Chronicles of the Wendish Empire in a Changing World - A CK3 to EU4 to Victoria 2 Megacampaign AAR

[Nikolai]

Welcome, all - to the mega campaign that is the story of the Wendish Empire!

This started in CK3 (read it here), continued in EU4 (my first EU4 AAR ever, read it here).

And now we are entering the realms of Victoria 2. I believe this might be my first ever Victoria AAR too, if I have written one before I cannot remember it. I am an experienced PDS player, but I have never been particulary good at Victoria 2 (or 1 for that matter), so expect me to do okay, but not conquer the world. Which I never would have done anyways, actually, as I hate war with a passion and only do it when I feel I must.

I have played on the 1860s already and will warn you proper industrialization only happened after 1-2 decades, as the converter didn't give anyone machine parts it turned out, so after the initial batch of the machine parts were used, the would was without any way to produce it until I figured out the problem and the proper invenstion triggered somewhere in the 1830s. Then I made myself a crude event that I triggered a few times, giving me some parts so I could build a machine parts industry. Yes, I WILL manipulate the game if I feel I need to for the world to make sense. But I will do it sparsely if ever after this.

With that said, I will warn you I will not write as often as I am known to, as I now have a fulltime job and have way less time to play and write, I will try to make one chapter per week(end), no promises. This weekend I have written a long chapter in EU4 to end that part of the journey. I do not know if I will start on the first chapter here in Vicky this weekend or the next. But I plan to write as long as the game allows me, this is a twice converted game, so you never know.

Hope you will enjoy the story!

 

[RustyHunter]

I'm glad you got the machine parts situation sorted out. Clippers can also be annoying at the start, but I honestly don't know how the converter chooses factories. I think it all comes down to vanilla's UK being heavily industrialized compared to most countries that are converted from EU4.

 

[Nikolai]

I'm glad you got the machine parts situation sorted out. Clippers can also be annoying at the start, but I honestly don't know how the converter chooses factories. I think it all comes down to vanilla's UK being heavily industrialized compared to most countries that are converted from EU4.

If needed, I will make an event for that too, but it seems it's okay. I have steamers going on anyways.

 

[Specialist290]

Still keeping an eye on this. Looking forward to new chapters as and when time permits

 

[generalis Julius Caesar]

Looking forward to this!

 

[Nikolai]

Still keeping an eye on this. Looking forward to new chapters as and when time permits

Looking forward to this!

Welcome onboard!

 

[Idhrendur]

I find the problem with clippers is that countries tend to convert with far too many ships. It's a demand-side problem, not a supply side. You actually might want to tag through and see who has too many ships and delete some. The ai doesn't know to delete ships and the cost of them can actually keep ai countries from building anything useful. Makes the game too easy when you convert sometimes.

 

[Nikolai]

I find the problem with clippers is that countries tend to convert with far too many ships. It's a demand-side problem, not a supply side. You actually might want to tag through and see who has too many ships and delete some. The ai doesn't know to delete ships and the cost of them can actually keep ai countries from building anything useful. Makes the game too easy when you convert sometimes.

I wouldn't even know what is too many ships though.

 

[Idhrendur]

I wouldn't even know what is too many ships though.

Fair enough. It's more fun to 'delete' their ships through in-game actions anyways.

 

[Nikolai]

Fair enough. It's more fun to 'delete' their ships through in-game actions anyways.

The Wendish Empire has led their part of the world with little war and much restraint. I hope for that to continue - for the most part.

 

[Nikolai]

Surprise (to both me and you)! I found the time and energy to write some more, and I am almost finished with the first chapter.

 

[Nikolai]

1821-1831

​

The third decade of the 19th century showed the Wendish Empire that nothing would be as before. The world was changing, and in time the Wendish Empire would have to change with it. Surprisingly, the reactionaries that was in power was the ones who had to adapt the Empire to these changes.

The Emperor, who was an absolute monarch, only depending on the party – or at this point rather the clique of people surrounding him – to a certain extent, made his will clear: The country had already some industry going. He expected his government to nurture and expand this, for the betterment of the Empire. Even so, it would not be before the end of 1831 that extensive expansion of industry would commence properly, but all through these ten years, the industry slowly grew. At the start, basic goods like regular clothes, canned food and lumber were prioritized.

By 1822, the first experimental railroads were invented, and the government used a huge amount of funds to build them all over the Empire, depleting the treasury, but greatly aiding the slowly ongoing industrialization. Some parts of the Empire were still too hard to build railroads in, though.

In 1823, a great treshing accident happened, and much to the dismay of the reactionary government, popular demand for trinket pensions were backed by the Emperor, giving a first of what would later be many social reforms in the Empire.

During these ten years, many wars flared up. The Wendish Empire was called in by their ally Castille against Sardinia, but they did not take active part in the war. It would end with Sardinian Aquitaine conquered by Castille.

The 2nd Irish-Scottish War would end in the Scots being annexed by the Irish, while the 6th Greek War for Independence would end in the Greeks finally gaining that independence, after having fought for it five times before, between the 15th and 18th century. The Egyptian-Australian Imperialist War would end in Egyptian failure to conquer any lands, but the Australians would not gain any land either.

 

[Nikolai]

The world in 1821​

The world in 1821 was dominated by Europe, but one saw the rise of North America too at this point. The Wendish Empire, their allies Ireland and Ruthenia, now rechristened Ukraine, was considered Great Powers. As were their longstanding rivals France and the Byzantine Empire. The latter was in the middle of another war with their unruly subject turned Great Power, Greece, as 1821 started.

In North America, California had broken free from their previous overlords France, as they grew so powerful as to be considered a Great Power in their own right. The same happened, briefly, with the Wendish subject of Vermont, which was no longer a dominion by the end of 1821, having replaced California for a while before going down to a 9th place on the power rankings. They kept their alliance with their former overlords and was very much aligned with the Wendish Empire still.

In 1821, the Wendish dominions were Louisiana, Newfoundland, The USA (very small) and Belize, while Vermont as mentioned was an ally.

Three years later Louisiana became so powerful as to become briefly a Great Power, gaining independence and a formal alliance with the Empire. In 1830, Newfoundland would experience the same. The tribes of Navajo, Isleta, Apache and Cascadia was satelites of the Wendish Empire.

Further south, in California and Mexico, France governed, with Florida being a subject of Castille and Alaska in the north being a subject of the Wendish ally of Andalusia.

South America was divided between France and Andalusia, with some minor independent indigenous states dotting around and the Byzantines having a foothold all the way south.

Africa was mostly inhabited by indigenous states, albeit European powers had made some headway. Egypt reigned over a vast Empire. Kongo, Kikonda and Maravi reigned the middle of the continent. Down south the Andalusians were in power, as they were closer to home. But up north countries like Jenne, Marwanids and Kaabu were strong local powers. In the middle of these and Egypt, the Byzantines had a lot of land.

In Asia, the country of Ü were dominating the Tibetan plateau, while China was divided in several rivalling states, like the Shun, the Xia, the Dali and Liang.

Further east, Japan was dominating, while Kara Khoja had recently put Bjarmaland out of their misery.

Down in Oceania, the indigenous Aboriginal and Maori tribes had long ago united Australia and New Zealand under a central government, where Egypt and France might have taken some slices recently but were still barely holding onto their recent conquests.

 

[NarcomancerPL]

Borders in Europe are terrible :O hope Nationalism will fix them ^^
Wendish Empire being combined Anglo-Polish nation surpised me quite a lot. Wonder If there is any "Pelka Smith" xd
Papal State barely visible on the map still, somehow, became Great Power and Bohemia-Moravia being Italian nation (at least geographically) I don't know what to think about it
Is B-M dominated by North Italians? If so can they unite Italy? That would be quite hilarious
Looks like all countries with Slavic origins are federations of different people: Wendish Empire, Bohemia-Moravia and Ukraine (probably as well) interesting world

 

[Nikolai]

Borders in Europe are terrible :O hope Nationalism will fix them ^^
Wendish Empire being combined Anglo-Polish nation surpised me quite a lot. Wonder If there is any "Pelka Smith" xd
Papal State barely visible on the map still, somehow, became Great Power and Bohemia-Moravia being Italian nation (at least geographically) I don't know what to think about it
Is B-M dominated by North Italians? If so can they unite Italy? That would be quite hilarious
Looks like all countries with Slavic origins are federations of different people: Wendish Empire, Bohemia-Moravia and Ukraine (probably as well) interesting world

The Wendish Empire is originally Poland, but my last CK3 Emperor was Greek, so the country has Greek state culture even though there's not Greek majority anywhere I think. I even can release Poland if I so was inclined. Might be something to mod, really. But I've let it be so far. B-M inherited their Italian lands during the last decades of EU4 actually. I really want their core lands, as they are rich in resources, people and industry. But I can't annex the capital of a large country... The Papal State is in decline, nationalists keep taking their capital, but nothing happens. Ukraine has been big since CK3, no idea if they unified their culture though. Probably not.

 

[Cora Giantkiller]

This is a really wacky set up and I love it. God bless the free people of Australia.

 

[Nikolai]

This is a really wacky set up and I love it. God bless the free people of Australia.

Glad to have you onboard Cora!

 

[NarcomancerPL]

The Wendish Empire is originally Poland, but my last CK3 Emperor was Greek, so the country has Greek state culture even though there's not Greek majority anywhere I think. I even can release Poland if I so was inclined.

I remember that 0% Greek majority in EUIV If I understand correctly you currently don't have single Greek in your country (as colonies are treated separtly from the overlord) so no need to keep "fake" Greek identity
I don't think you should release any of the nations unless forced to. It is nation who was born out of Poland so releasing her is out of the question (at least for now)

 

[Nikolai]

I remember that 0% Greek majority in EUIV If I understand correctly you currently don't have single Greek in your country (as colonies are treated separtly from the overlord) so no need to keep "fake" Greek identity
I don't think you should release any of the nations unless forced to. It is nation who was born out of Poland so releasing her is out of the question (at least for now)

I may mod the save file I have for the 1860s where I am right now yes. I'll at least cxonsider it.

 

[HIMDogson]

Good to see the AAR get this far. I certainly hope something is done about those borders. Perhaps there could be a nationalist revolution in Czech Italy to help clean things up?