Now that we are westernized, we get a bit of prestige and a massive .8% pop growth bonus for 9-11 years. We, of course, get the 9 years.

Now here is another neat thing about the Mughals (and all other Indian puppets of Britain). While even the most amazing of uncivs has to fight a uphill tech battle after westernizing, we get 50% cost reduction

Unfortunately since a few versions ago, all Muslim countries now have the really shitty Islamic Law modifier. HPMguy pls

The usual post-westernization Reactionary uprising happens, as we can't yet push through reforms to release that pent-up anger.

Luckily we have built some troops. Or we could've opened our borders to the UK and let them do the fighting.

The Uprising is put down.

Guys ...

Also, time to build some factories.

Ah, this wonderful event. Hope this event triggers early.

Because what does this event do?

"UK, gib clay"



Now we sit at a cozy 8m pops (could've been 9m with Awadh grumble grumble)

Unluckily, this tanks our administrative efficiency

To put our population into perspective: We are the 6th largest country by population already. Sure, our population is largely uneducated, but we're working on that.

Guys not now.

Guys!

Luckily Britain-sempai noticed

Now that we have some factories: time to upgrade these factories.

Never. Stop. Upgrading. Your. Factories.

As you could see on the last few screenshots, i've encouraged Bureaucrats in Punjab. I really really really want Punjab to be a state before I take it from the UK because than it will already be a state and doesn't need to be made a state, then with a much larger population.

Now the Punjab is a state: time to build some factories

The 70s are coming to an end, time to prepare our separation from the UK. Neatly, we can see exactly which mil techs the UK has through our research cost bonus

The more states the better. Also, build some factories.

As we are finally building some troops, we are elevated to the rank of a Secondary Power.

With 70 regiments, I fell confident to declare war on the UK

*cough*



I still don't understand why my troops at full military spending and MGs lost a defensive engagement with the UK

TIme to mobilize then. Maybe we can overflow their kill-counters. Integers in the 18th century can't be that large

Time to use some good old "massive numerical advantage"

"Massive numerical advantage" always works

With the situation stabilized, we demobilize. Because look at our cash.

Kill

Them

All

Guys, not now! Seriously, these ungrateful people ...

Get rekt UK.



But the UKs numbers seem eternal, 80k stack after 80k stack is ferried from Europe to India

At least our MGs seem to finally be working ...

You should always seek to take Bihar in your independence war. The biggest coal mine in the world is located there.

Attack the British stacks until they are completely destroyed. Leave no survivors.

Seriously, another stack? Am I playing Vicky 2 or Whac-A-Mole?

Always fight with numerical advantage if you can afford to do so.

Because then you win.

And if you win you have more numerical advantage. Which means you'll win harder.

Eventually, the enemy stack will collapse.

Taking Punjab should be another priority. Massive number of accepted pops, and it already is a state.

Finally some tax techs.

West Bengal is another priority, as it gives you access to the sea and removes the "landlocked nation" modifier.

*sigh* UK, can we please wrap up this war so that I can go back to upgrading factories?

Somehow a British stack marched all the way to the Himalays to engage one of my stacks.

Tactical retreat

The Brits are no engaging us from all flanks.

At least this battle really didn't work out for them.

We ask the British for peace. They refuse.

A few months later, they ask for peace. We refuse.

Bardwan has kind of a special nostalgic value to me. So many hostile armies have died in that jungle province whenever I play Mughals.

This time is no exception.

East Bengal would look better in green. Such is the price for not admititng you've already lost, London.

The British stack in Bengal is cut down to a more manageable size.

The rebels in Gwalior win, thus it breaks free from the British. We have a core on that province.

One quick occupation later, we ask for them to be absorbed by us.

As they are fully occupies, they have no choice but to accept.

Now the Brazilians are here as well.

But it doesn't matter, the British surrender.

The Ganges valley looks much better in green, doesn't it?

RIP landlocked nation modifier.

RIP Netherlands

While we await to become a GP, we break the Chinese tea monopoly. Also, we still don't have any cash.

Finally, at October 2nd we enter the rank of the GPs at rank 7.



Now we also finally have cash again.

Now, we can finally take the "Reform the Mughal Empire" decision. What does it do? Well, for one we get a massive number of Indian cultures accepted, most amazingly Bihari and Bengali which will fuel our industrial growth. Bengals in particular grow so fast that in one of my games they were like 20% of Persia's population.

But more importantly, we get cores. Loads and loads of delicious cores ripe for the taking. With a population large enough to eventually field basically infinitely large armies.



UK's gonna get rekt.



If I were continue this AAR, which I won't. It has done its' purpose to show why the Mughal Empire is as strong as it is. If anything, I will continue this save as this dank released Indonesia. Plus I'm ever so slightly burned out on this tag and Vicky 2 in general.

But just to show you the sheer potential of the Mughals, here is my last run with them, which was admittedly done before Muslim tags were forced into Islamic Law.



I'm absolutely certain the Mughals are #1 viable (well, if Sikkim is, they are), if anything fails you can just build armies to occupy every province in the world simultaneously or dismantle a tag or two for the prestige.