I decided to try something different - a "what if Queen Victoria decided to try to convert Britain back into an absolute monarchy?" scenario. Because it seemed like such an absurd idea that I had to try it.
Well, it ended (predictably, probably) in a train wreck. The modern constitutional monarchy train had already left the park. Encouraging party loyalty on Reactionary was going slowly both for my tastes and against the desire for reform, so I had the bright idea to research the techs that gave me more National Focuses, to speed up the party loyalty. However, these are also the same techs that increase political reform desire, so it was like trying to fight fire with more fire.
As such, while most of my army was in Canada preparing to take back the long-rebellious Thirteen Colonies, a million Jacobins rose up, overwhelming both my home troops and even the French army, which did its best to help to no avail. Thus instead of an Absolute Monarchy, I wound up with a Democracy, and the loss of my entire sphere of influence. And while I kept the part of India I controlled directly, Britain was humiliated by Scotland successfully gaining independence via a well-timed revolt. Soon afterwards, the North German Federation would take over the #1 ranking in the world.
I'm not sure if I would have defeated the Jacobins even if I hadn't had my army mostly in Canada. With only British troops, I doubt I would have - as it was I'd already shipped a decent number of troops from India to Britain and Canada.
It wasn't all a failure; I did gain New York, as well as the independence of New England, from the USA. And ironically, the Tories started doing a fair amount better in elections after the Jacobins took over. But the lesson is learned - if trying to go for Absolute Monarchy as Britain, you either need to avoid techs that increase reform desire, or you need to keep a very large army at home and avoid getting bogged down in foreign wars when rebels could rise, or quite possibly both. And it's quite likely a fool's errand all around.
My Russia game is on pause in 1923; after the British fiasco, my decision to skip the + National Focus / Reform Desire techs has been reaffirmed.
Well, it ended (predictably, probably) in a train wreck. The modern constitutional monarchy train had already left the park. Encouraging party loyalty on Reactionary was going slowly both for my tastes and against the desire for reform, so I had the bright idea to research the techs that gave me more National Focuses, to speed up the party loyalty. However, these are also the same techs that increase political reform desire, so it was like trying to fight fire with more fire.
As such, while most of my army was in Canada preparing to take back the long-rebellious Thirteen Colonies, a million Jacobins rose up, overwhelming both my home troops and even the French army, which did its best to help to no avail. Thus instead of an Absolute Monarchy, I wound up with a Democracy, and the loss of my entire sphere of influence. And while I kept the part of India I controlled directly, Britain was humiliated by Scotland successfully gaining independence via a well-timed revolt. Soon afterwards, the North German Federation would take over the #1 ranking in the world.
I'm not sure if I would have defeated the Jacobins even if I hadn't had my army mostly in Canada. With only British troops, I doubt I would have - as it was I'd already shipped a decent number of troops from India to Britain and Canada.
It wasn't all a failure; I did gain New York, as well as the independence of New England, from the USA. And ironically, the Tories started doing a fair amount better in elections after the Jacobins took over. But the lesson is learned - if trying to go for Absolute Monarchy as Britain, you either need to avoid techs that increase reform desire, or you need to keep a very large army at home and avoid getting bogged down in foreign wars when rebels could rise, or quite possibly both. And it's quite likely a fool's errand all around.
My Russia game is on pause in 1923; after the British fiasco, my decision to skip the + National Focus / Reform Desire techs has been reaffirmed.
