18
Island roads and causeways
1612-25
Island roads and causeways
1612-25
In the end I opt for Military Drill, if nothing else for the extra morale to help assualting forts. Not that I need it against Austria; Corfu falls in June 1612 but it doesn't grant me enough WS for both Palermo and Messina, so I take Palermo.
It's only later I realise I could have used the same Corfu-Sicily blockade tactics to occupy Venezia, but then that'd be probably too gamey. After losing so many wars the Austrians would have already built a causeway or bridge into Venice, like they did IRL in the 19th century Never mind, I'm sure I'll get the rest of Sicily in the next war.
But the peace with Austria was just one of the many things to happen in a rather eventful 1612. First Ethiopia DoWs me again, this time bringing in Poland. This worries me a bit because my ally Astrakhan has very high WE and rebels are becoming a problem for them.
Next my king dies and the first regency council of the entire game -I think- takes his place.
And my warning to Yemen finally triggers when they attack Hedjaz. Only Najd supports Yemen.
Unfortified Najd is quickly vassalised (I only take a province from them, to connect my Omani provinces). Yemen annexes Hedjaz, saving me the annexation. I eventually sign peace with them in 1614 for Mocha, Hadramut and Socotra.
I sign peace with Ethiopia for some ducats after achieving a couple of Polish provinces for Astrakhan. Poland collapses shortly afterwards letting Lithuania become independent.
A new policy change: I move towards defensive this time. In 1616 a new king ascends to the throne, al-Salih III (7a/6m/3d), following the long tradition of hopeless diplomats in this royal family
At least now I can DoW Castille when the truce expires in 1617. Needless to say Castille is very much a walk in the park now. In only a few months their forces in Iberia and Africa are destroyed, just as I reach land technology 23 (Muslim Musketeers).
With all the Iberian and North African provinces occupied I obtain a 76% WS peace deal. This time I start taking African provinces in case Fez or someone else might want to get opportunistic. I also take Beira to have full access to Portugal.
And to avoid being unpredictable Austria DoWs while I'm at war with Castille. Of course it ends predictably
In the far east the colony in the Andaman Islands becomes self-sustaining in 1618. My next colony is set up in Sulu, also producing spices. In 1621 I receive a call to arms from this area (I had warned Mahapahit a few years ago) but I end all in a white peace as my main ally in the area, Brunei, is reluctanct to disembark a single regiment in Mahapahit.
A more useful call to arms comes a few months later when Shaybanid attacks Kokkand, and all of Shaybanid's friends abandon the alliance...
Finally an opportunity to link-up Samarkand
During 1622-24 I send some cavalry north to help Astrakhan with their still endemic rebel problem. They can't collapse now, after coming all this way in one piece!
In 1625 the truce with Castille expires. My BB is still high and I have received quite a few warnings, I wonder whether I should rest for a few years before resuming hostilities...
Or keep on pushing into Iberia... Oh look! Lisbon is available
_________________
Syria in 1625
Provinces: 103
At peace.
Allied with Astrakhan, TE, Algiers, Tripoli, Adal, Najd, Kokkand. CB on France and Iraq. Guaranteeing Algiers, Tripoli Khorasan. Warned by Portugal, Yemen, Khorasan, Ethiopia and Swahili.
Vassals: Najd, Oman, Algiers, Tripoli, Adal, TE.
Stability: +3
BB: 15.12
Monarch: Caliph al-Salih III (7a/6m/3d)
Army: 130 (54/76/0)
Navy: 117 (73/7/4/33)
WE: 0