Advice for Ethiopia fighting the Ottoblob

[of Anwyl]

Hello, this is my first real play through as Ethiopia and I think the Ottomans will try and fight me soon so I need advice on how to beat them.

The Ottomans have an army of around 85000, they are near the tail end of their golden age, and they decided to use janissaries. The year is around 1525 and we have both fought 2 wars against the Mamluks and will border each other soon. I am planning on creating some mediterranean ships in my egyptian land and using them to find powerful european allies to dissaude invasion, but I am not confident it will do much. The Ottomans had previously fought a war against Austria, Hungary, and Aragon with little effect on them so I believe they are far stronger than all the european powers. The Ottomans are only allied to Tunis who has a smallish army of maybe 30000.

My own army currently is aroud 30000 strong, with my force limit being around 60000. I can easily afford an army that large but from constant wars my manpower is always near 0. For vassals I have Makuria who I am planning to annex soon and Yemen who will be rebellious for a while longer because I forced religion on them. I have a PU of Medri Babba who has an army of 6000 and a small navy. My only current ally is Kaffa with an army of 13000 or so, but they are getting stronger by conquering funji.

My current ideas are all of religious and most of exploration. I have unlocked the Ethiopian idea for extra defense on forts. I will soon be able to select a third group and I am thinking of taking defensive ideas.

The coptic blessings I have are manpower recovery, core creation cost, and the missionary strength one.

I am one or so military tech ahead of the Ottomans and I will also embrace colonialism more quickly because I have it present in my best provinces already.


The lands I currently control in Egypt are essentially the Nile Delta and the Sinai province (not the whole peninsula) as well as some snaking territory back to the general Alodia area.

I am planning on building a fort in Sinai and maybe a few of the desert provinces to cause invaders a great deal of attrition. They can only invade me by one route through Egypt because I firmly control the red sea.


How should I deal with this situation?


http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=962701075

[Armoguy]

Well, IDK how much help I can really give here, but at the very least, I would wait until their golden age ends, and have at least the same mil tech as them if not better. If they are able to make it to the Yemen part of your territory, I would try to block them with the navy to prevent them from crossing to Africa. I would also try to expand into other areas as much as I can. Also, See if you can get Persia or another European on your side to at least be a punching bag while you siege forts.

[tonypa]

European allies are very good way. It is not about how strong they are, but mostly about opening second front if Ottos attack. It will hopefully split Ottos army running back and forth between you and Austria/Hungary, in best case they never get anywhere in time and you can occupy provinces and raise warscore while they just run around.

Of course having allies is not certain thing. If allies have little manpower and gold, fighting in other war, they simply refuse to join in.

[tinisiyo]

You have a bunch of mountains in cental lands, build there a line of forts so you could attack Ottomans army while they are sieging them.

[OscarTheGrouchiest]

They have Janissaries, Golden Age, more men, and most likely a couple of military ideas; being only 1 tech above them won't do a lot of good.

With Ethiopia you either hope that the Ottoman have a weak playthrough, or prepare ahead (by taking the best military ideas) and conquer mostly in other directions than north so you can make yourself stronger and border them when you're better equipped to deal with them. Because once you border them, they will attack.

If you don't border the Ottoman yet You better try and find a European ally (Poland/Lithuania?) and maybe Persia as well if they're strong. That way when they are at war with say Austria again, you start your own war so they will be fighting 5-6 countries at the same time. You try to get the wargoal and protect it while they are preoccupied on multiple fronts, with the warscore going up, you should win your first war and make them weaker by taking land and/or giving some to your allies.

In the meantime I would conquer south and take the gold mines from Kilwa. More money means more armies/mercenaries. You will need every advantage you can get.

I would lose the alliance with Kaffa. They aren't going to make you win or lose a war with the Ottoman, so allying them just means they are blocking you from taking their land and growing. Especially if they take Funj and you can't expand westwards anymore with your coloniser.

And get some military ideas. Defensive, Offensive, Quality. Get them all.

[Valar Morghulis]

I allied Tunis in my game and was one tech ahead and invested in defensive ideas. They did not declare war on me. But I havent played for a few weeks now.

[of Anwyl]

Originally posted by shogunsmurf:

trade maps with tunis to discover his European rivals and ally them or his allies. Also you expanded way way way to slow..... I usually control all of Arabia and central Egypt before I border Otto's while playing Ethopia and have Madgaskar locked down as well by that time.

Further more, I usually use 1 vassal for the gold mines to avoid inflation, Madri can be PU'ed early game 99% of the time. Leaving you with 2 relations, which should be either European powers or the Otto's own allies.

If you take any idea group that gives you a additional relationslot, making a Marsh on the border with Otto's is a good idea as well, make sure he has some up to date forts (release madiruk or w/e it's called is a solid idea for this)

Still it will be risky even when doing all of the above to fight otto's directly, this strategy is meant to out last him in a war, not out fight him, let him siege your marsh while you siege him. You should be able to outsiege him.

Defensive and Offensive idea's are pretty sweet when going for this tactic, increase his siege time while decreasing your own. Thing is, only a country like Poland can take on the Otto's head on.

Also.... Exploration as one of your starting ideas...... yes, go for a idea group that absolutely doesn't help you defend yourself when you know Otto's will be your neighbor..... and will want your land..... /facepalm

I don't have Mare Nostrum so exploration was the only way I would be able to find european allies.

[OscarTheGrouchiest]

Colonisation as one of your first ideas is actually not bad. You can expand easily to West- and South Africa becuase of it, due to your position you'll also be first to colonise the rich trade nodes near Malacca. And since you need to become bigger to take on the Ottoman, it's actually a good idea to take it sooner rather than later considering it takes a while to make a full colony.

The only 'mistake' (and wether it is one remains to be seen) is that you went north too soon before you yourself have ramped up your military ideas, and will probably get a border with the Ottoman before you're ready.

But if you get good allies you might be able to deter him to attack you, so you can build up your army's quality, and expand west and south in the meantime.

[Khorps]

set up forts in the choke points near southern arabia and sinai

[IndirectHero]

Seems like you're doing pretty good. I would just keep expanding against the smaller nation and finish removing Mamluks. Get Jeruslim and Mecca for the extra missionary and prestige bonus. Once you're pretty rich and strong. Prefer with some nice military ideas, like Quality. Get a huge galley with some heavies in the fleet in upper Eygpt to annilated Ottomans fleet and then you're set. When Ottomans is attacking a big country like Poland or Russia, that is the time to hit.

[Rabob]

Originally posted by Adventurer_Blitz:

My current ideas are all of religious and most of exploration. I have unlocked the Ethiopian idea for extra defense on forts. I will soon be able to select a third group and I am thinking of taking defensive ideas.

...

How should I deal with this situation?
5

You shouldnt have taken religious ideas imo. I think admin would have served you much better. You need something like defensive or offensive at least.

I am assuming you have all dlc, because you would need Mandate of Heaven and Rights of Man at least to make Ethiopia easier.

[of Anwyl]

Originally posted by Rabob:

Originally posted by Adventurer_Blitz:

My current ideas are all of religious and most of exploration. I have unlocked the Ethiopian idea for extra defense on forts. I will soon be able to select a third group and I am thinking of taking defensive ideas.

...

How should I deal with this situation?
5

You shouldnt have taken religious ideas imo. I think admin would have served you much better. You need something like defensive or offensive at least.

I am assuming you have all dlc, because you would need Mandate of Heaven and Rights of Man at least to make Ethiopia easier.

The only important dlc I don't have is mare nostrum. The religious ideas I needed for converting non accepted cultures, plus the deus vult cb is lovely. I've had trouble keeping up with military tech as it is, which is why I wanted to hold off on the mil ideas till the third group.

[of Anwyl]

Originally posted by Indirect_Hero:

Seems like you're doing pretty good. I would just keep expanding against the smaller nation and finish removing Mamluks. Get Jeruslim and Mecca for the extra missionary and prestige bonus. Once you're pretty rich and strong. Prefer with some nice military ideas, like Quality. Get a huge galley with some heavies in the fleet in upper Eygpt to annilated Ottomans fleet and then you're set. When Ottomans is attacking a big country like Poland or Russia, that is the time to hit.

I've looked at the Ottomans fleet and without making like 20 heavy shups with galley support I couldn't beat their navy. That is also not counting their ally Tunis's navy.

[of Anwyl]

As an update I conquered all of southern arabia and added it to Yemen (who is no longer rebellious) since I'm already at max states. I invaded Kilwa and took out pretty much the entire east coast of africa that isn't uninhabited. Unfortunately the Ottomans did decide to border me, taking all of the Mamluks land north of where Hejaz usually is. The bright side in this is that they somehow became ineligible for being my rival and I've been improving relations like crazy trying to get them not to attack me.

I integrated Makuria, and my new ally is Gujarat with an army of around 30k. I won't get called into their offensive wars and they will pressure ottoman mesopotamia which is nice. I am planning on betraying Kaffa and making them my vassal. I was hoping for a PU with them, but it is not to be.

My colonists have been steadily expanding my borders to the west. Unfortunately it's all low development land but that's fine, it will eventually connect to some nations I can conquer and steal money from.

The ottomans have taken quantity ideas and their army is now over 100k strong, they are also allied with Russia with an army of around 60k like me but I doubt Russia will agree to invade me.

They also weakened themselves something awful fighting england and austria, and lost 20 to 30k of their over 100k army so now its only 100k and their manpower is 0.

When my army has finished putting down rebellions I am planning on invading Mamluk arabia or one of the smaller arabian states and giving them to Yemen. Yemen has good missionary strength, currently has a 2 star general, and already has tons of development so I am hoping they can force the Ottomans to divide their forces. Hopefully all of the desert terrain will attrition the Ottomans big time.

For European allies I was thinking of Poland/Austria/France but France is too far so they won't agree, Poland and Austria are both maybe's, it will be tough to ally them. I can't see hungary's border with the Ottomans but because I know the Ottomans territory has reached the little peninsula venice starts with I don't think they're in a good position at all.

[Khorps]

Originally posted by Adventurer_Blitz:

As an update I conquered all of southern arabia and added it to Yemen (who is no longer rebellious) since I'm already at max states. I invaded Kilwa and took out pretty much the entire east coast of africa that isn't uninhabited. Unfortunately the Ottomans did decide to border me, taking all of the Mamluks land north of where Hejaz usually is. The bright side in this is that they somehow became ineligible for being my rival and I've been improving relations like crazy trying to get them not to attack me.

I integrated Makuria, and my new ally is Gujarat with an army of around 30k. I won't get called into their offensive wars and they will pressure ottoman mesopotamia which is nice. I am planning on betraying Kaffa and making them my vassal. I was hoping for a PU with them, but it is not to be.

My colonists have been steadily expanding my borders to the west. Unfortunately it's all low development land but that's fine, it will eventually connect to some nations I can conquer and steal money from.

The ottomans have taken quantity ideas and their army is now over 100k strong, they are also allied with Russia with an army of around 60k like me but I doubt Russia will agree to invade me.

They also weakened themselves something awful fighting england and austria, and lost 20 to 30k of their over 100k army so now its only 100k and their manpower is 0.

When my army has finished putting down rebellions I am planning on invading Mamluk arabia or one of the smaller arabian states and giving them to Yemen. Yemen has good missionary strength, currently has a 2 star general, and already has tons of development so I am hoping they can force the Ottomans to divide their forces. Hopefully all of the desert terrain will attrition the Ottomans big time.

For European allies I was thinking of Poland/Austria/France but France is too far so they won't agree, Poland and Austria are both maybe's, it will be tough to ally them. I can't see hungary's border with the Ottomans but because I know the Ottomans territory has reached the little peninsula venice starts with I don't think they're in a good position at all.

make sure you have no provinces they want, so don't take too much land bordering them

[of Anwyl]

Originally posted by Khorps:

Originally posted by Adventurer_Blitz:

As an update I conquered all of southern arabia and added it to Yemen (who is no longer rebellious) since I'm already at max states. I invaded Kilwa and took out pretty much the entire east coast of africa that isn't uninhabited. Unfortunately the Ottomans did decide to border me, taking all of the Mamluks land north of where Hejaz usually is. The bright side in this is that they somehow became ineligible for being my rival and I've been improving relations like crazy trying to get them not to attack me.

I integrated Makuria, and my new ally is Gujarat with an army of around 30k. I won't get called into their offensive wars and they will pressure ottoman mesopotamia which is nice. I am planning on betraying Kaffa and making them my vassal. I was hoping for a PU with them, but it is not to be.

My colonists have been steadily expanding my borders to the west. Unfortunately it's all low development land but that's fine, it will eventually connect to some nations I can conquer and steal money from.

The ottomans have taken quantity ideas and their army is now over 100k strong, they are also allied with Russia with an army of around 60k like me but I doubt Russia will agree to invade me.

They also weakened themselves something awful fighting england and austria, and lost 20 to 30k of their over 100k army so now its only 100k and their manpower is 0.

When my army has finished putting down rebellions I am planning on invading Mamluk arabia or one of the smaller arabian states and giving them to Yemen. Yemen has good missionary strength, currently has a 2 star general, and already has tons of development so I am hoping they can force the Ottomans to divide their forces. Hopefully all of the desert terrain will attrition the Ottomans big time.

For European allies I was thinking of Poland/Austria/France but France is too far so they won't agree, Poland and Austria are both maybe's, it will be tough to ally them. I can't see hungary's border with the Ottomans but because I know the Ottomans territory has reached the little peninsula venice starts with I don't think they're in a good position at all.

make sure you have no provinces they want, so don't take too much land bordering them

I think they want Sinai. I got hit with the Ethiopian slave trade event and since I'm not an idiot who wants +5 unrest nationwide I chose the option that gave them a claim there.