!

Bells are ringing all through the realm to celebrate the victories of our military, the wise course of our politics and demise of our enemies !

Lithuanians, those usurpers, decided to try to put their yoke on us ! The fools, now the land they did hold for wrong cause is free and rejoices to be united with us. Golden Horde, the old nemesis, have been smashed...smashed ! No more will the Mongol opression be feared, let them fear us !

Our military and ordinary subjects rejoice the unheard freedom among land. All units have surge of moral and sense of being on side of right. Production and tax revenues have rised above all expectations, long live our wise rulers !

16th Century is looming ahead..promising more for our quest for Quality and Free Subjects !

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[Sardaukar]

These are the phases I've played through before, thus the fast sequence of AAR posts I went totally opposite from quantity military policy, and instead approached the issue from quality/morale promotion, since I figured Muscovy/Russia is never short of manpower per se. And I thought that'd give me some equalizer with Sweden/Poland/Austria.

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[Sardaukar]

Times of stabilisation, times of taxation and times of growing up internally.

Our Brothers of Ukraine have been delighted to join us as vassals ! We are hoping to make them see the true joy of joining to our prospering empire in distant future. All available money is going to building tax collectors to provinces. We are still heavily investing to land tech and trade tech, our goal is to have monopoly in Moscow CoT.

Make love, no war ! Our relations with Poland have been exceptionally good lately, and we have allied ourselves militarily with them...so we fear no-one now ! Sweden still occupying our sacred land in Karelia and Kola still hurts our pride, but wisdom of our rulers indicate that we cannot match their military prowess just now...time will come, though...

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[unmerged(14338)]

I Like this Nice and smooth

 

[Sardaukar]

Just when everything looked really good, we have been hit with exceptionally bad stability events. Money and research continue to pour in, but those ignorant fools called peasants have been misled by evil nobles, who allied themselves with Teutonic Order. We haven't been able to expand our empire, nor been able to bring Ukraine into Greater Prosperity of Muscovy. Proper authorities have been notified to build up more public execution stands, to remind our glorious people that Free Subjects doesn't mean same as Free to Revolt !

Our pursuit of Land Tech and Trade continues, but we, The Majesty, have been very annoyed by unrest among the people. Nobility and Cities demanding their rights have been dealt with no mercy. Proper authorities have been notified to give absolutely no quarter !

We are pleased to report that we are still at same military level as our despised neighbour, abominable Sweden.

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[Sardaukar]

Internal strifes continue and continue, just when situation seems to improve, another event hits and forces us to temporarily abandon our Annexation of Ukraine. I'm dismayed to tell that our divine Majesty had temporary insanity. Fortunately it was cured with lots of ice cold baths in river through the winter. Demons seem to have dissappeared from his mind, and he's again able to to stamp his signet and write his signiture.

But, good news, we have decided to become Russia ! Oh the joy and glory ! Church bells are ringing through the realm to bring the news to all subjects. We have claimed lot of land both from west and east. Heretics haven't been protesting too much. We take that as sign for future success.

Curious thing happened to us lately. Our noble vassals from Ukraine decided to declare war on Golden Horde. We happily agreed to honour our military alliance and smashed those creatures of east to ground in 2 provinces. Then, amazing diplomatic betrayal happened to us...Ukraine accepted peace and 80 ducats. Morons, not even single province or ducat came to our way. We have expressed our deepest dismay about that to Ukrainians, telling them clearly that we don't accept that kind of behaviour.
Our vassals of Ukraine seem to have martial fervour, though. Not much later, they declared war on Lithuania ! And asked us to honour our obligation with them again. We were bit wary, due to our experiences in last war...but we saw this a good chance to settle some issues with those unbelievers of Lithuania. Amazingly, Lithuanians declined our peace offers... Then the Ukraine pulled out another trick, they got into peace with Lithuania..granting us 3 provinces !!! I guess our attitude wasn't left unnoticed by Ukrane !

Religious conversion of 2 provinces went reasonably smoothly...only 2 revolts, quickly crushed by well-placed Russian armies. Uraa !!!

We keep an concerned eye towards Sweden, though. They have tried to nibble our empire now and then, but so far our numbers and morale have been more than match to Swedish techical advances. But we are dismayed to see they are now 3 levels ahead in land tech. We have burned Finnish provinces twice already, but I guess that'll have to cease before we get better firepower.

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[Sardaukar]

More amazing events !

Finally, Ukraine saw the wisdom to accept our annexation and saw wisdom to join our glorious nation. Fools of Lithuania decided to declare war on us again ! Their pitiful attemp was crushed, their Black Sea provinces annexed and religious conversion of all but one province within empire is complete. Curiously, their main province is now controlled by Pommern, go figure. Our military might have raised to unheard heights, to compare to our military opponents in east and south. Extensive fortifications have been built from north to middle of our western border.

Annoying but also fortunate mistake was discovered among our royal secretaries lately. We seem to have inherited a military alliance with Austria when Ukraine joined us. Somehow, the paperwork was lost..and we, the Majesty, have been greatly annoyed when Austrians asked us to honour our treaty... After frantical search, quilty secretaries were found, found guilty and beheaded and quartered. Rest associated to them were sent to unknown territory Northeast of Archangelsk, and told to report back their findings after 30 years. We are especially interested about eating habits of great wolfpacks sighted there. I think that example will be enough to teach more vigilance to our secretaries and clerks.

After all, it seemed fortunately to enter alliance with Austria, even though we had to dishonour our alliance, since war was against Poland..and we have royal ties with them. We hope that Austria sees our point of view in this.

Our plan is to crush Golden Horde now, for ever. It has been delayed by other events and internal strife. But now it's time to show their pitiful military what we are capable of. We are on land tech level 11...and they are on land thech level 2. Golden Horde is so inept that it almost takes the joy of victory away..almost...

Some insight of our military:

Cheers,

M.S.

 

[unmerged(16363)]

Sardaukar, I am really glad to see your achievements and reportings, but here comes a good advice to you. Even having you played too much of the campaign, it would really be nice to post on a slower speed. This way it gets more pleasant to read!

Just my two coins... but I enjoy your work, believe me!

 

[Sardaukar]

It'll get slower now, since I had played until 1579 . I thought I'd go to recent as soon as possible, when I have time . Now I have to actually concentrate to play, and not only check the frequent saves and extract AAR from them .

Cheers,

M.S.