Europa Universalis IV - After Action Report: Novgorod

[SilverLeaf167]

You could force them to revoke cores on you in a peace treaty though.

...I think this plan would be pretty hard to justify from a realistic point of view

[IthilanorStPete]

Voted for the Traders and Exploration. Expanding throughout Siberia and dominating the fur trade seems like a good plan.

Interesting idea... might work, but vassalizing sworn enemies can be problematic (getting enough opinion for annexation is a pain). Conquering and releasing would fix that, but we'd have to hand over all their cores so it's not that attractive. Besides, we'd have no control over the process. Still, interesting idea.

What if we force-vassalized them, then just waited a while before annexing? We'd want to do that anyways to let them colonize. Penalties for rivalry should go away after vassalization, since I think we won't be a valid rival for them.

[SilverLeaf167]

Part 9: Uralic Trail
27th of September, 1507

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Andrei Nagiye and his favored plan of Siberian expansion win the election by a relatively narrow margin each.



He enthusiastically begins a program to fund and organize these frontier settlements. As the conditions are harsh, building proper shelter must be the first priority; after that, the 'colonists' themselves will focus on surveying and improving the land while the state takes care of supplies and infrastructure until they're self-sufficient.



The first expedition will be sent just over the Ural Mountains to the unclaimed area between Novgorod and the Uzbeki Khanate. The area has a relatively large tribal population, but nothing that can't be fixed with a proper regiment or two.



This new manner of conquest and need for assorted supplies, together with the Traders' rising trend, brings mercantile policy to the forefront. Feodosiy Nozdrevaty, a high-ranked member of the council, has long been pushing for unreasonable levels of state regulation and mercantilism in the market. While he's generally competent at his job, this has raised some controversy between him and disagreeing officials. They eventually turn to Nagiye for an ultimatum: he decides to side with the complainers and dismiss the angry Nozdrevaty from his position. He was getting old anyway.



As some predicted, the Catholic border regions are under assault by the Protestant Reformation. Luckily, the movement has yet to catch any real momentum among Orthodox faithfuls, mostly due to its specific involvement with the Pope, and which heresy these fools follow doesn't matter that much either.



The first group of settlers arrives in the region dubbed Serov after about half a year of preparation and travel. It's early autumn, so they have time to get everything sorted out before the winter winds start blowing. The locals in the area cause some trouble here and there, but overall the colonist in charge of things is rather confident about eventually making use of them and even integrating them into proper society.

In August 1508, just as the truce ends, Nagiye once again declares war on Crimea. Unclear maps really don't cut it as an excuse after already moving the border by several hundred miles, so he calls it a rightful reclamation of the vaguely defined Russian region. Who cares about the hordes, anyway?

Poland and Lithuania are busy with some conflict or other, but their help really isn't needed. Crimea's army is still in tatters and their only ally is the even more pathetic Georgia, which only holds a small enclave within their territory.



A few regiments are left to occupy the border while Nagiye and Kurlyatev move the rest of the troops south. After easily crushing the enemy, they then spread out to assault the rest of their holdings.



That doesn't take long, and regiments start returning home as more and more land falls under Novgorod's control. In October 1509, however, the badly beat-up Poland requests aid in their defense against the vengeful Hungarians; it doesn't really concern Novgorod in the slightest, but Nagiye nominally accepts the call to stay on good terms with the Polish. It remains to be seen if he'll actually send any troops over.



The fight really doesn't seem to be in Poland's favor, but the disputed area really isn't that valuable anyway and losing it wouldn't hurt much.



Crimea signs a peace soon after. They reluctantly hand over quite a bit of land, almost all the way to the coast, splitting their own realm in half.



Just like the previously conquered region, these four provinces are relatively sparsely populated and produce some iron in addition to agricultural products.



They also border Genoa's little merchant enclave, giving Nagiye his next target on a silver platter...
had they not signed an alliance with Lithuania just a few days later. That complicates things a bit: Nagiye will have to wait until Lithuania is distracted by another war (which probably won't take that long) and hope they don't mind too much, but it isn't like the issue is exactly urgent.

In fact, Novgorod's seemingly endless wars have convinced many people to seek more peaceful lives at the remote frontier and settle in Serov. Nagiye really sees no reason to protest.



Said settlement seems to be thriving rather well, actually. Rich veins of iron ore have been discovered in its proximity; together with the mines gained in recent conquests, this allows Novgorod to surpass France as the dominant supplier of this mundane yet precious metal in Europe.



Nevertheless, Nagiye doesn't feel like wasting Russian lives for Poland's petty province's sake. The war doesn't seem to be going too well for them.



Just as expected, the awaited opportunity comes very soon as Lithuania joins in the conflict. Genoa is open for attack. It is only right that they be driven from these Black Sea coasts they have no legitimate claim on!



The rebels currently plaguing their lands don't matter; Kurlyatev swats them aside with ease. Unable to cross the Azov Sea or get passage through Crimea, he'll just have to settle for occupying that area. The same applies to the enemy, though.

The settlement of Pelym in Serov has already grown into an acceptably sizable town of its own, thanks in part to the large wave of refugees. Like the colonists hoped, many of the local tribesmen have been gradually integrated into the community. Novgorod's – or indeed any Europeans' – first proper foothold beyond the mountains has been established.



Happy with this success, a new settlement is planned further east, straddling the Uzbeki border.



Though Azov falls quite quickly, it takes over a year for Genoa to finally admit their defeat.



Not only does the province connect Novgorod to the Black Sea, it also lies at the mouth of the River Don and is an important hub for trade passing over and around the sea. It's also a hotspot for slaves, mostly brought from Asia; this issue was given some discussion, but eventually it was decided that Novgorod's principles of freedom are reserved for her actual citizens, which slaves are not. The sale of Slavic slaves was forbidden, though.



Poland's war soon ends in defeat. In addition to giving back that single province, they were forced to sever their alliance with Lithuania and release another province as an independent state. Even though Nagiye was absolutely no help, they seem to be thankful for just his verbal support.



Even with all this war, the nation is unusually stable and the people happy. Though his term is close to an end, Nagiye decides to declare war on Muscovy in January 1515; they've been conquering land from the hordes and must be cut down to size correspondingly. Novgorod's allies aren't in any condition to join, but Muscovy's only ally is hardly a threat either and they currently have some trouble with rebels to make things even worse for them.



The troops march across the border and head for their respective target provinces.



The election arrives before any real battles can take place.



Knyaz Andrei Nagiye has decided not to run for a second term, as the Siberian project has already gotten off to a good start and he believes his services are no longer needed. Some say he's escaping responsibility for this war he just started, but most really don't mind attacking Muscovy anyway.

Yevgeniy Nozdrevaty of the Guilds wants to aim for the eventual establishment of more centralized infrastructure and those conversion programs proposed in the last election, even if it's going to take a while; though he doesn't mind all the conquest, it's draining quite a bit of resources.

Fyodor Mikula of the Traders is quite enthusiastic and ambitious about Novgorod's newfound method of expansion and willing to devote more resources to seeking out new opportunities even overseas, as well as devoting more funds to the current efforts of course.

Sergei Zventsov of the Aristocrats wants to focus on the proper fortification of the republic's continuously expanding frontiers, at the expense of new innovation; more neighbors means more enemies and war isn't usually very good for public relations.

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

Spoiler: Author's notes

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It was probably quite a strategic move not to get Religious Ideas right now, as the revolt system is broken anyway. We'd be drowning in malcontents right now if it weren't for that bug. I'm warning you though, I'm just gonna be a dictator and pick it next time. Almost literally every place we can conquer is of another religion and converting them (especially Muslims) is basically impossible otherwise.

Interesting note: units in exile (returning home after a war) no longer provide line of sight. I don't know if this is intentional or not, but the former makes sense, given how many people have exploited it in the past.

Another thing: I didn't get a core in Serov, but making one was free and only took 9 months. Is this a new thing too, or just a weird bug?
P.S. The colony autonomy mod worked this time.


Map highlights:
The three centers of reformation are in Vilnius (Lithuania), Lolland (Denmark) and Finland (Sweden), all of which are relatively unusual. Agricola really did his job well hahahaha Finland
Genoa has been reduced to nothing but Cafa, their mainland taken by Ferrara.
The Mamluks are in separate wars against the Ottomans and Qara Qoyunlu, also pitting them against the Timurids.

[mythmonster2]

Yeah, exiled units being "blind" was a feature. Same-continent colonies also no longer have the autonomy floor, but as a drawback, they're not automatically cored. They are, however, half-cost for when you do core them.

[SilverLeaf167]

Yeah, exiled units being "blind" was a feature. Same-continent colonies also no longer have the autonomy floor, but as a drawback, they're not automatically cored. They are, however, half-cost for when you do core them.

But the coring was literally free for me... so maybe it's bugged anyway? At first I thought it might have some weird interaction with my mod, but I can't really figure out what that could be. I only changed the autonomy limit, after all.

[SilverLeaf167]

Part 10: Brave Distant World
1st of March, 1515

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Fyodor Mikula brings victory to the Traders once again, securing a close victory against the Guilds. The Aristocrats' oddly specific promises aren't considered very interesting.



The Traders are very happy with the continued rise of their influence.



As tradition and practical reasons dictate, Mikula heads to the front to take Nagiye's place as High Commander. Though his actual military experience is relatively limited, he takes to it very quickly and seems very proficient at handling the extensive logistics related to sieges and occupation.



Just as he promised, he's also very keen on westward exploration as well. He puts an ambitious and talented young captain named Radomir Gorensky in charge of the brand new barque Staraya Russa and sends them on their way. He's already made a deal with Norway to allow the Staraya to dock, repair and resupply in their ports, including Iceland, the westernmost island known.



In other news, the Traders have made an interesting decision with the stated goal of celebrating Novgorod's history but likely ulterior motives of cementing their own power. The Ivan's Hundred is the republic's oldest guild, trading mostly in wax and named after the Church of Ivan the Forerunner where they used to gather. Though the members of the guild have permanent seats in the veche, their wealth and influence have been deteriorating rapidly in the past decades. The government has decided to reform them as the republic's official state-sanctioned merchants' guild, giving them privileges and some authority in the whole country's commerce in exchange for their continued loyalty – and similar privileges – to the state.



As months pass, any battles are still yet to be fought. Novgorod has taken over some areas, while the enemy's armies and rebels have both spilled over the border but have yet to make any real progress.



Since Iceland is currently overrun with heretic rebels, the Staraya has to make a stop in the Faroe Islands instead, but soon discovers a massive island just a short distance west of Iceland. The crew calls it Grenlandija, bitter irony in their voices – very little of the land seems very lush or even inhabitable, but the Russians aren't actually known for their fear of cold weather. It might make for a good forward base for further exploration, should such an endeavor be pursued.



Though the war has been unprecedentedly bloodless, trouble stirs on another front. An extremist group of nobles in Gotland, consisting of dethroned Swedes and conservative Russians alike, has raised an army in an attempt to overthrow the republican government and return to barbaric, feudal ways. No troops can be dispatched right now, but more ships are commissioned in preparation for a future assault onto the island.



In April 1516, General Kurlyatev decides to finally oust the rebels before they can cause any serious damage. He manages to do so with acceptable losses; while it's sort of a shame to indirectly help Muscovy, this rabble threatened Novgorod as well.



Unfortunately, the Muscovites immediately seize this opportunity to assault and kill 2000 men sieging a city...



...and try to do the same to another dispatchment, but are defeated by timely reinforcements. The retreating enemies are chased down and killed to the last man.



It's almost a shame the war had to include proper battles in the end, but at least Muscovy finally surrenders. They give up a lot of Russian land in the peace.



Once again, the area is very rural and mostly produces food, but its forests also hold a fair amount of game and there are even sizable copper deposits – the metal's price has risen greatly ever since it found a new use in cannons.

Agriculture is booming in the rest of the country as well. Yaroslavl in particular has benefited greatly, a populous province near major trade routes. The increase in crop yield has allowed both higher taxation and population growth.



Just as the troops have returned home and a mercenary revision begun, Denmark declares war on Sweden and calls Novgorod to join. Mikula decides to honor the alliance, realizing that Denmark is likely to struggle without his help and hoping to grab some land from Sweden once again.





More news arrive from the west. Proceeding beyond Grenlandija, the Staraya has discovered more islands and what may be a whole new continent! Brief contact has even been made with strange natives on the coast. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Novgorod is quite the first to make this discovery: English ships have been encountered in the area. It is still a very interesting find, though.



The war gets off to a good start. Denmark's armies are doing well, while Novgorod's navy manages to recover from initial losses and almost annihilate the Swedish fleet. The rebels in Gotland are ignored for now. After making a detour to rout the Teutons from Riga, Novgorod's army finally heads towards Sweden as well.



The eastern frontier hardly even knows about the war, instead reporting on the prevalence of fur animals in Berezov. Though very common in the Russian forests as well, furs are still very popular and expensive worldwide, so the find is appreciated.

The Swedish have sent a small army to try and reclaim Vyborg, but are easily defeated by Kurlyatev.



After that, the army is free to spread across all of Finland.



A noble in Kaluga, near the Lithuanian border, has spoken to the veche insisting that a large plot of land across the border belongs to his family. It isn't an entirely ridiculous claim, given the amount of Russian people and history in the area, and while many dream of adding those lands to the realm, it isn't a high priority right now and Lithuania is still considered a somewhat valuable ally. The Traders value their own business more, preferring to stay at good terms with the neighbor for now.



Since the front is currently rather stable, military reforms are put to use. As the role of firearms grows more and more important, cavalry has to adapt as well. Though normal arquebuses are too unwieldy for them, what they can do is wear lighter armor for better maneuverability (since bullets penetrate it anyway) and carry smaller pistols themselves. Cannons also keep becoming better and better, decreasing in sheer size while still increasing in effectiveness.



As the occupation of Finland progresses, the Teutons invade Estonia, but it hardly matters as Denmark soon makes a peace anyway. They take two provinces, but give Novgorod none whatsoever. This is considered a moderate insult, but not a real problem; it'd probably be wise for Novgorod to launch an invasion of its own after the truce ends, though, before the other Scandinavians take it all.



More rebels decide to rise up in Neva, presumably motivated by Novgorod's perceived "failure" to crush the ones in Gotland. The soldiers returning from Finland are able to take them out rather quickly, though. Troops are then shipped over to take care of those damn Gotlanders, too.



The administrative reforms are finally seeing some progress. The government is steadily extending its direct presence in the countryside, centralizing workers and slowly removing the legal system from the aristocracy's hands.



The Church's involvement in all this has been a hot topic for a long time, but while the government has mostly been in their favor, many don't quite approve of their secular power and are demanding that they give up some of their property. However, the government once again rules in the Church's favor, hoping to use their influence to keep the populace in check.



The settlement in Berezov grows considerably as many of the natives finally accept the Russians' presence and ally or outright join their community.



Interest in exploring this new continent further and dominating the Baltic drives naval development forward. A new (or readopted, rather) triangular sail allows ships to increase in size and sail against wind.



While Protestantism's real success has been mostly limited to Northern Europe, it's starting to gain some competitors. While the movement suggested a looser belief system with less strict rules, these other Reformers believe in stricter discipline as the only path to salvation. They've gained power in Pest, Hungary, and are already starting to spread across the surrounding area.



As Muscovy is devastated by a civil war for its throne, the Golden Horde and Perm both manage to break free as independent states.



However, as Novgorod has claims on their lands, Mikula opportunistically declares war on them before they can make any alliances. Having practically no armies of their own, they are immediately overrun and annexed soon after.

Berezov becomes a proper self-sufficient province of the republic, its capital named Yahoshiha. Yet another new settlement is designated even further east, on the frosty coast of the Kara Sea, connected to the Arctic Ocean. It's expected to become a good trading post for wares leaving and entering Siberia.

The Staraya Russa has spent quite a while just surveying the ocean for points of interest, but to no avail. Since the area is currently far beyond Novgorod's reach anyway, he is eventually just commanded to return home and command the privateer fleet operating in the Baltic Sea instead.

Mikula's term comes to an end in early March 1523.



Knyaz Fyodor Mikula is running for a second term. He wants to continue expanding through colonization and war alike; Muscovy has been weakened to the point that they can finally be finished off completely and Nogai is relatively weak for its size, though the others have rather strong alliances right now.

Rotislav Vorotynsky of the Guilds believes that Novgorod is approaching the point where it can confidently name itself the one true Russian state. However, much improvement is still required. If the Guilds were given power and conquest restricted somewhat, the infrastructure could develop much faster.

Rurik Gorchakov of the Traders has nothing to add to Mikula's agenda.

Afanasiy Barashev of the Aristocrats approves of Mikula's plans, but wants to take a more aggressive stance. Crimea is still a high-priority target, allied with the Ottomans or not. Even better, most of Lithuania's alliances have been severed by recent wars, making this a good time to liberate the Russians in their realm. They're not all that valuable as an ally, anyway.

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

Spoiler: Author's notes

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Okay, it seems the revolt bug extends to the "rebels break country" meter, which refuses to fill at all. It definitely doesn't affect the AI, though; they're having huge problems with rebels right now. Playing with this bug unfixed almost feels like cheating, but it's not like I wanna delay the game indefinitely, eh?

We only need two more levels of Administration tech to form Russia and pick another Idea Group!


Map highlights:
Genoa's ill-advised attack against Theodoro (and allies) led to their own annexation.
With Genoa gone and Venice made into a kingdom by rebels, Novgorod and the Hansa are the only merchant republics left in the world (AFAIK).
Brandenburg got ganged up on by most of its neighbors, including Bohemia. It remains to be seen what'll be left of it after those three wars.
Cornwall and Leinster managed to break free from England.
Hungary annexed Wallachia. (about time)
Taking comprehensible pictures of the map keeps getting harder as the area of interest expands.

[IthilanorStPete]

Yay for getting that national idea! Now we can keep reelecting new Kynazes with less issues and build up their stats. How close are we to colonizing Greenland and using that as a stepping stone to North America; is that feasible to do soon?

[OrcusMcP]

Once again I must speak in favour of the Guilds! We must not be seduced by the easy promises of conquest and glory, we are building a paper bear that will crumple at the slightest wind. We must cease our outward expansion, consolidate and build proper cities that traders will want to LIVE in, rather than just stalls in which to mark up their prices. Let us call ourselves a true RUSSIA before we claim to rule the Russians.

[Flickerdart]

Kynazes

The plural of knyaz is knyaz'ya, in case you were wondering.

How close are we to colonizing Greenland and using that as a stepping stone to North America; is that feasible to do soon?

Given that our closest port is Gotland, we're probably not close at all...do fleet basing rights count for colonial range?

[SilverLeaf167]

How close are we to colonizing Greenland and using that as a stepping stone to North America; is that feasible to do soon?

Given that our closest port is Gotland, we're probably not close at all...do fleet basing rights count for colonial range?

Fleet basing rights don't count. Greenland is 724 range away and Newfoundland 734 (can't actually remember our current maximum), so I think we might as well go for the latter. By the calculations I did while playing *beep boop beep* I think we'll need either the appropriate Idea and Diplomatic tech 15 OR we might get by with the Idea, tech 11 and the Plutocratic/Exploration policy.

The plural of knyaz is knyaz'ya, in case you were wondering.

Good to know for me, too.


EDIT: Now that I think about it, colonizing America isn't likely to be all that worthwhile for us (since we have no trade node connection, unless of course we conquer Scandinavia... which might very well happen eventually) but I'll probably end up doing it anyway just for the lulz.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

The plural of knyaz is knyaz'ya, in case you were wondering.


Given that our closest port is Gotland, we're probably not close at all...do fleet basing rights count for colonial range?

No. You need a core. I think vassal cores count.

[Flickerdart]

EDIT: Now that I think about it, colonizing America isn't likely to be all that worthwhile for us (since we have no trade node connection, unless of course we conquer Scandinavia... which might very well happen eventually) but I'll probably end up doing it anyway just for the lulz.

Colonizing America through Alaska is the destiny of the Russians! Although every single Siberian and Alaskan province has base tax 1 and is thus worthless unless you land on Gold...

[Dallas-Dakota]

Colonizing America through Alaska is the destiny of the Russians! Although every single Siberian and Alaskan province has base tax 1 and is thus worthless unless you land on Gold...

Just followthe Eastern American coast! Western nations take quite a bit to get to those coastal provinces if I remember correctly.

Priorities however demand that we first finally crush Muscovy!

[IthilanorStPete]

The plural of knyaz is knyaz'ya, in case you were wondering.

That's good to know, thanks!

Given that our closest port is Gotland, we're probably not close at all...do fleet basing rights count for colonial range?

As others have said, that got patched out a while back.

Fleet basing rights don't count. Greenland is 724 range away and Newfoundland 734 (can't actually remember our current maximum), so I think we might as well go for the latter. By the calculations I did while playing *beep boop beep* I think we'll need either the appropriate Idea and Diplomatic tech 15 OR we might get by with the Idea, tech 11 and the Plutocratic/Exploration policy.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, colonizing America isn't likely to be all that worthwhile for us (since we have no trade node connection, unless of course we conquer Scandinavia... which might very well happen eventually) but I'll probably end up doing it anyway just for the lulz.

As for colonization, I think sticking to Siberia is a good plan for now; perhaps we could blaze a path to the Pacific and try colonizing Indonesia/the Philippines.

[Artanis]

EDIT: Now that I think about it, colonizing America isn't likely to be all that worthwhile for us (since we have no trade node connection, unless of course we conquer Scandinavia... which might very well happen eventually) but I'll probably end up doing it anyway just for the lulz.

You know what would be worth an unbelievable amount of lulz? Colonizing in a straight line across North America until we get to Alaska from both directions. Then the Arctic Circle will be drawn in Novgorod/Russian green

[Flickerdart]

You know what would be worth an unbelievable amount of lulz? Colonizing in a straight line across North America until we get to Alaska from both directions. Then the Arctic Circle will be drawn in Novgorod/Russian green

I love it. Make it so!

[SilverLeaf167]

Part 11: Treaty of Nöteborg, Cracked
1st of March, 1523

Spoiler

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Knyaz Fyodor Mikula achieves an overwhelming victory and is chosen for a second term.



The first year is exceptionally quiet and uneventful until Mikula decides to attack Nogai in December. They've just been devastated by a conflict against the other hordes and are only aided by their equally weak vassal Circassia.



Novgorod's armies spread across the frozen steppes practically unopposed. Only the winter assaults them. As time passes, it is clear that it will be another simple siege war.



As was suspected, the Iberian nations have already started settling colonies in some parts of the mysterious western continent Gorensky discovered. The greatly expanded need for cheap labor has greatly raised the demand and price of slaves to be shipped overseas. Though this mainly affects the primitive African nations, it's also noticeable in Azov's slave market.



Nogai surrenders almost exactly a year after the initial declaration of war. They agree to release Circassia and cede control of the Lower Don (renamed to Ust-Medveditskaya), Saratov and Ukek (renamed to Pokrovsk).



These sparsely populated steppe areas don't really produce much of note other than grain and some iron.



Mikula decides to try and make alliances and trade agreements with his fellow Orthodox faithfuls in Circassia, though. It is unclear whether both sides acknowledge the eventual goal of vassalization.

The famous General Kurlyatev finally dies of old age. He lived long and fought well, earning himself a special spot in the graveyard.

New progress is made on the improvement of small vessels. With these new designs, it is much easier to move goods and people overseas or along rivers and coasts. This makes both trading and colonization much more effective.



Unfortunately, Knyaz Mikula soon meets his demise as well, crushed under a crate dropped by a malfunctioning harbor crane. Since only four years have passed, the veche decides to let the currently dominant Guilds choose the next candidate.



Dmitriy Kashin is a skilled bureaucrat and intent on finally focusing on Novgorod's governmental infrastructure.



Great news arrive from the settlers in Mangazea: they've literally struck gold! The coastal area is full of this precious yellow metal, which Novgorod can use to mint money as it pleases. As long as the quality of these coins stays stable and not too many are made, this is a great boon for the republic's economy – already estimated to be one of the biggest deposits in Europe.



Another group of nobles, possibly somehow related to the one in Gotland, tries to stage a rebellion to end the downward spiral of their influence. However, the army soon arrives to put them down.



Some other nobles try a somewhat more diplomatic approach to the issue, but their claims are almost immediately dismissed by Kashin. The age of aristocracy is over, he says – as seems to be the government's general stance.



Circassia is made into a vassal in September 1528. Full integration is expected in around a dozen years.

Various conspiracy theories have been in circulation for decades and basically become part of the local mythology. They have been mostly ignored by the government, and even the attempts to investigate them yielded no meaningful results. However, it turns out the rumors weren't false after all: Pedör Oshev, an important member of the council and responsible for Novgorod's recently expanded minting operations, has been proven to be a member of such a secret society. He has even been secretly delivering large amounts of fresh money to these allies of his. However, he refuses to tell more about them, and no other proof can be found about their identitities either. Pedör Oshev himself is sentenced to death for treason and replaced with high treasurer Vlad Muromsky.



New developments in the textile industry have led to the repopularization of thinner fabrics such as linen, slowly replacing the old woolen ones. While Novgorod does produce these thinner textiles as well, that benefit is clearly outweighed by the hit to the rural sheepfarmers' livelihoods.



Tools are a very important part of all sorts of farming, but knowledge and equipment don't always travel very well among peasants. Efforts should be made to ensure the availability of the most effective tools in all parts of the country; many of them have already existed for centuries, yet could significantly improve the efficiency of agriculture.



Mangazea finally becomes a province of its own in October 1530. It's already been used as a trading port for a while now, and the pleasant discovery of gold has just further emphasized the value of the area. Though there were very little natives in the area, the province and town are already more populous than either of the two prior settlements.



Rather than keep blindly expanding further east, the government decides to conquer some of the unclaimed wasteland still lying between Novgorod and the hordes' borders.



Denmark once again calls Kashin to war against Sweden and their allies, Scotland and Prussia (former Teutonic Order). However, Kashin refuses, as he's just planning his own war against Sweden and prefers to have proper control of it. The Danish are gravely offended, but easily comforted.



The greatest leap in military technology since the invention of the arquebus is made in the form of the matchlock musket. The musket is larger and more effective than the arquebus, offering more stopping power and accuracy through a longer barrel.



Armed with these new firearms, Kashin finally declares his own war, hoping to conquer large parts of Finland. Poland and Lithuania are surprisingly willing to join for once, further cementing Novgorod's dominance against an enemy already fighting a two-front war.



The first battle is fought in Swedish Lappland, where Kashin's troops take losses in the harsh terrain but are eventually able to rout the enemy.



As reinforcements arrive, the retreating Swedes are pursued further south and wiped out in Hälsingland.



The troops spread out and the area is easily occupied. Sweden surrenders in September 1532, handing over all of Finland as well as Lappland.



Though the southern parts have somewhat more people, the northern regions are some of the most deserted in all of Novgorod, hardly even having anything you could call proper towns. Nonetheless, the conquered area is notable for its sheer size and for finally turning around a centuries-old dispute between Sweden and Novgorod.



Intriguing news from the south: the Timurids, often hailed as the strongest of the hordes, have decided to let go of their barbaric ways and reform into a proper sultanate. However, the change is bound to face some resistance, which should hopefully aid Kashin in his next plan.



What remains of Muscovy has been violently vassalized by Kazan. Novgorod simply cannot allow fellow Russians to suffer under a horde's tyranny! Kashin thus decides to face the risks and attack Kazan in order to liberate the area, declaring war in April 1534. Kazan is joined by the Timurids and their numerous vassal states, but past experience implies that they're either unable or unwilling to actually travel north to aid them.



Novgorod's men march into Muscovy unopposed and move forwards to chase the enemies trying to cross the border.



They successfully engage the enemy in Glazov and drive them off, only to chase them back into Kazan's territory, wipe them out and then spread around the area to take out their fortifications.



After the groundbreaking discovery in Mangazea, people had great expectations of Ekaterinburg, the latest settlement. However, the only thing the settlers really found was plenty of surprisingly arable land, which is very valuable for life but not so much for trade.



When February 1535 arrives and Kashin's term ends, the war is going well and the Timurids are nowhere to be seen, as expected (and hoped).





Knyaz Dmitriy Kashin has been a rather successful and popular ruler, even though he wasn't selected quite democratically. After Muscovy no longer exists as a nation and the Russians therein have been liberated, he feels that Novgorod is finally ready to found an unified nation of Russia! With his reelection, that will happen as soon as possible, and he can also start on the way to unifying the nation religiously as well.

Yaroslav Volkonsky of the Guilds doesn't want to compete with Kashin.

Vsevolod Zventsov of the Traders believes that the republic should maintain its focus on expansion and the trade benefits gained from it. Why is the change of the nation's name so important anyway? It's known for sure that others are already claiming their own parts of the new continent, so Novgorod or whatever you want to call it should focus on getting there as well! The issue has been practically ignored lately.

Semen Nagiye of the Aristocrats wants to create this unified Russia and then finally free the Russians in Lithuania! This nation cannot be legitimate as long as one of its neighbors – one of its allies – holds its rightful citizens captive! Our two countries' relations have already deteriorated anyway.

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

Spoiler: Author's notes

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It really is a nice surprise when the already most valuable province in Siberia (Important Center of Trade and base tax 3) happens to have Gold as well.

I had to mess around with Finland's provinces a bit: I felt that the Swedish names didn't quite fit, but neither did Finnish ones. There was very little historical precedent for most names, so I just had to either translate them myself or just use vaguely appropriate sounding ones. For example, Tavastia sounded much more appropriate than either Tavastland or Häme. Anyone who actually knows Russian is free to help.

We're pretty much sure to found Russia in the next chapter, but especially with Kashin. Oh, and I'm wondering whether I should mod the title Knyaz to something more dramatic when we change... opinions and/or suggestions? inb4 general secretary


Map highlights:
Teutonic Order formed Prussia, as mentioned... probably the weakest one I've seen.
Aragon was forced to release Naples for some reason. It's quite a big area to release in a single war.
Norway and Hungary are having serious trouble with heretics; Iceland (not seen) is completely overrun.
Rebels forced England to convert back to Catholicism. Scotland, Leinster and Switzerland all became Reformed.
Crimea is invading Nogai, possibly giving us one more reason to finally attack them and face the Ottomans' wrath.

[Terraoblivion]

You really need to put the Livonian Order out of their misery soon. A two province minor in Kurland is just sad, so you'll do them a favor if you do. You probably need to do something similar with Sweden before Denmark does it too.

[SilverLeaf167]

You really need to put the Livonian Order out of their misery soon. A two province minor in Kurland is just sad, so you'll do them a favor if you do. You probably need to do something similar with Sweden before Denmark does it too.

The Livonian Order is a vassal of Prussia, but I think I might attack them eventually either way. Sweden is definitely on my hit list.

[IthilanorStPete]

I don't think I've ever seen Prussia manage to both be formed and be that small. Odd. Seems like a weird world, between Prussian oddness, a massively complicate Caucasus, and a nearly unified Ireland. Anyways, Kynaz Kashin seems to be doing a fine job, so eight more years sounds good.

[Flickerdart]

Oh, and I'm wondering whether I should mod the title Knyaz to something more dramatic when we change... opinions and/or suggestions?

You should. Some alternatives:

• Veliky Knyaz: The "Grand Prince" was historically the Knyaz who held the most powerful of the Russian states and had some degree of control over the others. Given that we aim to be the only Russian state, this title is somewhat beneath us in dignity.
• Stepennoy Posadnik: The six Posadniks were an important part of the executive branch together with the Prince and Arch-Bishop, and the Steppnoy Posadnik was elected by them from their number, and chief among them. Given how we choose our ruler (from a list of 3-4) is very similar, this isn't a bad pick.
• (Extraordinary) Magistrate/Consul: The feudal lords aspiring to pan-Russian power would call themselves Caesar, after the Emperors of Rome. Why should we not claim Roman heritage as well?
• Triumvir: The troika was a division of power seen several times in Russian and Soviet history, and also mirrors the triumvirates of Rome. Given how we elect our leaders and handle our advisors (in sets of three) this is not a bad title to use.

[Terraoblivion]

Oh, they kept calling themselves Caesar. Or as the Russians wrote it, Czar. Just like the Germans who kept doing so right up through the end of WWI.

[Flickerdart]

Oh, they kept calling themselves Caesar. Or as the Russians wrote it, Czar. Just like the Germans who kept doing so right up through the end of WWI.

I'm not sure where I implied otherwise. The laundry list of titles of the Emperors of Russia included Tsar, a couple of Velikiy and regular Knyazes, and was rounded out by some surprisingly humble "lord"s and "ruler"s.

[Yaktan]

I like the idea of claiming our Roman heriatage. According to Google, the translation of Consul into Russion gives "Konsul." Magistrate can go to "Magistrat" or "Sud'ya."

[Flickerdart]

I like the idea of claiming our Roman heriatage. According to Google, the translation of Consul into Russion gives "Konsul." Magistrate can go to "Magistrat" or "Sud'ya."

"Sud'ya" means Judge, which isn't really what we are.

[Terraoblivion]

I'm not sure where I implied otherwise. The laundry list of titles of the Emperors of Russia included Tsar, a couple of Velikiy and regular Knyazes, and was rounded out by some surprisingly humble "lord"s and "ruler"s.

What I mean is that Tsar and Kaiser are both literally just variant spellings of Caesar. They're not titles meaning the same thing, they're literally the same word subjected to linguistic drift of the spelling. Pronouncing Caesar in actual Latin where C is pronounced as K it pretty much becomes exactly the same pronunciation as Kaiser.

[Flickerdart]

What I mean is that Tsar and Kaiser are both literally just variant spellings of Caesar. They're not titles meaning the same thing, they're literally the same word subjected to linguistic drift of the spelling. Pronouncing Caesar in actual Latin where C is pronounced as K it pretty much becomes exactly the same pronunciation as Kaiser.

Still not seeing how any of this conflicts with what I wrote.

[Sange]

You should. Some alternatives:

• Veliky Knyaz: The "Grand Prince" was historically the Knyaz who held the most powerful of the Russian states and had some degree of control over the others. Given that we aim to be the only Russian state, this title is somewhat beneath us in dignity.
• Stepennoy Posadnik: The six Posadniks were an important part of the executive branch together with the Prince and Arch-Bishop, and the Steppnoy Posadnik was elected by them from their number, and chief among them. Given how we choose our ruler (from a list of 3-4) is very similar, this isn't a bad pick.
• (Extraordinary) Magistrate/Consul: The feudal lords aspiring to pan-Russian power would call themselves Caesar, after the Emperors of Rome. Why should we not claim Roman heritage as well?
• Triumvir: The troika was a division of power seen several times in Russian and Soviet history, and also mirrors the triumvirates of Rome. Given how we elect our leaders and handle our advisors (in sets of three) this is not a bad title to use.

I think Veliky Knyaz sounds good- Tsar or Emperor doesn't workwell with a republic IMO.

[Terraoblivion]

Still not seeing how any of this conflicts with what I wrote.

It sounded like it was some affection lower level Russian lords had before the unification of the country under the Tsar. I apologize if I misunderstood.

[SilverLeaf167]

Part 12: Glorious Motherland
12th of February, 1535

Spoiler

Show

The incumbent Knyaz Kashin wins the election for a second term, but not nearly as crushingly as Mikula did. Zventsov of the Traders is a rather close second.



He returns to the front. Though it's unlikely to matter too much, he also manages to convince Lithuania to join the war on Novgorod's side. At least they're a good backup just in case the Timurids finally decide to actually aid their ally.

The enemy has in fact managed to regroup some of his forces, but Novgorod and Lithuania cooperate to drive them back again and chase them down.



With Lithuania's help, Kazan is finally made to surrender in July 1536. Muscovy is forced to accept full annexation, while Kazan will cede control of two other provinces in the Urals.



Nizhny Novgorod and Alatyr, some of the oldest Russian settlements, are rather populous and rich in agriculture.



Perm is obviously the long-lost heartland of the eponymous principality, with a fair amount of people and lucrative copper. Zlatoust (Bashgird) is an old horde area, but holds some of the biggest gold deposits in the region.



With the war over and Novgorod's kin liberated, the council convenes to discuss the formation of a proper Russia.



They reach a consensus relatively quickly. The new nation, called simply Russia, is to be declared the true heir of the Roman Empire; the Byzantines have practically fallen and the so-called Holy Roman Empire is nothing but a loose alliance of feuding states. None of them have a claim as strong as Russia's, the undisputably strongest defender of the Orthodox faith.



To emphasize this heritage, the title of Knyaz will be replaced with that of Konsul, after the respected officials of the ancient Roman Republic, and the flag is to be decorated with a majestic eagle. The Third Rome has been born!



In addition, the nation will finally begin proper efforts to convert the numerous heathens within and outside her borders.



Dimitriy Kashin, the glorious first Konsul, suddenly dies later that year. The cause is unclear, but many blame a strange disease he supposedly caught while warring in the steppes. Nonetheless, a successor is named by the Guilds. Yuriy de Tolly has close relations to the Church and is likely to wholeheartedly embrace the nation's new religious fervor.



The full unification of both the Russian people and their perceived territory is also very high on the priority list. De Tolly follows through with the late Kashin's plan of finally invading Crimea again. Russia, Poland and Lithuania are unified in their hatred of the hordes, and though the enemy is aided by the Ottomans, Russia's side more than outnumbers them.



Meanwhile, the settlement in Ekaterinburg is proclaimed finished. The next spot is chosen further to the east.

The Crimeans are currently busy attacking Nogai, so their territory is undefended, but on the other hand their counterattack is hard to predict. After making a peace with Nogai, they manage to wipe out a small dispatchment, but the main army led by de Tolly arrives to send them back and soon annihilates them.



With the Crimean army crushed, the only problem are the Ottomans rampaging in Poland. De Tolly's army is now free to march west and help.

Though the war is going relatively well, peasants at home are once again frustrated by it and the taxes required for it. Rebels rise up in different parts of the country, but will just have to be ignored for now.



After Russia's allies surprisingly manage to drive out the Ottomans, de Tolly changes course and heads into enemy territory to finish them off. He meets them on the Greek coast and does a lot of damage, but the enemy manages to retreat to Anatolia.

As the troops start sieging parts of Greece, Russia's zealous mercenaries go a little wild. Though soldiers are always a little difficult, they are now showing unusual cruelty in the way they pillage their way across the countryside. However, this is considered a non-issue; these Muslims are getting what they deserve for the way they conquered the Patriarchy.



Not minding the war, council convenes with the Church in what is later known as the Hundred Chapter Synod. In order to give the Church the proper respect and authority they deserve as the new Patriarchy, the government agrees to even further loosen its grip on them.



The quickly growing colony in Narim, southeast of Mangazea, reports the discovery of copper deposits.

After most of their European holdings are taken, the Ottomans finally agree to a white peace in April 1541. This allows for a better deal with the utterly defeated Crimea. This forces them to give the vast majority of their land to Russia and Circassia, including their vassals Georgia and Theodoro.



The land taken by Russia is similar to most other horde territory taken in the past: sparsely populated, producing mostly agriculture and salt. Circassia's area is much more diverse, including important trade cities in Astrakhan and Caffa; they were given it mainly in order to delegate the integration effort. The lengthy annexation of Circassia is gradually begun as well.



The pesky rebels were pretty much wiped out by these multiple winters, leaving Russia's troops free to take back the land they occupied.

Though plenty of the former Novgorod's wars have included religion as a secondary factor, she has never participated in any proper crusades. It is time for her to begin her own! The idea of holy warfare has been ingrained in the Russians' minds and shall motivate them to great conquests.



In February 1543, almost exactly 8 years after the last proper election, Konsul Yuriy de Tolly dies in his bed under suspicious circumstances. The council decides to hold an actual vote instead of letting the still dominant Guilds choose again.



Isaak Glinski of the Guilds is a zealous man, aiming to cooperate with the Church to conquer and convert any and all unbelievers on Russia's borders, including Sweden, Prussia and the hordes. A real crusade is needed to demonstrate the Third Rome's might!

Anton Senyavin of the Traders believes Russia should avoid wars for a while, if only to focus her resources on the economy and Church instead. Our trade on the ever-expanding eastern frontier must be supported and the religious authorities allowed to properly exert their influence.

Andrei Ushakov of the Aristocrats drives the same point as his predecessors: Lithuania must be defeated! They hold a great amount of Russians and other related peoples within their borders. Their only other ally is the distant and weak Bohemia, meaning the war wouldn't be exactly difficult either.

Vote for the third Konsul here! [CLOSED; click to view results]

Spoiler: Author's notes

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I went with Konsul as it was practical and pretty fitting. Thanks for all the suggestions, though!

By the way, the HRE (with Austria as Emperor, duh) has been acting up a little... they've already reached 50 authority multiple times, only to mysteriously spend it all on something else instead of getting a reform (they have managed two, though). Anybody know what's up with that?

I was unable to mod Russia the nifty unique units that Novgorod has. Any help with that would be appreciated... On the upside, I think the change to Russia gave us more ruler names.

Side note: My rulers' high mortality rate is caused by them being assigned as army leaders (it raises the death chance even outside combat, or even war for that matter), but I have way too many soldiers to keep in one army and can't afford to get more generals either.


Map highlights:
Leinster and most of Cornwall were annexed by England.
Norway is still struggling with the same heretic rebels.
Hungary, Lorraine and a bunch of OPMs became Reformed.