We are from hence on going to be picking up a story that began in 769, with the Rise of Xiao the Eastern Wind.
In the Centuries preceding 1444, Xiao, the founder of the Caetye and the Great leader of the Khitan people chose instead of marching east and forging the Liao dynasty as Abaoji of the Khitan did historically, they went west on a great Journey lasting generators to the foggy lands of the Black Lion. In that Journey Xiao's Grandson, Kenzai would adopt the Zunist faith, and reform it along abrahamic guidelines, styling it the Fourth Faith, a Syncretic Faith with elements of Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and heavy eastern influences.
After Kenzai would come Idris, the Great, or conquerer who through the claim of his mother conquered the Roman Empire for his own as he brought the Khitan West. By the end of his life, Idris had conquered all of Greece, The Levant and Italy and had been proclaimed Augustus by his conquered subjects and the Khitan people. Idris would eventually march up the Rhine River alongside his Son, Kiran, founding the Khitan people in the lowlands between the Rhine and Seine River near Flanders.
Over the next few centuries the Khitan would gradually become Westernized both ethnically and culturally as they conquered England and all of Francia, while losing control of the territories left behind in Greece, Italy and the Middle East. The Roman themes of Idris' empire was dropped, and the Empire became simply the realm of the Khitan, or 'Cathay' after several centuries of language evolution.
Though the story did not end with a founding, The Empire would see many Emperors and Empresses, both great and terrible. Marcus II who would found a capital for the Empire on par with Rome and Constantinople. Empress Lyra the black, who brought a dark shadow over the empire and was said to have transformed into a demon before finally being cut down in her youth. Morgan the Young, the Sorcerer Empress who would restore the Empire to greatness and build the great Palace of the Royal Family. Emperor Mace the Melancholy who fell in love with his own daughter and whose death started the War of the Four Dragons. Geoffrey the Restorer who saved the Imperial family in it's darkest hour from being completly overthrown. Julianna the Just who ushered in nearly a century long golden age for the Caetye and the Khitan people. Adam the Cruel whos misrule would end that Golden Age, and Finally Uther the Hammer who after a great Collapse is now ready to restore the Empire back to greatness after the fall of the great Western War.
After Kenzai would come Idris, the Great, or conquerer who through the claim of his mother conquered the Roman Empire for his own as he brought the Khitan West. By the end of his life, Idris had conquered all of Greece, The Levant and Italy and had been proclaimed Augustus by his conquered subjects and the Khitan people. Idris would eventually march up the Rhine River alongside his Son, Kiran, founding the Khitan people in the lowlands between the Rhine and Seine River near Flanders.
Over the next few centuries the Khitan would gradually become Westernized both ethnically and culturally as they conquered England and all of Francia, while losing control of the territories left behind in Greece, Italy and the Middle East. The Roman themes of Idris' empire was dropped, and the Empire became simply the realm of the Khitan, or 'Cathay' after several centuries of language evolution.
Though the story did not end with a founding, The Empire would see many Emperors and Empresses, both great and terrible. Marcus II who would found a capital for the Empire on par with Rome and Constantinople. Empress Lyra the black, who brought a dark shadow over the empire and was said to have transformed into a demon before finally being cut down in her youth. Morgan the Young, the Sorcerer Empress who would restore the Empire to greatness and build the great Palace of the Royal Family. Emperor Mace the Melancholy who fell in love with his own daughter and whose death started the War of the Four Dragons. Geoffrey the Restorer who saved the Imperial family in it's darkest hour from being completly overthrown. Julianna the Just who ushered in nearly a century long golden age for the Caetye and the Khitan people. Adam the Cruel whos misrule would end that Golden Age, and Finally Uther the Hammer who after a great Collapse is now ready to restore the Empire back to greatness after the fall of the great Western War.
After the Great Western War the Khitan Empire was shattered, But Slowly but surely the House of Caetye returned to strength, First uniting Northern France and the Lowlands of the Rhine and later Striking into Germany and Central France. All the While rumours of a Strange Land called America, or Camelot depending on your cultural persuation trickled in through the major trade ports of Europe.
The Rush for America came quickly with all Major powers from Northern and Southern Europe participating to some degree and carving out thier own personal spheres in the new world. Meanwhile Those that did not participate, Namely the Kingdom of Bohemia found success in the unification of Eastern Europe under the Second Bohemian Empire, a Terrible and Powerful Nation. Meanwhile the Status quo of Iberia was bucked time and again and the Kingdom of Ferrara unified Italy into a powerful State. The Kingdom of England would form Great Britain and the Kingdom of Sweden would regain control over much of of its own region, naming itself the Scandinavian Empire.
Meanwhile in the East Chaos following the fall of the old Empires of the region led to the Rise of Persia and India, Persia followed a Radical form of Zunism rejecting the syncretism that had allowed the religion to spread far and wide. Meanwhile India was formed as a response to both Persia's growing strength but European Traders bypassing the Old silk roads by use of the cape and making landfall in India for the first time.
In East Asia the Takeda Shogunate and Emperor of China competed for Colonies in California brought on by the utter collapse of Silk road Trade thanks to the fundamentalist Persian Empire. Soon All would come to a head however when Empire finally met Empire.
Driven by personal ambition the Khitan Emperors aligned themselves with the Japanese Shogunate and Struck at the Ming Empire. In Several bloody wars lasting well over half a century the Ming fought off foreign invaders with strange customs and technology and yet held a strange familiarity about them. Ultimately however disaster after disaster and Driven Khitan persistence led to various concessions in South China, and in the Aftermath the Ming Dynasty suffered a complete and utter collapse, with the Khitan Empire claiming the Mandate of Heaven for themselves.
The War however had exhausted the Khitan Empire and Blinded it to goings on in Europe, Namely the Rise and fall of the Kingdom of Sicily. By the Time the Empire had properly regained a mind for European Politics the Kingdom of Sicily had become the Empire of the Greeks and later would collapse to a Popular Revolution.
The Resulting Chaos would shake the Monarchies of Europe to the core. Revolution spread into Scandinavia, Great Britain, Cathay and Even mighty Persia. Though the Revolution at least in its purest anarchic form was stopped by the Brave Actions of the Khitan military and diffused by the Young Emperor Arthur Europe now stands at a precipice of Complete and Total Warfare.
All the While the once colonial administrations of America have one by one thrown off the shackles of European Overlords, declaring their own republics, Empires and democracies of various flavours in a world isolated by Geography but unified by potential.
And Now, the discovery of new means of production and the spark of industrialization is just starting to catch its kindling. The World is in Revolution but the True Fire has yet to start. The Coming Century will be one of Progress, one of Warfare, one of Revolution, Blood and Iron.
The Rush for America came quickly with all Major powers from Northern and Southern Europe participating to some degree and carving out thier own personal spheres in the new world. Meanwhile Those that did not participate, Namely the Kingdom of Bohemia found success in the unification of Eastern Europe under the Second Bohemian Empire, a Terrible and Powerful Nation. Meanwhile the Status quo of Iberia was bucked time and again and the Kingdom of Ferrara unified Italy into a powerful State. The Kingdom of England would form Great Britain and the Kingdom of Sweden would regain control over much of of its own region, naming itself the Scandinavian Empire.
Meanwhile in the East Chaos following the fall of the old Empires of the region led to the Rise of Persia and India, Persia followed a Radical form of Zunism rejecting the syncretism that had allowed the religion to spread far and wide. Meanwhile India was formed as a response to both Persia's growing strength but European Traders bypassing the Old silk roads by use of the cape and making landfall in India for the first time.
In East Asia the Takeda Shogunate and Emperor of China competed for Colonies in California brought on by the utter collapse of Silk road Trade thanks to the fundamentalist Persian Empire. Soon All would come to a head however when Empire finally met Empire.
Driven by personal ambition the Khitan Emperors aligned themselves with the Japanese Shogunate and Struck at the Ming Empire. In Several bloody wars lasting well over half a century the Ming fought off foreign invaders with strange customs and technology and yet held a strange familiarity about them. Ultimately however disaster after disaster and Driven Khitan persistence led to various concessions in South China, and in the Aftermath the Ming Dynasty suffered a complete and utter collapse, with the Khitan Empire claiming the Mandate of Heaven for themselves.
The War however had exhausted the Khitan Empire and Blinded it to goings on in Europe, Namely the Rise and fall of the Kingdom of Sicily. By the Time the Empire had properly regained a mind for European Politics the Kingdom of Sicily had become the Empire of the Greeks and later would collapse to a Popular Revolution.
The Resulting Chaos would shake the Monarchies of Europe to the core. Revolution spread into Scandinavia, Great Britain, Cathay and Even mighty Persia. Though the Revolution at least in its purest anarchic form was stopped by the Brave Actions of the Khitan military and diffused by the Young Emperor Arthur Europe now stands at a precipice of Complete and Total Warfare.
All the While the once colonial administrations of America have one by one thrown off the shackles of European Overlords, declaring their own republics, Empires and democracies of various flavours in a world isolated by Geography but unified by potential.
And Now, the discovery of new means of production and the spark of industrialization is just starting to catch its kindling. The World is in Revolution but the True Fire has yet to start. The Coming Century will be one of Progress, one of Warfare, one of Revolution, Blood and Iron.
Out of the Fires of Petrovic's Revolution a New Europe was born, one unwilling to fight the total wars of the past, at least for a time. It would be a century dominated by Four major powers, the Greek Republic, The Bohemian Empire, The United States of America and the Khitan Empire. As time went on all of these powers would liberalize to an extent culiminated in the Colonization of both Southeast Asia, The American Frontier and Africa.
Then everything changed when the Khitan Civil War happened. The World subsequently was unbalanced by the birth of a new Republic, the Khitan Republic which replaced the Monarchist Empire, who burned relations with traditional ally of Bohemia in favor of committing entirely to Greece and Japan. Italy meanwhile caught between both great Republics fell into Bohemian influence while Britain and Scandinavia both retained thier own governments, and colonial Empire.
As the unrest of the end of the century spread, Bohemia experienced a revolution itself, eventually with it being overturned in favor of a reactionary absolute monarchy. All the While the American Powers of the USA, California and the United States of Central America dueled eachother for dominion of the North, While Paraguay slowly but surely swallowed a continent.
Meanwhile new powers rose in Europe, Out of the Persian carcass, Russia was born, Portugal Unified into the Spanish Empire, India grew powerful, and communist and the Pegu and Shan Empires consolidated thier Asian positions.
Tensions rose, eventually culiminating in the greatest war the world had yet seen, The Great War, with Britain, the Khitan and Greek Republics, the USCA and California set against Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, Bohemia, Japan, Praguay and the USA. However through a mixture of superior tactics, positioning and unbsurd amounts of manpower, the Khitan Empire ground away against her European enemies while Asia was lost followed by America. Having lost Europe however, Japan and the USA rather than accept a long costly war across Asia and the Atlantic signed peaces with honor, agreeing to concessions and Status quo in exchange for leaving thier European allies for dead.
With the stab in the back firmly delivered, The United States went on to dominate her continent, annexing California and subdueing USCA which collapsed to a Fascist Revolt. It also seized Alaska from the Japanese, an important Oil and Gold resource. Japan retreated into Isolationism following several failed coups, Shan continues to plot to retake her rightful territories and Pegu is fighting a losing war with India.
Bohemia and Italy were completely defeated and thus received the worst punishment, with much of Germany being spun into the states of Holstien and Bavaria. Both States would collapse to Fascists following the great depression. Spain and Scandinavia meanwhile would bide thier time and seek to suppress a more feared opponents, the Communists.
Greece, the heart of the revolution, and despite victory in the great war fell to Communists in a bloody civil war, robbing the Khitan Empire of her traditional ally and putting a red spectre over Europe in the form of the mighty Social Balkan union
Now, Central Europe is Fascist, and growing in Power, the Balkans and Middle East are dominated by Reds. Asia is filled with neutral powers, and America having swallowed a Communist California whole and Canada decades earlier is in a dangerous place with an Angry Central America to its south, and all her allies in Europe having fallen to Fascists. Meanwhile Paraguay has collapsed into four powers, a Grim reminder of what could happen to the United States if her Monarchy cannot successfully right the ship out of these dark times.
And dark times they are, The Khitan Republic now sits with a divided government, a Population unwilling for another war, A Colonial Empire on the verge of revolt and enemies gathering at the gates. Will the Empire of Xiao survive the 20th Century? Or will it collapse as so many before it. Only Zun knows if the Empire will return to his light, or perish in the shadow of war.
Then everything changed when the Khitan Civil War happened. The World subsequently was unbalanced by the birth of a new Republic, the Khitan Republic which replaced the Monarchist Empire, who burned relations with traditional ally of Bohemia in favor of committing entirely to Greece and Japan. Italy meanwhile caught between both great Republics fell into Bohemian influence while Britain and Scandinavia both retained thier own governments, and colonial Empire.
As the unrest of the end of the century spread, Bohemia experienced a revolution itself, eventually with it being overturned in favor of a reactionary absolute monarchy. All the While the American Powers of the USA, California and the United States of Central America dueled eachother for dominion of the North, While Paraguay slowly but surely swallowed a continent.
Meanwhile new powers rose in Europe, Out of the Persian carcass, Russia was born, Portugal Unified into the Spanish Empire, India grew powerful, and communist and the Pegu and Shan Empires consolidated thier Asian positions.
Tensions rose, eventually culiminating in the greatest war the world had yet seen, The Great War, with Britain, the Khitan and Greek Republics, the USCA and California set against Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, Bohemia, Japan, Praguay and the USA. However through a mixture of superior tactics, positioning and unbsurd amounts of manpower, the Khitan Empire ground away against her European enemies while Asia was lost followed by America. Having lost Europe however, Japan and the USA rather than accept a long costly war across Asia and the Atlantic signed peaces with honor, agreeing to concessions and Status quo in exchange for leaving thier European allies for dead.
With the stab in the back firmly delivered, The United States went on to dominate her continent, annexing California and subdueing USCA which collapsed to a Fascist Revolt. It also seized Alaska from the Japanese, an important Oil and Gold resource. Japan retreated into Isolationism following several failed coups, Shan continues to plot to retake her rightful territories and Pegu is fighting a losing war with India.
Bohemia and Italy were completely defeated and thus received the worst punishment, with much of Germany being spun into the states of Holstien and Bavaria. Both States would collapse to Fascists following the great depression. Spain and Scandinavia meanwhile would bide thier time and seek to suppress a more feared opponents, the Communists.
Greece, the heart of the revolution, and despite victory in the great war fell to Communists in a bloody civil war, robbing the Khitan Empire of her traditional ally and putting a red spectre over Europe in the form of the mighty Social Balkan union
Now, Central Europe is Fascist, and growing in Power, the Balkans and Middle East are dominated by Reds. Asia is filled with neutral powers, and America having swallowed a Communist California whole and Canada decades earlier is in a dangerous place with an Angry Central America to its south, and all her allies in Europe having fallen to Fascists. Meanwhile Paraguay has collapsed into four powers, a Grim reminder of what could happen to the United States if her Monarchy cannot successfully right the ship out of these dark times.
And dark times they are, The Khitan Republic now sits with a divided government, a Population unwilling for another war, A Colonial Empire on the verge of revolt and enemies gathering at the gates. Will the Empire of Xiao survive the 20th Century? Or will it collapse as so many before it. Only Zun knows if the Empire will return to his light, or perish in the shadow of war.
Disclaimer:
There will be a Several Cold War Chapters after the ingame HOI Stuff is over that will ease the transition to Stellaris. Please keep any conversations in regards to real world comparisons civil and in accordance with the rules, The AAR similarly will not cover any topic banned by the rules in either the ingame section or the cold war section, so you only have your imagination for such things.This AAR will albeit briefly cover the cold war and modern era eventually and as such may touch on certain topics that may be controversial, intentionally or not. So I say this, I do not intend to make any political statements in this AAR, period. I ask all to enjoy the ride and for you to leave current politics out of the thread. If you dont, I can and will call a moderator. You've been warned. Now Lets get onto the fun stuff.
A Few Other Things to know about:
1. The AI and Myself have custom focus trees, I have imposed an artificial limit to not build any military until I up my mobilization law which I can only up based on world tension or turning Fascist/Commie/Monarchist.
2.No Cheesy Divisions/Strategies
3.No Conquering the World on my part, Makes the tail end of the campaign boring otherwise, Puppets are fair game though.
4. I Reserved the right to switch to the AI to force them to give me a good fight or to fix wars that the AI should be winning but isn't for some reason.
5. If it looks like a screenshot doesn't fit in with the current narrative that is probably because it doesn't, I'm aware. I ran through this scenario several times after the AI told me how it wanted the war to go so I kept ground hogging the war until the AI gave me its best shot, but there are screenshots from other attempts as some campaigns looked more visually interesting than others.
6, That Said, the Narrative is from the perspective of when the AI gave me its best shot,
7. Also to note this Version of HOI is the patch Pre Waking the Tiger, as such if your confused, Thats why.
A Few Goals for the HOI phase of the campaign
1. Assert Khitan Dominance
2. Retain our #1 Spot in the World.
3. Retain our Borders and ensure the pacification of either all the Fascists, All the Commies or all the Democracies/Monarchists.
4. Open and looking for recommendations and suggestions, but ultimately the choice is mine here
Chapter List
See Threadmarks
Last edited:
- 1