An Interactive Roleplaying Experience - EU III AAR

Hello Everyone! Since we couldn't really seem to come to a consensus on what to play, I decided to try something else. That something else is creating an AAR for Europa Universalis III.

What is an AAR?
AAR stands for After Action Review, but, more importantly, the way it's used in terms of gaming and roleplaying is to provide an interactive experience for forum goers to experience someone else's gameplay. Now, right now, this might sound kind of abstract and confusing, so an example is warranted.

This is a very good example of an AAR done with EU III

In the example, the player (StephenT) played through a game of EU III as Sweden. The way to make this fun and interactive is to allow forum input on what course of action the country should take, what it's overall goals should be, etc. No familiarity with the game is needed to make suggestions as they can be fairly logical or common sense type suggestions.

In the example, StephenT's Sweden started out at war with Denmark and Norway, so he asked for suggestions on how to deal with the situation, should he fight the war? Should he try to make peace? And those are just the beginning examples, the thread is littered with various input from people on what he should do. In addition, he did several write-ups detailing the history of his country as the game progressed.

All of this is to demonstrate what I'd like to start in this thread. In the post immediately after this one, I'll be detailing the "state of the world" as it stands in Europa Universalis, then I'm going to ask you guys to pick a nation for me to play, and, as a guild, we'll guide this nation along a course to stability and greatness from 1399-1820.

How do we play?
All of you on the forums will join in by giving me suggestions as to the course the country is taking. I will periodically provide you updates as history progresses in the game, and then ask you what new suggestions you have based on what has happened. Obviously I won't come to the forums for EVERY decision, but I will definitely provide you guys the opportunity to give input, and I promise to try to make the write-ups as entertaining as possible.

A Few Notes

• Remember that EU III attempts to be historically accurate, so be sensible in your suggestions. I.E., it's unlikely for us to be able to take Cleves (A small German principality) and turn it into an enormous superpower, so bear that in mind when making selections.
  
  
• I will take suggestions for modern countries to be their 1399 equivalent, unless the country doesn't exist in 1399. The one exception to this is Germany, if it comes down to everyone's desire to play a minor German Principality, I will provide a list of them.
  
  
• Please stay on topic

The State of the World in 1399

Greetings everyone! In order to aid in the selection of a nation to play, I'm going to give a run down of the happenings around the European World in the year 1399 (the game's starting point.)

First, we'll start with the British Isles:

The British Isles are composed of three major powers. In the Northern part of Britain is the Kingdom of the Scots. While they remain fiercely independent, they cannot match their English neighbors economically or militarily, so it remains to be seen if they can hold out against an English crown determined to expand their dominion. Similarly, the small Irish nations are poor and weak, and have no power to challenge the English foothold on their island. It seems only a matter of time until they're swallowed by England, unless a determined and skilled leader can deliver them from their plight. As is most likely evident, England remains the great power of the region with a vast treasury and army. It is one of the world's superpowers and it is only a matter of time before they attempt to expand.

Next is France:

France, much like it always has been, is a nation not quite in control of its own territory. France is just emerging from the Hundred Years' War with England, having relieved the English of most of their French territories. They are currently considered to be the most powerful nation in the world both in terms of wealth and military power. It's unclear whether they will be able to use this power to cement their control over the region and form a unified French state. Other powers in the region include both Brittany and Burgundy who retain sizable military forces of their own, and a fierce opposition to French hegemony. An alliance between the two could lead to a curtailing of French power, and a continuation of the current state of things.

Next is the Iberian Peninsula:

In contrast to the French region, the Iberian peninsula is relatively uniform. Castille and Aragon have succeeded in pushing the Muslims out of mainland Europe and have secured relatively stable and powerful realms for themselves. It seems unlikely that the uneasy peace between the two will last long before one of them decides that the country needs to be united under ONE banner. Portugal, a neutral party to all this, remains independent and stable, enjoying the protection of an alliance with the English crown, and a relatively powerful base at home.

Next is Scandinavia:

Scandinavia is dominated by three major powers. Both Norway and Sweden have recently gained independence from the Danish crown, though Norway still retains close ties with it. Give that, it should come as no surprise that Denmark, and their unwitting ally Norway are engaged in a war to subjugate the newly independent Swedish nation. While Sweden is a match for either one of the two, combined they outmatch it militarily, and either one would likely outmatch them economically. If Sweden is able to hold onto its independence it stands in a good position to become a strong, powerful nation. Only time will tell what this region will yield.

Next is Central Europe:

Central Europe, much like it always has been, is a hodgepodge of fiercely independent principalities, bishoprics, duchies, and kingdoms. The major powers of the region lie to the south and east. Bohemia, whose leader is the current Holy Roman Emperor, has carved out a rather large kingdom for itself and is well-positioned to begin gobbling up some of the smaller countries in the area. Similarly, the smaller nations of Bavaria and Brandenburg are also well positioned to begin expanding their borders at the expense of their neighbors. The true power in the region, however, is Austria. Austria can field vast armies of men, so, with Austria lurking in the southern corner of the region, the question becomes not IF they will expand, but when and in what direction.

Next is the Italian Peninsula:

The Italian Peninsula is composed mainly of small city-states. Their territorial size, however, belies their true strength. Each of them possesses a powerful navy and extensive trade network which brings them vast amounts of wealth. Their undoubted economic strength could prove a strong turning point in a war, should they choose to try and expand. That being said, most of the city-states lack any real amount of territory which is imperative for maintaining strong, standing armies, so a quick, decisive blow from one of the German neighbors could prove to be a fatal blow to any one of the city states. it should also be noted that the Papal State is located on the peninsula. The Bishop of Rome possesses a substantial army with which to defend himself, but seems to have no intention of using it for anything other than protection.

The State of the World in 1399

Next is Eastern Europe and Russia:

The large holdings of the nations in this area are quite deceiving. Despite their large, territorial size, most of the nations in the area are relatively weak with a few notable exceptions. Poland and Lithuania maintain a strong alliance, and it seems quite likely they will attempt to expand at the expense of the Russian princes in the area. Both Novgorod and Muscowy would be easy prey for the strong Polish-Lithuanian alliance, but, together, they may be able to withstand them. It remains to be seen if a capable Russian will arise to lead either nation to greatness. The most powerful force in the region, however, is the Mongolian Horde lurking to the south and east. It's vast domain makes it able to field great hosts of men to crush all that stand against it. It is more than a match for any other power in the region, so only time will tell whether they have designs to unite the Slavic lands under the rule of the Khans.

Next is the Balkans and South-Eastern Europe:

The Balkans are an odd area in 1399. To the North and West is the Catholic nation of Hungary and its vassal Transylvania. In the center, are the relatively small and weak orthodox nations of Bosnia, Serbia, and Wallachia. While Hungary retains a powerful military force it is in a poor position to expand especially given that it would either need to expand north into the realms of the powerful Polish-Lithuanian Alliance, or south towards the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire is the main power in the region, spanning the entire region from east to west. They are more than a match for any of the nations on their border, so only time will tell, when and if they will be challenged. Hardly worth mentioning is the remnant of the Byzantine Empire which barely clings to its ancient capital of Constantinople. Perhaps a wise, able, and powerful ruler could bring it back to its days of glory, but that seems highly unlikely unless a great tragedy befalls the Ottoman Empire.

Finally, there is the Near East: (Note: White means unexplored)

Just as the Ottoman Empire dominates the Balkans, the Mamluks dominate the near east. They are well-positioned to strike against their weak neighbors along the North African coast, or attempt to expand their holdings in the Near East. The Timurid Empire (Not pictured) is also well-positioned to expand its holdings in the area. Its vast armies are already engaged in a war with the Ottoman Empire, that, if successful could have a very profound effect on not only the Near East, but the Balkans as well who would be freed from the shadow of the Ottoman Empire perhaps returning the area to it's historic rulers.

The Beginning
Alright, now it's time for everyone to decide on a nation! I've listed a few on the maps, but theres far more to choose from, basically, every different color you see is a different country, so, have at it! I will keep the voting open for about 2 days depending on the response I get. In the future I'll be using polls for people to vote, but, since there are so many countries, I can't do that for this decision. If you have any questions related to this, feel free to post them, and I'll answer them as best I can.

Looking at what's tactically viable (and gainable) Poland and Lithuania look like they're in a good position, if you can play them.

Tellen Silversun wrote:

Looking at what's tactically viable (and gainable) Poland and Lithuania look like they're in a good position, if you can play them.

I can play either one, but not both. Though, I think currently Poland is the "senior partnership" between the two countries...meaning that Lithuania's king died without an heir, so while they try to find one, Poland's king rules their country.

Sergei Meranov wrote:

Tellen Silversun wrote:

Looking at what's tactically viable (and gainable) Poland and Lithuania look like they're in a good position, if you can play them.

I can play either one, but not both. Though, I think currently Poland is the "senior partnership" between the two countries...meaning that Lithuania's king died without an heir, so while they try to find one, Poland's king rules their country.

Poland then, you could get some metaphorical XP from bringing Lithuania under your control, then you've got vast tracts of land you can gain.

Hungary looks good to me (If it's availible)

Yeah, both those are fine.

For those keeping score, here's the voting so far, for which country I should play:

1 - Ottoman Empire
1 - Poland
1 - Hungary

Looks like we're centered heavily around eastern europe thus far. Everyone vote!

Is it ok if You can give a brief over-view of the Scots?

Valkus Werdana wrote:

Is it ok if You can give a brief over-view of the Scots?

Sure, the Scots retain most of their native territory in the Northern part of the British Isles, but compared to England they are no where near as powerful economically or militarily. It's likely that they'll face invasion from England at some point early on unless there is another war to distract them, and barring a major troop build up that would likely bankrupt the country, it doesn't seem like they'd be able to resist. With the Scots, it's a matter of staving off English occupation until you're powerful enough to stand your ground.

ok cool, thank you. It is a hard choice to make. I am going to have to vote for either the Kingdom of the Scots, or The Mongolian Horde if they are playable.

Wanna poll the guild later, Serg?

New vote tally!

1 - Ottoman Empire
1 - Poland
1 - Hungary
1 - Scots
1 - Golden Horde

I'll leave this open for one more day, then we'll have a poll to select which country I'll be playing as, and we can dive into this AAR!

Hmm can I have a breif over view of Hungary?

Jagger Cyde wrote:

Hmm can I have a breif over view of Hungary?

Hungary is a relatively stable and powerful state, but they have the problem that they're surrounded by relatively powerful neighbors, which makes expansion in any direction rather difficult without a long and costly war. It might be possible to attempt to capitalize on more of the Balkan area and eventually confront the Ottoman Empire, but they'd have to make significant additions to their military and economy to be able to match the Empire. Alternatively they could attempt to push into Eastern Europe and Russia, but that brings them into contact with the powerful Polish-Lithuanian alliance, and, perhaps even worse, the Golden Horde who is likely to be quite expansionist if given the opportunity. A push into Europe seems like it would be difficult at best because they'd be competing with Austria, Bohemia, Brandenburg, Denmark, Bavaria and France, not to mention any of the Italian city states that get it into their head to expand northward. Hungary has a lot of potential, but it will be faced with some tough decisions.

Hmm I'm still going with Hungary

Well Serg, fancy starting the poll?

Tellen Silversun wrote:

Well Serg, fancy starting the poll?

Poll posted in the Open Roleplay Forums!

Alright, the voting phase is over, and we have a winner...POLAND! Over the course of today, I'll be making posts giving a detailed rundown of what Poland's situation is, then I'll need YOUR help to determine what the long term goals for the country should be, as well as some short term goals.

Stay Tuned!

Estellia Theio wrote:

Sergei Meranov wrote:

Alright, the voting phase is over, and we have a winner...POLAND! Over the course of today, I'll be making posts giving a detailed rundown of what Poland's situation is, then I'll need YOUR help to determine what the long term goals for the country should be, as well as some short term goals.

Stay Tuned!

Ride on horses into a group of tanks ... and get some reallyu bad jokes made about you.

Yes I'm alowed to say such as I'm Polish hehe.

I believe this link would be highly inappropriate.

Thanks for voting Poland, guys! I know we can do it!

*Sitting on his horse, waiting patiently with his men, to show the world the Might of the Polish Empire!*

"Za Ojczyzne i Narod"



Alright ladies and gentlemen, To kick off the Polish AAR, I'm going to give you a rundown on all the details of our future empire. As you can see, Poland is quite a bit smaller than it is currently. We control 8 provinces, the capital, of course, is Krakow which we'll discuss later. Also, it should be noted that Poland and Lithuania are currently in a personal union (meaning separate governments with one ruler), with Poland being the senior partner.


This is the current international situation. I've listed some trooper numbers to establish a relative army strength, as you can see, alone Poland is not extremely powerful, but combined with Lithuania they are a force to be reckoned with.



Here's our relevant diplomatic situation. As you can see, we are, for the most part neutral towards most people, meaning we are neither allied nor at war with them. We are, however, allied with Lithuania. The information panel also shows several key facts about Poland. We are a Catholic, Feudal Monarchy dominated by, of course, Polish culture. Our enlightened people also deign to tolerate Czech, Hungarian, and Schlesian cultures. We have a few countries with whom we have good relations, most notably the Papal States. As a side note, the bright green is Poland, the lighter green is Lithuania, the striped province is one that we consider to be part of the most glorious Polish homeland, but have allowed the Lithuanians to keep...for now. Also of note is the fact that our stablility is +1 currently (The range is -3 to +3), which means we get a slight boost to tax income and a lower risk of revolt, though increasing the stability of our realm is paramount to maintaining good order.



These are some charts that illustrate some of the same aspects about our country. As you can tell, we're dominated by mostly one faith, and one culture. You'll also see that Cloth is our main trade item, but we currently don't have any merchants operating in the world's various centers of trade, so it isn't quite as important just yet.



In terms of society, we're a rather interesting nation. We are a highly de-centralized, Aristocracy, that adheres to a rigid feudal system where our subjects are generally serfs and do not have many rights. Our people are also noted for their slight tending towards innovativeness. In terms of policies, we follow a fairly strict mercantilistic strategy. We also prefer to focus on technology that favors a strong offense, and, as one might expect, we are far more interested in technology that is useful to land armies as opposed to naval technology.



Finally, as promised, here is a look at our capital city. Krakow starts with a marketplace, but we don't have the money or technology to build anything that fancy anywhere else.



Next, we'll look at the economy of our country, it's budget, and it's military.

I think I made a pretty decent choice here.

Looking good!

Lithuania looks rather good for snapping up.