The One You Suspect A Little Bit: Let's Play EU3, HTTT, MMU

[bebosteveo]

So since I've been stuck at home all summer with not much to do I've decided to start up a new game of Europa Universalis 3 and burn through some of this free time. And since I've been a lurker on these boards for quite some time I figured that doing a Let's Play would be a good way to give back. So, I suppose my question at the moment is: Would anyone care to follow/participate? I know the crowd from the previous one has started something new, so I don't want to put effort into something no one will watch.

Required summary and legalese for newcomers:

What are you playing? What do all the acronyms stand for?

Europa Universalis 3, Heir to The Throne (the main game), Magna Mundi Ultimate (a mod)

In simplest terms, its a country building strategy game like the Total War or Civilization series. You pick any country in the world at the end of the Middle Ages (1399) and lead it through the Age of Exploration, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and ending with the Napoleonic Era (1821). Along the way you set your own goals, be it world domination, becoming a trading powerhouse, or even just surviving against waves of foreign invaders.

The Magna Mundi mod take the original game and turns everything to 11. There are too many changes to list here, but in short it adds much more detail and challenge to the game's mechanics. Whereas the vanilla game is an open sandbox where you can excel at everything, this mod turns it into an alternate-history where everything has both a benefit and a drawback.

Who will you/we be playing as?

I'll leave that up to a vote (at a later time). I'll only suggest that we avoid playing either a western european nation or a native american tribe. The first, because that's what everyone other Let's Play in the history of everything forever has done, and the later because teching up for 200 years makes for a boring game.

What is your favorite color?

Blue.

Magna Mundi as a non-major power? Are you crazy?

Yes, but for different reasons. True, the mod is more difficult than the standard game, but I don't find it impossible (having conquered parts of the HRE as Sicily before colonizing Venezuela/Colombia in my first playthrough). Besides, Losing is Fun!

What will the style of this Let's Play be?

While the details depend on our government type, I was hoping that it turns out like the previous one. That is, lots of in-character participation to decide the general direction of the country while I handle the details.

How often will you update?

I will probably start at a faster rate, but if I take more than a week between updates you may send threatening emails and other forms of internet-based harassment until I make a new post.

[The_JJ]

Hell yeah. Sign me up.

Voting either Japan, Rajastan, or the Ayutthaya.

[Thanqol]

:smallbiggrin: Seeing this made me so happy! In on the ground floor.

I played Magna Mundi a few times, but on my old junk computer, and the game started to really grind come 1600. I played a game as the Jewish Portugese Pirates (yar) and the Hungarian-Greeko Empire, both were great fun. I loved the changes the mod made to the National Idea system.

As far as nations go, I forward either Muscovy or Ireland.

[Grif]

Interesting. I haven't tried this mod yet. (Heresy I know, but EU3 is too addictive for me to start another game just yet.)

[RPharazon]

oh no Magna Mundi

Good luck trying to make it to the end, seriously. If EU3 is a spreadsheet simulator, then Magna Mundi is a spreadsheet simulator within a spreadsheet simulator and if you screw up it forms a knife out of the screen and stabs you in the kidney.

[Thanqol]

oh no Magna Mundi

Good luck trying to make it to the end, seriously. If EU3 is a spreadsheet simulator, then Magna Mundi is a spreadsheet simulator within a spreadsheet simulator and if you screw up it forms a knife out of the screen and stabs you in the kidney.

spreadsheets in spaaaaaaaaace

[RPharazon]

I think a liberally-modified quote sums up my feelings about Magna Mundi.


Magna Mundi as a non-major power? Are you crazy terminally suicidally insane?

Yes. Very Yes.
Extremely Yes

Good luck to you, seriously. I'll be reading anxiously. Five bucks says the Paradox Curse strikes big time by the 1700s.
Don't invade the Maldives. Don't even look at them.

[ShellBullet]

Sign me up. I started to love EU 3 after reading Thanqols LP with the swiss, now If I can just somehow beat the vanilla game with France...

[Grif]

Sign me up. I started to love EU 3 after reading Thanqols LP with the swiss, now If I can just somehow beat the vanilla game with France...

But France IS easy mode... no? :smallconfused: (For EU3 standards anyway.)

[Kurgan]

Color me interested. I say we go with a Northern African nation, perhaps Algiers or the Mamluks.

Also, I am unfamiliar with Magna Mundi. Part of that whole "Kurgan's computer was about middle of the line...in 2002" thing I have going for me.

[Mistral]

Ooh, Magna Mundi, that is fun. I've never really gotten the complaints about difficulty, but you do need to break some bad habits from vanilla like always skirting the badboy limit. Or don't, actually. I kinda want to actually see someone get Heh, not telling and run right into general hilarity. It's even a part of the official Magna Mundi experience.

I think my vote would be Oman for a trading empire, or Algiers if you want to show off the Barbary pirate mechanics. A Japanese minor might also be interesting if you want to show off the Sengoku mechanics, and in honor of the imminent release of their newest game; the Shimazu clan is rather nice, and not too big or too small. If you're feeling suicidal, you can always take Trebizond and try to replicate Ebbesen's feat in today's EU3 world. :smallbiggrin:


But France IS easy mode... no? :smallconfused: (For EU3 standards anyway.)

It got a bit tougher in DW. It's still a good way to pick up the basics, but without cores in the south, with new vassals introduced pretty much specifically to lop off a bit more of its land, and with Burgundy's boost courtesy of new provinces in the Lowlands, it's a little tougher than it used to be. Assuming the Burgundian AI doesn't smash itself into an early grave against the Holy Emperor.

[RPharazon]

It got a bit tougher in DW. It's still a good way to pick up the basics, but without cores in the south, with new vassals introduced pretty much specifically to lop off a bit more of its land, and with Burgundy's boost courtesy of new provinces in the Lowlands, it's a little tougher than it used to be. Assuming the Burgundian AI doesn't smash itself into an early grave against the Holy Emperor.

I'd say France is just as easy to play as in HTTT. You just can't ever ever ever let Burgundy live. Ever. It should be completely destroyed by 1500 at the latest.

[Sprinter]

Im interested EU3 LPs are quite fun usualy.

Suggesting Korea or Tibet

[doliest]

Huh. This looks interesting.

If no one minds me asking, how do you install a mod in EUIII because Magni Mund looks like it make the game alot more enjoyable.

[Mistral]

I'd say France is just as easy to play as in HTTT. You just can't ever ever ever let Burgundy live. Ever. It should be completely destroyed by 1500 at the latest.

Ah. I'm mostly going off AI behaviour, since I haven't actually played France since the halcyon days of EU2. It's probably unfair to player nations to do that, but the Big Blue Blob seems to be a lot more fragile in the first century of gameplay than it used to be.


Huh. This looks interesting.

If no one minds me asking, how do you install a mod in EUIII because Magni Mund looks like it make the game alot more enjoyable.

In your program folder where you installed EU3, there should be a folder called "Mod". Just extract the zip file for Magna Mundi in there, and you should get a folder called Magna Mundi and an ini file of the same name. That's enough to make the mod appear on the dropdown list in the bottom-middle of the launcher window next time you open the game, from which you can select it and load the mod into the game.

[doliest]

Whenever I try to extract the file, I get a bunch of errors telling me it doesn't work. Actually, that's whenever I try to mod EUIII at all.

[bebosteveo]

:smallbiggrin: Good to see there's interest. I'll let people vote on countries for another day or two and hope we reach some sort of consensus. Or at least give a country more than 1 vote.

A quick rundown of the choices available:

Eastern Europe
Which includes Hungary, Muscovy, Georgia, and the other Orthodox nations to the right of the HRE

Mediterranean Muslims
This group consists of the North African Berber states and their backers the Mamluks and Ottoman Empire

Middle East
Self-explanatory. Pick your flavor of Islam in the fertile crescent or arabian peninsula.

Central Asia
The various horse nomad groups which used to belong to the Mongol Empire but now are trying to make it big on their own.

India
This consists of various Islamic states to the northwest such as Kashmir and Sind as well as the many Buddhist nations on the peninsula. (including the Maldives)

South East Asia
Lots of small nations close together like Burma, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Basically a rice-eating Italy.

The Far East
China, Tibet, and Korea. Also includes the fractured shogunate of Japan, which has certain similarities to the HRE.

Africa
This includes Ethiopia, Mutapa, etc on the east coast as well as Mali, Hasa, etc in the west.

Nations not able to be picked
Anything in the Western Europe tech group (so anything west of Austria) or the central/south american natives


A link (http://www.paradoxian.org/eu3wiki/Magna_Mundi) that describes a slightly older version of the mod, for those interested.

Also, which site do people recommend for free image hosting? I don't want to bother uploading to one only to find that I exceed my bandwidth 5 minutes after updating the thread.

[doliest]

Oh yes, I do need to vote don't I?

Since you mentioned it, I suggest Ethopia. Never played an African country before, love to see someone try it.

[RPharazon]

Ah. I'm mostly going off AI behaviour, since I haven't actually played France since the halcyon days of EU2. It's probably unfair to player nations to do that, but the Big Blue Blob seems to be a lot more fragile in the first century of gameplay than it used to be.

The AI tends to do well once it starts picking up the French minors. The only times I've seen France implode at the beginning is when it gets any anti-Burgundy missions, or when Burgundy gets HRE within the first 25 or so years. Burgundy is too strong for France to take on until it absorbs a couple of minors.

I cast my general vote for Anything in Eastern Europe. Just in case it comes down to a tie-breaker.

[Murska]

If we don't have Divine Wind, let's not do Far East.

Ottoman Empire is interesting and, if the people talking about this mod are right about the difficulty, it should not be too easy.

EDIT: Or Byzantium, if you think you can survive. :smallamused:

[Grif]

I'd say France is just as easy to play as in HTTT. You just can't ever ever ever let Burgundy live. Ever. It should be completely destroyed by 1500 at the latest.

Something like that. AI France WILL steamroll Burgundy in the 15th, 16th century, because of the slew of 8-9 stars leaders they will spawn. Jeez, those stacks are horrible to deal with. (As Austria, France was literally a major power in the West and my nemesis; swallowing Burgundy and the western minors. That is, till I got the first musketeer and proceeded to dismember them in the name of the glorious HRE.)

EDIT: I vote Muscovy. Those Russian states seem fun to play with.

[Murska]

I don't like the Russian states that much, oddly. It seems other people do...

It's just, they kind of get boring after you form Russia. *shrug*

The funniest game there was when I and my friend took Tver and Ryazan and tried to play on maxed AI aggression. Both of us got eventually annihilated by the Golden Horde, but it was really fun. :smallbiggrin:

[Thanqol]

Actually, I find myself agreeing; Muscovy has the most intense first 150~ years of gameplay you will ever encounter against the Golden Horde (Ah, those glorious wars of attrition and bankruptcy! War exhaustion over 50! Days of glory!) but once that's done there aren't that many more major threats. I'll actually support Japan or the Mamalukes.

[Kurgan]

A quick rundown of the choices available:

Eastern Europe
Which includes Hungary, Muscovy, Georgia, and the other Orthodox nations to the right of the HRE

Mediterranean Muslims
This group consists of the North African Berber states and their backers the Mamluks and Ottoman Empire

Middle East
Self-explanatory. Pick your flavor of Islam in the fertile crescent or arabian peninsula.

Central Asia
The various horse nomad groups which used to belong to the Mongol Empire but now are trying to make it big on their own.

India
This consists of various Islamic states to the northwest such as Kashmir and Sind as well as the many Buddhist nations on the peninsula. (including the Maldives)

South East Asia
Lots of small nations close together like Burma, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Basically a rice-eating Italy.

The Far East
China, Tibet, and Korea. Also includes the fractured shogunate of Japan, which has certain similarities to the HRE.

Africa
This includes Ethiopia, Mutapa, etc on the east coast as well as Mali, Hasa, etc in the west.

Nations not able to be picked
Anything in the Western Europe tech group (so anything west of Austria) or the central/south american natives



Just a thought, but why don't we vote on a region first, and then go to individual countries? It brings our choices from X hundred to eight.

[Murska]

I wouldn't go with Japan for the simple reason that Divine Wind makes the Far East part of the game so much better. :smalltongue:

[bebosteveo]

Voting as it currently stands. I'll probably start this off late this evening or tomorrow afternoon so get those choices in.




Eastern Europe 2

Muscovy 1
Trebizond 1
General 1
Null votes 1

Mediterranean Muslims 6

Algiers 2
Mamluks 2
Ottomans 1
General 1

Middle East 1

Oman 1

Central Asia 0
India 1

Rajputana 1

South East Asia 1

Ayutthaya 1

Far East 4

Japan 3
Korea 1
Tibet 1
Null Votes 1

Africa 1

Ethiopia 1






Just a thought, but why don't we vote on a region first, and then go to individual countries? It brings our choices from X hundred to eight.
Because too late, we already started this way. And I'm letting votes for specific countries also count as general votes for their region. I've got a system for this and it almost makes sense if you look at it sideways.




So what are all the changes Divine Wind makes that improves the Far East so much? The mod already creates a fractured shogunate in Japan and it adds a factions system for all countries, which I imagine they made extra-interesting for China.

[Murska]

I don't know what the mod does, since I've never played it. Divine Wind is an expansion that adds the shogunates, factions in China and a ton of events, options, units and the like for Far East nations.

I'll switch my vote to the Mamluks to avoid being stuck with Algiers.

[bebosteveo]

And so it begins with my tiebreaker vote for ...


It is a glorious day in January of the year 1400 when we begin our tale of the mighty nation of Algiers!

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Start/2011-08-03_00001.jpg

Long ago our people served the Fatimid caliphate, but such an agreement would not stand forever. We rebelled against our Egyptian, Shiite overlords and embraced our independent Berber heritage. Their response was devastating to our lands and people, but we have rebuilt and are ready to take our place on the world stage.

Our leader, Sultan Muhammad III Zayyanid is no great man (5 star ratings across the board), but the people follow his will and the administration runs smoothly.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Start/2011-08-03_00002.jpg
(We get various bonuses/penalties based on our ruler's administration rating, government type, and country size)

Years of peace and a sizable presence on the Mediterranean Sea (12 galleys) has allowed our trading prospects to develop. Oran serves as a center of trade for the entire north african coast while our merchants have also established a strong presence in the famous port of Alexandria.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Start/2011-08-03_00003.jpg
(Few placed merchants = bonuses, Many placed merchants = penalties)

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Start/2011-08-03_00004.jpg

Our society is currently resistant to change and set in our ways. Years of conflict with both Christians to the north and our own Islamic brothers has only caused us to reject such clearly false and misguided developments of our neighbors. Some may call us backwards and stubborn, but insulating ourselves from the outside world has its benefits.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Start/2011-08-03_00005.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Start/2011-08-03_00006.jpg
(We have 1 naval idea (seahawks) that boosts pretty much everything related to naval warfare, 1 religious idea (divine supremacy) that improves our missionary efforts, and 1 state idea (espionage) that gives us lots of cheaper and effective spies and lets us pull off advanced missions. Also, having sliders set beyond the + or - 2 mark puts us at risk for either positive or negative events due to our dedication.)

We have the tools to make our nation great, we simply must choose how.



So, I ask our nobility, our guild and religious leaders, our tribal elders: Where to we begin? Do we further entrench ourselves in our ways or begin opening our doors to new ideas? Shall we enforce our religious unity or allow multiple faiths to flourish? Should power lie in the hands of the monarch or the people? (for various definitions of people) And how shall we forge a purpose for our people?

[Murska]

I believe that the Monarchy's power should be lessened for the good of us Nobles and, why not, maybe even some of those lesser people down there.

Also, I believe that we must be more open to new ideas. Staying closed into ourselves brings short-term benefit in the form of stability, but we cannot afford to let the outside world leave us in the dust. We need to aggressively defend our place on the world stage.

And, religion? I don't care about religion. Do with it as you will.

[Kurgan]

We have powerful enemies on all sides. Europe sits to the north, the Mamluks to the east, and Morocco to the west. What we need now is a stronger monarchy. When we need an army, we cannot afford petty squabbling within the nobility.

I agree that we must open ourselves to new ideas, lest we be left behind. Therefore, I propose we follow the path (for now, at least) of religious tolerance. Let others chase their minority groups out, we will welcome them with open arms, and put them to work for Greater Algiers.

[Thanqol]

To live like a lion for a day is far better than to live like a jackal for a hundred years.

I am Al-Khalili. I speak for the Crown, and for God. I speak for the Koran and the destiny of the Caliphate. I am sick of our nation living like jackals. We prey upon those who cross our waters and tell their rulers we are not at war with them. We lie and steal and beg from the infidel Christians as if it is not within our power to have greatness ourselves. It is not so; It will not be so. History shall not pass us by.

Above all, we must trust in the Sultan Muhammad III Zayyanid. Be he great of soul or diseased of spirit, he is blessed by God and named Caliph by ancient law and questioning He would be blasphemy. And next, we must nurture his spirit and incite him to Greatness where he knows it not himself. If he is weak, let us bear his swords. If he is poor, let us shower him with wealth. If he is blind, let us speak the words to guide him.

Secondly, we must bring unity to the Muslims, and then use that unity to shatter the Infidels. They cast us out of Spain once; we must take it back. They plot our destruction from their palace of gilded lies in Rome, we must burn it down.

We cannot accept the death of our ways. We cannot allow the blasphemous tide of history to sweep our nation away. We must right the world, not to stop until all are united under God, or vanquished by God's wrath.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 1: The one where stuff happens



The sultan Muhammad III was not a great man. What people saw was a man that was far to distracted and disorganized to run an empire, more prone to day-to-day fumbles and mishaps than to inspire his people to greatness. But underneath this clumsy exterior was a mind that was always planning, always looking to see what was beyond the horizon and how to reach it. It was not the day to day victories that mattered to him, for he was building a legacy.

Which is why in 1402, when 30,000 Castilian troops assaulted Granada and conquered most of the lands surrounding their capital, he did not view it as a minor border dispute, but a threat to his own lands. An errant duchy of Castile was able to hold off the armies of Algiers once before and would do so again if given the chance.

The sultan knew that the only way to face this threat would be to unite the various tribes of northern Africa. He began his campaign by attacking the neighboring Berber tribes in Tunisia, conquering the lands around the Chott el Djerid. The army then pushed towards the capital city, crushed the small, unprepared defending force and captured the city after an extended siege.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-04_00006.jpg

However, the surrounding tribes had organized into a massive relief force and were poised to destroy this hostile invasion to their lands. Hoping to end negotiations before this occurred, the sultan marched into his enemy's palace and demanded either his rival's loyalty or his destruction. Luckily, the king of Tunisia fell for the sultan's bluff and the nation was reduced to a tributary state.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-06_00001.jpg

Impressed by his daring and quick successes, the nearby Islamic states were willing to accept much more peaceful negotiations. An alliance was forged with the state of Tripoli and dynastic ties were forged with Morocco, the Mamluks, and the Ottomans.

However, the sentiment at home was divided. Some praised the sultan's actions supported his expansionist plans, but others feared that we were simply uniting our enemies against us. In particular the clergy, which had always held significant sway over the people of Algiers, took this opportunity to assert their authority and condemned the sultan's actions against fellow Muslims.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-04_00005.jpg

Looking to repair this division before it could pose a threat, the sultan established an official office where priests of sufficient learning could advise the lawmakers and judges of the land, thus guaranteeing the place of all Sunni schools of thought in government.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-04_00003.jpg
(continuity? what continuity?)

The stress of governing clearly had taken its toll on the sultan. After several months of an intense cough, fevers, and night sweats, Sultan Muhammad III was found to have died in his sleep in July of 1405. His son, Muhammad V (stats 4/4/8), was only 5 years old at the time, and so a Regency Council was formed to rule on his behalf.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-06_00002.jpg

While they had no problem ruling on behalf of the legitimate heir, their ability to rule was severely stunted. While each member wanted to increase their own power, they had to ensure that no other member did the same while appearing to speak the will of the monarch or his late father. In the end, disagreements ensured that little was accomplished (stats of 3/3/3).

For years, the sultan had been providing funding in secret to the Barbary Pirates in order to disrupt the trade and economy of the Christian nations to the north.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-06_00003.jpg

Finally in September of 1407, the Knights of St. John launched a counter-raid on Algerian ports and shipping. For once, the Regency Council was able to reach a consensus: This attack was an act of war, and the Knights would pay dearly. The general Safi Behar launched an attack on the Knight's base of operations in Rhodes and laid siege to their mountain fortress.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-06_00004.jpg

Meanwhile the Algerian, Tunisian, and Tripolanti navies held their fleet at port and sunk the transport ships of their French allies, cutting off reinforcement. The fortress was thought to be impenetrable, with walls rivaling that of Constantinople with much harsher terrain. However, years of conspiring with pirates and attempting to sabotage their rivals gave the Recency Council of Algiers 1 advantage: a wide network of privateers, smugglers, and spies. A king's ransom in bribes was leveraged to burn food stores, poison water sources, and undermine the very walls of the fortress. In the end, after a 5 year and 4 month siege where thousands were starved or poisoned, the Knights surrendered their island.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20First%20Update/2011-08-06_00005.jpg



So now I ask: what shall become of the Knights of St John? Their island is home to 12,000+ Orthodox Greek people and is rather insignificant economically (though about on-par for us since most of our regions are desert scrubland) but is one of the most defensible locations in the world. (level 3 fort in a 100% mountainous region, which basically doubles its defensive value)

And what of France? They have a much larger army, but no transports to attack with. We hold naval superiority in the Mediterranean, but their ships have a significant edge in the waters of the Atlantic.

For the record, our heir will ascend to the throne in 2 years and we have organized factions of Monarchists, Clergy, and Commercial-ists of varying power in Kabylia, Tlemcan, and Oran, respectively that will provide bonuses if they are happy and penalties if they don't like decisions.



Game mechanics discussion:

We've seen the Barbary Pirates and their counterpart the Knights of St. John (formerly the Knights Hospitalier, future Knights of Malta, aka The Knights) Basically, the Ottomans and Mamluks hire and outfit privateers (who were often extremist Muslims) to raid Christian lanes and the countries on the African coast would help to resupply and protect them between raids. The Knights were the Christian counterpart and organized retaliatory strikes claiming plunder and slaves along the way. We can either fund the pirates in secret or openly, gaining favor with other Muslims and a share of booty, we can ignore them, or we can switch sides and hunt them down. Keep in mind that if they get too strong, they may turn on us and attack more moderate elements of our society.

Defensiveness is basically a measure of how easy it is to fortify a region. Rocky coastlines (like our shores) and mountains provide big boosts and ensure that sieges are much longer/more difficult while open plains and deserts work as normal.

Spies are much more detailed in the mod (with our national idea). We can infiltrate governments and plant sleeper agents, we can discredit foreign merchants, take control of a foreign admiralty, start plagues, etc, etc. Generally we can cause a lot of long-term mayhem and penalties with a little gold.

Dynamic Cores: We don't automatically get cores after 50 years. Instead, the process takes a base 5 years and more are added for unfavorable circumstances. (ie different religion, different culture group, capital on a different continent, region is in the HRE) Its possible to never gain a core if the region is different enough from your current empire.

Attrition: Is a thing in the mod. Every region starts with a support limit of 1. Not 5, not 15, ONE. If you go on a long campaign through foreign territory, you will feel it.

[Murska]

Well, let's keep the island if possible. Otherwise the Christians will just reclaim it eventually and use it as a base against us.

Meanwhile, help the pirates to slow down the Christians while working to unite North Africa. But be careful to not help them too much. They're our servants, not vice versa.

[Kurgan]

Keep the island. At the very worst, it is a base of operations in the eastern Mediterranean. France is of little consequence, they might have a bigger army, but they have no means of getting it to us. As for their advantage in the Atlantic, well, we are not in the Atlantic, so it really does not effect us.

[Murska]

Yeah, ignore France until they agree to peace. We don't have any way of taking the fight to them, and vice versa.

[Thanqol]

What do we lack, brothers? What do we lack in these early days, these days of blood and fire, heresy and jihad? What do we lack?

We lack pride.

Would that we stand tall when the world itself arrays against us. Would that our names be whispered with respect by our allies, fear from our foes, and joy from our people.

We must have pride. We must annex the Christian pirates, that their blasphemous assaults on the ships of true Muslims never becomes a problem. We must convert them, by the sword if necessary, and cast down the statues and altars of their false prophets. We must support the Berber pirates with the full weight of all our nation and turn the sea red with Christian blood.

These things, and more, we must have. We must too have victory, for it washes away the sins that come of attaining victory. We must have courage for naught but courage - and the will of God - will prevent the Christian states their rise. We must have power in our armies, that we may shatter the Infidel wherever they rise.

But above all, we must have pride.

- Al-Khalili.

[Murska]

Nah, above all we lack gold.

[Thanqol]

Nah, above all we lack gold.

What are you, some kind of filthy Swissman?

[Murska]

What are you, some kind of filthy Swissman?

Swiss? What's that anyway?

Realistically speaking, with an infinite amount of gold I could conquer the world rather quickly, whereas with an infinite amount of pride I doubt I'd get very far.

[Thanqol]

Swiss? What's that anyway?

Realistically speaking, with an infinite amount of gold I could conquer the world rather quickly, whereas with an infinite amount of pride I doubt I'd get very far.

It's a place where they make cheese and clocks.

And with an infinite amount of gold and a conquered world, you would still be spat on in life and still be found wanting after God judged your death. These things are not worth doing if they are not done properly.

[Murska]

It's a place where they make cheese and clocks.

And with an infinite amount of gold and a conquered world, you would still be spat on in life and still be found wanting after God judged your death. These things are not worth doing if they are not done properly.

I do not mind losing my own place in heaven or being judged wanting as long as I'd have spent my life spreading the Word to others and making the world more akin to the place it should be. For what is my life compared to the thousands of others who would be saved through my actions?

[Thanqol]

I do not mind losing my own place in heaven or being judged wanting as long as I'd have spent my life spreading the Word to others and making the world more akin to the place it should be. For what is my life compared to the thousands of others who would be saved through my actions?

You believe it is possible to separate the means from the end. It is not so. By the very nature of your conquest, the people shall respect the conqueror and the means by which he conquered, and not the words that he spoke. Today, the name Alexander the Great is spoken with respect, his tactics and skill with awe - and his people are ground to dust beneath the boots of the Ottomans.

And, dare I say it, the Christians under Jesus shattered the empire of Rome not through swords or wealth but through pride in their blasphemous beliefs and the conviction to see it through. Build your empire on gold and sand if you must, but when the earth shifts it will collapse to nothing and only faith shall remain.

[Murska]

You believe it is possible to separate the means from the end. It is not so. By the very nature of your conquest, the people shall respect the conqueror and the means by which he conquered, and not the words that he spoke. Today, the name Alexander the Great is spoken with respect, his tactics and skill with awe - and his people are ground to dust beneath the boots of the Ottomans.

And, dare I say it, the Christians under Jesus shattered the empire of Rome not through swords or wealth but through pride in their blasphemous beliefs and the conviction to see it through. Build your empire on gold and sand if you must, but when the earth shifts it will collapse to nothing and only faith shall remain.

And the faith shall be rooted in places where it would not otherwise have reached. The end is the only thing that matters, means are irrelevant.

Besides - the empire of Rome shattered itself under its excesses and failures. The Christians had nothing to do with it - the slow descent of Rome just allowed them to spread where they otherwise wouldn't have flourished.

[Kurgan]

Pride is good, but too much of it and you lose your grasp on reality.

Wealth is good, but too much gold and your mind will be corrupted.

What should we put our faith in then? Man I say. The greatest creation on this earth.

Pride does not spread the true word. Money can only do so much to sway the nonbeliever. But man? Man can change the world!

[Hussam B.]

The Island of Rhodes in itself is insignificant, Bringing the knights to heel is a victory in its own right.

But beware, oh Regent, the Christians won't take kindly to being reminded of the failure of their crusades, and their attention will begin to turn towards you, our neighbors, too grow uneasy at our aggressive, though righteous actions.

Such a distant island will prove hard to govern as well, making it seem that the humiliation of the knights or the sacking of their coffers to be a suitable and fitting conclusion.

[Thanqol]

And the faith shall be rooted in places where it would not otherwise have reached. The end is the only thing that matters, means are irrelevant.

Besides - the empire of Rome shattered itself under its excesses and failures. The Christians had nothing to do with it - the slow descent of Rome just allowed them to spread where they otherwise wouldn't have flourished.

Again, you assume that it is possible to separate the means from the end. It is not so. Build your Muslim empire of gold across all of Europe if you would, but when it collapses, that faith you spread so far will be parted from the righteous caliphs and true Shia law and guidance, and heresy will be the most minor of your concerns. God gave us laws. It is not our place to say "We should not follow these laws to bring God victory". If God wants us to be victorious, we shall be, and gold shall matter no more than ash in that matter. And if we want God's favour, then we should put our faith in God and not the trappings laid to distract us.


Pride is good, but too much of it and you lose your grasp on reality.

Wealth is good, but too much gold and your mind will be corrupted.

What should we put our faith in then? Man I say. The greatest creation on this earth.

Pride does not spread the true word. Money can only do so much to sway the nonbeliever. But man? Man can change the world!

And man, unguided by God, can change the world into a Hell should he chose.

[Murska]

Again, you assume that it is possible to separate the means from the end. It is not so. Build your Muslim empire of gold across all of Europe if you would, but when it collapses, that faith you spread so far will be parted from the righteous caliphs and true Shia law and guidance, and heresy will be the most minor of your concerns. God gave us laws. It is not our place to say "We should not follow these laws to bring God victory". If God wants us to be victorious, we shall be, and gold shall matter no more than ash in that matter. And if we want God's favour, then we should put our faith in God and not the trappings laid to distract us.


God helps those who help themselves. There is no set path for us, no fate laid out that our lives will follow. There is only our hearts and minds and the actions we take will mold the path that lies ahead of us.

It is a moot point to debate whether a successful man is successful because he did the right things and so gained the favour of God, or whether he gained the favour of God and so became able to do the right things. The only thing we know is that the right things were done, and so success followed. And so, as we cannot know, we must believe and try to do the right things. Whichever way success follows, the means do not matter, only the end.

For is not a heretic better than a pagan?

[Thanqol]

God helps those who help themselves. There is no set path for us, no fate laid out that our lives will follow. There is only our hearts and minds and the actions we take will mold the path that lies ahead of us.

It is a moot point to debate whether a successful man is successful because he did the right things and so gained the favour of God, or whether he gained the favour of God and so became able to do the right things. The only thing we know is that the right things were done, and so success followed. And so, as we cannot know, we must believe and try to do the right things. Whichever way success follows, the means do not matter, only the end.

For is not a heretic better than a pagan?

Better a pagan by far. A pagan can be seen, denounced, conquered, all in the name of God. A heretic is poison. He cannot be seen, even as he debases the word of God with filth and lies. Better the enemy you can see.

[Murska]

If you cannot find the heretic, then he cannot do any harm to anybody but himself. If he speaks out, he can be found and tried and proven guilty. And guilty they will be, for they will have chosen between right and wrong and they will have chosen poorly.

A pagan? They have no choice. They do not know what is right and so they cannot do it. I weep for the lost souls of otherwise good people. Giving them the choice to do right is infinitely better than hunting for those who have the choice and choose wrong.

[Thanqol]

If you cannot find the heretic, then he cannot do any harm to anybody but himself. If he speaks out, he can be found and tried and proven guilty. And guilty they will be, for they will have chosen between right and wrong and they will have chosen poorly.

A pagan? They have no choice. They do not know what is right and so they cannot do it. I weep for the lost souls of otherwise good people. Giving them the choice to do right is infinitely better than hunting for those who have the choice and choose wrong.

Shall I put it another way? Elect a secular king, beholden only to wealth, and tell him to conquer the world in the name of Allah and Islam. Where shall his faith lie? What shall he do once he has conquered? What will he demand of the conquered? Wealth. Wealth. Wealth. You would create a golem, a false-man, and unleash it upon the world in the hopes that Islam would maybe be drawn along with it.

Put your faith in wealth and you shall be ruled by wealth. Put your faith in man and you shall be ruled by men. Put your faith in God and paradise is yours.

[bebosteveo]

It is true that one may be blinded by wealth and greed. But when used correctly, such an offering of friendship can be more persuasive than threats and demands. And is it not the fourth pillar of Islam that encourages donations for such causes? One cannot purchase faith or salvation, as the pope would lead people to believe, but it can certainly guide those who are otherwise trapped in their misguided ways.

And one cannot forget our past. Yes, ours is the true faith, but we were not the first to be given such an honor. We are simply the first to hear the message correctly. Should we not show respect to the Christians, and the Jews, and the Zoroastrianists who were chosen to carry out our same task, but were subjected to mortal failings?

[Murska]

Shall I put it another way? Elect a secular king, beholden only to wealth, and tell him to conquer the world in the name of Allah and Islam. Where shall his faith lie? What shall he do once he has conquered? What will he demand of the conquered? Wealth. Wealth. Wealth. You would create a golem, a false-man, and unleash it upon the world in the hopes that Islam would maybe be drawn along with it.


So, why would we elect such a king?

No, give a pious and true king enough wealth to build according to his vision and conquer what he must, and he will be able to further our cause.

[Hussam B.]

Broad-scoped philosophy aside, I believe the legitimacy of the current proud and honorable royal dynasty is not in serious risk to warrant such a debate? Unless something radical is being proposed...

Also, I reiterate my counsel to simply conclude a truce with the Knights of Rhodes, demanding a restitution in gold or otherwise.

The Island itself, again, is not worth it, as also the Osmanli Sultan looks towards bringing within the Turkish Domain, not to mention the troubles of administering and protecting such a distant outpost.

As for general policy, we should look towards unifying the Maghreb, but there are other means other than the sword, we should consider strengthening our royal ties with Morocco and Tripoli while we consolidate our position in Tunisia.

[Mistral]

As a merchant and trader, I speak as well of wealth and trade (and the occasional...alternately-obtained goods), but such things are not solely the domain of the rich or the godless. To us, we need not distant Rhodos. It is a poor and desolate rock, and though defensively impressive, will serve only as a weight about our ankles. Even should we take it for ourselves to reduce the threat of the Knights and force them to repair to Malta, it would still be preferable to sell it to the Seljuks or Osmanli Turks of Anatolia rather than to keep it for ourselves. Our heartland and our future rest in Africa and the Maghreb, and from there, to the Mamluk-dominated al'Misr or Timbouktou. These should be our foremost goals, and the threat of the castellano crusaders our foremost concern. The crusader states who have crushed the once-beautiful and wealthy cities of al'Andalus and Cordoba will only find their appetites whetted by the remnant state of Granada, and will undoubtedly push south of the Pillars to impose their infidel ways upon our lands. We must empower ourselves before this threat comes upon us, and we must do so through whatever means necessary.

[The_JJ]

I do believe Mistral here speaks wisdom. We should take the Rock, if we can, and give it to those of our Moslem brothers better able to administrate it, extracting in return just recompense for our long war.

[Thanqol]

So, why would we elect such a king?

No, give a pious and true king enough wealth to build according to his vision and conquer what he must, and he will be able to further our cause.

It is a matter of priorities. Faith must take priority over wealth. I do not say that we should empty our pockets and burn our tents, but I say that we should empty our pockets and burn our tents if it was commanded by God. Faith must come first.

(This is all mostly because I've never seen a strong religious lobby in one of these LPs :smallwink: )

[Kurgan]

Faith didn't save Granada. Faith didn't save its people. Faith didn't keep the Castillians form occupying their land, pillaging, burning and raping as they pleased.

Faith alone will not protect us from the Christians, just as money alone will not bring us to Paradise. The missing factor is man!

Yes, we must follow the true path, and follow religious law when possible, but it is the king who will lead us to victory in this world. We need to support the King, not bicker about this and that. A united front is far more effective than one fractured by infighting and petty squabbles. The King is something we all have in common. All Algierians share the fact that we serve the King.

Remember Islam, work on gathering the wealth necessary to maintain us, and support the King. That is the message I bring.

((I'll match your religious follower with a monarchist.))

[Murska]

It is a matter of priorities. Faith must take priority over wealth. I do not say that we should empty our pockets and burn our tents, but I say that we should empty our pockets and burn our tents if it was commanded by God. Faith must come first.

(This is all mostly because I've never seen a strong religious lobby in one of these LPs :smallwink: )

Faith is the cornerstone on which all else rests. But without the house, what use is the cornerstone? If God commands, we will obey, but in the lack of direct guidance we should choose our own way to the best of our ability.

[Hussam B.]

Your Excellency, even if we do intend to turn over Rhodes to the Osmanli Clan, we must consider the consequences of such an action and whether or not such an action is justified by the benefits.

As I have already mentioned, by ending the crusader state ourselves, we only place our nation in the sights of infamy before not only the Christians, but also our neighbors, who are already anxious by our conquests in Tunisia. Furthermore, the Osmanli Sultan is not likely to pay much for an Island he would've eventually conquered himself.

So I reiterate once more; leave Rhodes be, it will eventually fall into Ottoman hands and they are far more equipped to be in the Christians sights.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 2: On Pirates and Plague



The island of Rhodes was annexed by Algiers, the fortress sacked and looted, and the Knight's fleet of galleys burned in the harbor. The Knights themselves, rather than be enslaved or murdered as heathens, were allowed to leave in exile. The last of the crusaders were driven from the eastern Mediterranean and forced to spread news of their humiliating defeat to all of Christendom. Though the order re-formed in the western Balkans, they had lost much of the faith and support their previously received. (They went from 5 Tongues down to only 2, for those who know the mechanics)

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-08_00002.jpg

The garrison was rebuilt and efforts to convert the local population to the true faith begun almost immediately by one Al-Kahalili, a clergyman of significant notoriety. Such an acts garnered the fear of many nations, both Christian and otherwise, so an expert diplomat, Sakhr Amara, was hired to smooth over tense relations. He had offered to sell the land to the Ottomans, who were much more capable to backing a legitimate claim, but they had no interest in such a minor holding. (with no core or "land" connection, I got a maybe if I offered it to them for free)

In the year of 1415, the rightful heir, Muhammad V Zayyanid came of age and took his rightful position as Sultan of Algiers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-08_00004.jpg
(stats 4/4/8 with an extra -1 to diplomacy)

Raised in the royal court from birth, the sultan led a very privileged life. One does not develop charisma when you are surrounded by servants, nor can you learn to lead when a council of nobility does so on your behalf. And the sultan was fine with that, choosing to take a back-seat to courtroom politics while enjoying life as the king. So when the sultan left for his Hajj in 1418, it was business as usual in the Regency Council.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-08_00007.jpg

Meanwhile, backlash from the destruction of the Knights had resulted in a mass of coordinated raids and acts of piracy on the Algerian coast. Some suspected that more than a few of these "attacks" were simply meant to cover-up a newly established smuggling ring, but no proof was ever found.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-08_00008.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-08_00009.jpg
(slightly increases trade efficiency, compete chance, and merchant tenacity)

After tightening the defences along the coast, various counter-raids were sent to hunt down and eliminate the source of these attacks. The ships were traced back to the Balearic islands, where an offshoot of none other than the Knights had established a safe haven for privateers. The counter-raid saw that the port was looted and burned to the ground, making the surrounding waters safe once again.

But that would not be enough. Clearly the Christians saw Algiers as nothing more than a minor rival of their pet group of religious extremists. It was time to demonstrate our strength on the world stage and establish a reputation as a power to be respected. As the sultan was returning to the capital in 1430, the Regency Council spread both the truth of attacks on merchant shipping, as well as twisted half-truths of insults from and a failed invasion by the nation of Aragon. By the time he reached the palace, the sultan was already leading his army on the path of war.

Weakened by the Barbary Pirates, suffering from plague, and excommunicated by the pope, Aragon was on the edge of destruction for years. The Balearic Islands fell to the invading army within days as the nations of Tunisia and Tripoli assaulted the mainland coast.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-09_00001.jpg

But in an ironic twist of fate, the spark Algiers provided that would further divide the Christians and Muslims, had actually united them. Whether it was a subtle token of friendship or simply the smell of blood in the water, Castile, Portugal, France and all of its vassals joined the war against Aragon.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-09_00002.jpg
(its a bit hard to see, but picture at least 5k men from every country west of Burgundy beating up on 10,000 Aragon troops)

By 1440 the last pocket of resistance fell to the multitude of invaders, who divided up the territory as they saw fit. What was left was a broken, rioting mass of peasants that stood no chance of returning to the international stage with any amount of dignity.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-09_00008.jpg
(for the record, even though we are between France and Castile, no one has cores on our region and we have a level 3 fort with >100% defensiveness. no one will be attacking that area)

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-09_00009.jpg

Impressed by such a dramatic victory against a former power the Moroccans were finally willing to join in a formal alliance.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-09_00011.jpg

But such a high note could not last in the court of Algiers, for the Black Death had reared its head.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Second%20Update/2011-08-09_00007.jpg

Despite the best efforts of the government to contain it, the plague ravaged the populated trading centers of the west. Between 1440 and 1446 over one-third of the urban population died, resulting in a massive loss of manpower and economic output. (with no military funding or advisors and 1 active missionary we are losing 2 gold per year) Among those lost was Ahmad Zayyanid, younger brother of the sultan and the only male heir with adequate family ties to claim the throne.



So, with fresh conquests and the reputation to match and a passively involved and grieving monarch we stand on the edge of a dangerous economic downturn. Debate and Discuss.

Other notable facts include:

We are at the limit of our land forcelimits (11 units) and naval forcelimit (17 units, but it varies based on how we deal with pirate raids).
Tripoli attacked the Mamluks, got crushed, and became a willing vassal of Morocco.
France is in an extended war against Austria.
Sunnis are being persecuted in Ethiopia.
Since someone kicked theirs out we can now offer sanctuary to Jews (loss of stability and +revolt risk for economic improvements, assuming they accept the offer)
And we have a mission that gives us a casus belli against and core on Navarra's eastern region (that they just took from Aragon).

[Murska]

Hm. Not knowing the mechanics of the mod, it's hard to really get a grasp on the situation when there's no obvious choices to make. I imagine it's even harder for those who don't even know how EU3 vanilla works.

But for the Navarra core - normally I'd be all for expansion but I think getting even more land on the Pyrenees is a very volatile situation what with between two Christian superpowers. I say ignore/cancel that mission. :/

And if accepting the Jews would solve our economic problem, I guess it's worth taking them in - generally revolt risk and stability are bigger problems when things are going poorly, and if the economy is in the crapper things are going poorly.

[bebosteveo]

Hm. Not knowing the mechanics of the mod, it's hard to really get a grasp on the situation when there's no obvious choices to make. I imagine it's even harder for those who don't even know how EU3 vanilla works.

Yeah, I understand. This update was mostly just a lot of "sit around and wait" with a couple minor events happening in the middle. Like the whole pirate thing: if I was playing by myself that wouldn't amount to more than background noise (it happens all the time), but I decided to play up its impact for dramatic effect. So instead of going for a massive 50+ year update where nothing happened I figured I'd stop at what looks like a tipping point, even if there aren't any major decisions to make.

And if I need to explain things better, by all means bring it up. I tend to have trouble balancing what is obvious to me while playing vs what other people know while watching what I show them.


And if accepting the Jews would solve our economic problem, I guess it's worth taking them in

It wouldn't really solve it since the bonuses are minor (like +2% tax income) and might not do anything, but it couldn't hurt. How it works is a number of regions start the game with small jewish populations. The country controlling it can keep the status quo, give them more rights (to increase the benefits and drawbacks), or kick them out as they see fit. If the later happens, the population will transfer to a random country that has announced a willingness to accept them. Like a lot of decisions in the mod, its not something that will make or break your country, but provides a nice bit of flavor and source of conflict.

[The_JJ]

Brothers, the Muslim faith has long been known for its tolerance of those vanquished. So long as Muslims continue to rule the land I see no reason that we should not take in these refugees and let them live, and work, and pay their dues to their lord.


So far as the Navarran situation proceeds, the opportunity to close the Pyrenees to the Christian 'crusaders' is a valuable one. Perhaps when isolated by the mountain fortresses the Reconquista will falter or fail.

However, this is not a situation we should move into incautiously. Who are the Navarrans allied with? Who else makes claim to the land we would take? Then perhaps we should act.

As for the future of the nation... if an heir can not be secured, do we submit to distant relations of distant lands? Or perhaps we should for a council of nobility to select a new ruler from an appropriate family.

[Hussam B.]

((That's weird, I thought the Ottomans always had a core on Rhodes from the start of the game))

So now we control an even harder to defend foothold in the Pyrenees? While I admire the feat accomplished, I must question our long term ability in holding on to our new possession, much less acquire more land which we would likely lose in a future war with the Castillians or the Franks.

Therefore I recommend the following; we ransom back the land to the Aragonese in exchange for a suitable payment when the time comes, had not the Nevarrans obviously the protection of other states, I would suggest also the conquest of Pirineo to ransom back in a similar manner.

The Baleres are a worthy conquest and a boon to our fleet. ((No land in Sicily to grab?))

As for Dhimmi refugees, I see no reason not allow their settlement in our lands, so long they respect our laws, we might consider collecting a Jizya to bolster our efforts.

Despite the prevalent plague, I believe in time a legitimate heir can be secured, but if worse comes to pass, we will indeed be looking towards a new dynasty.

((I don't suppose we have access to one of those republic styles of government? or even, a Theocracy? Huge stability hit will be needed though))

[Murska]

((I don't think we really need more/better explaining - basically if you talk about mechanics then explain them, but if you fluff them up then the readers don't necessarily need to know unless there's people here who play the mod and want the details.

The thing is, for those who don't know how the game works, it's easiest to participate if you set us up with one or multiple 'choices' to vote on at the end of the update. Something that's large-ish in scale and which would over multiple updates control the course our game takes, like: "Do we wish to attack Castille or should we focus on diplomatic efforts to annex the other muslim states in North Africa", appropriately fluffed of course. ((And yes, I know we're not attacking Castille. :smalltongue: )) Specific choices are easier to form an opinion on even if you don't know the mechanical benefits and drawbacks.))

[Mistral]

Offering sanctuary to the Jews may negatively affect our overall stability and lead to a minor risk of revolt by anti-Judaic elements in those cities in which they settle, but they are intelligent, hard-working, and skilled individuals who will increase the income of the royal coffers far beyond the costs to accept them; I would suggest accepting them into our nation.

As for Girona, there is some cause for concern. Castille is quite an opportunistic polity, as noted by their willingness to devour Aragon rather than coming to the aid of their nominal brethren in faith, and will gladly seize our European foothold should they have the chance. Selling it to France if possible may empower that power while weakening Castille, and I doubt strongly that the two will remain in lockstep forever. Selling it to Aragon will permit some manner of recompense from that power due to their claims in the region, but will not serve as more than a speed bump against Castillan ventures. It is unclear which is preferable, but keeping this land for ourselves seems a touch dangerous.

Generally, I would promote an expansion in trade and commerce to aid our ventures. Income from these sources permits expansion of our productive infrastructure, naval and land weaponry, and trade without any matching increase in the costs of this expansion like that gained for conquests of land. It may be difficult to expand our trade initially in foreign lands, particularly against those powers with a greater emphasis on the free and open markets, but by focusing on this, we may be able to compensate for the relative poverty of the Maghrebi lands.

[Kurgan]

I say we hold on to our European possessions for now, and act upon the casus belli we have on Navarre if it seems feasible. If they have any powerful backers, I say we back down.

We should accept the Jews into our land, with a little luck, they will be able to offset some of our economic troubles that the plague has brought us. At the very worst, we can just force them out at a later date.

We also need to increase our power in the Mediterranean. For this, we should attempt to capture some of the isolated islands scattered in the region. We are a naval power, and the more ports we have for our ships, the better. Of course, we should avoid conflict with greater powers at the moment, at least until we recoup our losses from the plague.

[bebosteveo]

To answer questions:


We don't have access to any new forms of government yet and won't for some time, unfortunately. You're all stuck with the despot with family ties. Though we should be looking towards a National Idea soon-ish, which is (arguably) a much bigger deal in the mod.
We haven't attacked Sicily or Sardinia because the are both allied with/guaranteed by literally all of Italy. We wouldn't have a chance at staging a naval invasion without quadrupling our navy's size since any one of those nations would be a match for us.

Feedback (which is always encouraged) has been taken to heart and will be utilized in the future. I was hoping I could wait until our first new National Idea or succession war for such an update, but that's (surprisingly) taking longer to get than I thought.



Episode 2, Part 2: Suddenly, CONFLICT!



Before the ink was even dry on the peace agreement with Aragon, plans were already in motion for Algiers to sell back the mighty fortress of Girona. After days of debate the sultan chose to accept a deal with Navarra, adding several hundred ducats to the royal treasury. He reasoning was 3-fold:

Strengthening and improving relations with a nation in the Pyrenees was preferable to empowering the already hostile Castile or France
Their alliance with England would ensure that no other nations would interfere despite their lack of a decent claim to the land
Their failing and already overtaxed administration would find it difficult to keep order and maintain the new territory, ensuring that the strength of the Christians was minimized


The funds were later used to rebuild necessary infrastructure that had fallen into disrepair during the plagues as well as to quickly convert a portion of the Balearic residents to the true faith. Hoping to fund a long-term recovery plan, the sultan sent out merchants to Astrakhan and Zanzibar. Though neither city was particularly notable, there were still lucrative markets to be found with far less competition from European traders.

By this time, Tunisia had virtually become part of the Algerian nation. The local lords of Algiers shared nearly the same level of autonomy under the sultan as did this tributary nation, and the cultures of the people (which were nearly identical to begin with) had fused into one over the last 40 years. So, in 1450 when the king of Tunisia passed on and the sultan declared an end to their royal line, few could tell the difference in governance.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Third%20Update/2011-08-10_00002.jpg

The tributary payments ended and in exchange the wealthy city of Tunis and its sources of carmine rebalanced the Algerian treasury. (wooo, out of the red)

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Third%20Update/2011-08-11_00001.jpg

But even as Algiers looked to rebuild, the international community had other ideas. A Moroccan ambassador approached the royal court with news of war. An alliance of Castile and Portugal sought to reclaim their holdings in the Canaries and Morocco had little chance to stand against them alone.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Third%20Update/2011-08-11_00002.jpg
(Yes, Burgundy is in there too, but they have, like, 1 port and most of their army is stuck in the inland half of their territory.)



So, shall we stand with our allies and attempt to hold back the expansionist Iberians? Unless Morocco stationed their army their the invader's target of the Canaries is almost guaranteed to fall and we have no chance of taking the fight back across the sea. However, with our defensible coastline and their stretched supply lines our involvement would ensure that they do not establish a foothold in Africa.

Alternatively, we could not honor our alliance and instead focus our efforts elsewhere. Through the central Mediterranean islands are well protected, from our base in Rhodes we could attempt to capture Cyprus or drive Venice out of Crete/Greece at the risk of further encroaching on the Ottomans.

Or we could choose the path of peace and expand our trading efforts and develop our industry and infrastructure at home, all the while attempting to find a strong ally or undermining our rivals from within.

[Murska]

We cannot afford to dishonour our alliance (especially if we want to unify with Morocco some day) and especially cannot allow a Christian foothold in Africa. The course is clear.

However, as soon as the war can be ended, we should begin focusing on peacefully strengthening our own nation. Our fortunes currently lay on the Western Mediterranean - overextending ourselves to the East will simply bring us in a conflict with more powerful enemies while we are constantly under threat by the Castilian regime.

[Kurgan]

We cannot let Morrocco fall. If they lose the Canaries, so be it, but the Spaniards cannot get a foothold in Africa, or else we will never get rid of them! We need to put as much effort as possible in holding them off and bringing a favorable peace settlement.

[The_JJ]

We cannot let Morrocco fall. If they lose the Canaries, so be it, but the Spaniards cannot get a foothold in Africa, or else we will never get rid of them! We need to put as much effort as possible in holding them off and bringing a favorable peace settlement.

This. Defend defend defend.

[Thanqol]

Burn the earth that the Christians might eat naught but ashes. Cast them from our shores with wounds so deep they never again return.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 2, Part 2, The Seconding: Fighting them on the Beaches



There was no doubt that the sultan would rush to the aid of his Moroccan brothers, but fate, unfortunately, had other plans. At the age of 50, Muhammad V passed on due to what was later determined to be a "damaged spirit", though no one could point to the source of that damage. With no son and no living siblings the upper noble houses and clergymen of Algiers attempted to find a suitable heir. After much debate, they selected Uthman III, a second cousin to the late sultan and a promising military leader who had recently come of age.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fourth%20Update/2011-08-12_00001.jpg

They had wanted to ensure that the man on the throne would be up to the task of facing the armies of Castile, but not all were willing to accept such a distant relation. One Najib I Merah, a noble of significant power and influence in Constantine, gathered an army and marched towards the capital, hoping to seize power for himself. His forces were crushed by the royal army and his head was stuck on a pike outside the gates of his city to serve as a warning towards any other would-be pretenders.

Uthman immediately set about implementing a caravan system to protect merchants and outlying settlements from raids as well as maintaining supply lines for the army. Fortunately for many, these reforms were ultimately unnecessary as no Iberian troops ever landed on the African coast. The Canaries quickly fell to Portugal as Castile overran the troops stationed in Rhodes, laying siege to the mighty fortress.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fourth%20Update/2011-08-12_00004.jpg

For 2 years the defenders held their posts until a relief force could be ferried over from Egypt and the attacking army driven off. Meanwhile, the Portuguese blockaded and assaulted the newly obtained Balearic Islands, hoping to further divide the Christian residents from their Algerian lords and prey upon the victor. However, they too were driven back into the sea by the defending armies.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fourth%20Update/2011-08-12_00007.jpg

Meanwhile, the Algerian navy was busy raiding the invaders' supply lines and transport flotillas. Though the galleys had no chance to defeat the larger fleets of caravels they had superior mobility and knowledge of the coastline. By dividing into smaller groups, they sunk numerous unguarded transports as the Christian fleets maintained their blockades.

Disheartened by Morocco's successful reclamation of the Canaries in May of 1454, their inability to establish a proper beachhead, and ever dwindling supplies the Iberians agreed to a cease-fire with no conditions.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fourth%20Update/2011-08-12_00009.jpg

Sensing weakness, England and their protectorate Navarra chose to do what the Africans could not and assaulted the weary Castile.

In the years that followed, the Algerians sought to rebuild what remained of their land after numerous wars and plagues. New cottage industries sprung up as well as the marketplaces to sell the new wares, and merchants attempted to rebuild the trade routes/relations that were lost due to the blockades. By 1460, the economy had returned to, and in some facets surpassed, pre-plague levels due in no small part to the influx of Sunni refugees from India. With a new surplus of manpower, some of the more radical elements of society were sent back as soldiers to defend the fellow Sunnis in these foreign lands as well as attract more migrants in hopes of expanding the newly built industries.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fourth%20Update/2011-08-12_00011.jpg

But even as Algiers pursued a path of peace, the old threat of Castile reared its head once again, announcing that it would personally see to the destruction of any who threatened Christianity.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fourth%20Update/2011-08-12_00012.jpg
(if we attack anyone Christian, they will defend them. Right now, that's anyone who isn't Muslim, Greek, Georgian, or Muscovy-ian.)

While at the same time, there was talk in the noble houses of a revolution. They had already demonstrated that they were able to choose their own king and that he could not rule the nation without their support. Some thought that it was time to formally demand their rights as aristocrats and guarantee their positions of power.



Summary of international developments
France is consolidating its power, sometimes fighting Austria to a stalemate. Burgundy is expanding into the HRE. Venice has annexed territories surrounding the city. England has fought France and Castile over their meddling with Navarra. The Ottomans are expanding around Hungary/Greece and are now fighting Venice and Genoa. The Knights were destroyed again and moved to Crete. Small bits of heresy are breaking out in Europe and the first stage of the Reformation has started.

And Switzerland, in an odd change of pace, is just sitting there and not conquering the world at all.

So now we have 2 major decisions to make:

1. We now have the option to adopt a feudal monarchy, where the sultan rules by the loyalty of his subjects beneath him rather than by simply being able to crush any who oppose him. Such a move will cause a great deal of short-term revolts and will result in a more de-centralized state with more power in the hands of the upper nobility than with the throne. Mechanically, its a wash. (Higher infamy limit with despotic vs +15% manpower with feudal)

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fourth%20Update/2011-08-12_00013.jpg

2. We will soon (within 20-ish years) be able to pick a new national idea, shaping the abilities of our nation for years to come. A brief outline of choices includes:


Naval
We have a massive coastline, are highly dependent on our fishermen and traders, and have a sea separating us from our enemies. These ideas will allow for larger, stronger navies and admirals as well as providing small boosts to trade income, colonial range, and anti-piracy efforts.

Land
A nation is nothing without a powerful army, especially if we hope to unite the north African nations while holding off the might of Castile et. al. Similar to the naval ideas, these will increase land morale, army size, and produce better generals as well as reduce war exhaustion.

Exploration
We have spent years building and rebuilding our economy, and money makes the world go round. We can organize guilds to provide general tax/production boosts at home or we can grant further support to our foreign merchants and give them the edge they need to compete.
Alternatively, we can seek out and colonize new lands. The trans-Saharan trade route runs through the oasis-filled region of Tuat. Not only would establishing permanent settlements along this route provide a boost in tolls and tariffs, but would also lets us establish contact and spread the faith to the people of west Africa.

State
A well run state is a happy state. Whether through a system of espionage and fear, by guaranteeing the basic rights of citizens, or through proper government management with skilled advisors we can improve our methods of rule and create an efficient bureaucracy. This also allows us to properly manage larger, more diverse nations without incurring as many penalties as we do now.

Culture
The art of keeping people in line. We can enforce unity among the people, making sure that only the accepted faith/culture is seen in public, encourage our citizens to accept all people regardless of background or creed, or we can attempt a bread-and-circuses approach and distract the public from their troubles with amazing works of art and festivals.


(Feel free to be as specific or general as you like with your selection, but keep in mind that they are much bigger deals and completely different mechanically from vanilla eu3. Also, changing one is a very bad idea.)

So, big decisions, a lot is happening, the game is just reaching the point where Fun starts, and I'm working to reach my creative writing stride. Good times all around.

[Kurgan]

I'm torn between exploration and naval.

On the one hand, our fleets are what keeps us safe from the Spaniards, and sea power is what will guarantee our expansion in the Mediterranean.

On the other hand, colonizing in the Sahara and building up a small empire in West Africa can help to build up both our coffers and and manpower, which will be of help in unifying North Africa under our banner.

[Murska]

We'll keep our government as is and switch once something better comes along.

And I pick Naval. If we have a strong navy, we can focus on exploration later once we're able to take colonial possessions overseas. And defeating Castille requires a strong navy.

[Grif]

And Switzerland, in an odd change of pace, is just sitting there and not conquering the world at all.

Give them time.
Otto Herbelin is waiting... biding his time. :smalltongue:

[Thanqol]

Give them time.
Otto Herbelin is waiting... biding his time. :smalltongue:

Really, it was Oberholzer who really took Switzerland through it's early expansion phase.

- We must keep all power in the hands of the Sultan. No to feudalism.
- We must take ideas that reflect our religious faith and underpin the coming jihad. Anything that empowers the clergy.

[Kurgan]

Right, I was so enamored by national ideas, I completely forgot to voice my opinion on our politics. I say we avoid this "feudalism", and keep all power centered on the sultan.

[The_JJ]

Keep our current government (what are we, those barbarian Europeans picking over the scraps of multiple invasions and clinging to the vestiges of Roman dignity!)

NI wise, I vote Exploration. Worst comes to worst we can go take over the Aztecs and hide out there while the Spaniards are still trying to consolidate over North Africa.

[Hussam B.]

Government, consensus seems to be in favor of keeping our despotic system for now, so I will agree with that.

National Ideas, I think we should aim to eventually maybe pick up one of those greater national ideas eventually, like Scientific Revolution.

To help us in this path, I suggest we pick up a naval idea for now, particularly "Excellent Shipwrights", which also adds to our naval forcelimit, allowing us to support a bigger navy, as well as give a discount to naval research.

It is worthy of note to mention that MMU makes it way harder for non-historical colonizers of the new world to establish a foothold in the Americas.

[Sprinter]

Support naval idea too.

I heard ship attrition rates are much worse in MMU compared to vanilla EU3 so we would have to conquer azores before exploring new world.

[bebosteveo]

It is worthy of note to mention that MMU makes it way harder for non-historical colonizers of the new world to establish a foothold in the Americas.

Correct. Just a heads up for people planning a mass American colonization game: it probably won't happen. Unless we get a core region in western Spain, Portugal, Brittany, or England (or the canaries/azores/madeira) we have to wait to an event which is extremely rare for non-latin nations that gives us 1 explorer for 2000+ ducats. THEN we still have to deal with higher costs to run colonies and a lower overall range. I'm not saying it can't/won't happen, but its possible that it will be 1750 before we can actually see any land in the new world.

Anyway, if it was up to me, I'd have a hard time deciding between naval and exploration. Naval is useful for all the reasons people said but I'm a sucker for colonies, even in "punch you in the nuts because it can" Africa.

I'll stop the next update (playing now) just before we can actually pick the idea so feel free to debate. Looks like a resounding no to feudalism.

[Hussam B.]

While the infamy limit increase is nice, eventually we're going to need to switch to a more efficient form of government, maybe Noble Republic or administrative monarchy.

which reminds me; how efficient is our current government? it usually gives a country modifier ranging from "Good" to "Disorganized" government.

As for African colonization, I think Portugal sometimes colonizes some African colonies adjacent to Moroccan provinces, like Rio de Oro, I think. We could look towards grabbing those colonies as a start.

[bebosteveo]

how efficient is our current government?
I don't remember the names of the levels, but with 12 regions, 2 of which are non-tolerated heathens, and a ruler with 8 administration we have the first positive level of effectiveness. With a 3 star ruler we were at the edge of the first and second negative levels even with max stability.



Episode 2, Part 2, The Seconding, Electric Boogaloo: Teaching by Example



The nobility of Algiers had thought that things would return to normal after the war, that sultan Uthman would end his caravan system and return their right to regulate local trade. So, when this was not done, and the sultan had in fact expanded his pet project, there were a number of objections within the royal court. Not only did the lords lose their ability to tax and regulate trade through their lands, but now the caravan guards and teamsters would employed directly by the crown.

This outrage reached its boiling point in 1464 when sultan Uthman instituted the Jizya tax (not sure if "Jizya" is a noun or adjective), which was sent directly to the royal treasury.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fifth%20Update/2011-08-15_00001.jpg

Not only were the aristocrats opposed to being cut out of the loop, but few other factions could announce their full support of sultan Uthman. The clergy thought it was too light of restriction on the heathen practices, there was fear that this would drive up the cost of fish imported from Rhodes and the Baleares, and even some monarchists felt that he was over-stepping his role.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fifth%20Update/2011-08-15_00003.jpg

In the fall of 1465, one past supporter of the royal family, Yaghmurasan Ilaes, took to the streets of Kabylia calling for massive protests and riots against these new developments. With one of the sultan's usual supporters now opposing his decisions, the movement quickly spread and Yaghmurasan had gathered a veritable army behind him. Having stood defiant against the might of Castile, sultan Uthman was not about to surrender to and negotiate with his own people. The army was sent in to crush this rebellion before it could spread. The result was one of the bloodiest days in Algerian history as the royal army literally slaughtered all those who stood in their way.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fifth%20Update/2011-08-15_00004.jpg

Such a display of ruthlessness and savagery quickly got the attention of the public. Though there was still some opposition at the highest levels of government, this act suppressed any thoughts of another popular uprising for some time. There was another such uprising in 1477 when sultan Uthman began regulating the olive oil production/trade, a core part of the Algerian economy, but few were willing to deal with the consequences of open opposition to the crown.

Otherwise, the following years were fairly uneventful in Algiers. Sultan Uthman continued to expand his economic projects that brought both economic development to the country as well as a bureaucracy that was employed by and loyal to the crown. Particularly, he made sure that Algiers had a strong merchant presence in Swahili so that he might obtain a commanding share of the ivory trade within. Furthermore, small amounts of aid was sent to the Ottoman Empire to help in their wars and to support Islam abroad.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fifth%20Update/2011-08-15_00010.jpg

And as always, money flowed to the clergy for their missionary efforts. 1472 served as the tipping point where over half of the population of Rhodes and the Baleares had adopted the true faith, but the missionaries would continue their work.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fifth%20Update/2011-08-15_00008.jpg
(Instead of 1 missionary converting the whole province, each success converts ~20%. We just got the Catholics from the majority faith down to a large, persecuted minority.)

With their new base in Crete, the Knights chose this time to resume their raids into the Barbary Coast. Though the raids were much smaller than in the past and Algiers was much better prepared, it was still a troubling development.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fifth%20Update/2011-08-15_00014.jpg



International Developments:


http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Fifth%20Update/2011-08-15_00018.jpg

See the Ottomans over there? That's why we don't want to be near the infamy limit. 3/4th of their regions are rogue or occupied by other countries and the ones that aren't have a 15%+ chance of revolt. They are currently at war with every major European power (namely Castile and England, who are occupying territory) plus a smattering of little countries.

We also have France at -3 stability (a very dangerous place to be), Burgundy and Venice are holding on to what they have, Bohemia has taken the HRE back from Austria, the Byzantines have reformed in Greece, Portugal has colonized Madeira, and England is in a personal union under Savoy (sucks to be them)



Stuff to vote on:



We can now pick that new national idea. Check the last update on the choices and get the votes in. I think the count is Naval: 4, Exploration (colonies): 2, Culture (Church attendance duty): 1

Sultan Uthman has been relentless in his mad dash for power. In spite of all that they did to make him the sultan he has shown little respect for the aristocracy and has even slaughtered his own people. Sure his policies may improve the economy of the state, but at what cost?

With enough support, we can prevent such tyrants in the future. We can reform this nation as a Noble Republic, where instead of having a rigid line of succession the upper nobility can choose the sultan from anyone with adequate family ties. We have done this once before, shall this policy continue? (mechanically we have a boost to heretic/heathen tolerance, faster policy slider changes, and a slightly higher administration capability after we take a -4 stability hit)

Algiers has recovered from the wars and plagues and has a strong economy that can be leveraged towards expansion, but we need a target if this path is desired. The Ottoman Empire is falling and we do not have the strength to carry their fight. However, we can push out from Rhodes and take what we can in the Greek power vacuum, ensuring an Islamic presence near the Bosporus Strait regardless of what happens to them. Alternatively, with Castile distracted by their own wars, we may be able to exert our influence in the central Mediterranean and take on Italy and the pope. We would have to choose our target carefully, but we may be able to find a weakness in their web of alliances. But still some seedier elements look to Morocco and their vassal Tripoli and see the establishment of the Zayyanid Caliphate once those people are brought under one ruler.

[Murska]

What's our odds against Morocco?

Either them or take out the Knights and then grab as many islands and even mainland around Greece as we can. I don't know about the national idea choices but if we go Naval, let's build up enough of a fleet to prevent any Castilian intervention and then keep spreading in areas we can hold until we're powerful enough for the re-reconquista.

[Kurgan]

Yeah, if the odds are looking in out favor, I say we take on Morocco and Tripoli and try to get as much of North Africa as we can under our control. If the odds are looking bad though, go for Mediterranean islands.

For national idea, I still say either navy or exploration. That way we can either exert our influence into the Mediterranean or build a small empire in Western Africa.

In terms of reforming the government, I believe things are working well just as they are. If the current sultan has a son and the family line is set to continue, I say we keep things as they are. However, if it looks like the line will end, I can live with setting certain precedents to allow for the best leader we can get.

[Thanqol]

The Sultan's reign will last ten thousand years. No to republic.

As for invasion targets, we must shatter Castille and reclaim Spain. We would also settle for an invasion and annexation of Rome. Carthage broke the Romans once, we can and must do so again.

[bebosteveo]

What's our odds against Morocco?

In a straight-up battle? Nothing to write home about. We're currently fielding 11 regiments and can bump it up closer to 16 without much issue and can still break even on funding while they have around 25 right now. (plus Tripoli's 3) But if we're smart about attrition and fighting on the defensive we can probably gain some territory. Our biggest issue will be dealing with the 2 fronts. Its also worth noting that they got dragged into some of the Ottoman's wars so even though they have a larger navy most of their coast is blockaded by the English and their war exhaustion is slowly climbing.

However, I we could also see to it that their heir is "removed" and hope for a personal union.



We must shatter Castille and reclaim Spain. We would also settle for annexation of Rome.
Now now, we can't crush the pope too early. Otherwise we'll have nothing to strive for and stagnate, like China.

[Thanqol]

Now now, we can't crush the pope too early. Otherwise we'll have nothing to strive for and stagnate, like China.

I think that if my LP established anything, crushing the Pope doesn't tend to work out.

[Murska]

I think that if my LP established anything, crushing the Pope doesn't tend to work out.

I think it worked out just fine.

[Kurgan]

However, I we could also see to it that their heir is "removed" and hope for a personal union.


I actually like this idea if we can get it to work. Why waste time fighting them when we can simply arrange to inherit their throne?


I think that if my LP established anything, crushing the Pope doesn't tend to work out.

Just gave me the image of the Space Pope becoming President of Earth in your Galactic Civ lp.

[Thanqol]

Just gave me the image of the Space Pope becoming President of Earth in your Galactic Civ lp.

Looks like the Reformed Council got a new candidate!

[Mistral]

My idea would be to go Naval, probably Press Gangs to reduce the cost of naval maintenance and new ships, then take on Morocco. Institute a Noble Republic to introduce a meritocratic element to the succession, and generally prepare a stable North African base stretching from the Atlantic to the Levant.

Long term: Conquer Spain, move capital to Spain, Culture Shift, form Muslim Spain, use Spanish exploration events to colonize New World. Everyone's happy. :smallbiggrin:

[Hussam B.]

Hmm, I am concerned with efficiency mostly, I want to suggest something for flavor: If we have or get a Sultan with an administration rating that causes a strain on the administrative efficiency of the realm, we switch to a Noble Republic.

But if we can hang on till we reach government level 18, we can switch to an administrative monarchy. As according to the MMU manual, both give an equal bonus to administrative capability.

Alternatively, we can pick an idea that improves administrative capability, depending on our sliders; like Bureaucracy with Centralization, or Bill of Rights with Free Subjects, on lesser extent, there is Guild Privileges with Moral Economy, Either Religious ideas with Traditionalism, or Humanist Tolerance with Innovative policy.

For Morocco, I suggest we focus on Royal Marriage/Claim Throne strategy, maybe even fight a succession war to get a personal union, then we can focus on Tripoli.

For the mean time though, maybe we should accumulate wealth and build up infrastructure.

[bebosteveo]

Looks like we're going for a Naval idea with 4 votes, probably Excellent Shipwrights since it was requested specifically. (it provides higher forcelimits, lower maintenance, and lower tech costs, and will turn us into a full naval power)
Seems like people are in favor of keeping the monarchy as it is until it proves incapable of properly handling the nation.
Now that Tunis is mostly part of our core, we'll be looking to further unite North Africa. This will lead to expansion wars should dynastic shuffling fail.


I'll be busy for the next day or two, but you can expect the next update by Wednesday. Make sure your opinion is heard before then.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 2, Part 2, The Seconding, Electric Boogaloo, II: An Aggressive Defence



During sultan Uthman's period of economic development and expansion, particular attention was given to the nation's navies and ports. Algiers was essentially one giant coastline and its maritime ventures were its lifeblood. Sultan Uthman attracted numerous shipbuilders and craftsmen to Algiers and trained many more through state-sponsored apprenticeships.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-20_00001.jpg

With this new talent at his disposal, sultan Uthman saw to the expansion of Algiers' navy. Another half-dozen galleys and several cogs were constructed over the next 3 years as well as a proper flagship: The Zahir, a carrack of considerable size. A commander of significant prowess, Yaghmurasan Benzai was given the honor of leading the fleet against Algiers' enemies.

It was soon after this, in 1486, when Algiers began its campaign of expansion into Greece. Sultan Uthman hoped to secure the region from the land-hungry Christian powers while strengthening his own interests. The island of Crete with its valuable sugar plantations and the current base of the Christian pirate fleet was the first to fall in the later half of 1487. Their ships served only to bolster the ranks of the Algerian navy.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-20_00008.jpg

Within a year the islands of Naxos had also fallen and a hefty tribute payment was extracted from their allies in Georgia.

Some say that it was due to the sultan's long-term investment policies. Others claim that the Algerian populace was simply inspired by works of art brought back from the new conquests. Still others feel that the fabric of society was changing and that the peasants were caught in the tide. Regardless of why, around this time Algiers seemed to be much less focused on its glorious past. It still valued its old ways and its tried-and-true methods, but it no longer simply cast out new ideas and was open to the influences of foreign peoples that have proven their worth.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-20_00012.jpg
(we had 2 levels of "backwardness" restricting our tech growth, this eliminates one of them)

All was not good news, however. Even as sultan Uthman planned his next moves, the international scene struck first. Venice, concerned over the encroachment of a Muslim power into its sphere, sought to drive Algiers from Greece entirely in 1491. They, along with their vassals Ferra and Achaea, Naples, Sardinia, and Scotland (wat?) attacked the Algerian/Moroccan alliance.

The odds were clearly on the side of the Christians, with more ships, greater manpower, and superior equipment. Though much of the urgency and daring is lost by taking it out of context, one particular quote from the sultan sums up the Algerian war effort:


[To the Venician diplomat]
You attack as my nation grows stronger and the Berber people rise to support me. You plan your assaults after we have established our holdings. You plan in secret what I have known would happen. You have made many mistakes this day, but only one that matters: You thought you could win.

Some would call him ignorant of his situation, others thought he had finally gone mad in his age, but history would prove them wrong. With a favorable wind, Banzai took on the Christian's greatest naval threat in the Ionian Sea and dealt them a crippling blow, taking them out of the conflict almost entirely.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-21_00001.jpg

With naval superiority achieved, sultan Uthman personally led his armies on the offensive. Sardinia fell early in 1493, Euboea in 1494, Athens in 1495, and Achaea in 1496. With their enemies driven from Greece, Algiers turned its attention north to the city of Venice itself. Their fleet, though large, was little more than a collection of trading barges with few true warships, so the Algerian navy was able to quickly cut off the city from the outside world.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-21_00005.jpg

Like the strongholds before it, Venice held out for no more than 1 year before surrendering. The peace terms involved draining the Venician treasury and granting all captured territory outside of the Italian mainland to Algiers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-21_00006.jpg

Algiers quickly set about consolidating all of it new territory. Though missionary efforts could not yet begin the local churches were handed over to the clergy along with funds to convert them into proper mosques. In addition, a home in Tlemcen was established for the care and well being of those who survived the war.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-21_00008.jpg

In spite of all of these wars and operations, there was also a seedier element fighting its own war in the shadows of the courtroom. Sultan Uthman had done much for Algiers, but the Berber people of north Africa were still politically fractured. He knew that a war of expansion would only weaken his people and make them easy prey for the ever expanding Spanish. Instead, he hoped to bring the ruling classes of these nations under one dynasty.

His family was already intertwined with that of Morocco's family line, but he needed to push things in the proper direction. Their sultan was still an infant in 1481 and he had no siblings to take the throne in his stead. With a man inside the Moroccan court sultan Uthman would be able to ensure that the "proper" choice was made.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-20_00005.jpg

Thus began a period of uncertainty in the Moroccan court. Those with strong family ties to the infant sultan would be subject to various odd diseases and maladies, often resulting in death. Anyone who showed strong support for those affected and their titles were found to have abandoned their estates soon after or were replaced. Such events were so widespread that when the sultan was killed by a stampeding elephant during a parade in 1487, more people suspected their throne was cursed rather than foul play. And when it was discovered that the closest living relation to the late sultan was Ahmad Zayyanid, a third cousin to the Algerian sultan, the court was simply happy to have a legitimate heir.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-20_00010.jpg



International Developments:


http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixth%20Update/2011-08-21_00010.jpg

The Ottoman Empire was split between England, Castile, Genoa, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary. The latter of which is now undergoing quite a bit of turmoil.

Few people like the pope and Rome was sacked at least 2 times during this update.

Castile is now Spain and they have a core on the Belares, so we need to watch that.

The knights moved to Calabria.

Denmark inherited the rest of Scandinavia.

We're starting to fall behind the HRE tech curve (Europe is at 11-12 tech while we're solidly 8). Sharing a border with Morea should help fix that.



Topics for debate:

The Ottoman Empire is no longer an economic powerhouse and has likely reduced its support for the Barbary pirates. Simply put, the Christians no longer seem to fear our corsairs. At the same time, the pirate lords grow complacent and foolish. They have even attempted to extort protection money out of us on more than one occasion. We have provided some funding towards these men in the past with little to show for it, perhaps it is time to change our policies. We can cut our funding, showing these pirates that they take orders from us or take the more extreme option and hunt down these "lords" who do not know their place, at the expense of our relations with the Ottomans/Mamluks. Alternatively, we can double down on our investments and attempt to fill the void left by the Ottomans, hoping that the pirates prove more competent in the future.

Our nation grows large and the strains of governing it all are beginning to show in our sultan. Should the peasants happen to get any ideas about "personal freedoms" or "equal rights" it could lead to problems. Shall we continue our policies of innovation and fast technological development at the risk of breaking our nation apart? Or shall we continue to emphasize traditional values and look to the past for inspiration and stability rather than attempting to change what works?

We have always accepted the various schools of Islamic law into our faith and government. However, we can, if we choose, focus on and officially sanction one of the predominant schools of thought: Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki, or Hanbali. Shall we bring our methods of governance under one school of thought, reaping the benefits and rewards therein or will we continue to accept and debate all methods? (I'm still reading up on them all so I can't give a suitable summary yet. Basically the choice amounts to how much we favor the "rules as written" over the spirit and intention of the Koran. Its like the Muslim reformation, but not nearly as big of a deal.)

[Thanqol]

We must support the pirates with the full weight and power of our nation. These are our warriors of the sea, and it is their blades and their fire that shall shatter the Christians in preparation for the true Jihad.

The ways of the past have served us well, and changing them to emulate the infidels seems to be the ultimate foolishness.

We must accept a single school of religious thought. Unity under God.

[Hussam B.]

The sea bandits are a fickle crowd, they should not be relied upon, as these rogues are prone to turn on us if they feel it within their interest. Yet their role in weakening our enemies and the trickle of tribute they occasionally grace us is welcome.

I suggest the status quo is in order.


The ways of innovation has always been the way of of our people, I can cite many examples on how far we have advanced through time, ideas need to be judged, weighed and adopted on their merit.

I support continuing our path of advancement, but with rational and pragmatic pace, maintaining stability as we move forward.


As for the schools of thought, it should be noted that all the venerable imams who generated each Math-hab are each respected and admired equally by all adherents of the fate regardless of which school of thought is preferred, forcing one over the other makes little sense, a preference could be set by the court, but draconian measures of the sword to impose one of the all acceptable school is too much.

Respect All Schools Equally.

[Kurgan]

We Algierians pride ourselves in out tolerance of other religions (that's my story and I'm sticking with it). To put one school above all others does not blend with this at all. All religious views must be weighted equally.

The pirates are a problem, they burden us, but are still useful. I suggest we continue funding them for the moment, though no need to get extravagant.

If we wish to compete with the Christian kingdoms, we must look to and adapt to the best of our ability. We stand no chance against them if we do not accept that things will change over time. Therefore, I suggest we continue moving forwards with our advancements.

[Murska]

The pirates cannot be trusted. And we have our own, powerful navy.

Cut funding from the Pirates.

I see no reason to prefer one school of thought over another. It is all the Faith.

Religion kept equal.

And technological advancement is a must if we are to keep up with our enemies in weaponry.

Go forth, and do Science.

[Talkkno]

Perhaps another way we could deal with the pirates, is to help support our Ottoman brothers regain their lands from the Christians , so that they may bear the burden of funding them once more and to provide a strong flank against the Christians.

[Hussam B.]

The Ottomans are certainly in a bad position, but I feel if they had their way, they'd not think twice about reclaiming "their" Greek territory, which we control.

[Talkkno]

The Ottomans are certainly in a bad position, but I feel if they had their way, they'd not think twice about reclaiming "their" Greek territory, which we control.

Better one of ummah then the infidels.

Its also a lot harder to get cores in MM so I dunno even if its even worth holding on to them.

[bebosteveo]

Perhaps another way we could deal with the pirates, is to help support our Ottoman brothers regain their lands from the Christians

Certainly a possibility once we have recovered from our wars, and one I did not think of. While we don't have the best relations, we do have dynastic ties to the empire and we can certainly attempt to work with our eastern brothers, if we so choose.


Its also a lot harder to get cores in MM so I dunno even if its even worth holding on to them.

Yes, no, maybe, and perhaps. On one hand, getting cores on Greece will take a long time since they are heathens on a non-accepted culture. On the other hand, we should be getting a core on Rhodes soon-ish which will allow us to integrate/accept Greek culture, speeding up the core-gaining process. On the other hand, its a long-term investment on the border of an expansionist power. On the other hand, cores are less important tax-wise (they only amount to 25% of the direct tax, rather than 90%), so we're still making plenty more money.

If people prefer, we can also release some of the nations we conquered as vassals (short term stability at the cost of long-term income) or attempt to sell the land to someone else. Note that the only living country with cores in Greece (and the only one that would pay decent money) is Venice, who for some odd reason isn't talking to us.

[Mistral]

Better one of ummah then the infidels.

Its also a lot harder to get cores in MM so I dunno even if its even worth holding on to them.

Fortunately cores in MM aren't quite as important as far as income is concerned; if I recall the numbers properly, and the tooltips can confirm true or false, we should still get something like 75% tax income from non-core provinces compared to 10% of vanilla (where cores really hammer you is in administrative load; for every two non-core provinces, you could maintain three core provinces). On the other hand, with a non-accepted culture, heathen religion, and generally low tax base, we're not going to get very much out of them even with cores, especially since each owned province also increases all of our tech costs significantly, and we'll probably need to expand even further in Greece while curtailing our African expansion if we're going to gain it as an accepted culture (since accepted cultures are determined by percent income from provinces with that culture).

Reduce piracy investments: Our opinion is that the pirates are naught but ruffians and brigands. Exterminating them is cost-ineffective, but to rely on them seems foolhardy, and the funds to maintain them can be better put to use in our own fleet.

Pursue innovation, in moderation: Pushing for modernity and innovation is critical, but in times of unrest stemming from this push, it may be wise to pause a moment and allow society to adjust. ((Get ready for modernization, but don't set the sliders to trigger the last modernization event until the turmoil modifiers from this event have expired)).

Maintain neutrality in Islamic jurisprudence: It is unnecessary to favour one interpretation over another, and it may well be harmful as well. It is our belief that the neutrality of the crown in religious affairs should be maintained, and that authoritative rulings be determined only on a provincial level should any local clerical authorities begin to favour a specific school of thought and approach us specifically.
"The only people who should use the royal "we" are kings and editors." -Mark Twain

EDIT: Ah, missed that bebosteveo gave the specific numbers for MM cores above. Sorry about that. :smallredface:

[Talkkno]

bebosteveo one of your posts on the 3rd page images are gone.

[bebosteveo]

Fixed it!!!

[bebosteveo]

Episode 7: Because the Valve joke was getting tiring



The conclusion of the wars in Greece saw a sharp decline in Christian influences in the area. The invading armies saw to it that much of the resident heathen priesthood was driven out and the religious sites converted to proper mosques. Naturally, the local belief system underwent a similar upheaval and new followers flocked to the Islamic faith.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00001.jpg

Of course, managing this new territory brought its own problems. The sultan was but one man and as the nation grew, problems started to seep through the cracks.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00002.jpg
(This is either the first or second "bad" modifier which is more of an annoyance than drastic incompetence. As we gain regions the penalties grow as the government has a harder time managing so many people. We can counteract this with a better government form or various national ideas, but its difficult/impossible to maintain a "good" administration while still expanding into new territory.)

In 1504, Ahmad, a relation to sultan Uthman and the heir to the Moroccan throne came of age. At this point his inauguration was little more than a formality because despite his title, most realized that the true power behind the throne now lay in Algiers. Sultan Uthman prepared for significant backlash from his Muslim brothers, but instead he found nods of approval and acceptance. The Ottoman sultan even gave his full support of the new dynasty by offering to extend the Moroccan-Ottoman alliance to include Algiers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00003.jpg

Of course as soon as the agreement was made it was put to the test. Once again a heathen power, this time England with the help of Muscovy, set its sights upon the Canary Islands.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00005.jpg

As Morocco defended the islands and the Ottomans fought the English army stationed in Anatolia, Algiers once again put its navy to work raiding supply lines and transport fleets. Though the English navy consisted entirely of large, cumbersome ships that could not maneuver well in the calm seas, the shear number of vessels in their possession would have ensured victory in a direct confrontation. The war dragged on until 1508 when a white peace agreement was finally negotiated. Though the English armies were crushed and their possessions overrun, their navy closed the Strait of Gibraltar and proved an impassible barrier to their mainland.

During those years much had changed within Algiers. In February of 1505, the sultan Uthman had passed away at age 81, and his son and the heir to the throne was killed in a hunting accident the year prior. Of the later, many suspected foul play despite the proof to the contrary. The nobles of the realm convened and decided that Selim Hafsid was to become the next sultan. Though he had very distant relations to the previous sultan he was able to gain much support from the aristocracy by guaranteeing various rights that his predecessor had often ignored.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00007.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00009.jpg

Likewise, sultan Selim placated the Moroccan nobility by guaranteeing the rights of the local governments and estates to make and maintain the laws of the land.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00011.jpg

It was also about this time that the oppressed Orthodox majority in Greece had grown tired and resentful of its new Islamic rulers. Following the advice of his court and clergymen sultan Selim ordered the army to put down this rebellion. Those who did not surrender and repent were killed on the spot. Though it took many months to get the region back under full control, the overall result of this rebellion was a spark of conversions to Islam.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00010.jpg

The next few years of Algerian history are rather uneventful as sultan Selim did little more than further consolidate territory in Greece and enacted a few monetary reforms to curtail the rising inflation. Then, in December of 1510, the Ottomans called upon Algiers for aid in their war of reclamation to which the sultan Selim gladly agreed.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00017.jpg

As the Ottomans worked to reclaim its territories in Serbia and Bulgaria the Algerian navy held back the might of Portugal. Their entire coastline was placed under a blockade and the coastal towns and villages were raided for plunder. The raids were so lucrative that not only did they fully pay for the entire war effort, but they were also able to reward the Ulema for their support of the war effort.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-25_00018.jpg

Algiers finally agreed to end the blockades in December of 1515 because of the passing of sultan Selim and the institution of a regency council for the heir Muhammad Hafsid. Sensing the temporary weakness of the crown, several noble families took this moment to voice their displeasure with the royal policies that had been forced upon them in previous years. The conflict quickly escalated into a civil war as local strongholds in Sardinia and Greece announced their independence. However, the rebellion once again was violently put down by the royal army. The rebel leaders were sent into exile, their property was taken by the crown, and their positions granted to more loyal subjects.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-26_00006.jpg



International Developments:


The knights were crushed twice more. (and not by us!)

Spain has divided their navy into many small groups and is ferrying regiments into the Atlantic for *some completely unknown* reason.

The web of alliances/guarantees in Italy is starting to break down as Sicily, Genoa, and the pope line up against Naples, Venice, and Milan.

Martin Luther did his thing and Protestantism is starting to spread through the HRE as well as London.



Decisions to Make:


1) The Ottomans are planing to reclaim more of the Balkans and their next target is Ragusa. This will put them into conflict with Venice, their ally, and Spain, the defender of Catholicism.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventh%20Update/2011-08-28_00001.jpg

Shall we continue to support our ally in their wars, and if so, to what extent? We can likely help defend their coastline as required and make sure that Venice doesn't get any bright ideas. With Spain distracted by some threat across the seas to the west, some wish to see the return of Granada and the start of the re-reconquista, but on the other hand a land war in Spain will not come easy or cheap.


2) It is becoming more difficult for our sultan to manage all of the affairs of the state and with the possible inheritance of Morocco in the near future, that problem stands to become even worse. Some have suggested that we group all of the troublesome Greek states (Achaea to Naxos) into a single autonomous vassal nation. Though our income and manpower from those lands will be reduced and reduce our control over its development, this will greatly relieve the burdens of directly governing that region and free up our militias for other purposes.


3) Rumors spread of large uprising in northern Europe that calls for the reform of the Catholic church and has garnered strong opposition from the pope. However, that has not stopped several German duchies and England from converting to this new faith. What is our stance to this movement? Do we support them as the enemy of our enemy, or are they nothing more than a splinter sect of European heathen religion?

[Thanqol]

1) Do we support our allies against the infidels? What about that statement implies there is a choice? Of course we help the Ottomans. Of course we help the loyal sons of Islam shatter the Christians. Of course we wage Jihad across the waves and across stone.

2) We would support a loyal Greek sultanate, so long as they follow the true faith of Islam (You might need to do some modding for that to work though).

3) When liars fight liars, they all become blind. Ignore the petty internal squabbles of the heathens, but the weakening of the false Pope can only be a good thing - taking the chance to crush and burn Rome would bring much glory to Islam.

[Murska]

1) Yeah. If possible, freeing Granada would be awesome.

2) Sounds good to me. Small far-off areas are troublesome to govern anyway.

3) Well, technically we're supporting them by fighting against their foes. I don't see any reason to formally help them though.

[Kurgan]

1) We must support our brothers in faith. If possible, reclaiming portions of Iberia could prove beneficial to the faith. At the very least, we should ensure that neither Spain nor Venice can exert naval force in the Mediterranean.

2) If we can ensure that it will remain a loyal Muslim state, then I say we go for it. Otherwise, we should hold onto these provinces.

3) These splinters in the faith could prove useful to us. We should not support this new group, as one sect of Christianity is just as bad as another. However, we should take note of fracturing alliances caused by this crisis in faith, and take advantage of them.

[Hussam B.]

1) Honoring the terms of our alliance is recommended to both maintain our standing among our fellow nations. However, I suggest limiting our support to our most flexible arm; the navy, establishing blockades and attacking enemy shipping and reducing land expenses to the minimum needed to defend the Greek possessions.

A long term goal of restoring the Andalusian Emirates is desirable, but would require a large investment on our part as well as picking the best possible opportunity, therefore I suggest we focus our efforts towards achieving this goal.

2) In Greece, I propose the establishment of muslim vassels; as the fate is firmly established in each province, we appoint a suitable and capable lord as a vassel. (Basically releasing Athens, Achea, and Naxos, maybe selling the islands to them as well).

3) We should bide our time and watch our enemies for opportunities, while some suggested Rome, I propose we watch the Spanish, particularly the state of their alliances.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 8: Shifting the Eastern Front


The land offensive was rather predictable. The Ottomans leveraged their massive, well-equipped army and simply overwhelmed our foes. The Algerian navy blockaded the few Spanish ports in the region as the Ottomans cut off their cities from the land and demonstrated use of their new bombard technology. Unfortunately, the Algerian navy had grown complacent with its long string of successes and in August of 1519, Spain had the pleasure of re-teaching them the lessons of defeat.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-30_00001.jpg

Fortunately for us, Spain seemed to have no desire to actually fight this war. They made no attempts to leverage their naval advantage and allowed the Ottomans to take their eastern holdings. By 1521 they had abandoned the war entirely. (and as a junior partner in the alliance, we were also included in the truce) While there was some disagreement with this decision that rage was quickly redirected towards Venice, who had been attempting to reclaim its Greek holdings. As before, their fleet of merchant ships quickly collapsed when confronted with the Algerian marines.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00001.jpg

By the time Muhammad VI Hafsid rightfully took his throne in June of 1521 the city of Venice was again placed under siege by Algiers. Venice attempted to lift the siege in July, and although they were ultimately unsuccessful, they clearly displayed their technological superiority. Algiers was no stranger to muskets and gunpowder weapons, having issued them to naval officers and the like as well as employed a few companies in their armies for some time. Furthermore, they had proven their ability to face the musket-wielding Portuguese in previous wars. Their Venician counterparts, however, proved much more effective. Their weapons were strong enough to tear right through the heavy infantry ranks, yet their lack of armor and knowledge of the terrain made them extremely mobile. Three thousand musketeers were able to slaughter nearly seven-thousand men before being forced to retreat. The city fell in October of the same year, but it was a Pyrrhic victory if there ever was two.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00006.jpg

Sultan Muhammad was no fool, and he could clearly see that his military had fallen drastically behind the capabilities of the heathens of Europe. He immediately set about to reform his armed forces, providing greater training for officers and placing higher requirements on the fitness of enlisted men. In addition, large amounts of funding was directed towards foundries to produce greater numbers of these weapons. The hills of Algiers provided the iron and lead and gunpowder was simple enough to produce, there simply was not yet enough production capacity to supply an army.

Sultan Muhammad also set about reforming the nation's administration. After the proper leaders found and preparations made, the Islamic Sultanate of Byzantium was founded in Greece.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00008.jpg
(Releasing a vassal automatically makes them your religion and government. (hehe, despotic despotate) If I'm feeling adventurous this weekend I may mod the files to make them look less eastern European and change the name in-game, but no promises.)

With a much more localized government, the Byzantines quickly brought some of the more troublesome factions under control and proved much more efficient and gaining converts to the true faith. Although income to the Algerian treasury decreased, so did the expenses, resulting in a small, yet noticeable economic gain as well as a decrease in tensions in the local Greek populations.

In 1525, the Ottomans chose to take advantage of the political climate in the Balkans and waged a war against Hungary to regain its previously held territory. Algiers once again came to their aid, but such a gesture ultimately proved necessary as Hungary was barely able to hold itself together, let alone fend off the might of the Ottomans. Of course, that didn't stop sultan Muhammad from putting his newly forged cannons: the Hafsid Bombards into use. He happily watched as his new weapons toppled castle after castle throughout western Hungary until the end of the war in 1528.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00014.jpg

During the conflict, sultan Muhammad was approached by an officer of proven ability who asked to lead the armies on his behalf. However, even before he could open his mouth to explain his duty to lead the man was almost instantly silenced and removed from his courtroom. He latter supported this action as men of his faith were not to be allowed such positions of authority. This sparked a movement across the nation to purge anyone of questionable faith from government office.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00009.jpg

About this time, Algiers had gained considerable respect on the international front. It had expanded its territory against the odds, had nearly brought about the unification of the Maghreb people, and faced major powers such as Castile, Venice, and Hungary. And was often victorious.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00012.jpg
(We are now considered part of the upper class of the diplomatic scene, able to project our influence beyond our borders. Hurray!)

To commemorate these developments and to signal the completion of his administrative reforms, sultan Muhammad granted himself the new title: Sultan of Sultans, as a display of his and his nation's strength. Ultimately, this sentiment was more or less ignored on the international scene, but it would surely catch-on in time.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00016.jpg
(Like nations can be minor/average/major/great powers, governments can have minor/average/major/great importance to simulate their development from a forgotten backwater county into a respected empire. Mechanically, we get a very small prestige boost.)

The state of our affairs:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighth%20Update/2011-08-31_00017.jpg



International Developments:


Venice got their butts kicked by Austria.

The knights are back in Calabria.

Burgundy has expanded south into Savoy and company and shows no sign of dying like it usually does while France is still dealing with negative stability.

We're now only a couple points behind the HRE tech curve.

Bohemia is the new defender of Catholicism. (yay!)

All hell has broken lose in Italy, Rome has been sacked once or twice.

Major Protestant powers are Denmark (aka all of Scandinavia), England, Bavaria, and Naples.



Voting:


I can't think of any decisions to make at this point beyond "who, if anyone, do we attack next?". Popular targets include Spain (allied with Austria and Hungary), Sicily (at war with Naples/Knights, allied with Pope), Naples (who is all alone because its protestant), Genoa (allied with some minors, Poland, and Burgundy), and the Papal States (allied with Venice, Brittany, and Savoy)

As always feel free shout out preferred research paths or goals to accomplish on the way to our big-picture world domination. They can be simple (improve relations with Russia), complex (undermine Spanish merchant integrity), or just plain weird (obtain monopolies on sandalwood and linen)

Oh, we can build weapons manufactories soon which can boost income (about 3 regions worth of taxes) and provide land research points, but they're really expensive (2000+ ducats while our yearly income is <15). So, a simple yea or nay if you have any strong feelings there.



So, yeah. A bit busy lately and didn't spend quite as much time on this update, but I think its a passable read.

[Kurgan]

I say we push towards Sicily. It will give us access to Italy if we ever decide to press into mainland Europe, and with our fleets we can make sure no army can strike it.

It is also close. Should one of the great Christian kingdoms like Spain or France take control of the region, they could use it as a staging ground for an invasion of North Africa. It would be best if we grabbed the island lest this becomes a reality.

[Talkkno]

Hmm, anyway we could have trioplanta fall under our sphere of influence so to speak, if it that isn't already so?

[Thanqol]

Carthage once ruled Sicily, along with Spain. The Mediterranean is our right. Let us reclaim it.

And, because we have been asked for other milestones to progress towards:

- See the Orthodox Christian Faith eradicated from the globe.
- Rebuild the historic domain of Carthage; rename ourselves Carthage
- Convert Rome to Islam.

[Talkkno]

I think our priority should be working on reversing the gains of the re-conquistia, Spain I think is a bit too much of heavy weight though for us to confront directly at the moment, so we should undermine their position but not engage in direct conflict while we consolidate our hold in North Africa, which should be our #1 priority.

[Caewil]

Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica can be secured by our navy and encircle Italy's western flank. They should be our goal in the short term. Sicily should be the priority, since it was once Muslim.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 9: Unification


It was about this time that sultan Muhammad's health began to fail. Doctors were unable to point to the initial cause and regular blood-lettings did not seem to improve his condition. His last major action before passing away in November of 1534 was to institute his new cannon technology in the Algerian navy.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00001.jpg

The new sultan was Selim II Hafsid, his brother. This man was the embodiment of royal excess. Lavish balls, portraits painted by the finest artists, and grand displays of pomp and circumstance were the norm in his court. There were even stories of him ordering his servants to lie across the dirt and sand so that he might walk without dirtying his boots. Of course, the idea of sultan Selim allowing himself to walk anywhere was absurd, but such stories did nothing to improve his reputation among his people.

Of course, some of his indulgences were perhaps deserved, as he managed to finally unite the Algerian and Moroccan thrones under one ruler. The people of Tripoli were none too happy about this decision, having only recently been incorporated into Morocco, but the action was either supported or not noticed by the remainder of the population.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00003.jpg
(Because of the concessions we made earlier all of the Moroccan regions have "local estates" which take 20% of the region's taxes, trade income, and manpower from us and will do so for 150 years. On the bright side, we instantly got cores, which is nice.)

One day after taking the throne, sultan Selim was out inspecting his army, making sure that their armor was suitably polished and the officers looked the part. Upon hearing that they were not currently on their way to war, the sultan was thrown into a rage. He found it absurd that such fine, admirable men were not spreading the fame and glory of Algiers to foreign lands. Soon afterwards, the sultan declared war on Sicily. His advisors would make a number of excuses and posthumous reasons as to why the sultan chose then to attack, but ultimately sultan Selim chose there because it was the closest location on the map.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00006.jpg

Fortunately, the sultan had picked an excellent moment to begin the war. As the Ottomans laid siege to Genoa's eastern lands the Algerian navy did what it did best and dominated the Mediterranean waters. Even with the inherit risks of battle, the ranks of available seamen rose considerably throughout the war, due in no small part to the sultan's proposed solution to the "unsightly poor" issue.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00008.jpg

The island of Malta fell more or less unopposed in March of 1536, after which the army began its assault on Sicily proper. The first two landings ended in failures as once again the enemy muskets and knowledge of the terrain proved superior to Algerian infantry.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00010.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00011.jpg

But, after years of war against Naples the small island nation was spent. Their treasury and stockpiles of gunpowder were drained, their navy was in pieces, and nearly an entire generation of young men had been killed in battle. By the end of 1538 the entire island was a territory of Algiers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00014.jpg

The Jewish population that was living on the island was permitted to remain there for the time being. Resources could not be spared from the war effort to properly deal with the issue and the local laws made sure that they were suitably isolated from the rest of the population.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00015.jpg

A year later, a peace was negotiated with Genoa. The island of Lesbos was given to the Ottomans, the remainder of their holding on the Black Sea were left to revolt and joined the Golden Horde, and they were made to compensate the Algerian war effort.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00017.jpg

During this whole period (1535-1539), Sunni refugees had been arriving in Algiers. This was not a dislocation of a few villages, but entire towns and communities in Russia and India were fleeing religious persecution. They had heard tales of the great nation of Algiers and of its jihad against the Christians, and had hoped to start a new life where they would be protected. Naturally they were welcomed with open arms and merchant caravans were hired to ferry the masses of people across the Mediterranean Sea.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00018.jpg
(We got 5 of these events in 5 years, all for different regions.)

Attention was then turned towards the Papal States, the last remaining opponent in the conflict. Though Algiers only played a minor role in its fall to the Ottomans, the sacking of Rome on August 6, 1540 was widely celebrated throughout the nation. What became of the pope was not known in Algiers, but many people felt it should have been far worse as the Christian world seemed barely outraged.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00019.jpg

It was then a simple matter of crushing the few pockets of resistance that had risen up elsewhere. The Sultanate of Byzantium went to work putting down the fanatics that had organized an army in north-east Italy as sultan Selim led an assault on the fortress of Avignon. It was during this campaign that the sultan was struck down by a case of smallpox, despite the best efforts of the physicians. Few others seemed to mind and the new sultan was welcomed by the people.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00021.jpg

The sultan Abdallah began preparations to end this war and rewarded his vassals for their assistance.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00022.jpg
(MMU adds a bunch of vassal-overlord events like this where we bail them out of tough spots and they continue to send tribute without revolting.)



International News:
Pretty much status quo.

Protestantism keeps spreading and more HRE minors convert, but no one major and no sign of a religious war yet.

Keeping with their theme of not dying like they usually do (MMU even has a dedicated event for the purpose) Burgundy is now leading a personal union with France. (either we are all going to die, or something hilarious will come of this. probably both)

Naples has turned into that fat, socially awkward kid everyone picks on during recess.

Viewer Input:


The Papal States will soon lay crushed and broken at our feet with their precious, heathen leader rotting in some Ottoman dungeon, at best. (technically they already were, but they used some BS "we kick out the occupying force and get 8 regiments in each of our regions for no reason" event, so we have to do it again) What shall become of them? Do we institute a new ruler and force them to serve us? Take their land and ransom it off to the highest bidder? Claim Rome as our own as a show of power and strength? Any and all requests are encouraged.
(Full disclosure, I may be using some movie magic -aka cheating- here depending on what is possible through the game engine and to get around strange limits. Things like the "force vassalization" option costing 1 war-score point more than it is possible to actually get.)

The above, but for Sicily. Right now they own Palermo and are our vassals, but still Christian.

We can choose another national idea. If people want I can go into more detail on specific options, but for now I'll just give a brief summary.
Naval- Better admirals, more skilled crew, higher forcelimits, more prestige from battles, and small boosts to trade income, colonial range, and anti-piracy.

Land- Above, but land-ified and the trade, colony, pirate stuff is replaced with less war exhaustion.

Exploration- A greater number of more competitive merchants or the ability to produce colonists and send them into west Africa.

State/Administration- Ideas that are too varied to summarize well. Basically, they all provide a number of small but useful bonuses and will help counteract this:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Ninth%20Update/2011-09-03_00009.jpg
If we continue to expand, even with cores, these penalties will continue to get worse and the only way to counteract them is with administrative ideas or "better" government. Should people want some of the game mechanics behind this I can explain them.



EVENTS AND DECISIONS! DEBATE AND DISCUSS!

And of course if anyone cares to take on the voice of our Greek vassals or the assembly of Moroccan estates, then by all means go for it.

[Murska]

How does our navy compare to, say, Spain?

Also, any ideas that allow us to catch the technological gap faster?

If not, let's go with better administration. I'm not content with stopping our spread here.

For Rome, let's conquer it for our own as a show of strength. It'll probably lead to Christians getting really mad at us but I don't mind, it should be hilarious. We should conquer Naples too soon.

Sicily - I'd let it be for now. We should incorporate it into our nation at some point, but there's no hurry.

[Thanqol]

[A good update! Flowing a bit more into the characters of the rulers made this significantly more fun]


Brothers. Do we remember how Rome once burned Carthage to the ground and salted the fields so that nothing would grow there? Do you remember the slaughter of our men, women and children and the enslavement of our people? Do you remember those days of bloody war and humiliation fifteen hundred years ago?

I do.

I say we should exterminate the people of Rome and burn the city to the ground. We should obliterate this corrupt, putrid cesspit of Infidels. Rome has too long been the centre of the world. No longer. By destroying the city we shall destroy the heart of their empire.

I am sure our glorious warlike Sultan will agree.

[I don't know about modding mods, but adding an event that reduces Rome's population by half or more should be possible. Voting for military or religious ideas again]

[Kurgan]

Wait...all this talk of war has brought something to mind.

Egypt was the breadbasket of Rome. It is filled with fertile lands and vast riches, and it is right next to us.

These Mameluks, do they deserve such a gem? Nay, I say. Before we take our fight to the Christians, let us consolidate our power in North Africa, all of it.



Our administration works fine, our fleets are strong, but as our sorties in Europe have proved, our armies are faltering. We must reinvigorate them! (ie: I'm voting for army for our national idea)

In our current state we cannot hope to face all of the Europeans. Therefore I say we ransom the pope back to them once this war is over, filling our coffers for future exploits.

[Hussam B.]

A disorganized government is nothing to be scoffed at or underestimated, a weak government will lead to instability, weakness, and eventually the undoing of all we have achieved.

I propose we adopt and organize a strong centralized Bureaucracy, helping us govern the vast lands now under our control.

The sack of Rome is a symbolic victory glorious in itself, but attempting to actually seize the city itself is a foolhardy venture as it will only serve to unite the European in a grand struggle to reclaim the captivity, one we cannot hope to overcome at this point. The Bloodthirstiness of some of my colleague is distasteful, to say the least.

I propose we continue in our policy of securing the Mediterranean, particularly the islands; we should work to eventually annex the city of Palermo -by force if necessary- and seize the island of Corsica.

Perhaps then we can turn our attention towards Iberia or Egypt, though I dislike attacking members of our own faith, not to mention the great distance our army will need to cover, while the Iberian peninsula is nearer and we have the sea to aid our defense, should things turn sour.

[bebosteveo]

How does our navy compare to, say, Spain?

I don't know what France's navy looks like, but I think we're something like the 4th strongest navy power in the world. England is of course England, Spain has maybe 30-50% more ships than us and they are more modern, ocean-going vessels, and the Ottomans have about a dozen more galleys than we do. Then there's us with 2 dozen galleys, a dozen transports, and half a dozen captured light ships.


Also, any ideas that allow us to catch the technological gap faster?

Not really. I think there's one that reduces government tech costs by 2.5%, which won't make much of an impact. There is Scientific Revolution which boosts research by 20% across the board, but we first need to get 3 other pre-req ideas. So unless we want an entire societal upheaval it will be ~1700 before we can get it.


A good update! Flowing a bit more into the characters of the rulers made this significantly more fun

:D Thanks. I thought I'd try giving him a real personality for once rather than leaving him as the blank, face of the nation I was using before.


I don't know about modding mods, but adding an event that reduces Rome's population by half or more should be possible.

Shouldn't be too tough, I think it just involves writing up a text file and putting it in the correct folder. Worst case scenario I can use the "cause plague" spy mission and do a little save-scumming for more or less the same effect.

[Caewil]

Shouldn't be too tough, I think it just involves writing up a text file and putting it in the correct folder. Worst case scenario I can use the "cause plague" spy mission and do a little save-scumming for more or less the same effect.
You could just edit the save file as well. Find the province and drop the city population to whatever number you please.

I am also of the view that we should grab bureaucracy as our next NI.

[Talkkno]

I think we should focus our efforts against Spain.

[bebosteveo]

Looks like administration is a bit in the lead with a very slight preference towards burning Rome to the ground. Of course like with any multi-party system the winner is the first one to get 2 people to agree. I'll keep voting open for another couple days before running the next segment.

And because I keep saying I will but never do, here are the difficult to summarize administrative ideas and requirements for Scientific Revolution. For people who know the game but not the mod.

Administration Options
Guild Privileges
+5% trade efficiency, production efficiency, and taxes
5 administration points with a moral (aka mercantile) economy, which we very much are

Bureaucracy
5% better spy offense/defence, -20% advisor costs, -.02 inflation per year (a respectable amount), -2.5% government tech costs
5 administration points alone with another 5 for being centralized (which we are)

Bill of Rights
-2.5 revolt risk, -5% stability cost, 15 points/month stability investment, slightly faster core gaining process
5 administration points alone with another 5 for having free subjects (which we very much do not)

Church Attendance Duty
-10% stability cost, +10points/month stability investment, -5% missionary costs, +1% conversion chance
5 administration points alone with another 5 for being traditional (which we are not and are moving further away from)


Scientific Revolution (-20% tech costs), requires all of the following
Engineers Corps (the lower end of army improvements, but still not bad overall)
5% cheaper buildings, +.45 army morale (which is a fair bit), -.01 war exhaustion per month, +1 leader fire and siege skills

Cabinet (aka suckage)
+5% spy offence, -.1 infamy per month, +.5 prestige per month, secret behind the scenes protection from unnamed bad things

Patron of the Arts (aka extreme sucktastic)
-1 revolt risk, +2.5 prestige per month

[Hussam B.]

Hmm I recall Scientific Revolution requires any 4 of a wider number of ideas, where we do have excellent shipwrights already, so we need three more.

I also recall Revolution and Counter-revolution (event only), Humanist tolerance, and Ecumenism (though I suspect we're too level to get this also)

[Talkkno]

I'm voting for Bureaucracy as well.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 10: Notable Encounters with the Entrepreneurs of Infiltration for the Non-Exclusive Purposes of Sabotage and Subterfuge with the Intention of Benefiting One's Patron


Upon taking the throne, Sultan Abdallah immediately set about to reform the government of Algiers. It was clear to him that the nobility were unable to properly manage his territory, and working within their spheres of influence was far more trouble than it was worth. To solve this issue, sultan Abdallah expanded the network of servants and officials his predecessors had established to create a formal bureaucratic system. Judges and courts were supported by the crown to handle day-to-day disputes across the land and taxes would be collected through formal government offices, rather than through individual manors. Needless to say, the nobility was not pleased.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00001.jpg

The reforms were not part of some grand scheme by sultan Abdallah to increase his own power, though many disagreed with that sentiment. He simply did what he thought was necessary for the greater good. France, Portugal, Spain all had powerful monarchs and, though their fates were sealed as heathens, had proven capable of harnessing powerful technologies and forging empires. Even the pope had, at one time, ruled over all of Europe and many bowed to his whims. Whether he wanted it or not, clearly the best way to manage his nation was to unite his people under his sole rule.

1544 brought and end to the war against the pope.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00002.jpg

Romagna and Avignon were ransomed off to the Protestant powers of Modena and Provence, respectively. Rome itself, suffered far worse. Starting with the Vatican palace, fires were lit throughout the city, turning it into a raging inferno in a matter of hours and the salt mines of Sardinia were nearly drained to ruin the surrounding fields. Those who were not enslaved or outright killed sought refuge elsewhere, as there was little left to rebuild. Naturally, much of the Christian world was outraged, but they would rather deal with the spreading heresy than retaliate.

One established arm of the bureaucracy that few noticed was the Office of External Affairs and Countermeasures. Publicly it was an organization of diplomats, ambassadors, and notable figures. In reality it was simply the front organization for the Algerian espionage network. Sultan Abdallah predicted that there would be significant opposition to his rule both from internal sources (bitter nobles) and external (revenge for the defeat of the Pope), and so gave this group greater funding and authority to root out or cause dissent, depending on what the situation required. Their first target was the constant threat to Islam: Spain.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00003.jpg

Spain had recently undergone a succession crisis after being unable to find a ruler of sufficient pedigree and was already on the brink of trouble. Some gold in the right hands or a stash of weapons in the wrong ones would be enough to damage the nation. The OEAC did all of this and more. Algiers was the obvious suspect, but with rampant smuggling, revolutionary organizations breathing down their necks, and a battalion of traitorous officials, it took all of their resources simply to maintain order.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00005.jpg

Elsewhere, the OEAC sought to aid persecuted religious minorities throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. While aiding heathens was distasteful to say the least it was amusing to watch two groups fight over who was less wrong in their beliefs.

While operations overseas were going well, the situation at home took a turn for the worse. Sultan Abdallah reorganized the military chain of command and conscription laws to make him the sole and highest commander of the military in 1546.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00004.jpg

The nobility had had enough with these reforms and power-mongering sultans and would no longer sit idly by as their birthrights were stripped away. Some of the more prominent families fled to Sicily and Greece and attempted to organize their own nations, independent of the sultan's rule.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00006.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00012.jpg

Others who did not have the means or influence to forge a major revolt instead demanded a return to the old ways and stirred up as much trouble as they could when their requests were denied.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00010.jpg

Sultan Abdallah responded with a full military operation to crush the would-be rebels. A few disloyal estates stood no chance against the might of all of Algiers and the whole ordeal lasted less than three years. The island of Sicily was fully integrated into the nation while the late Islamic Sultanate of Byzantium was left fractured weak. However, the victory was short-lived. In his haste to raise a toast to celebrate the rebels' defeat, sultan Abdallah had neglected to employ his food taster and died to the poison in his drink.

His successor, Ahmad, was in many ways the image of his father Selim. That is to say, pompous, overbearing, and generally hated by his people. It didn't help matters that he had little interest in actually ruling his nation, trusting his officers and advisors to handle matters. His succession in 1551 marked the beginning of the Dark Age of Algiers. Spurred on by the bitter nobility and with no uniting authority figure the peasants of Algiers stood up in armed revolt against the sultan, the nation, and anyone who stood for a cause. Even the clergy, who had long served as the center of Algerian stability, could feel their control slipping away.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-11_00002.jpg
(that's the last "backwards thought" modifier. we are now fully modern
Also, HOLY CRAP 25 WAR EXHAUSTION)

Martial law was enacted and the army and local militia forces patrolled the streets in an attempt to maintain order. Sultan Ahmad ordered his government to give in to some of the more common demands in hopes of quelling the revolts, but it only empowered and encouraged them.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-10_00017.jpg

It took well over 20 years for all of the individual factions to be rooted out and complaints redressed, and only then due to the fervor dying out among the populace. By the time Muhammad VII came of age in 1571, sultan Ahmad was more than happy to step down and allow his son to take over rule of the nation. Though the chaos and disorder of the previous decades had died out, the new sultan began searching for ways to distract his people and prevent such a thing from occurring again.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-11_00007.jpg



International Report
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-11_00008.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-11_00009.jpg

Venice is out of the HRE and is the defender of Catholicism
Burgundy finally died and was absorbed by the HRE
The emprah (Bohemia) decided to tolerate heresy in the empire, so odds are low for a massive religious war.
Bohemia and Naples converted from Protestant back to Catholic
Portugal converted to Reformed and back
Portugal, Spain, The Ottomans and France are all having stability issues and the later 3 have active revolts.

Voting


1) Algiers has teetered on the edge of catastrophe. Some blame the declining respect given to the faith by the common man, others feel that the nobility can no longer be trusted with the responsibility of governing the nation. Some just really hate the sultan. Should such widespread discontent show itself again it could have far worse consequences. How shall we seek to prevent this? Do we return power to the local nobility, enact stricter laws and regulations on human behavior and further crush the radical members of society, or some other method?

2) Our previous vassal state in Greece has fallen apart. The city of Athens has joined the Ottomans, Naxos has declared its independence, and the remaining portions of Byzantium are weak and unstable. Do we work to reunite these lands and rebuild the state we created or do we ignore them, continue collecting what tribute we can and let the Ottomans clean up the pieces?

3) Even as the nation is falling apart some call for expansion. We can unite the remainder of Berber people to the east and fight the Mamluks, though they have a much larger army than us and fighting such a close nation will cause further problems at home and make many enemies in the world of Islam. (no casus belli and good relations means we take a 3 point hit to stability)

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-11_00011.jpg

Alternatively, we can cross the Strait of Messina and conquer our way north through rich Italy, putting us at odds with the entire peninsula and saddling us with land known for its disorder.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-11_00012.jpg

Or, we can set our efforts on Spain and Iberia. Though they are the strongest on paper their forces are scattered around the world (there's only 10k troops in Spain proper and minimal naval presence) and their homeland is under constant threat of revolt and disorder, only partially due to the efforts of our spy network. We should be able to make significant gains if we catch them by surprise.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Tenth%20Update/2011-09-11_00010.jpg



This update felt a bit awkward to write. Lots of stuff was happening, but it was mostly just killing rebels and felt like nothing was worth mentioning.

[Caewil]

I vote for the counter-reconquista. Spain shall be muslim once more!

[Thanqol]

I vote for the counter-reconquista. Spain shall be muslim once more!

So that's the conquestia then? I favour this too. Let the Greeks do as they will!

[Murska]

Yeah, let's take Spain.

Also, don't give rights to the Nobles or we'll have trouble stealing them back again. Try to use populism and victorious wars against the Spanish to keep order.

[Kurgan]

I'm just going to go ahead and second what these guys said.

[Caewil]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Califato_de_C%C3%B3rdoba-1000.png

That should be our eventual wargoal. Maybe create a decision to move the capital to cordoba and name ourselves Khalifa.

[Talkkno]

I'm throwing in my vote for Spain as well, and leave Greece alone.

[Murska]

That wargoal seems nice but a bit too limited. You know. I think the Pyrenees would make a nice defensive line.

[Talkkno]

Couldn't we also free Basquse as a buffer state?

[Murska]

Couldn't we also free Basquse as a buffer state?

What about make Burgundy our vassal and buffer state, separating our holdings from the rest of Europe?

[Caewil]

After a certain distance from our capital, those provinces in iberia will end up being counted as distant overseas. Not good for income, unless we fancy moving the capital to Europe. In which case we may as well expand to the new world since it's BB free for the same benefit but with better trade goods.

[Murska]

After a certain distance from our capital, those provinces in iberia will end up being counted as distant overseas. Not good for income, unless we fancy moving the capital to Europe. In which case we may as well expand to the new world since it's BB free for the same benefit but with better trade goods.

However, is it as awesome as conquering Europe?

Didn't think so.

[bebosteveo]

Murska has a point. Why put all the effort into scouting, claiming, and building a few plantations an ocean away when we can just take the wealthy and fully populated cities of Europe? Plus, we still won't know where north america is for another 100 years.

Update is in progress and with how the computer negotiates we probably can't claim all of that land in one treaty. Unless we just wait 20 years for occupied provinces to automatically convert to us. It all depends on how long they drag on this war and how much war exhaustion we're willing to build-up, just fyi.

Also, thanks for the map, I've been looking for something like that.

[bebosteveo]

Update the 11th


Upon taking the throne sultan Muhammad wasted no time mobilizing his nation for war. After years of sabotage and political unrest, Spain was weak and the sultan hoped that a successful conquest against the largest threat to Algiers would instill confidence in his people. And if he gained the favor of the clergy by purging the heathens, then all the better.

The war began in April of 1575. 10,000 Algerian soldiers were loaded onto hundreds of galleys and ferried across the Strait of Gibraltar. The first goal of the war was to liberate the last stronghold of Islam in Iberia from their heathen overlords. Hundreds had tried to live openly and endure the persecution, but even more took to the hills and cliffs to escape the inquisition. By December, these people finally had a refuge.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-13_00001.jpg
(it didn't copy for some reason, but the crescent means there is a "large" sunni community)

One of the men hiding among them stated that he was a general in the Spanish army before he offended the church and was forced into hiding. He offered to defect, but sultan Muhammad knew better and executed the spy.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-13_00003.jpg

While the Spanish navy was held in port the army marched north and occupied fortress after fortress. By 1578 they had pushed past the trading center of Andalucia, by 1581 the rich city of Toledo, and by 1586 the city of Madrid itself was under Algerian occupation. The royal family had already evacuated, but such a gesture brought the Spanish war effort to its knees. By 1587 a peace agreement was reached, which granted much of the rich, southern land of Spain and Portugal to Algiers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-14_00003.jpg
(That's the most the game would let me take)

Unfortunately, the sultan would not live to see the fruits of his conquest. His failing health during the final stages of the war forced his son, Musa III, to ascend to the throne and see to the negotiations.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-14_00002.jpg

On the bright side, sultan Musa was a brilliant leader. His mind for strategy was comparable to any of his predecessors, he was well spoken and influential, and had a wealth of new ideas for the nation at large. His first step was to weed out any incompetence in the nation's leadership. Regardless of creed, rank, or birthright sultan Musa completely overhauled the upper administration, hoping that the improvements would trickle down the hierarchy.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-14_00004.jpg

The Office of External Affairs and Countermeasures was strangely absent from his list of targets, but few bothered to mention such a relatively minor department. That was, of course, before it was given sole authority over the administration and governance of al-Andalus. The OEAC had spent years integrating itself into every facet of the region's bureaucracy with "an agent on every street-corner". Sultan Musa felt that it would be far easier to simply legitimize their authority than attempt to rebuild what they had already established. It would also provide justification as to why an office that was supposed to be a few diplomats and missionaries had a greater budget than the entire Algerian merchant's league.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-14_00006.jpg

The OEAC quickly repaid the favor by defending Algiers' and the sultan's reputation at foreign courts. Unfortunately they did not shed light on why so many foreign nobles were being assassinated as of late.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-14_00008.jpg
(We had about 3 of the infamous FRAMED events, but our espionage national idea blocked them all before they even began. I did not know that was possible.)

Sultan Musa otherwise maintained the status quo until 1590 when the Ottomans were attacked by the Austria-Hungary alliance. The war was rather uneventful as the Ottoman and Algerian armies rushed through the Balkans and reclaimed much of the Serbian lands that were previously lost to Austria.

However, even during these wars, the people called for more. The clergy looked to the remainder of Iberia and saw the restoration of the ancient caliphate, the OEAC wanted to expand their sphere of direct influence, and the common man wanted the glory and pride that came with crushing our rival. Given such popular support, sultan Musa had no choice but to continue the jihad against Spain in 1597. The backlash from the recently conquered regions was typical.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00005.jpg

As was the army's total victory over the remnants of the Spanish army.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00003.jpg

What was not expected was retaliation from the Franco-Russian alliance. One of the OEAC's meetings with the French ambassador turned into a bit of an argument after the later made a remark about turning Algiers into a French colony and the former chose to assault the ambassador with his own cane. Afterwards France chose to make good on its ambassador's promise, but was held off by the Algerian navy while the Ottomans were more than capable off holding off the Russian armies. The net result was an influx of Sunni refugees to Algiers from eastern Russia along with a renewed sense of strength.

The war in Iberia again went on without a hitch, ending in 1663 with the addition of even more territory to Algiers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00011.jpg
(Again, got the maximum amount of land the game would let me.)

Though history, it a strange turn of irony, chose to repeat itself. Just as the war was winding down sultan Musa was struck with a terrible illness and passed away, leaving the Algerian throne to his son Baba Aruj.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00007.jpg

Some of the minor nobles throughout the nation took this opportunity to demand the revocation of the OEAC and rebelled when the sultan refused, though they were quickly dealt with.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00010.jpg

Though he was not as skilled as his father, sultan Baba Aruj now had more responsibility than any noble in Algerian history. Not since the Almohad Caliphate of old or the ancient Carthaginians had the nation of Algiers extended so far. And that does not even take into account the monopolies on European sugar and carmine as well as the reputation of defeating one of the world's great powers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00014.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00018.jpg



International developments:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eleventh%20Update/2011-09-16_00015.jpg

We're starting to learn about land territories in Asia, so we might be hearing things about America soon. Not the land, just the water regions and knowledge of places that are "not water".

Naples is now reformed and is getting beaten up over it again.

France has finally started acting like France. They attacked the HRE and took a big chunk of the Low Countries.

Russia keeps expanding east and sending refugees in our direction as it kicks out the last remnants of Genghis Khan's rule.

Voting
We can get another idea. You know the drill at this point, pick your favorite component of the nation and make it better. We are currently at "inefficient administration" (the first bad one) if that influences people's choice.

Shall we continue our jihad against Spain/Portugal? The former is still incredibly weakened, but we have gained quite a poor reputation on the international scene which may come back to harm us if we aren't careful. (We are at the infamy limit and our leader is a crappy diplomat, meaning we'll stay there for a while and will be at risk for the FRAMED event.)

[Caewil]

If you take Leon, you could release it as a vassal state. Since releasing a vassal is 1 infamy/province and holy war gets you 1/province, you effectively get an infamy free vassal. Do the same to Aragon (save game edit to remove cores from provinces you want to keep) Then finally vassalize castille. We don't want a land border with France.

[Talkkno]

I think we should consolidate our gains and sit back for a while, thus I'm voting for administration.
Wouldn't freeing Baquse get us less infamy then simply grabbing more land?

[Caewil]

We don't have the free people CB, so it costs more - unless we get Bill of Rights as our next NI. - That would make it worthwhile. However, Basque would still be catholic and would probably not side with us for very long. Conquest using holy war and then releasing them as a vassal would be more reliable.

[Talkkno]

In that case I am reaffirming my decision for us to consolidate our gains for now and Bill of Rights should help tons since we just gobbled up a lot of territory

[Kurgan]

I believe we should consolidate our gains for the moment. Once people stop looking at us with hatred, we can resume our march.

In terms of targets, while I think we need to press Spain back further, I think it would be wise to actually leave it intact to act as a buffer state between us and the French. The only thing that has stopped the French army from occupying our land was the oceans, but if we press straight to their border, well, they could take control of almost half of our empire in one go.

[Murska]

Yeah, consolidate and then continue.

Bill of Rights... hmm. I think we might want to prepare for our eventual conquest of France with either administration or army ideas.

[Caewil]

I am in agreement with this but does MEIOU have the expiry date for the Holy War CB in 1650? If it does, our job will become a lot harder infamy-wise.

[Thanqol]

Ask yourself, Sultan. Would you be known as the man who spent the rest of his life cowering inside his fortress until you soothed the fears of the mewling nations of Europe? Would you put aside your Jihad for your entire life just because the Christians were thinking about fighting back?

Or would you blaze yourself a legacy that would have your name feared and respected forever?

Would you be known as the man who fought Spain and gave up halfway through? Or would you be known as the Caliph of Iberia? What will history say about you, Sultan?

(Ideas: Theological. Policy: Conquer Spain, badboy wars be damned.)

[Murska]

Actually Thanqol's fiery rethoric has convinced me. Let's take apart Spain first and only then consolidate before crossing the Pyrenees.

[Mistral]

I recommend an administrative NI in accordance with our plans for our sliders. Bill of Rights plus moving our sliders away from Serfdom to Free will help on that, as well as giving us free CBs.

As for the BB limit, do not cross it. BB wars are one thing (and we aren't well-placed to handle warring with the entire Christian and Muslim world alike), but the events are something else. It's bad enough in vanilla DW, but Paradox's events are a pale shadow of their original inspirations in MMU. Besides, it's already the 1580s. Portugal's probably well on its way to colonizing, especially since they still hold the Azores and Madeira, so Lisboa won't be easy to take anymore.

[Talkkno]

Ask yourself, Sultan. Would you be known as the man who spent the rest of his life cowering inside his fortress until you soothed the fears of the mewling nations of Europe? Would you put aside your Jihad for your entire life just because the Christians were thinking about fighting back?

Or would you blaze yourself a legacy that would have your name feared and respected forever?

Would you be known as the man who fought Spain and gave up halfway through? Or would you be known as the Caliph of Iberia? What will history say about you, Sultan?

(Ideas: Theological. Policy: Conquer Spain, badboy wars be damned.)
Do not listen to this hot heated fool Sultan, remember our ancestors stepped upon this path once before of reckless expansion on this very soil centuries ago, only to meet with ruin at the hands of Franks, the same result will happen again if we do not cease and consolidate our holdings and recover our strength.

[Thanqol]

Julius Caesar conquered all of Gaul, conquered all of Germany, conquered the entire Mediterranian. His name will live forever. He didn't stop and consolidate, and he ruled an empire that commanded the entire world. His empire is broken now, broken by Roman decadence and blasphemy, but even the Christian corpse of it to our north is still great.

Our question is what do we wish to be? Good? Or Great?

[From a narrative standpoint, think about it: One good, horrifying badboy war would be the most excellent dramatic turnaround for a game where we're blobbing to an unhealthily large point. We stand very, very little chance of getting a game over out of this, but we do stand a serious chance of being bloodied and set back a century or two.

I mean, do we want to 'win' or do we want to leave a beautiful corpse?]

[Hussam B.]

I find it strange for my "devout" colleague here to be in such a high reverence of some Roman emperor or other. Regardless, I believed we have fulfilled much in reversing the decline in the Andalus Caliphate and we can fulfill much more by consolidating our positions.

Our new acquirement will no doubt stoke Frankish ire against us, it would be wise for the time being to build up our armies and improve their quality in anticipation of the European counter offensive. The formation of an Engineers Corps would help us greatly.

((I imagine we are going to probably be hit by the FRAMED event, followed by a Bad Boy War, so we should probably anticipate that, especially with DoW from the Mamlukes or such.))

[bebosteveo]

Looks like we have 3 for and 3 against continuing the war with 1 remaining more or less neutral so far. I'll probably have to flip a coin to break the tie since I can't really decide which way I prefer. On one hand there's everything Thanqol said and our espionage idea has had an 80% success rate in blocking the framed event. On the other hand we have the "proper" response.

And just so we're clear, what do people mean by "consolidate"? Wait for war exhaustion to go away, get infamy below 50% of the limit, get rid of the nationalism revolts and convert the population?


does MEIOU have the expiry date for the Holy War CB in 1650?
I don't know for sure, but I would assume so. But as long as they have 1 Mediterranean province and the berber pirates are still around I think we will have a "holy trade war" CB on them. Its more or less the same thing but makes it more expensive to take individual regions. There's also a "holy war of expansion" that gives you a CB on neighbors of different religions, but I haven't been able to figure out the exact conditions needed for it.


And because I was curious I decided to look at how the international colonizing game has been going. Spoilered for spoilers:
North America:

Brittany has been colonizing NE Canada and the Hudson Bay area. England is slowly building up the 13 colonies plus 1 or 2 dots in the Caribbean. Spain has the usual holdings in the Caribbean and has divided the central american natives in half.

South America

Spain colonized the southern tip before we stunted their growth. Brittany has a couple regions in the NE corner of Brazil. The Incas are divided evenly between the Quito, Chimmu, and Amayra and their alliances seems to be keeping them from fighting one another. (I think those are the right names)

Africa

No European presence anywhere. Swahili has absorbed Mutapa, while the Kongo is just sitting around. Mali has conquered pretty much all of the west african tribes and has taken its first steps out of a tribal government.

[Murska]

Well for me consolidate would mean getting our infamy low enough to be able to continue the war without going over the limit too bad.

[Kurgan]

Well for me consolidate would mean getting our infamy low enough to be able to continue the war without going over the limit too bad.

Yeah, that is pretty much what I am thinking with consolidate as well. Basically 5-10 years of peace in order for us to build up our treasury, manpower, and to drop our infamy to manageable levels.

[Hussam B.]

I agree with the two previous perception of consolidation.

[Thanqol]

Consolidation clearly means consolidating all of Europe under Islam.

[bebosteveo]

Update the number twelfth

While the efforts of his predecessors had done a fine job of building and establishing an empire, there were still a number of issues in its administration. Between the Moroccan estates, the OEAC, and the many divisions of the royal bureaucrats one couldn't travel to the next village without being subject to a completely different set of laws and regulations. Sultan Baba Aruj hoped to rectify this by establishing a core set of laws and privileges that all citizens were required to follow.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00001.jpg

Much of this document simply formalized and standardized what was already commonplace throughout the nation such as the jizya tax or the right of citizens to settle disputes through religious rather than secular courts, if desired. However, the document also granted the peasantry the right to abandon an "oppressive" estate (a quality that was not clearly defined), an article that had difficulty in gaining widespread support. However, the people would soon adjust to the new ways.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00002.jpg

As Algiers recovered from the latest campaign and reforms, diplomatic channels were reopened with France. The two nations were still on rather hostile terms, but the OEAC and sultan Baba Aruj showed that Algiers could not be ignored on the international stage. The French king demonstrated his willingness to not interfere with Algerian affairs provided that the later would not exert its influence north of the Pyrenees/Alps. Glad to see one of the great chrisitan powers turn its attention north, the sultan happily agreed. Thus, the Andalusian Accord finally granted, in the eyes of the remainder of Europe, control of Iberia to Algiers.

That's not to say that the sultan then immediately rushed off for battle. Sultan Baba Aruj had become quite superstitious by the time he ascended to the throne. Magicians and fortune-tellers were a regular sight at his court since his youth and he would often been found conversing with djinn. Therefore, it was clear to him that the jihad against Spain had been cursed, which directly caused the sudden sickness and death of his father and grandfather. He attempted to delay the continuation of the war as long as possible, so that he would not befall the same fate.

His efforts lasted until 1611. A group of rebels had organized in Crete and were laying siege to the city, demanding additional freedoms and rights for the Christian minorities still living on the island. The royal army was set to arrive and crush the uprising within two months, but the people would not wait that long. On the 80th anniversary of the burning of Rome the duke of the city, Abdallah Amara, gathered his militia and assaulted the rebel lines. The few hundred guardsmen were able to catch the enemy army by surprise and the 4 thousand rebels were routed. The wave of popular support that followed this victory was unprecedented. The duke was promoted to the chief general of the army and sultan Baba Aruj had no choice but to begin preparations for war.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00005.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00006.jpg

The campaign started in march of 1614, and once again Algiers was poised for an easy victory.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00008.jpg

By this time, Portugal had become a greater threat than Spain. Even though their armies were much better trained they could not hold back the sheer number of troops Algiers was able to field.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00009.jpg

On the seas, their navy fared no better.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00010.jpg


http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00011.jpg

There were no significant engagements past the first year of the war, the opposing militaries had been completely exhausted and their command structure was in shambles. Algiers continued its march north, toppling any stronghold that opposed the new rule.

(Meanwhile in the HRE, a Protestant power takes the throne and reverses the previously tolerant stance on heresy.)
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00013.jpg

Portugal surrendered in 1620 and granted all territory outside of the city of Lisboa itself and a few Atlantic islands to Algiers, including the university of Beira Litoral.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00015.jpg

Hoping to gain favor with the sultan and the general populace, the jewish communities of Sicily gathered together and gave their support for the war effort. It wasn't much, but the additional funds and supplies allowed the sultan to reduce the war tax, to the pleasure of the populace.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00016.jpg

During the war, sultan Baba Aruj made the surprising decision to not lead his armies into battle personally. (the first in centuries) Instead, he spent much of his time traveling the land in search of a doctor or alchemist who could cure his illness, or at least delay its effects. Come May of 1621, his time had run out with no sign of a solution. With his death, his brother Abu took over leadership.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-26_00017.jpg

Sultan Abu was eager to continue the jihad, but Algiers was worn from the many years of fighting. Not to mention that soon after taking the throne, the sultan began to experience signs of exhaustion and blackouts, the first signs of his family's mysterious illness. Rather than continue fighting the war himself, the sultan was able to unite the various rebel factions of northern Spain and used his advantage in the war to free them from their oppressors. Though Algiers itself gained only a small amount of territory the establishment of two loyal sultanates in Iberia was a great victory for Islam.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-28_00002.jpg
(I decided to split the difference here and made them sunni, but not our vassals. Also, I left Madrid because the game is dumb and I didn't want to risk leaving Spain without a capital, causing a whole host of bugs.)

In the following years sultan Abu worked to consolidate his country's position in Iberia. In particular, mosques were built and missionaries were sent across the strait to convert the catholics, and in some cases pagans, to the true faith. One of these missionaries in particular, Rashid Merah, began organizing the clergy's efforts and brought in a great deal of new converts. Even the small heathen communities throughout the Mediterranean islands were able to be rooted out and converted under his guidance.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-28_00016.jpg

Algiers also sent troops and aid to the Ottomans, who were involved in a number of conflicts and border skirmishes with England, Hungary, Austria, and Russia. No territory switched hands and resulted in the status quo being upheld.

International summary:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-28_00017.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-28_00019.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Twelfth%20Update/2011-09-28_00018.jpg

Clearly the Ottomans are slacking on their missionary efforts. I blame Humanistic Tolerance.

Naples got more-or-less conquered by Venice.

France is duking it out with the HRE

Votes
Spain has been (mostly) driven from Europe and without a navy they are of no threat to our great nation. However, they are not defeated and their royal family had fled across the Atlantic. If we are willing to spend the money to equip a proper exploration fleet, we can attempt to locate where they have run to and ensure the destruction of our greatest threat once and for all. (basically, i'll force the explorer event to fire and we can go find 'murica)

Our country needs a new goal to rally towards. Shall we continue our domination of the Mediterranean and conquer Italy? Do we begin a campaign against Russia in retaliation for its decades of persecution of the Sunni faith? Shall we venture south into Africa and bring civilization to the primitive people there? Or do we expand our trading efforts and develop new sciences as we unite our people under one faith?

[Talkkno]

Isn't the Sarhara desert kind of in our way towards heading south? And would it would be possible for us to snag Tripoltana?

[Thanqol]

I have to say, an ill-advised vengeance invasion of Russia sounds like a fantastic idea.

(Seriously, in EU3 if you set your mind to it you can become at least a regional power within 50 years. We're quickly running short of viable threats.

Also, we need to arrange a Pretty Borders casus belli to annex the rest of Iberia. Look at how ugly those borders are right now!)

The alternate solution is to surround the entire Medeterranian with Algiers. Make the Medeterranian our lake.

[Murska]

Speaking of ugly borders, isn't there a Mamluk province between two of ours, isolating Cyrenaica? I don't suppose it'd be time to unite those who follow the right faith (right after we finish taking over the entirety of Iberia (I don't suppose we could mod the Portuguese and Spanish capitals to be in America so that we can take those provinces?))

[Thanqol]

Speaking of ugly borders, isn't there a Mamluk province between two of ours, isolating Cyrenaica? I don't suppose it'd be time to unite those who follow the right faith (right after we finish taking over the entirety of Iberia (I don't suppose we could mod the Portuguese and Spanish capitals to be in America so that we can take those provinces?))

If a country is reduced to one European province and a bunch of overseas colonies, chances are they'll relocate their capital by themselves. It'll wind up saving them a lot of money and let them abandon Europe safely. I've seen Portugal and Holland do this a few times.

[Caewil]

Mare Nostrum! I support taking Italy, declaring ourselves a new rome and becoming rivals with the ottomans. Clearly they are not doing their duty in spreading the faith, which is a disgrace.

[Kurgan]

We hold the Straights of Gibralter, the Mediterranean is already our pond. I have a new vision, a vision of a united Africa. We simultaneously press south and bring civilization to the barbarians and move eastwards, stabilizing Egypt and securing our borders once and for all.

Spain isn't a threat, all we need it one more war to force their king to hand over the last of their European territory. After that, what does it matter that they still exist somewhere several thousand miles away?

[Murska]

But Africa is so boring. There's absolutely nothing there.

[Kurgan]

Well...part II of that plan was to use our new resources to conquer the Ottomons, storm Russia, and then conquer all of Asia. I just didn't want to spoil that part...

[bebosteveo]

Isn't the Sarhara desert kind of in our way towards heading south?

Only a little. There's some habitable area down the middle and along either coastline.


Pushing the Mamluks back across the Sinai is a viable option since they're still holding onto part of Tripoli, Alexandria is just 1 region away, they're still a bit backwards technologically, and are embargoing us for some reason. We may even be able to get Hedjaz (those guys that control Mecca) and/or Yemen to help out, but we're definitely going to piss off the Mughals and the rest of the Middle East and it will be rather costly infamy-wise. (whether that's a good or bad thing is up for debate)


I assumed people would want to finish off Iberia, so I didn't bother bringing it up. Spain already moved their capital out of Europe and I figured out how to deal with Portugal without breaking everything. Consider them annexed within a year or two, once the truces wear off.



Well...part II of that plan was to use our new resources to conquer the Ottomons, storm Russia, and then conquer all of Asia

New military training regimen: drop the new recruits across the Black sea in November. Anyone that survives until March gets a gun and the privilege of pushing the Russians back north.

[Murska]

New military training regimen: drop the new recruits across the Black sea in November. Anyone that survives until March gets a gun and the privilege of pushing the Russians back north.

Why are you spoiling your recruits so? (/Finnish)

[Talkkno]

I support us pushing towards Africa.

[bebosteveo]

I have returned! And have completed the things that have been needed to be brought to completion.

Episode the 13:


As with the multiple treaties before it, the peace brokered in the 1620's was little more than a temporary break in the Algerian reconquest of Iberia. In fact, sultan Abu's main concern for several years was to reign-in his army and nobles and prevent them from breaking the treaty before it had expired. Algiers may be a group of bloodthirsty warmongers to some, but we keep our word. If an Algerian says that he will kill you in 3 days, you can be sure that the next two nights will be the most peaceful you've had.

Regardless, in January of 1633, the day that the cease-fire ended, Algiers marched once more and toppled the few remaining Christian strongholds in Iberia. The war was once again rather uneventful. Even the betrayal of some of the nobles in Aragon barely amounted to an obstacle. Venice's attempts to stall the advance of Islam were equally futile.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-03_00002.jpg

By May of 1635, Iberia was free of both Spanish and Portuguese influences and the buffer states along the Pyrenees had been purged of dissent. The re-reconquista was complete.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-03_00004.jpg

Of course, the usual missionary efforts were still under-way. Much of the southern regions had accepted Islam, though nearly 2/3's of the population were still foolish heathens. While most missionaries took to preaching and demonstrations, some used more aggressive policies. These people, who called themselves The Brothers of Ismail, attempted to "spread the faith by the sword" and brutally attacked anyone that would not convert to the true faith. A rather small movement, they could do little in Iberia without being overwhelmed by the native population. However, they did see to the burning of multiple Catholic settlements throughout the Mediterranean and the expulsion of those small communities they could find.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-03_00006.jpg

While the conquest of Iberia was celebrated throughout Algiers, it had also caught the attention of the international powers. Sultan Abu showed that Algiers had the strength and will to shape the face of Europe, and other countries were finally willing to show the respect such a nation demanded.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-03_00009.jpg

Unfortunately, sultan Abu's attempts to establish the Algerian Caliphate and crown himself Emperor did not go over quite as well, and in fact was met with insults and ridicule.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-03_00014.jpg

In particular, the Mamluks took offence to some of references in his decree as the "supreme and highest ruler of all of Africa", of which they would not accept. Negotiations quickly spiraled downward until sultan Abu ordered his armies into Egypt in May of 1639. If the international community would not give his nation what it deserved willingly then he would simply demonstrate the consequences.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-03_00013.jpg

The odds were stacked against Algiers, as the Ottomans no longer stood at their side (not wanting to associate with a man with "delusions of grandeur") and either the Mamluks or Mughals alone would be difficult to defeat. The campaign began on a high note with Tripoli secured and the 12k+ strong expeditionary forces from both the Golden Horde and Mughals were crushed in Libya. However, when sultan Abu attempted to push into Egypt, he was met with the entire Mamluk military force.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-04_00003.jpg

The traditional Algerian strategy of overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers, which had worked well against Spain, was wholly ineffective against the larger mass of troops. Sultan Abu rallied his men in Tripoli and began launching a series of smaller raids into the east, hoping to wear down the larger force before being overwhelmed. Meanwhile one of his generals, Jamal Hacini, managed to maneuver a number of troops past the enemy's lines and began raiding the lands along the southern Nile.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-04_00007.jpg

The war continued on for years at a stalemate where neither side could muster the strength to break the enemy's force. That did not stop them from trying, of course, as thousands were killed every month on both sides from any number of engagements and raids. Algiers was forced to hire mercenaries from the Arabian peninsula and India for the first time in recent history to simply maintain its ranks. However, Algerian gold was able to outlast Mamluk recruitment and sultan Abu was finally able to break the opposing army in 1646.

As much as he wished to seize the advantage and press onward into Egypt, he simply did not have the army he needed to do so. With nearly 2 generations of young men killed his nation was beginning to fall apart and the fabric of society had begun to tear. He barely had the manpower to maintain order let alone expand his influence. Arguably the only thing keeping the peace on the homefront was the increased activity of the Barbary pirates, who had a habit of eliminating those who spoke out against the sultan ...

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-06_00002.jpg

... as well as giving productive, anit-piracy tasks to the more extreme members of society.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-06_00004.jpg

The sacking of Alexandria in 1647 was the last major event of the war and was enough to convince the Mamluks and Mughals to agreeable peace terms.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-06_00009.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-06_00010.jpg



International Summary and stuff

Our current level of war exhaustion:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-06_00011.jpg

The Eastern Front:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Thirteenth%20Update/2011-10-06_00012.jpg

We did lose the holy war casus belli but kept the holy trade war one against pretty much everybody in Italy.

Italy is still just fighting one another with rampant piracy everywhere.

Mali has claimed the defender of the faith title. Not sure how they got that kind of money since it costs at least 2000 ducats.

Like I said, the Ottomans ditched us when we attacked the Mamluks and are now ignoring us, leaving us with no friends of significance.

I got notifications about the 30 years war starting in the HRE, but I haven't seen any real fighting there.



Voting and stuff
With the loss of support from the Ottomans we are now alone on the international scene. We can attempt to repair our relations with them, though such a task would be extremely difficult to say the least. Alternatively, we can try to bring some of the smaller states in the Middle East under our wing and hope they can serve a a buffer against the Mughals in the future. Or we can stand alone, as we have for decades, and continue to take what is ours by right regardless of what the international community thinks.

As we claim more and more of the Mediterranean as our own the Barbary pirates continue to become more of a threat and less of an asset. This is further complicated by the fact that we have made enemies of their main outfitters, who we cannot trust to be impartial in how they use their assets. Shall we continue supporting the pirates and their destabilization of Italy or do we protect our own interests first and hunt down these troublemakers, claiming their conquests as our own?

Speak up if you DON'T want to see us crush a de-militarized and de-stabalized Egypt once our manpower is replenished. Or if you have a preference between taking the Nile Valley vs the Holy Land/Syria.

[Murska]

Holy Land. Repair relations to Ottomans if possible. Kill the pirates and take Italy for our own.

[Thanqol]

The Sultan has gone mad. He has launched an unprovoked, murderous attack on the Faithful in Egypt because they denied his arrogant claim to the title of Caliph! He is letting the Infidels walk free, abandoning the war for Europe, to expand his own personal power and enact petty revenge!

No more, I say! Not another faithful son of Islam dies for the greed of the would-be Caliph! He must restore the borders of Egypt to their rightful places and make reparations with Egypt and the Ottomans! He must return his attention to the Infidels at once, as God has decreed!

And if he does not, it is time for the Faithful to rise up. It is time for mortal kings to be reminded that his power is given to him by God, and can be taken away by God. And as the Faithful are the hands of God, this task falls to us!

Sultan Abu, bow your head and be humble! Remember your place!

[Voting for a Theocracy]

[Talkkno]

The Sultan has gone mad. He has launched an unprovoked, murderous attack on the Faithful in Egypt because they denied his arrogant claim to the title of Caliph! He is letting the Infidels walk free, abandoning the war for Europe, to expand his own personal power and enact petty revenge!

No more, I say! Not another faithful son of Islam dies for the greed of the would-be Caliph! He must restore the borders of Egypt to their rightful places and make reparations with Egypt and the Ottomans! He must return his attention to the Infidels at once, as God has decreed!

And if he does not, it is time for the Faithful to rise up. It is time for mortal kings to be reminded that his power is given to him by God, and can be taken away by God. And as the Faithful are the hands of God, this task falls to us!

Sultan Abu, bow your head and be humble! Remember your place!

[Voting for a Theocracy]
I second this, we should settle down for a bit and try to get the Turks back on our side.

[Kurgan]

We should finish off the Mamluks while they are weakened. They snubbed us. The world must know what happens to those who snub us. Once they are taken down, I believe we should consolidate our holdings in Africa and Iberia, and begin making preparations for some action in the Italian peninsula.

We should repair relations with the Ottoman Empire as soon as possible, for together we are much more than either of us is alone. However, if they abandon us again, I say we do unto them what we did to the Mamluks.

The pirates. Support them for now, they are useful. But once we have taken all of the valuable ports from the Christians, their use will have ended. When we hold Italy, we cut their funding.

[bebosteveo]

update of the number the fourteenth:

Sultan Abu had expected to return home as another celebrated conqueror after his successful, if costly, war against the Mamluks. What he found instead was a nation being torn apart by food riots, heretical uprisings, and a powerful clergy that was not at all pleased by his actions. Unable to handle so many issues by force, he sought to win over his opposition diplomatically. The fairly poor territories the sultan conquered in Libya were returned to the Mamluks to silence the calls of "warmonger", direct support to the new nations of Iraq and Numidia was cut to ease foreign tensions, and special privileges were afforded to the clergy and nobility to placate those with the power to overthrow him.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-18_00005.jpg

The sultan had accomplished his goal of castrating a rival nation, allowing them to serve as an example to others, and believed that these token gestures would be enough to maintain his approval with his people without looking weak. And for many, it was. The Turkish sultan demonstrated his approval by re-honoring the Algerian-Ottoman alliance and several prominent members of the state threw their support behind the sultan.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-18_00003.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-18_00004.jpg

That did nothing to prevent the plots against his life, however. As sultan Abu was marching into Tunisia to put down an uprising and restore order, his army was caught in a sandstorm. By the time the dust had cleared he was found to have been stabbed multiple times and ultimately killed by an assassin. Not only did this result in the usual problems of the death of a king, but there was also no heir to replace him. His brother had died a number of years prior and sultan Abu remained childless for the extent of his life.

Without a proper line of succession, the Hafsids risked losing their 200 year dynastic hold on the Algerian throne. Eventually, the nobility resorted to passing the line of succession through one of the previous sultan's daughters and granted the throne to the oldest living male of that line: Uthman the fourth.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-18_00007.jpg

As competent as he was, it was still no easy task to drum up support for what many saw as a pretender to the throne. Desperate to maintain their position and avoid a civil war, the Hafsids made a number of concessions and privileges to the nobility and clergy, including, perhaps foolishly, the right to veto such "problematic" decisions relating to the line of succession. Regardless of how uneasily it was obtained, sultan Uthman had the support of his nation.

For the next decade, sultan Uthman worked to undo the damage caused by his predecessor and restored a sense of peace and stability to the nation. He also attempted to rebuild ties to the remainder of the muslim world as he aided the Ottomans in further pushing the christians out of eastern Europe.

While he was no puppet ruler, the circumstances leading to his ascension forced him to pay much greater heed to the wishes and demands of his advisors and court. Thus, when popular support turned towards Italy and of a unified, Islamic Mediterranean in 1663 he had no choice but to lead the campaign.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-19_00001.jpg

That's not to say he was particularly dreadful of his duty, as even the entire peninsula could not stand against Algiers, but the lack of his willful decision left a bitter taste. Regardless, the latest fortress of the Knights in Calabria was conquered by 1665, by '66 all of Naples was under control, and by the end of 1668, the city of Rome was once again under Algerian occupation.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-19_00004.jpg

But this time, there was no fanfare, no parades through the streets as Rome burned. The pope had grown so impotent, and Algiers so powerful that such a display of power was virtually expected, if not long overdue. The Catholic population of Algiers was naturally upset, but otherwise sultan Uthman was a victim of his predecessors successes.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-19_00002.jpg

Algiers had traded glory for infamy and technological innovation for bureaucratic stagnation. For all the insults and put-downs, this inverse Rome was eerily close to repeating history.


Summaries of important stuff

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-19_00011.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-19_00010.jpg
We finished converting Iberia. Well, our part of it. Mostly.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-18_00001.jpg
Another major religious war in the empire ended with more tolerance.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-19_00012.jpg
I think we're leading the world in government tech (totally not because i may have accidentally put the slides to 100% government research and forgot about it for 2 updates), but we're ~5 points behind in land, 8 in naval, and probably 5-10 in production/trade. The amount of land we have is really killing our research budget.

Votes

With the late sultan's death and the lack of an heir for the current one, the royal family is at their weakest point. Do we seize this advantage to guarantee what powers the monarch can and cannot claim for future generations (constitutional monarchy), or do we abolish the monarchy altogether while we have the chance, forming a republic of wealthy and noble citizens in its place? Or we can bestow the full grace of God onto our sultan and watch as the heavens guide him to greater wisdom and fairness (absolute monarchy).

We can now pick TWO new ideas. Again its the usual naval, army, trade, administration options although for the last category, there isn't much left. There's church attendance duty, but its less useful with an innovative policy (like us). There's also humanistic tolerance, but again, that seems rather out-of-character.



Oh, and I'll just leave this here, in case it would influence your decisions:

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/lets%20play%20fourteenth%20update/2011-10-19_00009.jpg
(take out the ottomans and our militaries are about equal in number, but theirs is noticeably more advanced. also, they're at -1 stability and our spies have a decent chance of accomplishing useful things)

[Thanqol]

Insert usual fiery Islamist rant and vote for a Theocracy here.

But really, the time is perfect for it. The line of kings is dead. The pretender who squats on the throne is fooling no-one, no matter how many limp-wristed concessions he makes. The law makes no allowances for inheritance through the female line. Moreover, he is vastly unpopular as a person amidst foreign rulers, and a feeble general at best, better suited to run a fruit stall than a nation.

It is time to bury the throne, as we should have with the last true King who sat upon it.

Ideawise, Church Attendance Duty and the moves towards Tradition required to make it work! A Bureaucracy or Cabinet wouldn't go amiss either. Anything to weaken and disperse the power of the false king and empower the Clergy.

[Murska]

How does our Navy measure up?

I'd go with two Army ideas to get our military up to par with the remaining Catholic powers.

I would try and negotiate a deal with Thanqol's extremists in that we should move towards Theocracy via a step-by-step method of first admitting the nobility into the ruling class as well as the priests. (Republic, please.)

Most importantly, now that we for whatever reason didn't take apart the Mamluks, we should go and instead conquer ourselves a France. :smallbiggrin:

[Thanqol]

I would try and negotiate a deal with Thanqol's extremists in that we should move towards Theocracy via a step-by-step method of first admitting the nobility into the ruling class as well as the priests. (Republic, please.)

A republic where the nobles are as represented as the priests would be... agreeable. Algiers contains a vast amount of territory and, we admit, it would be difficult to assert religious authority directly. We could negotiate a division of powers; the nobles over wealth and the sea, the clergy over the people and the army.

The one fact that stands is that the monarchy has lost God's favour, and must be heeled and replaced by more pious men. A false king is as bad as an Infidel sitting upon the throne.

[Talkkno]

Couldn't we just hold off the Frank hordes by holding up along the Pyrenees?
I think we should grab some more naval and army ideas to shore up our tech gap.

And yeah Noble Republic sounds good.

[Murska]

Hold off, sure. But why would we be content with simply 'holding them off'?

[Talkkno]

Hold off, sure. But why would we be content with simply 'holding them off'?
I think we should hold at the Pyrenees and simply bleed them dry, then launch an offensive after they wear themselves down climbing up the mountains.

[Kurgan]

What is this talk of stripping the king of his rightful power? Treason I say! Maintain the monarchy, or we shall live to regret it!

For those saying invade France, I think you are missing the big picture. We still have half of Italy to take, and once that is under our boots, we can strike the French from two sides! This is a sure-fire way to success!

This new idea of ours, we need to put it in the army or navy, so that we can compete with our rivals not just in the Mediterranean, but on a global scale.

[bebosteveo]

How does our Navy measure up?

Compared to France? Pretty good. They might have 1 naval idea, which puts us on even footing, if not at an advantage technologically, not to mention that most of the ships listed on the last image are Brittany's (who is using them to fight pirates off the coast of canada). Factor in the usual AI mistakes and the Ottoman fleet of 60+ galleys and I believe we will see domination of the seas within the year. /end famous last words

Compared to the rest of the world? In descending order: England -> Denmark -> Ottomans -> Us -> Everybody Else. Ming might squeeze somewhere in there with sheer numbers but they don't really qualify as a threat. Of course, most of our ships are smaller, outdated designs (we could overwhelm most navies within the Mediterranean, so there was never much need for replacement or building our own) and about a third to a half of the fleet is galleys and other non-ocean vessels.



We still have half of Italy to take, and once that is under our boots, we can strike the French from two sides

True, but that is the Austrian half of Italy, which could prove troublesome to conquer. Besides, I'm sure the fine people of Milan and Genoa wouldn't mind a few armies passing along their roads. Just drop a stack of Korans at the toll booth and mosey on through.

[bebosteveo]

Midterms, enough said. But no matter, the show must go on!

Episodic Variety of the Fifteenth:

The war against France would soon occupy all of the nation's efforts. But before the campaign had even begun, Algiers was assaulted by the few remaining independent princes of Italy.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00004.jpg
(Genoa, Sienna, and Savoy were also in there)

Faced with a two-front defensive war, Uthman found little support among his people. Not only had his lineage been called into question on multiple occasions, but the ruling class had its doubts about this puppet's ability to defend their assets. The nobility, clerics, and wealthy land owners and merchants chose to unite and force the sultan to accept a number of "emergency measures" that would distribute traditional monarch powers to various local institutions in hopes of better dealing with threats at home and abroad. The words of Rashid Merah, who had long been the face and voice of Islam in the west, and his views on the right of "a man of wealth to control that which has made him wealthy" certainly helped to gather support for this movement.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00005.jpg

Hoping to avoid even greater turmoil that would weaken the nation in the face of a great power, the sultan had no choice but to accept.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00001.jpg

In particular, this governing body set about improving the equipment and training of the military, which had relied too long on overwhelming numbers. At times this included recruiting or otherwise legitimizing the actions of various pirates and warlords from the Christian border, but quality soldiers were in short supply.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00002.jpg

This fact was quickly proven on the eastern front. The Apennine mountains greatly restricted the movement of troops through its many valleys and divides. The accurate and lightly armored Italian musket men had an almost unbeatable advantage in this territory compared to the Algerian military, which relied on maneuverable cavalry and heavy infantry. Pyrrhic victories became the norm for the defending nation.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00006.jpg
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00007.jpg

Meanwhile on the western front, the generals took to guerrilla tactics, hoping to take out smaller, isolated divisions once they climbed into the mountains. It was no doubt a successful strategy, but its effectiveness against a behemoth like France was questionable.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00008.jpg

Regardless, the losses that France sustained the Islamic buffer states was enough motivation for them to agree to peace with Navarra. Considering that the Algerian and Ottoman navies had already blockaded the entire French coastline and sunk the few ships they possessed, this was a rather odd choice as it left Algiers safe from French assaults. Regardless, this was seen as an opportunity to divert greater attention to the east. The Italians had spent a great deal of money fortifying their fortresses, hoping that it would hold back the advance of Islam, but no castle can stand forever.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00011.jpg
(imagine laying siege to that, but in about 5 different regions)

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00014.jpg

Meanwhile, diplomats were sent to negotiate with the holy roman emperor, himself. After much debate and likely fearing a powerful France, he was finally convinced to allow Algiers access to the port city of Calais.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-10-30_00016.jpg

From there, Operation Windsprints was launched. By launching raids from the coasts, assaulting various castles along both the north and south border, and sponsoring assorted rebel groups, Algiers hoped to wear down its opponent and prevent it from launching a mass counter-attack. It was the best chance the military had of making gains against a stronger foe, but some couldn't help but compare it to fighting a beehive with a needle.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-11-03_00001.jpg
(each of those "units" is actually between 5-10k troops)

That said, Algiers was not without its advantages. The spread of Islam across Iberia and the Mediterranean also expanded its influence into Europe, as Algerian-grown wine, olive oil, and salt was shipped north for various linens and metal ores. France in particular had a significant role in this trade due to its closeness, and so had a number of Algerian sympathizers among its ranks. A number of bribes and called-in favors later, and the Algerian intelligence network began their own campaign of subterfuge.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-11-03_00008.jpg
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-11-03_00010.jpg

Attacked from all sides and within, the French nation finally showed signs of weakness.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-11-04_00005.jpg


Voting:
Sultan Uthman has passed away, and we need a new ruler, a proper Consul, to lead the nation. Our choices are:

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-11-04_00003.jpg
Zahir Selmi, a member of the war council under the late sultan who was responsible for actions along the eastern, Italian front. As one might expect, he intends to continue this total war and bring about an end to French influence in the area while expanding the Algerian empire north.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-11-04_00002.jpg
Bachelor number two is Ahmad Hacini, leader of the Office of External Affairs and Countermeasures. His plan involves backing out of the current land war (after using our current advantage to negotiate the surrender of much of the French wine country) but continuing to fund our spy efforts and taking advantage of the next opportunity that presents itself.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20fifteenth%20Update/2011-11-04_00001.jpg
Rashid Ilaes is a Moroccan noble who prefers a cut-and-run strategy. If given the opportunity, he would establish a number of puppet dukes and princes in the southern-France of old and use their tributes to repair much of the infrastructure that has fallen into disrepair during the war as well as further strengthen the administration of the new republic.

[Murska]

I vote for Ahmad Hacini and his strategy. Puppet dukes would slow down our advance further into France later on, whereas being overly aggressive now could result in the destabilization of our gains.

[Thanqol]

It has been a good few decades. There is nothing left to say or rail against. The nation is ruled by enlightened men. Death comes for the infidels. Islam is strong and shall grow stronger.

Zahir Selmi shall have the voice of the priesthood behind him, but we shall support whatever leader the council decides upon.

(Also, screw MMU. Why does voting for a military candidate for office carry a 60% chance of damaging your military? That's incredibly stupid.)

[Kurgan]

Zahir Selmi sounds like the man we want. France won't just crumble in on its own, we need to force them to fold! With France broken, we lose our greatest threat in Europe and gain all of the wiggle room we need.

[bebosteveo]

Why does voting for a military candidate for office carry a 60% chance of damaging your military?

Probably to continue the theme of "no net gains in the short-term" that is everywhere in the game. Sure if you're planning ahead you can take that 50% hit to manpower, get your 8 star military leader, then go to war after recovering, but if you react to changing events it'll cause problems.

Still, I agree and think its one of the things they modded a bit too far. Like how we still don't know that the Azores even exist when american colonies have expanded to the mississippi river and there is a butt-load of trans-atlantic shipping/migration going on.

[Talkkno]

I'm voting for Rashid Ilaes, we should rest and consolidate, focusing out gains on Italy, not France, which is far easier pickings.

[Thanqol]

Probably to continue the theme of "no net gains in the short-term" that is everywhere in the game. Sure if you're planning ahead you can take that 50% hit to manpower, get your 8 star military leader, then go to war after recovering, but if you react to changing events it'll cause problems.

Still, I agree and think its one of the things they modded a bit too far. Like how we still don't know that the Azores even exist when american colonies have expanded to the mississippi river and there is a butt-load of trans-atlantic shipping/migration going on.

What's it meant to represent though? That your bloodthirsty new military candidate picks up a sword, goes down to the barracks, and kills forty six thousand soldiers so that there'll be a fair fight against the franks he was voted in to oppose? I can buy electing a military candidate raising infamy, for example, because other nations are guarded about a guy running a platform of 'murder foreigners'. Or neglecting infrastructure. I can't buy this.

Bad design.

[Murska]

I'm voting for Rashid Ilaes, we should rest and consolidate, focusing out gains on Italy, not France, which is far easier pickings.

Maybe you should vote for Hacini then, which is basically the same result as you say you want except with the added bonus of France being destabilized and no longer a threat, to avoid the military winning out and continuing the total war right away.

I mean, we're a strong well-led nation, we can take the war exhaustion and attrition a drawn-out war brings and we can probably survive the diplomatic repercussions of getting a bit overly greedy in France, but that doesn't mean it won't set us back in the long run.

Also, yeah, I agree that selecting a military candidate should weaken your economy or diplomacy, not military.

[bebosteveo]

Bit of a shorter one since major wars are micro-intensive, but aren't interesting enough to make super-detailed.

Update score less four:


The long-term threat of France was deemed too great not to deal with once and for all by the Algerian parliament. Therefore the nation's greatest general, Husam Selmi, was given the privilege of becoming the first proper consul.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-15_00001.jpg
(ignore the name change, saving the game doesn't save the event and the names are randomly generated upon firing. Also, we lucked out and got "no effect" without me cheating at all.)

The war continued on as it had until October of 1690. The Algerian forces had captured the city of Roussillion in the summer and had planned to consolidate the countryside through the winter while fresh troops were shipped across the sea. Not about to give their enemy a moment's rest the entire French southern division was sent to retake the city. Though Algiers suffered greater casualties, French fighting standards had dropped sharply in recent months. The counter-assault was routed and scattered by the strong defense, devastating nearly half of the standing French military.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-15_00002.jpg

News of their defeat sent waves of rebellious fervor across the countryside as numerous local patriots took their chance at independence.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-23_00001.jpg

After several years of recovery on the Algerian side and turmoil on the French side, consul Selmi chose his final battle. With supplies running out and morale long since depleted the last remnants of the French military stood little chance.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-23_00002.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-23_00003.jpg

News of their complete defeat was met with great admiration by the whole international community, not simply the Muslim world. Ever the examples of Christian charity and compassion, Provence, Savoy, Lorraine, and Hesse flocked like vultures to a fresh corpse and began taking whatever land they could reach.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-24_00002.jpg

Meanwhile the powers of Austria, Denmark, and the Holy Roman Emperor congratulated Algiers on such a grand feat. Only the Russians seemed to take particular offence at their defeat, though they had always been the first to oppose Algiers in any situation.

With the exception of some financial hardships of certain powerful noble families (who had no problem voting for a bailout for themselves from parliament),

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-24_00003.jpg

... the last few years of the war were uneventful sieges. In the end, the Algerian border moved north to the Dordogne river while the rest of France was either undergoing a civil war or was under occupation by other foreign powers.

Hoping to repay some of the debts taken during the course of the war, consul Selmi elected to levy additional taxes on the trade of salt, hoping that it would raise enough revenue to be repealed in the new future.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-24_00007.jpg


How f-ed up France is, plus things you should know:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-24_00011.jpg
Champagne and Burgundy are independent and are attempting to expand while everything else is under control of either rebels, Lorraine, or Provence.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Sixteenth%20Update/2011-11-30_00001.jpg
A better view of us.

Did You Know:

That the independent Moroccan estates will expire in a few years, giving us 20% greater trade/taxes/manpower from all of those regions?

That the Ottomans have a war exhaustion >20 and will probably not join us on any wars of aggression?

That our infamy is over the badboy limit by about 3 points?

That we are guaranteed by Denmark?

That we are kinda awesome?




Rocking the votes:
Husam Selmi's term is up and the nation needs a new consul. If given a second term, or if the position is passed on to his protege on the military council one can expect to see a short period of rest and recovery before taking the fight to the few remaining powers around the western Mediterranean. (Genoa, Modena, Savoy, Provence) Alternatively, we could grant the title to one of the nation's chief bureaucrats, allowing him sufficient powers to keep the nation's debt/inflation in check and re-establish the trade routes and non-military production that was lost during the war. (Administration Option) Finally, the son of Rashid Merah (a pious man that has served Algiers for the better part of the century. seriously, he has to be at least 80 years old by now) has returned from his Hajj to Mecca and wishes to continue his family's legacy as a leader of the nation. Though he has not shown strong convictions on any policies or goals in particular, it would be reasonable to expect him to put extra focus behind the Italian missionary effort. (Diplomat Option)

We will soon be able to pick another national idea. Remaining options include most of the navy and army trees (of which the former is not of much use/necessity unless we want to fight England, then its a requirement), various buffs to merchants, plus a couple odds and ends that are really underwhelming. As far as advanced ideas go, we're still 3 ideas away from scientific revolution and so probably can't get it this game, but only 2 ideas away from Liberty egalit Fraternity, 1 if the super-secret happenstance event fires. (its like humanistic tolerance, +tolerance for heathens/heretics, +stability, -revolt risk, but from a nationalist rather than religious acceptance perspective)

Now that we have advanced north of the mountains, what shall become of Castile and Navarra? The former, being landlocked and highly dependent on us for resources and protection would likely accept fully integration into greater Algiers. However, the later has grown accustomed to their level of independence and would not take kindly to being reduced to a tributary state or less.

[Murska]

Diplomat option is required. This is not a time for further war, lest we align the entire world against ourselves.

Integrate Castille, to give us more routes over the Pyrenees to our new holdings, but Navarra can stay autonomous for now.

I'd go for LEF myself, but it seems a bit out of character, so meh. Let's go for Navy, because I doubt we'll be outmatched on land by any single power currently, and I want to plug any gaps our defense has by forming a powerful fleet.

[Thanqol]

Four more years! The Generals have delivered us victory against the so-called Christian Superpower and to turn our backs on them now would be the height of folly.

We still need Church Attendance Duty as a national idea.

Continue to reclaim the Medeterranian; complete consolidation of Iberia is unnecessary so long as it's well and truly clear that they are our satellites and nothing else.

[Kurgan]

Spreading the faith is more important than any one nation, including ours! Attack Attack Attack! Keep the Christians at bay, bring the true word to them, keep the generals in power!

The Iberia Question, what kind of question is this? They follow the true faith, they are fine, let them be, so long as they know they answer to us!

[bebosteveo]

We still need Church Attendance Duty as a national idea.

False, we got it last time we picked ideas. Looking back I forgot to write it down on my note sheet and so never mentioned it.

[bebosteveo]

Finals, 'nuf said.

Update the seventeenth:

Thanks to his performance in the previous war, consul Selmi was easily elected for a second term. Over the next couple years he set about modernizing the nation's land forces. French manufacturing techniques were adopted and improved while various Italian lords offered their expertise in training individual abilities rather than the typical Algerian mass-combat tactics. Consul Selmi also significantly tightened sailor recruiting standards and brought the navy back into proper shape after years of neglect and stagnation.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-11_00003.jpg

Meanwhile, Lorraine was finishing its campaign against France. After taking a small amount of territory for itself, it re-established a number of small duchies in the south as tributary states.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-11_00002.jpg

After a two year period of rest, Algiers was once again at war. This time, the target was the city of Venice. Austria had already sent its forces against the city, and consul Selmi was not about to let their aggression go unopposed. A number of minor nations pledged their support of Venice, but there was little hope of saving the once powerful mercantile state.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-11_00005.jpg

Though it was only a matter of time before Algiers was victorious, the war was not without its tragedies. At the age of 92, Rashid Merah had passed away in his sleep.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-11_00007.jpg

Truer words were never spoken. His body was taken to Andalucia, where he first oversaw the return of the faith to Iberia. Though some wished to erect a grand tomb so that he could continue to inspire others, tradition won out in the end and he was placed in a simple grave outside the city. Consul Selmi also saw to the continuation of various inheritance and church donation loopholes in his honor, as Merah was an outspoken supporter of such activities.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00006.jpg

The siege continued for another two years without any major developments, granting Algiers the legendary trading port after sufficient terms of surrender were offered.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00004.jpg

This had proven to be the breaking point of Christian Europe. The last remnants of France which were not under rule by warlords or peasants launched an assault on Algiers. Some spoke of revenge, others of finally stopping the greatest threat to Christianity, but consul Selmi took it as an opportunity to push his borders further north as the paltry forces arrayed against him scattered.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00009.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00013.jpg

Victory against Brittany was quick and complete while a white peace was signed with Burgundy so that more troops could be sent to topple the grand fortresses of Italy.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00018.jpg

Not all efforts were focused on war, however. With the large number of universities and other scholarly establishments present in Spain, France, and Italy a growing class of thinkers and philosophers began to take shape and grew in influence. To better direct their efforts, the clergy established a center of scholastic Islam in Al-Djazair. They hoped to take Islam's long established traditions of astrology and mathematical insight and apply it towards the Koran, so as to discover what knowledge lay hidden within the teachings of the faith.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00012.jpg

Parliament also elected to begin monitoring and regulating trade with the native people of Africa. Typically, such trade was conducted duty-free because of the great risks associated with crossing the Sahara and uncharted lands. However, with the establishment of a number of ports, wells, and ivory hunting camps along the western coast over the past decades, such risks had diminished.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00015.jpg

Of course, the ink on the latest peace treaty was not even dry when a new war had begun. This time, it was Milan taking the offensive with Austria, Bohemia, and a number of minor German princes giving support.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00020.jpg

Algerian domination of the seas was accomplished easily

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00022.jpg

but the northern Italian garrisons were completely unprepared for such a grand a decisive assault. The invaders had taken every major town from Ferrara to Ancona before a proper defence was organized, marking the first time in recent history that any foreign power was able to occupy Algerian soil.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00023.jpg

Not to be left out, Lorraine and their new puppet duchies launched their own invasion on the western front. While the Christians had greater numbers, their strategy was poor, as they chose of punish the nation of Savoy, who had capitulated in the previous war, rather than launch a major offensive campaign. Not one to interrupt an enemy's mistakes consul Selmi was able to regroup his forces and push the Milanese back out of Algiers and then some, claiming another portion of northern Italy for his nation.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-12_00031.jpg

Though the war is currently being won, Selmi worries for his successor and the mess left in his wake.

The world, as it stands:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-19_00001.jpg
Notice how Burgundy is re-uniting France under their own rule.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-19_00002.jpg
Green is us, Teal is allies/vassals, Red is people we're at war with. The ottomans and us have "chosen to go our separate ways" which has nothing to do with how we are allied with half a dozen dead nations and the AI refuses to enter an alliance if you already have more than 2.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Seventeenth%20Update/2011-12-19_00003.jpg
War exhaustion. Its bad. Also, that's about 30k+ bohemians in Savoy, if you were wondering.

Votes
With the conclusion of consul Selmi's term, we require a new leader. As one might expect, the generals would like to retain their position of leadership. If elected, they plan to unleash total war upon the German and remaining powers. Massive drafts and a minting policy to match, they will continue fighting until Algiers can negotiate in their favor. Much of the old aristocracy is in stark opposition to this plan. They remember a time when Algiers was prosperous, when young men could pursue the arts and scholarship and not be treated as cannon fodder. If granted the consul position they will see to the end of the northern wars (without sacrificing our dignity, of course) and a return to the traits that made us different than the barbarous Christians.

There is, of course, the third option. The Christians have drafted terms for an "unconditional surrender" where all current and future hostilities between Algiers and Christian Europe are ended. Their price is a massive sum in reparations, limited autonomy (release as vassals) for certain key territories (the exact ones vary, but usually doesn't amount to more than 6 regions total), a near total disarmament of our standing forces, and granting a term as consul to an Algerian of their choosing. While their requests are hardly favorable, there are some who wouldn't mind taking the easy way out, and a possible end to the endless jihad. (Mechanics: we hit the big reset button on our reputation in exchange for having our economy and military in the tank for a few decades.)

Shall we expand on our center of scholarship and develop a widespread education system for the masses? Not only would it help to expand our research abilities but it would also ensure a proper religious education for all people. Of course, one has to question what the end result of teaching mindless farmers and herders to think critically would be.

What is our stance on piracy? Not only the Barbary pirates, but on all illicit naval activity. On one hand, it is a useful tool for crippling our enemies' economic activity at sea, but by its very nature we cannot completely control it and will inevitably feel its effects ourselves. We can continue supporting such privateers and take the good with the bad, take action against such pirates and give out harsher punishments, or something in the middle.

[Murska]

We are the ones who control the Mediterranean. We do not want pirates there. If we can only support ones in the Baltic or harassing colonies, then sure, but otherwise no.

Education for everyone. Technology is important. Besides, what're the peasants gonna do, rebel?

Let's go with 'dem nobles. Like, say, myself.

[Thanqol]

I think the only sane response is Maximum Jihad. Let's run this country into the ground.

Full scale war with Germany! Death to the infidel! Let us fight until naught but barren fields and a depopulated Europe stands to mourn their passing!

Also, no to education. We have priests for reading and writing and all that. What possible reason would we have for teaching farmers how to think? What would they do with their thoughts? Start trouble, no doubt.

Piracy is a fine and honourable tradition and we should continue supporting it. Outlawing it would be an offence to the memories of the brave and noble pirates who helped build this nation.

[Kurgan]

I feel we should take the middle road. Back out of these wars with honor intact. The old aristocracy is right in this regard. We have already taken Italy, France, and Spain, our main competition in the Mediterranean and the main threats to our continued existence. Of the Christian kingdoms, Germany is not the threat, it is Britain, with their massive fleets and large armies. Better to hold up, rebuild, and prepare for a naval battle outside of our homeland.

The pirates have served their purpose. It is time to cut the cord on them. We are the main targets for them now, so why should we support them? Between ourselves and the Ottomans, almost the entire Mediterranean is under friendly control.

I say make a limited expansion of education. The mindless farmers don't need to think, but the craftsman, merchants, and other city folk do.

[bebosteveo]

Episode 18
By a narrow margin, the powers that be chose to elect Qasim Ilaes, a member of the Granada royal family, as the next Consul. Not everyone was pleased with this outcome, particularly the generals who had gotten used to their position of power, but this opposition did little to harm his rule.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00001.jpg

As he promised before his election, consul Qasim sought an end to the ongoing conflicts. With their ever-lengthening supply lines and amassing of Algerian troops along the border the German states were willing to return home with what plunder they had already taken.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00002.jpg

Without the backing of stronger nations the duckies of Guyenne and Auvergne were easily brought into the Algerian sphere.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00005.jpg

However, even though the official military campaign had ended, the German states were not finished with their rival. Taking guidance from Algeria's past, dissidents throughout the conquered territories were given arms and funding while attempts were made to divide the Christian populace from their Muslim overlords. No single insurrection was particularly strong, but having the equivalent of five nations under assault by guerrilla fighters was quite an issue for the new consul.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00006.jpg
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00008.jpg

It was nearly two years before consul Qasim could get the situation under control and return to a sense of normalcy. That state was, of course, war with Christian Europe. After years of civil war, France had once again established a proper governing body during the winter of 1712. Their first order of business was to send a declaration of war to Algiers, demanding the return of their historic borders. Of course, with a standing army of only 8k men, consul Qasim was easily able to convince the pretender to the French throne to simply drop the issue by summer.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00024.jpg

Back on the home front, Consul Qasim established the Dissident Resettlement Program in an effort to keep his people in line. In short, it sent various rebels, insurrectionists, and other criminals south into Africa. There they would be isolated from the more productive members of society and could repay their debt by developing marginally productive, or otherwise non-valuable lands.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00025.jpg

The villages and tribes of natives that were already present along the trans-Saharan trade routes were not thrilled at the gesture.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-26_00026.jpg

Consul Qasim also granted a number of subsidies and tax exemptions to merchants, hoping that it would return the Mediterranean trade to its pre-war levels and bring money back to the landowners and manufacturers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-27_00001.jpg

Furthermore, the consul sought to improve his nation's maps and knowledge of the world, as such things had not been modified for decades. After an expedition lasting nearly ten years, his cartographers had returned from the east with a much clearer picture of Asia and what lay beyond the coastal trading centers. In addition, scouts tasked with following the English trading fleets to the west began to paint a picture of why lay beyond the great Atlantic Ocean.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-27_00010.jpg
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-27_00011.jpg
(that's the carribbean if it isn't obvious to others)

Of course, peace doesn't come easily to a nation built on conquest. For years, various high ranking members of the clergy and military (and even the previous consul) had been in contact with the rest of the Islamic world. Much like the Crusades of old, they organized a grand jihad against Germany and the last bastion of Catholicism, hoping to end the constant threat of retribution from the north. Consul Qasim was did not support such an action, but deferred to the popular opinion of parliament. The campaign began in the summer of 1720.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00002.jpg

The Ottomans quickly marched north was the weak state of Hungary offered little resistance. While Algiers took heavy casualties defending against assaults into northern Italy, Austria was eventually weakened and began losing territory around Venice.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00007.jpg

The jihad also found some unlikely assistance from France, who had chosen this time to attack Bohemia and served as a beneficial distraction for the Muslim alliance.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00008.jpg

Within a year and a half, Hungary had surrendered and granted much of its remaining territory to the Ottomans.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00012.jpg

This allowed them to divert their attention to the western front, where they cut off the supply lines of the emperor's expeditionary force, letting them spend the winter lost in the unforgiving Balkan mountains, and pushed further into Austria.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00016.jpg

The Mamluks, of course, led the assault in the east through the Ukraine.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00017.jpg

By 1724, the war had reached its end. The armies of Austria, Bavaria, Bohemia, and Brandenburg lay in ruins, and a new Islamic state of Aquileia was established out of the southern Austrian territories, its coffers filled with plunder and reparations from the German states. Governance of this new state was granted to a collection of ulema from the three mulsim nations both to serve as a beacon of Islam at the peak of the Mediterranean and to prevent conflict over proper ownership between the nations.

But there was little time to get comfortable in the new position of power, as no soon did one war end that another started. This time, it was Russia who was the aggressor, who hoped to re-establish a Byzantine state and secure its shipping lanes in the Black Sea. Not one to take on the entire Islamic world alone, they also brought help from England, who hoped to reclaim its holdings in Anatolia, and France, who saw an opportunity to strike at a distracted Algiers.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00024.jpg

England's naval superiority was made painfully obvious when the first several engagements produced less than stellar results.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00025.jpg

Fortunately, England did not have the supply network to patrol its overseas holdings while at the same time maintain proper blockades of the vulnerable Algerian coastline. However, Algeirs' navy had its hands full as it worked to keep trade routes protected and hold off a significant invasion. On land, years of war against the French and studying their tactics set Algiers up for a number of easy victories as their generals countered their every move.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2011-12-29_00027.jpg

Even in defeat, the French endured nearly twice as many casualties in every engagement, and Algiers had a much greater source of manpower.

On the eastern front, the Ottomans, Mamluks, an Mughals were able to make modest gains against the Russian aggressors. The Russians had far greater numbers, but their weapons were of poorer quality and their troops had little experience with their firearms. With the Algerian navy keeping England beyond the Strait of Gibraltar the armies of Islam were able to march north, forcing favorable surrender terms.

The State of Europe
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2012-01-05_00001.jpg
The red spots around Venice are parts of Brandenburg. Blue is the new nation. If we ignore Savoy (our vassal) and Genoa (vassals of our vassal. don't ask) there is not a single christian port in the Mediterranean.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2012-01-05_00002.jpg
The Russians no longer have any ports along the Black Sea.

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2012-01-05_00003.jpg
A quick reminder of religious distributions.

Votes
Our new settlements along the African coast have formally made contact with a nation of native people: the Mali. They are a somewhat backwards people, often the consumers of our cheap, outdated technologies and weapons, but they follow the true faith and have used it to unite the major tribes in the area. While our merchants can continue their usual trade through intermediaries, their king is far less receptive to our diplomats and has likely grown arrogant through his nation's regional superiority. Shall we continue our efforts to build ties with these people, or shall we simply let them be and continue to profit from our trade?

Consul Qasim's term has ended, and our nation needs a new leader. Naturally, the military focused elements of government are attempting to reclaim the consul position so that they can continue their subjugation of the Christian powers, a process made easier by the backing of the Muslim world. Alternatively, we can continue to support the old aristocracy as they continue their efforts to recover from battle and innovate for the future. A third option is to make a gesture of friendship to the rest of the Muslim world and elect a man of the faith who would restore the the close ties and cooperation we once had with the east, but lost due to our focus on the west.

The civil war through France and rise of common people to positions of power has sparked a wave of new ideas. Ideas where government is not simply a top-down system where the powers that be command those below them, but where any man can voice his opinions and expect the government to listen to it. Naturally such a system could never work for Algiers, as there are far too many people with minimal education, any reasonable thought would be drowned out by mindless chatter (to say nothing of the logistics). However, some members of society and of parliament believe that the idea holds merit. We could open up the government to a wider audience, accepting representative guildmasters, businessmen, and other educated persons and give them a say in how things are run. It would be more difficult to make sweeping changes, but it would be a simple matter to keep the masses in line provided we continue the illusion of ruling by popular opinion. Shall we reform the government into this new system, whether entirely or only as a front for the status quo, or is it simply not worth the trouble?

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac134/bebosteveo/Lets%20Play%20Eighteenth%20Update/2012-01-02_00001.jpg
Correct me if I'm wrong, since I've never actually tried this before, but I believe a constitutional republic runs like late 1800's America. You have popular votes for representatives and movements for reform, but behind the scenes dealings can result in government still doing whatever it wants, at the cost of people getting rather agitated.

[Murska]

Let's be friends with the Mali. Mainly since you didn't list an opinion to conquer them every couple years, loot all the money they have from their ridiculous amounts of gold mines and repeat.

Aristocracy is the way. We already have the necessary good relations to Ottomans, plus the Mamluks are quite weak anyway. And we should focus on integrating our gains and maybe taking a couple more provinces or vassals off Europe.

No way, don't give any power to the unwashed masses.

[Kurgan]

Let's be friends with the Mali. Mainly since you didn't list an opinion to conquer them every couple years, loot all the money they have from their ridiculous amounts of gold mines and repeat.

Aristocracy is the way. We already have the necessary good relations to Ottomans, plus the Mamluks are quite weak anyway. And we should focus on integrating our gains and maybe taking a couple more provinces or vassals off Europe.

No way, don't give any power to the unwashed masses.

I agree here on all marks. Giving the peasants power? Come now, the blacksmith down the road is barely fit to fix my shovel, much less run a country!

[Thanqol]

Let's be friends with the Mali. Mainly since you didn't list an opinion to conquer them every couple years, loot all the money they have from their ridiculous amounts of gold mines and repeat.

Aristocracy is the way. We already have the necessary good relations to Ottomans, plus the Mamluks are quite weak anyway. And we should focus on integrating our gains and maybe taking a couple more provinces or vassals off Europe.

No way, don't give any power to the unwashed masses.

These words are true and honourable, and have our support.

Incidentally, unless MM has changed everything, a Constitutional Republic functions exactly the same as a regular republic. You only have to start caring what people think in Victoria.