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Part 71 - Eastern Revelations
More claims on the foreign empires are always useful.
Part 72 - State of the Prussian Republic, January 1650
Yes, we're living dangerously... If the Stadtholder dies and his replacement is a dud, we'd be in trouble. Still, felt it worth the risk - and we have a fairly long burndown period ahead of us, thanks to our current mission.
Maybe next time I'll play a Catholic Castille, just to show it is possible - or go with Ming, and do it with the 'Oirat Elevator'.
Now, a quick listing of cores in foreign lands, and when they expire (if applicable):
Castille - Jan 1671
Novgorod - Mar 1682
Denmark - Jul 1690
Bosnia - Oct 1690
Riga - Dec 1693
Zaporozhie - Jun 1694
France - Feb 1695
Hausa - Jan 1696
Timurid Empire - Jul 1697
The Mamluks - Dec 1699
Munster - Permanent core
Wurzburg - Permanent core
Holland - Permanent core
How do you get such nice missions? It seems pretty rare that you actually have to cancel (Improve Relations with Not-Brandenburg are the only cases I recall) and I don't recall seeing that annoying manufactory mission at all. One reason I haven't played my Russia campaign much lately is that every single mission is building a manufactory somewhere, generally not where I actually want to build it (if I have money to spare - they're getting expensive...). Is it because you're at war a lot in your AAR games, and that produces different outputs from the mission generator? My Russia game is one of my most warlike, but by your standards it would be almost pacifist.
If you're fishing for feedback on what to do next, I'm sure I'd enjoy reading about either Ming or Castille. I think Ming would be an interesting change of scenery from France and TO/Prussia, plus we all might learn more exploits as you abuse them. Nothing wrong with Castille, though.
If you're fishing for feedback on what to do next, I'm sure I'd enjoy reading about either Ming or Castille. I think Ming would be an interesting change of scenery from France and TO/Prussia, plus we all might learn more exploits as you abuse them.
Nothing wrong with Castille, though.
Too bad he has already played a bit ahead of this AAR.
What other modifiers might you still get to further ensure faster BB burning?
What other modifiers might you still get to further ensure faster BB burning?
FEEDBACK
Being at war helps - the manufactory missions have this nice 'war = no' clause, and since they're among the most time-consuming missions there are, being at war when you complete the previous mission certainly helps. Having some pirates around during war is almost a sure-fire way of getting the 'clear blockade at...' mission, which gives you something to shuffle the missions around while you wait for something like the 'improve our reputation' mission, as I now try to. There are times when I keep a war going for as long as possible, just to gamble at a better mission. As long as it's a small target and war exhaustion is kept at 0, there's no reason for quick peace. Early in the game, this can generate some extra war taxes too, if you've got a high Admin ruler.How do you get such nice missions? It seems pretty rare that you actually have to cancel (Improve Relations with Not-Brandenburg are the only cases I recall) and I don't recall seeing that annoying manufactory mission at all. One reason I haven't played my Russia campaign much lately is that every single mission is building a manufactory somewhere, generally not where I actually want to build it (if I have money to spare - they're getting expensive...). Is it because you're at war a lot in your AAR games, and that produces different outputs from the mission generator? My Russia game is one of my most warlike, but by your standards it would be almost pacifist.
If you're fishing for feedback on what to do next, I'm sure I'd enjoy reading about either Ming or Castille. I think Ming would be an interesting change of scenery from France and TO/Prussia, plus we all might learn more exploits as you abuse them.
I'm very much leaning towards Ming too... but it depends on whether the upcoming 3.2 version nerfs my favorite exploits with Ming, in particular the Oirat Horde mission or scrambling the mission factors around. Guess I'll know by the time I finish this AAR.
Not much left, to be honest. The only modifier left is the Abolishment of Slavery Act, which gives a minute BadBoy reduction - not even enough to counter-act 'The Statute in Restraint of Appeals', which I foolishly enacted a long time ago. I might have saved a few BadBoy points on that...Too bad he has already played a bit ahead of this AAR.
What other modifiers might you still get to further ensure faster BB burning?
The absolute ideal scenario is enacting the Anti-Piracy Act, the Abolishment of Slavery Act, having a Diplomacy 9 ruler, three six-star Diplomat advisors and the Cabinet National Idea. That should give you a reduction of 2.83 BadBoy points a year. It is also good to be max Innovative - that increases the odds of your advisors getting the 'great man' events, which results in a one-time -6 BadBoy drop. This scenario is, however, ridiculously unlikely - at least the advisor part. The rest, you can manage, and an annual reduction of 1.93 points is nothing to sneeze at either.
Part 73 - Italian footholds
A reason to fight Manchu.
Of course, what we really want is a boundary dispute on Rome...
I think in your next game you should focus on regions instead of the whole world.(Cultural and Religious conversions only in Europe and then moving on to another continent.)
I agree post-Cabinet you should really be aiming for 2BB a year reduction. As for your max reduction stay Catholic and go Papal controller for another 0.25. BB dropping at 3.08 a year would be insane and a lot of fun
I think there is value to keeping Rome alive as long as there are Italian states left. Just guarantee it as it's a DOW magnet
I think there is value to keeping Rome alive as long as there are Italian states left. Just guarantee it as it's a DOW magnet
Been playing a game as ottomans the last few days, and by accident I have discovered by far the easiest exploit to lower badboy without exploiting missions....I'm very much leaning towards Ming too... but it depends on whether the upcoming 3.2 version nerfs my favorite exploits with Ming, in particular the Oirat Horde mission or scrambling the mission factors around. Guess I'll know by the time I finish this AAR.
The absolute ideal scenario is enacting the Anti-Piracy Act, the Abolishment of Slavery Act, having a Diplomacy 9 ruler, three six-star Diplomat advisors and the Cabinet National Idea. That should give you a reduction of 2.83 BadBoy points a year. It is also good to be max Innovative - that increases the odds of your advisors getting the 'great man' events, which results in a one-time -6 BadBoy drop. This scenario is, however, ridiculously unlikely - at least the advisor part. The rest, you can manage, and an annual reduction of 1.93 points is nothing to sneeze at either.
my strategy was to go after europe, then reduce all civs to OPMs and vassalize/ally them.. then plan was to have a bigger civ (france, poland etc) occupy them in wars.. and then as peace deals give them away (even if I was winning the wars)...
Turns out that by doing this, not only do I dont have to annex them for 2 bb (before 1650) each.. when I give them away in peace deals.. I get negative 1 bb each.. and can then in next war grab them for 0.5 bb .. meaning each OPM cost me negative 0.5 bb each to annex...
from this I start to wonder and experiment....
and figure out this:
find a medium sized christian (or other religion that isnt your tech group) country (about austria or so in size)... reduce them to OPM.. (and surround them so they are safe) and important.. do not remove their cores in peace deal...
Then.. convert all their cored provinces to your religion..... then next war.. occupy their capital, and they will immediately accept a peace... then instead of demanding anything, simply give them all their core provinces back.. you get negative 1 bb per province you give back to them..
then next war to can take all those provinces back for free since they are your religion (and not the owners religion) .. just dont give them enough time to concert them.
repeat the war cycle as often as possible, and you will have no more problems with badboy if you do this to a few countries... :rofl:
after 1650AD you prolly have to let the provinces become your own cores though.. dont think own religion provinces are free then?
FEEDBACK
If I go with Ming, regional conquest should be plenty possible - with two exceptions; an American foothold for colonies and a Latin-neighbor province for Westernizing.
As Vesimir surmised - I've no cores there yet, and had hopes for Boundary Disputes. By taking land in other parts of Italy, I boosted my odds of getting Boundary Disputes there too. Since anything I took would cost me a point now, I figured I might as well take land that might reduce costs later.Why did you not take some of their northern provinces in Italy?
...I keep forgetting the Curia, since I tend to go Protestant/Reformed in the 1500s... Besides, it would not be appliccable for non-Catholics. Sucks to be Turk.I agree post-Cabinet you should really be aiming for 2BB a year reduction. As for your max reduction stay Catholic and go Papal controller for another 0.25. BB dropping at 3.08 a year would be insane and a lot of fun
I think there is value to keeping Rome alive as long as there are Italian states left. Just guarantee it as it's a DOW magnet
A live Rome is certainly proving useful, if you want Italian Wars. There are a few of these 'bullseye' nations around - Georgia and Champa are also very good at attracting trouble, but Papal Rome is the only same-religion war magnet I can think of, save Urbino or such early victims.
...and here I thought I was devious. You have me bested by a good margin.
Your ways are certainly valid - they'll cut BadBoy gain very well. The vassal trick is a superb way of handling this, though it has one caveat - the enemy must either occupy them, or have cores on them to accept them, right? I'll gladly admit I don't have much experience toying with vassals, but I've always felt the AI is more prone for going after the alliance leader (i.e. you) than the rest of the alliance. It's a minor problem if you have large enough armies to "guide" them to the right place, or only have vassals on the front lines, though. I'll have to attempt this sometime. I agree this vassal gambit pays off best with Heathen enemies before 1650, but vassalizing gives no BadBoy, so as long as you get a many-for-one vassal per Declaration of War, you should be on the right side even with same-religion foes.
The other trick with converting and everything is a bit less fruitful, IMO. Yes, it certainly would work - but you'd have to spend missionaries, money and the time it takes to convert. If they guarantee someone, it's a small matter to give them the converted lands and get a war going again immediately.
Waiting for cores after 1650 is also valid, though in this case the provinces must be of the enemy's culture group, or else they will lose their cores while you gain yours.
With your strategies, a 0 BadBoy WC should definitely be possible.
Part 74 - Abandoning Titles
We've been hoping for this one. OPM Bohemia must be removed, lest it fall behind the Animist Wave.
It's silly that with white peace you lose the protector of the faith modifier.
Heh, Danes are keeping the old Viking spirits up.
Heh, Danes are keeping the old Viking spirits up.
yes, the civ has to occupy the vassals or have cores.. and they do tens to go after me instead.. but after I bit I figured out the trick.. just sit back and let them come and not try to stop them from occupying your provinces... eventually they occupy all the vassals you want to get rid of.. and you can end the war.. you will get a lot of war wariness thou.. and while waiting the BB may drop a lot
.. so use your units to kill rebels and fight other wars in the meantime The only problem is OPMs that is far from the borders of other civs.. just annex them (or wait for them to get a core first)
it takes a bit of missionaries and money to set up at first.. but once it is set up, you can redo it as often as you can get into wars with them.. depending on how many alliances and guarantees they have... and most of the time you will have the provinces under your possession anyway, so you want them converted anyway
by the time I discovered it, I had already converted all the austrian lands, and had cores on them already (never stripped them of their cores, and since it was home culture, their cores didnt go away)
FEEDBACK
Only if you offer the white peace. If others offers you white peace, you keep the modifier.It's silly that with white peace you lose the protector of the faith modifier.
Heh, Danes are keeping the old Viking spirits up.
Yes... of course, once they've finished Münster, their sufferance is at an end...
Thanks. I'm content with how this game played out. Keep learning new tricks - just as much from comments in this thread than gameplay.
The repetitiveness of this can be a boon, indeed... You just have to be large enough to steamroll them, then this can be a useful way for 'milking' the AI for BadBoy. Even quicker if it's a major power guaranteeing half the HRE, or something. I'll have to remember this for the next time I play.yes, the civ has to occupy the vassals or have cores.. and they do tens to go after me instead.. but after I bit I figured out the trick.. just sit back and let them come and not try to stop them from occupying your provinces... eventually they occupy all the vassals you want to get rid of.. and you can end the war.. you will get a lot of war wariness thou.. and while waiting the BB may drop a lot
The only problem is OPMs that is far from the borders of other civs.. just annex them (or wait for them to get a core first)
it takes a bit of missionaries and money to set up at first.. but once it is set up, you can redo it as often as you can get into wars with them.. depending on how many alliances and guarantees they have... and most of the time you will have the provinces under your possession anyway, so you want them converted anyway