|
 Oh, a Paradox Let's Play Paradox does historical grand-strategy games. Crusader Kings 2 is set between 867-1453 and is mostly a RPG strategy game about leading a medieval family through the period. If you want to learn about how the game works, I would suggest reading Kersch's excellent tutorial LP. Goddamnit, another Paradox LP! Yeah. Nothing really original about this, but I felt like doing it as a writing exercise. I am not sure if it has been done before on SA, but here we will be playing as a Merchant Republic, so that might be a change of pace. I am also taking a different historical start, the year of 1241, which offers a slightly different context. So read on if this interests you! I am also not saying that this will be a mega-LP. The converter for Europa Universalis 4 sure makes it more convenient to move games forward, but it depends on how I feel about it when the time comes. I will be focusing more on roleplaying characters' personalities, so I should be avoiding gamey strategies unless I roll a competent ambitious character. There is a lot of game ahead, specially if I play through EU4 and Victoria 2, so no rush to be the top dog of Europe. If all goes well, I will maintain at least a weekly update schedule. More if I am particularly enthusiastic. We'll be using the latest version of CK2+ with all the expansions. English is my second language, so feel free to shout at me if anything comes out weird.  So, the Hansa The Hanseatic League was historically a confederation of merchant guilds and towns that dominated trade in Northern Europe and lasted until 1862, though it was only a relevant power between the 14th and 16th centuries. Technically the Hansa did not exist at our start date, as it was formally established 1356, but this is the point when the Free Cities of Lübeck and Hamburg (the two CoAs in our banner) established their alliance, which was the basis for the league, so this is our launch point. I'll confess that this is Wikipedia level research, and my knowledge of history is more a hobby than academic, so if anyone feels like adding to or correcting this, they are more than welcome. The von Goon Wooden Tablet posted:Created by Victor von Goon in 1284, this ancient board of wood registers the hard earned lessons of the family's saga. TheMcD posted:
Table of Contents  1241-1254: Viktor I von Goon 1254-1263: Viktor I von Goon 1264-1270: Viktor I von Goon 1270-1275: Viktorio I von Goon 1275-1284: Victor I von Goon 1284-1301: Victor I von Goon 1301 - State of the World 1301-1310: Victor the Great 1310: Goonzusammenkommen 1310-1317: Viktor of Pomerania 1317-1329: Amadeus von Goon & Amalie Lüneburg 1329-1342: Mathias von Goon 1342-1351: Dietrich von Goon 1352: State of the World 1352-1362: Dietrich von Goon 1362-1367: Mathias II von Goon 1367-1386: Viktor III von Goon 1386: Goonzusammenkommen II 1386-1396: Bruno von Goon 1396-1425: Reinhard von Goon 1425-1434: Reinhard the Saint 1434-1435: Gerbhard von Goon 1435-1437: Thomas von Goon 1437-1440: Reinhard of Jylland 1444: State of the World  The Scenario 1440-1451: Sell it before you tell it 1451 - Hansetag: The Road to Imperialism 1451-1458: The Watch Begins 1458-1483: Guardians of the Baltic 1483-1492: Foreplay 1492-1501: Go West 1501-1523: A Reliable Partner is Worth a Thousand Lives 1523 - Hansetag: No (von) Goons Allowed 1523-1528: Build-Up 1528-1550: Europa Gooniversalis -Gross Military Incompetence: A Calvinist Perspective -The Diary of James II von Goon -A Dutch Perspective -The French League in the Reformation I -Scandinavia in the Reformation -As for the Latin Empire -The French League in the Reformation II 1550-1557: Smiling from the Grave 1557-1569: A Tale of Two Goons 1569-1579: Barmherzigkeit Gottes 1579 - State of the World 1579 - Hansetag: Directions 1579-1588: Easy Pickings 1588-1604: Sleep 1604-1617: Hard Earned Lessons 1617-1630: New Exports 1630-1639: A.E.I.O.U. 1639-1643: The First Euro-Ixachitlan War 1643-1654: Gold gab ich für Eisen 1654-1661: Rule, We Hansa? 1661-1666: Rule, We Hansa! 1666-1678: The Real Rules 1678 - State of the World 1679-1709: The Thirty Years' War 1709-1731: Making Of 1731 - Hansetag: The Part Where He Kills You 1731-1734: C.Y.O.A. 1734-1751: Shiny Happy People Laughing 1751-1757: The Dead Plains of Black Cathay The Hansa Is Dead, Long Live The Hansa! 1757-1786: Einstürzende Neubauten 1757-1786: Europa Universalis 1757-1786: The Third Rule of Business 1786: Let's Have a Ball! 1786-1820: The More Things Change 1821: The End of an Age 1821: State of the World 1822: Utundur lfif Flay T 0fall Plrlyr Mg Allianr 1823-1827: Flagsfal of Oün Falfrri  1836: The Political Situation 1836: Qart Hadasht 1836: Kay Pacha & Ixachitlan 1836: India & The Middle East 1836: East Asia & Selatan 1836: Europe & Africa 1836: Hansetag 1836: Hansetag - Europe 1836: Hansetag - India 1836: Hansetag - Ixachitlan 1836: Hansetag - Africa & The Middle East 1836: Hansetag - Asia & Selatan 1836-1840: A Beautiful Sunrise 1840-1848: The Six Habits of a Patriot 1848-1854: The Sigmar Years 1855-1861: Into the Mountains 1861: Hansetag Introduction 1861: Hansetag - Europe 1861: Hansetag - Ixachitlan 1861: Hansetag - The Middle East & India 1861: Hansetag - Africa 1861: Hansetag - East Asia 1861-1866: Something In the Water 1866-1868: The von Goon Checkbook 1868-1872: Letters in Between 1872-1886: Why did I Die? 1886: The Heart of Neubauten 1886-1892: With Eyes Wide Open 1892-1897: Go West, Again 1897-1898: Gold Rules The World 1898: The Drawing Board, Part I 1898: The Drawing Board, Part II 1898-1901: The Burning World 1901-1936: History as Written by the Viktors Selatani Postmortem Current Mod Version Syndicalist Republic Minimod: For New-Nations Mod  Prelude  I - Introducing... II - 101 III - Planetfall IV - Contemplative Void V - Settling In VI - All's Well that Ends Well ZearothK fucked around with this message at 14:32 on Dec 30, 2016 |
#
¿
Nov 6, 2013 00:58
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 24, 2024 09:12 |
|
|
State of the World 1241 So here is Europe, the Mediterranean and the Near East. At this time the Muslims have mostly been kicked out of Iberia, though they still maintain some holdouts to the south, including Granada itself, backed by the Almohads. France is marked by the rivalry between the Plantagenets (England) and the Capets (France) and has given all pretense of pretty borders. The Holy Roman Empire is dominated by the Hohenstaufens based out of Sicily, who have extended the Empire through Europe, much to the displeasure of the Pope. To the east, well, there are Mongols. The Golden Horde is almost at the height of its power. The Eastern Roman Empire is split, with remnants of the Catholic Latin Empire established in the 4th crusade still controlling Constantinope and several splinter kingdoms, such as Trebizond and Epirus. There is also the Sultanate of Rum controlling Anatolia. The Kingdom of Jerusalem still survives, though it remains to be seen how long they will remain while surrounded by the very powerful Ayyubid Empire established by Saladin. To our north, there are the usual Scandinavian kingdoms in their proper places and an underdeveloped Baltic, some of it still controlled by Pagans. The Teutonic Knights were invited by Poland to help them deal with this, and there is no way that will be a problem for us.  This is the Hansa's position, based on the north of the Imperial territory and comprised of the territories of the Free Cities of Hamburg and Lübeck. It is one of the highest titles of the realm, but as it lacks a proper nobility it is considered to be apart from Imperial politics and has no voice in the election of the Emperor.  Viktor von Goon, patriarch of the House we shall follow for our first chapter, often imagined himself as a great head on the sky, looking down upon the continent. Here is his daydream while perusing a map of the areas of influence of the great merchant republics. The Hansa is still small when compared to the wealth of Genoa or Venice, but has no true challenger for dominance of the Baltic and the North Sea trade. May 1st, 1241  A ruthless and very intelligent man, who nonetheless thought himself to be the greatest mind of Europe despite scars from a very dumb incident. Viktor von Goon bribed his way into becoming the mayor of Buxtehude, and eventually leveraged his position (all of the town's money) into being elected Prince Mayor of the Hansa. He had no family, no past and word in Lübeck was that he had anyone who could prove otherwise murdered.   He wasted no time in acquiring one, marrying for gold into the von Barderwiks, one of the established Hanseatic houses. He also knew exactly what he needed to make sure his legacy would last more than a generation.  The Emperor wasted no time either, granting the title of High Almoner to Viktor, knowing full well that the man had no taste for religion. It is unknown if he intended to insult the Pope or the Prince, but Viktor did not conceal his feelings.   He began reforms in his mansion so that he may have more privacy while counting, polishing and whispering to his lucre.  He rejoiced upon hearing the fall of the merchant republic of Novgorod. The destruction of a potential rival is always a reason for joy. He ignored the naysayers who insisted that the Mongols would not be the most forthcoming trade partners if they conquered the Baltic.   A daughter was born, which was exactly what he didn't need if his House was to continue at the forefront of Hanseatic politics. He spent enough time in the bedchamber with his wife to make sure she wouldn't disappoint him again. His indifference and neglect had a price, however.  A tense atmosphere reigned in the household after the fact, and Viktor further alienated his court in this time, even arresting the Wittenborg patriarch over flimsy suspicions.   Many said that God Himself was displeased with Viktor's neglect for his daughter, and his merchant company suffered greatly in the following months.     As if adding insult to injury, unwanted guests soon arrived.  While many hoped that the vikings would rid the Hansa of its most decidly uncharming tyrant, Viktor remained calm, gathering the militia from Hamburg and combining it with the garrison of Lübeck and his own household troops.    To a smashing victory. His reputation improved for a total of a few days.  His wife wanted to name the child after herself, so that the Saints would know to protect her. Viktor insisted on calling her Sofie, however.  Later, during the weekend, he accidentaly threw the baby away with the bathwater, and told his wife that she could have some daughters if she would give him a son first.  He decided to take up drinking as a hobby.  Only his fantastic singing voice kept his wife from fleeing in terror from the von Goon household. He was glad to blame some mendicant monks for it when a scandal broke out.   He had plans for taking over Holstein in the near future, and used this as another opportunity to spit in the face of the church.  Finally, his first born. Engeltrudis wanted to name the child after Saint Peter as thanks, but Viktor knew who truly deserved the credit.  He had other firsts to drink to.  Viktor was in such an excellent mood that he missed a great opportunity to shut up at the man's funeral. His claims that he was equating the dead Wilhelm to a God did not help.   Other sons began to come, and as the most important man in the universe he saw it fit to name them variations of his dearest name.  There was even a new Sofie! He "swore" on his "mother's grave" that this would not "die from neglect", and his wife had no ground for complaining, since she could clearly make new Sofies as needed.  With so many children running around the house, he initiated a policy of sending them off to be educated by anyone who looked competent. Maybe some of them would even believe he trusted them!  "von Goons have no friends, only interests", he would often say when questioned as to why he rarely had guests over.   He was not entirely mirthless. Upon realizing that after a decade his Sofie was finally one year old he held a Summer Fair for her.  It was not without victims. And then, well, all hell broke loose.  His own personal nemesis, the Duke of Holstein (who actually had little recollection of Viktor even existing), had gathered the support of almost the entirety of the Holy Roman Empire in his bid for the throne. Viktor's resentment only grew, as he seemed to be the only lord who did not receive an invitation to the coup. It was a bad time to be an accidental loyalist.  Damnit. ZearothK fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Nov 6, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 6, 2013 00:58
|
|
|
biosterous posted:I'm surprised his daughter isn't named Victoria (or some variation thereof), really. Yeah, I only realized that after commiting to Sofie, then I figured I might as well stick with Sofies until one survived childhood.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 6, 2013 21:37
|
|
|
^^ Yeah, as I later realized this happened just after Frederich II's death, so they are revolting against his son, Conrad. I've played a bit ahead of where the LP is now, so I'll see where the dynasty is nowadays. I guess the best CK2 can do for representing something like the Baron's War would be to lower crown authority, even if it increases the power of the landed aristocracy rather than parliment. Pimpmust posted:Thought you'd go with Valeria... von Goon Yeah... One of the sad things about playing republics is that it is pretty much impossible to have a woman holding an important rank, as succession is by Agnatic Seniority, so once Viktor and his sons pass away old men will be the future, and the only chance we'll have of a woman at the helm is if every single male of our dynasty dies. There is an advantage to that, since age is one of the major factors in selecting the Prince Mayor during republican succession.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 6, 2013 22:54
|
|
|
Viktor I von Goon: 1254-1263 As it turned out it was a brief civil war, given how little support the Hohenstaufens had.   In the chaotic aftermath several states simply abandoned the HRE. Apart from the island of Sicily itself, still ruled by the deposed Konrad, the Empire lost all its authority south of the Alps. It would be a long time until the region stabilized. The Baltic Coast also refused to acknowledge the new Emperor, including the Hansa itself. Note: I am not sure what exactly happened here, mechanically speaking. I guess all titles not in the De Jure area of the Empire simply seceded after the succession war?  The Prince was delighted to use his newly gained independence to taunt the old Emperor Adolf, who was busy trying to establish his legitimacy. It was clear, according to his paid-for legal document, that as an exclave of the HRE, it would only be fair for Holstein to be declared a Free City, and thus liable to join the Hansa of its own free will. Now that he had a claim over area, which would have to wait for another imperial civil war, he decided to focus on strenghtening the von Goon power base within the Hansa.    Viktor out, Viktor in. He knew how to run with the punches life offered him.   Even his detractors had to concede that the Hansa was growing richer under his helm.  Viktor was very offended that the visitor did not feel honoured for being offered the very same ditch the Patrician had forgotten some of his least favourite children in.  In 1258 he gained the legal recourse he needed to become mayor of Hamburg. After all, the city was controlled by the von Bardewiks, a House he was married to. As he had proven thus far, he was easily the most fit member of the family to rule the area and it would be irresponsible of him to allow anyone else to rule it. It was a finnicky excuse, but all he needed, as he was the one with the troops and the gold.  But before he could deal with this, he was needed in the trade post of Holstein to receive the best of the news: Emperor Adolf now knew who he was. With a new spring on his step he asked the armed mob to "Please think of the money!". His enthusiasm was so contagious that they forgot the earlier violence and a spontaneous party began, much to the chagrin of the Emperor.  He was surprised to find that Engeltrudis had actually missed him while he was gone, so he arranged for her an image of himself so she might continue to admire him even as he travelled far and wide.  She would be needing it.  Fearing for the discovery of his affair, he arranged for the most competent man who did not openly despise him to serve as a Spymaster. It was a less than ideal choice. And one that would prove prudent, even if not entirely necessary.    He would not abandon one of his name behind. Specially one who came from the one woman he had cared about.  Growing older and more contemplative, he imagined the dead Berchte accompanying him in his garden, and came to care for it as if it was almost as important as his ego.   In the early sixties the most woundrous news arrived from the west. Viktor would spend whole afternoons questioning sailors arriving from the British Isles about these peculiar visitors from across the sea. As more and more rumours came, he was convinced that he had been born in the wrong continent.  His passion for all things Aztec was so great that he was the first man to trade with them in the Hansa and to have this "chocolate" as a delicacy in his palace. One night, while sipping of this sweet nectar he remembered something he had neglected.   He gathered his entire army and demanded control of Hamburg. The von Bardewiks opted to resist his powerplay. With their palace under siege, they used their coffers to hire Italian mercenaries to respond to the Prince.  He occupied the city and then sent his forces against the Italians, who were joined by the von Bardewik household troops. It was a disaster.  Humbled and with Lübeck about to surrender to the "rebels", Viktor opted to hire mercenaries of his own. The Company of the Rose fought a brief mock battle with their counterpart, who conceded that they were far outnumbered and abandoned the field as true professionals.    Things developed quickly afterwards, and Baldewin von Balderwick was kept as a hostage to assure his family's loyalty. The conflict left the Hansa considerably impoveriched, with most of its cities producing less than half or even a third of their pre-war wealth. It would be many years before the scars of this conflict would be forgotten. But Viktor won, and that's what mattered. ZearothK fucked around with this message at 03:57 on Nov 7, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 7, 2013 03:52
|
|
|
Aztecs were added as an ahistorical DLC called Sunset Invasion, it is optional even if you do own it and adds several events concerning a much more advanced America. I choose to have it active because it'd make for an interesting age of exploration when I do move onto EU4, and it is a nice subversion of the "Europe Conquers the World" schtick.Veloxyll posted:The second link in the OP needs a [/url] Thanks, fixed. And hey, he just lost two Sofies and one Viktor!
|
|
#
¿
Nov 7, 2013 04:41
|
|
|
Thanks, that's exactly what I was thinking about when I wrote that blurb. The Aztecs actually have two invasion forces, the first one in the British Isles and a second one in Iberia/Maghreb. The second stack landed in Algarve, but hadn't done anything interesting by the end of the update, so it was ommited.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 7, 2013 16:23
|
|
|
Viktor von Goon - 1263-1270 The Viktor children began to come of age. Much to his dismay, his surviving eldest and successor, had turned into an humourless firebrand bearing a mockery of his own smirk. Still, he knew what he had to do with these young adults.    His House had to gain legitimacy as a proper player in Europe, he arranged marriages with the Capet of France, as well as Venice and the Duchy of Modena in Italy.  As his palace filled with commemorations over the rise of the von Goons, he was distraught with the news that the Wittenborg had failed to invite his family to their Great Ball. He had no choice but to visit them, forcefully.  And forcefully did he leave as well.  Fascinating news continued to arrive from the Americas. He would often brag about the destrier he once sold to an Irishman, who was clearly the father of the Aztec Cavalry.  Another bastard arrived and was legitimized, much to his children's despair. Now they had to accept the maid's daughter as one of their own.  Viktor's ambitions continued to grow. He managed to establish a pen friendship with Huewhatever, an Aztec navigator who was glad to practice native languages, and shared some navigational techniques conversationally.  And then Viktor choked on a potato. Leaving Hamburg and the other family possessions to the oldest member of his lineage, the fairly young count Viktorio, who hadn't changed much in these last few years, except for adopting an affair with his brother's wife.    It was now the time for the dishonorable, but all too ambitious, patriarch of the Lüneburg to guide the Hansa onwards, but this was not his history. Viktorio I von Goon - 1270-1275  Viktorio's great love was his family.  Maybe too much, in fact.  As more of Viktor's children became adults, and with their palace now properly moved to their seat in Hamburg, Viktorio saw himself in position to expand the family's trade into Denmark in order to compete financially with the other noble houses. The von Goons were still few, young and lacked in everything but money and lackeys when compared to their rivals, so it was important to remain competitive where they could.  Not that the trade post was Viktorio's only reason for visiting Denmark.   Viktor's plan to take control of Holstein came to fruition as another revolt struck the Empire, unfortunately it would not be a von Goon collecting the spoils. It was alright, his son had designs of his own. Ones his pious mind justified as guarding the souls of his enemies against the terrible sin of pride.  Little did he know, the Hubris would be his own.  It was a week until Viktorio managed to eat again. The screams of the men as they were consumed by a slow fire haunted him, and were accompanied by equally haunting news from across the seas.   Hamburg suffered as its Prince distracted himself with the thoughts of his own guilt and distant nightmares.  It was only in the arms of his brother's wife that he found any solace.  And then he heard a pale rider approaching in a storm. Viktorio reached out to his cuckolded brother and confessed his sins. Of the men who suffered and died in his name, of the love that he stole from his kin, of his privilege that God Himself was now righteously taking away. His only hope was that Victor would take better care of those who trusted him.  Despite not being strangled, Viktorio did not survive the night.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 8, 2013 16:09
|
|
|
It had a couple of other civil wars, but seems to have stabilized now that it has Gavelkind succession. It is currently being ruled by the von Schaeunburgs of Bavaria and seems to be focusing its external policy on recovering Italy. On the matter of being a minor subject of the republic. I must admit that we do run several risks, specially since we cannot contribute warscore from battles to our liege if we take part in any of his wars, but we should be free from the possibility of suffering a game over once the Republic expands beyond the Duchy of Holstein. There is the upside that we weren't the only family in the Hansa to marry into the Capets, the Lüneburgs, who are the ruling dynasty, had their own French marriage, so if worse comes to worse (the HRE comes back for Holstein), we can at least invite the kingdom of France to help save us.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 8, 2013 19:34
|
|
|
Victor von Goon - 1275-1284 The eldest man of the von Goons, and now their leader, Victor von Goon was ill-fit for increasing the family's power within the League. He was an open and honest man, infinitely patient, loyal to God and abhorred violence, he prefered to spend his days indulging in God-Given worldy pleasures and books rather than plotting or managing the family business. As patriarch he developed a passion for people other than himself. He was clearly his father's opposite.   He was also married to a woman who openly hated him. Giovanna blamed Victor for Viktorio's death and would often bemoan that God had taken the wrong von Goon to anyone who would hear.  Not that this prevented the couple from having children, even if they hardly shared their chambers.   Victor was well-known for his erudition, which he would often share during lavish banquets, something the ruling Lüneburgs were glad to acknowledge. He used his position to foster good relations with the ruling house and to express his desire to put the League ahead of his personal ambitions.  He was also deeply aware of his shortcomings, and found that his love for books could actually contribute to his duties.  In 1278 a new Prince was elected, this time from the von Bardewiks. Victor hoped they would look past the violent capture of Hamburg from them. Despite his good intentions, he had to miss the ceremony, as his second son was born, concluding his loveless marriage.   Giovanna's hatred for bearing one of Victor's children was so great that it was the death of her. For his part, the Patrician was sad for her death, but had to admit he was glad to no longer hear long diatribes about how horrible he was and how Viktorio was a much better man.  He re-married, this time into House von Bardewik. The wedding contract stipulated that he would not use this to claim anything from the family's property.  A kind woman with a great mind for finances and as little patience for politics as her new husband, Christine often enjoyed Victor's company and conversations, but most nights would prefer to sleep in her own quarters with her maid-of-honor, to best guard her virtues, so she said.  Simon was an ambitious man, with dreams of seeing the Hansa directly ruling all of the Baltic coast. His numbers were still doubtful against the Duke of Mecklenburg, so Victor offered his own troops to aid the war.  While great in number, many saw that there was hardly any real military leadership left in the von Goon Household, and many veteran soldiers waxed nostalgic over the "good old days under the first Viktor".  Numbers did suffice, however, and the war soon became an one-sided affair, adding another Free City to the League.  As his soldiers fought and died in winter, Victor spent some time reading fantastic accounts from events across the sea. The Aztecs had not ventured forth in this last decade, apparently sathed with the blood of Irishmen and satisfied to turn the Emerald Isle into a mass plantation of potatoes with their white slaves.  His first child with Christine was born in May, he saw fit to thank Saint Matthias for his great luck in finding a wife who did not hate him.  An interest in architecture struck him one day, and he decided to further develop the family's palace.   With so much time spent around the house he noticed that the garden had been terribly neglected since his father's passing. He wondered which of his father's enemies were the found skeletons, but that was a question that would only be answered seven centuries later on a TV special.  The company of the workers and gardeners around his estate made him more aware of his excessses, and his famous daily feasts concluded. He would now only indulge them in a weekly basis.  In 1284 one of his captains arrived with a cargo of coca leaves. Apparently the ship had been intercepted by an Aztec captain who recognized the von Goon coat of arms and gave the boxes as a gift, wishing Victor good health and fortune. The Patrician was very confused by this turn of events.  The year concluded in a darker note, however.  Despite paying their ransom, his men were still butchered like animals. Victor walked dumbstruck around the streets of Hamburg, eventually buying a large piece of board and a sharp knife. He brought these to the inner chambers of his family and nailed the board to a wall, then he carved: First Rule of Business: Never Trust a Dane.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 10, 2013 18:51
|
|
|
Jazerus posted:Zearoth, I don't mean to distract from the LP, but you've stopped posting in the main Paradox thread - are you planning to fix Imperialist Adventures of Serbia and Friends? The mod crashes (for me, anyway) around 1850 no matter what I do, who I am playing as, and this persists despite reinstallation of both V2 and the mod.. I can post a save if you need it. I actually have a newer version of the mod on my computer, which, according to my hands-off games kept crashing regularly, but not inexorably, around the 1880s. Unfortunately Victoria 2's error logs are all too useless and the Clausewitz Validator didn't find me anything useful either, so I got somewhat burn-out with the whole project, though I still intend to work on it when I am less frustrated/distracted. I think it may have been a conflict introduced with patch 3.03, since before that the mod was considerably more stable. I do know it is somehow related to events, as purging the entire \events folder makes the game crash free. If you want to give that version a spin and see if it at least fixes whatever is hitting you in the 50s, you can grab it here. Someday, someday.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 10, 2013 20:22
|
|
|
Victor von Goon - 1284-1301 On Victor's initiative the League pressured cartographers to draw the Free Cities of the Hansa in more modern colours, to better differentiate them from the Holy Roman Empire.  There was a slight typo when the scribe noted another one of his many children.  He continued to increase his contact with the common folk, developing the popularity his father lacked.  In late '86, something terrible happened to the "Mayor of the People".    A week later Victor remembered that he still retained his position as High Judge of the Hansa, and so wrote a court order for his own release. The League was surprised to see him free so soon, but no one touched the subject and the event was quickly forgotten. Note: I have no idea what was going in the AI's mind. I guess it was forced to arrest Victor due to the event, and then went "No, this is a loyal vassal" and let him go.  A free man, he continued Viktor's policy of marrying into Europe's nobility, this time the ruling house of Poland.  Not only settling matters between merchants and nobles, he also set time aside for the domestic disputes of peasants.   Simon held a Grand Tournament for the victories in the Baltic. Not a fan of violence, but also not wanting to test his lord's patience after the incident last year, Victor attended it, to be quickly unhorsed. His reputation suffered somewhat.  He knew he had no ability to keep an affair a secret, and the scandal would put a dent on his political career.  "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Victor would write in his journal. It is unknown if Congreve had access to it, but the English poet did spend a summer in Lübeck before penning The Mourning Bride.  In 1292 Simon finally passed away, giving place to a Lüneburg prince. He was somewhat shy, and put off by Victor's loud voice and love for Christ.  After almost a decade of activity, Victor got his man, and Hamburg was once again a safe city to do business in or get drunk at any hour.  He held a party to commemorate his triumph, inaugurating a delightful pond in his garden to impress his guests. Later, when the visitors were gone he looked upon it and for a moment thought he saw his father's smiling visage in the waters. He wondered if this meant he was proud for what his son was achieving.  But it was probably something else, given the news that welcomed Victor upon waking up.  There was a considerable panic in Lübeck due to the fall of Córdoba, driving the entire city to stop for a whole day.   One is never too old for self-improvement!  Specially when he's next in line to lead the Republic, provided he could outlive a man ten years his senior.  If he was to accomplish this, he had to escape his reputation as a weakling, and so the von Goon troops marched to seize the underdeveloped region of Wolgast.  It was not a difficult campaign. He distributed the lesser holdings between some of the men in his family, though he maintained control of the capital, promising to turn it into one of the jewels of the Baltic.   After the campaign it was 1300, and Victor had half a century under his belt. He felt it was time to ponder over the state of the world.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 11, 2013 13:44
|
|
|
I didn't know that, it explains a lot actually. And I do wonder if having one of our ruling families as dark-skinned shouldn't make the Hansa more tolerant when we reach the age of imperialism.TheMcD posted:Doesn't the "seize coast" CB only give you the city in the county (which usually isn't the capital) if you win? You are correct, and they were indeed sieging our trade post there rather than a city. I believe it is a CK2+ change to the CB, as I was surprised to see the AI using that to grab entire counties, and figured the von Goons should get into that action before the von Bardewicks conquered all of the Baltic Coast by themselves. By comparison, as we've seen in that screenshot, we can field about 2500 ourselves (before Wolgast recovers), the von Bardewicks have about 4000 already, so we're not the most powerful family within the republic, but at least we enjoy good relations since we keep intermarrying. It is a good thing that our rivals, the Wittenborgs, don't have anything other than their own palace, so they are not true challengers to our position.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 11, 2013 15:48
|
|
|
TheMcD posted:I was wondering about that myself, because I usually only play CK2 while using Project Balance, my personal favorite as far as rebalance goes, and it even adds a cooldown on the Seize Coast CB (you can only use it once per 10 years there AFAIK), so I wouldn't have been surprised if vanilla/CK2+ was different in regards to what goes with the CB in general. Seems pretty powerful, all things considered. Yeah, I am mentioning palace upgrades when it fits with the general narrative, but that is definitely where most of the von Goon money is going to. And yeah, the CB as it is in CK2+ is really drat powerful and the von Bardewicks capitalized deeply on it when they held control of the Hansa. And certainly, it is whoever has the biggest war chest that will come out on top if it ever comes down to open warfare between the Houses.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 11, 2013 16:08
|
|
|
State of the World - 1301 The Hansa had grown greatly since Viktor's rule, and not all of it was thanks to the efforts of the von Goons. Though there were five great houses in the republic, three were the most powerful. The von Bardewicks of Meckleburg (greyish-brown?), the von Goons of Hamburg (greyish-golden) and the Luneburgs of Holstein (greyish-blue). (I am bad with colours)  Its trade zone had also grown considerably, though it was still a far cry from the empires of Italy.  And this was the north. The Danes considered the rise of the Hansa with great concern, staring daggers across the Baltic Sea. They, the Swedish and the Teutonic Knights were busy purging the remaining pagans of the continent in the frozen wasteland of Finland and beyond.  Of note was the last remaining Norse ruler, still holding onto a small part of what the Swedish crown claimed as its own. History would see if Freja's struggle would go down the ages.  A few Russian principalities remained, notably Kiev, but the east was truly the domain of the Golden Horde. The Mongols had not merely plundered the temples of the Patriarchs, but seized their faith as their own. Their ambitious leper king was the most powerful ruler of Europe, and had adopted an Agnatic-Cognatic Primogeniture to consolidate his Empire.  The most powerful of Europe, but not of the world. The Aztecs consolidated their gains in Ireland and Spain, so confident in their superiority that they even let children manage their colonial company.  The western Mediterranean remained unstable. The Almohads, generally regarded as the mightiest of the western Mohammedans, were facing their third succession crisis in a decade. Meanwhile, Italy had become a battleground, with Lombardy, Venice, the Pope and the Holy Roman Empire competing for hegemony over the lesser realms.  Speaking of which, the von Schauenburgs had consolidated their power, making the HRE an hereditary title. In concession they accepted a Gavelkind succession, so that no Emperor would grow so powerful as to challenge the liberties of his subjects.  Western Europe was stable. Ireland remained a land of potatoes bathed in the blood of Irishmen. The Treaty of Lancashire established the Duchy of Cumberland as a demilitarized zone between England and Scotland, where the two nations could safely discuss trade and diplomacy without spontaneously starting new wars. The Capet still ruled in France, and were hard at work restoring their pretty borders.  The Near East maintained extremely fluid borders. The Eastern Romans recovered Constantinople and their dominant position over the Greeks. Their main rival, the Sultanate of Rum, merged with the Armenian Sultanate under the Seljuk Turks, who have repeatedly resisted Byzantine incursions in these last few decades.  Of the wonders of the East the most fascinating tale was that of the Kingdom of Cyprus-Jerusalem, led by House de Brienne which held not even a hovel on the island of Cyprus itself. Having triumphed over the Ayyubids, the realm included both the Templars and the Hospitalers as well as Muslim emirs. It was a grand and uneasy experiment, being closely watched by all children of Abraham.  Here are the 20th most powerful nations of the world, according to their ability to field troops. Despite their relatively modest gains, and the pacification of the Great Plains, and a war with the Sapa Inca, the Aztec still maintained the power to field an army greater than all of the Old World. Ironically enough, the scourge from the East, the Mongols, had become the greatest Christian power. It was also telling how continuous warfare had weakened most of the European states.  In other news, the Book of the Marvels of the World was a great success, glorifying the achievements of Kubla Khan in the East, and the superiority of the Mongolian people in rule and civilization. It was clear that Europe stood between two great civilizations, the Aztecs and the Mongls, and these next generations would decide if it would submit to any, or forge its own path.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 11, 2013 19:04
|
|
|
So... It's been a few days and it doesn't appear anyone is still following this, or at least finding it interesting enough to comment on. Would someone care to offer a critique on the problems of this LP? Are we saturated with Paradox games, the narrative is uninteresting, is it the writing that is lacking, or something else? I am really interested in the feedback, so that I may at least work on what went wrong with this for future projects. Thanks in advance.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 16:15
|
|
|
TheMcD posted:Saturation might be the problem, however, personally, I don't really see a problem at all. It just might be that nobody really found anything worth commenting on - which isn't a bad thing, per se, it just means there's nothing extraordinary right now, good or bad. That is a really good point, and one I should certainly take to heart. Thanks!
|
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 16:33
|
|
|
Thanks, suppose I should carry on then.Kem Rixen posted:New expansion comes out on Monday, usually the DLC goes on sale whenever a new expansion is released. Paradox has said that the Sons of Abraham should be save compatible, though I am skeptical that this would apply to CK2+ as well, but even if it isn't I have both Steam and Gamersgate versions of CK2, so worst case scenario I simply won't update one of the installs.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 17:18
|
|
|
Victor von Goon: 1301-1302 1301 passed by without any extraordinary events, until the Spring of 1302 came by, bearing the fruits of Victor's labour.  His first act in control of the League was to organize the Eastern territories, and lay the foundations to the Hansa as a state.   The Hanseatic League would be a federation of allied and self-governing republics and free cities, with a central government based out of Lübeck. The republics would share responsibilities for the economic well-being and defense of the League. With a lifetime spent dealing with legal cases and the like, Victor would be the primary contributor to this Constitution, and the founder and Highest Judge of the Bundesverfassungsgericht. He also laid the foundations to the Bundeswehr, a standing army for the federation.  For this, his name would go down in history.    His popularity was so great, that even the head of the Wittenborgs had to concede that "he was alright, for a von Goon". And the Prince of Venice himself sought a von Goon wife, as did the King of Jerusalem. It was now clear for all of the continent that the von Goons were here to stay, and had conquered their place in the high politics of Europe.   It would not go unchallenged. One of the many tales of his rule, would be of his great battle against Satan himself.   So the folktale would go, he did not shy away from helping the least, as a peasant from the countryside called upon the highest of the lords for help. When presented by a Gate to Hell itself, he felt no fear, for he knew God was on his side.  He gathered the greatest of the Hansa to face this, but as the politicians bickered and bickered, and the Brother-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named suggested the sacrifice of Victor's youngest child to appease the Beast, the Prince knew that only the Lord would be needed to triumph.  Some versions of the tale would say that it was Victor himself, not an exorcist, who gained victory over Satan's gate.   Of course, in his life Victor would credit only God.  The first rule of business.  He took his business to the island of Ôsel instead, knowing that the Teutonic Knights would be honest partners.  As he grew older, Victor became more and more religious, thanking God for all of his blessings. So when the Holy Land called on for his help, he knew what he had to do.  It took the better part of the year, but he had convinced all the republics of Hansa to support this endeavour. A thousand men died in the journey from the Baltic to Jerusalem, but they had nonetheless arrived.  It was 1308, and in a few months the Hanseatic troops had turned the tide against one of the invaders.  The campaign against the Ayyubids and their allies was more difficult, but Christedom had come to the aid of the Hansa and Jerusalem.   It would be too late for Victor, who in his boundless enthusiasm was surrounded by Syrian troops and captured in 1310.  Demoralized and cut down to almost a quarter of their original size, the Hanseatic troops returned home. Vanquished on the field of battle, neither gold nor faith could save the Prince.   Without his stabilizing presence, old rivalries surfaced again when Viktor accused Gebhard of betraying Victor's position to the Muslims.  Gebhard had his own way of taking revenge at this slight, believing Victor lacked the means to punish him.  He was very, very wrong. And that would be Victor's final act as Prince. 
|
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 17:58
|
|
|
Patter Song posted:Martin von Bardewik! We beat back an invasion of it, which would have destroyed the kingdom, but the Egyptian campaign for Damascus is still going. I am optimistic about Jerusalem's odds, as the crusade should force the Ayyubids to send troops to defend their homeland.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 18:12
|
|
|
 Victor the Great died in Allepo, succeeded in his family by the second Viktor and in the League by the Martin Half-Hand, a peerless politician who earned his name during the battles of the Holy Land. He was instrumental in establishing von Bardewick control of Mecklenburg.   Viktor II, better known as Viktor of Pomerania, had enjoyed great success in the tournaments so shunned by his elder brother, though he had the same characteristic charm, with a much angrier voice. He was a well-accomplished leader, with great ambitions. He was also well-aware of his own age, and what this meant for the von Goons. His brothers were also elders in their own right. If the von Goons were to take control of the League again, they would need to groom a successor from the younger generation. A von Goon Meet was in order, a Goonzusammenkommen. Viktor selected these three as the most promising candidates:  a) His own son, Gotthard was competent in most areas of government, but was also a decadent man who was nonetheless loyal to his family. He was also a claimant to the French throne through his mother. (Skilled Tactician, Young, Greedy, Envious, Wroth, Proud, Chaste)  b) The third son of Victor the Great was a strong-willed man, with a great sense of justice and a full beard. (Flamboyant Schemer, Homosexual, Brave, Just, Ambitious, Chaste)  c) There was also Amadeus, who towered over all and knew of warfare and money and very little else. (Thrifty Clerk, Tall, Young, Brave, Temperate, Greedy, Wroth, Deceitful)  d) Though not one of Viktor's choices, young Poopo nonetheless tried to gather support, mostly from his mother's pressure. His content demeanor would certainly be welcomed by her family, the von Bardewick rulers of the League. (Naive Appeaser, Young, Patient, Deceitful, Content, Brave, Chaste) And for a day and a night the von Goons argued, bickered and voted on who should lead the family. ZearothK fucked around with this message at 19:10 on Nov 14, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 19:08
|
|
|
TheMcD posted:Not to my knowledge. Made for problems in my republic games when I push for duke-level claims and get feudal vassals instead of city vassals. To elaborate on that, Gotthard would be a king if we pushed his claim at the moment. He would turn France into a republic if he had a republican title already, such as a city or a republic of his own, but that is a very remote possibility, as his is a weak claim, which can only be pressed in very specific situations, so we'd have to wait for the stars to align. I mean, it would be possible to declare war now, as France is facing a succession crisis against Aragón, but we don't really have the manpower to make the attempt without control of the Hansa, so this is more of a long-term strategy/hope. Edit: If I by any chance end up grabbing France as a republic in the future I would most likely release the First French Republic as its own independent state instead. It is too early in the game for us to be that powerful, and this is still a LP about the Hansa. ZearothK fucked around with this message at 21:45 on Nov 14, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 21:42
|
|
|
TheMcD posted:France would always be independent if we push a claim unless we somehow manage to get an Empire title (which isn't likely). In the remote possibility of a Hansa led by Gotthard at a time when the conditions to enforce a weak claim on France are applicable, a victory in the war would add it as one of his titles. But yes, it still isn't a likely scenario, specially considering Gotthard's diplomatic competence.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 14, 2013 21:56
|
|
|
Thanks for that Reveiled, also for explaining the in-game election mechanics for the audience. That Venetian system sounds surprisingly... Logically consistent now, and I have to admit it does have some merits.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 15, 2013 15:06
|
|
|
uberkeyzer posted:Posting to say that I am thoroughly enjoying this and to encourage you to keep up the good work, even though you whiffed by not naming the thread "Cash Rules Everything Around Me" drat. Anyway, voting's closed! The von Goons have chosen to appoint Amadeus as successor to the family, mostly because he's so friggin' tall.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 15, 2013 18:46
|
|
|
I never looked at it from that angle. Though Invasions are a mechanic I am probably not touching on this LP, unless I somehow roll an Alexander or Napoleon to justify it under the roleplaying, but it is unlikely.Rodyle posted:CK2 threads are great because it draws all the history goons out of hiding. Wish I was on GBS 2.1 so I could empty-quote this.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 15, 2013 21:39
|
|
|
 The palace was finally quiet, relatively, as the von Goons returned to their homes, trade posts and rooms. Far off in the distance some of the younger ones, led by an over-enthusiastic "Uncle Wictor" marched through Hamburg, announcing to the world that the "von Goons were gonna have the tallest Patrician IN THE WORLD". They were headed to the prison tower where the Wittenborg patriarch idled his days to give him the news.   The Pomeranian territories were granted to Amadeus, as well as his right of succession. But the other candidates were given places in the Republic, nonetheless.  Gotthard walked out when the decision was announced, chanting "SHUT THE gently caress UP, DAD!" every time Viktor tried to address him. He really didn't beat up that kid enough, but the young man would be surprised to find himself as leader of the Pomeranian army. Mathias seemed satisfied with the choice of Amadeus, though he carried under his beard the peculiar smile of a man who knew he would be next in line of succession if an accident happened. Poopo was just content that it was all over. Viktor was tired, unlike his older brother he found no joy in legalese. At least he had his dearest daughter to comfort him.  Whatthechrist.  His government began in the traditional way, a new von Bardewick wife for himself, to express his deep loyalty to the Prince. As the wedding ceremony occurred, he sent the news to Irmgard's uncle.  As leaders of the League, the von Bardewicks would be forced by the constitution to ignore Viktor's aggression, and so Baldewin found himself alone. Victor had never enforced the borders drawn for the Pomeranian Republic for fear of alienating the most powerful family in the Hansa, but Viktor had no such qualms.  He was surprised, however, to find that there were some amongst the von Bardewicks who supported his effort. Such as his own brother-in-law.  It was not a war, but a joke; and Stettin was also granted to Amadeus in the hopes that Pomerania would make a statesman of him.  Rather than infuriated, Prince Martin was actually impressed by Viktor's military acumen, and so granted him command of the armies of the League.  Cyprus-Jerusalem had triumphed over another of its foes, thanks to the aid of the crusade. The Ayyubid Sultanate founded by Saladin was extinct.  Viktor indulged Gebhard's request. Anything to lenghten the stay of the Wittenborg's leadership in his prison.  Mathias had to be reminded of his proper place.  News from the west crushed Gotthard's dreams of his own kingdom, as the de Barcelonas had united the Aragonese and French crowns. "To better defend Christendom against the Aztecs", so they said. A position the Pope deeply disagreed with, if Alfons' excommunication meant anything.  Finally, at the end of the year, it was Viktor's time to guide the Hanseatic League. Old age had caught up to Martin, and he simply did not wake up one night.  Viktor made a mental note to avoid dying, as Amadeus was still far too young to compete for leadership of the League.  It was time to turn to revenge, however. He remembered well both trade posts lost to the Danes, as well as the men massacred by them. It was too late to take revenge on Cnud, but his son would do.  While preparing his campaign he found time to mock and belittle his favourite prisoner.  One beautiful summer morning he realized that it was really godfucking creepy to be having an affair with his daughter, and so broke it up.   The Second Rule of Business Let nobles and fools die for glory, faith and honour. We fight for profit and revenge. He wished he could tell that to Victor, but his brother's corpse had been lost at sea on his way back home.  It was foolish of the de Barcelonas to presume the personal union with France was enough to resist against the Aztecs. Rather, they were invaded, and in the wake of the campaign their kingdom fell apart. It was time for a concerned father to arrange for Gotthard a place in history, but first, to make sure he would not forget his republican origins.   With the plans set in motion, he turned his attention north: he still owed the Danes a second round of von Goon vengeance, this time for Victor's heartbreak. The island of Rügen would be made part of the Pomeranian republic, for the benefit of the League, of course.  The League was slight outnumbered, but Viktor was confident in his ability to outmaneuver the Danish armies, as well as his ability to contract mercenaries if need be.  He intended to intercept the rallying forces before they gathered at Skäne.   His campaign did not go unnoticed, and as he sailed to Copenhagen a ship from Norway greeted him with a strategic proposal. He found a friend in their common enemy.  Viktor's plan was a great success, and the disorganized Danes fled before the Hanseatic forces. Soon the Norwegians would also be here, and there would be no succour for Denmark. "Who is an old man? Who is an old man? Not me!" Viktor of Pomerania shouted at the prisoners of his great battle, still bathed in the blood of their comrades. It was all a bit too much excitement for him. 
|
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2013 04:47
|
|
|
advokat posted:Novgorod Chat I have often stared longingly at Novgorod (who in certain start dates is a merchant republic that cannot be played), glad to know there's a historical reason as to why it is impossible.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2013 04:49
|
|
|
TheMcD posted:Uh, so where the hell did Konrad Warendorp come from? He kind of seems out of place, although I do recall an event happening when I played Hamburg where one of my sons just randomly came back with an African bride (and that actually happened with multiple sons), so that might explain what this African guy is doing leading the Hanse. I believe that's exactly it, I've had that event as well on other playthroughs. Edit: Looking at his parents... Yep, so it is.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2013 05:17
|
|
|
OddObserver posted:So one thing I never quite got a hang of when trying a republic playthrough is what determines which I am not 100% positive here, but I believe all the highest level titles are inherited by the Doge/Prince Mayor. So if you have multiple Duke-Level Republics and there's no Serene Republic (Venice/Hansa/Formed Kingdom), they all go to the Doge, and if you have multiple kingdoms, so they do. The capital of the republic is also inherited by the Prince, as is the duchy it belongs to. So, in the case of the Hansa: Lübeck (capital), Holstein (Republic where the capital is) and the Hansa (highest title) all go to the next Prince, while the remaining possessions go to the designated heir. PurpleXVI posted:So who's the next victim in line after Denmark inevitably falls under Hansa dominion? We should find another bunch of merchants and beat them up and take their stuff, like Venice or something. The trade map mode shows our likely venues for expansion, so we'll most likely be pestering everyone in the Baltic given enough time. Controlling Danzig and the Sound Toll in Scandinavia will probably take priority, as they are important centers of trade in EU4, and the later gives us a pretty great modifier for as long as we control it. Given the way trade mechanics work in CK2 (trade posts are more expensive with range) and our relative isolation from the Italian Republics, we'll probably only fight them in the next game. Only situation where we may face another Merchant Republic is if Novgorod gains a coastline.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2013 15:08
|
|
|
Flython posted:When did Achaea become a merchant republic? Woah, nice catch, I didn't actually notice that. They are actually part of Byzantium, so my guess is that Venice conquered the area back when the ERE was broken up, the local republic revolted from them and then accepted to join the Empire diplomatically, sometime between 1270-1300 (when that screenshot was taken). I guess if they survive until 1444 I'll make them a Byzantine vassal in EU4, rather than a direct territory. I will be using the Warring States thingie where you need an event to integrate vassals, so they should last for a while if they make it. ^^ Edit: Or peasant revolt, that's possible too. ZearothK fucked around with this message at 15:43 on Nov 16, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2013 15:37
|
|
|
Luhood posted:It feels like we're becoming more and more like the Ferengi every day. I love it! The final confrontation with the House of Wittenborg shall be in GalCiv, where they will have turned into actual Borgs.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 17, 2013 14:13
|
|
|
  Amadeus was somewhat older, fuller and slightly more competent, but still lacking in social graces, and a need to prove himself.  It was Amalie, his Lüneburg wife, who was the true mastermind of the pair. Ambitious and kind-hearted, she resented that her gender kept her from the greatness she deserved, and so she ruled through Amadeus.  Not that she was the only one to influence the Grand Mayor. He knew the will of his family, and designated Mathias as his second. His brother merely stroked his beard, and smiled upon receiving control of the Pomeranian lands.  Konrad continued Viktor's campaign with the welcome aid of the Norwegians, this time for his own sake rather than the von Goons.  Rügen was soon his, and the first possession of the Warendorps beyond their palace and trade posts.   He knew it was a von Goon scheme that allowed this to happen, and made sure to give the family its dues, of a sort.   Gotthard found himself a wife from the lesser nobility of Mali, he was not the only one to do so in this period, and while many would point to Konrad's popularity as the source of this trend, it was a side effect of the great wealth flowing in the Transatlantic Trade between Aztlan and Africa, and a desire of local nobles to be part of it.   Amadeus tried to base his demeanor on his father, the Great, but most people found his intellectualism to be boorish and pretentious.  Konrad did not live long, and he was succeeded in '22 by the Wittenborg patriarch, who would rule from the von Goon's prison tower.  Amalie suggested it would be better to increase her husband's escort, given the power the Wittenborgs now had, and maybe to negotiate for the Prince's release.  But they did not have enough money to satisfy Amadeus' greed. No matter, he had other venues for profit, such as completing his uncle's goal.  Besides, he enjoyed a good fight, specially an unfair one.   As it turned out, Gebhard lasted only a few months. Being definitely not poisoned by Amalie. The new von Bardewick ruler was the same Simon who helped Viktor of Pomerania against his uncle in the last decade, so a good relationship was expected between the families.  These people underestimated Amadeus' greed and Amalie's ambitions.  A shy, vengenceful and arbitrary man with little diplomatic tact, and a dishonorable reputation, Simon II was not the most popular ruler.  Soon all of the Hansa was discussing ways to kill Simon. Men and women would drink and fill the night with increasingly elaborate plans for the murder of their prince. Taverns grew quiet at the arrival of any von Bardewicks, who felt like they were being excluded from a joke.   It didn't take long. At the end the most straightforward approach was taken, and no secret was kept, as the bowmen bragged of their exploit and of Amadeus' gold.  It was 1235, and once again the von Goons had control of the Hansa.    At a terrible price, the enmity of the second most powerful family of the League, now led by one of the greatest, and youngest, leaders ever seen in the Baltic.  They tried their best to appease the man, marrying him to their eldest daughter, but there was no way to make him get over the whole "You murdered my father" thing.  Most of the families had done the same thing as the von Goons, appointing younger successors to lead their houses, making of Mathias the eldest contender for succession.  Their second daughter went to Bohemia. With few friends within the Republic, they were at least glad the family held their reputation outside.  In '26, the kingdom of Jerusalem was vanquished, and the so-called king of Cyprus was left to rule a patch of desert in exile. Their grand experiment was over.  Growing paranoid with time, Amalie urged her husband to take some lessons in his free time.  Denmark was too strong an opponent to the divided Hansa, but the fragmentation of Lithuania gave ample opportunity for the League to "civilize" some of the Baltic coast, and so Amalie directed her husband to establish a new republic in those backward feudal lands.  Bohemia was eager to join, as a previous marriage had made the Duke of Lithuania a claimant to their throne, but the numbers of the Hansa were still questionable. So once again the Company of the Rose was hired to aid the von Goons in their ambition, this time for a real battle, rather than a mock one.   Despite his victory Amadeus found real warfare to be a distressing experience. He needed a stiff drink.  Wait... I know that smell...   Mathias was entertaining Martin in the von Goon Palace when they received the news. The pair shared a knowing smile and some off-handed jokes as Amalie retired to her quarters to cry, swearing death upon a thousand Lithuanians. Mathias then invited Martin to the main office and showed him Victor's board, he asked his friend what wisdom one could learn from Amadeus' life. The Third Rule of Business Do not anger those you can neither buy nor destroy.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 17, 2013 17:49
|
|
|
advokat posted:It's a pity you can't investigate those things after the fact, though it is pretty obvious who dun it in this case. Aye. I felt confident enough in writing Mathias and Martin as the masterminds because Mathias was an ambitious heir and Martin really hated Amadeus, and is the most powerful non von Goon. Besides, Amadeus lack of any diplomatic skill and the Dishonorable Trait meant he was really unpopular, so it isn't very unlikely that everyone other than Amalie planned the assassination. Oh, and there they go, the rules are now being collected in the OP.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 18, 2013 00:10
|
|
|
  Older, wiser, more paranoid, Mathias was seen as a virtuous ruler and enjoyed a much better population than his younger brother, Amadeus.  His first act was to reform his council, surrounding himself with those who were better than him at statesmanship so that he may profit from their advice, and finding high places for all of the Great Houses, except for the Wittenborg. Of course.   He also defied the family, by appointing his second son as successor, rather than Gotthard. Dietrich was an able politician, a hard-worker and a humble man who knew his place, despite some worldy indulgences. He would receive the Pomeranian Republic to cut his teeth in. He ignored Gotthard's protests, he had a war to win.   These lands he would give to the ever content Poopo, knowing full well that his youngest brother would not use them to gain any political leverage.  Kurland's integration was not entirely painless, as the Baltic pagans of the area violently resisted attempts to convert them. Mathias wondered why the Teutons hadn't exterminated all of them already.  But while Markward had to deal with some unruly mobs, the Pagans to the south had risen to revolt against the weakened Lithuanians. He could smell the blood on the water.  The Lüneburgs discovered that his eldest son was planning to kidnap him, further validating his paranoia.  Victor fled to the republic of Achaea, as far as possible from his father's fury.  Mathias meditated over what all of this meant, he was growing weary, and his beard did grow long.  Nonetheless, he remained a busy man. The pagans had been successful in their revolt, and the Lithuanian dukes had been severely weakened. It was time to take Memel.  Numbers were still on his side, even if the Bohemians were unwilling to join this campaign.  Despite slaying their leader, Mathias underestimated the mettle of the Lithuanians, and one of his armies suffered a terrible defeat in Kurland.  That was why he brought two.   The young duchess knew there was nothing she could do at that point. The city was also granted to Poopo.  Having never betrayed his wives' trust (with another woman), Mathias comemorated his 52nd anniversary with a third son, and came to be known as The Chaste, for his modesty. His much younger wife wanted to spend some special time with him, but the Prince had other projects, a new campaign in the Baltic.  Soon he was back on the battlefield, surrounded by ten thousand young, strong, sweathy men.    The Republic of Samogitia was now part of the Hanseatic League!  The vast wealth brought forth by these campaigns meant that the von Goons would be needing a new home.  With so much time spent in the Eastern Baltic and Lübeck, Hamburg became neglected.  The Swedes watched this rising power carefully and came with honeyed words, establishing a marriage between their king and Mathias' niece.   From the East it seemed that the grand experiment was not quite over. Invited by Muslim lords, the Templars were granted permission to keep the peace for pilgrims visiting the Holy Land.   Mathias studied the Lithuanians and Latvians, discovering they they are actually different people.  It was not only Hamburg that suffered with von Goon eyes focused outside. Dynastic warfare between the Lüneburgs and and the von Bardewicks had resulted in the excommunication of Martin.  The Prince Mayor, however, was distracted by his own exploration of Baltic culture and faith. He began to wonder if there were any truths hidden in their religion...  He was forced to a rude awakening when news of Gotthard's plan to kill his successor surfaced.  His cousin made it more difficult than it had to be, and he resisted bravely, though he had little more than his own household guard.  Gotthard was arrested and stripped of his titles.   But he was still family. Mathias came back from this campaign to find out that Martin had converted to Catharism.  He could not arrest, nor persuade his old partner in crime to return to the mainstream church. This made him feel older than ever.   He was tired, so tired... 
|
|
#
¿
Nov 18, 2013 19:53
|
|
|
Tevery Best posted:So, the Wittenborgs are back in power - do we have anything to fear? Because I think trying to dodge some heavy-handed revenge from up top would make for a lot of Fun. Well, we are the most powerful family within the Hansa, so we can defend ourselves if they try to go after our titles or anything direct, but it is possible that they will use this as an opportunity for intrigue (assassination, seizing trade posts) or get events to ruin our prestige. It is mostly up to chance, to be fair. Biggest risk is if they use this as an opportunity to expand their territories, and so become more of a nuisance. We kind of lucked out that the Viktor the First picked a fight with them, things would be somewhat more difficult if we had the Lüneburgs or von Bardewicks as rivals.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 18, 2013 22:07
|
|
|
advokat posted:Interesting developments all around. I must have missed it - whatever happened to Gotthard's plans for France? Got sidetracked hard by being removed from succession and then imprisoned over trying to murder the designed heir. The opportunity to enforce his claims didn't come up at a time when the von Goon leadership was friendly to him, Viktor of Pomerania was planning to, but he died before setting it up. ZearothK fucked around with this message at 02:33 on Nov 19, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 19, 2013 02:25
|
|
|
  One of the finest politicians in the history of the von Goons, Dietrich remained a hard-working and humble man, with a taste for worldy pleasures and an absolute fear of violence.  He hoped his ability would suffice to outmaneuver an angry Wittenborg Prince.  The matter of succession had to be arranged. His father's generation was almost entirely gone, his brothers and close cousins were either in exile or still children, as were his nephews. He had an idea.    The oldest living von Goon, who had been imprisoned for planning Dietrich's murder. A display of magnanimous generosity should be enough. Certainly the man would be glad to enjoy his final days in Pomerania, rather than in a prison cell. He expected to outlive Gotthard, but he would do as a successor for now, as his younger brothers and children came of age.  With his house in order he had to fix Poopo's mistake. In his death the old shithead had allowed open elections, and regions nominally belonging to Samogitia were under control of a man who responded only to the Wittenborgs. I had actually forgotten that most burgher titles work by Open Elective, which means they are inherited by randomly generated characters to represent local elections and such.  Not a real war.  He was counting the lucre from that skirmish with Danish pirates when Gotthard invited himself into his office. He had a big smile on his face.  "There is a child on the throne of France." he announced, closing the door behind him. "My throne." "I am not supporting that silly adventure of yours, let it go."  "They have no army, no money and that child is as good a diplomat as your uncle." Gotthard leaned closer. "We do not have the money for that."  "Knock it off, we do have the money." "Alright, yes, but... We are at war thanks to the Wittenborgs, with the Empire and the Danes!"  "Over some stupid frozen piece of land the Swedes and Danes are fighting over. They won't touch Hamburg at all. Come on, it will be an adventure, gathering an army, narrowly avoiding Imperial forces, springtime in Paris?" "Look, just... Let us not do that, thousands will die because of your pride over your grandfather's kingdom." "Let us negotiate then. You will declare war, you will hire the Company of the Rose and some other twats, place them under my command and I will take France, or I will kill you with my own bear hands." [sic]  After an uncomfortable moment of silence, two broken chairs and a bloody nose, Dietrich agreed it was a reasonable offer. Before leaving, Gotthard had the Grand Mayor make an addition to the ancient board. The Fourth Rule of Business Respect your elders.  And off went the Conqueror. His troops landed on Evreux and horses travelled through the countryside, announcing that France would be free from the yoke of Kings and Feudal Lords.  The Dukes of Flanders and Provence rallied forces to face this pretender, expecting equal numbers, only to find the republicans reinforced by Lithuanian regiments. At the end of the day the Seine ran red with blood, mostly on the contributions from Monarchists.  Gotthard would go on to chase them like dogs, while the Lithuanians secured the fortresses near Paris.  But not Paris itself, that was a task the commander cherished for a lifetime.  History would not register the plague-filled corpses that he threw into the city, nor the prisoners he would send against the walls at night so that the defenders might waste their ammo and despair in sunlight upon seeing their dead comrades. No, it would just tell of the valiant burghers and soldiers who opened the gate to welcome their chosen Prince, favoured by God, beloved of his people.   Vive la Republique Française! Gotthard von Goon would be the first of his family to become a legend. While Viktor was the father of the dynasty, and Victor the Great would be known for creating the basis of the Hanseatic State, it would be Gotthard's battle of the Seine and foundation of the First French Republic that would resound through the ages. The von Goon troops returned to Hamburg to rejoice at their victory. There they found their brethren who had been dragged to fight in Denmark, to find that they too had triumphed in their efforts a mere pair of weeks earlier.  Victory against the feudalism of France, as well as against their old rivals of Denmark and the Empire. The date of February 11th was thus immortalized as The Day of Victory within the Hansa, its very first national holiday.  Dietrich found it all tiresome, and so he began to explore the garden that his most illustrious ancestors had cared for so much.  It was a very good year for the von Goons, all things considered.   The Lüneburgs were a reasonable family, unlike the Wittenborgs. With his father's conquests now back under control of the family, Dietrich knew that the League was under just leadership.  But it was not only the Hansa that prospered in the Baltic. The war had devastated Denmark, and so the Piasts enforced a personal union over the Danes, promising to protect them from mercantilist interests.  With his affairs in France, Gotthard was no longer a successor to the Hanseatic von Goons. As Dietrich's primogen came of age, he was granted the Pomerian lands and his very own designation as heir. Mathias had reasonable political ability, but was a disaster as a general or administrator, he would need to be surrounded by competent advisors.  Martin the Cathar passed away, his successor was quickly excommunicated, as the Lüneburgs enjoyed close ties with the Pope.   Dietrich believed the good work should be rewarded.  His meritocratic approach to wealth distribution meant that conditions in Hamburg improved enough for the Thieves' Guild to disband on its own volition.  In '52 a new Viktor was born, Dietrich's youngest son to his young Achaean wife. This made him contemplative. He picked up the baby, and began to tell him of this strange and beautiful world he had been born into... ZearothK fucked around with this message at 17:18 on Nov 19, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 19, 2013 17:03
|
|
|
Yep, I at least intend to convert to EU4.alcaras posted:Great LP! That is not because of campaign funds, there is actually an element of randomness for successions behind the scenes, so sometimes you need to go way over the points of the next candidate to remove this margin of error, and it tends to grow when the successor is from the House that is already ruling the Republic. Looking at the succession screen for the Republican title is the only way to be sure of which way it will go. On France, yeah, they are actually an unplayable republic. I fooled around the saves to return Wolgast to the Hansa (my pretty borders) and give the Normandy counties and cities to Gotthard's control so he would have something coastal, but somewhere between here and there he moved his capital to Poitiers, which is inland, and thus became an Open Elective Republic (like Novgorod). Since we are talking about messing with game files anyway, I might as well put it up for a vote. On the future of the Republic of France Gotthard's conquest of the fragmented Kingdom of France was fraught with challenges, many of which came after his infamous victory against the monarchy on the Seine. He had to establish a new form of government to escape France's feudal legacy. To this end he pursued and enforced the following model: a) Victor The Great's Federated League: A Mercantile League in the same form as the Hansa, leading a federation of sister Republics, Free Cities and allied feudal lords, with a centralized government based out of Normandy. This will be a Merchant Republic like the Hansa, and if it survives will become a Merchant Republic in EU4. b) The Compromise de Lusignan: Stripping the nobles of their power would be too much for a nation with such an entrenched aristocracy as France. Rather a partnership should be established, led by nobles elected from amongst the Lords of the French. France stays as open-elective, but all subject lords will give up claims to the throne. If it survives the French Republic will be a Noble Republic in EU4. c) The Spring Revolution: France should be re-organized through self-managing Departments (themselves divided into Cantons), with a strong bureaucracy. Nobles may vie for position in this government, but they will be held by the same standards as commoners. France stays as open-elective and all subject Dukes will be switched to having cities as primary holdings, making them mayors. If it survives the French Republic will be an Administrative Republic (like Switzerland) in EU4 Vote will run until 24 hours from this post. ZearothK fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Nov 19, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Nov 19, 2013 20:10
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 24, 2024 09:12 |
|
|
That would be an interesting one. I'll keep an eye open for opportunities in the 92 years of CK2 we have left, but no promises, as setting up heirs/claimants takes some time, specially if you are not gaming the system. You can see from how long it took until we placed Gotthard in France.Reveilled posted:I don't really mind what we go for, but just in case we go for A, remember that a dynasty cannot control more than one merchant house, so Gotthard cannot found another Von Goon house in merchant france. That is actually a good point, might be the reason why the Merchant Republic didn't stick originally.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 20, 2013 02:59
|
|