NES2 VI - Last Semblance of Order.
- Thread starter das
- Start date
silver 2039
Deity
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Messages
- 16,208
Disenfrancised said:Aren't those the Qing's lines?
Well both of us breed excessively really....
Disenfrancised
Beep Beep
andis-1 said:
There aren't a huge number of options for people who could attack you really...unless Krakow and Russia signed a secret pact to 'fake' a great war thus making you overextend enough for a Qing Expeditionary force to strike at your capital
!Of course! It's a conspiracy! Why didn't I think about it?Disenfrancised said:There aren't a huge number of options for people who could attack you really...unless Krakow and Russia signed a secret pact to 'fake' a great war thus making you overextend enough for a Qing Expeditionary force to strike at your capital
Disenfrancised
Beep Beep
Dachspmg said:
You mean you hadn't prepared for the Incan-Segu combined attack on Constantinople? Heh...
Anyway you control the Balkans and the Bosporus - peace is a fleeting commoditity
conehead234
Braves on the Warpath
Don't forget about the Spanish attack on the Pope.
silver 2039
Deity
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Messages
- 16,208
The Mughal-Segu attack actually. Quite similar to Triple Alliance with North Korea, Pakistan, and the UK,
Actually, a hundred thousand of my trained Sennarese allies are lying in wait just inside the Golden Horn.
You, good dis, control Mexico and California...watch out for French diggers and a guy named Bunau-Varilla...
You, good dis, control Mexico and California...watch out for French diggers and a guy named Bunau-Varilla...
Disenfrancised
Beep Beep
Dachspmg said:You, good dis, control Mexico and California...watch out for French diggers and a guy named Bunau-Varilla...
Actually I'm more worried about the Malayian rebels for rather more pressing reaons...
>_>
<_<
@das: I see you lurking up there - hows the update coming?
das
Regeneration In Process
Update 7 - Year 1747
Non-Military Events:
As refugees from war-torn Europe begin to flee en masse into the somewhat less war-torn Estados Unidos de America, the economy gets a boost especially as the war, within Mexico itself anyway, is over, and a gold rush in California encourages a speed-up in its colonization (+1 Economy, +Sacramento economic center). A capital is established in Acapulco, stabilizing the situation in the country (+1 Civilian Leadership). The succesful war efforts coupled with government and individual propaganda that is employing with success even such odious personages as Teniente Tremendez has generally strenghthened the new country's national identity (+1 Culture).
A new Commonwealthist group seems to be on the rise in England, the underground British Society, which, in its pamphlets and petitions, calls for equal rights for the Celts in a new "All-British State", the separation of the Church from the State, relaxation of the present strict rule, creation of a "concilliatory" (the British Society is very Francophobic, and dislikes the word "parliamentary" on this ground) monarchy and, ofcourse, the "breaking of French tyranny and recapture of Dover". Said Society is quite popular, especially as the state, indeed, becomes more permissive allowing freer circulation of these movements (-1 Confidence, +1 Culture).
The Treaty of Paris dismantles the battered Spanish colonial empire altogether; it also destroys the non-colonial empire. The new Republic of Spain only barely keeps itself afloat for now having secured peace and some token compromises such as retention of Asturia and Portuguese monetary compensation (actually, a French idea rather than a Spanish one) (+1 Confidence). Spain, ofcourse, had to evacuate Latin America, though some of the local commanders did not oblige it and instead left Spanish service with their loyal troops out of opportunism (-5 Spanish divisions). The Western Hemisphere is yet to be re-divided, so it is in chaos for now. In Europe, Spain has to allow the formation of a Gallician Republic and a Kingdom of Euskardi, and of a Principality of Aragon and Barcelona that instantly is annexed into France. The French also take Gibraltar as a navy base. Spanish North Africa goes to France, naturally. France and Portugal carve up West Africa, the Portuguese getting all Spanish AND French colonies south of French Senegal, and the French getting everything to the north from there. Those of Spain's Mediterranean territories already under French occupation are also annexed with varying degrees of autonomy. France also extended claims to now-Papal Malta and now-Japanese Spanish Borneo, causing some tension that was resolved by the Rome-Paris Accord with the Pope and military cooperation with the Japanese.
Trade picks up in the North Sea with the strenghthening of both England and Denmark-Norway. A new trade center emerges in Esbjerg (+Esbjerg economic center).
All the hell breaks loose in Krakow Union and in the surrounding area.
(see military events and spotlight)
A general war-time rise of patriotism takes place in Russia, strenghthened by the victories scored so far (+1 Culture, Confidence).
As the Portuguese trade empire in West Africa spreads and strenghthens, the new town of Porto Jose [1] rapidly rises to prominence (+Porto Jose economic center).
The Mughals "nationalize" the remaining feudal armies, after the defeat of yet another noble conspiracy (+10 divisions).
Qing China begins to draft the poorer peasants into a pretty large, but weakish army (+25 irregular divisions).
Macao recovers with Portuguese investment, despite (or maybe because of) the war being fought around it (+Macao economic center).
Continued Japanese military successes and the public relations campaign have restored confidence in the Shogun's government, as did the generally-improving situation at home (+2 Confidence). Manila is reborn as a center of trade as well (+Manila economic center).
Military Events:
The end of the Great War in the Americas has not brought about peace; not at all. As a matter of fact, warfare grew even more intense as various local rebel factions and foreign powers alike combatted to partition and re-partition the fallen Spanish colonial empire.
The EUA Continentalists clearly intended to make good on their name; they were not about to share Latin America with those Grenadines, especially as the leader of the latter, Garcia Alvarez, demanded handover of the southernmost Continentalist gains. Refusing to recognize the Grenadine government, the Americans struck out against it just as Portugal withdrew and the Spanish army either fell apart either, under the command of General Inigo Flores de Sterveza who had used ths moment to try and forge an "Ecuadorian Empire". His dreams were dashed by Amerind risings behind his lines and an American (i.e. Continentalist) seaborne invasion, but in the process he had inflicted many casualties on the Americans, thus inadvertly saving Garcia Alvarez. His nascent state still did receive quite a beating as Cumana and the westernmost regions were captured by the Americans, who had also besieged Caracas. The Continentalists suffered many casualties to attrition, disease and guerrila warfare, though in the latter they too have partaken, having secured the support of the local Amerinds (+2 Grenadine irregular divisions, +5 American irregular divisions).
(-6 American divisions, -2 American irregular divisions, -2 American Chaqueto Marron divisions, -Ecuadorian Imperial Rebels as an independent faction, -2 Grenadine divisions, -3 Grenadine irregular divisions)
The born-again Incans continue to advance, securing more and more of their ancient empire and destroying what little resistance they meet, most notably a Platine force that was forced to fall back after numerous skirmishes around La Paz, suffering some more casualties to disease and harrasment.
(-1 Incan division, -2 Incan irregular divisions, -1 Platine division)
A pro-Continentalist Chilean rising took place, but after some "misunderstandments", the Platines have crushed its leadership and occupied the southern half of Chile. At that point, they were distracted by a Portuguese offensive, and thus northern Chilean rebels were granted the time they needed to reorganize.
(-Chilean Rebels as an independent faction, -1 Platine division)
Might as well now mention where did those Platines come from. Due to confusing orders and other mishaps, the Portuguese force occupying the new "Platine Provinces" have only secured for themselves the land of Paraguay, whose Jesuit rulers of their own will requested Portuguese protection. Thus in the city of Cordoba, a former Spanish general, Jose Felipe Vega, made a bid for power, playing on the traditional Lusitophobia (now enhanced) in la Plata; without declaring a new independent state as some have urged him to, he acheived de facto independence for the unoccupied parts of La Plata, and gathered the wrecks of the Viceroyal army, bolstered by volunteers and recruits, into a single force. The Spanish army was always one of the finest in the world, for all of its flaws especially in the commander department, and Jose Felipe Vega managed to keep it an efficient fighting force despite all the new men raised. Said fighting force soon won a great victory on the Tercero River, stopping a belated Portuguese offensive, though at a rather large price. Later Portuguese offensives have come to threaten Cordoba, but failed to even reach the city itself thus far.
(-6 Portuguese divisions, -11 Platine divisiions)
War and chaos reign supreme in Central Europe.
(see spotlight)
(+1 Krakowian Confidence, -1 Krakowian Civilian Leadership, Economy, Infrastructure, -Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest economic centers)
(-12 French divisions, -18 Papal divisions, -7 Papal Zouave divisions, -Kingdom of Brunswick, League of Augsburg as independent nations, -26 Krakowian divisions, -17 Krakowian GotGC divisions, -3 Krakowian irregular divisions, -10 Byzantine divisions, -9 Russian divisions, -6 Russian Cossack divisions, -1 Russian squadron)
Arabic-looking men flying Krakowian flags suddenly crossed the Marmara Sea from Turkey and landed south of Constantinople, much to the surprise of the Byzantines. Naturally, most of the landing force was eliminated immediately by the Byzantine artillery, and the rest surrendered almost immediately having quickly been surrounded by Varangian Guards. Soon after, Byzantine officials announced that the prisoners, upon interrogation, have confessed that they were sent here as per the orders of the Ottoman Sultan, sparking off an international crisis...
(-4 "Krakowian" irregular divisions)
The Segan army advanced further down the Niger River, rather slowly due to bad logistics and cartography.
Abyssinian expedition towards the origin of Nile continues, though facing heavy native resistance in part due to meddling with their religion (the Negus Negusti was a very religious man, hell-bent on spreading Catholicism).
(-1 Abyssinian divisions)
Battered and unstable since the utter defeat in the Caliphal War, the Afghan Khanate was slowly sliding back down into tribal warfare that ruled supreme before Mir Mahmud. Feuds amongst the Afghan tribes were already beginning, and the Persian bandit-rebels in the west grew ever more ambitious, leading a genuine armed rising that was put down just barely by the Afghan warlords there. Anyway, the fall of the Afghan Khanate was greatly sped up by the rapid advance of the modern, powerful, well-led Mughal Army. After Ashraf Khan was captured and brutally executed in Kabul, the Afghan Khanate utterly fell apart, and the Mughals quickly moved to occupy the broken country, adding it all to their realm and crushing all the resistance they could see with the customary ruthlessness. Naturally this victory has greatly bolstered the prestige of Badshah Ahmad Shah Bahadur, the "Restorer of the West" (+1 Confidence), but much of the Mughal gains there are hardly tenable, as Ottomans, Russians and Portuguese alike have long been casting greedy eyes on the lands now taken by the Mughals, and as the locals are hardly about to give up, though apart from the Persians they have very scarce coordination (-1 Culture).
(-Afghan Khanate as a nation, -6 Mughal divisions, -2 Mughal Imperial Guard division)
Vast Chinese hordes have been gathered to push the Japanese out of the mainland. That was really unneeded, for the Japanese, having taken the city treasuries and destroyed all trade facilities under their control in Chinese mainland and Korea have left back for the safety of their island empire (-Xiang Gang, Fuzhou, Shanghai, Pusan economic centers). The huge Chinese Army of the Yangtze had nobody left to fight apart from their own people, on whom the less disciplinned of the soldiers took out their rage (something that was quickly dealt with by the Qing Chinese commanders, ofcourse, but the damage was done); the undersupplied Chinese troops often enough had to "requisition" food from the population, which was much better treated even by the Japanese, or so the anti-Qing Chinese nationalists whispered and wrote in their illegal pamphlets (-1 Qing Confidence). Instead of giving open land battles, where they would have been at disadvantage, the Japanese concentrated on naval warfare. They were reinforced in this by Portugal, which was suspicious of the Chinese strenghthening in combination with their previous attempts to force the Portuguese out of Macao; together, the Japano-Portuguese armade had destroyed much of the Chinese fleet (and all of the sea fleet, thus) in the Battle at Ch'angnin-do Island (off Korean west coast). Another European power joined in on the Japanese side - the Kingdom of France, long wary of the Chinese encroachment on Siam. As it happened, the Chinese were also preparing for them, but not well enough - not having learned much from the Japanese war, the Chinese have neglected to fortify their coasts properly. They did take good care of Mekong defenses, destroying all bridges and taking positions from which to fire at the French engineers trying to rebuild said bridges. But the sheer numbers and firepower of the French allowed them to cross the Mekong and shatter the border Qing forces. However, they were not fully destroyed, whereas the French soon were cut off from supplies by a flood of Mekong caused by the Chinese destruction of a makeshift dam in the north. By the time the French had restored their supply routes and established new, maritime ones, the Chinese were already ready to defend Saigon and the rest of Vietnam. However, at this point another French force had landed in the north, capturing Haiphong and Hanoi, severing the Chinese supply routes and allowing the destruction of all Chinese forces in Vietnam especially as a minor pro-French rising begun (+1 French irregular division). Saigon was taken after naval shelling. Finally, in Burma, the Qing power had come under a powerful, and utterly unexpected series of attacks. The Mughals entered the war and took over, despite supply problems, the barely-defended parts of western Burma; the vital southern coastal area of Pegu and nearby regions fell to the French who then outmaneuvered and annihilated the local Chinese forces arranged on the Siamese border, and, finally, the north saw an even stronger Burmese rising, though a rather haphazard one as the best leaders were assassinated by the Qing or their sympathisers. A few small Chinese detachments here have been caught between the various invaders and rebels, in Ava and the surrounding city cluster.
(-15 French Foreign Legions, -2 Portuguese squadrons, -1 Mughal division, -29 Qing Chinese divisions, -6 Qing Ma Bing Divisions, -14 Qing Chinese squadrons, -3 Japanese squadrons)
The Portuguese have also relieved the Singapore garrison. However, there was scarcely any resistance there at all, and neither was there much of it during the northwestern offensive that resulted in the siege of Melaka itself (which, however, was quite well-defended and thus held out despite many attrition-induced losses) nor during the northernmost Portuguese operations that have allowed the capture of the northern city of Pulau Pinang. Instead, the Malays have commited themselves to an all-out guerrila war, that, along with diseases and logistical problems, has greatly decimated the Portuguese ranks.
(-7 Portuguese divisions, -7 Malay divisions, -4 Malay irregular divisions)
Random Events:
Under torture, Emperor Cameron (who had somehow wind up in Gallicia, perhaps hoping to seize power there) has abdicated the throne without specifying a successor and was killed by O'Higgins' men (+1 Gallician Confidence).
A personality cult starts up around the Grenadine rebel leader Garcia Alvarez (+1 Confidence).
Jose Filipe Vega rallies the remnants of the Viceroyal army of La Plata around himself (+5 divisions).
Friedrich von Dunkelheit, the son of the late Grosskanzler, rallies the Krakowians to fight against von Barkenburg AND Russia-Lithuania (+1 Culture, +1 Confidence).
Many years of investment have resulted in the development of Reykjavik as a center of whaling and commerce, despite the frigid conditions of Iceland (+Reykjavik economic center).
A general outburst of French patriotism takes place after yet another triumphant year (+1 Culture).
After the defeat of yet another conspiracy, the Mughal Badshah comes out stronger than before ever in this century (+1 Confidence).
The Abyssinian army gets plenty of volunteers (+5 divisions).
Grosskanzler von Barkenburg's prestige has reached an all-times low with his consent to the destruction of the Krakow Union (-1 Confidence).
The war and local corruption delay the Russian regional improvement project (-1 project progress).
Literacy rates plummet suddenly in Denmark-Norway (-1 Education).
So do the Byzantine ones (-1 Education).
Separatist movements form in the newly-French territories (-1 Culture).
As the immense efforts of last year prove to be insufficient to defeat the Augsburgers, the Brunswickian army begins to fall apart under the pressure of a new offensive (-5 divisions).
Buerocratic inneficiency and corruption grow in the Ottoman Empire (-1 Civilian Leadership).
The war effort sinks its teeth into the Augsburger economy (-1 Economy).
The Afghan economical situation just keeps getting worse (-1 Economy).
Spotlight:
Chaos in Central Europe.
"Under the veil of civilization, Central Europe was and still is a land of extreme barbarity and chaos... The only hope for civilization in the German lands is the imposition of enlightened French rule."
- Jean la Fayette, French publicist and historian. Essay "About Augsburg". Year 1695.
All of the world was, to one effect or another, badly shaken by the chaos unleashed in the 1740s; yet no part of the world (well, maybe excluding the Spanish Empire) was shaken quite as badly as Central Europe, where, after Josef von Dunkelheit's initial campaigns, the Krakow Union reached its highest point... and then slided down rapidly as a war with the Russians begun. After the first few victories, Josef von Dunkelheit commited suicide, or, it is said, was assassinated by his political enemies; without him, Krakow quickly suffered defeat after defeat, as Russo-Byzantine forces took over the Balkans and much of Poland and Hungary. Von Barkenburg, who had become Grosskanzler just in time to preside over this disastrous reversal, had concluded that Krakow Union was doomed and started negotiations with Russia, soon signing a peace treaty that was to carve the Krakow Union into three states along ethnic lines, expand Lithuania and Romania (states in personal union with Russia itself) westwards drastically and turn Poland and Hungary into Russian puppet states, not unlike the pre-war Balkan ones.
Many were discontent with this peace. Within Krakow Union, Otto von Grunwald, the head of the Berlin garrison, tried to launch a military coup d'etat but was betrayed and executed. That only damaged von Barkenburg's popularity further. Unintimidated, the Senate, also relocated to Berlin after Krakow was besieged by the Russians, has nearly unanimously opposed the peace treaty proposed, as the Krakowian army was not yet fully defeated. A standoff ensued within Berlin... while the Russian armies in the east were waiting for the outcome, and slowly, methodically pounding Warsaw, Krakow and Budapest into ruins as more and more artillery was brought in.
The French, though Russian allies in name, were also obviously unhappy with this peace treaty, though they kept that to themselves for now. Without a strong Krakow Union, it was quite obvious that France was to fight Russia for supremacy in Europe. Already, Julien-Francois was preparing for this, having established good working relations with Finland and Ottoman Empire, both potential enemies of Russia, and, in the latter case, Byzantium as well. Yet both of these countries were periphereal. France needed good forward positions that would either consume the initial Russian blow, either allow a strike straight for the heart. So did Russia, and if von Barkenburg's efforts were to result in success Russia was going to get forward positions in Central Europe. That needed to be prevented, or, at least, countered. The significance of French efforts to meet the former goal are unclear, although it is doubtless that they had at least some role to play in the Dunkelheitian Restoration. As for countering...
France was the traditional ally of the Augsburg League. In fact, if not for France, that League would never have been formed, or, at least, would not have survived for more than five years. Yet times changed. On one hand, the Augsburg League has grown more ambitious, and as the Krakow Union was distracted in the east it has struck out against both Brunswick and the Holy League of Italy - neither of which were French allies a while ago, admittedly, but since the fall of Spain neither of them were French enemies. As a matter of fact, the Holy League of Italy had, in 1747, signed an accord with the Kingdom of France, which among other things included a clause of military alliance. In blissful ignorance, King Friedrich I of Bavaria, head of the Augsburg League, had continued his two-front war. France felt obliged to deal with him once and for all, if only because of the Paris-Rome Accord, but in truth also because, what ever be the outcome of the Eastern Great War, France needed to take Western Germany. Allies were too unreliable to be allowed the control of this vital region.
In the beginning of the year, the Augsburgers continued their onslaught. Recovering from past defeats, they had routed the disintegrating Brunswickian army at Halberstadt and marched into the city of Brunswick itself, just after the government fled for Bremen. In the south, however, things went much worse. A fighting retreat northwards has mostly succeeded despite Papal pursuit, but a hasty assault on Venice had, as usual, failed badly. The Augsburgers, however, defeated an attempted Papal crossing of the Po, and as new artillery was being brought in plans were made for a second assault on Venice when the French struck out.
First, the French destroyed the remnants of Brunswick with scarcely a shot being fired, the king abdicating without a fight and a Bourbon-ruled Principality of Hannover being set up as a part of the greater Kingdom of France. That was in name only, ofcourse, as a good half of the ex-kingdom, including the cities of Brunswick and Hannover themselves, were still held by the Augsburgers. Now the French concentrated on their former allies, though, and soon enough great victories were scored. At Hannover, the forward Augsburger forces were forced into retreat, and the rest were routed as well further south, at Detmold. As the Augsburgers fell back, they were once more defeated at Gottingen, where the last of their northern forces had surrendered. Augsburg League itself came under attack from both the west and the north. Frantic attempts to stop the French advance only resulted in a succesful Papal crossing of the Po River and the rout of Augsburgers at Treviso. Defeat after defeat came, and soon the once-mighty army of the Augsburg League was shattered and the country was put under military occupation, its king a French prisoner of war. France has prevailed and extended eastwards, but this, in truth, was probably a mere preamble. Besides, it paled in comparison with events to the east.
For in the meantime, a Friedrich von Dunkelheit, the half-French (sic!) son of Josef, had suddenly emerged and, with the open or clandestine support of the Senate and much of the military, staged a coup d'etat. Stunned by the vast forces arranged against him, von Barkenburg at first tried to arrest the Senate and Friedrich von Dunkelheit, but as more and more of the army joined up against him and as his orders were pretty much ignored, he tried to flee but was assassinated in Cottbus, as were what few significant supporters he had left. The Guard of the Grand Chancellary has soon allowed for Friedrich von Dunkelheit to take over.
Yet his situation was hardly a good one. While the country was in the process of changing government yet again, the Russians pressed on. The Northern Army secured Warsaw after a particularily heavy pounding was followed up by a minor Russophile rising which allowed the Russians to break into the devastated city. The Southern Army, in the meantime, kept bombarding Budapest which was also on the brink of collapse. Krakowian forces only barely fell back from Ukraine into Romania, and even then a few of the irreplaceable divisions were intercepted and forced to surrender. Something needed to be done urgently. And something was done - new defense lines were set up, bridges over the Vistula were destroyed, and Feldmarschall Franz I, the head of the GotGC, struck out from Romania into Transylvania, linking up with some forces there while the core of the Russian army was distracted around Budapest and then striking out towards Lemberg/Lvov. However, they were repulsed from there by the large Russian garrison in Galicia, and soon had to fall back after creating a noticeable distraction and diverting some Russian forces to the Romanian theatre. This, however, was only one part of the young Dunkelheit's plan. The distracted Russians were unable to react properly to a new offensive that pushed the outnumbered and badly-positioned Russian forces from Transdanubian regions. A supply route towards Budapest was established. The garrison of Krakow surrendered to the Russians... only to attack them when they entered the city, though the Russians were too careful and avoided being trapped within, instead securing the suburbs and eventually taking over the entirety of the city. Meanwhile, Swedish soldiers in Pommerania were forced to retreat eastwards, and were only saved by their allies who had pushed back the Krakowian forces. For a while it seemed as if the turning point was there.
Then the city of Budapest surrendered. For real this time. The food was not enough, the people were simply too tired of fighting and the army favoured a retreat, from the Pest portion of the city at least (Buda, being west of the Danube, indeed was soon reoccupied, so this was not a decisive surrender). Krakow was occupied. Last Krakowian forces retreated across the Vistula; there, like on the Danube, all the bridges were burned down. The war stalemated, as the Russians were unable to cross the Vistula or the Danube, or to force the central Krakowian fortifications... for now. But on the other hand, they stomped down on all the resistance behind their lines, and eventually also recaptured Romania. Feldmarschall Franz I and his remaining forces tried to break through the Byzantine territory, and succeeded at first, but was eventually surrounded in Serbia just south of Belgrade near which he had hoped to rejoin with the main Krakowian forces and had to surrender after a furious battle.
And meanwhile, as Russian supplies and gains were consolidated, preparation commenced for a final offensive to break the increasingly overstrained Krakowians...
NPC Diplo:
From: Chilean Rebels
To: EUA
We will join you if we are allowed to retain a greater amount of local autonomy and military support against the Platines.
OOC:
[1] Porto Jose=Port Harcourt.
A reminder - eco. centers can be used by whoever holds them at the BEGINNING of the turn, before both the treaties go into effect and the campaigns take place.
Non-Military Events:
As refugees from war-torn Europe begin to flee en masse into the somewhat less war-torn Estados Unidos de America, the economy gets a boost especially as the war, within Mexico itself anyway, is over, and a gold rush in California encourages a speed-up in its colonization (+1 Economy, +Sacramento economic center). A capital is established in Acapulco, stabilizing the situation in the country (+1 Civilian Leadership). The succesful war efforts coupled with government and individual propaganda that is employing with success even such odious personages as Teniente Tremendez has generally strenghthened the new country's national identity (+1 Culture).
A new Commonwealthist group seems to be on the rise in England, the underground British Society, which, in its pamphlets and petitions, calls for equal rights for the Celts in a new "All-British State", the separation of the Church from the State, relaxation of the present strict rule, creation of a "concilliatory" (the British Society is very Francophobic, and dislikes the word "parliamentary" on this ground) monarchy and, ofcourse, the "breaking of French tyranny and recapture of Dover". Said Society is quite popular, especially as the state, indeed, becomes more permissive allowing freer circulation of these movements (-1 Confidence, +1 Culture).
The Treaty of Paris dismantles the battered Spanish colonial empire altogether; it also destroys the non-colonial empire. The new Republic of Spain only barely keeps itself afloat for now having secured peace and some token compromises such as retention of Asturia and Portuguese monetary compensation (actually, a French idea rather than a Spanish one) (+1 Confidence). Spain, ofcourse, had to evacuate Latin America, though some of the local commanders did not oblige it and instead left Spanish service with their loyal troops out of opportunism (-5 Spanish divisions). The Western Hemisphere is yet to be re-divided, so it is in chaos for now. In Europe, Spain has to allow the formation of a Gallician Republic and a Kingdom of Euskardi, and of a Principality of Aragon and Barcelona that instantly is annexed into France. The French also take Gibraltar as a navy base. Spanish North Africa goes to France, naturally. France and Portugal carve up West Africa, the Portuguese getting all Spanish AND French colonies south of French Senegal, and the French getting everything to the north from there. Those of Spain's Mediterranean territories already under French occupation are also annexed with varying degrees of autonomy. France also extended claims to now-Papal Malta and now-Japanese Spanish Borneo, causing some tension that was resolved by the Rome-Paris Accord with the Pope and military cooperation with the Japanese.
Trade picks up in the North Sea with the strenghthening of both England and Denmark-Norway. A new trade center emerges in Esbjerg (+Esbjerg economic center).
All the hell breaks loose in Krakow Union and in the surrounding area.
(see military events and spotlight)
A general war-time rise of patriotism takes place in Russia, strenghthened by the victories scored so far (+1 Culture, Confidence).
As the Portuguese trade empire in West Africa spreads and strenghthens, the new town of Porto Jose [1] rapidly rises to prominence (+Porto Jose economic center).
The Mughals "nationalize" the remaining feudal armies, after the defeat of yet another noble conspiracy (+10 divisions).
Qing China begins to draft the poorer peasants into a pretty large, but weakish army (+25 irregular divisions).
Macao recovers with Portuguese investment, despite (or maybe because of) the war being fought around it (+Macao economic center).
Continued Japanese military successes and the public relations campaign have restored confidence in the Shogun's government, as did the generally-improving situation at home (+2 Confidence). Manila is reborn as a center of trade as well (+Manila economic center).
Military Events:
The end of the Great War in the Americas has not brought about peace; not at all. As a matter of fact, warfare grew even more intense as various local rebel factions and foreign powers alike combatted to partition and re-partition the fallen Spanish colonial empire.
The EUA Continentalists clearly intended to make good on their name; they were not about to share Latin America with those Grenadines, especially as the leader of the latter, Garcia Alvarez, demanded handover of the southernmost Continentalist gains. Refusing to recognize the Grenadine government, the Americans struck out against it just as Portugal withdrew and the Spanish army either fell apart either, under the command of General Inigo Flores de Sterveza who had used ths moment to try and forge an "Ecuadorian Empire". His dreams were dashed by Amerind risings behind his lines and an American (i.e. Continentalist) seaborne invasion, but in the process he had inflicted many casualties on the Americans, thus inadvertly saving Garcia Alvarez. His nascent state still did receive quite a beating as Cumana and the westernmost regions were captured by the Americans, who had also besieged Caracas. The Continentalists suffered many casualties to attrition, disease and guerrila warfare, though in the latter they too have partaken, having secured the support of the local Amerinds (+2 Grenadine irregular divisions, +5 American irregular divisions).
(-6 American divisions, -2 American irregular divisions, -2 American Chaqueto Marron divisions, -Ecuadorian Imperial Rebels as an independent faction, -2 Grenadine divisions, -3 Grenadine irregular divisions)
The born-again Incans continue to advance, securing more and more of their ancient empire and destroying what little resistance they meet, most notably a Platine force that was forced to fall back after numerous skirmishes around La Paz, suffering some more casualties to disease and harrasment.
(-1 Incan division, -2 Incan irregular divisions, -1 Platine division)
A pro-Continentalist Chilean rising took place, but after some "misunderstandments", the Platines have crushed its leadership and occupied the southern half of Chile. At that point, they were distracted by a Portuguese offensive, and thus northern Chilean rebels were granted the time they needed to reorganize.
(-Chilean Rebels as an independent faction, -1 Platine division)
Might as well now mention where did those Platines come from. Due to confusing orders and other mishaps, the Portuguese force occupying the new "Platine Provinces" have only secured for themselves the land of Paraguay, whose Jesuit rulers of their own will requested Portuguese protection. Thus in the city of Cordoba, a former Spanish general, Jose Felipe Vega, made a bid for power, playing on the traditional Lusitophobia (now enhanced) in la Plata; without declaring a new independent state as some have urged him to, he acheived de facto independence for the unoccupied parts of La Plata, and gathered the wrecks of the Viceroyal army, bolstered by volunteers and recruits, into a single force. The Spanish army was always one of the finest in the world, for all of its flaws especially in the commander department, and Jose Felipe Vega managed to keep it an efficient fighting force despite all the new men raised. Said fighting force soon won a great victory on the Tercero River, stopping a belated Portuguese offensive, though at a rather large price. Later Portuguese offensives have come to threaten Cordoba, but failed to even reach the city itself thus far.
(-6 Portuguese divisions, -11 Platine divisiions)
War and chaos reign supreme in Central Europe.
(see spotlight)
(+1 Krakowian Confidence, -1 Krakowian Civilian Leadership, Economy, Infrastructure, -Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest economic centers)
(-12 French divisions, -18 Papal divisions, -7 Papal Zouave divisions, -Kingdom of Brunswick, League of Augsburg as independent nations, -26 Krakowian divisions, -17 Krakowian GotGC divisions, -3 Krakowian irregular divisions, -10 Byzantine divisions, -9 Russian divisions, -6 Russian Cossack divisions, -1 Russian squadron)
Arabic-looking men flying Krakowian flags suddenly crossed the Marmara Sea from Turkey and landed south of Constantinople, much to the surprise of the Byzantines. Naturally, most of the landing force was eliminated immediately by the Byzantine artillery, and the rest surrendered almost immediately having quickly been surrounded by Varangian Guards. Soon after, Byzantine officials announced that the prisoners, upon interrogation, have confessed that they were sent here as per the orders of the Ottoman Sultan, sparking off an international crisis...
(-4 "Krakowian" irregular divisions)
The Segan army advanced further down the Niger River, rather slowly due to bad logistics and cartography.
Abyssinian expedition towards the origin of Nile continues, though facing heavy native resistance in part due to meddling with their religion (the Negus Negusti was a very religious man, hell-bent on spreading Catholicism).
(-1 Abyssinian divisions)
Battered and unstable since the utter defeat in the Caliphal War, the Afghan Khanate was slowly sliding back down into tribal warfare that ruled supreme before Mir Mahmud. Feuds amongst the Afghan tribes were already beginning, and the Persian bandit-rebels in the west grew ever more ambitious, leading a genuine armed rising that was put down just barely by the Afghan warlords there. Anyway, the fall of the Afghan Khanate was greatly sped up by the rapid advance of the modern, powerful, well-led Mughal Army. After Ashraf Khan was captured and brutally executed in Kabul, the Afghan Khanate utterly fell apart, and the Mughals quickly moved to occupy the broken country, adding it all to their realm and crushing all the resistance they could see with the customary ruthlessness. Naturally this victory has greatly bolstered the prestige of Badshah Ahmad Shah Bahadur, the "Restorer of the West" (+1 Confidence), but much of the Mughal gains there are hardly tenable, as Ottomans, Russians and Portuguese alike have long been casting greedy eyes on the lands now taken by the Mughals, and as the locals are hardly about to give up, though apart from the Persians they have very scarce coordination (-1 Culture).
(-Afghan Khanate as a nation, -6 Mughal divisions, -2 Mughal Imperial Guard division)
Vast Chinese hordes have been gathered to push the Japanese out of the mainland. That was really unneeded, for the Japanese, having taken the city treasuries and destroyed all trade facilities under their control in Chinese mainland and Korea have left back for the safety of their island empire (-Xiang Gang, Fuzhou, Shanghai, Pusan economic centers). The huge Chinese Army of the Yangtze had nobody left to fight apart from their own people, on whom the less disciplinned of the soldiers took out their rage (something that was quickly dealt with by the Qing Chinese commanders, ofcourse, but the damage was done); the undersupplied Chinese troops often enough had to "requisition" food from the population, which was much better treated even by the Japanese, or so the anti-Qing Chinese nationalists whispered and wrote in their illegal pamphlets (-1 Qing Confidence). Instead of giving open land battles, where they would have been at disadvantage, the Japanese concentrated on naval warfare. They were reinforced in this by Portugal, which was suspicious of the Chinese strenghthening in combination with their previous attempts to force the Portuguese out of Macao; together, the Japano-Portuguese armade had destroyed much of the Chinese fleet (and all of the sea fleet, thus) in the Battle at Ch'angnin-do Island (off Korean west coast). Another European power joined in on the Japanese side - the Kingdom of France, long wary of the Chinese encroachment on Siam. As it happened, the Chinese were also preparing for them, but not well enough - not having learned much from the Japanese war, the Chinese have neglected to fortify their coasts properly. They did take good care of Mekong defenses, destroying all bridges and taking positions from which to fire at the French engineers trying to rebuild said bridges. But the sheer numbers and firepower of the French allowed them to cross the Mekong and shatter the border Qing forces. However, they were not fully destroyed, whereas the French soon were cut off from supplies by a flood of Mekong caused by the Chinese destruction of a makeshift dam in the north. By the time the French had restored their supply routes and established new, maritime ones, the Chinese were already ready to defend Saigon and the rest of Vietnam. However, at this point another French force had landed in the north, capturing Haiphong and Hanoi, severing the Chinese supply routes and allowing the destruction of all Chinese forces in Vietnam especially as a minor pro-French rising begun (+1 French irregular division). Saigon was taken after naval shelling. Finally, in Burma, the Qing power had come under a powerful, and utterly unexpected series of attacks. The Mughals entered the war and took over, despite supply problems, the barely-defended parts of western Burma; the vital southern coastal area of Pegu and nearby regions fell to the French who then outmaneuvered and annihilated the local Chinese forces arranged on the Siamese border, and, finally, the north saw an even stronger Burmese rising, though a rather haphazard one as the best leaders were assassinated by the Qing or their sympathisers. A few small Chinese detachments here have been caught between the various invaders and rebels, in Ava and the surrounding city cluster.
(-15 French Foreign Legions, -2 Portuguese squadrons, -1 Mughal division, -29 Qing Chinese divisions, -6 Qing Ma Bing Divisions, -14 Qing Chinese squadrons, -3 Japanese squadrons)
The Portuguese have also relieved the Singapore garrison. However, there was scarcely any resistance there at all, and neither was there much of it during the northwestern offensive that resulted in the siege of Melaka itself (which, however, was quite well-defended and thus held out despite many attrition-induced losses) nor during the northernmost Portuguese operations that have allowed the capture of the northern city of Pulau Pinang. Instead, the Malays have commited themselves to an all-out guerrila war, that, along with diseases and logistical problems, has greatly decimated the Portuguese ranks.
(-7 Portuguese divisions, -7 Malay divisions, -4 Malay irregular divisions)
Random Events:
Under torture, Emperor Cameron (who had somehow wind up in Gallicia, perhaps hoping to seize power there) has abdicated the throne without specifying a successor and was killed by O'Higgins' men (+1 Gallician Confidence).
A personality cult starts up around the Grenadine rebel leader Garcia Alvarez (+1 Confidence).
Jose Filipe Vega rallies the remnants of the Viceroyal army of La Plata around himself (+5 divisions).
Friedrich von Dunkelheit, the son of the late Grosskanzler, rallies the Krakowians to fight against von Barkenburg AND Russia-Lithuania (+1 Culture, +1 Confidence).
Many years of investment have resulted in the development of Reykjavik as a center of whaling and commerce, despite the frigid conditions of Iceland (+Reykjavik economic center).
A general outburst of French patriotism takes place after yet another triumphant year (+1 Culture).
After the defeat of yet another conspiracy, the Mughal Badshah comes out stronger than before ever in this century (+1 Confidence).
The Abyssinian army gets plenty of volunteers (+5 divisions).
Grosskanzler von Barkenburg's prestige has reached an all-times low with his consent to the destruction of the Krakow Union (-1 Confidence).
The war and local corruption delay the Russian regional improvement project (-1 project progress).
Literacy rates plummet suddenly in Denmark-Norway (-1 Education).
So do the Byzantine ones (-1 Education).
Separatist movements form in the newly-French territories (-1 Culture).
As the immense efforts of last year prove to be insufficient to defeat the Augsburgers, the Brunswickian army begins to fall apart under the pressure of a new offensive (-5 divisions).
Buerocratic inneficiency and corruption grow in the Ottoman Empire (-1 Civilian Leadership).
The war effort sinks its teeth into the Augsburger economy (-1 Economy).
The Afghan economical situation just keeps getting worse (-1 Economy).
Spotlight:
Chaos in Central Europe.
"Under the veil of civilization, Central Europe was and still is a land of extreme barbarity and chaos... The only hope for civilization in the German lands is the imposition of enlightened French rule."
- Jean la Fayette, French publicist and historian. Essay "About Augsburg". Year 1695.
All of the world was, to one effect or another, badly shaken by the chaos unleashed in the 1740s; yet no part of the world (well, maybe excluding the Spanish Empire) was shaken quite as badly as Central Europe, where, after Josef von Dunkelheit's initial campaigns, the Krakow Union reached its highest point... and then slided down rapidly as a war with the Russians begun. After the first few victories, Josef von Dunkelheit commited suicide, or, it is said, was assassinated by his political enemies; without him, Krakow quickly suffered defeat after defeat, as Russo-Byzantine forces took over the Balkans and much of Poland and Hungary. Von Barkenburg, who had become Grosskanzler just in time to preside over this disastrous reversal, had concluded that Krakow Union was doomed and started negotiations with Russia, soon signing a peace treaty that was to carve the Krakow Union into three states along ethnic lines, expand Lithuania and Romania (states in personal union with Russia itself) westwards drastically and turn Poland and Hungary into Russian puppet states, not unlike the pre-war Balkan ones.
Many were discontent with this peace. Within Krakow Union, Otto von Grunwald, the head of the Berlin garrison, tried to launch a military coup d'etat but was betrayed and executed. That only damaged von Barkenburg's popularity further. Unintimidated, the Senate, also relocated to Berlin after Krakow was besieged by the Russians, has nearly unanimously opposed the peace treaty proposed, as the Krakowian army was not yet fully defeated. A standoff ensued within Berlin... while the Russian armies in the east were waiting for the outcome, and slowly, methodically pounding Warsaw, Krakow and Budapest into ruins as more and more artillery was brought in.
The French, though Russian allies in name, were also obviously unhappy with this peace treaty, though they kept that to themselves for now. Without a strong Krakow Union, it was quite obvious that France was to fight Russia for supremacy in Europe. Already, Julien-Francois was preparing for this, having established good working relations with Finland and Ottoman Empire, both potential enemies of Russia, and, in the latter case, Byzantium as well. Yet both of these countries were periphereal. France needed good forward positions that would either consume the initial Russian blow, either allow a strike straight for the heart. So did Russia, and if von Barkenburg's efforts were to result in success Russia was going to get forward positions in Central Europe. That needed to be prevented, or, at least, countered. The significance of French efforts to meet the former goal are unclear, although it is doubtless that they had at least some role to play in the Dunkelheitian Restoration. As for countering...
France was the traditional ally of the Augsburg League. In fact, if not for France, that League would never have been formed, or, at least, would not have survived for more than five years. Yet times changed. On one hand, the Augsburg League has grown more ambitious, and as the Krakow Union was distracted in the east it has struck out against both Brunswick and the Holy League of Italy - neither of which were French allies a while ago, admittedly, but since the fall of Spain neither of them were French enemies. As a matter of fact, the Holy League of Italy had, in 1747, signed an accord with the Kingdom of France, which among other things included a clause of military alliance. In blissful ignorance, King Friedrich I of Bavaria, head of the Augsburg League, had continued his two-front war. France felt obliged to deal with him once and for all, if only because of the Paris-Rome Accord, but in truth also because, what ever be the outcome of the Eastern Great War, France needed to take Western Germany. Allies were too unreliable to be allowed the control of this vital region.
In the beginning of the year, the Augsburgers continued their onslaught. Recovering from past defeats, they had routed the disintegrating Brunswickian army at Halberstadt and marched into the city of Brunswick itself, just after the government fled for Bremen. In the south, however, things went much worse. A fighting retreat northwards has mostly succeeded despite Papal pursuit, but a hasty assault on Venice had, as usual, failed badly. The Augsburgers, however, defeated an attempted Papal crossing of the Po, and as new artillery was being brought in plans were made for a second assault on Venice when the French struck out.
First, the French destroyed the remnants of Brunswick with scarcely a shot being fired, the king abdicating without a fight and a Bourbon-ruled Principality of Hannover being set up as a part of the greater Kingdom of France. That was in name only, ofcourse, as a good half of the ex-kingdom, including the cities of Brunswick and Hannover themselves, were still held by the Augsburgers. Now the French concentrated on their former allies, though, and soon enough great victories were scored. At Hannover, the forward Augsburger forces were forced into retreat, and the rest were routed as well further south, at Detmold. As the Augsburgers fell back, they were once more defeated at Gottingen, where the last of their northern forces had surrendered. Augsburg League itself came under attack from both the west and the north. Frantic attempts to stop the French advance only resulted in a succesful Papal crossing of the Po River and the rout of Augsburgers at Treviso. Defeat after defeat came, and soon the once-mighty army of the Augsburg League was shattered and the country was put under military occupation, its king a French prisoner of war. France has prevailed and extended eastwards, but this, in truth, was probably a mere preamble. Besides, it paled in comparison with events to the east.
For in the meantime, a Friedrich von Dunkelheit, the half-French (sic!) son of Josef, had suddenly emerged and, with the open or clandestine support of the Senate and much of the military, staged a coup d'etat. Stunned by the vast forces arranged against him, von Barkenburg at first tried to arrest the Senate and Friedrich von Dunkelheit, but as more and more of the army joined up against him and as his orders were pretty much ignored, he tried to flee but was assassinated in Cottbus, as were what few significant supporters he had left. The Guard of the Grand Chancellary has soon allowed for Friedrich von Dunkelheit to take over.
Yet his situation was hardly a good one. While the country was in the process of changing government yet again, the Russians pressed on. The Northern Army secured Warsaw after a particularily heavy pounding was followed up by a minor Russophile rising which allowed the Russians to break into the devastated city. The Southern Army, in the meantime, kept bombarding Budapest which was also on the brink of collapse. Krakowian forces only barely fell back from Ukraine into Romania, and even then a few of the irreplaceable divisions were intercepted and forced to surrender. Something needed to be done urgently. And something was done - new defense lines were set up, bridges over the Vistula were destroyed, and Feldmarschall Franz I, the head of the GotGC, struck out from Romania into Transylvania, linking up with some forces there while the core of the Russian army was distracted around Budapest and then striking out towards Lemberg/Lvov. However, they were repulsed from there by the large Russian garrison in Galicia, and soon had to fall back after creating a noticeable distraction and diverting some Russian forces to the Romanian theatre. This, however, was only one part of the young Dunkelheit's plan. The distracted Russians were unable to react properly to a new offensive that pushed the outnumbered and badly-positioned Russian forces from Transdanubian regions. A supply route towards Budapest was established. The garrison of Krakow surrendered to the Russians... only to attack them when they entered the city, though the Russians were too careful and avoided being trapped within, instead securing the suburbs and eventually taking over the entirety of the city. Meanwhile, Swedish soldiers in Pommerania were forced to retreat eastwards, and were only saved by their allies who had pushed back the Krakowian forces. For a while it seemed as if the turning point was there.
Then the city of Budapest surrendered. For real this time. The food was not enough, the people were simply too tired of fighting and the army favoured a retreat, from the Pest portion of the city at least (Buda, being west of the Danube, indeed was soon reoccupied, so this was not a decisive surrender). Krakow was occupied. Last Krakowian forces retreated across the Vistula; there, like on the Danube, all the bridges were burned down. The war stalemated, as the Russians were unable to cross the Vistula or the Danube, or to force the central Krakowian fortifications... for now. But on the other hand, they stomped down on all the resistance behind their lines, and eventually also recaptured Romania. Feldmarschall Franz I and his remaining forces tried to break through the Byzantine territory, and succeeded at first, but was eventually surrounded in Serbia just south of Belgrade near which he had hoped to rejoin with the main Krakowian forces and had to surrender after a furious battle.
And meanwhile, as Russian supplies and gains were consolidated, preparation commenced for a final offensive to break the increasingly overstrained Krakowians...
NPC Diplo:
From: Chilean Rebels
To: EUA
We will join you if we are allowed to retain a greater amount of local autonomy and military support against the Platines.
OOC:
[1] Porto Jose=Port Harcourt.
A reminder - eco. centers can be used by whoever holds them at the BEGINNING of the turn, before both the treaties go into effect and the campaigns take place.
das
Regeneration In Process
das
Regeneration In Process
Sadly I lost it and will only be able to finish it a few days from now. If you see the update and the map in my two previous posts, you probably should go see a doctor because you are having a horribly persistant hallucination.
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