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Thread: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

  1. #61
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Sign up and register your game on the paradox forums to gain access to the modding section. Then go here:

    http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...A-Balansegang)

    The mod's maker, Meneth, has included fairly straight forward instructions for installation as well as a general (ie huge) feature list at that link. He updates like crazy so it's best to grab the latest stable version and ignore updates for the rest of your gameplay. Otherwise you'll be patching every other week.

  2. #62
    Member Member mambaman's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Thanks mate

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  3. #63
    Member Member Ishmael's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Holding the Holy Land is never something I've tried to attempt - one of the eastern Empires always seems to solidify long enough to conquer the place practically before you can get troops there. I usually fob the place off on one of my imbecile cousins and/or any scheming brats I want dead. Hopefully Germany can hold together with a child ruler - was Serhilda your last?

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  4. #64
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by Ishmael View Post
    Holding the Holy Land is never something I've tried to attempt - one of the eastern Empires always seems to solidify long enough to conquer the place practically before you can get troops there. I usually fob the place off on one of my imbecile cousins and/or any scheming brats I want dead. Hopefully Germany can hold together with a child ruler - was Serhilda your last?
    In my last long game I took over Jerusalem after giving my home kingdoms to siblings.. you want to talk about frustrating! A LOT of close calls.. but the Jerusalem game is actually a ton of fun. Provided there aren't mega blobs in the east that is, which there almost certainly are I am amazed the Arabian Empire has shattered the way it did. Of course, a new Shia Caliph has risen to replace it.. I am waiting for the Mongols to give them their due.

    Yeah, Serhilda was the last child ruler. Losing my king so early in his reign was not at all what I had hoped.. But it does give a unique opportunity. If you can survive the instability and not get killed, child rulers can become your best leaders. By the time they hit 16 they already have the long reign bonus.. it's staying alive that's the trick..

  5. #65
    Member Member mambaman's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    I'm firing into this game this weekend-still debating whether to do PB or not though...

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    Annoyingly awesome Member Booger Flick Champion, Run Sam Run Champion, Speed Cards Champion rickinator9's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by mambaman View Post
    I'm firing into this game this weekend-still debating whether to do PB or not though...
    If you are new to the game, I would not do it. PB makes the game somewhat more difficult. I would first do a vanilla playthrough and learn the ropes and after you think you know how to play well, start playing mods like PB.
    rickinator9 is either a cleverly "hidden in plain sight by jumping on the random bandwagon" scum or the ever-increasing in popularity "What the is going on?" townie. Either way I want to lynch him. - White Eyes

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  7. #67

    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Cheers for the update @Monk

    I do have a request however, if it would be possible to put the updates in a spoiler or the pictures in spoilers, because with my not so good connection, it takes a fair while to load. Purely a convenience request.

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  8. #68

    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Just wanted to weigh in, monk, and say what a fine job you've been doing with this story. It has everything I personally look for in a good AAR -- role-playing, perfect balance of text and pictures, suspense. I read it in a single sitting, and I'm already anxious for the next update. I've played a bit of CK II, but this has made me want to play a whole lot more. Thanks!

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  9. #69
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by Visorslash View Post
    Cheers for the update

    I do have a request however, if it would be possible to put the updates in a spoiler or the pictures in spoilers, because with my not so good connection, it takes a fair while to load. Purely a convenience request.
    This will be done next update as a format test. The main screenshots will be hidden with spoiler tags. Let me know if it's better or worse overall as far as readability goes.


    Quote Originally Posted by Cyprian2
    Just wanted to weigh in, monk, and say what a fine job you've been doing with this story. It has everything I personally look for in a good AAR -- role-playing, perfect balance of text and pictures, suspense. I read it in a single sitting, and I'm already anxious for the next update. I've played a bit of CK II, but this has made me want to play a whole lot more. Thanks!
    You flatter me Thank you. CKII isn't the most challenging game in the paradox library but in my opinion it's definitely the most fun. Every single time i play some pretty amazing stories develop that I can reflect back on for months. Those are the best kinds of video games imo.

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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Storm from the East





    The History of the Kingdom of Germany during the Reign of:
    Otto III 'the Young', Son of Emerich I 'the Just' Ludolfinger.

    Reigned c. April 7. 1194 – September 27. 1244

    The war for Jerusalem claims the life of the King, slain on the field of battle, Emerich's weary and battle worn troops withdraw from the Levant shortly after the death of their beloved ruler. News arrives in Germany ahead of the returning Crusaders. The King is dead, long live the King!


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Otto III, crowned King of Germany and Bavaria, head of the Ludolfinger dynasty at the age of just one year, sits upon the throne in Luneberg. The Council of Nobles are quick to step in, taking control of the day to day administration of Europe's largest realm.. and it is no easy task. Decades of expansion in the military had lead Germany to becoming a nation of iron and steel. Her armies were fearless and without peer when on equal footing, but her economy was in dire need of reform. Unfortunately it would not get it. The Council instead had a much greater problem to deal with, an army of veterans returning home on the Mediterranean winds.. an army tired, broken, defeated, and angry at the loss of their King. German Crusaders had been denied their prize of loot and plunder abroad, this would have to be remedied..


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    A surprise inheritance of the Duchy of Ungvar by the young King would provide the solution.. with the defection of the duchy and the counts who served the title, a huge swath of eastern Hungary fell to the growing German Kingdom without a single sword being drawn, and what a shock to the system it was. The Carpathian Basin had grown wealthy beneath the Hungarian kings, and with the duchy passing into the kingdom of Germany, a large portion of that weath flowed straight to the capital at Luneberg. The nobles, long since groaning beneath the loss of their fabulously prestigious lifestyle seen a century before, could not resist the urge to strike: An army in need of an enemy. A king, unable to stop them, and a wealthy target ripe for plunder...

    And so, the conquest of Hungary began. Not from the allegiance of a blood oath, or the power of a crusade, or even the defense of honor.. but the base lust for gold, and power.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    but the conquest of Hungary would prove to be a slow, bloody ordeal. For unlike the absorption of Bavaria or the subjugation of other realms, Hungary was meant to stay within the direct sphere of German Influence, and it was culturally quite different from the northern Germans. With each conquest, local lords were displaced and banished. The rights of the Hungarians were ignored and thrown aside in favor of their German masters. German nobles soon began to reign across the north of the basin, as one by one, local Hungarian lords were either subjugated, or exterminated..

    This was the Germany of Otto III. The ruthless campaigns against Hungary would last for decades, fueled by the ambitions of the nobles and their greed for power. As Otto grew, he came to recognize the power that the council and the regent wielded. Even meeting stiff cultural and military resistance, the great weight of the Germany war machine was grinding down the powerful dukes of Hungary, one by one.. It would simply be a matter of time until Germany ruled yet another Kingdom. But power and weath are fickle things, and can corrupt the heart of the greatest men. When Otto III came of age in 1208, he found himself contending with a massive backlash from the council, who were simply not ready to give up their power.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    what resulted was a brief but terrible civil war, which saw the greatest vassals of Bavaria proclaim independence and declare a war for control of Germany! The war would be decided at the twin battles of Nenzing and Sankt Anton, in the mountains of the Bavarian Alps..



    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 





    There over 40,000 men and horses of the Kingdom clashed for control of the land, with loyalties divided largely between North and South. The Northern nobles, remembering the long time of troubles, backed the King. The South's forces were primarily led by the Duke of Bavaria, who was, many historians suspect, a member of the Karling line, born of a bastard many decades previous! A century's old dynastic grudge plays out in the Bavarian alps, but in the end, Otto III smashes the forces of the rebels and reunites his Kingdom... passing his first great test as a monarch.


    With the destruction of the rebel alliance and their hidden base, Otto turns his attentions to Hungary.. where the situation has played out most effectively for Germany!

    Over 15 years of a horrible, grinding battle, both cultural and militarily, has led Germany to occupying half of the lawful Kingdom, a fact that the Hungarian King in the south is sorely upset over...


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    what's more, with the defeat of the most powerful nobles and the breaking of the council's alliance, the money from the wealthy Hungarian provinces is flowing directly into the royal treasury. With a new found wealth and power growing almost daily, Otto uses the opportunity to declare himself King of all Hungary. It's a move which completely disrupts and destroys the cohesion of the Hungarian people, as soon, elements break away from the central power of the Hungarian King, which was at this time located in Transylvania..


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    The disunited duchies of the Hungarians will slowly fall to Otto's ruthless subjugation, one by one, they will see their realms added to his growing Kingdom. But just as his ambitions are reaching new heights.. a messenger arrives in Luneberg.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    The Bards have a new song, and they sing of a terrible storm in the east. A great Khan, an unshakable horde of horsemen. The Khan of Khans has risen on the steppes, uniting all of the tribes and destroying all opposition before him. And he is marching west.. Such a tale, so fancable and entertaining, could not be true. Perhaps he would fight and meet Prestor John on his way to Europe!

    Of course.. the tale turns very real in 1215...


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    An army of 100,000 men appears out of the East on the very doorstep of the Shia Caliph, who now controls one of the largest land empires in the west. Seeing the immense strength arrayed before them, the horsemen... bypass the Caliphate, entirely. They march further west. Ever west.. and when Europe learns of their target, horror sweeps through the continent.


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    The horsemen have heard the tales of the great eternal empire of Rome. Of the unbreakable walls in Constantinople, of her many treasures and her great Emperors who have defied the march of time. The unmoving borders of the Empire are under assault, and the Emperor sends out a desperate plea for help. Mercenaries arrive from every corner of Europe ready to defend the city from the attack. Great longships from Norway, crossbowmen from Italy, even a few contingents of German knights are reported to have made the journey.. but all is for naught.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    The eternal city is broken. Put to the sword and looted, the light of the world, the city of Constantinople, is decimated and completely destroyed... So great is the devastation, that chronicles claim the severed heads of the nobles were piled into great heaps in front of the gates of the city. Not only is the city simply conquered. It is sacked and destroyed, completely wiped off the map like Samarkand before it...

    The few who were fortunate enough to survive the slaughter were allowed to escape.. allowed to spread the word of the power of the great Khans. Recently, archaeologists have uncovered mass graves near the ruins of the once great city.. leading chilling evidence to the stories.


    The Khan establishes a new empire upon the ashes of Constantinople, calling his realm the Ilkhanate. He demands all of Europe pay him tribute or face his wrath. Having lost the greatest city on earth, the power of the Byzantine Empire fades quickly. Though it would take almost two decades.. the Ilkhanate would come to absorb nearly all of the Byzantine Empire, fully supplanting it as the Empire of Asia Minor and the bridge between Europe and Asia.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    Greece falls in 1223, and Bulgaria in 1225.. putting the Ilkhanate in direct contact with the Kingdom of Germany. Otto III, having fully united Hungary beneath his rule by this time, sends out the call for all to be ready for an attack. He demands that no citizen or soldier should be caught surprised when the day of invasion comes. All will be prepared.. but no attack arrives. Instead, the Horde decimates the heirs of Byzantium, plundering their lands for all they are worth.



    And in the East, a second calamity arrives:


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    The Golden Horde destroys the the eastern Khans and incorporates them into a far growing empire in the east. Unlike the Ilkhanate who had sought riches and gold in Constantinople, the Golden Horde seems motivated by one thing only: Conquest. But to oppose them has risen a new challenge. Finland. Uniting Novgorod and Lithuania beneath his banner in defiance of the Horde, the Finnish King stands ready for the invasion...


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    All of the Russian steppes are aflame in war as the Horde and the great Finnish realm, newly reforged, clash.. but as happened in the south, the once formidable empires of the previous centuries ar eno match for this new, terrible threat. The Golden Horde utterly destroys the Finnish Kingdoms. One by one, the territories of the Northern pagans are brought into line with the growing Mongol Empire.


    The Pope decrees a new Crusade for Jerusalem in the midst of this utter chaos, and nearly every catholic Kingdom joins in the battle.. all except for Germany. For a new threat had arisen, the Ilkhanate had destroyed all of Bulgaria and the Byzantine successor states in Greece.. now the Khan eyed Germany. But Germany was not like the pitiful Byzantines who had been stagnant for centuries. She was a strong, powerful force, one who had united three separate kingdoms beneath a single man. And whos army totaled, in 1231, to be an estimated 80,000 men.. more than a match for the Khan. Otto III decided to save his forces for a greater purpose than any Crusade for the Holy Land.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    His Realm would stand between the Horde and the rest. In ages past, Germany had stood as the protector against the Norsemen. Protector against the Slavic warlords. It was by the blood of the German people that Europe was kept free from pagan oppression. So it should be again. So it should forever be. Germany would stand watch at the gates, Europe would weather this storm by their vigilance..

    But beyond the borders of Germany, there was no protection...


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 







    Smolensk is the next great city to be put to the sword as the Mongols continue their dread march toward the west. All who oppose them are brutally oppressed. For ten years the Mongols ruthlessly consolidate their conquests. Slowly reaching their borders further west. The Ilkhanate ruthlessly hunting the heirs of Byzantium in Asia Minor, how long would they be content to share a border with a powerful rival like Germany and not attack? The war would come soon, but it would not come within Otto's lifetime. He would pass in 1246, but his mandate would live far beyond him.

    Germany was once more the protector of a continent. Protector of the society of Europe. From the fury of the Horsemen, Germany shall deliver all.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    The Storm Continues next time with: Otto IV







    So i'm pretty sure this was a bug. The Mongols are supposed to declare war on whatever de jure kingdom they spawn in. But you know what? This was so freakin awesome there was no way I could tell the game to stop.

    The Mongols have smashed old rivals and completely reshaped the game's players. Finland is gone. Byzantium is gone. Germany is the last of the mega powers but that's only because we haven't been tested yet. We are quite literally placed as the guards of Europe. If the Mongols want a piece of Christianity, they will need to get through us first.



    I've been playing more EUIV and let me say that two horde factions near Europe after a convert is absolute insanity. I hope they survive to the conversation date because it's gonna get so awesome if they do. I also really enjoy EUIV as a whole. I haven't really given the game it's fair due until now. I converted this save right after Otto died and played for 20 years.. It isn't far out of the way to say it was the most fun I've had in any grand strategy game in a very long time. There's something special about crafting your kingdom and them seeing it struggle in a completely new system.

    I highly recommend the long game for anyone thinking of doing it. I can hardly wait until I'm ready to do a legit conversion.
    Last edited by Monk; 11-24-2013 at 04:03.

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  11. #71
    Annoyingly awesome Member Booger Flick Champion, Run Sam Run Champion, Speed Cards Champion rickinator9's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    What happened to Italy? Did it get taken over by mercenaries?
    rickinator9 is either a cleverly "hidden in plain sight by jumping on the random bandwagon" scum or the ever-increasing in popularity "What the is going on?" townie. Either way I want to lynch him. - White Eyes

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  12. #72
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by rickinator9 View Post
    What happened to Italy? Did it get taken over by mercenaries?
    Haha yep. That's the Company of the Star. They've completely usurped all of the territory away from the Kingdom of Italy and have essentially destroyed that once powerful Karling successor.

  13. #73
    Annoyingly awesome Member Booger Flick Champion, Run Sam Run Champion, Speed Cards Champion rickinator9's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    I had it happen in my Diadochi Kings mod where Cassander apparently ran out of money and they took most of Lower Macedonia.
    rickinator9 is either a cleverly "hidden in plain sight by jumping on the random bandwagon" scum or the ever-increasing in popularity "What the is going on?" townie. Either way I want to lynch him. - White Eyes

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  14. #74

    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    That's awesome.

    Thanks for spoiling the pictures Monk.

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  15. #75
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by Visorslash View Post
    That's awesome.

    Thanks for spoiling the pictures Monk.
    You're welcome.

    I'll be posting an update later tonight. Might be close to midnight PST though so if you're on the far side of that time zone might want to catch it tomorrow. Delayed! The ruler is finished but I couldnt get the update exactly how I liked it. I will work on it when I get back for next week's update.

    Big events coming in Germany's history...


    The conversion date is 1440, we're within the final stretch. Maybe 4-5 more CK2 rulers (if we survive that long!) and then it's a change to EUIV.
    Last edited by Monk; 11-25-2013 at 19:43.

  16. #76
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    I just spent the past 2-3 hours reading this. Didn't think anything could get more exciting than the Queen of Hearts appearing in Germany's darkest hour, and then you dropped that last update on us. I'll be anticipating the rest of this with bated breath. Excellent work, Monk.
    "I'm going to die anyway, and therefore have nothing more to do except deliberately annoy Lemur." -Orb, in the chat
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Trapped in the Web




    The History of the Kingdom of Germany during the Reign of:
    Otto IV Ludolfinger, Son of Otto III 'the Young'.

    Reigned c. September 27. 1244 – February 15th. 1265



    Byzantium had fallen. The power of Finland was broken on the steppes, and the world knew a new name to whisper in fear.

    The Mongols had reshaped the world by utterly destroying all open opposition to their rule in the East, but they were not the only calamity to be breaking upon the shores of Europe. By the time of the coronation for Otto IV, proclaiming him to be King of Germany, Hungary and Bavaria, Europe was in great political upheaval.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    In the East the Mongols had swallowed the Slavic steppe-land. Areas that were traditionally thought of as battlegrounds between raiding tribes had been forcibly subjugated by the powerful Horsemen.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    In the south, The Ilkhanate rules the shattered remains of the Byzantine Empire, locked in bitter struggles with the heirs to that legacy for the right to rule Asia minor.. and in Italy? A new threat has arisen to challenge the feudal rule of the nobles: The Condottieri.


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    For centuries the Kingdom of Italy had been in decline ever since Ida the Kinslayer had orchestrated the destruction of the Karling power base south of the Alps. The subsequent rise of powerful families, many backed by wealthy patricians, had torn the kingdom asunder time and time again in their bid to call themselves the King of Italy. For two hundred years mercenaries bought with patrician gold and fighting for their claimant to the throne were locked in an almost seasonal warfare. As the decades dragged on, the wealth and power of these rising warlords, known collectively as Condottieri, was growing rapidly. More and more young adventurers joined the Italian mercenary bands for their chance at riches and glory on the field of war. By the mid 1200s, the power of the Condottieri had swelled to such heights that they rivaled even that of the supposed Kings and Patricians they represented!

    Finally in 1231, just as the Mongols were laying waste to the old Empires of the east, a powerful faction of mercenaries, lead by the famed Company of the Star, presented an ultimatum to the King of Italy. Either he would adjudicate more power to the Condottieri or he would face their wrath. The King, believing his forces to be superior, refused. It would spell the utter destruction of the Kingdom of Italy and the fall of that Karling Successor once and for all.

    Italy became controlled by a loose confederation of mercenary bands and rising city states, all bound together by their loyalty to the Company of the Star. Though it is a tenuous alliance at best, the confederation of Condottieri proves to be a formidable power, able to raise 20,000 men to defend its borders.

    Perhaps in contrast to this show of unity would be just a bit north in Germany, where the nobles are once more pressing the return of revoked vassal rights taken by the throne. Otto IV barely has time to consolidate his power in the capital before the whispers of a faction revolt are pouring in from his spymasters...


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    but there was perhaps one thing that set these troubles apart from previous revolts. Increasingly, there had been a growing divide between the nobles and the ruling family. While the people loved the Ludolfinger Dynasty and rejoiced at their rule, the nobles remembered well how Otto III had crushed their alliance and stolen the wealth of the Carpathian Basin, wealth that many nobles believed rightly belonged to them.

    Though Otto is able to single out the ring leader of this latest power play before he can gather further support, it will set the tone for the rest of his rule. There is a terrible boiling point being reached, and Otto IV was not a man who was sufficiently prepared for such a crisis.


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    The oldest of four children, Otto IV was a brilliant tactician but he lacked the sensibilities that a ruler needs for courtly life. He was described as a brute. A know nothing imbecile when it came to finances, and a backwards thinking buffoon in matters of technology, but he was a hell of a fighter. It was said not a single man could best him on the field of battle, whether the King was commanding from the rear or leading the charge, his was a frightening presence. Yet, despite the presence of the Horde on their very doorstep, Germany would have no great no need for a warrior. It needed a diplomat. It needed a peacemaker to soothe the fears of the factions and placate their needs. So much had been taken from the nobles, if they would not receive something in return, it would only be a matter of time...


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    In 1248, Otto IV suffers the first great loss of influence for Germany since the failed defense of Jerusalem. Queen Kristyna of Bohemia, last of the Bohemian branch of the dynasty, dies without a dynastic heir. She is succeeded in Bohemia by King Chaval I of the Mojmirovci family. In surprising turn around, the Mojmirovci had been the original rulers of Bohemia centuries before and had lost the throne to Bogumil the Bewitched when he launched his invasion of the Realm. Land holders in the far east of Germany, the Mojmirovci had risen through clever marriage tactics to recapture the throne of Bohemia.


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    Oddly, there is not a single Ludolfinger claimant left to the Bohemian throne who is alive. A bit too convenient for Otto IV's liking and the warrior King immediately suspects foul play! But... without a valid cause for war, and without proof of any sort of wrong doing, the King can do nothing.



    Thus ends nearly 300 years of Ludolfinger rule in Bohemia.


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    In the East more terrible news arrives as Novrogod is sacked by the Mongols.


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    There seems to be no end to their barbarity. Otto IV, still upset over the loss of Bohemia, is convinced this is a sign the Mongols are coming. in 1248 he orders a vast network of fortifications built across Eastern Hungary, including the famous Ottonian Signal Fires to warn of an encroaching attack. The ruins of which still survive today in the mountains of Transylvania. But no attack yet comes... Could it be the Mongols have reached the limit their conquests can allow? They rule such a vast Empire, it cannot be easy to maintain, at least, so Otto reasons.


    In 1250 the boiling point between the nobles and the crown is finally reached. The powerful Duke of Carinthia is discovered to be backing a plot to overthrow the King. Otto IV discovers the plot and attempts to have his vassal arrested, but it's too late! Duke Mathias of Carinthia flees and gathers his army in the south. Even though the initial battles easily favor the crown, Carinthia is such a heavily fortified land that Otto's forces become quickly bogged down fighting a nasty guerrilla war. Outnumbered by Otto IV's vast army, Mathias turns to his mighty fortresses, striking out in daring raids against the Loyalist forces, causing terrible casualties year after year.

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    The fighting is so fierce this single Duke is able to hold off the entire realm of Germany from complete victory for four years. Although eventually able to grind down Mathias, Otto IV is responsible for a terrible blow to the legitimacy of his realm's effective fighting strength. Not only does he lose thousands of men in the war in Carinthia, but that the grand King of the Germans cannot easily defeat a single vassal is a grave embarrassment.

    Fortunately not all of Germany's luck had left her. For in the closing hours of the war in the south a messenger arrives. Otto's mother has sadly passed away, and though he is grieved deeply, Otto soon learns he has just inherited the entire Kingdom of England and all her standing armies.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    Otto knows, however, that England is not a prize that he can hold onto. He puts his Councilors to work attempting to find a suitable King in the dynasty who will be accepted, not only by the people, but by Europe abroad.. it is in this moment, as his Chancellor and Steward are pouring over multitudes of legal documents that a terrifying fact is discovered.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    The Royal laws of Bavarian and Hungary do not permit a woman to inherit, and Otto has no male heir. Records are scoured over for months attempting to find anything, any precedent in the newly acquired kingdoms to allow Otto's daughter, Ursula, to inherit Bavaria and Hungary.. but no precedent is found. It was this exact legality that had ended the Karling reign in Bavaria, centuries before, and now it had struck for the Ludolfingers.

    Prince Karl and Prince Thietmar, brothers of the King, are by law the rightful heirs of Bavaria and Hungary respectively. Otto hurriedly tries to change the laws to allow a more universal succession, but he is blocked by the powerful Dukes of Baden and Bavaria in the South, and numerous other lords in Hungary. Despite numerous attempts at diplomacy and intrigues, Otto's attempts to subvert the opposition only lead Germany's situation to being worse.

    One such moment is directly after the mysterious death of the Duke of Bavaria, just a few years after his announcement of opposition to the King. Rumors run rampant in the capital that it was on the King's orders that the Duke was killed, and with the simmering tensions after the Carinthian campaigns and the continued subjugation of vassal rights, it isn't long before another Civil War is declared...


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    For the next 8 years, Otto IV is locked in a bitter struggle with his vassals. Countless more titles and rights are revoked from the traitors, only sparking further outrage from voices who claim the King goes too far in his punishments. Once loyal vassals in previous wars take up arms in the next series of conflicts, and the cycle begins anew, Germany is dangerously close to a second Time of Troubles..


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    It is in this series of conflicts, this continual season of war, that Otto IV dies in his bed at the dynastic stronghold of Luneberg in 1265. By the wars end, Germany was exhausted.. but dozens of supposed traitors had seen their land stripped and new families, families loyal to the Ludolfinger, had taken their place in the north. But unfortunately, the reality of the spiraling situation and Otto IV's inability to unite his Kingdom is far worse.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Prince Karl and Thietmar succeed Otto IV as Kings of Bavaria and Hungary, respectively, locking out Queen Ursula from taking control of the southern Kingdoms and declaring Independence from Germany. Their independence and de jure succession is recognized by the Pope as legitimate.. the Great nation of Germany has split into three. Like Charlemagne before them, the Empire of the Germans was once more divided between the heirs of a great legacy.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    The Empire of Serhilda, of Leopold the Great, Konrad the Lion, of Otto the Pious, is divided by the ambitions of the Otto IV's brothers, and the rule of law.







    Next time:

    Can Ursula reforge the Kingdom anew and unite what was lost?
    Is this the end for German surpremacy in central Europe?
    Will the Mongols finally invade?
    Will Monk ever be able to keep to a consistent update schedule?

    Tune in next week to find out!










    Quote Originally Posted by GeneralHankerchief View Post
    I just spent the past 2-3 hours reading this. Didn't think anything could get more exciting than the Queen of Hearts appearing in Germany's darkest hour, and then you dropped that last update on us. I'll be anticipating the rest of this with bated breath. Excellent work, Monk.
    I am really glad you enjoy it GH. This has been the most memorable game in a while for me, even for my standards of having typically crazy awesome games.
    Last edited by Monk; 12-02-2013 at 09:33.

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  18. #78
    Member Member Ishmael's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Damn. You picked an excellent time for catastrophe, what with the horde breathing down your neck. I sure hope Ursula has good stats.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ishmael View Post
    I sure hope Ursula has good stats.
    I'm sensing another intrigue-heavy reign coming up for her. Knives in the dark restore the kingdom so the army isn't distracted by the true threat. Incidentally, that also might be the strategy that has the best chance of working considering the circumstances.
    "I'm going to die anyway, and therefore have nothing more to do except deliberately annoy Lemur." -Orb, in the chat
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    At times I read back my own posts [...]. It's not always clear at first glance.

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    And now you wanted you actually created the HRE before
    rickinator9 is either a cleverly "hidden in plain sight by jumping on the random bandwagon" scum or the ever-increasing in popularity "What the is going on?" townie. Either way I want to lynch him. - White Eyes

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    @Monk We hunger.., no LUST, for an update!
    rickinator9 is either a cleverly "hidden in plain sight by jumping on the random bandwagon" scum or the ever-increasing in popularity "What the is going on?" townie. Either way I want to lynch him. - White Eyes

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    @Monk We hunger.., no LUST, for an update!
    rickinator9 is either a cleverly "hidden in plain sight by jumping on the random bandwagon" scum or the ever-increasing in popularity "What the is going on?" townie. Either way I want to lynch him. - White Eyes

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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    The Ottonian Wars



    The History of the Kingdom of Germany during the Reign of:
    Ursula I "The Conqueror", Daughter of Otto IV Ludolfinger.

    Reigned c. February 15th. 1265 – February 27th. 1308



    The reign of Otto IV was over. Through desperate attempts to change succession laws in the acquired kingdoms of Bavaria and Hungary, the King had led his realm into an age of stagnation. For twenty years the embattled warrior had led his kingdom against powerful rebellious elements within his own borders and had succeeded in doing nothing, save wasting the strength of the Kingdom's men at arms.

    The Ludolfinger line had died out in Bohemia leaving no heir fit to claim the crown. The economic and military might of the German state was in a state of growth, but through constant intrigues and grabs for power, the Kingdom had been unable to expand.. and in 1265, it shattered finally.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    With the death of the noble king Otto and the ascension of his daughter, a legality had allowed the King's brothers to seize power in Hungary and Bavaria. Ursula succeeded her father in the North taking control of the the de jure lands of Germany. In the south, Karl III takes power in Bavaria, and in the East Thietmar I seizes the throne of Hungary.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    The Ludolfinger dynasty no longer had a leader as the three successors of Otto IV all looked to claim the right to rule in central Europe. Thietmar in Hungary had a secure powerbase in the Carpathian Basin. Through decades of persecution and ruthless title revocation, German nobles had seized nearly half of the ducal titles in lawful Hungary. It goes without saying then, that Thietmar had a very loyal following in his newly acquired kingdom.

    Karl III of Bavaria was even more secure in his realm. With the nobles of Bavaria having for years attempted to separate their realm from the North, the vassals rejoiced at the new independence of the South German kingdom. Bavaria stood on its own, free of the yoke of Germany, for the first time in centuries. That it was still led by a member of the Ludolfinger dynasty was an easy thing to overlook, for he was a man who stood against his family. He embraced Bavaria and swore to fight for her above all else..

    Ursula I, Daughter of Otto IV, was left with Germany and the traditional lands of the Ludolfinger dynasty and the Ottonian legacy. Crowned Queen of Germany in 1265 in the castle at Luneburg, her lands were the most heavily fortified of all the three successors combined. Many chronicles claim Germany a Kingdom of Steel and Iron, but in reality, twas a kingdom of Stone. Great fortresses dotted the land, castles whose walls had been besieged by numerous enemies, all of whom had been denied their prizes. The Norse. The Swedes. The English. The French. The Bavarians. The Polish... Germany was not a stranger to foreign invader, and to look upon the towering walls of its fortifications, you would know how they were to be met.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    It was this land that Ursula had known, in the shadow of the statue depicting the Lion of Arsuf, the young girl had been tutored in the art of diplomacy, the art of statesmanship. The very art and nature of law. Yet upon her father's death, she had witnessed that Law twisted into a weapon and used to nearly destroy the legacy of the greatest German monarch to ever reign. Serhilda the Great..

    The first ruler of a united Germany. The first Queen since Ida the Kinslayer, and the last woman to ever call herself ruler of Central Europe. It was in Serhilda that Ursula saw herself. She styled herself along the same lines, and it is said, went to great lengths to organize her court in the very same way that Serhilda had done. Stately feasts and regular fairs were once more held, as had been done under Serhilda's reign, and through all, diplomacy was valued as the true way forward for Germany...

    But for all her reverence for the Queen of Hearts, Ursula did not have her idol's poise. Early attempts at negotiations with Bavaria over the right to rule in numerous border counties broke down before they even begun due to the Queen's insistence on never giving an inch. Her demands for the return of a number of lawfully German lands, for example, lead her into direct conflict with her uncle in the south. Bavaria had laid claimed to counties that rightfully belonged to Germany, but due to ducal law, Bavaria had kept dominion over them in the transition... when talks broke down, Ursula declared war.


    The Ottonian Wars had begun.


    Chroniclers have claimed that The Ludolfinger dynasty, also known through history as the Ottonian dynasty, named for its founder Otto I of Saxony, were the successor of the Karlings in central Europe. If such is the case, than the Ottonian War period is without a doubt the last bit of evidence one would need to make the correlation. With their strength divided, the heirs of Otto IV turn against one another, and the ignition of the first fire is the invasion of Plauen by Ursula of Germany.

    Denied at the negotiation table, Ursula declares war for control of the county, citing ducal claims for the Duchy of Thuringia. Karl III is said to be astonished that his niece would so brazenly attack him. Nevertheless he confidently rallies his troops near Ulm and waits for the coming invasion, abandoning the outer reaches to the encroaching armies of Germany, though he has reason to be confident.

    Bavaria's forces outnumbers that of Northern Germany by at least ten thousand men! While Germany in the North may claim to be a more militaristic and fortified area, Bavaria is a prosperous kingdom now that it doesn't need to support the iron war machine of Germany. A tide of gold funds a horde of mercenary troops, itching to lend their swords to the embattled King Karl III.

    Yet, it is not a fact that has gone unnoticed by Ursula...


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    For though she is not the Queen of Hearts, she is nonetheless a shrewd diplomat. An alliance is sealed with the King of France, who gladly lends his aid to the coming campaign. A combined force of French and German troops, numbering almost 40,000, descend upon Ulm and annihilate the Bavarian Defenders.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    It is the beginning of a bloody chapter of conquest and reconquest, skirmish and border raids, attack and retaliation for the successors of Otto IV. With the destruction of his standing army, Karl III surrenders Plauen, but swears vengeance against the north. With little choice, Karl signs a protection agreement with his brother, Thietmar I of Hungary.

    Ursula dismisses the news, uninterested in the goings on beyond her southern border. With Bavaria crushed at the battle of Ulm and her alliance seemingly stronger than ever with her French allies, the Queen of the North has good reason to feel secured. While the truce remains with her uncle in the south, she opts to move her attention elsewhere: Lotharingia.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Over two centuries ago Germany was driven out by the Frankish lords of Lotharignia. And after two centuries of infighting and french incursion, the lands of the once mighty kingdom were reduced to almost nothing. With little in the way of allies to protect them, they had served a convenient buffer against the ambitions of the French Kings, but with their power fading further, how long would it be until France completely absorbed the fledgling realm? History had taught Germany well: Today's friends are tomorrow's enemies.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    10,000 troops march against the weakened Kingdom, reducing their defenses to dust in a grinding campaign that lasts for two long years. The Frankish vassals prove their usual difficult selves, resisting the German invasion unto their dying breaths, but it is all for naught. By 1268, Trier is once more back in Germany's hands.


    With the fall of Trier, Ursula consolidates her rule in Luneburg with a great feast, inviting all vassals of the realm to join in her victory! If any had doubted the woman's right to rule, her crushing victory against Bavaria in the south and the quick strike on Lotharingia had silenced them. Perhaps this was the woman to restore the legacy? Perhaps in the deck of fate, Germany had drawn a Queen of Diamonds..?

    For four years, Ursula reigns in peace, but it is not a restful one. Each day the call is met by the militia, and each day, the knights take to the jousting fields to hone their craft. The war machine labors, the drums of war beat. Ursula may style herself as a diplomat as the first Great Queen of Germany in centuries, but there is no mistaking it: she is a warlord.

    She intends to build a new glory upon the ashes of Bavaria and Hungary. She is a woman of an age gone by, a type of ruler the world was already trying to forget as the year 1300 was fast approaching.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    But the preparations for war against the other successors would have to wait, for in 1272, the fears of the council and sovereign are made manifest by the declaration of war. The French King, terrified of this growing power on his eastern border, invades the Kingdom of Germany. He hopes to throw out the Queen and install his own claimant! One man, attempting to end over 400 years of Ludolfinger rule? Arrogance! Usurpers!

    Ursula gathers her forces and prepares for the coming storm. The call is sent for all mercenaries able to join the ranks, but even swelled by their numbers, Ursula is outnumbered. Only by catching the french divided and on the march can she hope to win.. or perhaps.. other means.

    As the French troops push headlong toward Luneberg they suddenly stop. Their marshal has received the news, their claimant is dead. Dead! Just as they were in sight of the fortresses of Ursula, the fabled walls that even the Norsemen could not storm.. they must turn back. The war has no meaning. It is a fortuitous turn of events for the Queen! But.. could it be simple fate fortune that the claimant to Germany should die, choking on his own blood in his sleep? It is one of histories greatest mysteries, and one historians love to debate to this day..

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    With the alliance with France formally broken and dissolved by the treacherous acts of the French King, Ursula is forced to go ahead with her plans without aid from the West. In 1274, the second chapter of the Ottonian Wars is written: The invasion of Bavaria.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 





    Permission granted by the Pope puts Ursula in a position to formally contest the southern throne. Ever since Karl II's defeat at Ulm, Bavaria had struggled in a spiraling grip of civil war, unable to climb out of deeper instability. Ursula used this as a pretense for invasion. Without its rightful ruler to lead it, stolen by an ambitions uncle, Bavaria had faltered. Only Germany could set it right.

    October of 1274. 26,000 German troops cross the border and lay siege to the outlying defenses of the Bavarian forces. Caught unprepared in the wake of the invasion, a force of 13,000 is cornered at Lorsch by the invading northern force. The battle is a massacre, and is the bloodiest on record between the two kingdoms. Although heavily outnumbered, Bavarian troops fight with a unrelenting zeal in their attempt to defend their independence. So long did the nobles of the south fight for it, they would not see it ripped away so easily! But even the bravest, strongest soldier can fall when the odds are stacked high, and two to one, outnumbered, the Southern forces are eventually ground down through simple attrition.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    The battle sees the death of almost the entire Southern force, with most of the Bavarian troops reduced to fleeing the field.. Ursula had once more broken her dynastic obligation and invaded an ally. Even with the Pope's blessing, it does not sit well with the Ludolfinger family, who view the act as one of a tyrant. Facing a brutal assault and unable to fully mobilize in time, Otto III, successor to Karl III, calls for aid from his Uncle, Thietmar I in Hungary, but it is aid which will not arrive in time. Thietmar is busy fending off a border raid from the Mongols.. and by the time he has turned his forces around to deal with the war in the west...

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    It's already over. Ursula has broken Otto III's forces and proclaimed herself Queen of Bavaria. What's more, Karl III had changed the succession laws before he passed, thus ensuring an agnatic-cognatic succession for the Queen's children.


    In recognition of the Pope's support, the Bishipric of Lorsch is surrendered to the Papal States. It is only fitting that the greatest, bloodiest battle of the war should be under the care of the Pope and his cardinals.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Ursula is hailed as 'the Conqueror' and savior of the realm! It is an honor she shares with the woman she idolized, her ancestor Serhilda the Great. But even though both women used the same method to lay claim to Bavaria, their methods of rule are shockingly different. Ursula's harsh and cruel nature, as well as her tendency to resort to violence in her punishments and foreign relations, earns her a different moniker that history will know her by. Queen of Steel.

    Thietmar is able to stave off a total victory for Ursula when he petitions the pope for the right to rule numerous duchies in the south of Bavaria. These are lands, by right of succession, to be his after all! Despite the goodwill that the Queen of Germany has built with the Pope through gifts and fiefs, Papal authorities side with Thietmar and the side of law. Hungary shall rule in select districts of Bavaria, and Germany shall respect her borders.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    But it is a truce unenforceable, as local rebellions soon spring up, fighting for the right to be ruled by the true, lawful ruler of Bavaria, not the lawful Ducal ruler. History is sketchy on the connection between Germany and these revolts, but it is quite convenient that after their break away from Hungary, each and every one of the revolting factions swears allegiance to their "true" ruler. Thietmar is said to have been furious. It is the death of any hope of a peaceful compromise between the two branches of the Ludolfinger family. There can be only one Monarch of the Germans...

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    A powerful faction of vassals within Germany act just two years later. 1276. The Second Ottonian Civil War breaks Germany into pieces as coastal vassals along the Baltic and North Seas rise up in support of Thietmar as the true ruler of Germany. Ursula rallies her troops near Luneberg in preparation for a desperate defense as the rebel forces close in, just as news from the south reaches her. Thietmar has crossed into Bavaria, and at his back he commands 17,000 men loyal to his cause...

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    The conspiracy sets Germany flame for the next 8 and a half years of civil war as the conquering queen is besieged in her strongholds at Luneberg. Loyalist forces strike out hard against the revolt in a string of terribly bloody clashes all across the North of Germany, yet each engagement proves even more devastating than the last.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    ..and despite the growing victories in the north, news of the terrible toll that Thietmar is visiting upon the south cannot be ignored. For each victory won against the revolt in Germany, Thietmar visits destruction upon the Bavarian vassals.. For some, it is far too much, and rather than fall victim to the sword of an invader, many peasants choose to serve him instead! With his army swelled by conquests and new recruits, Thietmar camps in a pillaged Austria.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    It isn't until two full years into campaign, and countless thousands of casualties, that Loyalist forces are able to advance upon Thietmar's position. Having suffered a terrible toll in their fight in the north, nearly 1/3 of the loyalist troop is estimated to be foreign mercenaries under contract to the Queen of Germany, and when they meet Thietmar at the battle of Steyr on October 2, 1277, many more thousands are left on the field...

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    But all is worth it in the name of the High Queen. Thietmar's forces are thrown back. His attack destroyed and his claim on the throne weakened by his inability to win glory in the south. The Northern vassals are rounded up and executed, one by one, for their treachery.. yet it is not enough to secure a peace. It isn't until 1280 that, finally, the wars of the Ottonion successors reach a climactic stalemate at the Battle of Fulda. There, two hosts of 15,000 men each lay waste to one another. Thietmar presses his advantage again trying to break through into the north, but the Loyalist forces of Germany hold their ground, just barely, and are able to defeat the ambitious King of Hungary.

    1282. Ursula the Conqueror is Ursula the besieged. Ursula the Tired. She has fought without rest since her ascension to the throne in order to secure the legitimacy of her claim. It is her right, not that of her uncles, which should carry the dynasty forward.. and at long last, she has succeeded. Thietmar's claims on Germany are declared null after the final truce has been signed, and for the first time in nearly two decades, there is peace in the Ottonian dynasty. The Ludolfingers, following the Karlings down the same path of infighting, have put central europe to the torch in their struggles. For the first time, peasants had joined the cause of a foreign king in a revolt.. Ursula could not deny that in her bid for power and the unification of the three realms of her father, she had alienated the serfs.. and it had nearly cost her everything.

    Even with her legitimacy secured, she was on rocky ground.. for the next twenty years the Queen enjoys her hard won peace, ruling over Bavaria and Germany with an iron fist and grinding down further dissent against her rule. In the east, even more shocking news would come..

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    The Horde had converted. The Great Khan now ruled an Orthodox court and claimed himself the continuation of Rome. Why he and not the Ilkhanate? Simple: The Ilkhanate had fallen... Asia Minor was ruled by disparate Greek Kings now, all vying for power. And in the chaos of Asia Minor, a member of the Ludolfinger dynasty had made his way to the throne of Kingship.

    Germany had survived a trying moment in its history, but its power was severely weakened from the days of Otto III. Even as Europe tried to claw its way passed the middle-ages, the wars and ambitions of powerful kings and queens continually dragged the continent back into the darkness. Ursula The Conquerer, Ursula the Warlord had seen that work done. Her legacy was of war and power. A lesson learned well through the centuries as Germany struggled for the right to rule her own destiny.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 






    The answers to last time's questions:
    Almost.
    No.
    No.
    I am trying!




    Apologies for the late update guys. The holidays threw me off way more than I thought they would. I have a new roommate so that has taken a lot of adjusting to, so things got a bit lost. This reign was concluded about two weeks ago, I just couldn't get the time to write On the bright side if i take long enough I'll be able to convert my save into EUIV just in time for the new expansion

    Some notes:


    Byzantium and their successor the Ilkhanate are effectivel gone. Asia Minor and Greece are ruled by a number of Greek Kingdoms.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    Iconia actually has one of my dynasty set to inherit. Somehow one of my landless kin ended up in Greece about a century ago and his decendant is now sitting on the throne married to the Queen. The Ludolfinger line is set to inherit.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    The Reconquest of Spain stalled about 50 years ago and my kin in Aragon have been losing ground, slowly. Asturias and Navara are too busy fighting each other to unite against the south.

    Mercenaries still control a loose alliance of counties and cities in northern Italy. The Kingdom of Sicily is on the rise, and Europe is becoming more and more static as the years go on. Powers are consolidating and alliances are shifting. about 140 years left to the convert date.
    Last edited by Monk; 12-29-2013 at 21:46.

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  24. #84
    Member Member Ishmael's Avatar
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    Thanks Monk! I love the craziness that's going on in former Byzantium, it should make for an interesting world later on. Do you know what form of government mercenary states get when they convert across?

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    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ishmael View Post
    Thanks Monk! I love the craziness that's going on in former Byzantium, it should make for an interesting world later on. Do you know what form of government mercenary states get when they convert across?
    States taken over by mercenary companies convert to Administrative Republics.

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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    A New Map



    The History of the Kingdom of Germany during the Reign of:
    Serhilda II Ludolfinger, Daughter of Ursula I "The Conqueror".

    Reigned c. February 27th. 1308 - March 8, 1325

    With the passing of Ursula the feared and dreaded German Warlord, Europe as a collective sigh of relief. Gone was the warmonger of the North Germans and with the ascension of her daughter, Serhilda II, it was hoped that perhaps a new day could dawn for the house Ludolfinger - one that reached into the future. In Italy, the renaissance was in full swing. The numerous city states controled by the mercenary collective were prospering under their autonomy. With each passing year their great innovations spread beyond the boot into Europe at large. The World was changing. Populations were becoming harder to control as serfs began to migrate into cities, seeking their share of the wealth that comes from the centers of trade and commerce...

    But in Germany, life continued on as it had for centuries, and Europe would soon discover that Serhilda II had no intention of leaving the old ways behind. The war machine of Germany would march forward.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Named for the Greatest Queen Germany had ever known, Serhilda II was surely her mother's daughter. She inherited a powerful realm with few equals to rival her. France could surely stand against Germany if it so wished, but for a half century the two powers had danced around one another.. using assassination and plotting to achieve their aims. Serhilda's goals, and the goals of Germany, lay elsewhere.. in the East.

    The throne of Hungary was still controlled by the heirs of the traitorous branch of the Ludolfinger Dynasty. Ultimate unification had evaded Ursula.. and so the duty of the final act of the Ottonian wars fell to Serhilda II. A duty she gladly accepted. ungary would once more bend the knee to the northern throne.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    50,000 men under the command of the Duke of Austria invade the Kingdom of Hungary, and the conclusion is all but decided before the true battles take place. The Ludolfingers of Hungary had fallen on hard times since the time of Ursula. Weakened by their inability to capture the throne of Bavaria, their weary levies are destroyed outright by Serhilda's host. Hungary belongs to Germany once more. The Realm of three kingdoms has been united.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    but it is a short moment of triumph, for as the most loyal vassals campaigned in the east, rebellious elements of the Bavarian and German nobility use the opportunity to launch an insurrection.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 




    Led by the Duke of Franconia, the rebels have a singular goal in mind: The independence of the Kingdom of Bavaria from the power of the north German monarchs. The Forces of Serhilda are forced to turn from Hungary and march back against their brothers, yet despite the hurried march and the numbers of the rebels arrayed against them, Loyalist forces crush the rebels during a bloody campaign...

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Despite the victory, Serhilda II sees well that the choice to finish her mother's work allowed the room for the rebels to rise in the first place. Germany had grown too large, and her territory too large to be effectively governed from Luneburg. How many times had Germany been ripped apart thanks to the efforts of nobles trying to subjugate Hungary? How many men had died fighting to prevent a lawful succession that would divide the Kingdom... It was too much. Just as the kings of old decided to finally abandon Lotharignia when the Frankish nobles grew too restless and resentful, so too must Hungary be abandoned.

    Historians mark May 16, 1320 as a profound moment in Germany's history, for it was when a monarch formally drew the borders of Germany in the East. For more than five centuries German Kings had fought to expand the Eastern borders. They had fought the Polish, the Rus, the Hungarians and the Pruthians. Only now did Germany finally say enough. The Borders of the Kingdom would be solidified and made official. United, North and South Germany would be considered Lawfully controlled by Luneburg.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    It would be Serhilda II's greatest contribution to the annals of history. The efforts she lead against the Hungarian Monarch would be undone by her releasing Hungary from the obligations of the Northern throne. Her victory in the civil war would lead to the establishment of the first 'lawful' border of Germany in centuries.

    But the world was changing, and Germany's way of war would not the the way forward forever...





    This is probably the shortest update in a while simply due to the short reign of the monarch. Serhilda II was certainly not great. Pretty good, maybe, but not great. Good news is I am back to normal updates so this sunday is the next one.

    It's been 5 centuries and through a turbulent history, Germany has not only survived but finally reached a point where it can prosper. I've established a pretty good border for the convert that leaves a lot of room for EUIV shenanigans and is easy to control for the rest of the game.. Trying to hold three Kingdoms without an Emperor title is pretty annoying

    Peace rules, and the next century i expect will be very quiet.

    I may convert a little sooner than expected because I am itching to play EUIV
    Last edited by Monk; 01-16-2014 at 06:05.

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  27. #87
    Member Member Ishmael's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    What is it with you and zero diplomacy rulers? That's what, your fourth?

    You're definitely in a good position for the conversion - surrounded by several moderately large nations to provide a challenge, with some zany shenanigans going on in the rest of the map to spice things up. It will be interesting to see if the hordes get pushed back much before you convert, or if they'll be a major power in the east.

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  28. #88
    The Abominable Senior Member Hexxagon Champion Monk's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by Ishmael View Post
    What is it with you and zero diplomacy rulers? That's what, your fourth?
    I DON'T KNOW.

    It's crazy though. Serhilda II was pretty much guaranteed a huge civil war, but thanks to how consolidated Ursula left things it wasn't that hard to deal with. It actually ended up being a very relaxed reign. Not a lot to report.

  29. #89
    COYATOYPIKC Senior Member Flatout Minigame Champion Arjos's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Quote Originally Posted by Monk View Post
    I may convert a little sooner than expected because I am itching to play EUIV
    Don't give in! You shall reap ever sweeter fruits at the end! :D

  30. #90

    Default Re: The Long March: A CKII -> EUIV AAR

    Thanks for updating, having a great time reading your AAR. I actually bought CK II in the recent Steam Sale because of this, just lacking the time to play right now...

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