Mogadishu

Primary culture

Somali (Cushitic)

Capital province

Mogadishu (1205)

Government

Tribal Monarchy

State religion

Sunni

Technology group

East African

Mogadishan ideas

Please help with verifying or updating this infobox. It was last verified for version 1.33.

Traditions:

−20% Light ship cost

+1 Yearly navy tradition

Indian Ocean Trade

+1 Merchant

+20% Trade range

Somali sailors

+1 Naval leader maneuver

East African Gold Trade

+10% Global trade power

City of Mogadishu

−10% Development cost

Mogadishan Currency

+10% Trade efficiency

Horn of Africa

+20% Naval force limit modifier

Toob Benadir

+10% Goods produced modifier

Ambition:

+15% Morale of navies

For the area, see Mogadishu (area).

Mogadishu is a Somali state at the Horn of Africa. It has a difficult start in 1444.

Strategy[edit | edit source]

The below is one of many player suggested strategies for Mogadishu. Bear in mind, due to the dynamic nature of the game, it may unfold differently for other players.

Military expansion in Somalia[edit | edit source]

Mogadishu has very few options at the start, initial military victories can be wiped away by any of the large hostile neighbors like Kilwa, Ethiopia and eventually either the Mamluks or Ottomans. Even conquering all Somali lands gives you a bunch of poor, difficult to develop, provinces while being wedged in between powerful hostile nations.

A Mogadishan exodus[edit | edit source]

Therefore an exodus strategy might be the most viable. In most games Ajuuraan has some initial success, with or without Mogadishu's help. This means you can immediately get rid of your army and fleet, which gives you enough ducats for one or two advisers (DIP and ADM). You will want to prioritize DIP in order to gain the +115 colonial distance gained at level 7 before you get ADM's Exploration Idea's +50% colonial distance (this will give you additional range that will be crucial to go as far South or East as possible).

Once you have built a new capital, you can choose to get rid of your Somali provinces, ally some local powers before you declare independence and then focus all your military on defending your new capital.

Going south or east?[edit | edit source]

You can either go South or East for a higher-difficulty exodus (Owning South-Africa or Indonesian islands will be good in the short run, but will bring you into conflict with large nations soon). Trade will be pretty good for a while, but this will attract attention from neighbors and colonizing powers whose military prowess you cannot match.

Somali pirates[edit | edit source]

If you have the Golden Century DLC to use Pirate Republics, Mogadishu can be one of the most interesting countries to 'go pirate' with. Ajuuraan often starts the annexation process very early on so it's important to get the hell out of dodge as soon as possible.

Follow the exodus strategy as described above, but go for Mahe, a fantastic location for a Pirate Republic (From Mahe you can raid most of East-Africa, Southern Arabia and the coast of India). After Ajuuraan starts the annexation process, ask Kilwa, Ethiopia and one of your overlord's Somali foes to support your independence.

In the resulting war you want them to do the fighting, don't take any land, although it's helpful to give as much of Ajuuraan's land to your allies, simply to weaken your most urgent enemy.

Once independent you want to get to Mahe as soon as possible, don't develop Mogadishu, but instead pump those points into Mahe, once you get it to about 30 Dev (which you'll need to get Renaissance anyway), make it your capital. Make sure not to get the institution until you've sold or lost your provinces on the continent, (around this time it's very likely that a southern or northern enemy attacks you, but they won't be able to get to Mahe) don't gift an institution to your enemies.

Once you have only Mahe, you should have enough income to support a decent fleet, and no need for an army. Get to ADM 11 and make sure you have completed the economic, administrative or innovative ideas group, allowing you to turn into a Despotic Monarchy. Then turn into a Pirate Republic by privateering Zanzibar and having sufficient stability and navy size.

Once you have hoisted the black flag, you can get rid of your light ships and instead focus on building lots of cheap galleys to defend and raid with.

Don't go crazy on colonization. Try to colonize one new island per spawned institution, develop them to 30 Dev to get the institution and repeat. It should be easy to grab Mahe, Cocos island and the Andamans, which will allow you to raid East-Africa, almost all of the Indian Ocean and swaths of Indonesia, giving you enough income to go very tall, while being out of the way of any of the big empires (this is the reason I don't take Belitung or the Comoros for instance).

One Empire you might want to take on is Ming, if they are still around when you get to Indonesia, do everything you can to colonize Taiwan. Raiding Ming can get you 1000 ducats on each run, and will eventually help bring on a 'Mingsplosion'.

By 1600 you should be able to; - have 4 strategically located islands with nearly no-one able to claim your land, - be nearly up-to-date in tech, - have a fleet of about 30 galleys to defend and raid, - a big smile on your face.

Mogadishan Australia[edit | edit source]

If timed right and with a little luck an easier exodus can be achieved by going for (South-Eastern) Australia where there is plenty of grasslands to develop and you are safely out of the way to develop and catch-up in tech before starting to expand downstream. Be careful to move your capital before a colonial nation spawns! Owning one half (not both!) of the Timor island will allow you to move your capital and have a nice naval base later.

If going East, you might want to wait with colonizing until you can go straight to Hollavai (Diego Garcia), from there you can hop straight to Australia, preferably via West-Timor.