Intro: This is my second attempt at a campaign. The first one ended at about the mid of the 18th century, as I had already captured 90% of the necessary territories and was generally controlling the game (GB in M/M).
This time around, apart from raising the difficulty (H/H) I wanted a more challenging nation. So I thought I’d go with Russia.
The Summer of 1700
After evaluating the situation, my first impressions were the following:
• I had a young smart kid as a Czar, who showed considerable potential, but the cabinet, especially my naval and treasury advisors and the head of the cabinet, were worthless. Something had to be done immediately about this. Also the approval rating was terrible, 42%.
• International relations were not very advanced. Poland – Lithuania and Denmark were our only allies, and Poland the only trade partner. As for enemies Ottoman Empire and their protectorate Crimean Khanate were the immediate ones.
• I had two “major” forces. One in the North of Muscovy near the borders with Sweden, and one in the South near Kiev. Navy… nowhere in sight.
• With the approval rating being so low, I had major issues with public order in 7 territories leaving only the two major territories in rather orderly state.
• Trade and technology are laughable to say the least.
So there was much work to be done. I had to focus and prioritize though. So… my first goals would be, to try and secure a trading port in either the North or the South (and maybe even both), which would help me to modernize and improve my nation’s trade, increase my alliance and trading partners, improve my approval rating and the public order of the nation and try to keep one war front at a time, because if I was to spend money on modernizing the country, I didn’t think I’d be able to keep more than one huge army mobilized and ready.
Action
Infrastructure
First order of the day was to fire half of my cabinet. The new ones were better (one significantly better) and with the lowering of taxes for the lower class, I managed to restore public order to 4 of the 7 problematic provinces. The 3 remaining problematic provinces were the ones that religion was a bit of an issue, with Islamic and animistic (sic) elements making a powerful presence.
Still it was a satisfying result with only two moves. Also the effect this lowering of taxes had on the income was insignificant, as the loss of taxes was balanced by the zeroing of expenditure for town watch.
It was also evident that my provinces were not growing. So an agricultural program was put in effect for the majority of the nation and farms were implemented in half the country. In the capital though I ordered the building of an Admiralty, as I wanted to start preparing for my naval “revolution”.
As a technology I ordered the research of Carbines and ordered a scholarly man to travel to Novgord school to aid the research. The choice was made because I wanted to modernize my army (and I use cavalry a lot in my games).
International relations
Without any ports trading became a problem. So my only solution was to try and come to trading agreements with my neighbors. Sweden were the last nation I wanted to trade with, but beggars can’t be choosers. Plus I thought that if I had a trading agreement with them, that would put off any plans of attack they might have had against me, as I wanted to deal with Crimea unhindered (then I would see how I would deal with the Ottomans). So a trade agreement was made with the Swedes even though I had to also offer them gold (800 after I lowered their demand of 1100).
The only other successful trade negotiation that was made was with Dagestan (I also gave them 520 gold). The total increase in income was 700, which was already half of what I’d given both of them (the increase in income though was also aided by the new ministers).
Subterfuge
As for agents I sent a missionary to one of the territories with religious issues (Don Voisko), one rake to Sweden (as I still didn’t trust them and was afraid of them) and the other to Crimea.
Military
My North army with Prince Ivanovich as his commander, guarded our north borders with the Swedes, while my South army in Ukraine with Ivan Mazepa as the commander, was reinforced with a cannon from Kiev and marched southwards to our borders with Crimea.
As a last action I ordered the recruitment of militia in Komi to help keep the public order there.
End treasury: 110 Predicted Income: 4300
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