Hello,
After running many small nations into the ground (The tales of several of which are recorded here ), I decided to give Hesse a try. After finding my nation not being ruined several years in, I thought it deserved an AAR of its own, separate from my miniseries of failures.
This will be primarily a story AAR, with some gameplay notes at the end of each section. Any comments or advice is welcome.
Hesse is a small kingdom in northwestern Germany.
Part 1: Hesse's rise to a local power.
Up until the reign of King Ludwig I, Hesse was a small country in northwestern Germany, eclipsed in Northern Germany by Saxony and Brandenburg. However, all that would start to change in the last years of his reign. As he neared his dying days, Ludwig I became determined to start Hesse on the path to greatness.
Someday he hoped Hesse would be able to challenge the great powers of the world, but for now he would have to start with small expansions. South of Hesse was Mainz, an even smaller country with no allies. In 1453 Ludwig declared war on Mainz and hired mercenaries to bulk up his army. He led it himself, despite being so ill as to have to give his orders from a cot.
War raged across the territory of both countries, But Mainz proved to be no match for Hessian might. Ludwig I made alliances with nearby Saxony and Hannover, while sieging the capital of Mainz itself. He died mid siege, but comforted by the knowledge that his efforts had made Hesse's position secure in Northern Germany.
He was succeeded in October by the able King Hermann II (Admin 7 Mil 5 Dip 7) an able administrator and diplomat, although a mediocre war leader. Herman II brought the Mainz war to a successful end, annexing Mainz on March 31, 1454. The Kingdom of Hesse had increased both it's province number and population by 50%, with some 30,000 subjects.
URL=http://imageshack.us]
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Hesse received a second opportunity to expand when its ally Saxony invaded the kingdom of Wurzburg. Hesse joined their ally in the war, besieging Wurzburg itself while Saxony sieged Bamberg. The war was successfully completed in April 1455, with Saxony annexing Bamberg, while Hesse secured the vassalization of Wurzburg and freeing of the nation of Ansbach, previously conquered by Wurzburg.
Knowing Hesse's reputation was tarnished by the wars in which it took part, and the stability of the realm threatened, Hermann II spent the next few years building up relations with neighboring kingdoms, exchanging alliances and marriages with all he could. He even retained from war when Hesse's ally Hannover was invaded, not wishing to provoke the Brandenburg/Denmark/Saxony/Anhalt alliance that threatened it.
Eventually Ansbach and the Palatinate were vassalized after a long period of negotitation, and Hermann II hoped that they, along with Wurzburg, would eventually be annexed into the Hessian Empire.
Gameplay notes:
Most interesting moment of the game: Muscovy was inherited by Bosnia!
Hesse at the end of playing session one, diplomatic map:
Northern Germany, circa 1458
This is probably my best start with a minor faction yet. Hopefully that trend doesn't end, as I'd like this AAR to go on a while.
Not sure where to go next. Cleves' only ally is in Ireland, so I could probably conquer them, but I'm worried about my BB rating (8.5 or so). I'm not really sure if all my neighbors will start to hate me only after I hit the maximum of 37, or if there's some kinda sliding scale.
Anywho, comments are welcome, and thank you for your time.
After running many small nations into the ground (The tales of several of which are recorded here ), I decided to give Hesse a try. After finding my nation not being ruined several years in, I thought it deserved an AAR of its own, separate from my miniseries of failures.
This will be primarily a story AAR, with some gameplay notes at the end of each section. Any comments or advice is welcome.
Hesse is a small kingdom in northwestern Germany.
Part 1: Hesse's rise to a local power.
Up until the reign of King Ludwig I, Hesse was a small country in northwestern Germany, eclipsed in Northern Germany by Saxony and Brandenburg. However, all that would start to change in the last years of his reign. As he neared his dying days, Ludwig I became determined to start Hesse on the path to greatness.
Someday he hoped Hesse would be able to challenge the great powers of the world, but for now he would have to start with small expansions. South of Hesse was Mainz, an even smaller country with no allies. In 1453 Ludwig declared war on Mainz and hired mercenaries to bulk up his army. He led it himself, despite being so ill as to have to give his orders from a cot.
War raged across the territory of both countries, But Mainz proved to be no match for Hessian might. Ludwig I made alliances with nearby Saxony and Hannover, while sieging the capital of Mainz itself. He died mid siege, but comforted by the knowledge that his efforts had made Hesse's position secure in Northern Germany.
He was succeeded in October by the able King Hermann II (Admin 7 Mil 5 Dip 7) an able administrator and diplomat, although a mediocre war leader. Herman II brought the Mainz war to a successful end, annexing Mainz on March 31, 1454. The Kingdom of Hesse had increased both it's province number and population by 50%, with some 30,000 subjects.
URL=http://imageshack.us]
Hesse received a second opportunity to expand when its ally Saxony invaded the kingdom of Wurzburg. Hesse joined their ally in the war, besieging Wurzburg itself while Saxony sieged Bamberg. The war was successfully completed in April 1455, with Saxony annexing Bamberg, while Hesse secured the vassalization of Wurzburg and freeing of the nation of Ansbach, previously conquered by Wurzburg.
Knowing Hesse's reputation was tarnished by the wars in which it took part, and the stability of the realm threatened, Hermann II spent the next few years building up relations with neighboring kingdoms, exchanging alliances and marriages with all he could. He even retained from war when Hesse's ally Hannover was invaded, not wishing to provoke the Brandenburg/Denmark/Saxony/Anhalt alliance that threatened it.
Eventually Ansbach and the Palatinate were vassalized after a long period of negotitation, and Hermann II hoped that they, along with Wurzburg, would eventually be annexed into the Hessian Empire.
Gameplay notes:
Most interesting moment of the game: Muscovy was inherited by Bosnia!
Hesse at the end of playing session one, diplomatic map:
Northern Germany, circa 1458
This is probably my best start with a minor faction yet. Hopefully that trend doesn't end, as I'd like this AAR to go on a while.
Not sure where to go next. Cleves' only ally is in Ireland, so I could probably conquer them, but I'm worried about my BB rating (8.5 or so). I'm not really sure if all my neighbors will start to hate me only after I hit the maximum of 37, or if there's some kinda sliding scale.
Anywho, comments are welcome, and thank you for your time.
