An Age of Miracles Continues: The Empire of Rhomania
- Thread starter Basileus444
- Start date
I didn't realize that the term had become derogatory. Thank you for the correction. I've changed their name to the Paramonai, which is from another OTL Byzantine guard unit from the late 1200s/early 1300s.
@Basileus444 how do the casualties look as of the last update? For each major participant I mean, along with a comparison of their contributions so far.
I'm partial to etaireia given unit composition but that's just me.
Too early for that. At 20-25,000 it's large corps sized for the Napoleonic wars.
Curtain Jerker
Donor
It seems that things are coming to a head for this war one way or the other. Rhomania's finances are sound, the best of the era, but paying for 200,000 men under arms (plus all the supplies those men need to keep fighting) is a strain on any bureaucracy of that time. We know the HRE is under a lot of stress as well. I think this war lasts another year if that before all sides just drop from exhaustion.
I imagine that is when the real fun starts as the various factions will start taking advantage of that weakness, of course the Romans have the advantage that they have just or will beaten down most external threats so their threats might be more internal or from newly conquered land.
Cryostorm
Monthly Donor
Yeah, especially in the west since from what I can see Constantinople is probably going to look for a mostly status quo in the east, with minor border adjustments and whole lot of population transfers, while in the west is where the real expansion and conquest will be. Once the west finally learns to leave them alone then they can focus on settling the issue in the east once they have had time to recover.
Curtain Jerker
Donor
True. Other than getting back the lands ceded to Iskander The Flawless I can see a scenario just like you outlined for the time being. A de facto cease fire that gives Rhomania and the Ottomans a chance to catch their respective breaths and get ready for yet another round of fighting.
They're rapidly becoming Batman vs the Joker: "I think you and I are destined to do this forever." Didn't Russia and the Ottomans have like twenty separate wars over the course of four centuries OTL?
Cryostorm
Monthly Donor
There were 12 main Russo-Turkish wars between 1568 to WWI but I think more applicable are the Turco-Persian wars which there were 11 between 1514 to 1821, about once every thirty years with the exception of a nearly one hundred year break from 1639-1730 after Murad IV stomped the Safavids hard, took Mesopotamia, and essentially finished that Persian dynasty's desire for war in the west.
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The benefit for the Romans is that anything short of the Allies taking Constantinople will likely end with them ending this phase of the war with a huge mobilised army. Like the Spanish loaning men to them, demobilising them will be very difficult, particularly since most of their European territories have been ravaged. The only solution is to send them to fight somewhere.
This whole love hate relationship between the Romans and the Ottomans are nothing new, their predecessors have been doing it for millenia that its practically tradition for them to butt heads every now and then 
Now the Western powers on the other hand...
Now the Western powers on the other hand...
Demetrios III Sideros needs to flatten the nose of the Ottomans properly. Ibrahim should not be removed, but pointed in another direction. There should be money flowing to sour the relation between the Triunes and Ottomans, be it sabotage, or riots from impious behavior of arrogant Triune officers besmirching the honour of Turkish and Persian daughters. The more you can isolate the Triunes, the easier it is to put the Ottomans to term. Easier being relative.
It would be wise to be a backdoor man for the Bohemians. I see him pushing to have the "Roman" part of the HREotGN removed, and possibly Bohemia free. He cannot let the status quo ante be his only end. While I do not see Munich burning, I do see some serious retribution on the parts of Lombardy, and maybe even a loosening of the Ban of Croatia from Hungarian hands. *If I were D3S*, I would have an end game of good relations with Bohemia, with Hungary holding their pocket, and the EotGN looking west. With the rising costs on the Allies, there has to be serious strains on the amiability between the parties. Even the avarice of the Triunes has to be tempered with the mounting loses in men, material and coin.
It would suit Ottokar best if the Ban of Croatia was turned to a Rhoman satellite in a treaty where Theodor double slights Stephen. Who else would Hungry look to to make things right?
A fair bit of eggnog and rhum was had, we had a Trailer Park Boys Christmas Special party and Ricky made a good point. Pardon the rant
It would be wise to be a backdoor man for the Bohemians. I see him pushing to have the "Roman" part of the HREotGN removed, and possibly Bohemia free. He cannot let the status quo ante be his only end. While I do not see Munich burning, I do see some serious retribution on the parts of Lombardy, and maybe even a loosening of the Ban of Croatia from Hungarian hands. *If I were D3S*, I would have an end game of good relations with Bohemia, with Hungary holding their pocket, and the EotGN looking west. With the rising costs on the Allies, there has to be serious strains on the amiability between the parties. Even the avarice of the Triunes has to be tempered with the mounting loses in men, material and coin.
It would suit Ottokar best if the Ban of Croatia was turned to a Rhoman satellite in a treaty where Theodor double slights Stephen. Who else would Hungry look to to make things right?
A fair bit of eggnog and rhum was had, we had a Trailer Park Boys Christmas Special party and Ricky made a good point. Pardon the rant
Curtain Jerker
Donor
Love this idea, but I'd add some combo of Triune English, Italian, Swedish, and maybe even Japanese or a Far Eastern language to the menu.
Just my two cents. It is an awesome idea regardless.
Evilprodigy
Donor
You know the thing is I don't think this is possible. Whether intended or not B444 has recreated the European alliance blocs as they existed in the early-mid 17th century vis-a-vis France-England and Ottomans-Safavids.
The French and Ottomans IOTL, and the Arletians and Byzantines ITTL, shacked up in the 16th century to counter Austria, specifically in Italy. As a result France/Arlet and Ottomans/Byzantines have had friendly relations despite the distances involved and the differences in culture and religion, moreso prevalent IOTL than ITTL. In the OTL 17th century the British sent men, on the Urging of Shah Abbas the Great and English Adventurer Robert Shirley, to help modernize the Safavid military and bring it up to western standards. The British agreed both to counter the Ottomans, a French ally, and gain a friendly nation in the Indian Ocean they could trade with. Their actions were highly successful, and directly led to the abolition of the Qizilbash and the elevation and expansion of the Janissary-style Gholams as the main military unit of the Safavid Empire. This is extremely similar to what we have ITTL with the Triunes and the Ottomans under Ibrahim. The enemy of my enemy's ally is my friend, was essentially both of their logics.
The realities of world geography create the positive relationships between England and Persia, regardless of timeline, so long as France, Germany-Austria, and an East Mediterranean Empire exist. And they pretty much always do.
Could the romans push the turks out of Mesopotamia at this point?
I believe someone was planning a conquest of Persia, andreas the third if I’m not mistaken.
I believe someone was planning a conquest of Persia, andreas the third if I’m not mistaken.
I've been a proponent of this for a bit, but the facts on the ground is that the Rhomans could really only go for N.Meso with any real success, with Mosul as the main city of control. The Mesopotamia area is heartland Turkey for a reference of the ethnic makeup of the area. The North is still Assyrian/Kurd mix however, and could make a stronger border. It would be hard to invade Syria when there is an army sitting in Assyria waiting to charge south and sack Baghdad.
They could, and a loose could here, create two despotates focused around Baghdad and Basra respectively, but it would take a massive schism in the Ottoman empire where the turks feel sidelined enough by a thoroughly Persi-fied Sultan. That is a long shot though.
That is a solid point, and it isn't like the Rhoman spy agency is all-capable and unstoppable. A serious weakening of the Ottomans though would put the Triunes position on shakier ground, along with a more hostile India.
Sidebar; Who has colonies in South Africa? And will the Rhomans look to make sure they secure them? There is really only four ways into the Indian Ocean, and Rhome controls two.
A very interesting powder keg waiting to explode in Bohemia and Hungary.
From the Roman perspective it creates a buffer state and from the Hungarian view Croatia is easier to take back on their terms if Rhomania is ever distracted east.
Perhaps Stephan would be open to a deal with the Romans? Croatia to the Romans in exchange for Austria from the Germans?
From the Roman perspective it creates a buffer state and from the Hungarian view Croatia is easier to take back on their terms if Rhomania is ever distracted east.
Over my morning coffee, I pondered, who is going to kill Theodor?
Really this turning into a case of the "Mad Emperor". He cannot take a peace when he is not emperor of all the romans. He has painted himself into a corner where death is the only other option, by his own frame of mind when he considers the big picture of things.
It isnt going to be by Rhoman hands, as much as the fans want it. I feel it will be either a Bohemian, or more likely Triune. And both would come calling to collect the bounty thats for sure.
In my ideal world Demetrios hires a ninja from Japan. With the rise of jujistu in the Rhoman culture, will we see a warrior monk society rise up in the middle east to defend the outnumbered christian populations against Turkish raiders? What of Rhoman culture (orthodoxy not withstanding) has rubbed off on the Japanese that have converted?
Really this turning into a case of the "Mad Emperor". He cannot take a peace when he is not emperor of all the romans. He has painted himself into a corner where death is the only other option, by his own frame of mind when he considers the big picture of things.
It isnt going to be by Rhoman hands, as much as the fans want it. I feel it will be either a Bohemian, or more likely Triune. And both would come calling to collect the bounty thats for sure.
In my ideal world Demetrios hires a ninja from Japan. With the rise of jujistu in the Rhoman culture, will we see a warrior monk society rise up in the middle east to defend the outnumbered christian populations against Turkish raiders? What of Rhoman culture (orthodoxy not withstanding) has rubbed off on the Japanese that have converted?