The Historic Inevitabilty of Epic Failure

[Malurous]

I still don't know what the culture pie chart truly shows, but it sure as heck isn't the number of provinces of the culture in question.

Impressed by both the trade and the conversions. But whoa that's an infantry heavy army!

Malurous - Yes, the Holy Warring does feel massively ahead of schedule so that's very good. I plan on going R/CR as soon as I can - if nothing else I'll want it for cleaning OPMs and minors.

I think you might have misunderstood my question - what I was asking was whether or not you find it worth it to switch away from Republican Dictatorship at that point? I.e. go back to Administrative Republic for the elections when Imperialism becomes useless due to the superior CB (again, provided you've taken care of rival republics by then)?

 

[Barsoom]

As always, a very informative update. And an impressive empire, too. Good to see they're all coming into the fold of the Holy Church, that was the point of all those Holy Wars, wasn't it? You're doing very well on trade and technology. You're pretty much done with Asia for the moment. After you finish your war with Brunei, there'll be a few cores to pick up here and there, but there are no threats left, no major empires. The nomads will have to wait, colonization in the Americas (and after that Africa) comes first.

Your colonial empire is coming along nicely, the Brazilian coast and the Carribean are pretty much done. I like the lone Central-American province, it'll eventually give you a place to build a Pacific fleet without having to discover the sea lanes to it. I assume you'll settle Venezuela and Colombia next to connect it and Mexico to your Brazilian territories. From the perspective of preventing other Europeans' colonizing I'd say the next goal after that is the US-Canadian coast and whatever tribe controls the American South.

But yeah, Europe is the main item on the menu. I hadn't realized that warscore would become a factor. Good idea to start picking off expensive provinces early. Consolidation of HRE minors should be the first focus, though. You'll want to give the big fish some time to eat the small fry. Which means your first problem is how to get rid of that HRE ban on internal war. Probably best to dissolve the HRE altogether; if you revoke the reform, it'll cost you 5 BB and the emperor might just gain enough IA in internal wars to institute it right back. Do we have a giant war to look forward to or have you found another way around the problem?

 

[no7892142]

Say, switching Government twice in case of DIP <5 would be too cheesy, no?

 

[Barsoom]

Say, switching Government twice in case of DIP <5 would be too cheesy, no?

Great idea, but yeah, cheesy.

 

[GaiusC]

Since you'll use the Revolution CB, I'm fairly confident you're going to do it.

I was way behind you with my WC, and I only had to go beyond the limit in 1785 - actually, since I formed the HRE in 1510, spent 20 years consolidating it because of overextension and high RR in mostly uncored Empire, and then had my way to the heathens cut off by Lithuania, I didn't even manage to exploit seriously the Holy War CB. So I don't have much doubt in your final success.

Since you're going to use the R/CR Idea, obviously, you will first target Republics and other religious states in Europe, so that you only have monarchies to deal with when you hit 53 Govt.

The only thing I don't get is why going with Republican Dictatorship? You're already a Republic, and an elective one to boot. Is it because of the Centralization slider limit?

 

[sprites]

Avignon will be like Castille , hard to get rid of
If you have a diplo moron , you can always get back to admin , get a better , and back to despotism ... that's the 5 stab hit penalty , though

 

[Dauth]

@GaiusC its because Repub Dictatorship gives the Imperalism CB.

This is also present in the very late game Enlightened Despotism government which comes with a -0.25 bb/year. Not a huge amount but could be a reasonable chunk if its got at early enough. (http://www.paradoxian.org/eu3wiki/Enlightened_Despotism) Its at Gov 51 which is about 1770, Prawn will take years off this, when Asia cores and the colonies take off he could easily be 30 years ahead. Therefore 80*0.25 = 20 bb = 10 provinces in Imperalism (will be more in Rev/CR since that unlocks 2 tech levels later).

 

[unmerged(399969)]

After a certain point, Naval Tech alone will allow anyone with a coastal province to start colonizing, PrawnStar. You should seriously consider pushing for coastal provinces soon because someone like Milan may start colonizing the Americas before you can stop them, even without QFTNW

 

[unmerged(58610)]

After a certain point, Naval Tech alone will allow anyone with a coastal province to start colonizing,

They have to know the land province is there - which means map spread and Prawnstar will control that a tightly as he can. I think the original post 1650 plan still has merit. Take the colonials and your cores. Colonize like mad. Whilst you can take 4 and8BB hits for single provinces amnd OPM and TPMs, you've shown commendable discipline in sticking to your plans. A war against 7 Electors and Bohemia to dimantle the HRE is your major task in Europe. Then see what consolidation takes place

 

[GaiusC]

@GaiusC its because Repub Dictatorship gives the Imperalism CB.

Oh yes, of course, silly me. He hasn't any good CB left now, except against the Pagans, since he's an elective Republic, which doesn't get Imperialism...

My bad; I used to take the Absolute Monarchy way and then switch to Rep. Dictatorship right before I get the Revolutionary NI/CB and didn't even think he was in more trouble with CB.
This also means that, as soon as he's eaten up the few Pagan nations, he'll have to go Dictatorship, losing the nice advantage of picking your leaders...

Though even then, I maintain my optimism: he's going to pull it off, without a doubt

 

[Ricardo Rolo]

Yeah, the main job for now is to dismantle the not Holy, not Roman and not Empire. Then taking cores where ever you get them. I also agree that leaving the natives to rot unless you need something to avoid going zero infamy ( not that taking some gold provinces from Mutapa the Inca or the MesoAmericans would hurt )

About other Euro colonisers ... well remember that atleast Aragon knows down to RL Cameroon ( remember they had a colony there ? ) and as it is still alive the rest of the Euros will know it fast if they don't know it already ( can't remember the date ). So in spite of the Americas being firmly in Prawnstar hands, Africa is quite more shaky ....

 

[Malurous]

This is also present in the very late game Enlightened Despotism government which comes with a -0.25 bb/year. Not a huge amount but could be a reasonable chunk if its got at early enough. (http://www.paradoxian.org/eu3wiki/Enlightened_Despotism) Its at Gov 51 which is about 1770, Prawn will take years off this, when Asia cores and the colonies take off he could easily be 30 years ahead. Therefore 80*0.25 = 20 bb = 10 provinces in Imperalism (will be more in Rev/CR since that unlocks 2 tech levels later).

You can't really have both though - as Enlightened Despotism is a monarchy type R/CR would have next to no valid targets here. And of course the effect from the CB is considerably more notable than that -0.25.

 

[Barsoom]

@Ricardo Rolo: PrawnStar covered the coasts of Western Africa. IIRC Aragon could have had knowledge of that through map spread from Islamic states (Mali). As PrawnStar didn't explore further, I think Africa is quite safe. If you look at the map of his colonies in America, you see he's holding back on exploring beyond what he can colonize quickly.

 

[Dragonmansd]

Heya Prawn,
I was just re-reading some of your earlier posts in this AAR and have two questions for you:
1. The AI seems to declare war on you a lot, at least in the beginning. Is Aggressiveness on Normal?
2. Whenever your diplomat dies, you say something along the lines of "I've kept my cultural tradition high for a long time, so a 6* diplo is recruited". Does the length of time that your tradition is high affect the level of the advisor?

Thanks and keep up the good work!

 

[PrawnStar]

FEEDBACK​

I'm not at work for a few days so faster than usual updates - especially since the nexr decade or so is quite interesting.


Mighty Joe Moon - I don't expect the HRE to form...

mottwww & Thandros - I'm reasonably sure that pie chart does not show culture by number of provinces - no idea what it does show but I don't have that many English provinces. I've only colonised around 30 non-American provinces and I've found very few pagans to convert (if any can't recall them).

Malurous - Yeah the trade and conversions are going well - really pleased with both. Cavalry only exist to maintain siege progress when an assault stack burns itself out I did misunderstand your quetion but yes you're right it will be a good idea to switch to an Electoral government form once Imperialism has served it's purpose. I need to kill every repubic before then.

Barsoom - The Imperial question might get answered quite soon I'm not entirely happy with colonisation - feels like I need to pick up the pace a bit there. I need to get inland in North America as well. That said a lot of Africa has been done already and I've had four colonial company events fire there.

no7892142 - 'fraid so.

Barsoom - true.

GaiusC - Republican Dctatorship allows the Imperialism CB which Administrative Republic doesn't. The plan is Gov't 53 for R/CR so I need to kill the Republics before then using Imperialism.

sprites - Cheesy although it will work.

Dauth - Yes that's why I'm going Republican Dictatorship. Enlightened Despotism's BB reduction is good but the question is stacking with R/CR - I need to kill monarchies not republics.

Northcutt - I'm certain all the Latin tech countries could colonise if they have a port BUT and this is the key point - without QftNW they don't have any colonisation targets as I'm controlling map spread. I open up a small area of TI and settle it before moving on nand repeating. By the time map spread hits Europe I've already settled the provinces in question.

Chief Ragusa - Agreed cost effective expansion in Europe is vital Pagans and cores will happen but they are just side shows.

GaiusC - The trade off is worthwhile 2BB a province instead of 4BB is better than being able to choose a ruler. I'm still doubtful but there is reasonable room for optimism.

Ricardo Rolo - Africa is just as controlled as the Americas! The first 'open' colonial target is Inhambane on the coast south of Mutapa - 2800 aggreive 9 / ferocity 4 natives - and no one has a sea route there other than me, Brunei and the Japanese There's an example of how to use the pagans coming up soon.

Malurous - Exactly, the BB reduction is nice but not much use if I don't have cheap CB.

Barsoom - Yes, it's map spread control again. West Africa's coast is settled to Kongo and beyond that TI.

Dragonmansd - The wars came because I was fighting lots of people and had high war exhaustion so I looked vulnerable. I keep cultural tradition high because I don't know when an advisor will die so I want to be able to recruit a new 6* straightaway. It's the level of cultural tradition that matters.

 

[no7892142]

Wee, Update, what a nice way to kick off the evening.

 

[PrawnStar]

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR​

By March 1650 troops have been repositioned so I can reclaim my core in Alicante.

Sieges mean it takes until October to make peace with Aragon, I’ve picked up around 1600 ducats from the minors along the way.

It’s October 1651 before anything else interesting happens, a Boundary dispute with Brunei.

Yes I’m still at war - I’ve just been running BB down for a couple of years before making peace to help rebuild my Cardinal numbers - at 15+ BB I’m down to three Cardinals pretty quickly.

By January 1652 it’s time for peace with Brunei

BB is now 13.63 / 23.00 falling at 3.20 a year. I’m down a Cardinal before the end of the month.

March 1653 - Republican Dictatorship

It’s slightly earlier than I planned but a Great Man event gave me the stab gain to replace the lost point. My Diplo 8 chap is now Lord Protector until he dies after that we’re back in the hands of the RNG. Milan and Bohemia are still at war so even though BB is a little high at 10 this is an ideal opportunity to attack Milan.

Milan and allied minors/vassals + Burgundy who’d warned me.

The usual early war bloodbath with Burgundy as I go for a quick knock out. Wiping the stack in the follow-up and storming a fortress is enough to get a white peace within a couple of months of the war starting.

And because timing is everything…

Peace with Milan - December 1653

BB spikes to 15.66 / 23.00 falling at 3.20 a year. Lots of goodies here; Olonets isolates English cored Beloozero (hopefully that’ll be an OPM revolter), Kosovo makes cored Albania a target and Friesland removes another part of the Empire. And Thrace you ask?

A long desired province!

1654 is another quiet year with a Boundary Dispute on Golden Horde Idnakar in the autumn. That’s my fourth nomad core but I really need the colonists for the Americas. Late November and a worthwhile Boundary Dispute happens…

May 1655 and Gov’t 31 is hit (this is the target year) - I build a Tax Assessor unique building to add an extra 0.05 annual inflation reduction. My current Master of the Mint won’t be replaced when he dies as I’ve pretty decent inflation control.

By June 1656 BB has dropped to 7.79 / 23.00 so it’s time for more war.

The main war is a strike on Bohemia using the Imperialism CB but I also DOW two province Finland using Imperialism for some quick BB - I’m expecting Bohemia to take a while.

Finland is quickly annexed although it takes a couple of months to knock out the Styrian-led alliance.

State of play - Jan 1657

I think that Bohemia’s army is busy in Northern Italy - I’ve seen very little sign of it. Although my desired peace deal will make BB spike horribly I’m not done with this round of wars - my armies are fully funded and there are some cores to reclaim.

February 1657 - War with Brunei

I’m after cores.

And I get them in May.

I’ve left inland Khorat with Brunei - in the event that I need to do some capital shifting.

By March 1658 it’s looking promising…

Perhaps time to extend the war?

 

[PrawnStar]

Wee, Update, what a nice way to kick off the evening.

What happened to cocktails with the cutie from accounts? Or is that just my idea of how to start the evening?

 

[no7892142]

What happened to cocktails with the cutie from accounts? Or is that just my idea of how to start the evening?

With us kids these days it's just watch/read some other people play video games, then grab a beer and watch football. No class anymore.

 

[unmerged(27034)]

One limiting factor on behaviour will be the Empire. I don’t see Bohemia having the Imperial Authority to pass too many reforms so I suspect I need to dismantle - one way or another. In the shorter term I need to be careful about taking provinces from the Empire since I can only stockpile enough magistrates to remove five straight away.

But in the very near future I have some unfinished business…

Dismantling the HRE might be an option? European powers won't be at peace anymore and you won't have to spend magistrates to remove conquered provinces.