Gruss Gott folks,
So another first poster here! I was just reading this last night and felt the need to explain something. Now, I am neither Austrian nor related to anyone Austrian but as a historian I feel that Austria certainly deserves her place amongst the Civs. I also agree that, given enough time and resources, Hungary and Poland and the Khmer and Burgundy and the Mamluks and the Rajputs and whomsoeverpulleththeswordfromthestoneshallbecrownednextdlc etc etc but seriously, what's with the Austria hate?
Austria is not Germany. Yes they speak German, but in the same way America speaks English but is in know way Britain. Indeed, America was once part of Britain while Austria never was German (apart a brief annexation under Hitler). Perhaps prior to the creation of 'Germany' in 1879 (stressing here that Germany never existed as an entity before this), Austria was considered by the Großdeutschland advocates as a part of the German Reich, but Austria has made a very significant separate contribution to world history, well, Austria.
From Otto the First defeating the Hungarians and reestablishing the Holy Roman Empire as a German dominated institution in 900 hundred and whatever it was, through Frederick Barbarossa the scourge of the papacy, through Charles the Fifth who ruled the Austrian Empire (Austria and great swathes of Eastern Europe), the Spanish Empire (Spain, much of the New World, the Spanish Netherlands and Southern Italy) and significant chunks of northern Italy in 1500 and whatever it was, through Joseph II and Maria Theresia the models of Enlightenment Monarchs, through Metternich the Austrian diplomat who reshaped the map of Europe after the defeat of Napoleon, through World War One, through the spy networks and summits of the cold war to now. Culturally, Austria was a hotbed of baroque architecture, classical music (Mozart was not actually from Austria but Salzburg when it was independent, still an undoubtably Austrian place), psychology (Freud), economics (the Austrian School, anyone?) and a thousand other things, not to mention the glories of Vienna 1900. Oh, and schnitzel.
Seriously, Austria deserves its place as a Civ. I for one will relive the the majesty of the Hapsburg reich with glee (you know, by building such Austrian wonders as the Porcelain Tower and following the footsteps of Metternich by burning down Antium...) anyway.
I do have a couple of qualms though. I'd much rather have Joseph than Maria as leader, although I guess there's the diversity thing, and the opening scene is a little shoddy in my opinion. I would also rather have had Gebirgsjäger than Hussars, but most of all I'm disappointed by the name of the special ability. Seriously, AEIOU (look it up
) would fit perfectly as a name for it, but even something as banal as 'Hapsburg Hegemony' or 'Empire of many crowns' would fit nicely... Anyhow, you'll all be glad to know I've finally finished.
Bis gleich!
