Byzantium AAR Part 1 - actually a solution for Europe

Ok, here's my glorious start!
For some reason, I get pretender rebels pretty early on. My dynasty hadn't died out yet. Ottomans had just declared war, but Poland and Aragon came to the rescue! I didnt have enough time to also ally austria, which takes the longest and, in this case, didn't rival venice, so it's impossible for the start. Alrlight, long explanation, done!

On the first war, I want peace
Really, its really a make or break war. I want them to go consolidate anatolia and piss off the mamluks, so that I can pick my own time to go to war. I peace out as soon as poland & lithuania beat crimea and golden horde enough for 10 warscore. Ottamans accepted it because I had a blockade in place (thanks aragon!)

Burgundy is big and fucking scary.
Also, no heir. I liked the idea of PUs, so I'm going to try my hardest to have them this run. I will try and marry everyone worthwhile that has no heir.

On the second war, I want blood
Now with proper allies. Austria and Milan (!) join my call, with also lithuania and poland. We wreck ottomans. Notice the mamluks retreating from a fight in Karaman. This is what I was talking about.

And I pick my spoils to form a land bridge with my capital
That way, Ottomans are so tired I can get 20 warscore more of provinces!

You didn't think I'd core all of that having no claims, right?
This is my first vassal. I vassalize the now OPM wallachia to get cores back from hungary further on

And my first PU happens!
And it's with serbia wtf? I had RM them out of politness for the alliance...

Really?! Who cares, you could have them!
But I win and mantain my PU. I had a land bridge, I had a stack of 20, and I was the defender in the war. Austria was alone against me, serbia and polen.

Fast forward 40 years....oh, oh yes.
Nothing much happens in these 40 years (just, you know, Naples vassalized, georgia vassalized, theodoro vassalized, and starting the conquest of asia minor). Transilvania formed and I vassalized it.

Well, that crimean peninsula had so many revolts Genoa sprung back into relevance annexing all of it. Russia, unlike my previous game, formed quickly.

So. I debated doing it for 15 minutes.
I zoomed out more for the sake of trying to figure how would I get there in the first place. My vassal georgia was split by kebab. Genoa kind of hated me. But I hoped....yeah, I claimed it. Fuck it, I won't end up wondering anymore.

Since I was allied with both sides but neutral to the war, I could see what was happening
And I was pleased enough to claim it.

Yup, have to do it
I'll make it up to ye rooskies

Moving quickly
There's no point in claiming the throne and then waiting for him to die. You got to move fast and DoW before he gets an heir (and being young, it happens very fast)

He actually does get an heir while the war is still on
But apart from the "You lost the claim throne CB" message, the war is already on and has no brakes. I'm going to kill that distant cousin of my dynasty as soon as I get to moscow.

For people unfamiliar with the mechanics since it was on sale recently: The game can't cancel a CB for a war that is already on. So, you'd have lost it if you hadn't declared war, got it?

Bum rushing moscow
Oh yeah, for this run, I had humanist + quantity as my first 2 idea sets. Then influence. And I have a lot of diplo points trouble from then on out

Fanning out the occupation
Now its just a matter of time

Oh right.
Not sure if its humanist ideas that give me this event, i dont have em with religious ideas after all. Anyhow. I had got jerusalem and gaza from mamluks on a whim, earlier. To start on the pentarchy thing. This is golden, cause I have no missionary strenght until my last tradition.

Duplicate

While I'm still embroiled in russia
But its not like Im not going to answer it. I have serbia, naples and georgia to stand in my place.

And here we are!
Death to the pretenders! Everyone knows who is the true Empress of the Orthodox!

Oh right, I had a feudal monarchy since the coup
Long live the Queen then!

Then france gets all friendly. Its just keep getting better
Really, I'm the glue that ties europe together. Apart from spain and commonwealth (formed while I was at war with russia), everyone has an alliance with me. Well, GB and portugal are their own thing and dont meddle much in europe anyway.

Sometimes, the game likes a drink
Golden horde on the catholic league. O-kay

France still hasn't got its shit together
But burgundy took a beating. Savoy, tho, keeps getting bigger

Sometimes, the game likes to drink too much
See, greek patriots that don't know where to defect to. Also, croatia formed and I vassalized it.

Oh, no, could it be?!
I have the most prestige. I'm also a pretty big motherfucker by now, what with the balkans and part of anatolia. Naples and georgia are being annexed at the same time because I'm already 5 techs behind in diplo anyway.

But all those relations penalties to keep the marriages alive, will they pay off?
He has 46 years om his back. And he is a king, which means he leads an army somewhere....Could he die without an heir...

Honestly, some plague hit the western kings. IDK
GB's case was different. A 16 year old with no heirs, same as portugal. Unlike france...

YES YES YES
Now....will I claim the throne? It is the BBB, after all. I mean. I could. But, if you were in my place, would you?

A union of the balkans, russia and france (with her colonies)...my god, I could flush the commonwealth out of existence.

(Side note: I'd get a succession war between myself and france for the french throne?)