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Hi, I will be soon starting a new, relaxed AAR using the 1880 DLC "Scramble for Africa" of PON. I feel that the 1880 starting date is fantastic as the world has stabilized and most nations that had to unify or start to modernize have done so. The AI is not under pressure of doing stuff that it is known to fail sometimes (unifying Italy/Germany, finishing some early wars).

In this AAR I will be playing as Germany. I will be playing close to the historical possibilities (no crazy wars) and vanilla constrains activated. The only thing I will change is in the file of ruler "Friedrich III" (the liberal Prussian Emperor who lived for 99 days). In his file I will change the absolute end date to match the ousting of Bismarck (ie two more years). With this I want to simulate what would have happened if Frederick managed somehow to delay his larynx cancer from killing him and stayed on top of things for another couple of years. Obviously, there is always a 5% per turn (as per default) possibility that he dies from 1888 to 1890.

Frederick was a liberal crown prince, very fond of his mother-in-law Queen Victoria, and I would like to abstract his policies in my game for an alternate reality "benevolent" Germany. I would also theorize that, had he lived longed, he would be able to teach his son Wilhelm, future emperor, the tricks of good diplomacy, together with the aging Bismarck.

This will be a relaxed but fast-paced AAR with relatively few screenshots. The world in 1880 is all-known and the colonial areas ripe for taking. I won't tire you with conflict screens and micromanagement (unless utterly necessary), but post how Germany and its colonial empire expands in the 20th century.

Ultimate goal is to create the setting for a Great War but possibly with other protagonists and outcome. I will definitely not make the mistakes of Wilhelm, as if the Bismarckian spirit of intelligent foreign policy lived on...



Onward!

be interesting to see how the 1880 campaign unfolds, as you say, you start from a more solidified Europe.

from your premise about Fredreich III, are you going to try for a British alliance?

This is my idea, as this was the alleged historical stance of Frederick, but much will depend on the complete picture of the colonial competition. If Great Britain antagonizes Germany a lot, I might need to keep it in distance.

1880

"The Imperial Union is strong!" proclaimed Chancellor Bismarck in his annual speech in front of the Emperor and the various Kings, Princes, and Dukes of the German States. "We have nothing to fear as we enter the next decade. The world around has various conflicts, but none is of interest or danger to the German Empire. Therefore, we shall proceed with our plans of deciding in calmness what to do next. Germany could look for its own colonies, before all other nations claim most of them. Colonial trade is very lucrative."



As of 1880, the world is rather stable and few wars and alliances exist. This is a clear slate for every nation. I will not overdo it with construction and recruitment projects to avoid gamey overpowering situations. I will start by investigating what can be colonized in Africa and beyond.

One curious thing I noticed with the 1880 starting date is that the SOIs are virtually nonexistent. For all nations. This means that all nations start at the maximum negative value and have to work on it (by playing colonial improvement cards) to increase their SOI and get Prestige points. This is obviously a bug (or oversight), but it is kind of interesting. The Scramble for Africa is just beginning and the board is clean. Everyone can claim everything. I only hope the AI will be able to cope with it and make sensible colonial choices.

1880

Still on the first year of the new decade (although technically this happens in 1861). The government of Bismarck has asked for measures to counter the social troubles. Although militancy is rather low in the empire, thanks to judicious use of local forces and laws, there are some regions that seem not to be "content". The Catholic element in those regions is high, as it seems, and in the most troubling of all has a significant Polish ethnic majority. Nonetheless, the healthy internal market and low taxes will probably lower the trouble. The 2nd Army has been sent to the region of Weichsel from Danzig in order to help finish the strikes.



In other news, France is continuing its colonial program in Cambodia by declaring that area a colony. Bismarck is augmenting his own colonial ventures with merchants and priests in Togo and Cameroon.

1880

Doing some gunboat diplomacy with the savages of Togoland. Bribes with the local tribes, merchantmen, and a Christian mission in the capital of the region which is sandwiched between British and French interests. Chancellor Bismarck feels that there is need to further develop certain colonial regions that will promote German presence overseas. We have already various trade posts in Africa and the Pacific. More commercial ships are being built in our shipyards (the Hanseatic towns of the North) and we shall soon recruit colonial troops for operations that should start the following years. We need to protect our regions of interest over rival colonization.



In other news, the strikes and demonstrations around the Empire have subsided as people appreciate the rich and stable market. Bismarck and the Emperor have decided on the long term objectives of the nation which should include the colonization of Kuwait and the port of Qingdao in China. Bismarck is not in a hurry, obviously. The army continues its reinforcement and modernization program. There is a perennial need for capital as the country imports many resources from foreign regions. This has set the inflation to an astonishing 15%, albeit the government's measures.

1881

Our involvement in the Togoland continues. We think we could soon declare that small region as our protectorate, to have it once and for all secured from British or French interference. The station at Lome sends already exotic fruits every month or so. Nonetheless, the German colonial program is only starting now. We will need men to control the local tribes and be certain of their "collaboration". Moreover, a new opportunity was given to traders of the nation. All non-steam merchant ships got a subsidy and a lot of interest ensued. We want to build more military ships as well, but the state cannot even decide on transport ships at the moment.



Obviously, all these opportunities and help together with a lot of trading activity has meant that our country has lost control of inflation. We are in perennial "short of capital" as we buy and resell lots of products around the globe in an attempt to compete with Great Britain. Every now and then the government makes attempt to curb inflation but it is almost to the point of uncontrollable.



In Stuttgart, Siemens has opened its first electrical production facility and is the envy of the industrialized world!



We have managed to reinstate the Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria, including a very good commercial agreement. Germany and Austria move together in the world and soon collaborate in every aspect like the Holy Roman Empire was doing not more than 100 years back. It shall defend against French revolutionists and potential Slav-Turkish insurrection in the East. The Russian Emperor approached us to renew it, but we think the personal relations of the royal families with the British and Russian rulers is more than enough to secure peace. Although a defensive alliance with Russia might be desired some time in the future, at the moment we simply want to improve relations to avoid crises.

Interesting AAR, I'm at the moment starting a campaign with German Empire as well so I'll be following your AAR (I'm even thinking about starting an AAR myself, I just purchased the 1880 scenario and it looks very interesting).

I have found a fix for the SOI bug here:
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?26453-1880-scenario-bug

Bis bald!

Have you really declined russian proposal for a defensive treaty? Oh I'm still not able to convince them to sign one with me in my game.

Oh Kensai please update this AAR!!! I'm very curious!

Installed v1.04 (well, actually Steam forced me into this) and added the SOIs update. Although I was thinking about playing without SOIs in the beginning, it actually occurred to me that it could perhaps help the AI make more sensible decisions on where to invest its resources. Moreover, it could have been an early victory for Germany given the lost VP for Great Britain, France, and Russia from their established colonies.

I will update this AAR slowly posting a year at a time but, as anticipated, with few screenshots and discussions. I mostly want to reach the 20th century (checking for bugs and issues) and start a world war to see how the game fares...

Great to know that you're going to resume this AAR, but how are you going to deal with the imortal garrison bug?

I should wait and see how it affects my game. I plan to be low pace/intensity in this, anyway, the only big war I am expecting is the alternate reality Great War by the early 20th century. I am really curious to see how the AI will handle warfare.

There is always the workaround of surrendering. If they don't die outright in the assault, perhaps they will surrender after being cut off.

Kensai wrote:I should wait and see how it affects my game. I plan to be low pace/intensity in this, anyway, the only big war I am expecting is the alternate reality Great War by the early 20th century. I am really curious to see how the AI will handle warfare.

There is always the workaround of surrendering. If they don't die outright in the assault, perhaps they will surrender after being cut off.

I'm again eager to see your AAR and specially the events for the "alternate Great War" that I'm waiting

Yep, you are my number one priority. As I said, I will deliver this weekend. Let me know if anything has changed in your game (or you want it changed); write these in your game's thread.

Regarding this one, beta-tester duty keeps me behind in my own games, but that's not a big problem. After all, this campaign will simply try to set Germany in a disadvantage (I won't overdo it with expansion and wars) before the final conflict. I am really curious how the other nations will fare if not obliterated through earlier wars.