A Mountain of Skulls : a Timurids EU-3 AAR

[Blue Emu]

Can you only become the Mughals, or are there other options (were you to chose them that is)

As the game develops does it offer you new, different options?

I can remain as the Timurids, and try to reach GOV-10 to reform my government the usual way. This is quite difficult, because even the FIRST tech level costs me over 10,500 research ponts, and as a Steppe Horde my research is halved.

It's much easier to upgrade my government by either forming the Mughals (not too difficult) or by fighting my way all the way to the Baltic, annexing both the Golden Horde and the Russian minors, releasing enough territory in the south that Russian is my primary culture, moving my capital to a Russian-culture province, culture-shifting to Russian, and forming Russia. Needless to say, that's quite an ordeal.

I'm not sure if any other options exist.

 

[Abaddon]

So all other conquest would remain as Timurids? For instance if you pushed loads west and into Africa?

 

[Abaddon]

Gosh, rebells are making a big impact on this game, is it always like this?

 

[Blue Emu]

So all other conquest would remain as Timurids? For instance if you pushed loads west and into Africa?

Yup. Conquering Africa would keep me poor and low-tech for a long time, too. Non-core provinces only give 10% of their tax income, with further revenue losses for revolt risk, wrong culture, wrong religion, etc... but they count at 100% towards slowing down your tech research and stability regain.

Gosh, rebells are making a big impact on this game, is it always like this?

Rebels are the curse of Steppe Hordes and Tribal societies, yes. That's one major reason for switching to the Mughals as soon as possible.

 

[Dachs]

Who's your current ruler and what are his stats/succession status?

 

[Blue Emu]

Who's your current ruler and what are his stats/succession status?

My current ruler is Timur's immediate successor, Khalil. He is 4-ADM/6-DIP/5-MIL. He has a twelve-year-old heir Hussein, whose stats are somewhat worse (5/4/4). I need a 6-MIL Ruler to form the Mughals... although there's always the possibility of an early death and a 6-MIL Regency Council.

 

[Optical]

So, you're going to send your ruler into battle and hope he dies in the next three years?

 

[Blue Emu]

So, you're going to send your ruler into battle and hope he dies in the next three years?

That's one possibility... although it's a bit exploitive. Another possibility is to just behave myself, wait for a decent Ruler, and hope the great RNG-god favors my cause.

 

[Optical]

Think of it as you being the khan's advisors, disposing of the khan in order to seize power for themselves.

 

[Blue Emu]

After a few days break, the AAR continues. At this point in the game, we are basically just waiting for a decent Ruler so that we can upgrade our form of government, and kiss this "Steppe Horde" nonsense good-bye. This means that the updates for the next few decades will probably be rather repetitive... an endless cycle of wars against the same set of opponents, generally ending in a largely symbolic victory (our opponents concede defeat) since we don't really want to load ourselves down with additional non-core provinces. They would only slow down our tech rate and stability regain, while spawning hordes of Rebels at every succession crisis. Smaller opponents will of course be vassalized or placed under tribute.

Overrun by Rebels, Trebizond throws off their Golden Horde masters and declares independance. Unfortunately for them, this gives them a border with us...

Spoiler :

... and they are placed under tribute.

Khan Khalil embarasses the Court... rat-boogers! It takes us nearly two years at 100% Stab slider to regain each Stability level.

Lots of new minor-state victims...

Spoiler :

... including Candar who have sneakily conquered our tributary Trebizond while we weren't looking, and Georgia who have revolted from the Golden Horde. We no longer share a border with those bad-mannered Golden Horde bozos. Yay!

Not sure quite where Al Hasa is... in Oman, maybe?

Spoiler :

... and I've got no freakin' idea where this place is:

Spoiler :

That's one problem with running a big empire. You start to lose track. Especially if you're an uneducated Barbarian who can't read a map.

Spoiler :

Ooops... I forgot about these dudes. Time to play "My Little Pony" with the Ottomans again. Fortunately, they are still rather tired from the last series of battles.

Spoiler :

The Jalayarids go bankrupt, which means that they stop paying tribute...

Spoiler :

... Bankrupt, Shmankrupt! Where's my money???

And at last:

Spoiler :

Government Tech 4! That only took... twenty years... or so. Now all we need is a Ruler who can read without moving his lips, and we can form the Mughals!

Speaking of Rulers, our Heir-Apparent, Hussein the 5-5-4 Bone-Head comes of age, and is introduced to the Court.

Spoiler :

To celebrate this blessed event, we attack the Mamlukes.

Spoiler :

... and take yet another Stability hit:

Spoiler :

... Oh, well... we only needed that one Government tech anyway. It isn't as if our tech research actually makes any progress, even when we do fund it.

Did I mention the Rebels?

Spoiler :

We're still getting lots of Rebels. Just thought I'd mention it.

 

[SouthernKing]

Liking it so far

 

[Quintillus]

Looks good. The lack of powerful opponents is slightly disappointing, but probably good. I'm looking forward to seeing how you handle the succession crises.

 

[Boundless]

An enjoyable read, hope we see more soon

 

[Boundless]

Bump?

 

[Quintillus]

I'm also still interested in this story. My Timurids game has been put on hold in hopes of seeing how your next crisis goes, because I'm pretty sure I'm headed towards spectacular disaster and could use all the help I could get.

But that doesn't mean I won't make the disaster bigger. It's too fun not to!

 

[Boundless]

? Progress made I hope ?

 

[Blue Emu]

? Progress made I hope ?

On hold at the moment... the continual cycle of wars against the same opponents every five years (forced by the Barbarian Horde mechanics) is starting to wear me down.

I'm beginning to wish that I'd started an Aurora AAR instead. My "Ad Astra" Aurora AAR on the Paradox forum eventually attracted over 100 forum members into the game.

 

[Boundless]

Oh that is a shame. I hope you do pick it up again, I know the chances of that though