AHC: Post Attila Crimean Gothic Empire

With a POD on the day after Attila died,have the Crimean Goths build a new Gothic Empire in the Ukraine area

Bonus Points if they become stronger then the Visigoths and Ostrogoths
 
They're on the sidewalk of Steppe Highway No. 1. So my suggestion is:
1) Massive walls and fortifications of the isthmus to protect the peninsula against invasions from the mainland
2) Enshrining a very solid division of labour between pastoralist Crimean Goths in the North of the peninsula, who maintain the peninsula's cavalry and from whose ranks any peninsular king comes, and the agriculturalist/commercial/urban Southern coast, where Crimean Goths must live in a symbiotic relationship with the Greek population, drawing on the latter's naval skills, knowledge, capital, and commercial relations, and adding to it decisive military ferocity on sea, whose service they should offer the Byzantine Empire. The Southern towns must get some sort of representation in a Thing-like peninsular council which keeps them happy and lets them prevent the kings from wrecking the economic and diplomatic base of the peninsula's power.
3) Obtaining Greek fire through military espionage to cement their naval power
4) Establish Gothic Orthodox monasteries in the peninsula and endow them sufficiently so they can add to Wulfila's work on the Gothic Bible and produce more liturgical etc. canon in the Crimean Gothic language to prevent it from becoming absorbed by Greek because of the synthesis.
 
They're on the sidewalk of Steppe Highway No. 1. So my suggestion is:
1) Massive walls and fortifications of the isthmus to protect the peninsula against invasions from the mainland

The problem is people would still underestimate the Syvash's capable to be crossed, meaning fortresses at Perekop can be outflanked. Although some landforms of the Syvash (like the Arabat Spit) hadn't formed until a few centuries ago, so it might be more defensible, although if the salt content is too low (perhaps by more water than OTL?), then the Syvash would freeze in very cold winters (like perhaps those in the Little Ice Age or the cold periods in Late Antiquity). But it's still only about 120 km worth of wall you need to completely enclose Crimea, and you'd put the main forts at Perekop and the Chongar isthmus, so either a land assault or fording/crossing the Syvash would be very challenging. That said, a big wall like that is expensive to build and maintain, AND it still leaves you vulnerable to naval invasion, like if the Byzantines or even Turks want a piece of your country. No matter how imposing your fortifications are, I'd still expect to find a great general with their army able to batter down your wall and take your forts.
 
True, but that's not the primary problem in that region, I think.

No, but it's certainly worth considering, especially since the economic heartland south of the Crimean Mountains are vulnerable to naval invasion (hence why it was ruled by the Byzantines and ruled directly by the Turks). If I were a commander planning an invasion of Crimea secured by a good system of forts and walls along the isthmus/Syvash, I'd definitely consider a naval invasion if I had the assets to do so. Even if I just control the Sea of Azov, I can still build a decent fleet to escort/assist in outflanking the defensive wall in Crimea.

I think a Crimean state will be aware of this, and thus secure the Kerch Strait (aka Cimmerian Bosporus) and Taman peninsula, as well as other sites on the Sea of Azov like Tanais.
 
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