While we're on the subject of Burgundy, I should explain my idea for French culture more fully.
- At the start, both Brittany and Burgundy have French culture.
- However, both reach a crossroads at some point:
Brittany must decide whether to focus on England (moderately peaceful, naval/colonial option) or France (more aggressive land-based option).
Burgundy must decide whether to remain a predominately French state (allows high level of centralisation and warmongering, and pays off early on) or to become a culturally diverse Rhineland one (requires Burgundy to be open, tolerant and fairly peaceful, but this reaps greater rewards later).
For both powers, turning away from France results in the loss of French culture.
The strategic position depends on which of the four possibilities occur:
- Both focus on France: the outcome will depend on how strong and/or peaceful the two countries are, but the likely result is protacted warfare as the two countries battle for supremacy in France. Surrounding countries will tend to back whichever power is weaker, as they don't want either side to win. Even the winner will be left battered enough that it will hardly have been worth the effort, and may be hit by a revolution later, turning it into the Republic of Orleans (see below).
- Brittany goes north, Burgundy stays put: Burgundy will steadily push westwards, and if it's aggressive will try to push Brittany off the continent. But Brittany may be quite ready to make concessions, as it means it can focus more effort on colonisation and fending off the Scots. The Breton lands will carry a nasty sting for Burgundy if it takes them, however.
- Brittany stays put, Burgundy goes east: Brittany will want to expand into Paris and surrounding areas. Burgundy is probably strong enough to stop much overt military action by Brittany, but the loyalty of the people caught in the middle will be suspect as both sides try to woo them. A kind of cold war could develop if Burgundy is obstinate, but in the end Burgundy will probably realise that it's not worth clinging on to the region at the expense of assimilation further east.
- Brittany goes north, Burgundy goes east: A power vacuum will develop in Northern France as the legitimacy of the two local powers wanes. There are many ways in which this could develop, but the most likely result is that a new state emerges in the centre of Northern France, called the Republic of Orleans (in the Abe tradition, I'm not allowed to call it France!). Orleans will only be a medium power in its own right (unless one or other of Brittany and Burgundy is destroyed by the revolution), but its political and social outlook will be extremely radical for its time, with consequences over the whole of Europe and even its colonies.
The Republic of Orleans can emerge in all four scenarios, but it'll be much more likely in the first and fourth cases, where the existing powers' authority in Northern France is disputed or dubious. Its existence and some of its event choices will open up more events (including random events) for other powers, creating a much more ideologically charged atmosphere in the later stages of the game.
- At the start, both Brittany and Burgundy have French culture.
- However, both reach a crossroads at some point:
Brittany must decide whether to focus on England (moderately peaceful, naval/colonial option) or France (more aggressive land-based option).
Burgundy must decide whether to remain a predominately French state (allows high level of centralisation and warmongering, and pays off early on) or to become a culturally diverse Rhineland one (requires Burgundy to be open, tolerant and fairly peaceful, but this reaps greater rewards later).
For both powers, turning away from France results in the loss of French culture.
The strategic position depends on which of the four possibilities occur:
- Both focus on France: the outcome will depend on how strong and/or peaceful the two countries are, but the likely result is protacted warfare as the two countries battle for supremacy in France. Surrounding countries will tend to back whichever power is weaker, as they don't want either side to win. Even the winner will be left battered enough that it will hardly have been worth the effort, and may be hit by a revolution later, turning it into the Republic of Orleans (see below).
- Brittany goes north, Burgundy stays put: Burgundy will steadily push westwards, and if it's aggressive will try to push Brittany off the continent. But Brittany may be quite ready to make concessions, as it means it can focus more effort on colonisation and fending off the Scots. The Breton lands will carry a nasty sting for Burgundy if it takes them, however.
- Brittany stays put, Burgundy goes east: Brittany will want to expand into Paris and surrounding areas. Burgundy is probably strong enough to stop much overt military action by Brittany, but the loyalty of the people caught in the middle will be suspect as both sides try to woo them. A kind of cold war could develop if Burgundy is obstinate, but in the end Burgundy will probably realise that it's not worth clinging on to the region at the expense of assimilation further east.
- Brittany goes north, Burgundy goes east: A power vacuum will develop in Northern France as the legitimacy of the two local powers wanes. There are many ways in which this could develop, but the most likely result is that a new state emerges in the centre of Northern France, called the Republic of Orleans (in the Abe tradition, I'm not allowed to call it France!). Orleans will only be a medium power in its own right (unless one or other of Brittany and Burgundy is destroyed by the revolution), but its political and social outlook will be extremely radical for its time, with consequences over the whole of Europe and even its colonies.
The Republic of Orleans can emerge in all four scenarios, but it'll be much more likely in the first and fourth cases, where the existing powers' authority in Northern France is disputed or dubious. Its existence and some of its event choices will open up more events (including random events) for other powers, creating a much more ideologically charged atmosphere in the later stages of the game.
