Country Selection Thread for the Italian-themed TW14

First, let me introduce to you, the big bad boys sitting in a corner, licking their lips and awaits a bite into Italy.

In the West Corner...
France - Unfortunately while playing as France, you're merely the Lord Chancellor of Provence, not the King. However, the King has taken great interest into the Italian region and has tasked you with the great responsibility to expand the French Kingdom into the region. Happily, England has been exiled out of France to their little island in a recent Hundred Years War. But alas, France is rather poor and war weary. While the King may confer additional soldiers and money for your little wars in Italy, the king also might need some of the money from the rich Italian cities to rebuild the nation. Expect some variety of events affecting the cashflow in both directions.

Controls Avignon, Marseille, Switzerland
Starts with a yearly income of 5 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-,-Arms of War-
Owns 2 Cardinals at the start.
Has special rule: Avignon Papacy

In the East Corner...
Hapsburgs - Humph! Really?! An independent Italian should not be strutting on the map in the very front of the eyes of the Grand Duke of Austria, the Holy Emperor, Protector of the Catholic World against the villains out east in Germania, Russia and the rest of the Orient. If it weren't for the vallant work of the Hapsburg dynasty guaranteed the integrity, those ungrateful Italians would've been unable to trade freely and produced so much wealth! Half of them are members of the HRE, but they behave as if they're their own masters. No more! The Grand Duke has bequeathed you, as the Duke of Styria, the burden of subjugate the fools into the fold of direct rule. Indirect rule is unsuitable now! Expect a considerable amount of bad events and good events to suddenly hit you. The HRE faces many enemies on all sides, so while the Emperor might lend you a hand, he will require you to lend him a hand as well.

Controls Tyrolea, Austria
Starts with a yearly income of 4 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-,-Arms of War-
Owns 7 Cardinals at the start.
Is currently the HRE Emperor.

In the South Corner...
Ottomans Turks - Magnificent destiny is awaiting us! By the blessings of the burning sun of the day, by the blessings of the sparkling stars of the night, our Sultan (may he lives forever) shall hold sway across the entire civilized world! But the key to success lies in the softened Italy. You see, my friend... The weaklings are all divided and squabbling amongst themselves despite having enough silk to clothe a thousand harems of women and enough gold to raise hundreds of mercenary armies and enough agriculture cultivation to feed ten thousands of fattened cattle, and yet they are insatiable, so weakened by their hunger! I bid thee great fortune in taking up the reins as the Grand Vizier. Your master is unable to part himself from Constantinople the Beautiful to wander so far into a new arena of warfare and colonization. While he may be also unable to send much of his magnificent navies, but do expect great help in filling your war chest with gold coming in from the bright East.

Controls Tunis, Durazzo, Albania
Starts with a yearly income of 7 ducats
Techs -Arms of War-
Never will own a Cardinal
Has special non-Catholic techs

---

Worry not... if all 3 of the above are taken, I will introduce to you the great Northern city-states awash with great amount of ducats. And perhaps these will be suitable to your taste... I shall be brief for there are many factions to pick out among the Italians.

The biggest of them all...
Venice - The Republic of Venice or traditionally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice (Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia), was a state originating from the lagoon communities in the area of Venice, now northeastern Italy. Although it had a long history of war and conquest, the Republic's modern reputation is chiefly based on its status as an economic and trading power.

Controls Venice, Padua, Treviso, Dalmatia
Starts with a yearly income of 10 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-,-Expert Galley Construction-,-Maritime Trading-
Owns 1 Cardinal at the start.
Has special rule: Assumption of The Imperial Throne

Milan - Ducato di Milano or The Duchy of Milan was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire in northern Italy. During much of its existence, it was wedged between Savoy to the west, Venice to the east, the Swiss Confederacy to the north, and separated from the Mediterranean by Genoa to the south.

Controls Milan, Cremona, Pavia
Starts with a yearly income of 9 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-
Owns 1 Cardinal at the start.
Has special rule: Assumption of The Imperial Throne

Savoy/Genoa - In real life, those two eventually joined together some time later beyond this era as Sardinia-Piedmont. In 1861, the house of Savoy finally unified the whole nation of Italy. Currently, Savoy/Genoa is also a HRE member.

Controls Genoa, Savoy, Turin
Starts with a yearly income of 9 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-,-Expert Galley Construction-
Owns 2 Cardinals at the start.
Has special rule: Assumption of The Imperial Throne
Has special rule: Nationalist Ambitions

---

Now... the central and southern Italians, not quite rich and powerful as the north, and doesn't have a massive amount of Neutrals available for expansion equaling to the Lombardy region. They're still legible as candidates for the supremacy of the Italian peninsula.

Florence - The Republic of Florence, also known as the Florentine Republic (Italian: Repubblica Fiorentina), was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany. The republic had a checkered history of coups and counter coups against various factions. The Medici faction gained governance of the city in 1434, upon Cosimo de' Medici's counter coup against the faction that had sent him into exile the previous year. The Medici kept control of Florence until 1494. Giovanni de' Medici (later Pope Leo X) re-conquered the republic in 1512.

Controls Florence, Arezzo
Starts with a yearly income of 7 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-
Owns no Cardinals at the start.

The Papal States - Please note that as an option to provide sufficient positions for a large group of players, this faction can be either whole for 1 person or spilt into Western Papal States and Eastern Papal States (Perugia and Romagna) for 2 people. Regardless of which case, Rome itself still will remains independent and in the hands of the Pope as a NPC.

Romagna (Eastern)
Controls Romagna, Urbino, Bologna
Starts with a yearly income of 4 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-
Owns 2 Cardinals at the start.
Has special rule: Illegitimate Progeny of the Pope

Perugia (Western)
Controls Perugia, Patrimony, Tivoli
Starts with a yearly income of 4 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-
Owns 2 Cardinals at the start.
Has special rule: Illegitimate Progeny of the Pope

Naples - The Kingdom of Naples, (Italian: Regno di Napoli), comprising the southern part of the Italian Peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after the secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Vespers of 1282. It continued to be officially known as the Kingdom of Sicily, although it no longer included the island of Sicily. For much of its existence, the realm was contested between French and Spanish dynasties. In 1816, it was reunified with the island kingdom of Sicily once again to form the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Controls Naples, Salerno
Starts with a yearly income of 5 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-,-Expert Galley Construction-
Owns 1 Cardinal at the start.
Has special rule: House of Aragon

---

For the remaining factions, they will be filled only if the first 9 factions are already filled. If you take one of those 3, and one of the 9 is empty, I will ask you to switch for the sake of balance on the map.

Perugia/Romagna - whichever one hasn't been taken yet is available here. If there's only one player for the Papal States" Florence will be awarded Pisa as an additional city while the Papal States gets both sides of Perugia and Romagna.

Kingdom of Sicily - specifically the island itself. If empty, the whole of Sicily is given to Naples because he probably will face the Ottomans Turks alone.

Controls Palermo, Messina
Starts with a yearly income of 4 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-,-Expert Galley Construction-
Owns 1 Cardinal at the start.
Has special rule: House of Aragon

Modena - the joint dual duchies of Modena-Ferrara. It forms the southern border of the HRE and is crowded by Milan, Venice, Florence, Genoa, and Romagna, but still has some slight room for growth. This position isn't ideal but I have allowed this to exist to permit a 12th player to join the TW if there's this many people here.

Controls Modena, Ferrara, Mantua
Starts with a yearly income of 6 ducats
Techs -Catholicism-
Owns 1 Cardinal at the start.
Has special rule: Assumption of The Imperial Throne

I hope those visual aids will be beneficial for you.

Here's a cleaned up map with names clearly shown for everybody to see.
 

And the colored map, showing the powers and neutrals.


Starting with France in NW, working my way to the east, back to west, and then south... the colors are:
Medium Blue - France
Bright Red - Hapsburgs
Dark Yellow - Milan
Bright Green - Genoa
Bright Pink - Modena (neutral)
Dark Green - Venice
Pale Blue - Romagna
Dark Purple - Florence (neutral)
Dark Red - Perugia
Dark Blue - Naples
Medium Aquamarine - Sicily
Bright Yellow - Ottomans Turks

I may take Genoa/Savoy. Reserve it for me and I will know whether I take it by tomorrow night

Also Desophaeus, when will you be starting?

AEIOU: Alles Erdreich ist Österreich untertan(All the Earth is subject to Austria).
I would like to be Duke of Styria plox.

Oh right, hmm some time next week like Friday 18th is probably for the best!

I will take Milan.