Grand Strategy Codex EU4 MP game - new game thread

[CrimsonAngel]

Castile is hostile to every nation and don't you forget it.

 

[Sranchammer]

Castile is hostile to every nation and don't you forget it.

What, with your -50000 manpower?

 

[CrimsonAngel]

All i need

 

[Krash]

With mercs who needs MP anyways.

 

[Sulimo]

I've got some weird Chinese karaoke-shit to do tomorrow from 13:30 to 18:30 dutch time (GMT+2?), not sure if it's worth to stay and have a couple of drinks after that. Anyway, feel free to start without me, I might turn up around 7 or I might try hitting on some orientals. Depends on my level of intoxication.

 

[CrimsonAngel]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/37649191/Codex S1E2.eu4

 

[Sulimo]

It's been a rough couple of years for England. Queen Mary, blessed be her comely visage, convinced of English might, declared war on Flanders. It turns out the queen was living in a different space-time continuum where Flanders was independent, while in truth they were in a personal union under Hungary. The war was brutal and could only be won with French help after restoring balance to the space-time continuum. After this things settled down a bit, and the Blessed Queen spent some years preying on the collapsing Burgundians. The low countries are now all vassals of the English crown, and will be annexed in due time.

The English peasants proved to be susceptible to the yammering of a demented german priest named Luther, and within 20 years half the country had grown to embrace his heretical teachings. The queen, ever cautious, decided no country can be ruled without complacent peasants, soon decided to follow suit. This in turn upset the Catholic peasants that were left in the country, which would eventually lead to the great religious war of the British Isles. Half the country is in open revolt against the crown, and only time will tell if the Papal will be done, or the Queen was right to support the heretics. She might even have to consider granting nominal 'independence' to the irish and Scottish dominions, to focus on the conversion of England Proper.

Whatever the result may be, we shall go on to the end. We shall fight in Flanders, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength on the land, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.

 

[Delterius]

Correction.

we shall fight in the hills and only in the hills - because that's where the bonuses are

 

[RedScum]

Sorry for not being able to join.. again. Only had time at the end and then it felt like there was no point in joining.

 

[Krash]

Maybe next time then. Bavaria's free atm and in a decent shape.

 

[Malakal]

Session Two after action report: Austrian suicide.

Even before second session started I have extended olive branch to both Austria and Ottoman Empire. I offered Austria trading back three of my vassal provinces in southern Austria belonging to Tirol and Styria in exchange for three Bohemian provinces - Niederlausitz, Oderlausitz, Erz. I have also offered friendship to OE in exchange for the return of my Moldovian cores. Both of my offers have been ignored and in fact both of those nations started plotting my demise.

First of all after merely a few years in which I have managed to annex the Teutonic Order Austria has declared war on my vassal. This was a rather surprising turn of events seeing as Austria has just lost a huge war, yet it was aiming to reclaim its losses right away. At first I thought it may be a problem for me, since France has not joined the war on my side. But then I noticed that Ottomans havent honored their alliance either. That put Austria, Bohemia, Brandenburg and few German minors in war with my ally Bavaria, England, my union minor Lithuania and all of my vassals. I have leisurely occupied all of Brandenburg and Bohemia then proceeded to occupy all of Austria. With three to one odds it wasnt ever a close conflict, I myself call this "The War of Austrian Suicide". Peace reigned soon with Brandenburg releasing two one province minors, Bohemia ceding me three of its provinces I asked from Austria and Austria giving back Styria all of its cores. At this point Styria was bigger than Austria and Austrian player wisely did capitulate changing nations. Was Austria doomed at the start of the session? Its situation was definitely hard but with my offer of ceding back my vassal lands and prudent expansion in Italy it could have gone right back. It was almost on par with me after all - even after the first war they had more manpower and money than I did.

Anyway following that I have slowly annexed Styria and took three more Austrian provinces to link my lands together, creating the mighty Austrian-Polish commonwealth. Unfortunately I dont have any chances at being HRE emperor. I did also annex Brandenburg to quickly release it as my vassal. Currently I am cooling off after all of those conquests to let my big coalition dissolve.

On other fronts Muscovy has been collecting Russian lands but has encountered a big obstacle in the form of Denmark. Denmark has annexed Sweden and converted to protestant, currently is in the middle of religious disorder. Those two powers will most likely clash very soon. Ottoman Empire has subjugated all of the Balkan minors and is expanding relentlessly into Asia and Africa. France conquered all of France proper and is nibbling at HRE lands. England controls all of the Low Lands but has converted to protestant with only half of the provinces converted and is facing a big religious disorder. Castille and Portugal (former Austria player) have allied and are beating on Aragon, colonization has also started.

Current power standing: 1. France 2. Ottomans 3. Denmark 4. Poland 5. England 6. Muscovy/Castille 7. Portugal

 

[Krash]

You've got quite a bit more MP than me now thanks to those juicy Austrian lands. And Denmark stronger than you? Bitch please. Not to mention that the commonwealth will soon be formed, making you equal or superior to frog.

- the most illustrious and benevolent great and merciful and kind (but not too kind) Sultan Murad


Also wtf Austria we could have taken the land back, why did you tell me not to join? Without France on potato side we could have restored Austrian lands.

- Except from Austrian - ottoman diplomatic correspondence



In all seriousness though, that suicide war was pretty retarded, it unbalances all of central Europe.

 

[Malakal]

I may have a bigger maximum MP pool but that is theoretical and not sure since I am hovering near the bottom most of the time. With 60k standing army and 20k manpower I am fourth in power on the graph. Of course Lithuania has nearly 40k army and who knows how much manpower but I cant count on them to aid me in war - its the risk coming when AI controls you allies, they suck. Many times they left me to die in battles without joining. And in income I am way behind, before annexing Austrian lands I had 1/3 of French income now it may be better but I didnt check that.

Im not saying my power isnt growing but at this moment I may at best be third. Especially considering Danish religious issues which I didnt consider when ranking.

 

[Krash]

Yeah I still have edge, at least in some aspects. Didn't notice your horrible income before (just checked in ledger).

 

[kris]

Denmark isn't that strong. Just that I took the province of Hamburg made a great impact on my mostly poor provinces. Of course while I was AWOL Sweden was incorporated which put Denmark up quite a bit. but Denmarks strength lies more in how easily defended it is if I keep a strong fleet. Even if I lose most my army I can hold on to a favourable peace. and now I sit at a point were my only chance of expansion is Germany or human players. that would be Poland or Muscowny. I am pretty sure none of us want to tip the balance to much here, so there will most likely only be an alliance if the Ottomans interfere.

AAR as for my half session:

I started to make a deal with Austria were I would get my wargoal of Hamburg. In exchange I would change to support him and keep Hamburg in HRE. the rich province of Hamburg really helped a lot as my income took a jump of joy. After a few years of peace I became a bit worried about the quickly growing Russia empire. I decided that Livonia should be with me and proceed to force vassalize them and took the semi-rich province of Riga in the same war. As Muscowny annexed Novgorod and Poland the teutonic order practically all of the North was in player hands.

But then Another opportunity revealed itself. With austrian player missing and Austria in war again I turned my eyes on the Hansa anew. It was a bloody war with many dead. then it ended with ... me having to leave.

then I came back, having Sweden annexed and just having converted. With new rebellions popping up all the time and having such a big army that I had to disband men to not make economical suicide. Then session ended.

 

[kris]

- its the risk coming when AI controls you allies, they suck. Many times they left me to die in battles without joining. And in income I am way behind, before annexing Austrian lands I had 1/3 of French income now it may be better but I didnt check that.

Overall AI Sweden gave me great support in wars. I have been impressed by the AI in this respect.

 

[Malakal]

- its the risk coming when AI controls you allies, they suck. Many times they left me to die in battles without joining. And in income I am way behind, before annexing Austrian lands I had 1/3 of French income now it may be better but I didnt check that.

Overall AI Sweden gave me great support in wars. I have been impressed by the AI in this respect.

They can be supportive and even wage war by themselves (as French-Aragon war showed where my vassals did all the fighting as I wanted my mp to recuperate) but you cant count on them to be where you need them to be as they dont always stick their armies to yours.

Also there are issues with numbers they field. My opm vassal Tirol fields 7k army while Styria while having 6-7 provinces only fielded 3k for some reason even with manpower pool of 15k.

 

[Krash]

Sometimes they have MP but not monies. Also, don't forget MP regeneration for small countries can be really slow, like less than 100 per month. Every country gets 3 force limits just for existing. It's sometimes better early game not to immediately annex vassals.

 

[kris]

Sometimes they have MP but not monies. Also, don't forget MP regeneration for small countries can be really slow, like less than 100 per month. Every country gets 3 force limits just for existing. It's sometimes better early game not to immediately annex vassals.

I actually planned to keep Sweden along longer. They had 30K troops that supported me well. Of course, I don't have it really tested whether this development was much benficial or not.

 

[Krash]

Sometimes they have MP but not monies. Also, don't forget MP regeneration for small countries can be really slow, like less than 100 per month. Every country gets 3 force limits just for existing. It's sometimes better early game not to immediately annex vassals.

I actually planned to keep Sweden along longer. They had 30K troops that supported me well. Of course, I don't have it really tested whether this development was much benficial or not.

Well you could always release them as a vassal. With their monster discipline they're sometimes worth keeping around, like brandenburg.

 

[Sranchammer]

I chose honor over Polish vassalage

 

[CrimsonAngel]

I here by demand that France give it's war with Aragorn. The Warmongering of France is getting out of hand.

 

[Merkwürdigliebe]

Don't think so.

 

[Krash]

Alright gentlemen and gentletrannies, game is soon on! 17-21 GMT+1 right?

 

[Kane]

no time today sorry. probably won't have until 5th jan.