Disenfrancised
Beep Beep
I may have gone OTT with the Spotlight...
Update 3 – 1833: Cool and Unsympathetic
Non-Military Events
The Fourth Gayanashagowa/Dominion of Canada continues its northward spread nearly as fast as things commenced last year, only slowing to invest in the new territories infrastructure. With government investment the city of New Portsmouth [1] will soon become a major economic city based on exports from the northern territories to the pacific. There is now a definite border between the Irish and Canadian Greenland territories but it remains peaceful for now as the two colonial groups expand to the east and west respectively.
The Louisine Empire awakes from its long slumber as the emperor decides to enact a number of, well not so much radical, but certainly very dynamic reforms. Firstly to the surprise and shock of most of the French portions of the nation the ever troublesome Mexicans are granted local autonomy, their own capital, parliament and regional defense force, and the Emperor is declared King of Mexico (loss of confidence by the French is balanced by gain of Spanish confidence). Naturally these concessions only kindle the separatist Mexican fires but it is unlikely any action will be taken till they explore the new bounds of their freedom (-1 Culture). The government also undertakes a number of land redistribution measures – breaking up large estates in the north in favour of small tenants, and merging small farms into large estates in the south; these measures prove profitable, but alienate rich and poor alike (+1 Economy, -1 Confidence). Attempts to purchase large numbers of slaves from the Portuguese fail for the moment as the slave trade has fallen somewhat lax during the past half century with the large amounts of cheap European labour available, but possibly the Portuguese could be persuaded to expand the supply. Gold is found in the Californian hills, but investment is needed to make it profitable.
Polls in the American Central American territories indicate that the Mosquito Coast and Panama regions are willing to be admitted to statehood with some 50-65% in favour of the move. Attempts to expand raw material extraction in Africa is met with stiff competition from the Hispaniolian Kiskeya Company who’s location and control over Colombia’s exports give it a competitive advantage.
Speaking of Hispaniola this growth of the company and generous investment spurs the increased heavy industrialization of the nation, as does the gain of various Portuguese territories in the Caribbean (+1 Economy, +Puerto Plata Economy Centre, -1 Living Standards). The growing wealth of the people and the addition of citizens used to the considerably more fair and efficient Portuguese colonial government creates a rallying cry for reform of the Oligarchic Hispaniolian junta (-1 Confidence).
The Monies from Hispaniola are not spent so far by the Portuguese-Brazilians, but they do make a purchase of their own in assisting the Venetians to buy Naples and Sicily from Spain for quite a large sum. Spain invests this money well and on Portuguese advice begins construction of a fortified line on the Ebro and the Venetians are very happy to get the Italian lands back (+1 Venetian Confidence).
In Africa the Americans decide to rest and digest their gains, allowing the Portuguese to reach out and engulf the American colony at the mouth of the Ogooue and the Guinea colony. The Australasians continue their irresistible march to the north, and the minor European powers make some underfunded gains in West Africa.
The completion of the Great university of Dublin soon pushes Ireland to the forefront of the European academic establishment and many students from Scotland, the SUB and France soon pour in. In other matters the Scottish finally leave Iceland all together and the Irish expand their claims to the abandoned coasts.
The Scottish government’s long running plans come to fruition when extensive spending results in Glasgow’s heavy industry and Trondheim fisheries becoming profitable ventures (+Glasgow EC, + Trondheim EC). However this prosperity may be fleeting as government advisors warn that Scotland, with a population of just over a million cannot support any further army growth without severe economic problems.
A new leader has arisen to the position of Consul in the French republic, and is well loved by the people despite his Prussian ancestry. The army has been fully reformed and modernized as is perhaps the most powerful military force in the world and only waits for the firm guidance of a great leader. The guidance that von Dunkelheit seems willing to provide (see military events)
The Prussian doctrines regarding preserving valuable farmland has meant that the Polish heartlands were quickly brought into service of the Reich (+ Warsaw Economy Centre).
The Republic of Novgorod has entered perhaps its darkest time, but there is still hope as the refugees from Poland and Moscow allow the farms and industry around Novgorod to reach full production as the Rise of Novgorod project completes, as well as temporally alleviating Novgorod’s manpower problems for the army.
Tsarist Russia is beginning to suffer manpower difficulties as well as the army and navy are almost doubled, however the fanatical support of the Tsar and the productivity increase cased by promises of emancipation for the serfs manage to stop the economy from collapsing completely, but the chokehold of its enemies as Kalmykistan joins the war still causes damage (-1 Economy). The battle for the Fatherland raises some patriotic fever in the Russians (+10 irregular divisions)
The khan decides to rename his lands the ‘Kingdom of the Kalmya’. Many believe this may be a drunken joke as that is want ‘Kalmykistan’ means basically and quietly go on with their lives.
The warring factions in southern India sign peace this year with the treaty of Hyderabad, though the Nizamate loses a great deal of face over the loss of nearly half its territory (-1 Nizamate Confidence), as does the Greater Dominion of Australasia and South Africa for basically acquiescing to a defeat to the Marathas in the eyes of the public and the military (-2 GDASA Confidence), in what they feel would have been an easily winnable war. The Marathas are naturally pretty pleased with themselves for the victory (+1 Marathas Confidence), but not everything goes their way as the business-wise, if militarily unskilled Nizam has kept control of the Godavari River trade and completely stripped the city of Kakinada and filled in its harbour (-Kakinada Economy centre) and relocated everything and the Nizamate’s Trade fleets to Rajahmundry, which, with the help of the Australasians quickly took Kakinada’s place in the Bay of Bengal trade routes (+Rajahmundry Economy Centre).
A strange sickness seems to be running through the Far East and the leaders of Xin Ming China, Qing Manchuria and the Empire of Japan do diddlysquat this year.
The Australasians continue to develop their core territories.
Military Events
Colonial expansion continues, the Portuguese adoption of tactics of overwhelming force similar to those used by the Australians means that only small losses to disease are made.
-1 Recife Corps Division
A surprising turn of events occurs when the GDASA patrols out of Capetown encounter a large US fleet attempted to turn the Cape. Without sufficient forces to engage the superior Australasian ships shadow the Americans whilst awaiting reinforcements. But to their relief the US was not interested in Australasian land, but was instead intending to strike at the Ottomans! The war that had begun on the plains of Eastern Europe was stretching the length and breadth of the world! The US forces and their skilled new marine core quickly set on the weakly defended Ottoman East Africa, however losses were high due to the entrenched defenders, diseases and the invaders being somewhat undersupplied for such a long range mission. However superior weaponry and overwhelming numbers carried the day and the coast from Maputo to Mogadishu was soon in American hands. Deciding they hand secured what they could the Americans then dug in whilst the Ottomans regrouped at the horn of Africa. American cavalry raids into Ethiopia and Sudan are assisting in the destabilization of the area, and American losses to disease continue to this day. The future of the American presence will greatly depend on the Australasian decision about this intrusion into what is widely recognized as their sphere of influence, as they have now assembled forces nearby which could crush the isolated American positions in a week if they choose.
(-4 Ottoman Divisions, -2 Ottoman Squadrons, -5 Ottoman irregular divisions, -2 USMC, -7 US Divisions)
The Persian lands under Ottoman rule take advantage of the reduction in their garrison to erupt into bloody chaos, no clear leaders or organization has emerged yet, but indications are that some of the Muslim princes’ driven out by the Peshwa’s reforms are masterminding some of the chaos particularly in Karachi.
(-2 Ottoman Divisions)
Europe enters total war (see Spotlight)
(2 Economy from Prussia to France, 1 Economy from Prussia to Scotland, +1 French, Scottish, Kalmyk Confidence, -1 Prussian, Polish, Novgorodian, Ottoman, Venetian, Russian Confidence)
(+5 Novgorodian Irregular divisions, +5 tsarist irregular Divisions, +20 Prussian Irregular Divisions, +15 Kalmyk Irregular divisions, +4 Venetian Irregular divisions, +10 Tsarist Conscript Divisions)
(-4 Novgorodian Divisions, -12 Ski Trooper Divisions, -4 Novgorodian Irregular Divisions, -3 Arkhangelsk Divisions, -1 Arkhangelsk irregular divisions, -1 Finnish Divisions, -1 Finnish Irregular Division, -19 Polish Divisions, -4 Polish Irregular Divisions, -24 Tsarist Divisions, -3 Letuchiye Eskadroni Divisions, -5 Tsarist Conscript Divisions, -22 Tsarist Irregular Divisions, -6 Tsarist Squadrons, -5 Zaporozhschinan Divisions -16 Prussian Divisions, -5 Sturmtruppen divisions, -10 Prussian Irregular divisions, -9 French Divisions, -4 Scottish Divisions, -2 Highland Regiment Divisions, -34 Ottoman Divisions, -1 Ottoman Irregular divisions, -14 Ottoman Squadrons -5 Kalmyk Divisions, - 7 Kalmyk Irregular divisions, -6 Venetian Divisions, -1 Venetian Irregular Division, -7 Venetian Squadrons)
With the peace treaty signed with Australasia and the Nizamate, the Confederacy turned its attention to its old ally the kingdom of Mysore; wracked by a civil war as brother fought brother for the crown and Venetian merchants plotted in the background. Not wishing to arouse the suspicions of the vastly superior Venetian fleet the Marathas ‘snuck’; if such a term can be used for the movement of over a quarter of a million men into the northern portions of Mysore and liaised with the loyalist commanders that had been holding the Nizamate border in the north. Striking quickly they took the Venetians something by surprise, but crossing the western hilly regions slowed their attack enough for the Venetians to respond – and unfortunately for the Marathas they had strongly fortified their holdings fearing a Mysore loyalist attack. After a month of fruitlessly trying to assault the principle Venetian city of Karwar with the Venetians hiding behind their defenses and artillery the Confederates gave up and marched through the northern part of the Venetian territories, though the Venetian fleet and mobile forces hindered them along the way. Once that was complete the vast numbers of Marathas troops, undersupplied as they were in this war torn land marched through the central lands of the kingdom, and crushing the rebel and Venetian inland forces eventually relieving the siege of the capital itself by the rebel forces. Routed now, the last rebels fled for the Venetian held city of Madras which the Marathas commanders, learning the lessons of Karwar decided merely to encircle and cut off from the inlands…though the Venetian fleet could keep things supplied indefinitely. With reinforcements now arriving from Africa to relieve the Venetian positions the Marathas decided to launch one last surprise attack on the southern Venetian holdings near Trichur and then sat back and absorbed the Venetian counterthrusts with their vast amounts of manpower. In October after the Navaratra festival the second son of the old Wodeyar King was crowned King Krishnaraja of Mysore under the watchful eyes of the Marathas Princes.
(-2 Mysore divisions, -6 Mysore irregular divisions, -4 Venetian Divisions, -7 Venetian Irregular divisions, -16 Marathas Divisions, -3 Imperial Guard Divisions)
Random Events
The Novgorod-Tsarist war enters the spiritual playing field as a Novgorodian monk uses biblical calculations to proclaim the tsar the anti-Christ himself! The people are somewhat bemused by this, but the other anti-tsarist propaganda work very well, and there is talk of Finland and the Arkhangelskites becoming official parts of the republic (+1 Confidence, +1 Culture).
An outpouring of poetry and literature over the heroic defence against the Turks unifies and encourages the Russian people, and certain...manuverings keep anyone who might protest silent (+2 Confidence, +1 Culture)
Spotlight: The Bloodbath of Europe.
“ah springtime; the season that gives everyone the energy to go out and really be nasty to each other again” Jack O’Brian, Irish Historian 1833
The war went by many names in the various countries of the combatants as it begun, but over the course of the year 1833 it gradually became known to one and all as the ‘Tsarist War’, mainly for brevity over the competing names. What had begun 3 years ago as a squabble between separatists and rebels in a small Ukrainian city has since expanded to cover first the entirety of old Russia, then most of Europe, what will the future hold? Will the bloodbath of Europe paint the world red?
The end of 1832 left the focus of the war firmly placed on the plains of eastern Poland; if the Prussians and the Tsarists could win there then Novgorod would be crushed within months and full attention could be turned to the Ottomans in the south. The Prussians had reached as far as Lake Peipus, the Russians were massing on the polish border and Novgorod itself lay only a few hundred miles from the battle lines. But the hope for an easy victory alas would die in the miles of fortifications around Lvov.
Winter; North Western Front
The Prussians launched a multidirectional offensive out from the regions they control into the Baltic pocket, south into Poland and east into Novgorod, while at the same time the Russians attacked the polish lines from the south, eventually a breach was made somewhere near the village of Korets as a a battalion of Sturmtruppen brought down a Polish fort whilst the Russian cavalry cut off reinforcements. The allies now linked up and were able to begin destroying the Polish defensive line only the city of Lvov was able to hold out due to its vast granaries. At the same time the Prussian advanced into Latvia; Riga quickly falling while Konigsberg held out behind a maze of trenches. The Russians and Prussians now joined up and launched an assault towards Smolensk; they made good progress, too good progress. And in a February snowfall the northerners trap was sprung as the entire Novgorod army and the Polish who were not trapped in Lvov moved on a counterattack; the Novgorod ski troopers or ‘White Ghosts’ as some called them covering ground faster than the Prussians and Russians would have expected. They were able to push back the intruders greatly and even managed to encircle and cut off the combined forces moving towards Smolensk, and pushed the Russians back nearly to the old Ukrainian border. However the land began to thaw, and the White Ghosts mobility soon fell back to that of conventional troops and the Russians and the Prussians began to march back.
Winter; North Eastern front
The Russian forces moved with celerity; taking advantage of the fact at all of Arkhangelsk defenders were away and quickly advanced north, slowed only by the winter weather, soon reaching the old Novgorod border.
Winter; Southern Front
The tsarist reorganise their southern front into a unified command structure under the command of the old marshal Rudolf von Dunkelheit and deploy against the Turks in three main groups, with light raids testing the Turkish defenses whilst a new fleet is feverishly being constructed in Azov. The Turks for their part resupply and reinforce their landing areas and did not attempt to make any gains till the spring thaw.
Spring; North Western Front
With the advantage of winter lost the Baltic alliance began to fall further and further back, the Konigsberg siege was renewed and the Prussians and Russians were on the verge of reaching the ‘pocket’ of troops outside Smolensk, once more all seemed lost…when suddenly the Baltic patrols were only fighting Russians, and actually starting to win engagements the siege of Konigsberg was lifted, although Riga was firmly entrenched by Prussians and resupplied by sea – to tough a nut for the Baltic alliance to crack. The Russians fell back under the Baltic onslaughts and the Smolensk pocket was once more firmly entrapped…it was a miracle for the Baltic soldiers – but what had happened to the Germans?
Spring; Far Western Front
For as it turns out the Germans were having problems of their own – the Republic of France, for some reason decided to strike against the Prussians; maybe to promote the cause of democracy and liberal values in the world, maybe to remove their eastern threat, or maybe simply to test the strength of their new army. Whatever the reason was in early spring the French crossed into western regions of Germany with possibly the strongest and best trained single military force in the world. The three great army grounds brushed away the border guards with ease and began to strike east with only irregular militias and small garrisons to stop them. France was not the only of Prussia’s worries for the Scottish also attacked – late in March the Scottish fleet slipped into the Kattegat and landed on the island of Zealand. With far fewer men than the French axe the Scottish rapier however concentrated its energies to a fine point and the island was within their hands after only three days. The Scottish now waited for the Prussian fleet to attempt to evict them; attempts that ultimately failed thought the shallow waters of the ‘Cats arsehole’ proved somewhat troublesome for the Scottish sailors.
Spring; North Eastern Front
The Russians continued their rampage all over Arkhangelsk, even laying siege to the city itself and launching raids deep into Novgorod territory, but the Scottish supply ships from Norway keep the city going and forces redeploying from the western front of Novgorod were able to eventual curb the Russian offensives.
Spring; Southern Front
This was it – the Russian counteroffensives began at last as a three pronged assault began to stab into the dark heart of the Turk as the brave defenders of the fatherland, soldier and volunteer alike march to keep his aggression at bay…or so the Russians say anyway. The Turkish incursion on the Dneipr was gradually pushed back to the mouth of the river and after a month of back and forth battle in the swampy marshlands the Turks finally decided to give up and deploy their energies elsewhere – evacuating their troops via ship in good order. The Turks on the Caucasian coast were similarly moved swiftly away when the largest of the Russian counter attack armies pushed it back but from their things got steadily worse for the Russians as despite the support of the Georgians this was where the Turkish defence was strongest and ambitious plans to push into Mesopotamia were shelved for now and in mid-April the Tabriz pocket was finally truly surrounded and fell. An attempt to evict the force on the Ural River also proved troublesome as the Turks were massing vast numbers of troops there, presumable for an attack on the Russian capital itself! Though why they had not attacked was mystery – if they did not move soon then autumn would make movement difficult again.
Summer; North Western Front
The summer found this front mainly static, the Baltic alliance was running low on supplies and too busy pushing the Russians back in Novgorod and Arkhangelsk to have the manpower to move the dug in Prussian positions, and the German manpower was diverted elsewhere. A daring polish attempt to break out form Lvov and reconnect with the main armies was put down by Russians moving up from the now closed Dneipr theatre, however every Russian reinforcement was countered by a German being sent west and the Tsarists could not hold any gains.
Summer; Far Western Front
The French pushed inexorably on, slowed somewhat by the quite bad road networks of Prussia and the numbers of proper German soldiers returning from the east. However on June fifth the French finally reached the Elbe. Jutland had been cut off and was left to starve whilst the Scottish and French fleets enforced a blockade. The Scottish facing a quite atrocious supply situation decided to ignore Jutland for now and push on into Scaneland to give a tactical superiority on the Baltic. Having quickly over run German Norway the Scots advance in the boggy terrain of southern Sweden was slow and the lack of supplies hampered it further. In the meantime the French laid siege to the major cities on the Elbe including the German capital. Most of the cities fell with a week or two. The Prussians desperately constructed fortifications on the east of the Elbe in an attempt to hold off the French.
Summer; North Eastern Front
The Novgorod reinforcements finally managed to reopen a land route to Arkhangelsk and the supplies the Scottish were bringing in, and slowly and painfully the Russians were being pushed from the north. A few rebellions in Pro-Novgorodian cities were quickly put down by a some of the famed Letuchiye Eskadroni in a rather brutal manner, and things soon quieted down after that.
Summer; Black Sea
The newly rebuilt Russian fleet streamed out from the straits of Kerch and engaged the Ottomans with a great deal of gusto but little actual training. However much to the commander’s surprise they manage to beat the Turks back from the Russian coasts where they have been threatening to reinvade and tying down troops, and soon the Turks are rushing for Anatolia – it seems the Baltic alliance is not the only group with more cards to play.
Summer; Mediterranean and Balkans
For it seems their old allies the Venetians have somehow been persuaded to attack the Turks which they do so on many fronts. Firstly the Venetians defeat the Turkish fleet in several key locations in the Mediterranean, the red sea and the Persian Gulf and are soon pressing deep into the Aegean, where Greek rebels and marine landings quickly give the Venetians completely control and pushing the Turks back into the sea of Marmara. However on the land the Venetians don’t do quite so well, pushing into the Slavic lands of the Balkans (with a few northern cities oddly declaring themselves for the Hungarians) and pushing into towards Thrace before being stopped cold by experienced Turkish troops from the battle on the Dneipr. If anything their incursion into Palestine goes even worse with a woefully small incursion being beaten back by the Mesopotamian garrison and confined to a small area around Gaza. At first it seemed as if the Hungarians would join the war on the Russian side, but when word reached them of French troops besieging the Elbe they quite firmly declared their neutrality.
Summer; Eastern Steppes
It was summer when the Ottomans finally launched their attack from the secure positions round the Urals – and it was soon apparent why; the Khan of Kalmykistan had gathered his troops and outriders (+15 Irregular divisions) and struck west in support of the Ottomans. The northern horde swept deep into the Urals raiding the villages the Russians had worked so hard to build, the southern joining with the Ottomans to sweep across the southern steppes. The Tsarists mobilised all their reserves and began conscripting men on the Volga cities (+10 Conscript divisions) and moved to meet the Barbarian horde. The battles raged on for several weeks, and indeed the entire steppes between the Volga and the Ural could be considered one vast battle field of cavalry charge and swarm, thrust and counterthrust. Eventually however the Russians losses were to great and they had to leave the field to the Turks and the Kalmyks and retreated across the Volga with their enemies in hot pursuit. However on the Volga the line held…for now and from Tsaritsyn the camp fires of their enemies can be seen.
Autumn; North Western Front
As the year draws to a close the worsening weather turns the advantage towards the defender and the various factions began to settle down in what they had won though one last push by the Smolensk pocket forces was beaten back with significant losses by the Novgorodians – however that army had exhausted its supplies and were being forced to suck the land dry…and the land was never very rich to begin with – the onset of winter will see starvation or worse here. A situation mirrored by the defenders of Lvov who have been holding out for almost a year and a half by now. However as winter comes on the skiing skills of the Novgorodian troopers come into play again as a number of daring raids were mounted to harass the Prussians. Of course the other question is who will feed all the polish refugees into Novgorod as the Novgorodians barely have enough winter supplies for their own people…
Autumn; Far Western Front
The only Prussian city still standing west of the Elbe is the capital and that is merely due to the Prussians pouring troops across the river daily to go and face the French guns, though as winter draws on the activity does not seem completely futile – if the Prussians can hold out long enough to build a second line of defences they might just make it, and with the rich polish agricultural and industrial lands in their hands they are not lacking for food or supplies. Scotland is getting literally bogged down in Sweden and it is only the skill of their elite highland regiments that prevented a major defeat by a Prussian Sturmtruppen army that deployed to Sweden. However their chokehold over Baltic Commerce is going to cause major problems for Prussia in the future.
Autumn; North Eastern Front
The Tsarists move troops south to combat the menace on the Volga, and the Novgorod troops (using ski towards the end of winter) take advantage of this to push them back to the old Novgorod border for the most part and free up some manoeuvring room around Arkhangelsk.
Autumn; South Eastern Front
The Ottomans and their Kalmyk mercenaries are ranging as far north as Perm and the defences on the Volga are holding by only the slimmest of threads…and often snap but each incursion is pushed back. Eventual however the Russian reserves and troops redeployed from the Arkhangelsk and Dneiprian theatres finally give the Tsarist the numbers they need to begin to clear the steppes, First the north is reclaimed then a daring push to liberate Orsk threatens to encircle and cut off the forces on the Volga plain in the next year.
Autumn: Black Sea and the Balkans
Fierce Turkish resistance prevents any further gains by the Venetians and they soon begin to be forced back.
Autumn: African Front
With the their control over the red sea complete the Venetians begin to push into the Sudan make significant gains…mainly as the region descends into chaos as the Ottoman troops prepare for a last stand against the Venetians.
Notes
[1] OTL Portland
@Azale: Advancing a Project by 2 turns requires 3 EP, not 2 so I put the extraneous EP towards the Spanish deal (when they protested over you not paying the 2 EP you promised)
Update 3 – 1833: Cool and Unsympathetic
Non-Military Events
The Fourth Gayanashagowa/Dominion of Canada continues its northward spread nearly as fast as things commenced last year, only slowing to invest in the new territories infrastructure. With government investment the city of New Portsmouth [1] will soon become a major economic city based on exports from the northern territories to the pacific. There is now a definite border between the Irish and Canadian Greenland territories but it remains peaceful for now as the two colonial groups expand to the east and west respectively.
The Louisine Empire awakes from its long slumber as the emperor decides to enact a number of, well not so much radical, but certainly very dynamic reforms. Firstly to the surprise and shock of most of the French portions of the nation the ever troublesome Mexicans are granted local autonomy, their own capital, parliament and regional defense force, and the Emperor is declared King of Mexico (loss of confidence by the French is balanced by gain of Spanish confidence). Naturally these concessions only kindle the separatist Mexican fires but it is unlikely any action will be taken till they explore the new bounds of their freedom (-1 Culture). The government also undertakes a number of land redistribution measures – breaking up large estates in the north in favour of small tenants, and merging small farms into large estates in the south; these measures prove profitable, but alienate rich and poor alike (+1 Economy, -1 Confidence). Attempts to purchase large numbers of slaves from the Portuguese fail for the moment as the slave trade has fallen somewhat lax during the past half century with the large amounts of cheap European labour available, but possibly the Portuguese could be persuaded to expand the supply. Gold is found in the Californian hills, but investment is needed to make it profitable.
Polls in the American Central American territories indicate that the Mosquito Coast and Panama regions are willing to be admitted to statehood with some 50-65% in favour of the move. Attempts to expand raw material extraction in Africa is met with stiff competition from the Hispaniolian Kiskeya Company who’s location and control over Colombia’s exports give it a competitive advantage.
Speaking of Hispaniola this growth of the company and generous investment spurs the increased heavy industrialization of the nation, as does the gain of various Portuguese territories in the Caribbean (+1 Economy, +Puerto Plata Economy Centre, -1 Living Standards). The growing wealth of the people and the addition of citizens used to the considerably more fair and efficient Portuguese colonial government creates a rallying cry for reform of the Oligarchic Hispaniolian junta (-1 Confidence).
The Monies from Hispaniola are not spent so far by the Portuguese-Brazilians, but they do make a purchase of their own in assisting the Venetians to buy Naples and Sicily from Spain for quite a large sum. Spain invests this money well and on Portuguese advice begins construction of a fortified line on the Ebro and the Venetians are very happy to get the Italian lands back (+1 Venetian Confidence).
In Africa the Americans decide to rest and digest their gains, allowing the Portuguese to reach out and engulf the American colony at the mouth of the Ogooue and the Guinea colony. The Australasians continue their irresistible march to the north, and the minor European powers make some underfunded gains in West Africa.
The completion of the Great university of Dublin soon pushes Ireland to the forefront of the European academic establishment and many students from Scotland, the SUB and France soon pour in. In other matters the Scottish finally leave Iceland all together and the Irish expand their claims to the abandoned coasts.
The Scottish government’s long running plans come to fruition when extensive spending results in Glasgow’s heavy industry and Trondheim fisheries becoming profitable ventures (+Glasgow EC, + Trondheim EC). However this prosperity may be fleeting as government advisors warn that Scotland, with a population of just over a million cannot support any further army growth without severe economic problems.
A new leader has arisen to the position of Consul in the French republic, and is well loved by the people despite his Prussian ancestry. The army has been fully reformed and modernized as is perhaps the most powerful military force in the world and only waits for the firm guidance of a great leader. The guidance that von Dunkelheit seems willing to provide (see military events)
The Prussian doctrines regarding preserving valuable farmland has meant that the Polish heartlands were quickly brought into service of the Reich (+ Warsaw Economy Centre).
The Republic of Novgorod has entered perhaps its darkest time, but there is still hope as the refugees from Poland and Moscow allow the farms and industry around Novgorod to reach full production as the Rise of Novgorod project completes, as well as temporally alleviating Novgorod’s manpower problems for the army.
Tsarist Russia is beginning to suffer manpower difficulties as well as the army and navy are almost doubled, however the fanatical support of the Tsar and the productivity increase cased by promises of emancipation for the serfs manage to stop the economy from collapsing completely, but the chokehold of its enemies as Kalmykistan joins the war still causes damage (-1 Economy). The battle for the Fatherland raises some patriotic fever in the Russians (+10 irregular divisions)
The khan decides to rename his lands the ‘Kingdom of the Kalmya’. Many believe this may be a drunken joke as that is want ‘Kalmykistan’ means basically and quietly go on with their lives.
The warring factions in southern India sign peace this year with the treaty of Hyderabad, though the Nizamate loses a great deal of face over the loss of nearly half its territory (-1 Nizamate Confidence), as does the Greater Dominion of Australasia and South Africa for basically acquiescing to a defeat to the Marathas in the eyes of the public and the military (-2 GDASA Confidence), in what they feel would have been an easily winnable war. The Marathas are naturally pretty pleased with themselves for the victory (+1 Marathas Confidence), but not everything goes their way as the business-wise, if militarily unskilled Nizam has kept control of the Godavari River trade and completely stripped the city of Kakinada and filled in its harbour (-Kakinada Economy centre) and relocated everything and the Nizamate’s Trade fleets to Rajahmundry, which, with the help of the Australasians quickly took Kakinada’s place in the Bay of Bengal trade routes (+Rajahmundry Economy Centre).
A strange sickness seems to be running through the Far East and the leaders of Xin Ming China, Qing Manchuria and the Empire of Japan do diddlysquat this year.
The Australasians continue to develop their core territories.
Military Events
Colonial expansion continues, the Portuguese adoption of tactics of overwhelming force similar to those used by the Australians means that only small losses to disease are made.
-1 Recife Corps Division
A surprising turn of events occurs when the GDASA patrols out of Capetown encounter a large US fleet attempted to turn the Cape. Without sufficient forces to engage the superior Australasian ships shadow the Americans whilst awaiting reinforcements. But to their relief the US was not interested in Australasian land, but was instead intending to strike at the Ottomans! The war that had begun on the plains of Eastern Europe was stretching the length and breadth of the world! The US forces and their skilled new marine core quickly set on the weakly defended Ottoman East Africa, however losses were high due to the entrenched defenders, diseases and the invaders being somewhat undersupplied for such a long range mission. However superior weaponry and overwhelming numbers carried the day and the coast from Maputo to Mogadishu was soon in American hands. Deciding they hand secured what they could the Americans then dug in whilst the Ottomans regrouped at the horn of Africa. American cavalry raids into Ethiopia and Sudan are assisting in the destabilization of the area, and American losses to disease continue to this day. The future of the American presence will greatly depend on the Australasian decision about this intrusion into what is widely recognized as their sphere of influence, as they have now assembled forces nearby which could crush the isolated American positions in a week if they choose.
(-4 Ottoman Divisions, -2 Ottoman Squadrons, -5 Ottoman irregular divisions, -2 USMC, -7 US Divisions)
The Persian lands under Ottoman rule take advantage of the reduction in their garrison to erupt into bloody chaos, no clear leaders or organization has emerged yet, but indications are that some of the Muslim princes’ driven out by the Peshwa’s reforms are masterminding some of the chaos particularly in Karachi.
(-2 Ottoman Divisions)
Europe enters total war (see Spotlight)
(2 Economy from Prussia to France, 1 Economy from Prussia to Scotland, +1 French, Scottish, Kalmyk Confidence, -1 Prussian, Polish, Novgorodian, Ottoman, Venetian, Russian Confidence)
(+5 Novgorodian Irregular divisions, +5 tsarist irregular Divisions, +20 Prussian Irregular Divisions, +15 Kalmyk Irregular divisions, +4 Venetian Irregular divisions, +10 Tsarist Conscript Divisions)
(-4 Novgorodian Divisions, -12 Ski Trooper Divisions, -4 Novgorodian Irregular Divisions, -3 Arkhangelsk Divisions, -1 Arkhangelsk irregular divisions, -1 Finnish Divisions, -1 Finnish Irregular Division, -19 Polish Divisions, -4 Polish Irregular Divisions, -24 Tsarist Divisions, -3 Letuchiye Eskadroni Divisions, -5 Tsarist Conscript Divisions, -22 Tsarist Irregular Divisions, -6 Tsarist Squadrons, -5 Zaporozhschinan Divisions -16 Prussian Divisions, -5 Sturmtruppen divisions, -10 Prussian Irregular divisions, -9 French Divisions, -4 Scottish Divisions, -2 Highland Regiment Divisions, -34 Ottoman Divisions, -1 Ottoman Irregular divisions, -14 Ottoman Squadrons -5 Kalmyk Divisions, - 7 Kalmyk Irregular divisions, -6 Venetian Divisions, -1 Venetian Irregular Division, -7 Venetian Squadrons)
With the peace treaty signed with Australasia and the Nizamate, the Confederacy turned its attention to its old ally the kingdom of Mysore; wracked by a civil war as brother fought brother for the crown and Venetian merchants plotted in the background. Not wishing to arouse the suspicions of the vastly superior Venetian fleet the Marathas ‘snuck’; if such a term can be used for the movement of over a quarter of a million men into the northern portions of Mysore and liaised with the loyalist commanders that had been holding the Nizamate border in the north. Striking quickly they took the Venetians something by surprise, but crossing the western hilly regions slowed their attack enough for the Venetians to respond – and unfortunately for the Marathas they had strongly fortified their holdings fearing a Mysore loyalist attack. After a month of fruitlessly trying to assault the principle Venetian city of Karwar with the Venetians hiding behind their defenses and artillery the Confederates gave up and marched through the northern part of the Venetian territories, though the Venetian fleet and mobile forces hindered them along the way. Once that was complete the vast numbers of Marathas troops, undersupplied as they were in this war torn land marched through the central lands of the kingdom, and crushing the rebel and Venetian inland forces eventually relieving the siege of the capital itself by the rebel forces. Routed now, the last rebels fled for the Venetian held city of Madras which the Marathas commanders, learning the lessons of Karwar decided merely to encircle and cut off from the inlands…though the Venetian fleet could keep things supplied indefinitely. With reinforcements now arriving from Africa to relieve the Venetian positions the Marathas decided to launch one last surprise attack on the southern Venetian holdings near Trichur and then sat back and absorbed the Venetian counterthrusts with their vast amounts of manpower. In October after the Navaratra festival the second son of the old Wodeyar King was crowned King Krishnaraja of Mysore under the watchful eyes of the Marathas Princes.
(-2 Mysore divisions, -6 Mysore irregular divisions, -4 Venetian Divisions, -7 Venetian Irregular divisions, -16 Marathas Divisions, -3 Imperial Guard Divisions)
Random Events
The Novgorod-Tsarist war enters the spiritual playing field as a Novgorodian monk uses biblical calculations to proclaim the tsar the anti-Christ himself! The people are somewhat bemused by this, but the other anti-tsarist propaganda work very well, and there is talk of Finland and the Arkhangelskites becoming official parts of the republic (+1 Confidence, +1 Culture).
An outpouring of poetry and literature over the heroic defence against the Turks unifies and encourages the Russian people, and certain...manuverings keep anyone who might protest silent (+2 Confidence, +1 Culture)
Spotlight: The Bloodbath of Europe.
“ah springtime; the season that gives everyone the energy to go out and really be nasty to each other again” Jack O’Brian, Irish Historian 1833
The war went by many names in the various countries of the combatants as it begun, but over the course of the year 1833 it gradually became known to one and all as the ‘Tsarist War’, mainly for brevity over the competing names. What had begun 3 years ago as a squabble between separatists and rebels in a small Ukrainian city has since expanded to cover first the entirety of old Russia, then most of Europe, what will the future hold? Will the bloodbath of Europe paint the world red?
The end of 1832 left the focus of the war firmly placed on the plains of eastern Poland; if the Prussians and the Tsarists could win there then Novgorod would be crushed within months and full attention could be turned to the Ottomans in the south. The Prussians had reached as far as Lake Peipus, the Russians were massing on the polish border and Novgorod itself lay only a few hundred miles from the battle lines. But the hope for an easy victory alas would die in the miles of fortifications around Lvov.
Winter; North Western Front
The Prussians launched a multidirectional offensive out from the regions they control into the Baltic pocket, south into Poland and east into Novgorod, while at the same time the Russians attacked the polish lines from the south, eventually a breach was made somewhere near the village of Korets as a a battalion of Sturmtruppen brought down a Polish fort whilst the Russian cavalry cut off reinforcements. The allies now linked up and were able to begin destroying the Polish defensive line only the city of Lvov was able to hold out due to its vast granaries. At the same time the Prussian advanced into Latvia; Riga quickly falling while Konigsberg held out behind a maze of trenches. The Russians and Prussians now joined up and launched an assault towards Smolensk; they made good progress, too good progress. And in a February snowfall the northerners trap was sprung as the entire Novgorod army and the Polish who were not trapped in Lvov moved on a counterattack; the Novgorod ski troopers or ‘White Ghosts’ as some called them covering ground faster than the Prussians and Russians would have expected. They were able to push back the intruders greatly and even managed to encircle and cut off the combined forces moving towards Smolensk, and pushed the Russians back nearly to the old Ukrainian border. However the land began to thaw, and the White Ghosts mobility soon fell back to that of conventional troops and the Russians and the Prussians began to march back.
Winter; North Eastern front
The Russian forces moved with celerity; taking advantage of the fact at all of Arkhangelsk defenders were away and quickly advanced north, slowed only by the winter weather, soon reaching the old Novgorod border.
Winter; Southern Front
The tsarist reorganise their southern front into a unified command structure under the command of the old marshal Rudolf von Dunkelheit and deploy against the Turks in three main groups, with light raids testing the Turkish defenses whilst a new fleet is feverishly being constructed in Azov. The Turks for their part resupply and reinforce their landing areas and did not attempt to make any gains till the spring thaw.
Spring; North Western Front
With the advantage of winter lost the Baltic alliance began to fall further and further back, the Konigsberg siege was renewed and the Prussians and Russians were on the verge of reaching the ‘pocket’ of troops outside Smolensk, once more all seemed lost…when suddenly the Baltic patrols were only fighting Russians, and actually starting to win engagements the siege of Konigsberg was lifted, although Riga was firmly entrenched by Prussians and resupplied by sea – to tough a nut for the Baltic alliance to crack. The Russians fell back under the Baltic onslaughts and the Smolensk pocket was once more firmly entrapped…it was a miracle for the Baltic soldiers – but what had happened to the Germans?
Spring; Far Western Front
For as it turns out the Germans were having problems of their own – the Republic of France, for some reason decided to strike against the Prussians; maybe to promote the cause of democracy and liberal values in the world, maybe to remove their eastern threat, or maybe simply to test the strength of their new army. Whatever the reason was in early spring the French crossed into western regions of Germany with possibly the strongest and best trained single military force in the world. The three great army grounds brushed away the border guards with ease and began to strike east with only irregular militias and small garrisons to stop them. France was not the only of Prussia’s worries for the Scottish also attacked – late in March the Scottish fleet slipped into the Kattegat and landed on the island of Zealand. With far fewer men than the French axe the Scottish rapier however concentrated its energies to a fine point and the island was within their hands after only three days. The Scottish now waited for the Prussian fleet to attempt to evict them; attempts that ultimately failed thought the shallow waters of the ‘Cats arsehole’ proved somewhat troublesome for the Scottish sailors.
Spring; North Eastern Front
The Russians continued their rampage all over Arkhangelsk, even laying siege to the city itself and launching raids deep into Novgorod territory, but the Scottish supply ships from Norway keep the city going and forces redeploying from the western front of Novgorod were able to eventual curb the Russian offensives.
Spring; Southern Front
This was it – the Russian counteroffensives began at last as a three pronged assault began to stab into the dark heart of the Turk as the brave defenders of the fatherland, soldier and volunteer alike march to keep his aggression at bay…or so the Russians say anyway. The Turkish incursion on the Dneipr was gradually pushed back to the mouth of the river and after a month of back and forth battle in the swampy marshlands the Turks finally decided to give up and deploy their energies elsewhere – evacuating their troops via ship in good order. The Turks on the Caucasian coast were similarly moved swiftly away when the largest of the Russian counter attack armies pushed it back but from their things got steadily worse for the Russians as despite the support of the Georgians this was where the Turkish defence was strongest and ambitious plans to push into Mesopotamia were shelved for now and in mid-April the Tabriz pocket was finally truly surrounded and fell. An attempt to evict the force on the Ural River also proved troublesome as the Turks were massing vast numbers of troops there, presumable for an attack on the Russian capital itself! Though why they had not attacked was mystery – if they did not move soon then autumn would make movement difficult again.
Summer; North Western Front
The summer found this front mainly static, the Baltic alliance was running low on supplies and too busy pushing the Russians back in Novgorod and Arkhangelsk to have the manpower to move the dug in Prussian positions, and the German manpower was diverted elsewhere. A daring polish attempt to break out form Lvov and reconnect with the main armies was put down by Russians moving up from the now closed Dneipr theatre, however every Russian reinforcement was countered by a German being sent west and the Tsarists could not hold any gains.
Summer; Far Western Front
The French pushed inexorably on, slowed somewhat by the quite bad road networks of Prussia and the numbers of proper German soldiers returning from the east. However on June fifth the French finally reached the Elbe. Jutland had been cut off and was left to starve whilst the Scottish and French fleets enforced a blockade. The Scottish facing a quite atrocious supply situation decided to ignore Jutland for now and push on into Scaneland to give a tactical superiority on the Baltic. Having quickly over run German Norway the Scots advance in the boggy terrain of southern Sweden was slow and the lack of supplies hampered it further. In the meantime the French laid siege to the major cities on the Elbe including the German capital. Most of the cities fell with a week or two. The Prussians desperately constructed fortifications on the east of the Elbe in an attempt to hold off the French.
Summer; North Eastern Front
The Novgorod reinforcements finally managed to reopen a land route to Arkhangelsk and the supplies the Scottish were bringing in, and slowly and painfully the Russians were being pushed from the north. A few rebellions in Pro-Novgorodian cities were quickly put down by a some of the famed Letuchiye Eskadroni in a rather brutal manner, and things soon quieted down after that.
Summer; Black Sea
The newly rebuilt Russian fleet streamed out from the straits of Kerch and engaged the Ottomans with a great deal of gusto but little actual training. However much to the commander’s surprise they manage to beat the Turks back from the Russian coasts where they have been threatening to reinvade and tying down troops, and soon the Turks are rushing for Anatolia – it seems the Baltic alliance is not the only group with more cards to play.
Summer; Mediterranean and Balkans
For it seems their old allies the Venetians have somehow been persuaded to attack the Turks which they do so on many fronts. Firstly the Venetians defeat the Turkish fleet in several key locations in the Mediterranean, the red sea and the Persian Gulf and are soon pressing deep into the Aegean, where Greek rebels and marine landings quickly give the Venetians completely control and pushing the Turks back into the sea of Marmara. However on the land the Venetians don’t do quite so well, pushing into the Slavic lands of the Balkans (with a few northern cities oddly declaring themselves for the Hungarians) and pushing into towards Thrace before being stopped cold by experienced Turkish troops from the battle on the Dneipr. If anything their incursion into Palestine goes even worse with a woefully small incursion being beaten back by the Mesopotamian garrison and confined to a small area around Gaza. At first it seemed as if the Hungarians would join the war on the Russian side, but when word reached them of French troops besieging the Elbe they quite firmly declared their neutrality.
Summer; Eastern Steppes
It was summer when the Ottomans finally launched their attack from the secure positions round the Urals – and it was soon apparent why; the Khan of Kalmykistan had gathered his troops and outriders (+15 Irregular divisions) and struck west in support of the Ottomans. The northern horde swept deep into the Urals raiding the villages the Russians had worked so hard to build, the southern joining with the Ottomans to sweep across the southern steppes. The Tsarists mobilised all their reserves and began conscripting men on the Volga cities (+10 Conscript divisions) and moved to meet the Barbarian horde. The battles raged on for several weeks, and indeed the entire steppes between the Volga and the Ural could be considered one vast battle field of cavalry charge and swarm, thrust and counterthrust. Eventually however the Russians losses were to great and they had to leave the field to the Turks and the Kalmyks and retreated across the Volga with their enemies in hot pursuit. However on the Volga the line held…for now and from Tsaritsyn the camp fires of their enemies can be seen.
Autumn; North Western Front
As the year draws to a close the worsening weather turns the advantage towards the defender and the various factions began to settle down in what they had won though one last push by the Smolensk pocket forces was beaten back with significant losses by the Novgorodians – however that army had exhausted its supplies and were being forced to suck the land dry…and the land was never very rich to begin with – the onset of winter will see starvation or worse here. A situation mirrored by the defenders of Lvov who have been holding out for almost a year and a half by now. However as winter comes on the skiing skills of the Novgorodian troopers come into play again as a number of daring raids were mounted to harass the Prussians. Of course the other question is who will feed all the polish refugees into Novgorod as the Novgorodians barely have enough winter supplies for their own people…
Autumn; Far Western Front
The only Prussian city still standing west of the Elbe is the capital and that is merely due to the Prussians pouring troops across the river daily to go and face the French guns, though as winter draws on the activity does not seem completely futile – if the Prussians can hold out long enough to build a second line of defences they might just make it, and with the rich polish agricultural and industrial lands in their hands they are not lacking for food or supplies. Scotland is getting literally bogged down in Sweden and it is only the skill of their elite highland regiments that prevented a major defeat by a Prussian Sturmtruppen army that deployed to Sweden. However their chokehold over Baltic Commerce is going to cause major problems for Prussia in the future.
Autumn; North Eastern Front
The Tsarists move troops south to combat the menace on the Volga, and the Novgorod troops (using ski towards the end of winter) take advantage of this to push them back to the old Novgorod border for the most part and free up some manoeuvring room around Arkhangelsk.
Autumn; South Eastern Front
The Ottomans and their Kalmyk mercenaries are ranging as far north as Perm and the defences on the Volga are holding by only the slimmest of threads…and often snap but each incursion is pushed back. Eventual however the Russian reserves and troops redeployed from the Arkhangelsk and Dneiprian theatres finally give the Tsarist the numbers they need to begin to clear the steppes, First the north is reclaimed then a daring push to liberate Orsk threatens to encircle and cut off the forces on the Volga plain in the next year.
Autumn: Black Sea and the Balkans
Fierce Turkish resistance prevents any further gains by the Venetians and they soon begin to be forced back.
Autumn: African Front
With the their control over the red sea complete the Venetians begin to push into the Sudan make significant gains…mainly as the region descends into chaos as the Ottoman troops prepare for a last stand against the Venetians.
Notes
[1] OTL Portland
@Azale: Advancing a Project by 2 turns requires 3 EP, not 2 so I put the extraneous EP towards the Spanish deal (when they protested over you not paying the 2 EP you promised)
