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  1. - Top - End - #61
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by Flickerdart View Post
    Are those new names? I don't see a single Sregs or Srong.
    Well, all of the names here have definitely shown up in the past, but you're right, for once the most common names are absent. I think I should think of more names to add, though... maybe I should slowly start introducing some people from the more-populous-than-Tibetan "minorities"? That would require an extensive in-story change to Tibet's political structure, though, and it would probably be rather jarring.
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-09-16 at 02:23 AM.
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  2. - Top - End - #62
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by SilverLeaf167 View Post
    Well, all of the names here have definitely shown up in the past, but you're right, for once the most common names are absent. I think I should think of more names to add, though... maybe I should slowly start introducing some people from the more-populous-than-Tibetan "minorities"? That would require an extensive in-story change to Tibet's political structure, though, and it would probably be rather jarring.
    Or the minorities become tibetans and rise to the halls of power.
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    Rockphed said it well.
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  3. - Top - End - #63
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    I like the style of writing you've been using, though some short snippets of dialog could be pretty funny. Definitely noticed the lack of screenshots, though. Gameplay wise...I like the idea of going after Pegu, especially if you can force their armies to come through the narrow passage connecting them to Tibet and let the mighty Tibetan defenders rip them apart. Alternatively, how strong are Orissa and Nepal? They look like the main obstacle to dominating the Bengal trade. That's quite an impressive Malwa; I haven't seen them get that big before. How's Ming doing?
    Last edited by IthilanorStPete; 2014-09-16 at 09:53 PM.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 15: David and Goliath – Episode IV: The Wrath of the Khan
    4th of August, 1556

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    Lungtok Phuntsok of the Earth Electorate defeats his Oceanic opponent by a narrow margin.



    Nobody's really sure what he's going to do, given his speech only really consisted of him sharing his attitude, but ”something warlike” is the most common guess.

    Even if that were true, nobody's really sure who he'd attack. Tibet couldn't defeat either Malwa or Vijayanagar, and everyone else in the Indian area is allied to one of them. Conquest is definitely in many people's minds, but the only possible direction is against Tibet's own allies. Surely they couldn't allow the great Tibet to be seen as such traitors?

    Shan, no longer allied to Tibet after some disagreements over war matters and such, would be a possible target, but they share two mutual allies with Tibet; Oirat and Dai Viet-Ayutthaya. It is unlikely they'd simply stand back, and Phuntsok has no will to fight either of them. Pegu, however, is only allied to the very weak Lan Na and Taungu. As Sregs before him, Phuntsok is very tempted.

    On the other hand, Tibet's truce with the Timurids is already over, so he doesn't want to take any risk. He puts some spies to work at preparing a potential war against Pegu, though. Pegu... almost immediately catches them, thus deciding to break their alliance with Tibet, but apparently not entirely sure what the spies were doing.

    If the Timurids are going to attack, they're definitely taking their time. The only disturbance in Tibetan peace in the next few years is a peasant army in Oudh, frustrated by their new Tibetan lords' attitude. Phuntsok cannot allow such insolence; the army is dispatched to put the rebels down, with Phuntsok leading it himself.





    While one of Phuntsok's squires is rubbing lowborn blood off his boots, the Prince comes to a realization. Though long confined to the Himalayan mountains and defined by ethnicity, Tibet now consists of a single central people ruling over multiple others; it is, by the word's very definition, an Empire! Prince-Emperor Phuntsok of the Tibetan Empire; he likes the sound of that. Of course, many Princes before him have basically been Emperors too, but perhaps he could go down in history as the first one to adopt the title? It's pretty long, though, so he wouldn't mind people just calling him Prince, either.

    Phuntsok's old comrades from the Earth Electorate are voicing their complaints about the Ministry of Defense's policies of equal opportunity promotions; of course, he knows they've been whining about this for years, maybe decades, and just think Phuntsok is finally going to do something about it. While he agrees with the basic sentiment, he's been spending some time with the soldiers lately, and doesn't really find them that bad. On the other hand, openly refusing the nobles would be a bad idea, so he gives them some minor, temporary concessions to calm their minds.



    The long-expected declaration of war arrives from the West in July 1561. While Tibet has multiple allies on her side, and the enemies' numerical advantage actually isn't that great for once, they both neighbor Tibet and might force Phuntsok to divide his attention. Even worse, the Malwan border isn't nearly as defendable as the Timurid one. Perhaps worst of all, due to the long wait, Tibet's army is in a standby state in Oudh, meaning it probably won't be completely in combat order for a while.



    Malwan troops quickly march over the border, and though the Tibetan army is too slow to get out of the way, they are far superior to the enemy, even with their pants still around their ankles, so to speak.



    The army retreats to Garhwal, a much more advantageous position, but is just barely defeated by a huge Timurid horde. With the Kangran area occupied once again, those defensive innovations will truly come to the test.



    Delhi mostly acts as a slight distraction, while Oirati troops are freezing their rears off in the mountains, too anxious to attack the Timurids head on. Tibet's other allies aren't even anywhere to be seen.



    Meanwhile, Tibet's troops have reinforced in U-Tsang, and the Ministry has come up with some quick improvements. Though they somehow imagine their schematics for new sorts of fortifications are the most important thing, the truly most major factor is their acquisition and reverse-engineering of arquebuses; basically smaller versions of the cannons the army has liked so much. They've been mixed with traditional weapons for now, but nobody seems to be quite sure what to do with them.



    With their new equipment, the army once again almost succeeds in fending off an enemy assault further inland, but almost isn't enough when it comes to warfare.



    Oirat desperately calls for Tibet's aid in two separate wars they've gotten involved in, but Phuntsok must decline. Tibet can hardly handle the current one.



    Within just a few days, it is shown exactly just how good that decision was, as Orissa declares war on Tibet to reclaim its old province Dacca. Allied with Nepal and Vijayanagar, they greatly outnumber and Tibet and Delhi. Tibet just might have to let that war go; it only threatens a very small area, while the Timurids are a much larger problem.



    Months pass by as positions shift on the front. Some of the Timurid forces have decided to move into the Oirati steppe, allowing Phuntsok to try and retake Kangra and Garhwal. However, the enemy has a strong presence in Delhi and Oudh, and Dacca's walls have already been broken by the subversive Orissi.



    Amidst all this chaos, an election must still be called to order.



    Prince Lungtok Phuntsok must unfortunately be representated by one of his assistants, for he himself is currently busy defending Tibet with his own bloody blade, as the speech he's prepared makes abundantly clear. In times such as these, electing a new ruler would be a horrible choice and only cause confusion in the ranks. If Tibet hopes to have any chance of replicating the miracle from the last Timurid War, he must stay Prince-Emperor.

    Lungtok Tsewang of the Heaven Electorate balks at the new title, claiming it only serves to display Phuntsok's arrogance. The revered Republic of Tibet needs to stop expanding and conquering with such blind enthusiasm! It's precisely what wrought the current mess. While this war – these wars, to be more accurate – must of course be won, Tibet should focus on mending its wounds and figuring out a better way to handle things.

    Karma Phuntsok of the Ocean Electorate is very worried about the occupation of Dacca and the potential loss of the nation's only port. If that were to happen, the wonderful navy – which actually sunk an enemy ship a few days ago – would have to go, too, and it would be a huge step backwards for the whole Empire. Those poor provinces in Western Tibet are expendable! The military must focus on these southerners. Besides, his party had such wonderful ideas in mind for the place...



    Karma Phuntsok of the Earth Electorate – who awkwardly has the exact same name as the previous candidate – dismisses both previous candidates' rambling. The only reason Tibet is even having trouble in this war is that it doesn't have a big enough army! As the situation stands, though, it's population can't support a bigger one. So, how do you get more people? By improving living conditions? Bah, by conquering them! Tibet must be more aggressive than before, if it wishes to compete internationally.





    Vote for the next Prince-Emperor here! [CLOSED; click to view results]

    Author's notes
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    Tibet's past sins have come to a boiling point... as has the name problem. I mean, c'mon, just look at those candidates.

    Look at the short story thing below; I just felt like trying something.

    Answer to reader question
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    Ming is bigger and stronger than ever.

    Bonus story snippet
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    It was already dark when Dilip finally left the tent, tossing the filthy rag aside and wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his uniform. Summer nights were hotter than hell itself. He sat on a fallen tree by the fire, too exhausted to even notice the other soldier before he spoke up.
    ”Rough day, huh?” Tinley asked with a smug grin on his face. He was sitting on the other side of the fire, gnawing the last pieces off a slice of meat.
    ”Quiet”, Dilip answered in broken Tibetan. ”I want to rest.”
    ”Well, that won't do. We're both on watch duty.”
    ”I know”, Dilip sighed, collapsing backwards onto the long wet grass and burying his face in his hands. ”I want to go home.”
    ”Oh, getting homesick, are we?”
    ”No!” he sprang up to protest, earning some snickering from Tinley. ”Why did I join?”
    ”What?” Tinley asked with genuine surprise, leaning forwards. ”Are you implying you actually volunteered?”
    Dilip gave no answer but angry silence.
    ”Come on, you've got to give me something here!” Tinley kept pestering him. ”Just why would anyone do that?”
    After some more silence, Dilip finally opened his mouth. ”My parents told me, our family used to be very powerful...”
    ”Where were you from, again?” Tinley interrupted rudely.
    ”Allahabar, on the Ganges. Just south from here.”
    ”Oh, right.”
    ”My family, noble. We had land in Oudh. But then... the attack”, Dilip said in an overly dramatic tone, almost as if telling a ghost story.
    ”By the western hordes?”
    ”No, worse. Northern demons”, Dilip whispered with a smirk on his face.
    ”You mean... hey! Take that back!” shouted Tinley, almost reaching for his knife.
    ”I do not hate you. That is what my parents say”, Dilip explained with slight sorrow in his voice. Tinley grunted forgivingly, sitting back down and trying to calm himself. Dilip continued. ”Took only months. Lost it all. Given to some northern merchant.”
    Tinley's usual smile had a twinge of empathy in it. ”I'm almost sorry for you.”
    ”Don't. Wasn't even born.”
    ”But still, why join the army? Fight for your conqueror?”
    ”To anger my parents.”
    Tinley broke into audible laughter, slapping his knee. Dilip joined in awkwardly. ”Okay, no need to explain further”, Tinley finally managed.
    ”Why are you here?” Dilip asked him.
    ”Eh. We had a farm near Lhasa – though we didn't really own it ourselves. The army needed soldiers, and I couldn't exactly refuse.”
    ”Now I'm sorry for you.”
    ”Well, it's not that bad”, Tinley shrugged and took a bite from his almost forgotten meal. ”We get free food and clothes, and hardly have to do any fighting either!” he mumbled with his mouth full of food. ”I kind of wish we got to, though. I want to prove my worth and get promoted.”
    ”I agree”, Dilip sighed, once again reminded of his exhaustion, and collapsed back onto the grass.
    ”Did our dear Prince make you polish his boots again?”
    ”Prince-Emperor, actually. But yes!” Dilip's frustrated voice rang out from behind the log. ”All of them!”
    ”How does he even get them all dirty?” Tinley snickered.
    ”Probably on purpose. Says I'm good at polishing.”

    There was a long silent moment. Dilip lay still in the grass, getting his uniform soaking wet, almost as a form of protest. Tinley kept gnawing on his meager meal. The flickering fire cast its dim light into the surrounding jungle, and Tinley could swear he saw something move in the darkness. ”Want something to eat?” he finally offered Dilip a piece he'd been hiding.
    ”What is it?” Dilip asked with obvious interest, raising his head slightly.
    ”Beef.”
    ”No thanks”, Dilip moaned and let his head fall back down.
    ”Oh, right.”

    Another, almost as long and definitely much more awkward moment of silence followed.
    ”Maybe we should just leave?” Tinley suggested.
    ”Huh? What do you mean?” Dilip grunted. He'd almost managed to fall asleep.
    ”Take two horses, ride over the border to Delhi. Nobody will stop us, and I hear there are huge cities in there! Biggest in the world!”
    ”So I hear”, Dilip admitted, pulling himself back up onto the fallen tree.
    ”We could ditch the uniforms, live there for a while. Nobody would find us.”
    ”I don't like your plan. There are other guards too.”
    ”But we've just been camping here for months! Nobody is paying any attention anymore.”
    ”I'm staying.”
    ”Then so am I. By the way, if anyone asks, I was just joking.”
    ”Should I tell the Emperor, demon?”
    ”Har har, you little tigerspawn.”
    ”Northern people call us that?”
    ”No, I just made it up.”

    Suddenly, the guards at the camp gate announced someone's arrival. A messenger, coming in from the north, ran right past them and straight into Prince-Emperor Phuntsok's tent, the same one Dilip had left moments before. In just a few seconds, anxious voices could be heard coming from inside.
    ”What do you think that is?” Tinley wondered with dismissive boredom.
    ”I think we leave in the morning”, Dilip whispered.
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-09-19 at 09:32 AM.
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  5. - Top - End - #65
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    OOC: YES! MORE NAKED PARTISANSHIP! MUD FOR THE MUD GOD! VOTES FOR THE VOTE THRONE!

    IC: This is the price of your folly, Gentlemen! The cost of your hypocrisy! Why did we invest so much time and energy into our mountain defenses and tactics if we were going to just establish indefensible lines along the Ganges? Let the Indians have their coastline, clearly the Buddha has shown that our enlightenment comes from the Mountaintops, not the cleansing rivers.

    We must not allow the hordes into the sacred mountains! All means are justified to such an end!
    So Much for the Glory of Rome, a Crusader Kings 2 Let's Play

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  6. - Top - End - #66
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Oh dearie...that's a lot of attackers. Tibet will endure, with the strength of its mighty Prince-Emperor!
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 16: Moral victories
    4th of August, 1564

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    It seems the election was mainly a choice between two strong military leaders, the reasons for which seem rather obvious to all. The incumbent Lungtok Phuntsok narrowly wins, allowed to continue his campaign on the Western front.



    Though Phuntsok wouldn't let it show, he has no idea what to do. For now, all he can think of is trying to reclaim Kangra, but while he's doing that, various foes are rampaging around the rest of the country.

    He eventually succeeds, but the enemy has made far more progress elsewhere. Desperate, he decides to attack at least someone, initially heading to U-Tsang but changing course as more enemies are reported to arrive there. Instead, he decides to try his luck with the Timurids in Oudh.

    Meanwhile, Oirat has ended its war with Pegu, managing to make them release Assam as an independent state. Were he not so busy, Phuntsok would be overjoyed by the easy target.



    Phuntsok wins an easy victory over the small group in Oudh, but is then attacked by a larger army. Not fully recovered from the last fight, he is once again forced to retreat.



    Meanwhile, defeated and exhausted Oirat makes an empty peace with the Timurids, leaving Tibet with one less ally. Phuntsok can't really blame them.



    The Timurids had sent plenty of ridiculous demands during the war, but now Phuntsok reconsiders and finally decides to accept one of them. It's really better than he might hope for; sure, he has to give up over half of Delhi, including its most populous city Maratha, but at least Tibet itself goes untouched... if he can manage to weasel out of the other war.



    After gathering reinforcements in the East, Phuntsok finally achieves a notable victory, driving the Vijayanagari away from Lhasa.



    Finally shaking off his bad habit, he even manages to survive the inevitable counterattack.



    Emboldened by this apparent twist of fate, he marches onward to occupied U-Tsang.

    The lengthy and bloody war has forced Tibet to take multiple loans from various sources, mainly its own merchants and eastern neighbors. However, the Ministry of Finance has figured out a way to handle said debts, creating a whole new branch of commerce focused around selling and buying them, as well as various other documents. By taking a little money from each exchange for itself, the Bank can effectively reduce the amount of interest it has to pay from its own coffers.



    A vast band of Southerners tries to hinder Phuntsok's advance, but he chooses his battleground well and forces them back with ease.



    Nepal offers Tibet a peace on their part, but demands the release of her Kangran provinces. Phuntsok scoffs at the idea, having finally began making some progress.



    Orissa soon makes the same offer, except with even more demands.



    Phuntsok refuses to even finish reading the message. Instead, having liberated U-Tsang, he marches west to banish the small dispatchments occupying them. Nepal finally decides to abandon the war, without making any further demands. More arrogant offers from Orissa pester Phuntsok to no end, though, as he leads his army to Dacca, hoping to reclaim it and debase Orissa's so-called success.



    In January 1569, Orissa finally agrees to a white peace as well, utterly tired of fighting and having lost control of its main objective.

    The entire nation lets out a collective sigh of relief; as soon as they're done celebrating, of course. Though Tibet didn't technically win, surviving two simultaneous wars against massive opponents is still quite a feat, which makes its way into the history books as the War of Perseverance. The Golden Lion fleet, having hidden in Dai Viet for the duration of the war, is free to return to its home port.

    On the more practical side, a full annexation is begun in what is left of Delhi, before any more unpleasantness can delay it further.

    The myriad difficult battles of the war have also brought new insight into advanced tactics and technology. Tibet's traditional cavalry archers are given new training to suit a world revolutionized by the continuing spread of firearms, while numerous improvements are made to the artillery corps as well. In the process of reforging the cannons, any used in the war also have their barrels remade in the shape of roaring lions, as a memento.



    The integration of Upper Doab – Delhi's capital and last remaining province – is finished in August 1569, giving Tibet full control over its economy and undeniable domination over trade in the local area.

    Over the border, there are multiple rebellions going on in Timurid lands, demanding independence for one country or another. Phuntsok grants them his nominal support, which is enough to earn him their respect.



    None of those revolts end up achieving anything more than local unrest, but they seem to manage to inspire some small risings in Tibet, as well, hoping for Kangran independence and whatnot, but those are easily suppressed.

    Tibet's dire lack of manpower has motivated Phuntsok to adopt a more benign attitude towards Assam. As it turns out, their new government, put in place by Oirat, is Buddhist instead of Hindu, and interaction is thus much easier. With lengthy convincing, an official alliance, a noble marriage and some blatant bribery, Phuntsok manages to vassalize Assam without any unnecessary bloodshed.



    It makes for a rather pleasant final footnote in his second term.



    Lungtok Phuntsok, First Prince-Emperor of Tibet, managed to wrest peace from the hands of imminent defeat, (sort of) triumphing against impossible odds. In national lore, he has earned his place in the Eternal Court of Grand Prince Sonam. He is very much aware of this, and it's one of the main reasons he doesn't want to run for a third term. He always saw himself as more of a general, anyway.

    Lhawang Gampo of the Heaven Electorate is happy to see Tibet remain intact, but distressed to see it in such a state of disorder. The economy is completely out of hand, vocal discontent can be heard across the nation and there's lots of lacking paperwork. While the Ministries are doing their jobs well, the next Prince-Emperor must himself be capable of participating in the process of recovery. Besides, Tibet shouldn't go to war before its reserves have recovered from the War of Perseverance.

    Chang-chub Wangdue of the Ocean Electorate dreams of a longer coastline for Tibet. Everything is in place for a war against Pegu, who has no allies and an army much smaller than Tibet's. We must strike while the iron is hot! Not only are the lands across the border wealthy, they would allow for extensions to the navy, which was luckily spared in the war, though having to hide in foreign ports was rather embarrassing. Trade would also benefit, of course.

    Lhabzang Srong of the Earth Electorate agrees that expansion is still Tibet's top priority, and opportunism its best option, it should direct its attention elsewhere for now. Kachar and Mewat are both excellent targets, since their powerful allies currently have official truces with Tibet. Even if they do choose to join, thus utterly ruining their reputation, Tibet has already proven capable of defeating superior numbers. Pegu can wait; these other opportunities cannot be passed up!







    Vote for the next Prince-Emperor here! [CLOSED; click to view results]

    Author's notes
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    We'll probably get Episode V of that saga in two chapters or so.

    Almost losing is exhilarating. Actually losing (as in, losing most of my provinces) would probably make seriously consider savescumming. Though I think I'd try to continue, just to see if I could recover.

    P.S: I like writing.

    Bonus story snippet
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    Lungtok Phuntsok, Prince-Emperor of the Republic of Tibet, rode into Shillong on a white horse, flanked by a whole company of likewise mounted bodyguards. Clad in white-and-gold armor reminiscent of a fearsome lion, or perhaps a demon, they were a sight to behold, and their very presence split a clear path through the crowds.
    Phuntsok passed through the gates of the still unfinished palace, managing to seem somewhat humble while still acting like he owned the place. If that is hard to picture, you've never seen Phuntsok on a diplomatic visit. He promptly dismounted, marching right into the great conference hall, his escorts forming an orderly line against the wall while he sat down at the end of the long negotiation table.
    King Suklenmung Garghgaya Raja I Raikat, or simply King Raikat as Phuntsok had bothered to memorize, entered shortly after, protected by a much smaller and less intimidating group of soldiers. In complete silence, he took his place at the other end of the table.
    ”My honored friend, great King of Assam, I am pleased to be granted this audience”, Phuntsok said with overstated humility.
    ”My prestigious friend, grand Prince of Tibet -”
    ”Prince-Emperor!” Phuntsok corrected.
    ”- I feel you are the one granting me the audience.” King Raikat was a slight man, at least a decade younger than Phuntsok yet years elder in looks. A mere King, clearly lacking the natural authority of a true Emperor.
    ”Do not belittle yourself”, Phuntsok scoffed. ”I am the one who comes to you with an offer.”
    ”Oh, truly? This is not another complimentary visit, bringing nothing but honeyed words?”
    ”You are bitter, my respectable friend, and I think you anticipate my offer.”
    ”I refuse”, the King blurted out with unintentional bluntness.
    Phuntsok played taken aback. ”Shouldn't you at least hear me out?”

    ”Assam will not be part of your self-styled Empire. We have just recently received our freedom. We shall not give it away willingly!”
    Phuntsok let out an audible sigh and snapped his fingers. One of his guards sprinted up to him and conjured a porcelain cup, into which he poured steaming green tea, complete with Assamese spices. King Raikat looked on in confusion, wondering where the drink had come from. The guard returned to his place in the line. Phuntsok took a careful sip. ”Are you entirely sure?”
    ”We've been studying some history”, the King muttered, starting to grind his teeth slightly. ”We know of the wars you have waged on Assam in the past.”
    ”In the past, as you said”, Phuntsok said, idly twirling a mysterious spoon in his tea. ”Besides, you are the same nation only in name. You have a new capital, a new religion – and a new King.”
    ”It is true that I was placed on the throne by the Khan,” the King admitted. ”But that doesn't make me any less Assamese. This is my country, as it was while still part of the accursed Kachar, and the Pegu after that.”
    ”That is true.”
    ”What makes Tibet so different from our other oppressors?”
    ”We are an Empire, not a mere Kingdom scuffling with another. You wouldn't be alone. Many other peoples have joined the Empire, and all have gained from it.”
    ”Gained what?”
    ”Security.”

    The Prince-Emperor said the last word in such a tone and with such a look, a heavy silence reigned for many long seconds as he drank his tea before finally continuing.
    ”In the last hundred years, Tibet hasn't truly lost a single war, while many unprotected states have fallen to foreign invasions. Let us be frank, my trusted friend: you are a small, weak nation with five larger neighbors.”
    ”Sti-still, what reason do we have not to at least fight for it?” The King was losing some of his former certainty.
    ”The inevitability of your defeat.”
    ”You...” the King grumbled with rage, leaning over the table.
    ”It is a shame you didn't like my generous offer. We cannot let a single ruler's bravado doom all his people to destruction, however. If you refuse to defend them...” Phuntsok failed to conceal his cruel smirk. ”We will have to do it for you.”
    ”You... you...” the King fumed. ”You are right, oh acclaimed friend”, he slumped back into his chair.
    ”So you do accept after all?”
    ”To the extent that it is still my decision at this point.”
    ”Excellent!” Phuntsok yelled out, throwing his hands wide in joy. ”Do not fret, however: you will be merely a vassal of the Empire. You will keep your power, and your honestly rather nice palace. The Empire will help fund its construction, of course”, Phuntsok rattled off, rising from his chair and turning his back, headed toward the door.
    ”I know what happens to your vassals”, King Raikat threw his last dishonored jab.
    Phuntsok ignored the question entirely. ”I'm sure my brother and your sister will be overjoyed as well, the little lovebirds.”
    ”Yes, I hear they get along very well”, the King responded with bitter irony in his voice. Phuntsok laughed aloud, the clatter of his men's metallic footsteps echoing from the walls long after they'd left.
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-09-21 at 08:25 AM.
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  8. - Top - End - #68
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    The success of Phuntsok in vassilizing Assam is a clear indication that our current path should be a path of peace. Vote Gampo for prosperity!

  9. - Top - End - #69
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    Only when we can muster an army to destroy the khan will we know true peace. Vote gompa for freedom. Vote gompa for Tibet!
    Quote Originally Posted by Wardog View Post
    Rockphed said it well.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Starfall
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  10. - Top - End - #70
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Phuntsok's vision of a gran Tibetan Empire must come to fruition, and Kachar and Mewat shall easily fall before the mighty Tibetan guns! (and their yaks) Vote Srong!

    P.S. I liked this little story snippet; adding more character to the rulers is definitely a nice touch.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 17: David and Goliath - Episode V: Becoming the Goliath
    4th of August, 1572

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    Lhabzang Srong wins the election by a fair margin with his promises of new additions to the Empire.



    He immediately starts preparing for said conquests. It is a large risk; subtle gauging of the political theater reveals that Vijayanagar and Nepal would probably come to Kachar's side, and the same applies to Malwa with Mewat. Still, he believes the Tibetan troops are hardy enough to succeed against any of them.

    After the unrest and raging inflation in Tibet have generally been sorted out, Srong finally declares war in July 1574.



    Vijayanagar and Nepal join the war, as expected, and Vijayanagar officially takes control of the war, as also expected. With that in mind, Srong can only really hope for a part of Kachar's land, but it's still something, and he has to keep his promise after all.

    Kachar immediately attacks Assam's army. Srong is just a little too late with his troops, but descends upon them like an angel of vengeance, chasing them over the border into Assam.



    The Tibetans fan out into the area while the main army keeps an eye out for any attackers. Assam manages to regroup its army and heads towards Nepal, successfully distracting them away from Gauda.

    They are, of course, annihilated, but this short break in the siege gives the citizens enough time to gather more supplies, effectively negating all progress the enemy had made. Their combined forces march towards Srong, but he makes a strategical retreat into the mountains of Kachar, making them change their minds and head in the other direction instead.



    Vijayanagar is currently also at war with the island state of Ceylon, and is oddly enough suffering a humiliating defeat due to repeated failure at landing troops there. Tibet's additional distraction probably isn't helping matters, either. It seems their troops are headed there even now, unable to choose between two enemies on two fronts.

    With Kachar completely occupied, Srong assaults Nepal's capital Katmandu instead. Against such a numerically superior opponent, staying in the mountains as long as possible is vital. It is obvious that Tibet's reputation is well known, even far in the South; the enemy dare not even come near them, preferring to stay in Orissa.

    The war continues for a few years without any proper battles at all. Since Tibet's economy is doing rather well, Srong orders better forts and walls built around Lhasa, just in case things turn sour all of a sudden. Other than that, though, the only thing happening is angry glaring over the border. Whenever the enemy tries to make a move, Srong performs a correspondent feint, scaring them to scamper back once more.



    With almost all their lands occupied, Nepal truly has had the tables turned around on them. Srong actually manages to force them into vassalization under Tibet, not only taking them out of the war but actually giving Tibet a new – if temporarily rather useless – ally in it.



    Of course, vassalization under Tibet always means eventual integration. Nepal, that old pest, is a bigger prize than Srong dared even dream of. He has already gained more from this war than if he'd actually conquered all of Kachar. Unfortunately Vijayanagar, the only enemy left, isn't willing to accept even a white peace. They aren't really making any progress, though, so Srong will just have to wear them out. He isn't willing to attack and ruin the whole war in one fell blow.

    June 1578 sees the first battle in years, as the Tibetan army is finally attacked in Gauda. Of course, the enemy doesn't stand a chance; the area is densely forested and full of rivers, making their huge numbers more of a detriment than anything. They stand no chance against true mountain demons.



    With this humiliation in recent memory, and still failing against Ceylon, in February 1579 they are finally willing to hand over moderate monetary reparations and almost all of Kachar. The war has been a huge success, effectively gaining Tibet almost as many provinces as all its earlier conquests combined, if you count Nepal.

    Unbeknownst to the preoccupied Srong, Pegu and Shan have been waging war for a while now. Coincidentally, they make peace in the same month as Tibet does, resulting in the liberation of a new state of Bengal in the very area Tibet has claims on. Unwilling to miss such a ridiculously easy opportunity, Srong immediately declares war on Bengal and spreads his troops over the unprotected country within a month.



    To the forgetful Tibetan's avoidable surprise, the Timurids declare war once again. However, they have no other allies on their side, while Tibet has plenty. For the first time in history, Tibet's side actually outnumbers the Timurids! They soon recruit more soldiers, but still, it's an achievement of sorts.



    Though Bengal hasn't signed a peace yet, Srong feels comfortable leaving small detachments to finish the occupation while he leads the rest of the men to the eastern front. He quickly comes to appreciate the practicality of being able to march through Nepal rather than having to take the winding paths through the mountains. The numerous' allies troops obviously haven't arrived yet, so Srong tries to stay away from the horde.

    Locals rise up in revolt in the Bengali capital in Chittagong, defeating the small Tibetan army stationed there. Rather than going in to deal with them, Srong decides to take what he can, signing a peace for a good amount of gold and the northern half of the country.



    A Timurid army attacks a Tibetan one stationed in the mountains, but is easily driven back.



    Though the Timurids are besieging the eastern provinces, Srong is forced to leave this position in order to stamp out a rebellion in the Kachari provinces. He's just passing through Lhasa, actually, when August arrives once again.



    Prince-Emperor Lhabzang Srong manages to make a quick visit before continuing on his way. He plays the classic war card, so to speak, reminding everyone that electing a new ruler in the middle of a difficult war is a bad idea – especially when the current ruler is also the commander of the army! Not only that, he has made great gains for Tibet, and should stay in power in order to be able to make sure Tibet manages to keep them.

    Sangye Sonam of the Heaven Electorate has ”stumbled” across a large collection of unused schematics and plans for infrastructural improvements in Tibet. After wiping a few decades' worth of dust off them, he realized many of them are definitely workable, especially as the Crown Bank's treasury is fuller than ever. After this current... unpleasantness is over, enacting them should be the nation's first priority.

    Jigme Wangdak of the Ocean Electorate agrees, though naturally sharing his own opinion on what improvements to perform first. His main point, however, is the unsustainability of Tibet's unaccepted minorities. They live within the nation's borders, yet don't even speak the Tibetan language properly! Though history has shown that simply increasing the minority's size tends to work, a more direct approach must be adopted in such a quickly growing Empire. They must finally be taught to embrace the culture and language of Tibet! It is vital for the integrity of the nation.

    Töndup Thekchen of the Earth Electorate has just returned from his daily walk on the newly expanded battlements of Lhasa. As all of Tibet's most precarious wars have been defensive, and surely will be in the future, making these same improvements all over the same country – especially in the eastern front – is something that really should have been done long ago. Lhasa, in particular, should be even better protected, just to prepare for the worst. Also, he's obviously a way better general than at least the two candidates before him.







    Vote for the next Prince-Emperor here! [CLOSED; click to view results]

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    While starting this episode, I almost considered wussing out, having realized that truces no longer stop the AI from joining defensive wars. However, I decided to go through with it, for the sake of the narrative (Amen!) and now I'm definitely glad I did.

    We have beaten the great Empires of India! We are fearless! Nothing can stand in -

    *Ming coughs*

    I'M SORRY MISTER EMPEROR I'LL BE GOOD

    I've been able to pretty much ignore three out of four fronts, though, due to them being filled by such huge nations.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 18: Tiny Tim, crippled again
    4th of August, 1580

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    Prince-Emperor Lhabzang Srong wins an overwhelming victory and is elected for a second term.



    After a brief speech, he almost immediately returns to his army's camp and is about to march out when suddenly interrupted by an urgent message from the Ministry of Defense. They announce that they've managed to develop (or maybe copy) an improved version of the arquebuses currently used by the troops. It works almost exactly the same, from the user's point of view at least, but fires much further and breaks less often. Intrigued, Srong orders them to distribute these new weapons among the troops and delays his attack by a few days to give them time to practice a little.



    They seem very useful. The attack is a success and the rebels are routed, but Tibet's exhausted reserves really couldn't afford any unnecessary losses right now.



    With the malcontents pacified, Srong heads back to the western front. The local terrain is a two-edged sword, as it means he can't really attack head-on either. In earlier wars, the Timurids have beaten themselves into submission by trying to assault well-fortified Tibetan positions. Hopefully that will happen again.

    Tibet's allies are finally arriving, though, and taking great risks by attacking weak positions in the enemy lines.



    Unfortunately, they are defeated by Timurid reinforcements, but the distraction is enough to allow Srong to wipe out the occupiers of Kangra.



    He chooses to stay there for a while, as the area has proven itself very defensible in the past. Attackers are driven away with ease.



    After months on inactivity, Srong finally decides to try and reclaim the occupied area around Delhi and actually manages to fend off another counterattack. However, the jungle simply isn't as effective a wall as the mountains, and he suffers painful losses in the battle.



    Over the next two years, multiple battles are fought for dominance of the Oudhi and Nepalese regions. The war seems to shift back and forth, but Tibet's allies are finally making themselves truly useful, having finally begun to learn their way around the area and stopped walking in circles. By April 1583, the Timurids actually agree to sign a peace and pay war reparations to Tibet. Surely they must be the world's laughing stock by now.



    Hopeful to finally alleviate Tibet's repeating problems with manpower and recruits, Srong spends most of the Crown Bank's on-hand treasury on better bases and new training camps around the nation. It won't do to run out of men in every bigger war they have to fight. The oft-requested improved forts are also commissioned, especially around the capital and the bloody western front. In addition, he promises (to himself; it's thus easier to break) not to go to war during the rest of his reign, both for practical and sentimental reasons. He has already accomplished his stated goals.

    He immediately makes ”an acceptable exception” to his promise by invading and annexing the single-state nation of Mewat, though. They had no defenses or allies, and the correct response to such a situation should basically be written into the Tibetan law books by now.



    Very simplistic, yet allegedly groundbreaking reforms are made to the agricultural system in Tibet.

    Advisor: ”So basically we want to teach them to use scythes, which are much more effective.”
    Srong: ”But haven't they been doing that for centuries already?”
    Advisor: ”Yes, precisely.”
    Srong: ”Well, uh... do what you must.”




    As many of the savvier locals had already predicted, Assam is fully integrated into Tibet with ”full support” from their nobility in 1585. As a voluntary vassal, they have been allowed to keep more independence than the others, but their King is now basically reduced to a merely nominal ruler.



    As a side note, though most attempts at diplomacy from Pegu's envoys have been habitually ignored for some time now, this is finally reconsidered as Pegu no longer even shares a border with Tibet and they have noble ties anyway.

    Tibet as a whole is benefiting from the construction boom, but nothing all that special really happens before it's time for another election in August 1588.



    Prince-Emperor Lhabzang Srong has already served for two terms, won multiple wars and achieved everything – no, more than he promised before his first auguration. He is happy to retire from the position, perhaps to become an army officer. He'd always liked leading from the front anyway, and the two term limit seems to have become convention by now.

    Dön-yö Tashi of the Heaven Electorate believes Tibet should focus on founding another Ministry, and that to do so, they obviously have to work on improving the bureaucracy and infrastructure needed. He doesn't consider himself above conquest, of course, and what remains of Bengal is actually looking rather juicy, but in general he subscribes to the previous Prince-Emperor's agenda of allowing the reserves to recover.

    Ngawang Tsewang of the Ocean Electorate has been traveling around the region and realized how out of date Tibet's once groundbreaking commercial infrastructure truly is, not to even mention the navy. Both of them must be expanded, and new innovations seeked out far more actively. If a new Ministry is to be founded, it too should finally focus on either trade or foreign relations.

    Lhawang Srong of the Earth Electorate, though growing impatient, grudgingly agrees that Tibet's reserves should be allowed to recover, but they've already reached a rather acceptable state. They mustn't give up the momentum they have in comparison to their neighbors! Conquering some more coastline from Orissa would be rather nice. Besides, having personally operated one, he believes that these ”muskets” as they've come to be called are the future of warfare, and is a vocal advocate of their further development and integration into all parts of the military.







    Vote for the next Prince-Emperor here! [CLOSED; click to view results]

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    See you again soon, Timmy! Seriously though, they're actually sort of pathetic.

    I've noticed a tendency to favor the Earth Electorate and sort of shun the Ocean Electorate, and frankly, I do it myself. A lot. I guess that's pretty close to real life... warfare is much easier to be passionate about than economics. Besides, better ships are pretty much entirely pointless for us, in terms of technology, while better soldiers are critical.

    I often feel like these chapters are sort of too short. Maybe I should try writing more about event pop-ups, after all? I'll just have to try and choose the ones that actually fit into the text.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Don-Yo Tashi has hit the nail on the head! Yes, we have finally achieved victory, and yes there are many rich lands we could take, but the country was nearly bled white. Let us take stock of our mighty mountains and ensure they are both impregnable, limitless and bountiful!
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 19: David and Goliath – Episode VI: The Return of the Lion
    4th of August, 1588

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    Dön-yö Tashi of the Heaven Electorate wins the election, with Earth's Lhawang Srong as the runner-up.



    In his speech, Tashi hints at an age of peace, where no Tibetan will need to worry about foreign invaders knocking on their doors. However, he promises that even if such a situation does arrive, he will be able to protect them.

    With a Bureaucrat on the throne, the balance of power in the economy has finally shifted from the Traders to the Guilds. With more power given to artisans and workers, the economy and infrastructure will benefit, but less people will be motivated to seek a career in the army.



    Until now, the Tibetan Empire's lands have mostly produced low-cost goods like textiles, and investing much into their industries hasn't been worthwhile. However, the newly acquired Assamese region is rich with valuable spices and tea. The old idea of centralizing private farms into larger plantations is finally put to action in these areas.

    Tashi also finally caves in to the Ocean Electorate's endless pleads and funds their research of better ships. All this really does is make them demand funds for the construction of said ships, but perhaps they'll finally think of something else to focus on.



    In April 1590, Tashi decides to invade the rest of somehow-still-unallied Bengal. Though he's not much of a warrior, Tashi agrees to lead the army on such an easy mission – from the rear, of course. Chittagong's walls fall in October and the area is annexed directly, finally giving Tibet a second port town.



    Though the current atmosphere is peaceful and very good in general, the nobles of Tibet seem unusually divided, furiously arguing about military doctrine and accusing each other of treachery. The situation is stable enough for now, but should a serious war break out, it might cause trouble.

    In June 1591, the newly re-allied Pegu calls to Tibet to their aid in a war of conquest against Taungu and Shan. Though somewhat reluctant, Tashi asks his advisors' opinion, and upon hearing that Tibet's troops alone outnumber the enemies' he decides to offer his help, even though Tibet doesn't have anything to actually gain for now. Shan is a likely future target, and weaking them would be beneficial.





    Confident in his own abilities and unwilling to delegate his power to anyone else, Tashi once again leads the troops himself. He marches them into Shan while Pegu's army occupies Taungu. Taungu's troops are on the retreat, but Shan's have just arrived. They're no match to Tibet's, though.



    Nepalese troops soon arrive on the front, but no further battles are fought and the war is already after just a year, ending with Taungu's full annexation into Pegu. Tibet didn't gain anything – other than Pegu's gratitude – but she also didn't lose anything.



    Great progress has been made in the field of military technology and tactics ever since firearms were first introduced to Tibet. Formerly, their role was strictly that of a support weapon, making up for the usual pikes' lack of range. However, the tables have turned to the point that the pikes are now considered to support the muskets and make up for their unwieldiness in close combat, and doctrine has changed to reflect this. Tibet has definitely surpassed almost all of its neighbors in this field.





    These innovations are put to the test in suppressing two simultaneous revolts in Chittagong and Mewat.

    The new formations prove very effective, which is sure to be helpful when the Timurids once again declare war in 1594.



    Though his career as a general has been successful so far, Tashi decides to swallow his pride and hire a proper commander for the army. General Tashi Wangdue is chosen by a government meeting, known for his skills at tactical maneuvering and firm grasp of logistics.



    As usual, the army is stationed in Kangra to await the first assault. Tashi has nothing to do except sit nervously in Lhasa, but at least a huge load of maps arrives from foreign lands to keep him company. The areas depicted are on the other side of the hordes, though, and quite far away in the first place, so they don't hold much practical interest.





    The foolhardy Nepalese march into Timurid territory and are promptly attacked by an army led by the Khan himself! General Wangdue is forced to abandon his forts to aid them, arriving at the last second and managing to win the battle, sending the Khan home crying (or so the soldiers like to say).



    To absolutely no one's surprise, just as Wangdue makes his way back to the mountains the Nepalese are attacked by another army and annihilated.

    It is perhaps due to this humiliation that Nepal's integration into the realm is finally finished soon after, even though the local authorities were quite uncooperative. It's a shame they didn't have much of an army left to move under Wangdue's command.



    In the past, the key to fending off the Timurids has been to humiliate them. Wangdue aims to do just that, seeking out and defeating small, otherwise irrelevant groups to wreak confusion among the enemy troops. Tibet's allies insist on losing battles and giving the whole alliance a bad name, though. Wangdue even manages to defeat a relatively large army led by the Khan's son, though.



    He chases them into enemy territory and once again encounters the Khan, who really should've taken the hint by now.



    The new musketmen have proven their worth admirably, but a large amount of old-school archers are feeling distressed by their new competition. They try to convince Tashi of their value to the military and threaten to retire if the Prince-Emperor doesn't recognize their importance. Though unimpressed, Tashi doesn't want to lose such experienced soldiers, and instead promises that their position in the army is safe - for now.



    On a more pleasant note, the Crown Bank has finished a thorough reform of the national economy, improving it in many aspects and reestablishing the value of currency.



    Wangdue's logistics skills prove instrumental in his harassment tactics. He's able to find unwalked shortcuts, manage the supply lines and motivate the soldiers at the same time. Hardly any reinforcements are reaching the enemies camping in the frozen mountains. He dare not risk his advantage by assaulting them, instead laying siege to Delhi's long-lost provinces in hope of finally reclaiming them for the Empire.



    Almost exactly two years after the beginning of the war it is once again time for an election.



    Prince-Emperor Dön-yö Tashi doesn't appeal to the ongoing war as a reason to re-elect him; after all, if everyone did that, the Prince-Emperor would never change at all, and he isn't leading the army anyway. However, while there were various disruptions to the founding of a new ministry, he is certain it will be possible during his next term. The situation has improved greatly and the Timurids shall soon suffer another humiliating defeat, or worse. He has served the realm admirably, has he not? And he's just getting better.

    Trakpa Chewang of the Heaven Electorate personally represents the Ministry of Finance and criticizes the long-standing policy of diverting their efforts to matters outside their actual purpose. Before new ministries are founded, shouldn't it first be ensured that the old ones are on firm footing? They should be given more self-governance in regards to their own efforts.

    Trakpa Tashi of the Ocean Electorate wants to expand the Golden Lion Fleet to accommodate their increased resources from the Chittagong port. After all, the Fleet already made itself useful in the brief conquest of Taungu, and the continuing research of new ship types is sure to keep bringing in more innovations if given proper attention.

    Gyurme Wangdue of the Earth Electorate believes Tibet should aim to conquer parts of Orissa, particularly their long coastline and its important centers of trade. They are only allied to Vijayanagar, which Tibet has already proven capable of beating to submission, and should be rather easy, yet very valuable prey.

    It seems most candidates have basically learnt to ignore the perpetual Timurid wars by now.







    Vote of the next Prince-Emperor here! [CLOSED; click to view results

    Author's notes
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    Since we apparently spend half of our time fighting the Timurids, I think I should stop the title theme here.

    Also, in case someone hasn't noticed, I find it rather difficult to make up four distinct candidates in every chapter. Which is why they really aren't all that distinct, I guess.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    You mentioned it last time, but I could stand to see more events, especially if they influence the factions' positions. Not much to say about the game itself; I think it's time to expand more into India. Europe looks like the land of the blobs, especially the Ottomans and Austria.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by IthilanorStPete View Post
    You mentioned it last time, but I could stand to see more events, especially if they influence the factions' positions. Not much to say about the game itself; I think it's time to expand more into India. Europe looks like the land of the blobs, especially the Ottomans and Austria.
    Yeah, sorry, personally I feel like the game itself needs more events. I mostly just get repeats of the same ones. I try to mention any new ones when I can, of course. They're an important part of the world, after all.
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  17. - Top - End - #77
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by SilverLeaf167 View Post
    Yeah, sorry, personally I feel like the game itself needs more events. I mostly just get repeats of the same ones. I try to mention any new ones when I can, of course. They're an important part of the world, after all.
    Definitely agreed on that front; I've been reading a couple of other AARs that've run into the same problem.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Currently a 4 way tie. Sorry.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wardog View Post
    Rockphed said it well.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 20: The Conquered Conqueror
    4th of August, 1596

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    While the votes are being counted, the situation comes to an uprecedented tie with all four candidates having received the same amount of votes, but by the end it has shifted to a far more common two-way tie between the incumbent Tashi and Gyurme Wangdue of the Earth Electorate. As usual, policy dictates that Wangdue shall thus be elected and join his cousin, the General, in the war effort.



    The General already has the situation under control, though, and two high commanders leading the same troops would be just unnecessarily confusing. Splitting up the army would definitely be a bad idea, so Prince-Emperor Gyurme will just have to focus on the home front, though he's by no means a bad commander either.



    Now that Tibet has both a new port and tea production of its own, the old issue of importing this luxurious drink is once again questioned. People really don't seem to mind the war going on, especially when their favorite drinks hang in the balance. However, since Assam's tea farms are still rather undeveloped and Wangdue secretly prefers Chinese tea anyway, he quickly dismisses any propositions of rising tariffs or even banning imports all together.



    On the western front, the sieges led by General Wangdue seem to be progressing rather well, while the Timurids are still struggling outside the high walls of Shigatse Castle, built by Prince-Emperor Srong deep in the mountains. Wangdue finally takes over both provinces in February 1597, just as a large Timurid force approaches from the west. Though they have a slight advantage from the terrain, and Wangdue's army hasn't quite regrouped yet, with some aid from Ayutthaya the horde is once again defeated with minimal losses on Tibet's part.



    Their joint forces attack another army invading Mewat, bringing home another victory but more losses as well. The Khan and his son just seem to keep on trying, unfettered by their endless failures or perhaps just eager to prove themselves. General Wangdue retreats into safe territory to reinforce his rather depleted numbers.



    After a few months he enters Timurid territory once again, where his allies are already making good progress, crushing some small enemy bands on the way before settling in Jangladesh.



    His army spends the winter there, taking over the city before marching out once again to finally try and assault the troops still trying to break the walls of Castle Shiangtse; they have been greatly weakened by the harsh winter. Unfortunately, they manage to break the castle's defenses just as Wangdue's on his way, but on the other hand, he manages to catch them in a bad position and force them out of Tibetan territory.



    He then reclaims the barely-manned castle and heads back to the front, masterfully catching a few more enemy armies on the way. This war definitely isn't going well for the Timurids. Their favorite target has grown too strong for them.

    There is slight unrest among the indentured lower classes – or ”slaves”, if you want to be vulgar – on the cotton plantations of Kangra. The continuous fighting in the area has definitely done nothing to help their harsh working conditions. This talk of rebellion doesn't really concern anyone, though; they're a rather small bunch, after all, and most of them brought their suffering upon themselves anyway by shirking on their debts or whatnot.



    In July 1599, after five pathetic years, the Timurids ”happily” agree to peace, handing over war reparations and the rest of the Delhi provinces. Though this is a great success, and the first time ever anyone'd conquered land from the Timurids, the nation hardly even feels like celebrating that much anymore. Even the oldest citizens haven't seen Tibet lose a war in their lifetime, so they're starting to take it for granted.



    Though the resources will unfortunately have to come from Tibet's ongoing ministry project, the provinces are annexed directly due to a lack of real options. They have a combined population of almost half a million non-Tibetan speaking heathens, so it's going to take a lot of work.



    The Timurids soon declare to the world that Tibet is now their sworn and foremost enemy. This doesn't really come as a surprise to anyone, what with the constant warfare and all, but it does raise quite a bit of discussion in Tibet. Does this mean the Timurids will finally start taking them seriously, and cease their futile attacks, or will they just continue with even more enthusiasm?

    Only time will tell.



    There's a bit of internal turmoil as small revolts rise up in the disturbed western provinces and the court itself gets its fair share of paranoid intrigue.

    The growing influence of the Guilds is worrying many people, some of which are convinced it reaches even further than it seems. There's even talk of something called ”the Eye of the Lion”, a nation-spanning secret society pulling all the strings. This is brought to the Prince-Emperor Wangdue's attention, but he calls the whole idea ridiculous and ignores the ”issue”. Obviously, rumors soon start circulating that Wangdue himself is one of the conspirators, and the most paranoid nobles start trying to cover all triangle shapes in the palace.



    The current generation of soldiers has turned out to be a particular success in terms of training. While most of them won't stay in service too long, and the ones who do will get lazy soon enough, putting these ambitious youths to use might be a good idea.



    Wangdue wants to, he really does, but simply isn't foolhardy enough to risk any wars before the newly conquered area has calmed down. He does have a war plan ready against Shan, involving starting a war with their ally Oirat to get around the truce, but he simply doesn't have the heart do it right now.

    The middle class of the Guilds, perhaps unaware of their already notorious reputation among the other major factions, demands even further rights and privileges in the government. Wangdue decides to grant them some slight liberties, as they're the main driving force behind Tibet's bureaucracy and infrastructure. Angering them would further delay the ministry project.



    The military engineer Chakrapretâpa Bidyadhar, a very intelligent and innovative man from Dacca, has been sitting in the High Council for years now, representing both the Ministry of Defense and the military in general. However, he's growing increasingly insolent in his commentary on Wangdue's decisions. After a particularly bad incident where he gave a long lecture about all the problems with Wangdue's very own plans for a new castle, some of the more brown-nosing nobles are actually suggesting putting him on trial for it. Though obviously angry, Wangdue was also humbled by the incident and recognizes the man's important role in Tibet's recent fortification efforts, refusing to give him anything more than a stern warning.



    Sitting in the High Council is a very prestigious (and well-paid) position, after all, and every noble family in Tibet dreams of one day reaching it. Every now and then, the Prince-Emperor must choose from a group of candidates to be added to the Inner Council, located just below the High in the hierarchy. Wangdue, a former Earth Elector himself, has a particular preference for zealous young men who remind him of himself.



    The new fortresses built by earlier rulers proved extremely useful in the last war, greatly slowing down the Timurids' advance. With Bidyadhar's continuing aid, these fortification efforts continue across the country. Though many paranoid nobles believe the capital area should be the highest priority, it is clear that the western regions see the lion's share of the fighting. The deep mountain ranges in particular seem to draw special attention from the enemy, as the long siege of Shiangtse Castle proved. It is eventually decided that a vast construction project should be begun in the region, building smaller bases and secret passages in every nook and cranny to make the area practically impregnable and bleed any invaders dry. According to Bidyadhar's humble estimate, any enemy should take years to seize control of such a well-fortified area, if it hasn't starved by then.



    Just as the next election is approaching, it's decided that the government is ready for a ministry and that the candidates shall start getting organized for the much anticipated voting.





    Prince-Emperor Gyurme Wangdue is somewhat sheepish about his ”failure” to invade Orissa, but seems content with using the draining war and civil unrest as excuses. He does have very specific plans ready, though, and the size of Tibet's army has been increased by almost half since the last war. Those thirty-five thousand brave men are more than enough to invade those southern wimps, they're still swinging around pikes for gods' sake!

    Dayan Tsewang of the Heaven Electorate stresses the value of a good administrator, especially now that they're about to choose yet another Ministry which will need proper guidance and funding. His party has been suffering from the reputation of a bunch of buzzkills for a while now, though, and he seems to be just repeating the same mantras.

    Sakya Phuntsok of the Ocean Electorate almost angrily demands more funding for him and his colleagues. They've fallen far behind their neighbors in terms of naval and commercial development, which simply won't do, especially as Tibet's reliance on trade keeps increasing with every new conquest!

    Lhawang Thekchen of the Earth Electorate, accomplished officer and castle afficionado, believes actively seeking out wars with numerically superior enemies is suicidal. Even though Tibet has triumphed until now, if they keep doing it, there will be stumbles along the way, and one of those stumbles is going to be big. If Tibet's enemies ally against her, all possible men and fortifications must be ready.


    Since the Ministry of Finance and its role have been subject to such heated discussion, the new candidates seem to try and avoid stepping on its toes too much.


    The Principal Ministry of Spirituality is once again trying to preach to the audience. As Tibet grows, more and more heathens are included within her borders. This is an important factor in the spreading discontent among the people. Further emphasis, both monetary and sentimental, must be placed on the religious unity of the nation! Currently, there's basically no chance of ever converting these heathens. Funding the temples would enable them to improve the righteous education of monks, Tibetans and foreigners alike.


    The Principal Ministry of Enlightenment is a new, controversial competitor to the previous candidate. Instead of trying to force our own religion and traditions on others, wouldn't it be better to just learn to accept theirs? By establishing better education – one not governed by monks – and reforming discriminative policies, the situation would improve and everyone would be richer for it.


    The Principal Ministry of War is a proposed name for the expanded form of the Ministry of Defense. For decades, they've been handling most of the military's development and organization, even though this wasn't originally part of their objective. It's about time to formally grant them more resources, authority and independence. Their new ideas would surely expand Tibet's effective yet one-sided doctrine and make their soldiers the best in the world (as if they weren't already)!







    Vote for the next Prince-Emperor here!
    Vote for the third Ministry here!
    (The Wiki, as a refresher)

    Author's notes
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    CHOOSING IDEAS IS HAAAARD

    Ithilanor made me realize I'd actually forgotten to mod the republics' events when I gave noble republics the faction system. That's why there have been none whatsoever. I finally did that, though, so now there should be more to report on, I guess. There's a lot of events in this post, but they'll probably start disappearing again as they get repetitive.

    This AAR is going to take a week-long break due to traveling abroad. Expect an update on Sunday next week at the earliest, but have some little extras below!

    Thank you for your continued interest for almost exactly a month now!

    DISCLAIMER: The Republic's or its rulers' views as portrayed in this AAR don't generally reflect mine and have nothing to do with the real Tibetans either.
    It's a fictional, pseudo-imperialist and very jingoist medieval government, after all. This feels somewhat silly, but I felt I might as well clarify this due to the first mention of slavery in the nation and all. It's been slightly bugging me for a while, though.

    Traveler's guide to the Tibetan Empire [huge pictures!]
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    The last one-and-a-half centuries have been an era of unprecendent expansion on Tibet's part, even seeing its eventual renaming into the glorious Empire it is today. These new areas comprise many ethnicities and former nations, though, and they can sometimes be confusing to outsiders. This here is a brief summary of the different regions.




    Northern Tibet, also commonly known as Tibet Proper, the Heartland, the mountains or just Tibet, is the geographical and governmental center of the entire Empire. Its borders have remained unchanged for centuries, and as the historical homeland of the Tibetan people, the vast majority of its comparatively small population are Tibetan in ethnicity, culture and language. The area is considered somewhat sacred, in fact, and the mountain temples therein have gained even greater value with the addition of new and strange lands. The city of Lhasa in the province of Qamdo has served as the capital for centuries and is still the seat of the Prince-Emperor, stationed in the enclosed Council District like many of the nation's other influential nobles. While the western border has seen many wars and occupations and has been very heavily fortified as a result, the eastern provinces have been practically undisturbed for as long as anyone can remember... though hardly anyone remembers them anyway. The peasants in the region are generally rather poor due to a history of serfdom, harsh climate and lack of arable land, and the entire Heartland's main export is yak wool.




    Western Tibet lies near the source of the River Ganges. It is the place of Tibet's first humble conquests under the leadership of Grand Prince Sonam the Great, as well as its latest expansions. Though all of the Empire's lands are equally part of Tibet, they are often classified into smaller regions for ease of reference.
    The Kangran region in the north only has a small number of Panjabi and Nepali inhabitants who mostly produce a meager amount of cotton, rope and whatever they can scrounge together.
    The Avadhi region directly in the middle of the area is much more populous and has vast cotton plantations on the plains along the great river.
    The Nepali region in the east, also including the Bihari people conquered by the former state of Nepal, is quite similar to Kangra in its northern areas, but the southern plains are much more populous and home to a large portion of the artisans running Tibet's diverse textile industry.
    Last but not definitely not least, the Delhi area in the west has by far the most people in the entire empire, over half a million by most estimates. The major trade cities of Delhi and Mathura produce even more textiles than the Bihari and are critical to Tibet's economy, acting as the main crossroads for merchants traveling through the area. The somewhat more barren province of Dhundar, Tibet's farthest reach, is mostly remarkable for having the only notable metal mines in the Empire, producing copper and other similar ores.




    Eastern Tibet lies almost directly to the south of Lhasa and is home to Tibet's currently rather short coastline.
    The Bengali region in the west and south is mostly flat, hot and rather populous, and the provinces of Dacca and Chittagong are important due to their unique position near the ocean. Its exports aren't nearly as remarkable, only producing vast stores of cotton, like most of the southern areas. Still, the region's important location and the locals' close relations with their Tibetan overlords make it very important and something like the ”practical capital” of the nation. If the incumbent Prince-Emperor Wangdue's plans come too, it shall soon receive some expansions.
    The Assamese region, on the other hand, is much more mountainous and not as densely inhabited, but produces expensive spices (some of which are hallucinogenic) and tea, all popular in the upper classes of society. The presence of these rare goods has lead to notable efforts to increase their production, arguably to the detriment of the locals.


    Overall, the multitude of languages spoken and traditions practised in the Empire has become an important subject lately. The Bengali and Avadhi people have been ”mutually integrated” into society due to their number and early conquest, but there are vast masses of people who don't adhere to the Tibetan ways and don't plan to learn them, either. Whether this should be dealt with aggressively or by encouraging mutual understanding is the main argument.

    Story snippet
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    Tsering was riding near the back of the column, giving him a good view of the rest of the army. And a large army it was, indeed: twenty-six thousand men, all marching enthusiastically in a clean line. Most of them were on foot, but several thousand were mounted like himself and many of the horses were pulling cannons. Tsering almost pitied the beasts. Hauling tons of bronze up and down these inclines was no easy feat, but Tibetan horses are hardy. They could do it just fine.
    At least the horses' burden was eased by their lack of armor. The soldiers' armor wasn't much to write home about, either: mostly padded leather covered with bright white-and-golden cloth. The Empire had always suffered from a lack of iron, and almost all of it had to be imported from the Chinese. With the growing importance of firearms, only officers were even given swords anymore. As a cavalryman, Tsering himself still used a spear, making him rather nervous about said development. At least the cavalry was mostly used in surprise raids at that point.
    The army was marching downhill, the vast Indian jungles and plains stretching out before them. It was a glorious view, with the sun setting behind the Timurid mountains in the west. Tsering stared at it for a good while, until his concentration was broken when another horse suddenly rode to his side. He sighed.
    ”What is it, brother?”
    Dorje smiled gleefully. ”Admiring the sights, I see.”
    ”I'm not sure myself. We've been marching for days. I might as well be sleeping with my eyes open”, Tsering said and yawned exaggeratedly.
    ”That battle last month was impressive, though.”
    ”It's been a month already? I didn't even realize.”
    ”Well, that's what the officers say, anyway”, Dorje shrugged. ”They say the Prince of the Timurids himself was in charge of the horde.”
    ”Wasn't that the earlier battle?”
    ”Nah, that was their King or whatever. The words mean different things for them.”
    Tsering grunted apathetically and stayed quiet for several moments. Dorje was starting to wonder whether he'd really fallen asleep. When the general galloped by on another inspection of the troop, he finally decided to break the silence: ”I still don't know how he managed to do that.”
    Tsering snapped awake but said nothing. Dorje continued: ”Stage an ambush with this many men, I mean.”
    ”Yeah, the bastards walked right into it”, Tsering snickered.
    ”The general is one sneaky bastard himself, I'd say.”
    ”I'm not sure he appreciates being called a bastard.”
    ”Well, don't tell him then!” Dorje laughed and rode away, leaving Tsering alone with his thoughts.

    It took a few more weeks to cross the border into Timurid territory. It didn't look any different from Tibet's southern areas, to be honest, though many of the soldiers could swear they felt some sinister presence. According to the scouts, though, the only presence in the area was another army led by the Khan, and he'd already proven much less sinister than imagined. They were headed straight towards the mountains they'd come from, so an encounter was inevitable.

    The general had already surveyed the area and planned his movements carefully, trying to find the perfect place for another ambush.
    Sitting in the dense brush and trying to keep his horse calm, Tsering wondered whether this really was one. He and the other riders had been positioned away from the rest of the army, in the thickets off of the road the Timurids were supposed to be taking.
    It took two whole days of waiting. The soldiers were once again starting to doubt their general's judgment, only to be proven wrong – once again – as the Khan marched triumphantly right into their trap.
    The battle begun when the vast lines of Tibetan musketmen hidden in the woods and the thirteen hundred cannons further back opened fire at the same time. They would've been ridiculously easy to spot, had the Khan not been too confident to scout the area properly. There was a tremendous, almost simultaneous bang, like a whole thunderstorm in an instant, and immediately the air was thick with the sounds of a metric ton of gunpowder exploding, the panicked screams of thousands dying and angrily barked orders. The Timurids' own arquebusiers hastily returned fire and their cavalry, furious and hungry for glory, charged forth blindly, skewering themselves on the vanguard's pikes en masse. It was a massacre.

    Finally the sound of the roaring horn echoed across the bloody field, giving the cavalry their awaited signal. They roared back, galloping out of the bushes to drive their spears into the enemy's chaotic back lines.
    ”Won't be long before I see my wife again!” the enthusiastic Dorje laughed out as they charged, promptly getting a stray bullet into his skull and falling off his horse. Tsering wasn't sure whether to be angry or disappointed; they'd discussed this! No mention of their families whatsoever, for it meant certain death! He settled for a combination of sorts, skewering foe after foe in his fearsome rage and chasing after them when they attempted a desperate retreat.
    The tears didn't come until after the victory celebration held that evening. They'd known what they were getting into.
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-09-26 at 11:42 AM.
    Saga of the Slavs – Paradox Megacampaign AAR (continued at last!)

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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Voted for Humanism. As the great Tibetan Empire expands, being inclusive sounds like a good plan. Religion would also be handy, though. (None of the Diplo idea groups seemed useful? Doesn't seem like you've got much use for DMP) Thanks for adding the events; definitely adds some flavor. Have a fun trip!
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by IthilanorStPete View Post
    None of the Diplo idea groups seemed useful? Doesn't seem like you've got much use for DMP
    Well, the area is very blobby so the extra diplomats etc. are unneeded, I don't care about my navy for now, and we're in a very impractical location for trade... none of our nodes even flow into each other. Kashmir is just a dead end in general, Yumen flows straight to Samarkand, Bengal only flows into Ceylon and Indus only gets trade from Ceylon. I think it would make sense for Bengal, Indus and Kashmir to be connected, as they all have important centers of trade along the Ganges and everything, but eh. Apparently the next expansion (which looks really cool!) will fix that, but it probably won't work with this save even if it comes out in time. I'll reconsider Trade ideas if we get a better presence in Siam or Ceylon.

    (Side note: Vijayanagar has now tried, and failed, to conquer Ceylon a total of three embarrassing times. They probably don't know how to handle an amphibious assault.)

    Quote Originally Posted by IthilanorStPete View Post
    Have a fun trip!
    I sure will, going to London!


    Oh, and I forgot to mention our greatest achievement...
    Spoiler
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    Gentlemen, we have a score.
    We were ranked 10th in Administration for a while, but then fell back to 11th.
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-09-27 at 03:29 AM.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by SilverLeaf167 View Post
    Oh, and I forgot to mention our greatest achievement...
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    Gentlemen, we have a score.
    We were ranked 10th in Administration for a while, but then fell back to 11th.
    All of the score I've ever gotten has been from Administration rank.
    Quote Originally Posted by Inevitability View Post
    Greater
    \ˈgrā-tər \
    comparative adjective
    1. Describing basically the exact same monster but with twice the RHD.
    Quote Originally Posted by Artanis View Post
    I'm going to be honest, "the Welsh became a Great Power and conquered Germany" is almost exactly the opposite of the explanation I was expecting

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    Wait, how is having a score an achievement? I suppose when you have played for 150 years and only have 2, it must be, but I don't know enough about EU4 to have any further idea.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wardog View Post
    Rockphed said it well.
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    When your pants are full of crickets, you don't need mnemonics.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rockphed View Post
    Wait, how is having a score an achievement? I suppose when you have played for 150 years and only have 2, it must be, but I don't know enough about EU4 to have any further idea.
    You only gain score when you are in the top ten nations of the world in one of three categories (military, administrative, and I think diplomacy). When you are starting in the Far East, you're very far from being in the top ten of anything.
    Quote Originally Posted by Inevitability View Post
    Greater
    \ˈgrā-tər \
    comparative adjective
    1. Describing basically the exact same monster but with twice the RHD.
    Quote Originally Posted by Artanis View Post
    I'm going to be honest, "the Welsh became a Great Power and conquered Germany" is almost exactly the opposite of the explanation I was expecting

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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by Rockphed View Post
    Wait, how is having a score an achievement? I suppose when you have played for 150 years and only have 2, it must be, but I don't know enough about EU4 to have any further idea.
    To get any score whatsoever, you have to be in the Top 10 countries of the world in at least one of three categories. (Ninja'd)
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-09-27 at 11:56 PM.

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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Hope the trip went well!

    Quick question that I figured I'd ask here since the EU4 thread seems to have slipped past the necro-limit: how's Fierenze as a starting spot? Is it one of the easier ones or am I going to be just waiting for the Borgia bull to appear on the horizon?

    What I've read says that the really newbie-friendly spots are Castille and the Ottomans, but I was just wondering about others.

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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Quote Originally Posted by Cristo Meyers View Post
    Hope the trip went well!

    Quick question that I figured I'd ask here since the EU4 thread seems to have slipped past the necro-limit: how's Fierenze as a starting spot? Is it one of the easier ones or am I going to be just waiting for the Borgia bull to appear on the horizon?

    What I've read says that the really newbie-friendly spots are Castille and the Ottomans, but I was just wondering about others.
    Tuscany's a good start, since you start with a really good ruler and lots of tech advantages to make up for lack of land. Venice is a good starting spot, as is Brandenburg.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    I wouldn't start with a nation that's too small. In my experience, it means a lot of "turning the game to x4 speed and waiting", since you don't necessarily have anything to do.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 21: Family reunion for the Bengali
    1st of September, 1604

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    The reigning Prince-Emperor Gyurme Wangdue wins the election with a clear majority. Re-elections are obviously quite popular; perhaps people feel they add consistency to politics?



    The Principal Ministry of Enlightenment is chosen as the next Ministry to be founded, to the rejoicement of many and the surprise of many more. A large portion of the nobles are growing increasingly worried that Tibet is straying from its Buddhist roots, but others are quick to counter that Buddhism already advocates tolerance and is more of a philosophy anyway. Some are simply afraid of non-Tibetan nobles being given suffrage, the possibility of which the new Ministry is hesitant to outright deny.



    Though eager to attack Orissa, Wangdue realizes he once again has to wait for the nation's manpower reserves to recover. His war plans are further hindered by his cousin the General being mauled to death by a yeti bear on a scouting trip. It is a shame he didn't have more opportunities to show his great expertise.



    Opposers of the Ministry are given fuel for their flames by a rather odd incident in Arunachal, an Assamese province. Some travelers from the distant Empire of Japan have somehow managed to convince the local governor into converting to their strange religion of Shinto, practically unheard of outside their native islands. Emboldened by the government's lax policies, the governor has then managed to convert many other local nobles as well. Wangdue understands something has to be done about it, but instead of getting aggressive and undermining the democratically chosen Ministry, he decides to go for a more patient route of conversion.



    Near the end of the year 1606 it is finally decided that the nation is ready for another war. Orissa is invaded on the pretense of acquiring the delta area of the River Ganges; Tibet already controls the rest of the great stream, it is only reasonable that this critical area should belong to her too. Vijayanagar chooses to take over for Orissa, as expected, while Pegu joins Tibet's side.

    Wangdue delegates leadership of the war to General Tashi, an overall skilled and respectable commander yet unlikely to ever become as famous as his legendarily cunning predecessor.



    The tiny state of Kachar soon answers Vijayanagar's call to war as well, but their small army isn't really all that scary.
    The Tibetan army, already stationed on the border, immediately marches toward Howrab. The enemy army is held back by the threat of an interception or ambush.

    Having finally managed to negotiate passage through Shan, the army of Pegu – the only other nation in the area to have reached Tibet's level of military thought – arrives to crush the Kachari army occupying Dacca.



    Perhaps motivated by the realization of Pegu catching up, a new interesting invention is revealed in Tibet. By improving the carriages used to transport artillery and making them more adjustable, aiming the cannons becomes much easier. This is a very useful idea indeed, as Tibet's rough terrain has made it very hard to find good firing positions. In addition, metallurgical experience now allows the mass production of iron cannons instead of bronze.



    The Ministry of Enlightenment also makes its first concrete reforms. By removing unnecessary religious bias from everyday life and administration, any unbelievers are made more content and believers less fanatic. This makes both of them much easier to control and keep calm.



    In the same vein, temples and private people alike are reminded of the tolerant and harmonious side of Buddhism and motivated to emphasize it in their beliefs and teachings. After all, a tolerant religion is logically the most efficient path to further religious tolerance. A whole new sect, known by many names but often referred to as the Way of Virtue, is born.



    While Pegu is busy attacking the defenseless Kachar, the walls of Howrab fall to in March 1608 without a single proper battle fought between Tibetan and Indian armies. The enemies have spent over a year camped in Garjat, a province clearly incapable of supporting such numbers for a long amount of time, and have thus lost thousands of men to lack of supplies alone. How embarrassing. The Tibetan army moves on into Jharkhand.



    Meanwhile, worrying news arrive from the North. After a long war, Oirat has lost a war against Uzbek and been forced to cede many of its ever-lessening provinces. Though Oirat hasn't really been Tibet's ally for a long time now, this gives Uzbek a short border with Tibet. Hopefully this doesn't mean an age of aggression from two hordes instead of one, even if the Uzbeki are much weaker than the Timurids.



    The enemy armies manage to reach occupied Howrab while the Tibetan troops are distracted, but Malwa declares war on Vijayanagar soon after. They will have to divert a large number of troops from this front or risk great losses against one of the greatest empires in India.



    Tibet's growing relevance as the controller of trade around the Ganges has made many international trading companies finally turn their attention to her, and they are offering very interesting deals indeed. However, many of said offers are blatantly against Tibet's republican ideals and would raise doubts of Wangdue's honesty and patriotic loyalty. He declines as politely as he can.



    Vijayanagar ends up moving much of their troops away from Howrab, yet the enemy is still making good progress against the small garrison in the city. After Jharkhand is taken, General Tashi decides to take his chances in a battle for control of the area. The resulting battle is very bloody, but Tibet's superior armaments and tactics soon overpower the defenders' favorable positions.



    Tashi takes this opportunity to march into Orissa, crush their remaining army and begin the siege of their capital in Rajabara.



    Two separate revolts with separate goals yet the same timing rise up in Western Tibet. However, Tashi is hesitant to dispatch any troops from the front and instead decides to just hope the local forts hold out until he is free to do so. More small revolts keep seizing the opportunity and rising up around Tibet's conquered lands.



    Pegu's troops finally take over Kachar. They are happy to accept a peace demanding an annulment of their alliance with Vijayanagar and monetary reparations to Tibet.



    Orissa's capital is well fortified and the siege is taking ages. Meanwhile, the Ocean Electorate once again comes up with plans for new sorts of ships. Nobody seems to care much, though.



    After almost five years of war, Vijayanagar is having great trouble with its two-front war and decides to just agree to Tibet's demands in April 1611. With the addition of Howrab and Jharkhand to the Empire, the nation's trade is further strengthened by this new position at the mouth of the river. In addition, the entire Bengali people - divided by various conquests far in the past - are finally united under Tibetan rule. The area is formally recognized as part of the Imperial Region of Eastern Tibet.



    Though Tibet's republican government has finally reached a fragile balance, and people seem to believe in its impartiality, more and more people seem interested in shaking it. Various prominent members of the Earth Electorate are vying for the hand of Wangdue's daughter in hopes of gaining more influence on the ruler. Though the whole idea is somewhat silly, as the next election is just a year away anyway, Wangdue tells them he's more than happy to get his daughter married but won't form any alliances based on said matrimony.



    A long and bloody campaign is begun to uproot all of Tibet's various rebellions. The Delhian Nationalists have grown particularly strong, but are still defeated with relative ease. Meanwhile, Malwa's invasion of Vijayanagar results in nothing but a large monetary tribute.

    In May 1612, just a few months before the election, Prince-Emperor Wangdue – who had actually been planning to turn for an unusual third term due to the current stability of the realm – dies under mysterious circumstances. Though the court doctor assures everyone it was merely an unexpected allergic reaction to the exotic spices he ate, many accuse the insulted Aristocrats of poisoning their former party member.

    Ergo, the rushed election proceeds in a rather restless atmosphere.



    Gusri Sregs of the Heaven Electorate has close ties to the controversial Ministry of Enlightenment and subscribes to their philosophy. He is very happy with the progressive changes they've already made and wants to ensure they keep receiving adequate funding. The soul of the realm, as he calls it, and the welfare of its people outweigh the competing interest of bureaucratic expansion.

    Karma Wangdak of the Ocean Electorate is both embarrassed and infuriated by the fact that the Golden Lion Fleet was unable to do anything but hide in the harbor for the entire war. Tibet has all the resources to more than double the size of the fleet with new and better ships; with their ever-growing coastline, they need to be able to compete on the waves! Besides, naval and commercial development has been neglected for years and deserves more attention.

    Tsangyang Wangdue of the Earth Electorate and younger brother of the former ruler does his best to try and dismiss the unpleasant rumors regarding his party. Instead, he draws attention to the plans the his party has already been hatching for quite a while: by attacking the greatly weakened Oirat under the pretense of claiming the area isolated from their mainland, they could also draw Shan into the war without attracting the attention of their powerful allies, and thus gain areas from both of them. Of course, this is merely a plan, as the reserves need to recover (once again...)







    Vote for the next Prince here! [CLOSED; click to view results]

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    Hi y'all! Had a good trip, and now we're back in business!

    It suddenly started annoying me that Ceylon isn't called Sri Lanka. Maybe I should do something about that? It's only a matter of editing the save file.

    I'm also glad to see we've definitely established that we can push around most of these other blobs like they're nothing, even if it's mostly because the AI is so easy to fool into passiveness.

    EDIT: Forgot I wanted to mention that Paradox Interactive is currently having a developer weekend on Steam, and all their stuff is 50-85% percent off! Personally I just bought some of the silly mini-DLC, but someone might benefit from the bargain. It's still on for 22 hours from now!
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-10-06 at 09:23 AM.
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    Default Re: Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Tibet

    Part 22: The hordeling's bark
    23rd of May, 1612

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    Surprisingly, Karma Wangdak is elected, becoming the first Oceanic Prince-Emperor in almost 60 years.



    As much as he'd like to immediately begin the construction of new ships, the Bank urges him to first pay back the loan taken due to surprising expenses during the war. That delays his pet project – and basically only promise – quite a bit, but the work is still started before the end of the year. Dacca and Chittagong's shipyards are truly busy for the first time in decades, and Howrab joins in too as its large-scale integration project is finally finished.

    The Ministry of Enlightenment has been hard at work, surveying the land and approaching the common people to learn more about their culture and traditions. Many of these fascinating practices are integrated into local laws to allow and even encourage them. Some of these laws are very odd, and nobles from said areas try to tell this to the Ministry, but they decline to change any of them. If the people want the right to bathe their elephants in the middle of the governor's court, so be it.



    A political issue poses itself to Wangdak in March 1614 when Pegu declares a war of conquest against Shan. However, Shan is allied with Ayutthaya, Dai Viet and Oirat, the two former of which have good relations with Tibet and outnumber her too. Weighing two important alliances against a single second-thought one isn't that hard; Wangdak declines to join the war. Pegu is on its own, and very likely to lose. In fact, he decides to join the defenders' side instead, though he doesn't intend to be a very active participant.



    Even though the nation has an Oceanic ruler for the first time in decades, many feel he hasn't done enough to improve the traders' position. Desi Sregs, a particularly prominent merchant responsible for overview of Tibet's assets in the Bengal area, is angered by one final ”betrayal” against him and completely refuses to do his work. His position is vital, though, so Wangdak tries his best to negotiate with him... but he seems very stubborn.



    Preachers have been hard at work in Arunachal, the conspicuous colony of the Shinto faith, but the situation in the province has become the subject of much debate regarding the Ministry's policies and some testy nobles are demanding them to back up their decisions, just in order to annoy them. In the end, the Ministry itself ends up actively undermining the preachers' efforts in the area. The frustrated Wangdak decides to just dispatch the preachers to other heathen regions for a while.



    In the South, Pegu is clearly losing its war, as expected. The weak but opportunistic Kingdom of Lan Na decides to join the feast as well.



    The naval project is finished in 1615. A total of 10 new ships have been constructed, 9 of which are "caravels", improved versions of the older model, and the last one is a massive ”carrack”, armed with dozens of great cannons and named "Karma" both as a tribute to the Prince-Emperor and a promise of vengeance upon Tibet's enemies. It is the first proper flagship of the Golden Lion Fleet. All willing men from the old crews are allowed to transfer to the new ships to make them less bitter about their old vessels being somewhat outdated, but many decide to stay out of loyalty. The glorious Fleet is sent to terrorize the coast of India and disrupt Tibet's enemies' trade there.



    In January 1616, history repeats itself yet again as the Timurids declare war. This time might be somewhat more difficult though, as Tibet only has one preoccupied ally while the Timurids are joined by Malwa.



    General Tashi is ordered to mobilize the Tibetan army stationed in Oudh and move into defensive positions in the western mountains until more orders arrive. Meanwhile, Pegu's war effort ends in defeat and their last one is nullified as well.



    Prince-Emperor Wangdak, quite a skilled general himself, decides to take over command of the army. The first battle of the war, fought in Oudh to drive out a join force of Timurid and Malwani occupiers, is a hard-won victory.



    Even in the middle of all this, rebels from Orissa seek Wangdak out to ask for support in their efforts against the government. However, being in a state of war, he refuses them any monetary support. They distract him long enough for a new Timurid force to attack, though. They are driven off, but just barely. It's a matter of luck that the enemy routs



    The Timurid army, aided by vast lines of artillery, manages to break through Mathura's walls and take the city in October, but they then leave the area to regroup in their own territory, allowing Wangdak to march right in and reclaim the barely-defended city.

    While retreating, the Timurids meet with Dai Viet's army, who put up a good fight but are forced to retreat.



    Tibet sees success in some small skirmishes, but the greatest battle of the war so far is fought in the defense of Delhi. In a huge assault involving a total of over 100 thousand men, the enemy finally manages to break through Wangdak's steadfast defenses. He is forced to retreat back east.



    The enemy spreads out to occupy the Delhian area.



    Clearly masters of appropriate timing, the Ministry of Enlightenment considers this a good opportunity to reveal their latest reform. The Tibetans really have stopped caring about the Timurids. By continuing their efforts towards the removal of religious bias, and actively setting up groups to discuss the differences and similarities between Buddhism's various sects and related religions, the heretic population (currently only notable in Arunachal) shall be pacified considerably and mutual understanding improved. There is no doubt that the scandal in the Assamese region is the main reason behind these new ideas.



    After regrouping in Gauda, Wangdak moves into Gharwal, the site of many historical battles, and braces himself for an enemy horde on the way. However, due to some communication problems among the enemies, only a much smaller army than expected reaches him and is easily humiliated.

    In less pleasant news, both Delhi and Mathura have fallen.



    Months of small skirmishes and meaningless maneuvering follow. However, the Timurids seem truly horribly bad at organization and logistics, making stumbles both literal and metaphorical while trying to move their huge armies around. Starvation and treacherous terrain alone cost them tens of thousands of troops. In fact, this attrition and humiliation alone are enough to make them agree to pay Tibet just to get it over with. The peace is signed in February 1619, after just over three years of war.



    As much as he'd like to give the troops their well-earned rest, Wangdak realizes Kachar is utterly defenseless and their truce with Tibet over. He invades their only province Naga.



    Vijayanagar declares another war on Ceylon, their fourth to be exact. Though this holds little practical interest for Tibet, people are eager to hear any news just to laugh at the so-called empire's pathetic failures.



    That whole Shinto thing in Arunachal? Yeah, it turned out to have been just a fad. Once people recognized the silliness of the religion and got tired of doing it just as a means of protest, the situation in the area has stabilized and most of the former ”converts” have returned to their old faith. The Ministry of Enlightenment is relieved to see such a peaceful end to the disagreement and eager to use it as proof of their policies' success.



    The troops are just about to take over Kachar's capital Dimapur when Wangdak is called back to Lhasa for the election.



    Prince-Emperor Karma Wangdak lists many different situations – most of them formerly secret, and some probably fictional – where he has put the Republic's interest before his own. Besides, he personally led the army to another victory against the Timurids and outsmarted the Khan himself, only to then conquer yet another small nation. The recent wars in the South – including Tibet's own – have broken many of the alliances in the area, and Orissa is once again a very easy target. The new Fleet would get a chance to prove their worth, too.

    Gyurme Gampo of the Heaven Electorate questions the so-called ”Diplomat” Wangdak's aggressive policies. Tibet has seen nary a decade without war; achieving one would be a laudable goal in itself. It would also allow Tibet to focus on further strengthening its defenses and booming industry against the inevitable counterattack, as well as funding the Ministry of Enlightenment's efforts. Just look at how well they handled Arunachal!

    Palden Tashi of the Ocean Electorate represents the portion of the merchant class frustrated by their former party member's lack of real effort to protect their interests. If he were elected, he'd focus on improving the trade infrastructure of all of Tibet, not just the areas deemed ”cost-effective” by the former rulers. It is more than worth it in the long term.

    Sakya Thekchen of the Earth Electorate raises an oft-repeated subject onto the table: the joint war against Shan through Oirat. It has been discussed in many past elections, yet no Prince-Emperor has ever bothered actually going through with it, regardless of the great potential benefit. It's a miracle the plan has stayed secret from the enemy for this long – if it has at all – and it's about time to seize the day.







    Vote for the next Prince-Emperor here! [CLOSED; click to view results]

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    Interesting note: Qara Qoyunlu (a horde in the Middle East) has somehow managed to colonize the Maldives, the Andamans and Taiwan. I wish they founded actual colonial countries, though... it would be interesting to see a non-European nation do that for once.

    The enemy's AI has been to blame for most of their defeats, but I think this is the first time they literally lost the war to attrition. That's what you get for using 80k stacks in the jungle, I guess.

    Also, in case you didn't realize already, note that we currently have a full 100 Republican Tradition. Just throwing that out there.
    Last edited by SilverLeaf167; 2014-10-08 at 08:50 AM.
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