Rise of the Sun of May - Part 1: Mr. Rosas Goes to Buenos Aires (1836-1846)

Hello and welcome to my brand new Victoria 2 HPM AAR on the Argentine Confederation. I would like to state here and now that the last time I played Vic 2 was months ago and I've forgotten much (like handling economy as you will see later on). Help is appreciated in the comments if you find I'm handling something completely wrong (which will happen a lot)! Let's get started!

The Argentine Confederation is currently a dictatorship ruled by the Governor of the Buenos Aires province, Juan Manuel de Rosas. Rosas' reign is highlighted by state terrorism and killing indigenous peoples so that sounds like fun.

The current situation.

The starting path is clear as Rosas sees the Peru-Bolivian Confederation as a threat, claiming land to diminish their large territorial size. Also, the Confederation has two substates...

Corrientes, led by Governor Genaro Berón de Astrada,

and Entre-Rios, led by Governor Justo José de Urquiza.

The people on Argentina aren't the most diverse; 80% of the workforce are farmers, 94% of the culture is Platinean (the most pure culture), 98% of people are Catholic (amén), and 78% are Conservative. Rosas has no need to convince the populace of war however, as the most dominant issue is patriotic Jingoism. Viva la Argentina!

In politics, the great Partido Federal, led by Rosas himself, reigns supreme with the backing of the small Partido Reaccionario. Oh yea, and those Liberal pigs in the Partido Unitario who wish to steal our federation away.

Seeing the economy in a downturn, Rosas decides to begin research that would heighten education efficiency. After all, the least money possible should be spent on the youth in times like these.

The puppets host armies of 3,000 men each whilst the great Ejército de Buenos Aires, led by the lovable Ángel Pacheco, hosts 15,000 patriotic Argentinian troops. As you can see, 9,000 Liberal dogs are currently attempting to overthrow Rosas' Uruguayan friend, President Manuel Oribe, but we have bigger threats to focus on.

On January 2nd 1836, Rosas meets with Chilean President José Joaquín Prieto in Santiago to discuss the handling of the Peru-Bolivia situation. President Prieto seems keen to strike as early as possible. The two men tie their nations into a military alliance, ready to annihilate the disgusting northern Confederation.

After the meeting, Rosas immediately sends word to General Pacheco ordering him to position the Ejército on the border.

10 days later on January 12th, Prieto declares war on 'Supreme Protector' Andrés de Santa Cruz of Peru-Bolivia. Rosas is quick to join him and the conflict begins.

Though P-B challenges our alliance in size, the armies are quite the same. A rumbling in Northern Peru also signals a possible collapse of the Confederation there.

The Platinean peoples in P-B are being oppressed on the border so Rosas makes those provinces the first target of the war.

Our Ángel marches to liberate them with haste.

But changes course after the P-B army begins marching on the Argentine town of Uquia.

The uncolonized Rivadavia province is first to reveal a problem I will struggle with for many years onwards- horrible attrition combined with shitty economy that I can't work with at all.

The leaderless South Peruvian army is easily destroyed in the first battle of the war.

Pacheco once again makes for liberation.

Another P-B army marches on Uquia but Pacheco decides to focus on saving the oppressed minorities.

Suddenly Chile manages to double their army size (probably through mobilization but still how can their economy handle it).

In June a warehouse is raided by unemployed scoundrel. Rosas is quick to denounce the attack, likening the workless ne'er-do-wells to terrorists.

Great news from Northern Peru! On July 1st, Peruvian revolutionaries have rose up and declared independence from the Confederation; this can only be good news for our war!

Even greater news as 8,000 North Peruvian troops abandon the main P-B force. Shockingly, 'Supreme Protector' Santa Cruz joins the Peruvian rebellion, leaving General Felipe Santiago de Salaverry (who was previously ordered to be executed by Santa Cruz) in his wake as the new Protector.

P-B General José Ballivián engages Santa Cruz swiftly in Potosi.

But is utterly destroyed by Santa Cruz's expert military skill, the bastard. Meanwhile, Chileans clean up the coast and our sweet Ángel moves in to free Uquia after liberating the village of Cochinoca.

In August, Santa Cruz is chased to the coast with his Peruvian forces as General Ballivián meets the full force of a leaderless Chilean army.

Somehow the Chileans completely lose after a 39 day battle.

On October 30th, President Prieto, wary of further Chilean losses, offers peace. Protector Salaverry quickly accepts, attempting to put all focus on the Peruvian front. In the deal, Chile receives the entire Bolivian coastline and Rosas gets shit.

So, Rosas immediately declares war himself on Salaverry, intent on saving the Platinean border peoples.

Without the support of Chile this time around, Rosas decides to mobilize the reserves. The economy fails so hard through this that it's disgusting so avert your eyes from that part of the screen.

Rosas holds a military parade in November in an attempt to stir up the population for another war.

General Pacheco is joined in sieging the border by the Governors of the puppet states themselves, Astrada and Urquiza.

As the Reserves are raised, Citizen-General Luis González is put in charge of their units.

The March 1837 newspaper comically displays announcement of our victory along with announcement of our war.

Rosas attempts in April to begin handling the economy situation- by raising tariffs and taxes to max. Also, he notices the $10,000 and growing debt but willfully decides to ignore it for now.

In May 1837, the bastard 'Colorados' in Uruguay successfully overthrow their rightful President Manuel Oribe. Rosas welcomes Oribe in Argentina and publicly announces he will not recognize Colorado leader 'President' Rivera as the true leader of Uruguay.

God Save the Queen!
But also Las Malvinas Son Argentinas! (/s don't kill me please)

Shocking news on July 14th 1837- Governor Astrada of Corrientes seems to have taken advantage of the current war situation, declaring himself free of Argentine rule. Rosas immediately retaliates with fellow Governor Urquiza's strong backing.

6 days later, Rosas signs a peace with Protector Salaverry, wary of Corrientes' position closer to Buenos Aires while the army was in the north. Rosas successfully demands 3 provinces from Salaverry, liberating the Platinean peoples there of P-B rule.

Governor Urquiza bravely engages his fellow Governor in an attempt to hold them from retreating to the south.

Astrada escapes but is quickly followed by Ángel and González.

Who easily crush Astrada's forces in uncolonized territory.

The forces then move in to siege Corrientes after losing thousands to attrition.

After accidentally glancing at the economy bar and realizing his previous economic attempts didn't work, Rosas demobilizes the reserves.

The Argentine Senate of 1838. At the moment this is just a puppet of Rosas and has no real political power, but citizens still vote for Senators. I've decided to use a U.S. system, with 2 Senators per region/state. I've also decided to use the original real life party colors, but since P.Reac. didn't exist in real life, I used the in game Reactionary color. Anyway, yea, the Senate just shows Partido Federal's dominance with Rosas in control.

Ángel spreads his forces in an attempt to thwart the relentless attrition.

In March, Paraguayan Dictator José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia quickly seizes his chance while Corrientes battles to steal the province of Misiones away by building a fort there. Rosas responds casually, knowing Paraguay will be part of his nation in the future.

In an attempt to improve the army, Rosas orders his top researchers to better our organization techniques. Also, just now while typing this AAR I realized that this heightens supply consumption even further, stretching out our attrition problem.

In June, Governor Astrada is brutally executed by Ángel's men for treason against Rosas in the successful occupation of the Corrientes capital.

A month later, the lower administration of Corrientes begs for peace, declaring their love and allegiance to Rosas. The region, part of the Entre Rios region which includes Entre Rios itself, is admitted statehood. Rosas sees no reason not to make this a slave state.

Ángel begins a journey back to Buenos Aires with his attrition-battered army.

A day after the Corrientes conflict ends, the true motivations for Astrada's rebellion is revealed; that dog Rivera in Uruguay convinced Astrada to work with him. After witnessing Astrada's swift defeat, a crazed Rivera declares war upon Argentina, seeking to rid of Rosas. Rosas isn't having this.

Ángel reroutes for northern Uruguay.

Where he finds the 9,000 strong Uruguayan army.

And aptly attacks it.

Great success is had. Then, Ángel moves to take Montevideo.

Cholera begins an outbreak in Buenos Aires. Rosas decides to quarantine the province but only after he has moved out to his summer home in the central lowlands.

After spotting a 27,000 strong Brazilian army near the border,

Rosas quickly meets with Emperor Pedro II to improve relations.

The Argentine Senate of 1840 is assembled. The new Entre Rios province sees the addition of both a Fed and a Uni. Rosas ignores the growing Liberal sentiment and continues on his day.

Rosas puts his researchers on Freedom of Trade in order to do something vaguely economic that he doesn't understand.

In June, Ángel captures Montevideo only to find the bastard Rivera has escaped anyway.

However, the coward easily buckles to Rosas in a move seen as humiliating by world powers. Ángel also makes sure to trash the Uruguayan parliament on the way out of Montevideo for good measure.

Worrying news on the same day- Chile has allied Brazil. Rosas is now in an ally-less position with two strong militaries to his east and west in cahoots.

On July 3rd 1840, Urquiza decides to take full control of the former Corrientes province. Rosas allows this, viewing it as a gift to Urquiza for his deeds in the Corrientes War.

Santa Cruz of Peru seems to be losing quickly to Protector Salaverry and the P-B. This spells bad news as P-B could again emerge as a threat to the south.

In a last ditch effort to spend less money (mainly so the army could reheal), Rosas cuts soldiers salaries completely and halves the budgets of both the administration and education.

Seeing no other nearby ally that would back him, Rosas turns to Colombia in an attempt to gain a protective alliance.

On April 19th 1841, Former Protector Santa Cruz is ordered executed by Protector Salaverry. The lower administrations of Peru immediately surrender as Bolivia occupies and captures the entirety of the country.

Surprisingly, Salaverry offers Rosas to renounce his claims on the northern Platinean-majority regions as long as he cedes the province of Tarija back to P-B. Rosas accepts, knowing that there weren't any Platineans in that particular region anyway.

In July, with Ángel's army fully patched up, Rosas again pays soldiers 25% of military spending budget. He also orders Ángel to the Paraguayan border and mobilizes the reserves. Rosas has a plan to regain the stolen province of Misiones.

The reserves are led by Justo Menza Sr. and Jr..

On September 18th 1841, Rosas declares war on Paraguayan dictator José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, ordering the return of the Misiones province.

As the troops approach, they spot the fairly large Paraguayan army in Asunción.

Ángel and Menza Sr. move in to take out the growing force after realizing that it is horribly unorganized.

Ángel manages to pull off a massive victory even when outnumbered by over 10,000.

After destroying the remainder of the Paraguayan force, Ángel and Menza Sr. spread their forces out as Governor Urquiza joins in the siege.

On November 27 1841, the Peru-Bolivian Confederation is dissolved. South Peru takes the name of Peru after inheriting the full northern region. Former South Peruvian President Pío de Tristán takes the helm of the new government. Meanwhile, in Bolivia, Protector Salaverry becomes President Salaverry. Even though they have a history, Rosas and Salaverry grow onto each other after the dissolution.

The Argentinean Senate of 1842 is assembled. The joining of the Corrientes region with Entre Rios sees a return to 14 Senators. Partido Federal continues to hold strong as P.Reac. also gains a seat through growing extremist sentiment.

On February 24th 1842, new Chilean President Manuel Bulnes declares war upon President Pío de Tristán in Peru. Bulnes cites a desire to expand his coastline as his motivation.

Rosas was feeling sciency so he got his science men on Basic Chemistry.

In May, Asunción falls,

Leaving no choice for Dictator de Francia but to give up Misiones. Rosas again admits the region as a slave state.

Rosas meets with President Salaverry in June, signing an alliance deal and securing at least some form of defense for Argentina.

Chile wins their war in March 1843, stretching their borders ever further north. Rosas sees this as an obstacle to a possible future Argentine Pacific coast.

The Argentinean Senate of 1844 is assembled after a few uneventful years. The re-addition of the Argentine Entre Rios state once again sees the growing Unitario faction. Rosas ignores it all.

In an attempt to improve attrition, Argentine researchers begin on Medicine. Rosas mainly ordered this research because he often hears the words attrition and supply limit in the same sentence.

In December 1844, after suffering probable brain injuries from the previous war, Paraguayan Dictator de Francia sends a letter to Rosas declaring independence from Argentina. Rosas takes the strange opportunity to claim Paraguay as a puppet. Also, through a probably-murdering-natives program, de Francia has managed to double the size of his realm.

Rosas attempts to begin repaying the country's $22k debt while the economy is doing slightly good-ish.

After the cowardice of Rivera in the humiliating Uruguayan War, outcast and friend of Rosas, Manuel Oribe, returns to Uruguay in an attempt to regain his presidential status. After being challenged by acting 'President' Joaquín Suárez, Oribe calls Rosas for help. Rosas intends to intervene in Uruguay, but perhaps not in the way Oribe was thinking...