The Holy Roman EmperAAR

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The Holy Roman EmperAAR

In this AAR I will assume the role of the Holy Roman Emperors, or at least give a summary description of what happened to their respective countries during their reign as Emperor.

Difficulty settings are set to imitate real life: Coward/Very Hard
Goals: The Holy Roman Emperor will try to acquire land within the boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire.

Over the last few weeks i've modded the MyMap a little.
Magindanao starts out with latin tech, but gets muslim tech by event later on, Bohemia has been given a nice purple colour,...
I've also made Burgundy and France Electors, not to be Austria the entire game.

This is my first AAR

First one up will be Zsigmond of Hungary...

 

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Are you playing each country when they become HRE?
So first you play Hungary and try to get land inside the HRE, then whatever country and do the same?

Sounds confusing but interesting

 

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Zsygmond of Hungary

The Holy Roman EmperAAR: Zsigmond of Hungary January 1 1419
December 9 1437

In 1419 Zsygmond of Hungary was Emperor. The man had great ambition and a big country to back it.

He also was Secretary-General of two alliances, mainly against the Turk, who was ascendant at the time.

Sadly for old Zsygmond, Hungary and Croatia were at war with Venice, who were landing bigger armies on the Dalmatian shores than the Croatians could recruit.

Despite Croatia not being a part of the HRE, Zsygmond decided to send his army to the Croatians aid. Only to be beaten around by Venetian armies for years 'till...

Eastern Hungary rebelled and Zsygmond, pulled his army out of Croatia to quell the insurgence and decided it was time to start minting for armies. During the policing operation in Eastern Hungary, Bohemia sank into civil war with the seccessionist Hussite movement soundly beating our Romanist Allies and invading Northern Hungary

 

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Zsygmond of Hungary

What in February seemed unthinkable...

..in November was acceptable...

So this is what Central Europe looked like after the first round in the Hussite war:

Zsygmond quit the northern war to focus on the southern front. Massive Hungarian siege forces poured over the Croatian border and liberated the cities one by one.

Ragusa, one time vassal had broken its vassalage and joined the Venetian alliance. For this Ragusa got sieged and brought back under vassalage.

After that the Venetians settled for 50 ducats

With everything quiet on the borders and a new alliance formed between Hungary and its vassals Croatia, Ragusa and (the recenly trimmed by the Turk) Serbia; Zsygmond started thinking of revenge for Cystbiscania. He built a large army to invade Hussite Bohemia when his eye fell on a one-province Austria right next door...

he takeover was swift

and the Hussite operation ensued as planned...

and went as expected...

After a couple of months Hungary was getting the upper hand, laying siege to most Hussite provinces, when something strange happened. The Romanists regained control of Bohemia and Bohemia-Hungarian borders were reset to their pre-Hussite way. :wacko:

About one year later Zsygmond was dead and the electors chose Wladyslaw III of Poland as their overlord.

Zsygmond had gained Hungary one Holy Roman Imperial province, the capital of Austria, Vienna. Austria, however, formed from Styria or Steiermark.

Hungary was in alliance with Ragusa, Serbia and Croatia, who are all vassals.

Hungary isn't liked to much after me being the Emperor...

up next is Wladyslaw III of Poland

 

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Are you playing each country when they become HRE?
So first you play Hungary and try to get land inside the HRE, then whatever country and do the same?

Sounds confusing but interesting

Yep, you got it right. Next will be Wladyslaw III of Poland

 

[Emperor_krk]

I can think of at least three reasons to like this AAR:

1) it's on MyMap ,
2) it's a brilliant idea,
3) it's never been done before.

So, count me as a reader.

 

[chefkoch]

I've also made Burgundy and France Electors

Why? And why France? Hello? France?

not to be Austria the entire game

Austria was never ever Elector.

 

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Wladyslaw III

The Holy Roman EmperAAR: Wladyslaw III of Poland
December 10 1437-November 11 1444

Upon the death of Zsygmond, the electors chose Wladyslaw III of Poland as their Emperor. Only Friedrich I of Brandenburg voted against, something which Wladyslaw III would not forget...

At the time Poland was at war with the Teutonic and Livonian Orders for control of the rich Baltic Coastal provinces. Poland was in alliance with Lithuania(leader), Masovia(vassal) and Moldavia. The war was almost won...

At that time Poland owned 0 provinces in the HRE

About after a year of continued fighting, the Teutons gave up Pomerellen for peace.

Wladyslaw III, now having a veteran army, was eager to expand his influence in the HRE and decided to attack the Brandenburg-Pomerania-Mecklenburg alliance in order to gain some land.

The Pomeranians were flooded and ill-fated relieve attempts from the Mecklenburgian army led to nothing but more resolve on Wladyslaw's side. A separate peace was rapidly cocluded in which Pomerania offered money and Hinterpommeren.

This broke the last Brandenburgeoning resistance and they to ceded land to still Wladyslaw's hunger. They ceded Neumark.

Much time to celebrate their victories, the Poles didn't have, as in November Wladyslaw III of Poland died. The electors sent a clear signal to the Poles electing Friedrich II of Brandenburg as the new Emperor.

During Wladyslaw's last year on earth, Hungary joined their alliance by event. Wladyslaw got Poland 2 HRE provinces and for this was mummified to be preserved for future Poles to admire.

My reign as Polish Emperor didn't leave 'em any lasting damage.

Next up is Friedrich II of Brandenburg.
Any comments or feedback are welcome.

 

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@Emperor_Krk:

3) it's never been done before.

Strange isn't it?
@Chefkoch:

Why? And why France? Hello? France?

I thought I'd cut 'em some slack after always harrassing them most games.

 

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Interesting idea, I shall read it. You are a faithful readAAR of mine, so the least I can do is return the favor.

Is your basic object to gobble as much land as you can with each monarch?

 

[Herbert West]

A very nice idea. It has been a while since I played EU2, so a couple of questions regarding the platfrom: what mod are you using, and will the HRE borders expand any, like they do in EUIII (why oh why, what is the HRE doing in Andalucia???), or do they stay constant during the game?

And some questions regarding your long-term goals: is the late-game unification of the HRE a possibility? While playing the bickering duchies and Kingdoms that made up post-Westphalen Germany (whom contributed the most HREs) seems like fun, its I think a recipe for a quick mid-game death and slow research. Or am I getting senile?

 

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You are a faithful readAAR of mine, so the least I can do is return the favor.

Thanks I knew it would pay off to sit it out!

Your Germany AAR was the first i followed A to Z, so to you, and also many others i'm much obliged.
I need to work up my style 'though. I want the Emperors ruling different countries, to feel different, but how i'm gonna do this ? Suggestions are welcome.

@Herbert West: it's MyMAP, with iirc an older version of AGC-EEP,on a Vannilla1.09, with some little modding of my own here and there, mainly boosts.
The borders of the HRE are fixed nowadays

As for goals, apart from developing an enjoyable AAR, i think the short term-thinking-action-packed vibe will be the way to go.
It's really fun to actually mint and go berserk for a while.

 

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Friedrich II of Brandenburg

Friedrich II of Brandenburg 1444-1470

(Central Europe at the time of the coronation)

(Friedrich in his Emperor Outfit)

Upon the death of the hated Wladyslaw III of Poland, the electors chose Friedrich II of Brandenburg as their rightful leader. Brandenburg had just lost HRE territory to the Poles and Friedrichs election was a clear sign to countries like Poland and Hungary how the princes felt about outside aggression against the HRE. Between themselves, the carnage continued...

1444 had been a tumultuous year for Brandenburg, to say the least, but Friedrich kept his country together. His election as Emperor no doubt was a real boost to the country's morale.
Wladyslaw had made a separate peace with the Brandenburg alliance, in which they and Pomerania ceded eastern HRE territory to the Slavs.

Brandenburg, Mecklenburg, Magdeburg and Pomerania were still at war with Lithuania and Masovia.

But Lithuania offered peace for 74 $ and I took it

This left Pomerania at war with Masovia and they later were annexed.

Friedrich spent the peace-time encouraging peasants to have an opinion of their own. Important progress was made in Land warfare and Infrastructure technologies reaching '3' in both.

Friedrich ordered constuction of new forts...

... and this is what they looked like... :wacko:

But not many peasants had been encouraged yet when war came upon the small kingdom again. You see, Mecklenburg had noticed the recovery of Friedrichs military, and then Denmark had been really rude against our allies from Mecklenburg, and they declared war upon them, relying on our military. Friedrich made a mental note to himself..

Denmark dragged the other Scandinavians in it and they all felt really good about it while doing so...

Friedrich sent out diplomats to Holstein, who were also at it with the Danes, to get military access and Pomerania managed to get itself annexed by the Mazofians from Masovia - no help from that corner...

 

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Friedrich II of Brandenburg

The next months Friedrichs cavalry destroyed small Danish and Swedish armies, refusing them to unite.

(small Danish armies)

Holstein managed to get 300$ from Denmark in exchange for control of Fyn and Jylland. So Friedrich sent in his siege forces to punish the Danish for their foolishness.

(Friedrichs special Siege Core)

In this time also, the Brandenburg Elector received from the pope the right to nominate bishops, thus controlling the church, through the Concordat of 1447.

(flyer to the Concordat afterparty)

In late spring '48 the Danes were sufficiently punished to sue for peace. They offered 300$, Friedrich took it.

At peace with his enemies, the Emperor decided to focus on trade and development. 1452 saw the opening of a new tradecenter in Pomerellen, which belonged to Poland.

In 1453 a diplomatic effort to incorporate Magdeburg failed traumatically, Friedrichs diplomats barely making it alive out of the city and the Magdenburgers breaking vassalage.

Friedrich had little time to find a way to punish them herefor, because the Hannover alliance made the bad mistake of challenging him while he was peaking.

The war raged for three years, setting northern Germany ablaze. Each side committed grave attrocities, such as calling each other bad names, or worse, each others mothers bad names, and other abuse.
When Friedrichs military reached level 5, all odds turned in favour of the Emperors alliance.

(Friedrichs level 5 knights)

By june '56 a peace was signed, granting much land which his allies had lost to the Hannoverian alliance before, to Friedrich.

(Friedrich and his lovely queen hope to see you back for an update soon)

 

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A very nice concept for an AAR - I will follow this.

Excellent results from the war against Saxony and her allies. You got 3 new provinces, it seems? But I guess Friedrich isn't done yet - will we see a new war between Brandenburg and Poland? I reckon Friedrich wants his hands on Küstrin again...

 

[Emperor_krk]

Retake Kustrin. And Hinterpommern. And Pomerellen .

Nicely going, man!

 

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@Krk & Olav and all other readaars: thanks the replies are what makes or breaks an AAR

here's an update...

Over the next few years Friedrich did little more than trading and rejoicing the fact that he had recovered so much land within the HRE, establishing a solid powerbase. He promoted officials in the newly-conquered provinces to squeeze every ducat out of them that he could.

(this is how Friedrich viewed his new subjects)

Furthermore, all investments went to trade research, although Friedrich would not live to see a significant success in this.

(the new trading strategy)

By 1461 everyone and their pet had practically fell asleep when Polish events caused a powershift in the HRE. Poland annexed Mazovia at the price of ceding Neumark to Brandenburg, and releasing Pomerania as a vassal.

This was to big an opportunity for Friedrich to let pass by, so he launched an offensive against the weak and undefended Pomeranians. He called in long time allies Mecklenburg to eventually hopefully annex Pomerania.

Not long thereafter Denmark declared war upon Friedrich and his fellows. Mecklenburg was not invited to the party.

The Danes, being unable to send big armies in to Brandenburg finnally offered peace for 75$ in 1463.
Pomerania followed the good example and declared its willingness to give up Hinterpommern and 75$ for a separate peace. To be annexed by Mecklenburg.(mwahahaha)

After once more soundly beating all contesters to his North-German hegemony, rapidly ageing Friedrich wanted one last grand achievement before he died. He felt a strong need to build a manufactory. The first of its kind in the region. He had 450$ in his coffers and started minting like crazy as he felt old age creeping up on him. No way the electors would accept his son as Emperor after his death.

The following two years were spent trading and minting, and again, just when everyone was beginning to fall asleep, an unexpected opportunity rose...

The Bohemian throne became vacant! Hooray! Friedrich planted his refinery and spent the rest of his treasury on fresh recruits, and then invaded Bohemia.
Anhalt thought the time ripe for an invasion of Brandenburg and declared war.

(the new manufactory)

1469 saw the hostile takeover of Anhalt and the situation on the eastern front deteriorating, when Friedrich died.

(he was buried according to local custom)

he Northern and Eastern lands of the HRE had been the stage of seemingly continuous fighting, since Hungaria had lost the crown to the Poles. The origin of the conflict lay in the desire of the consecutive Emperors to expand within the HRE, whilst the Princes wanted to maintain a status quo. After Wladyslaw III of Poland, they had chosen Friedrich of Brandenburg to bring back the occupied Germans under German rule. After succeeding at this, however, many Princes started viewing Friedrich's Brandenburg as a threat to their independence.
With Brandenburg forces under the Crownprince performing badly in the Bohemian war, the electors saw the time fit to make a policy shift towards a more peaceful Holy Roman Empire...

The electors chose a neutral Emperor in hopes to restore peace in Northern Europe. They chose Ruprecht von der Pfalts of Köln...

Brandenburg seemed to be doing well, but this last war is going really bad. I'm glad I'm out!

Thanks to me Brandenburg's chances for being elected Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire have been severely reduced for several decades.


Next up is Ruprecht von der Pfalz of Köln. Have a nice day.

 

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I have a question for all you authaars out there: How do you make your AARs? Do you take notes while playing? Do you often save and reload? Enlighten me!

 

[chefkoch]

I have a question for all you authaars out there: How do you make your AARs? Do you take notes while playing? Do you often save and reload? Enlighten me!

I made for every update ~150 screenshots and make only notes about things that aren't on them like costs for gifts etc. or a list of battles. Then i put some pics together in one and write something to combine that.

If you play the emperors countries, you should try not to make too much wars against the other germans and not to conquer too much within Germany. If you change the country with each emperor, you should consider to release all liberated provinces if possible and protect the empire and its smallest entities instead to strengthen the actual country. I think this would be a though game.

 

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If you play the emperors countries, you should try not to make too much wars against the other germans and not to conquer too much within Germany. If you change the country with each emperor, you should consider to release all liberated provinces if possible and protect the empire and its smallest entities instead to strengthen the actual country. I think this would be a though game.

interesting gameplay style idea, i try to limit expansion, but preferably do expand in the HRE. Also outsiders would be eager to expand in the HRE, i reckon. I do like the 'German Champion' approach, however. Might try it out. Emperors enough to experiment. Ruprecht von der Pfaltz(up next), after all, was elected to maintain a status quo and secure peace in the HRE.

Also, by expanding in the HRE, and thus worsening relations with the electorates, i hope to bring more variation in the number of countries whose kings are possible emperors.