This is my first ever AAR- and what better unique and completely original country to play as than Portugal, right?
I'm playing this on Divine Wind, and you might cringe a bit, but we all start somewhere, so get ready for a hopefully interesting AAR!
We all know of Portugal's starting position, but just in case you don't, I'm surrounded by the ever-OP, North-Africa eating, and h u n g r y Castile, I have a fairly good ruler - João de Avis - at the 1399 start date with straight fives, and a semi-useful alliance with England.
As for my game goals, I say:
1- Conquer Iberia.
2- Take Italy as my own.
3- Perhaps extend into Southern France if a chance arises.
4- As colonization goes, take the small North African ports of Melilla, Oran, Bone, Tangiers, and Ceuta, and have a South African presence.
5- Naturally, own all of Brazil.
From now on, I'm narrating from the perspective of my rulers.
It wasn't long before I found two perfect fits, a six-star trader named Manuel de Gama to improve our trade system, and a two-star philosopher named Andre de Brito, a nephew of our Grand Captain. In the evening of this long day, a priest told me it was God's will to improve relations with Castile, and he was right. What better way than bringing their people under my divine rule?
But I shouldn't get ahead of myself, I thought as I undressed for bed. Our nation needed an army first.
I'm playing this on Divine Wind, and you might cringe a bit, but we all start somewhere, so get ready for a hopefully interesting AAR!
We all know of Portugal's starting position, but just in case you don't, I'm surrounded by the ever-OP, North-Africa eating, and h u n g r y Castile, I have a fairly good ruler - João de Avis - at the 1399 start date with straight fives, and a semi-useful alliance with England.
As for my game goals, I say:
1- Conquer Iberia.
2- Take Italy as my own.
3- Perhaps extend into Southern France if a chance arises.
4- As colonization goes, take the small North African ports of Melilla, Oran, Bone, Tangiers, and Ceuta, and have a South African presence.
5- Naturally, own all of Brazil.
From now on, I'm narrating from the perspective of my rulers.
*************************
It was October the fourteenth in the year of our lord 1399, and I was embarrassed. At a mission to Toledo, a Castilian diplomat taunted de Brito, the Grand Captain in the court and my trusted adviser, saying the army of his nation could destroy ours in a day. Brito encouraged an investment in strengthening our forces, and he was right. I allowed him to recruit 1,000 infantrymen in each province, and have them convene in Lisbon when they were completed. That day, I used half of my coffers. After lunch that day, my son Duarté asked me if he could attend the interviews for my advisers, and I remembered. I had completely forgotten my commitment! I wouldn't embarrass myself again today, so I played it off like I knew and let him come. I shuffled through my papers and found my address to the applicants. "Welcome to the court interviews everyone! As I announced before, I'm taking a step to be more innovative in my ruling, and I wish you all good luck!"
It wasn't long before I found two perfect fits, a six-star trader named Manuel de Gama to improve our trade system, and a two-star philosopher named Andre de Brito, a nephew of our Grand Captain. In the evening of this long day, a priest told me it was God's will to improve relations with Castile, and he was right. What better way than bringing their people under my divine rule?
But I shouldn't get ahead of myself, I thought as I undressed for bed. Our nation needed an army first.
