The current order of players is
Bocaj
G-Klav
Carlec
Duke of Wellington
General Guisan
Kanor
Grundius
Nagel
Qelebex
Lurken
Subs
BrazilianHetman
Starclyde
Last edited:
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The current order of players is
Bocaj
G-Klav
Carlec
Duke of Wellington
General Guisan
Kanor
Grundius
Nagel
Qelebex
Lurken
Subs
BrazilianHetman
Starclyde
Duke of Wellington said:Thanks I'm sure its gonna go fine
Yeah.. it'll be good
btw.. it took me ages to get that to look right
Sure will be cool to see which 40 year game comes out with the best country,
With that said, good luck
With that said, good luck
Chapter 1
Quelling of the Nobles
Anno Domini 1419-1459
Quelling of the Nobles
Anno Domini 1419-1459
A little history....
Poland had grown in stature in leaps and bounds over the previous century up to 1419. It would soon be the most powerful Catholic kingdom in eastern europe, and an air of anticipation hang over it. Eventually they would rise to encompass lands from the Baltic to the Black sea, and the vast plains from Germany to Tula and Voronezh in Russia.
They would be the balwark against the Islamic Ottoman Empire, protecting nations like Hungary and Austria against the advancing Turkish menace. In the east, they would become the only thing that stood between the Orthodox Russia and Germany, a position they would increasingly be uncomfortable with as the 1700's approached.
Despite (or perhaps because) the vastness of their lands, Poland had a unique political system. In addition to the King, there was the Sejm, an aristocratic council comprising of nobles from all corners of the kingdom. Eventually the Sejm was elevated to a position where they could be on even footing with the king, a dangerous proposition considering any member of the Sejm could veto any measure put before it.
The situation got so bad, so that in the latter part of Poland-Lithuania's life, no authoritive action could be taken, and at any time in particular, only a small portion of the army would ever be able to be mobilised to deal with threats. In 1700, Poland stretched from Belarus/Ukraine to Germany, Baltic to Black sea, but within a century it would be annexed. A big nation rotting from inside long before it collapsed in spectacular fashion.
King Bocaj's Goals
My goals are simple. I'm not after lots of land, I just want to set Poland up economically. It is a military power, but its economy lags behind. I will also be curbing the magnates' powers, and modernising the army to create a more elite and powerful army.
- Only Expand into rich provinces
- Invest in Infrastucture and Monitor Inflation closely.
- Curb Magnates powers in Poland's decentralising events.
- Go towards land, quality, offensive domestic policies
Finally, I´ve been waiting for this aar to begin! I´ve always wanted to play as Poland, but I´ve actually never done it, ! Looking forward to an update!!!
! Looking forward to an update!!!
Take 1
The Crusader States
The Crusader States
King Bocaj quickly went to work. The Alchemists and Scientists would be directed in the order of Infrastucture in due time. New ways of governing the towns and cities would need to be found, in an effort to reign in power to the crown. The first stage of this work would soon be complete, but Poland is a large realm, and the ramifications of such changes would need to be thought out for years.
Next came surveying the lands. As of yet, Poland could still be summed up in a few regions (Poznan, Wielkopolska, Krakow, Podlasia, and Galizien). There was no access to ports, with the Teutons in the north, and the waning might of the Hordes in the southeast.
The military forces were still small, only numbering 26k, with the larger part being populated by horse fodder peasants. Not exactly the fighting squad to take down the Crusader States, or any other of Poland's neighbours for that matter. Peace shall be in order for the moment. In the meantime, Poland will shy away from boats (what use are they to a landlocked nation?) and go for a land based military.
So that's me started off.
Poland was now settled into a period of peace. Tax collectors would be hired to earn the crown more money by the end of the year, an expensive, but potentially a very fruitful venture.
Our allies Lithuania (along with Masovia) had another idea though. In August they declared war on our hated enemy the Teutonic Knights and their lackey, the Livonian Knights, expecting Poland to come in for the ride. Poland was brought in begrudgingly (knowing that their rich lands would be the focal point of the Knights' attention).
Knowing that Lithuania was the leader in this war and their peace would be to the detriment of Poland, we were quick to negotiate a separate peace with Prussia, opting only to fight their vassals, the Livonian Knights. There was only one thing that Poland would benefit from in this war, 'Livland'. A center of trade, drawing all the wealth of the Baltic and Lithuania to its walls, would be the perfect reward for a good campaign.
5 years after the start of the war, Tallinn in Estonia fell. Many men had been lost in the winter sieging this fort, but it was the only way the Knights would be persuaded to give up such a province.
They had no choice but to accept. The spoils of war!
Thus so ended the first 5 years of King Bocaj's rule.
Take 2
Neighbours and Nobles
After 1425 and the capture of Livland, there was a time of external peace for Poland. Lithuania had captured Memel (though they had no hope of gaining access to it, and it eventually defected back to the Knights). Brandenburg and Pommern got into a scuffle with the Knights, and proceeded to take control of all of Prussia and Kustrin (a Teutonic possession in AGCEEP). When Poland expressed alarm they settled for Kustrin for peace, reasonable enough for the King.
At home nobles were demanding more and more privileges. They would be to the detriment of the crown however and thus could not be allowed. I showed my annoyance at their scheming by reining the nobles in. This understandably caused many a rebellion, loss of taxes (for a time) and instability, but for centralisation and in some cases increased taxes, it was a price that needed to be paid. The king had forseen the problems that would lie ahead if action was not taken, so there was really no choice in the matter. Poland would be a revolutionary, that of a King-centered rule. But only in little steps at a time.
1431-1432 marked a brief struggle for supremacy in a war of succession in Lithuania. Poland of course came off better for it, as Lithuania could only offer a token battle against the Polish army. OOC: This was a number of events which gave Poland Podolia and Volyn, and made Lithuania Poland's vassal.
10 years went by quietly apart from the skirmish with Lithuania and Poland was left to its own internal problems. This would change though, as all good things do. The Knights consolidated their realms in 1435, forming one Baltic state. This would not be so bad if nothing else happened. But with that consolidating of power, the Knights could finally break Poland's 10 year stranglehold of trade in the region. Trade moved south, down to Danzig (admittedly a more convienent location than Livland).
The Polish were enraged by this act of defiance of Poland's victory in the first war by the Knights. Nevertheless, with Livland now nearly worthless to Poland, it was given to a distant cousin as a fief. No more would Poland see the need to directly administer such a poor, far off province.
The Knights had defied all in which they believed in by joining in alliance with the schmatic Russians, but the Russians could not stop the might of Poland once it was started. The year was 1440, and war was neigh. The second war for Baltic trade would start, with or without the alliance of the nobles. Infantry were called upon in their stead, but the question is will peasants and few royalists win this war for Poland?
Good to see this aar started too.I know the feeling of loosing trade center to event or market fluctuations.It sucks.
Thanks for the replies. I always use to check out the events of that nation before I played them, but this time I decided I would play without having any fore-knowledge of them and just play as it comes. I know Poland would have some nobles events, but apart from that I didn't know anything else.
That's why I was caught out with this one, but it's not too bad. I understand that things move on, and I still got to benefit off it for 10 years. It's quite refreshing to take it as it comes and get a surprise every now and then like the rulers of the time would've.
That's why I was caught out with this one, but it's not too bad. I understand that things move on, and I still got to benefit off it for 10 years. It's quite refreshing to take it as it comes and get a surprise every now and then like the rulers of the time would've.
Yay! I finally get to post in the AAR. Bocaj, are you finished yet? I have a lot on my plate and want to complete my part of the experiement. That means writing and posting the AAR, but of course I can't do it till you are done and then G-Klav. Hammer that bad boy on out! Plus, I want to know how Poland got to what I saw in 1499. Man, I can't wait to tell you what happened with me. Intense I tell you, intense!
Man, I can't wait to tell you what happened with me. Intense I tell you, intense!
Take 3
The Trade Wars
Peace would indeed be disturbed in 1440. Poland could no longer tolerate the Knight's violation of Poland's trading privileges. The armies had been assembled, and war was declared in February of that year, just as the snows were beginning to melt.
Poland chose to go alone against the might of the Baltic-Russian alliance. Thanks to our neutral vassal though, the Livonian Knights, the Russians were able to play no part in this war.
It did not take long to see a result. The knights were no match for Polish numbers (although the Polish were still weary of their armies). Prussia was taken after a few scuffles, as was Kurland. The knights had made themselves comfortable sieging Wieklopolska and Galizien before they came back to engage the Polish forces. What ensued was a race between Polish troops sieging Memel, Danzig, and Wieklopolska (which the Knights had captured), and the Knights in Kurland. Wieklopolska was the first to come back into Polish hands, and before long the Knights realised Danzig needed to be given to end the war, and reinstate Poland's gains from the first war. It was agreed to, along with a little money, 2 years after the war had begun. Danzig was Poland's at long last.
The war with Russia continued for a little longer, as they didn't want peace. But eventually they peaced too not seeing the point in continuing hostilities any further.
Peace! With Danzig!
Poland was soon ready to settle back down again, but the King saw one last thing he wanted to do to be remembered for in his long reign.
Novgorod, the jewel of Russia. Previously it had been a proud nation of traders in the northern parts of the Russian backwaters. Still, a powerful nation in its time. Now was not its time though, it had been almost fully eaten by neighbouring Muscowy. All that remained of the state was its capital, Novgorod, where all of Russia's trade still flowed through. Unallied, it was a sitting duck for the Russians. Or perhaps the Poles.
It was fully surrounded by the Russian alliance, but the Polish had access through Lithuania. Pskov, Tver or Muscowy would need to give access. But Muscowy hated Poles (I wonder why?), so the task was laid onto Pskov.
Pskov proved a sucker for gifts. It did not take long for them to render military access to the Poles. The money they used for a larger army, but it didn't allow much support for Polish armies which suffered small amounts of attrition.
The final war looms....
It did not take long for the walls of Novgorod to fall for their final time, and 8 months after war had been declared, the realm of Novgorod came to an end. Poland triumphs, and set up it's enclave amongst the Russian lands.
More importantly, however, was the speed at which the people of Novgorod accepted the Polish. It was a mere two years before Novgorod was reported to have a majority population of Catholics. The Polish and the western world rejoiced in the fact that the faith of the Father in Rome was pushing east, with Novgorod being the easternmost balwark of the Catholic faith.
Whoot!
The treacherous Russians then went to repay this great act though, declaring war on the Polish vassals the Livonians. We were unable to declare war for them, but we sent many men to Latvia to disrupt the Russian supply lines as much as possible. It was in vain, as Muscowy annexed our vassals, but their cost in lives had been high thanks to Polish troop's work.
The final few years were spent in peace. Missionaries were sent to aid Catholics in the Orthodox reaches of the kingdom. Infrastucture was blooming, thanks to 40 years of work. Later economists measured inflation in the period as being a couple of percent, although at the time such measurements did not mean much to the rulers. The war of Novgorod had given Poland a bad name amongst the nations of that area though, but Polish kings were skilled at making people forget such expeditions, especially when he reminded them of the progress that was being achieved in that province since it had come into Polish hands.
The Europe of 1459
Autosaving meant it skipped 11 days before I had a chance to pause, but better saving it properly than an autosave I think.
I really didn't do a lot as Poland. I took only CoTs, got given 2 provinces by events. The main change is that Poland is now centralised. Every move I made was to try and speed tech and a good army, and expand the economic base. That was quite a mission for Poland, but it should be a lot better now, than 40 years ago.
I really have no idea what the next kings of Poland will do (nor would I want to have any influence on those decisions), but I wish them luck and hand the batton (and crown) onto G-Klav. Good luck!
Awesome. I was wondering who grabbed Novogrod for us! Well done. It sure was nice having the extra income from the CoT though I will tell you I was very worried about war with Russia when I first saw the map. I won't divulge any details yet though. . .
Waiting on G-Klav! Can't wait to see what happened for him.
Waiting on G-Klav! Can't wait to see what happened for him.