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Late 1429 – mid 1432
13/08/1429 - Typically, both Castille and Portugal join Aragon against me in the war. I should, in retrospect, have refused to join, but at the time I felt I could at least stall them to a white peace. All of my allies, except of course Baden, dishonour the call to war. I should also mention that the war between a large section of northern Africa and me and Castille came, I think, to an end during that quiet period between the German war and this one. Lots of separate treaties, but the final peace with the Ottomans came to a white peace. So, whatever alliance between me and Castille had existed before had come to a quiet end a while ago. I wasn’t going to receive any let off from them anytime soon.
I order Armee von Bern to move into Catalan Abruzzi, a victim of frequent uprisings requiring year round military garrisons; 4 regiments of cavalry in this case.
15/08/1429 – Immediately after the dishonoured call to arms Genoa offers another alliance. Can’t say I blame them for abandoning – they’re a one province minor and the Iberian powers have easy access to that one province. No hard feelings and they could still prove useful should war ever come with Milan.
14/11/1429 – After a little bit of a ping pong between Abruzzi and Ancona, the Iberian cavalry are routed. Armee von Bern settles in for a siege in Abruzzi.
09/04/1430 – Some Portuguese regiments are sent as a relief force on the ninth, though it’s badly misjudged.
26/07/1430 – Austria offers an alliance, interestingly enough. I accept it, though I don’t hold out for much given the experience of pretty much all of my previous alliances.
22/09/1430 – This misjudgement does not last long however – a large Catalonian force lands in Abruzzi and I order Armee von Bern out. After the losses of manpower in the last war I’m not willing to risk my one fighting force again.
10/10/1430 – Castille and Portugal have overrun both mainland Sicily and Malta. I was hoping they’d hold off the enemy for longer but it can’t be helped now.
05/11/1430 – Honestly by this point I wasn’t holding out much hope with Sicily overrun and the Iberian alliance sending force after force to Abruzzi. I know Ancona is going to be overrun very soon with the build up of enemy forces in Abruzzi, so I scorch the province and use my fresh alliance with and military access in Rome to wait for the enemy to take the bait, lose men through attrition and assaults and fall to my attacks.
I’ll be brief. Though the enemy took the bait, more and more troops landed and Ancona finally fell without much resistance on the 6th of June, 1431. Almost immediately after, Naples declared war on me and Sicily. There was no way I could win and my trade and income is suffering. I decide with Milan, Aragon and Naples all piling in to dominate Italy, I wasn’t going to hold a place there with the limited resources I currently have. I surrender.
Well, can’t say that did much for my pride, but I felt an exit from the region was necessary. I felt trade wasn’t going as well as it should as Switzerland and in turn neither were technology levels. Italy was far away and with what little forces I had a troublesome region to stay in with the continual power struggles between the local powers. If I’d sacrificed Sicily, perhaps Ancona could have been saved for a little while longer, but it wasn’t really worth it. With the exodus from Italy, I decided to lay off the declare war button until I was totally ready.
Time to focus my attentions elsewhere, me thinks.
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Late 1429 – mid 1432
13/08/1429 - Typically, both Castille and Portugal join Aragon against me in the war. I should, in retrospect, have refused to join, but at the time I felt I could at least stall them to a white peace. All of my allies, except of course Baden, dishonour the call to war. I should also mention that the war between a large section of northern Africa and me and Castille came, I think, to an end during that quiet period between the German war and this one. Lots of separate treaties, but the final peace with the Ottomans came to a white peace. So, whatever alliance between me and Castille had existed before had come to a quiet end a while ago. I wasn’t going to receive any let off from them anytime soon.
I order Armee von Bern to move into Catalan Abruzzi, a victim of frequent uprisings requiring year round military garrisons; 4 regiments of cavalry in this case.
15/08/1429 – Immediately after the dishonoured call to arms Genoa offers another alliance. Can’t say I blame them for abandoning – they’re a one province minor and the Iberian powers have easy access to that one province. No hard feelings and they could still prove useful should war ever come with Milan.
14/11/1429 – After a little bit of a ping pong between Abruzzi and Ancona, the Iberian cavalry are routed. Armee von Bern settles in for a siege in Abruzzi.
09/04/1430 – Some Portuguese regiments are sent as a relief force on the ninth, though it’s badly misjudged.
26/07/1430 – Austria offers an alliance, interestingly enough. I accept it, though I don’t hold out for much given the experience of pretty much all of my previous alliances.
22/09/1430 – This misjudgement does not last long however – a large Catalonian force lands in Abruzzi and I order Armee von Bern out. After the losses of manpower in the last war I’m not willing to risk my one fighting force again.
10/10/1430 – Castille and Portugal have overrun both mainland Sicily and Malta. I was hoping they’d hold off the enemy for longer but it can’t be helped now.
05/11/1430 – Honestly by this point I wasn’t holding out much hope with Sicily overrun and the Iberian alliance sending force after force to Abruzzi. I know Ancona is going to be overrun very soon with the build up of enemy forces in Abruzzi, so I scorch the province and use my fresh alliance with and military access in Rome to wait for the enemy to take the bait, lose men through attrition and assaults and fall to my attacks.
I’ll be brief. Though the enemy took the bait, more and more troops landed and Ancona finally fell without much resistance on the 6th of June, 1431. Almost immediately after, Naples declared war on me and Sicily. There was no way I could win and my trade and income is suffering. I decide with Milan, Aragon and Naples all piling in to dominate Italy, I wasn’t going to hold a place there with the limited resources I currently have. I surrender.
Well, can’t say that did much for my pride, but I felt an exit from the region was necessary. I felt trade wasn’t going as well as it should as Switzerland and in turn neither were technology levels. Italy was far away and with what little forces I had a troublesome region to stay in with the continual power struggles between the local powers. If I’d sacrificed Sicily, perhaps Ancona could have been saved for a little while longer, but it wasn’t really worth it. With the exodus from Italy, I decided to lay off the declare war button until I was totally ready.
Time to focus my attentions elsewhere, me thinks.
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Shorter update tonight due to being busy, though with the periods of peace that are bound to be upcoming (I hope) the leaps in years should be longer.
Boris ze Spider: Glad to hear it!
Range: Milan or Naples, it seems. Either way I wasn't going to be able to keep a presence in Italy, hence the ease with which I gave up both Sicily and Ancona. Thanks!
FinnishFish:
With the more depressing updates I haven't really found a chance to see things with the same humor - hopefully the next few will be a little more light hearted!
Still nice to see an AAR where there are setbacks - not every game can run perfectly! People learn more from these kind of setbacks than from a perfect game in some ways. Keep up the good work!
So that's back to square one then? Perhaps it's best to focus on German politcs and see if you can make some gains there? If Austria DoW's a country/alliance with provinces near you you could profit from that and gain an ally that trusts you and doesn't back out immediately when you DoW yourself the next time.
Ooo you like my game then. Btw, nice job, watching others lose is always fun (not saying this meanly btw.)
I agree, set backs are good...from a long term perspective anyway!
Very interested to see where you go from here!
Very interested to see where you go from here!
Back to square one was pretty much my feelings as well. Too bad about Ancona, but it's always hard to hold on to disconnected provinces when you're a minor.
Concentrating on trade for a bit is a good idea, but eventually you're going to have to start taking more land or someone will get the same idea about you.
Concentrating on trade for a bit is a good idea, but eventually you're going to have to start taking more land or someone will get the same idea about you.
Well, at least you still have Baden as a vassal (and therefore a trustworthy ally) so it's not totally back to square one.
Interesting AAR, I'll be following.
Interesting AAR, I'll be following.
not gonna lie, if you were to expand, I think Tirol would be your best bet, though you'd have to somehow get around the whole HRE problem... If they are still part of the Empire, that is. I've never seen the AI actually leave the Empire of its own voilition, but there's a first for everything.
Tough break. But, you stood up to the enemy the best you could...
And, you're right...gaining allies, even those that failed you once before doesn't mean they won't back you under better circumstances. Those were good moves.
To better times...Cheers!
And, you're right...gaining allies, even those that failed you once before doesn't mean they won't back you under better circumstances. Those were good moves.
To better times...Cheers!
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I would want to show you mine switzerland (i had 20 thousand of soliders(only infantry thou) while i had only 2 provinces - and then started to expand - and expanded so, that i was able to capture franche-comte from france in war.) but i don't know where is the save... and i am to lazy to check.