Byzantium AAR part 2 - Byzantium's hero journey

Author: Rfasbr
Published: 2017-02-03, edited: 1970-01-01

Part of the campaign:

Byzantium AAR

Previous part:

Game: Europa Universalis IV

Byzantium AAR Part 1 - actually a solution for Europe

Images: 29, author: Rfasbr, published: 2017-02-03, edited: 1970-01-01

Alright, picking up where we left off! This is my AAR Part Deux
Because I'm going for France, oh yes.

Just a quick recap of where I stand. I'm a diplo tech genius...and in a few years im going to miss imperialism cb, hard, I'm sure.
Diplo screen from the load save
Just so you get an idea
Alright they got 67 troops, total. I can totally do this. Between me, russia and naples, I got way more than that, even having to deal with Elan bullshit.
Oh yes, lets
The drums start
They save my diplomat a trip
Thanks!
Only Hungary as allies, and a couple minor vassals. Meh
Austria is joining in!
I may not have the latest ships, but man, do I handle diplomacy well myself
Surprise surprise
I moved the stack towards ile de france through a path behind their troops and let it go, trying to get all my other stacks in position. I had no idea they had a rebellion so big there. I should have let it play out the sieges, but I was already attacking it. Now, where's russia?
Naples annexation finalizes, and I go rounding up the troops
Then I find russia. Nice going, Russia. Even then, you lost.
While that happens, the european theater is becoming...challenging
Because, as you see, Austria peaced out
Not before we lost every single battle for -25 war score. Austria tried attacking the french stacks in Switzerland. Dont have to tell you how that went
Maybe some relief?
But they never materialize
Modena here is a prick, Im going to destroy it
Slowly. Seriously, it held back some stacks for 1 year. The french go on the offensive
Finally
Yes I got their capital
But they're having their way with my country, and Russia is nowhere to be found
I remember why
Its because I have no land bridge. So I try to forcefully form one. I give very specific objectives - just canik and trebizond - to russia. They can take the ottomans, along with genoa.
Except once you get the AI on your side, it becomes retarded
After burning through diplo points for war exaustion, I white-peace out
Had to. The ottomans needed dealing with
See, Russia aint a smart cookie. Why u no form stack?
And my...my prestige, oh God
At this point I was taking stab hit and prestige hit one after the other
Out of losing all the wars, you know.
No way my demoralized troops can deal with that
I get to white peace after holding their capital and trebizond for 2 months
-45%
Dont think I ever got so behind the tech. I need prestige, bad. And there's some minors there.
Of course
Why would this matter? This is not a vassalization, this is a PU!
Also, lucky I have a queen right now. Kings die a lott more often, since you always turn them into generals. No matter if they're in the field or not - if they're available, their chance goes up, or so it seems. It gave me enough time to go to war with some minor to get my prestige back up.
Oh, shit
Not falling for that again. This time, I don't even have ships (thanks france)
Mon, shiet
My French is impeccable, shut up. Anyhow, I notice they come up again on the list of disputed sucessions. Well, they lost their heir but the king is young. I won't claim it now.
And GB got an heir
....yay....
WH-
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-
And what the fuck does the Commonwealth want!
Oh, its on. Russia, France, me and Austria against commonwealth for the french throne. Try reaching paris, poles.
Just double checking if its real or if the game choked up
Honestly, the king was a 25 year old. They had RMs. If only I knew.
I have 170k infantry on my side. Its not even funny
More artillery than they have infantry
Now, here's my tactic. I had 2 wars going on
One, with Papal state for rome (for my vassal, siena). Which had Spain allied to papal state, and savoy, against with siena had claims against (such as corsica). I would let the french and the rooskies take care of polen, and just focus on spain and savoy. They're giving me trouble enough
The morale difference is huge between them and Austria
Not me tho, I suck
Good for you Portugal!
You're dead!
IS IT FUN, GOING AGAINST THE FRENCH?
TELL ME
SCREAM IN PAIN HEIR
AS YOU DIE A DISEMBOWELED DEATH (no, he actually doesn't die in this war, but I wish)
While I go for madrid
Though, but I can takethem out of this war yet
Close
Im preparing to restart the ottoman purge
Im way behind it. Europe takes too much of my time
Here's what I ask out of commonwealth
Yes, I'm going to vassalize the shit out of moldavia
This is just a patience game now
Brittany was alive and giving me headaches.
Have to remember to help France deal with it
Isn't it beautiful?
And ain't she old?
The HRE is in shambles
Savoy, which is losing a war, gets elected
For some reason, I'm not sure which...
I ask for roma, I get it for siena. Fine. Then, I see roma there, reformed. This had to be some serious rebels. And then, I can declare again without a truce break. Weiiiird
Good for you austria!
Don't call me? I'd have helped
Its for Brandenburg oh shit
That'd be one big bad austria
My dynasty must be made of Greek gods and godesses
Seriously, everyone wants a piece of the action. We get into almost all courts
Oh, polen
It says a sucession war between me and GB
But austrians may have a headstart
What does the future hold, I wonder. Will I ever integrate Russia?

Next chapter:

Game: Europa Universalis IV

Byzantium AAR part 3 - to unite the world with fire

Images: 80, author: Rfasbr, published: 2017-02-03, edited: 1970-01-01

Check out another AAR:

Game: Hearts of Iron III

Die Kaiserzeit : Chapter 1, A Thousand Year Reich

Images: 48, author: Mattekillert, published: 2017-02-01, edited: 1970-01-01