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Seb19999

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After very enjoyable game with Siena I decided to play Urbino. The goal is of course to unite Italy, I also want to create decent colonial empire and widen Italy a little bit - but I will decide about direction later. It depends on how strong would be France, Austria or Ottomans later in the game.

First priority was to strengthen my country by taking some neighboring provinces. I sent my barque to protect trade and set army and fleet maintenance to lowest possible level.
On the diplomatic front I started to improve relation with Austria (I wanted to be a part of HRE for technology bonus) and send another diplomat to claim Romagna. I choose Papal State as rival. After 6 months I decided to build decent army - I added 6000 infantry to my army of 2000 infantry and 1000 cavalry. After I claimed Romagna I sent diplomat to clamRome. In the meantime I was able to ally Tuscany.

When army was ready I decided to start a war. Unfortunately, Papal State was allied with Savoy so the war was risky. I ordered my ships to port. I recruited decent general.
Here is the brilliant military strategy - I attack with armies with low morale, immediately after taking maintenance to the highest level. This works miracles especially when my army has higher morale (technology, ideas, advisor, event). This time was event - the last tournament. My 9000 men army destroyed Papal State forces of 7000, literally destroyed. Without significant casualties. Of course, It works only when your enemy just changed his army maintenance level!
I split the army and started sieges. I decided that I will take Romagna and money and try to vassalize Papal State in the next war. War was quick and easy. I conquered Romagn and receive some 40 ducats. Savoy did not intervene. I ordered harsh treatment and coring of Romagna. That's what I usually do and the beginning of the conquest when I don't want to risk rebels.

Another useful trick - after completely destroying enemy's army you can move army maintenance back to lowest level. It's risky in case of rebels or DOW by another country but at least in the beginning of the game it can save a lot of money. I took only 2 loans in this game.

At some point I was able to add Ancona to the HRE.

During the war I claimed Ferrara. After I conquered Romagna I claimed Modena too. Even before the last claim was ready I declared war on Ferrara. Choosing countries as rivals before claiming and starting war is important.
Another easy war. I took Modena and vassalized Ferrara. It cost me precious 100 diplomatic points. I conquered Modena because of claiming opportunities it gave me. I cored it anddid not get unlawful territory demand from Austria - probably because Austria was busy waging two wars, one with Castile. I think this is a dirty little secret of doing conquest in HRE - busy emperor when you core new provinces.

At that point Genua, Savoy, Mantua and Siena entered coalition against me. Worrisome? Not really. I added Milan and Austria to my network of allies.
I made my first mistake when I decided to attack Siena (I claimed it first). I had a truce with Savoy (after Papal State war) and I did not expect Savoy would enter the war. But coalitions are strong instruments. Although Austria declined call to arms (CTA) Milan and Tuscany entered the war on my side. We were fighting against Savoy (leader), Mantua, Genua and Sienia. After few victorious battles and after capturing Sienia and Mantua I signed peace treaty giving me Siena.
I had very low manpower - so low that during the war I recruited 6 mercenary infantry regiments.

Tuscany wasn't particularly happy with my latest conquest and broke our alliance. I decided to add France to my diplomatic network - Milan was not enough.
But low manpower is not a reason to let religious fundamentalists live in peace. I immediately DOW Papal State - I wanted to use mercenaries before I sent them home.

There was no Papal State army in Rome. Siege was easy and then Provence declared war on Papal State. And here I made another mistake. I vassalize Papal State instead of doing it after Provence would take Avignon. So, of course I found myself in a war against Provence (and Lorraine) with both France and Milan dishonoring CTA.
I could not fight Provence because I had no land access to Provence territory. There was no way Savoy would allow my army to pass through. So I ordered fleet to blockade Provence and waited.

Bad thing happened. Tuscany started war against me and I missed the time they were building their morale. I almost lost my entire army but strong leader saved my forces. I regrouped, destroyed Tuscany army and started sieges. I vassalized Tuscany.

Good thing happened. France declared war on Provence and my enemy was happy to sign white peace.

Urbino1459_zps65446608.jpg


It's 1459. I have 4 provinces: Ancona, Modena, Romagna and Siena, 5 vassal provinces, 15 regiments army (6 mercenaries) and 3 barques, 6 galleys, 3 cogs fleet. My only ally is Austria now. But I'm happy with that.

My goal is Lombardy now. That's obvious. But Milan is allied with both Austria and Burgundy so I may wait for my chance. Plenty of other conquest opportunities.
The huge problem is war exhaustion at 10. This the effect of stupid idle war against Provence. It may be good idea to stay calm for few years or to take easy targets - like Sardinia.
 

volksmarschall

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Welcome Seb to the forums and to the world of AARs! Urbino is quite the curve ball for nation choices! So I'm interested to see what you do with such a small Italian minor that I almost always don't pay attention to in my GC games. I do suppose uniting Italy with Urbino would make one feel very good about themselves, and you seem to be off to a pretty good start after 15 years! :cool:

Cheers!
 

Ygor

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This is interesting. You've begun really well, with quite a fast-paced expasion and one excellent ally! I certainly enjoy Italian AARs, there's a lot of room to be a middle power between France, Austria, Spain and the Ottomans, though at some point you'll have to antagonize one of them.
 

Seb19999

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I decided that high war exhaustion should not be a reason to put off expansion. Especially when targets like Sardinia (no army, no fleet, no allies) exists. When my diplomat was busy claiming Sardinia, my enemy - Genoa started a war against Sardinia. Fortunately for Urbino, Genoa was very slow and Urbino was able to DOW Sardinia and send army to the island before Genovese army landed.I decided to handed Sardinia over to my vassal - Tuscany.

After the war I ordered incorporation of Ferrara and Papal State and later, in 1469 - Tuscany. I hired diplomatic advisor enhancing my diplomatic reputation and decided to research diplomatic ideas.

The quality of rulers is a huge problem. First king who ruled from 1444 to 1473 was of decent intellect (2-3-3) . But nothing spectacular. Giovanna I who ascended the throne in 1473 is kind of disaster (2-1-1). Queens have also huge disadvantage in the game - they can't lead army which means no free military leader. Should I inform the feminists?

The next conquest opportunity showed itself when Naples DOW Serbia and transported whole army (10 000) to the Balkans. Urbino had 20 000 strong army and Tuscany had 8 000 strong army so the war was quite simple. I destroyed 20 ships strong Naples fleet during the war - unfortunate event because I wanted Naples to become my vassal. Urbino annexed three Naples provinces. The plan was to start another war in five years, vassalize Naples and give those provinces back. That means no coring and no harsh treatment, the whole point is to save points.

2014-02-15_00006_zps9e59b6e7.jpg


There was a huge war between Burgundy and coalition of Provence, Savoy, Hungary, Venice and Milan. A war which left Mantua (allied to Savoy) vulnerable. I took advantage of this and in 1473 Urbino annexed Mantua (Urbino had a mission), to release Mantua as vassal few days later. The second war against Naples started in 1477 and ended in the next year. Naples became a vassal of Urbino.

2014-02-15_00007_zpsab7d4c58.jpg


I made the first huge mistake soon after. Aragon crippled by the disastrous wars against Castile was very vulnerable and allied only to Milan. It was a huge opportunity but before I finished claiming Palermo Aragon had gained two more allies - Austria and Portugal. I probably should had not made Aragon my rival which exposed my intentions.

2014-02-15_00008_zpse40e4fa0.jpg


Diplomatic situation in 1479 looks like this:

Genoa is allied to Savoy, Switzerland and Hungary
Milan is allied to Provence, Austria, Aragon and Wurttemberg.
Venice is allied to Provence and Switzerland.
Aragon is allied to Milan, Austria and Portugal.
Savoy is allied to France, Hungary and Genoa.
France looks very weak in this game.

With the help of Austria all of those alliances should be easy to defeat but I definitely don't want to fight Austria in 1479. I will wait for opportunities.
 

Ygor

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Well, Venice looks like it's up for grabs :laugh:
 

Seb19999

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Ygor was right. Venice was the next victim of megalomaniacal ego of Giovanna I. Venetian created the pretext by issuing trade embargo. Urbino and Austria had no problems defeating Venetian Provencal and Swiss armies. In a peace treaty Urbino annexed Istria and Dalmatia (and immediately created a new vassal - Croatia), forced Venice to end vassalization of Corfu and Naxos and to transfer trade power. In earlier separate peace with Provence Urbino annexed Provence and immediately created a new vassal - Avignon. Avignon was given newly obtained province of Provence.

During the war against Venice Giovanna I wisely decided that it's time to take Ragusa from Serbia and give it to Naples who had a rightful claim on Ragusa. Armies were competent.

After the wars, I ordered incorporation of Mantua and Naples. I decided to research offensive ideas and started building temples, constables and barracks in all provinces. Two other advisors were hired to help the Queen (2-1-1) make smarter decisions.

The next war will be remembered as a beginning of the end of creating Italy. Milan was allied to Provence and Austria. Austria was weakened by wars and was fighting against Burgundy. Now or never - that was an idea associated with declaring war against Milan. Unfortunately, Austria joined the war. Urbino annihilated Milanese army and conquered all provinces. My army won countless battles against Austria and even captured Wien. In peace treaty Urbino annexed Parma and forced Austria to annul treaties with Milan. It was 1496.

In five years Urbino's army sieged Lombardy again. After quick war Milan became Urbino's vassal. Parma was returned to Milan.

Of course, spectacular expansion of Urbino created many enemies - Austria, France, Castile, Burgundy, Hungary and Ottomans consider Urbino as rival and competing great power. I decided to ally with Savoy (15 000 army). I see no point in being involved in English or Polish wars. Ultimately I would prefer to have one the superpowers as my ally.

After subjugation of Milan the time had come to finish things with Venice. In the war Urbino's armies defeated Swiss and Venetian armies. Switzerland was forced to annul all alliances and transfer trade power. This lenient treatment was probably a mistake. I could had forced Switzerland to return two cores to two German states but I wanted to save diplomatic points. Venice lost Brescia and Verona and was forced to give independence to Crete. Brescia was returned to Milan who consider Brescia as a core province. I hope I'll be able to vassalize Venice in the next war (3 provinces and 24 tax base).

All screenshots are from 1505:

Map:
2014-02-17_00001_zps2e0a7900.jpg

Incomes:
2014-02-17_00002_zpsb19283d2.jpg

Armies:
2014-02-17_00003_zpsbfbf2417.jpg

Navies:
2014-02-17_00004_zpsc7adbfe1.jpg
 

volksmarschall

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France looks so weird split in half by Burgundy! :confused:

The two downfalls of monarchies: long regencies...or young rulers with less than amble stats, although if they have 2's, I often think it's made up if they have a 3 or higher in another category. However, I suck it up whenever I see 1's and 0's, even if a ruler is something 6/2/0 (I still get a bit upset because that will ruin my military tech/idea progression), especially if they are under 20 when they ascend to the throne. Anyways, I never was one for trying to get them killed off either - hey, *poor* rulers happened all the time. I always like to make things fun by playing akin to the ruler's stat value, so a ruler with high military prefers military things, builds military buildings instead of other things, likes to go to war a lot, etc. just spices up the game!

You my friend, have worked wonders with Urbino so far, most of Italy is yours! Although I suspect an Urbino/Italian and Ottoman rivalry for the control of the Mediterranean is on the horizon...