The Rise of Venice

[truth is life]

State of the World, 1515: The New World

Southwest Europe:

(note that I captured the Canaries from Sicily)
Southeast Europe:

Northeast Europe:

Northwest Europe:

Religion:

(note the very rapid spread of Protestantism and Calvinism(!)

This game is rather odd for one played in Magna Mundi. Much more blobbing than normal, a strong Scotland, slow colonization (no one yet has any colonies in the Caribbean!).

 

[Capibara]

That's a big Scotland indeed

 

[stnylan]

Just read through. Looks interesting what you are tyring to do.

 

[truth is life]

During 1516, the Papal State and Switzerland declare war on me. This is a big problem, since I have 0 manpower and only seriously weakened armies.

Earlier, I had not signed alliances with my vassals, fearing a lack of control. I fixed that now, but the damage was already done.

The Pope and the Swiss managed to capture almost all of my territory. I was forced to give up Abruzzi (at least it gives me a future casus belli) and two of my vassals! I think this is the worst defeat I've ever had in EUIII.

After this horrible defeat, I was left in peace for 6 years, allowing me to rebuild my armies, (mostly) finish colonization, and research. By 1525, I've mostly returned to my former power; soon, Rome too will be subject to Venice.

 

[Shiggs]

Nice job with Venice... surprising to not see Castille and Portugal go berserk in the new world colonizing..... France and Ottomans........ wow.... I don't think I've seen many blobs like that even in vanilla.... haven't tried MMG mod yet, but the events look very interesting.. Keep up the good work!

 

[unmerged(514)]

Nice job with Venice... surprising to not see Castille and Portugal go berserk in the new world colonizing..... France and Ottomans........ wow.... I don't think I've seen many blobs like that even in vanilla.... haven't tried MMG mod yet, but the events look very interesting.. Keep up the good work!

With Magna Mundi Gold (for NA) you can expect many, many new features besides the ones portrayed here...

 

[merrick]

During 1516, the Papal State and Switzerland declare war on me. This is a big problem, since I have 0 manpower and only seriously weakened armies.

Ouch!
I'd have suggest meercenaries (a lot of mercenaries), since you seem to have the cash - but maybe taking it on the chin was the smart move in the long term if you want to go on colonising.

Incidentally, how did Sicily end up with the Canaries?

 

[truth is life]

In late 1525, Venice advances to gov tech 11. This allows me to move to the government I will use for the rest of the game--the Administrative Republic. The +5% to trade efficiency provided by this form of government will greatly aid Venice, due to our extensive trading efforts.

6 years later, little of note has happened. However, I am finally ready to convert to Protestantism. Even though it is not the best religion for Venice (that title goes to Calvinism, with a +10% bonus to trade efficiency and +5% to tax revenues), it is still better than Catholicism, for the simple reason that all of my high-tax territory is Protestant, and has a 40% penalty to tax income as long as I don't convert!

Converting significantly affects my relations with a number of countries, including a number that I don't even know of; odd, but useful.

When I begin colonizing the Caribbean, what should happen but this event:

Which shortly leads to this:

And then this!

How lovely.
Of course, I can't really stop until I control all of Mexico, not just the central bit; so, a few years later (after very luckily faking a core on the Aztec capital), I declare war on the Aztecs (who are allied to the Maya).

Of course, I utterly decimate their forces; Mauricans against Native American Spearmen? And with a numerical and leadership advantage? It's not even close to being fair.

 

[truth is life]

Overview of the World, 1550: The Caribbean

Brazil

Southwestern Europe

Southeastern Europe

Northeastern Europe

Northwestern Europe

Religion

The almost complete lack of colonization in the Caribbean is really surprising, since it is usually one of the most heavily developed areas in the game; good for me, but surprising. Also, the clearing of all the alliances I had when I converted was slightly odd, since all of my allies were also my vassals; it shouldn't really matter that I converted to them.

 

[truth is life]

After a few battles, I come to the conclusion that I cannot conquer both the Maya and the Aztec, so I settle for just the Aztec.

After a few years of boring economic development, I manage to diplo-annex Siena. I now have three of the four provinces I need to form Italy!

While I must now go to war with the pope to secure Rome, I don't have a casus-belli. I solve that through a liberal application of cash, and fabricate a core on Abruzzi.

Of course, I immediately declare war on the pope.

Four years later, I've come out really well, having forced them to release Avignon and cede Abruzzi. In five years, I can declare again and finally acquire the last territory required!

I do so as soon as the truce is up, casus-belli or no.

Just two years later, they are forced to surrender...

And four weeks after that, the Italian unification event fires! I am now Italy!

I've now achieved all three goals laid out in the initial post, so where does Italy go from here? Suggestions are welcome.

 

[unmerged(61606)]

for some reason your pictures take a long time to load, it's been more than five minutes and they still are loading. any idea why?

 

[truth is life]

rcduggan: It's probably because all of my pictures are unedited screenshots hosted off of one photobucket account (that I just got a bandwidth limit almost reached message for). I don't know which of those factors is the most important.

 

[Nikolai]

They're .png. You really should convert them to .jpg.

 

[truth is life]

In 1581, I declare war on Portugal. They're a weak state with a small colonial empire, including several settlements in northern Brazil, which I would like to control.

Two years later, I manage to annex all of their Brazilian territories. I also wanted their South African and Indian Ocean territories, but unexpectedly strong resistance prevented me from securing those areas.

In 1588 this event comes up. Because I'm so centralized, I get +1 stability (nicely getting me up to +3), +3 base tax in Roma (!) and +50% trade efficiency for the next 10 years (!!!).

Wonderful!
In February 1589, I declare war on Genoa, so that I can vassalize them in preparation for annexation (my badboy prevents outright annexation, as does their possession of Corsica).

Two months later, I've achieved complete victory. Probably one of the fastest wars ever prosecuted in any Paradox game.

Unfortunately, in July Venice (a revolter from Croatia) declares war on me. By itself that wouldn't be too bad, but they're allied to France!

Venice is easily defeated, but France won't accept a white peace, despite putting no effort into prosecuting the war besides setting up a blockade, until 1592.

In 1594, I get two of these events right in a row.

That really hurts. (Not to mention that they give a trade efficiency penalty too!)

 

[truth is life]

Overview of Europe and Italy, 1600:

Mexico and the Caribbean:

Brazil:

Southwest Europe:

Southeast Europe:

Northeast Europe:

Northwest Europe:

Up until 1600, I just kept expanding Italy's trade and colonial presence, planting Italian colonies along the South American coastline up to Venezuela and putting Italian merchants into several previously unexploited centers of trade.
The reformation has stopped, with Protestants being strong in the north and south and Catholics being strong in the center. I think this is because a lot of countries adopted Deus Vult while Catholic, probably because of the very strong Ottoman Empire.

 

[stnylan]

Progressing very nicely.

 

[unmerged(62478)]

Turkey is a world power lol.

 

[Sweboy]

I am confused. I thought you were playing Venice and now you are attacked by them???

 

[truth is life]

Sweboy: I _was_ playing Venice. However, I formed Italy in the 1570s and sold Venice's Croatian territories to Croatia because I didn't want a couple of hard to defend, low value, wrong religion provinces. Presumably, there was a rebellion and Croatia couldn't control it, leading to the province seceding as Venice. Because Venice gained cores on most of my land when Italy formed, they had a casus belli; with France as an ally, they probably figured they could take me.

 

[truth is life]

In 1601, this event pops up, just at the right time. While the prestige bonus is unnecessary, since I already have 100% prestige, the stab bonus is rather nice.

In mid 1602, this event comes up. A truly wonderful benefit for a trading nation.

Then, in late 1604, Venice declares war on me again! Once again they are allied to France, though this time they have Sicily with them too. I decide to wipe out all the little powers first, leaving France by itself. Eventually they'll go for a white peace since war exhaustion will keep going up without any territory being conquered by them.

Even worse, they're the HRE, so they have an even larger manpower pool (and probably army) than normal!

About a year later, my one at a time approach yields its first fruit with the vassalization of Sicily.

A year after that, Venice is subjugated, ending its threat forever.

And a year after that, France agrees to a white peace. The nation is at peace again.

Unfortunately, the peace doesn't last very long; Castille declares war on me in early 1610. This is not much of a problem from the point of view of the peninsula, since Castille has been severely weakened by France; however, it is a problem from the point of view of the colonies, since Castille has a much larger fleet and army, and most of that army is in Brazil.