For God, for Spain and to get rich and E:TW AAR

Dragonflow

Emperor
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Messages
1,746
Location
Germany
This is my first AAR and it's about my attempts to restore Spanish glory in Europe and America or even India. I will try to make it as realistic as possible and not load games if I'm loosing a war. So let's get started.:)

Summer 1700

His royal majesty King Carlos II has recently appointed a cabinet of advisers. But the ministers can't say they are happy about this while we enjoy great prestige in Spain we are responsible for the great Spanish Empire. Sadly the days of glory are gone our Empire is alone with only France on our side. But with the right policies we can prevail.

Spoiler :
spainnr1.png


The cabinet has decided that our first move should be to ensure the security our remaining European possessions. This means we need to be prepared for possible Dutch hostilities in Flandern. His royal majesty the King has ordered our diplomats to create an alliance between Spain and Westphalia. Also an alliance was created between Spain and Genoa to ensure greater security in northern Italy.

Spoiler :
spainnr2.png


We were also able to convince the King to order the construction of two Sixth-Rate-Ships and the construction of improved roads and farms in Spain. In the Americas the construction of one extra Brigg was ordered, it should be finished by the beginning of winter.

In the middle of August of 1700 the Dutch ambassador requested a meeting with me. I wondered what the Dutch would want from us, I feared they would attack us. Sadly my fears became reality. The ambassador told me that the United Provinces and the Kingdom of Spain are at war. But the Situation became even worse as both Westphalia and Genoa refused to assist us, luckily the British and Austrians didn't join the war on Holland's side. Considering our military strength in Flandern we can only dig in and stay defensive.
This war also causes a large problem for our American trade routes, the Royal Spanish Navy in America is far to weak to defend against the Dutch.

Spoiler :
spainnr3.png


Later this Summer we also received messages about a war in the east, seems like our Austrian Habsburg relatives have engaged them self in a two front-war against Prussia and Poland-Lithuania
 
Spain's biggest advantage is that they can build galleons (which are the equivalent of something like Thirds Rates) out of their trade ports; meaning they can dominate the seas without investing heavily in naval techs like the other factions do.

Also, be wary of the fact that you're dealing with huuuge economic stagnation in almost all of your regions. I'd recommend lowing your nobility taxes to zero just so you don't run completely dry by 1710.
 
Galleons are very good ship but I decided to build Six-Rates because their cheaper at he beginning. Spain is pretty weak at the start but after a few years they get much stronger.

The Winter of 1700 showed us how weak we really are and it nearly cost me my head. The Pope has declared war on the Kingdom of Spain, the cabinet has no idea why and neither does the king. But this wouldn't be that bad if he did not commence any offensives against our Italian provinces. Something happened we could not have imagined. A papal army laid siege to our Lombardian city of Milan and not only this but the North-Italian Army, which we thought to be strong, was destroyed. When I brought this bad news to the king he nearly threw himself out of the window, thought this would have made this year not that bad at all. Also the Sultanate of Morocco declared war on us. Luckily the Royal Spanish Mediterranean-Fleet was capable of destroying the Muslim navy. The admiral now blockades the only harbour in all of Morocco. In America, one of our armies advanced into native held Georgia. The cabinet is more than sure that this region will be taken easily.
 
I always try to capture galleons when I can, both the Spanish and Pirates use them.They are trade ships AND warships with a relatively low upkeep and are the only reason the (east) Indian kingdom whatitsname hasn't destroyed my trade fleets a second time.
 
1702-1703

Our Situation is getting worse with every passing month. Thought the Pope did not attack Naples, also the South-Italian Army has been established and strengthened. The Sultan of Morocco managed to conquer our city of Gibraltar, luckily the troops which were trained to retake Milan were nearby and could reconquer the city easily. At the seas we managed to destroy several Barbary pirates and Moroccan fleets. The King ordered us to sign a peace treaty with the Barbary States. In the Americas our armies took Georgia and are fortifying the city. We also managed to take the Dutch Island of Curacao.

Spoiler :
spainnr4.png


It seems like Flandern is more or less secured as the French Navy has blocked the Dutch harbour of Rotterdam. The worst case scenario would be a British entrance into the war.
In eastern Europe our Austrian relatives are fighting the Prussians and Poles. According to the newest reports Hungary has fallen under Polish control. The Prussians declared war on Poland and took the city of Danzig and captured Austrian Bohemia. Saxony seem to have been destroyed and occupied by the Prussians as well. They could prove to be valuable allies in the future when our finances are better.
Our finances at a horrible state, we can't order the creation of new ship or even train new troops. Our trade routes are being raided by Moroccans and Pirates. The taxation of the nobility was lowered so that population growth can be increased. Sadly our biggest trading port has been destroyed by Barbary Pirates a few weeks before the peace treaty. We all hope that this peace will last long enough for us to regain our strength in the Mediterranean.
Our Minister of Finances tells me that if the Situation goes on like this, a State bankrupt is more than possible.

Spoiler :
spainnr5.png


The Situation is also not getting better with no single nation, except France, being interested in an alliance or trade agreement. Mostly because of strange behaviour of our King. The entire cabinet fears that as soon as he is no longer among us, the Austrian will demand the Spanish Crown. This would lead to an even greater war in Europe which we cannot afford.
At the end of the year a message arrived from Lisbon. It was a declaration of war, now we are fighting a two front war in Spain. I have ordered a battalion of line infantry to be trained at Madrid. Also the Minister of Finances me that for the Winter we are expecting an increased income. He told me that our trade routes in America are no longer raided by the Dutch. It seems the United Provinces are retreating from America after the fall of Curacao. The Cabinet has decided to spend the money on retraining the Gibraltar-Army and combine it with fresh troops from Madrid. Afterwards we move against Portugal.

1704

It seems we have under estimated the ambitions of Queen Maria Sofia of Portugal and paid a high price for that. The Minister of the Royal Oversee Possession in America reported that a Portuguese Army has landed in Florida. The Garrison was weakened after a siege by Natives and so Florida fell. This is very tragic and Portugal will pay for this. The King was enraged when I told him about Florida, not even the news of the conquest of Trinidad had any effect on him. Ordered me to capture Lisbon or else he would order the entire cabinet executed. Considering that there is a large Portuguese army in America, this means their mainland is weakly defended and we have a good chance of winning this war.

Spoiler :
spainnr6.png
 
good AAR, like to see it continued!
 
Nice AAR. I've never seen the Dutch become that powerful before though.
 
Back
Top Bottom