Fortunately the Sokoto cartographers are even less capable of placing egypt correctly.
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These cartographers wouldn't happen to also be those Beer Hall inspectors would they?
Once you research N&I you'll be able to annex Egypt in one go right? For the sake of a nice, clean map I suggest you do so as soon as you can. I too am interested in what you're planning colonisation wise: will you go for colonies likely to be targeted by the Europeans first (like cutting off Zimbabwe and Namibia from Britain) or will you try to get a land border between Sokoto proper and your Egyptian/southern African holdings?
Nice to see you finally decided to go for a V2 AAR. And what a way to go in! The early expansionist rush definitely paid off, now you can even crush the Ottomans... Looking forward to the most epic land war to come: Sokoto-Russia 
sad to see that little corner of 'Ottoman Asia' clinging on in the corner, but more than made up for with the epic nature of the poetry
I'm still in awe you've got away with this so far ...
I'm still in awe you've got away with this so far ...
Thank you profusely for the replies!
Vaya con Queso - I'm quite annoyed about Egypt and Persia. I blundered in proving too gready in launching the wars against both nations whilst already demanding so much territory from the Ottomans. I should have instead waited until the war against the Ottomans had finished before doing so as then I would have had the jingoism to demand far more from them both! Oh well, hopefully I can annex Egypt soon.
As for my colonisation strategy I'd like to box in a considerable amount of land around the east coast of Africa, so as to protect this land for future colonisation. As I'm stuck with only one NF for a good few years yet attempting to claim any larger an area is likely going to prove impossible.
Caezaire - Very true! Still, luckily for Egypt she will hopefully soon have nothing but Sokoto's proud name representing her on the map!
Tanzhang (譚張) - I think it quite likely the cartographers have been busy 'studying' Sokoto's beer hall problem!
I'll certainly annex Egypt as soon as I can but I want to head for Machine Guns before getting N&I. I only went for Ideological Thought this time due to the great boost to plurality it provides which helps my meagre RP considerably. As for colonisation my strategy is as I've stated to Vaya con Queso. However I'll just add that the reason why I'd rather focus on colonising the east coast is because I don't think with a mere single NF I'll be able to surround much land on the west coast before other Great Powers begin colonising and interfering with my plan!
sprites - That it is! They really do need a 'My Font Is Too Small Thus I Will Attack You To Enlarge It' casus belli for this game!
aldriq - Thank you for the kind words (your bribe is en route!) I'd rather avoid Russia for the time being! Not that Sokoto need fear the Russian hordes of course, her pink clad and horrifically ineptly led men would make short work of them! Still, I'm busy expanding elsewhere for now against rather weaker opponents as this update will show.
loki100 - I'm very glad to see the small slice of Ottoman Asia, it is the only thing standing between me and war with Russia! Well, that and Russia's respect for great poetry as well I am quite sure. Russia would doubtless leave Sokoto in peace even if she was a neighbour, so as to not disrupt Kabe's wonderful poetry.
As for my getting away with things thus far; this update shows how right you are! The AI seems near intent on handing me victory (which is just as well considering how useless I am at this game).
malevoiy - Thus far I have 389.72 infamy, which is clearly nowhere near enough!
Vaya con Queso - I'm quite annoyed about Egypt and Persia. I blundered in proving too gready in launching the wars against both nations whilst already demanding so much territory from the Ottomans. I should have instead waited until the war against the Ottomans had finished before doing so as then I would have had the jingoism to demand far more from them both! Oh well, hopefully I can annex Egypt soon.
As for my colonisation strategy I'd like to box in a considerable amount of land around the east coast of Africa, so as to protect this land for future colonisation. As I'm stuck with only one NF for a good few years yet attempting to claim any larger an area is likely going to prove impossible.
Caezaire - Very true! Still, luckily for Egypt she will hopefully soon have nothing but Sokoto's proud name representing her on the map!
Tanzhang (譚張) - I think it quite likely the cartographers have been busy 'studying' Sokoto's beer hall problem!
I'll certainly annex Egypt as soon as I can but I want to head for Machine Guns before getting N&I. I only went for Ideological Thought this time due to the great boost to plurality it provides which helps my meagre RP considerably. As for colonisation my strategy is as I've stated to Vaya con Queso. However I'll just add that the reason why I'd rather focus on colonising the east coast is because I don't think with a mere single NF I'll be able to surround much land on the west coast before other Great Powers begin colonising and interfering with my plan!
sprites - That it is! They really do need a 'My Font Is Too Small Thus I Will Attack You To Enlarge It' casus belli for this game!
aldriq - Thank you for the kind words (your bribe is en route!) I'd rather avoid Russia for the time being! Not that Sokoto need fear the Russian hordes of course, her pink clad and horrifically ineptly led men would make short work of them! Still, I'm busy expanding elsewhere for now against rather weaker opponents as this update will show.
loki100 - I'm very glad to see the small slice of Ottoman Asia, it is the only thing standing between me and war with Russia! Well, that and Russia's respect for great poetry as well I am quite sure. Russia would doubtless leave Sokoto in peace even if she was a neighbour, so as to not disrupt Kabe's wonderful poetry.
As for my getting away with things thus far; this update shows how right you are! The AI seems near intent on handing me victory (which is just as well considering how useless I am at this game).
malevoiy - Thus far I have 389.72 infamy, which is clearly nowhere near enough!
Chapter Fourteen - Putting the Boot In
Having conquered so much of the Ottomans lands the Sokoto government faces something of a problem.
Militancy is rising to worrying levels as Sokoto's newly acquired Ottoman citizens are for some reason unhappy at being forced from a prosperous, industralised, technologically advanced nation filled with intelligent, rational people into a nation where all in a position of power would struggle to find their own backside at the first attempt. Quickly identifying this potential danger the government hurriedly act to appease their new serfs-uh, citizens, by outlawing slavery.
With Sokoto finally at peace for the first time in many years the government is at last able to reward Mocambique with full statehood.
Whilst Mocambique begins experiencing the joys of full statehood within Sokoto, higher taxes, far worse schooling and forced wearing of pink no doubt warmly welcomed by Mocambique's people, Sena unfortunately has too few bureaucrats at present to be similarly rewarded. Rumours that the people of Sena purposefully removed the bureaucrats themselves so as to escape statehood quite clearly shocking lies.
Horror grips the government a few months later as tensions build between Sokoto and other Great Powers over Persia.
The government reluctantly assert their position, unhappy at incurring infamy from doing so. Quite clearly incurring such infamy is dangerous for Sokoto as it blemishes her reputation as an otherwise infamy free peacable nation.
A few months after these worrying events in Persia the doubtless delighted province of Sena is made a full state on July 6th 1858. A short while after this Sokoto's scientists make an important discovery.
The discovery of medicine able to combat malaria allowing Sokoto to begin colonising for the first time. Surprisingly, for a province newly granted statehood mere weeks before, Sena eagerly volunteer to be the first region colonised. Her people wishing to return to life as a mere colony, inexplicably preferring the pre-statehood days of less taxes and less bureaucratic interference.
The government is left hugely offended a week later as a report brands Sokoto's many fine houses mere slums.
Whilst the government strongly disagree that the dwellings in question are anything like slums, pointing to the fact that these fine houses are owned and rented out by the current Prime Minister who would never let his poor tenants suffer horrible living conditions merely to gain some extra profit, they nonetheless call for a parliamentary investigation into the scandal. Keen as they are to bribe some politicians into clearing the Prime Minister's good name. That is, keen as they are to allow some wholly impartial politicians to clear the Prime Minister's good name.
With militancy continuing to rise, it almost as if people dislike living in slums, suffering abject poverty and constant warfare, the government hurriedly pass another reform before rebellion grips the nation.
As ever the government pass this reform whilst motivated only by an interest to encourage democratic freedom within Sokoto. The fact that these unions will be entirely controlled by state officials and their members closely watched for any hint of rebellion is merely a small and unimportant matter.
The last few months have witnessed a considerable expansion of Sokoto's navy.
As Sokot shipbuilding remains as reliable as ever, several newly made ships sinking before a makeshift fleet is cobbled together, the government plans to use the newly made, barely floating, fleet to conquer yet more lands.
With the ships now waiting off the coast of Italy time is of the essence, they will likely sink soon. Sokoto's diplomats are thus quickly sent forth.
This is a highly delicate diplomatic mission, Sokoto's diplomats must deliver the decleration of war to Italy and also convince France to dishonour their alliance with her. If France joins this war Sokoto is more than likely doomed.
Everything then rides upon Sokoto's diplomats, something the government soon realises and begins worrying about, wishing they had sent someone with some actual tact and diplomacy to handle these crucial negotiations.
A day later and Sokoto's triumphant diplomats return home. France having dishonoured her alliance with Italy, no doubt scared by the thought of fighting Sokoto's pink clad troops. Rumours that Italy had in truth told France she could easily handle any nation which employs horrifically inept pink and green clad diplomats alone without any aid clearly slanderous lies.
With France failing to join the war Sokoto need merely deal with the technologically advanced, numerically superior, better equipped and far better led Italy. This should prove a dawdle.
Realising this, Sokoto's hugely relieved troops hurriedly disembark from their already sinking ships, quickly occupying Sicily. With Sokoto's armies in place the first Italian force begins to cross the strait from Reggio di Calabria into Sicily, Sokoto's troops ready and bravely awaiting them. Or rather, Sokoto's troops are petrified yet forced to await them as there is nowhere for them to run.
As another Italian force is also moving forward to cross the strait the Sokot navy quickly moves to block the crossing, as the plan is to only allow the Italians to cross into Sicily in small numbers. This otherwise intelligent plan of only allowing small Italian forces into Sicily one at a time has but one small flaw.
It depends upon Sokoto's navy acting competently.
The navy block the straits too late, allowing the 43,000 strong Italian force to enter Sicily alongside the other force already there.
The plan to limit Italy's forces in Sicily now ruined, Sokoto's hugely outnumbered troops are still in a reasonably strong position. The terrain heavily favours the defender and in Abasama Sokoto has a gifted general who has thus far proven himself infuriatingly competent. Furthermore in a move of such incompetence that it draws nothing but admiration from Sokoto's army, the Italian general, Baratieri, is completely useless when it comes to attacking.
As troops are hurried from Sokoto's mainland by her barely floating transport ships to reinforce the battle of Messina, another Italian army is forced to watch impotently from accross the strait.
Provided Sokoto's navy can keep their position in the Bay of Naples, Sokoto may just emerge victorious here. It is this reliance upon the inept navy which causes considerable worry however.
As the battle of Messina continues to rage on an influx of newly appointed Liberal members of the Upper House prompts the government to pass another reform.
Eager as they are to continue expanding democracy and freedom in Sokoto and, more importantly, appease those misguided individuals who claim the rich alone currently have power and that revolution would thus be a good idea.
News filters through that Italy has now mobilised her reserves, giving her yet more of a numerical advantage over the fifty seven brigades Sokoto can muster.
This worrying news as Sokoto's troops are wavering in Messina despite outnumbering Italy's once large force.
A day later and the battle ends. Seemingly the shock of Sokoto completing occupation of Italian land in Palermo and Catania too much for Italy's battle weary force.
This a considerable victory for Sokoto, the army remain reasonably satisified with Abasama's conduct, happy as they are with the considerable length of time it took Sokoto to defeat a smaller Italian army bereft of reinforcements. The few casaulties Abasama suffered is something of a concern though.
After Sokoto's forces in Sicily enjoy a period of recovery the strait is opened once again.
With the strait opened Italy is all too willing to once again send a force into Sicily, happy for said force to become cut off from the mainland and fight an opponent in terrain which heavily favours the defender. Sokoto's army is hugely impressed by such tactics. First the Ottomans and now Italy are showing them how true Great Powers prosecute wars and achieve high casaulties.
Italy making this same ingenious attack time and again.
Whilst Italy continues sending her troops to certain defeat in Messina the Sokoto goverment makes a worrying discovery.
Italy now has a formidable navy of forty nine ships. Against which Sokoto has ten much battered ships of the line led by an admiral who will prove quite useless in the event of an Italian attack and several more near sinking transport clippers. No wonder Italy is keeping her navy in port when faced with such a force.
A few weeks later and research into 'Ideological Thought' is completed.
The government happy that their ideology promoting freedom, prosperity and the absolute necessity to always vote Conservative or else suffer a horrendous fate has caught on well within the nation. Sokoto's academics next begin research of 'Muzzle-loaded Rifles'. The army requesting this research in the hope that giving Sokoto's soldiers more lethal weaponary will lead to greater numbers of friendly fire casaulties.
Nearly two months later and the last of Italy's forces are finally defeated.
However not before Sokoto's blockading navy decide upon one last act of incompetence, as they move from the Bay of Naples allowing the Italian force to retreat back to the mainland where they are nonetheless crushed by a pursuing Sokoto force. This act of considerable incompetence from Sokoto's navy simply leaving the government hugely relieved Italy never once moved her massive fleet from harbour throughout the war.
With Italy's armed forces at last crushed Sokoto's troops cross the strait into mainland Italy ready to courageously face the toughest part of any war, namely siege duty. Many quickly suffering horrendous injuries such as indigestion caused by eating too much delicious Italian food as they valiantly begin besieging Italian provinces.
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So why do you think the AI never utilized the Italian Fleet? Great for you but not such a great idea for the Italians.
In all honesty, I have no idea why, I was hoping someone could explain it to me!
You'll notice that when the war began Italy had only twenty one ships and she must have then expanded her navy considerably during the war thus I can then understand why I suffered no attack at first; her newly constructed ships would be on low organisation. However this still doesn't explain why she didn't attack me once her ships had recovered their organisation. Perhaps my two Man'o'War, eight frigates and horribly useless admiral did truly scare her!
I really do not know what stopped her from sinking my weak fleet, I was expecting her to chase my ships into harbour as soon as I noticed how strong her own navy had become. Hopefully someone can explain it.
The British bombed Taranto. The Italians, after all, have a history of not using their well suplied and equiped navy.
Perhaps they had too many transports and not enough warships...or they never did advance any of their naval tech so they knew they couldn't fight your mighty navy and its tradition of victory!
Why unions? surely there are more worthwhile reforms for Sokoto to enact, no?
Good job (finally) researching Ideological Thought and humbling Italy, I'm a bit confused as to why you went for Italy/Sicily though, given what you said about not building a navy.
Good job (finally) researching Ideological Thought and humbling Italy, I'm a bit confused as to why you went for Italy/Sicily though, given what you said about not building a navy.
hadn't realised your infamy was quite so high ... so there really is no alternative but to carry on with this approach? Does anyone know if there is an upper cap (say 999.xxx) or can you get it into the 1000s before you've finished.
Needless to say, great update
Needless to say, great update
Excellent job against the Italians! Will you take Sardinia too, or are you going to stop at Sicily?
Also, the UK owns Malta, which is a part of the same state as Sicily; when you annex Sicily, will that count as you sharing a border with the UK, or not?
Also, the UK owns Malta, which is a part of the same state as Sicily; when you annex Sicily, will that count as you sharing a border with the UK, or not?
This is awesome as always! But I also worry about Sokoto bordering the UK in Malta.
If my previous wars with Italy are any indication, they started constructing frigates as soon as the war started. Normally, they should be using them offensively once they link up, unless your own fleet is keeping their ports blockaded, making them unwilling to leave their safety. But I see you only have one fleet, so this doesn't make much sense.
If my previous wars with Italy are any indication, they started constructing frigates as soon as the war started. Normally, they should be using them offensively once they link up, unless your own fleet is keeping their ports blockaded, making them unwilling to leave their safety. But I see you only have one fleet, so this doesn't make much sense.
Nice Sicilian job, but what a poor naval AI ::blink:
Do not fear a UK border, surely pink'n'green trumps red every time
Do not fear a UK border, surely pink'n'green trumps red every time
Thank you profusely for the replies!
Caezaire - True, I had not considered that!
brycef - I think you could well be right, any nation would be foolish to challenge the naval dominance of Sokoto!
Tanzhang (譚張) - In truth I now have enough liberal support to pass a reform at the beginning of each year. As I will more than likely have militancy shooting up each time I make a large new conquest (which still surprises me, why would people not wish to become a part of Sokoto's Empire?!) I simply need to save some reforms. The union ones are handy since I would like to get health care reforms as soon as possible and they encourage support for this, and I'd rather avoid any reforms for voting, I'm happy with the current liberal dominance of the Upper House.
By not building a large navy I meant I will not have anymore ships of the line, my eight frigates and two Man'o'War will be my only 'fighting' ships throughout the rest of the AAR. I will be restricting naval operations solely to transporting my troops around. I can just about manage this, it is when I attempt to also direct ships of the line that things begin to go bad!
loki100 - Thank you for the kind words (your bribe is en route!). Yes, this is definetly going to be a conquest heavy AAR, it could be no other way in attempting to 'liberate' Africa! I rather hope infamy can run into the thousands in V2.
sprites - I sincerely hope it is like EU3!
Vaya con Queso - Many thanks for the kind words (your bribe is in the post!). I'd love to take Sardinia, especially due to the gold mine it has, but unfortunately it counts as bordering France due to the strait between it and Corsica, and I'd rather avoid war with them at present! In a similar vein, thankfully Malta is not considered on the border of Siciliy as there is no strait between them. I had to quickly check this after you asked though, as I did become greatly worried I had inadvertantly created a border with Britain, which is something I'd rather avoid at present!
Selzro - A great many thanks for the kind words (another bribe is on the way!). I was hugely worried about bordering British Malta too after Vaya con Queso pointed this possible danger out, thankfully there is no border though!
What you say regarding Italy's usual naval strategy actually makes a great deal of sense. What I didn't include in the previous update (as I'd hit the screenshot limit and it didn't seem overly interesting) is that Italy did indeed make a large amount of new frigates once war was declared and she did attempt to gather them together. I actually caught a number whilst they were making the journey to the main fleet.
However I did not know that the AI (or at least the Italian AI) prefers to consolidate all naval power before making an offensive move, thus what you say does explain Italy's reluctance in sending her main fleet into battle. Clearly she was still waiting for all of her newly built frigates to link up with the main fleet before she took on Sokoto's mighty navy (which is understandable, clearly she needed every available ship to take on the naval colossus which is Sokoto).
aldriq - A great many thanks for the kind words (another bribe is en route), and curse you! I wish I'd entitled the chapter 'The Sicilian Job' now!
I did fear it greatly! Thankfully I've not blundered into inadvertantly making another border with a larger nation this time, as with Egypt before, though!
The following is a shorter update than usual as it is time for another overview.
Caezaire - True, I had not considered that!
brycef - I think you could well be right, any nation would be foolish to challenge the naval dominance of Sokoto!
Tanzhang (譚張) - In truth I now have enough liberal support to pass a reform at the beginning of each year. As I will more than likely have militancy shooting up each time I make a large new conquest (which still surprises me, why would people not wish to become a part of Sokoto's Empire?!) I simply need to save some reforms. The union ones are handy since I would like to get health care reforms as soon as possible and they encourage support for this, and I'd rather avoid any reforms for voting, I'm happy with the current liberal dominance of the Upper House.
By not building a large navy I meant I will not have anymore ships of the line, my eight frigates and two Man'o'War will be my only 'fighting' ships throughout the rest of the AAR. I will be restricting naval operations solely to transporting my troops around. I can just about manage this, it is when I attempt to also direct ships of the line that things begin to go bad!
loki100 - Thank you for the kind words (your bribe is en route!). Yes, this is definetly going to be a conquest heavy AAR, it could be no other way in attempting to 'liberate' Africa! I rather hope infamy can run into the thousands in V2.
sprites - I sincerely hope it is like EU3!
Vaya con Queso - Many thanks for the kind words (your bribe is in the post!). I'd love to take Sardinia, especially due to the gold mine it has, but unfortunately it counts as bordering France due to the strait between it and Corsica, and I'd rather avoid war with them at present! In a similar vein, thankfully Malta is not considered on the border of Siciliy as there is no strait between them. I had to quickly check this after you asked though, as I did become greatly worried I had inadvertantly created a border with Britain, which is something I'd rather avoid at present!
Selzro - A great many thanks for the kind words (another bribe is on the way!). I was hugely worried about bordering British Malta too after Vaya con Queso pointed this possible danger out, thankfully there is no border though!
What you say regarding Italy's usual naval strategy actually makes a great deal of sense. What I didn't include in the previous update (as I'd hit the screenshot limit and it didn't seem overly interesting) is that Italy did indeed make a large amount of new frigates once war was declared and she did attempt to gather them together. I actually caught a number whilst they were making the journey to the main fleet.
However I did not know that the AI (or at least the Italian AI) prefers to consolidate all naval power before making an offensive move, thus what you say does explain Italy's reluctance in sending her main fleet into battle. Clearly she was still waiting for all of her newly built frigates to link up with the main fleet before she took on Sokoto's mighty navy (which is understandable, clearly she needed every available ship to take on the naval colossus which is Sokoto).
aldriq - A great many thanks for the kind words (another bribe is en route), and curse you! I wish I'd entitled the chapter 'The Sicilian Job' now!
I did fear it greatly! Thankfully I've not blundered into inadvertantly making another border with a larger nation this time, as with Egypt before, though!
The following is a shorter update than usual as it is time for another overview.
Chapter Fifteen - An Army Besieges on its Stomach
Whilst Sokoto's forces are busy courageously besieging Italian provinces the government is left hugely confused.
Confused by the reaction to Sokoto academics translating road signs from uncouth local languages into Sokoto's noble Hausa tongue. This work surprisingly greatly infuriating residents of Bursa as roads such as 'Short Road' and 'High Street' are translated from their native tongue into the Hausa equivalent of 'Reasonablyshortbutactuallyquitelong Road' and 'Verylowintruthwellbelowsealevel Drive'.
As some of Sokoto's academics continue to struggle on with this translation work the bulk make a number of discoveries at the turn of the year.
Atheism discovered as the many people conquered by Sokoto begin to doubt the existance of God after having been defeated by so incompetent a nation. Social Conscience, which is a sensitivity and sense of responsibility towards social injustice and problems in society, at last discovered having proven a guiding principle in the government's rule for many years. Combat Medicine discovered after the army devised a number of new 'cures' for the troops which will greatly aid casaulty numbers. By increasing them.
There is horrible news for the nation a couple of months later as Sokoto's much loved poet, Abdullah Kabe junior, passes away.
Thankfully Kabe does leave one last moving poem which helps to comfort the now grief striken nation;
Like father like son I am the best poet of my day,
This still true as I pass away,
No other poet will ever hold such sway,
This sure to cause aspiring poets great dismay,
I have trumped even my father whose poems were quite grey,
Hurray, hurray, hurray, hurray,
Dum-de-dum, de-dum-hey,
The above lines are not filler certainly not no way.
Sokoto is driven to further despair as the great General Kanajeji Abasama passes away a month later, victim of eating too much tagliatelle whilst engaging in siege duty.
The loss of Abasama, the first ever Sokot general to be considered at least mildly competent after impresive victories in which he suffered few casaulties over the Ottomans, Egypt, Persia and most recently against Italy, is a bitter blow which Sokoto's rank and file troops greatly lament. Surprisingly Sokoto's officers are altogether happier about this news. Glad as they are that so competent a general is now out of the way, they hope that large casaulty numbers can return without Abasama's able leadership.
Months later, and with Sokoto's army still busy besieging Italy, the government is informed of worrying events in Marsa Alam.
The report is rather inaccurate as it fails to mention that the aristocrats in question are actually of Sokoto's primary Hausa culture, and that they have incited the local peasants to rebellion due to their paying minimal wages, providing nothing but the very worst of living conditions and their showing no respect for local traditions. Upon learning the full facts of the case the government is left baffled as to why the peasants would thus even consider rebellion when they are currently enjoying such wonderful life under direct Hausa rule.
Yet more worrying news is brought to the increasingly terrified government mere weeks later.
As Sokoto is currently without a great poet to defend herself from such worrying hymn writing after the passing of Kabe, the nation is clearly in great danger.
There is fresh concern for the government a month later as they learn that Hausa road signs are still not proving popular.
There are now complaints from locals that Sokoto's academics are failing miserably in their attempts to translate road names into the Hausa language. The people of Rutbah angrily claiming that the Hausa translaton of roads such as 'Park Avenue' and 'Green Lane' is not 'Fdfkjfekjd Avenue' and 'Yulxaask Lane'.
As bad news has followed bad for the last few months it is with great relief that the government finally receives some good news a few months later.
Peace with Italy now agreed Sokoto's much bloated soldiers begin the journey home. They have suffered greatly during the months spent besieging Italy, forced as they were to eat plate after plate of wonderful Italian food, they look forward to returning home and resuming a diet of nourishing gruel.
With Sokoto now at peace her government begins to relax once again, turning their attention towards further possible conquest.