- Joined
- Mar 17, 2007
- Messages
- 9,305
The map I'm attaching is of a "game" where I "played" as Naxos and just let the AI do whatever it wanted. You'll notice one country in particular has expanded to an unusual degree, in this 1446 map. I don't mean Scotland, either - sadly, they were conquered by the English later.
I have two other games in progress that I may well continue. One is in 1512, and I'm playing as the Ottoman Greeks. Right now the game is a mess, but its history is interesting. In 1415 or so I began a 10-year war against Castille to defend Grenada, but was ultimately unable to take any of Castille's mainland cities, and probably should have made peace earlier. In 1430, I went OPM and bankrupt and converted to Orthodox and Greek culture, and subsequently began a campaign of reconquest, which was fairly successful. The plan was to align with the Byzantines, who had already made some conquests in eastern Italy, help them secure Italy against the Pope, and to establish them as the dominant power in Italy and myself as the dominant power in the old Byzantine Empire. And indeed, Byzantium did take Rome in 1479. However, not long after I got dragged into the War of Urbinese Succession against a powerful European coalition, and things kind of went downhill after that. Now, the Byzantines have been conquered, Spain controls half the Bosporus and Saruhan (who is somehow 7 land techs ahead of me) the other half, revolt risks are double-digit in every province with four rebellions already happening, inflation is almost 20%, stability is -2, my army is only 20,000, and uber-Qara Koyunlu is invading my eastern border. My strategy may have been slightly overambitious, but at least if I ever feel my current game is going too well, I have a challenging one to resume.
My other game is as the Timurids, is going much better. It's 1425, and the City of Men's Desire just fell into Timurid hands. And Europe thought the Ottomans were going to be a problem! They actually are not at all, as I took all their Turkish lands, and the Golden Horde has pretty much finished them up in Europe. The Horde is exacting tribute from Transylvania, Hungary, Ryazan, Muscowy, Novgorod, Poland, and the Ottomans, and a good amount too, which as the (second) map shows, means they've cleaned house pretty well. Bosnia will be theirs soon, and Lithuania is routinely owned every five years, so they really don't have any threats. Mazovia has taken advantage of the situation and is doing better than either Poland or Lithuania in practical terms. Bar is not so much of a success story, as although they survive, their ruler is excommunicated.
I've secured most most vulnerable flank through Mamluk tribute, so my next plan is to invade India. Bihar is besieged right now, and Vijaynagar will be the big war. If they fall, I'll have a secure exit plan by means of the Mughal Empire should things start going downhill in the west. But at this point I plan to abstain from the Mughal decision unless it's actually necessary, as being a horde and beating people up can be rather fun.
I have two other games in progress that I may well continue. One is in 1512, and I'm playing as the Ottoman Greeks. Right now the game is a mess, but its history is interesting. In 1415 or so I began a 10-year war against Castille to defend Grenada, but was ultimately unable to take any of Castille's mainland cities, and probably should have made peace earlier. In 1430, I went OPM and bankrupt and converted to Orthodox and Greek culture, and subsequently began a campaign of reconquest, which was fairly successful. The plan was to align with the Byzantines, who had already made some conquests in eastern Italy, help them secure Italy against the Pope, and to establish them as the dominant power in Italy and myself as the dominant power in the old Byzantine Empire. And indeed, Byzantium did take Rome in 1479. However, not long after I got dragged into the War of Urbinese Succession against a powerful European coalition, and things kind of went downhill after that. Now, the Byzantines have been conquered, Spain controls half the Bosporus and Saruhan (who is somehow 7 land techs ahead of me) the other half, revolt risks are double-digit in every province with four rebellions already happening, inflation is almost 20%, stability is -2, my army is only 20,000, and uber-Qara Koyunlu is invading my eastern border. My strategy may have been slightly overambitious, but at least if I ever feel my current game is going too well, I have a challenging one to resume.
My other game is as the Timurids, is going much better. It's 1425, and the City of Men's Desire just fell into Timurid hands. And Europe thought the Ottomans were going to be a problem! They actually are not at all, as I took all their Turkish lands, and the Golden Horde has pretty much finished them up in Europe. The Horde is exacting tribute from Transylvania, Hungary, Ryazan, Muscowy, Novgorod, Poland, and the Ottomans, and a good amount too, which as the (second) map shows, means they've cleaned house pretty well. Bosnia will be theirs soon, and Lithuania is routinely owned every five years, so they really don't have any threats. Mazovia has taken advantage of the situation and is doing better than either Poland or Lithuania in practical terms. Bar is not so much of a success story, as although they survive, their ruler is excommunicated.
I've secured most most vulnerable flank through Mamluk tribute, so my next plan is to invade India. Bihar is besieged right now, and Vijaynagar will be the big war. If they fall, I'll have a secure exit plan by means of the Mughal Empire should things start going downhill in the west. But at this point I plan to abstain from the Mughal decision unless it's actually necessary, as being a horde and beating people up can be rather fun.
Probably not going to try to get Kabylia or Franche-Comte at this stage, but next time France gets caught up in a war I now have a CB to take province by province away from them 
I forgot to take a pic. Sorry guys 
