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Dar al-Islam: A Barbary States Empire Total War AAR – Part 5

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empire_total_war_aarThe years 1780 to 1800 have been tough, but productive. The good news is that the empire has expanded enormously, the bad news, I’ve had to quit in 1794 due to the game crashing on me every ten minutes or so. I can’t take it any more! But read on for the what happened over the 14 years of the rise and rise of the Barbary States! …(or go visit Part 1)…

Endless War

In 1882 war breaks out across Europe. The Ottoman Empire and Austria go to war and France chases the Maratha’s in India. The next season, Sweden and Prussia declare war on each other and of course, England and France at at war and who knows who else is battling away! As for the mighty Barbary States, we’re busy tidying up the Spanish, clearing armies from the Iberian Peninsular and ships from the nearby seas. Portugal falls quickly, leaving only one Spanish province resisting us. Gibraltar.

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Broken through our economic warfare and through the loss of their colonies Gibraltar falls easily after a short battle. With that,t he Spanish are finished as power! This leads to Mexico becoming an independent nation and any remaining holdings falling to native powers! Revenge is mine!

Meanwhile, in the New World, Panama is captured and our native-enhanced armies, righteous with the power of Islam, march up through Central America looking to bite deep into North America.

European Dogs!

As I consolidate in Spain a note arrives from the French. War! We scrabble the armies to the border and prepare for a possible invasion that doesn’t come. But at sea, deadly battles see our first rates clear the oceans of French fleets.

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Here’s a shot from 1783. Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar under the peaceful rule of Islam and the Barbary States!

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In 1784 we do have to put down a nationalist Portuguese movement, hoping for independence now the yoke of Spanish oppression has been lifted, but don’t worry, we quickly and firmly let them know that their nationalist ambitions were less important than the rise of a great Islamic nation! They took a little convincing, I must admit…

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Consolidation

The years from 1784 to 1787 mostly involve consolidation and moving armies around Central America. In 1787 we capture Guatemala, a nicely productive province that further enhances our increasingly-mighty trade empire! For our next trick we march on in to Mexico! They may be an independent nation now but they remain far too Spanishified for my liking and so war is declared and plans are set to bring them to heel! I will show them the mercy of Islam, and if they resist, well, I can’t be blamed for what happens, can I?

The Damn French

The French have really annoyed me by declaring war so in 1790 a probing force is sent across the border. My plan? To disrupt the French like I did the Spanish; to destroy their economy from within, to ravage their trade routes and sack their churches and factories!

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But it’s the more than eight Imams that are spreading the True Faith across France that I hope really cause problems for the dirty damn French royalty!

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In the winter of 1791 the French counter-attack. They send 950 of their modern line infantry against our horde of 1500 desert nomads and assorted camel cavalry. Oh, did I mention it is winter? Our boys certainly look pretty, lined up in the snow…

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But the approaching French look quite fierce as well, and they enjoy the benefits of modern weapons and training!

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Unfortunately for us, they live up to their reputation and slice through our troops like a hot knife through butter. Which is ironic, because it’s so cold, you see? Ok. Bad joke. But anyway, we lose pretty much everyone as the troops can’t hold up to the volley fire of the French.

The fight for France is going to be the toughest one we’ve faced.

National Tragedy!

In 1792 a great tragedy strikes the Barbary States! The mighty ruler Abdy the First dies! His replacement is Al-Husayn the First, a skilled leader known to be harsh, but also Pious and Thrifty. He inherits a growing empire along with a treasury that is no longer constantly on the edge of bankruptcy! Other than a bothersome war, everything is going swimmingly! God rest the old Caliph, and long live the new Caliph!

Seriously, what about the damn French?

The rest of 1792 is spent expanding our holdings in the Caribbean…

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…Discovering the Mexicans have an extremely large army!

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..And occupying most of France!

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There are a series of bloody skirmishes all the way through to the winter of 1793. Despite the heavy economic toll I’ve taken on the French they show no sign of falling easily. Their armies are at full strength all all damaged buildings are quickly repaired.  I’ll have to take them down the old fashioned way and work hard to clear as many of their armies as I can by choosing battles where I outnumber the French two-to-one. I constantly ship in troops from Greece and North Africa to fuel my constant need to replenish the substantial damage to my armies that the French inflict.

In the end it all comes down to one mighty battle outside Paris, where two full stacks of troops meet the French defenders of the capital looking to end my siege.

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My front line is fairly quickly shattered by the superior French troops, despite heavy flanking attacks from my Camels (running through the snow, like reindeer!) and buccaneers.

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In the end it is the reinforcements that start to swing the battle in my favour. They are massed together and swarm over French stragglers.

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If fancy lines and feints fail, mass the boys together and charge!

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As the last Frenchman falls our boys rejoice and march into Paris! France is ours! The province isn’t happy with our rule, but a massive army is stationed in Paris and tax canceled for the foreseeable future. Perhaps that will keep the peasants happy. Even better, about 30% of the population has embraced Islam!

I issue orders for all seminaries and churches to be torn down, to be replaced with coffee shops and madrassas to keep the people happy.

America

Meanwhile, in the new world, Cuba is sieged!

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Too late I realise that Havana is fortified! The battle is going to be quite a challenge…

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Despite the shocking weather our boys take the battlements in fierce hand-to-hand fighting!

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With most of our force comprised of cavalry it is imperative that we take the gate. And for a time, we do! But the enemy counter-attack drives our troops away from the gate and only half our cavalry make it through. A swift counter-attack from a reserve infantry unit frees the gatehouse, and our remaining cavalry charge through, routing the remaining godless heathen pirates, and Cuba is ours!

In Mexico a probing stack of local troops chase our boys to the south. We will need a much bigger army to take them on. Perhaps later…

The End

Come 1794 and real world issue start to kill the enjoyment. I’m getting regular crashes, probably either due to my old laptop and/or some kind of bug. In the end, I’ve decided to call it a day in 1794 with the French largely cleaned up and my armies poised to take on the French vassals. Here are some shots of the state of the Barbary empire in 1794!

First up, our European holdings…

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And check out the population, 160 million subjects (I think)!

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And some trade malarky.

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And with that, I call it a night! Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement and I hope you’ve enjoyed the AAR.  The Barbary States have been a fun ride! Try the little powers people, they will make you think!



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