I recently played a game as Spain Marathon on some Caribbean map and got settled quickly to cover the island of Hispaniola. I built up what I thought was enough soldiers, and declared independence in May 1679. The REF comes in much greater fury than I expected (I had moved up a difficulty level) They swept my troops aside and I was close to defeat, but I chose to hold them through guerrilla warfare in the central mountains and evacuate everything to the wilderness of northern Venezuela. They paid a heavy price, but they outnumbered me by too much. The last galleon left in May 1688 as my last city was taken. All seemed lost, but I actually lost only about 1800 tons of goods to the Royal Navy as I made the crossing. I used the goods and people of 9 developed, late game cities to build a new nation of secret metropolises in Lake Maracaibo, named, variously, their purpose, their ideals, or after old Indian settlement. I built up and plotted revenge for a long time. Exactly 60 years later, in May 1748, my now-huge fleet landed on the south of the island. Some stats:
Original Hispaniolan army 1679: roughly 60 units and 2 warships
Original REF: roughly 150 units and 15 warships
Hispaniolan casualties 1679-1688: roughly 50 units
REF casualties 1679-1688: roughly 60 units
REF casualties 1688-1748 (native allies and my small strikes): roughly 10 units
New Hispaniola-Venezuela armada 1748: roughly 300 units and 20 warships, as well as 40 merchant ships supporting
REF in 1748: roughly 80 units and 15 warships
Revenge was sweet. I steamrolled the king's now-pitiful force. There were more casualties on my side this time around, but the point is that in January of 1762 the King of Spain was forced by the destruction of the REF to recognize the Republic of Hispaniola, which surely he had thought defeated in 1688.
It was a really good comeback. Very good to have a backup plan. Take note.
The Republic of Hispaniola right after the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Hispaniola's darkest hour
Triumphant return
Original Hispaniolan army 1679: roughly 60 units and 2 warships
Original REF: roughly 150 units and 15 warships
Hispaniolan casualties 1679-1688: roughly 50 units
REF casualties 1679-1688: roughly 60 units
REF casualties 1688-1748 (native allies and my small strikes): roughly 10 units
New Hispaniola-Venezuela armada 1748: roughly 300 units and 20 warships, as well as 40 merchant ships supporting
REF in 1748: roughly 80 units and 15 warships
Revenge was sweet. I steamrolled the king's now-pitiful force. There were more casualties on my side this time around, but the point is that in January of 1762 the King of Spain was forced by the destruction of the REF to recognize the Republic of Hispaniola, which surely he had thought defeated in 1688.
It was a really good comeback. Very good to have a backup plan. Take note.
The Republic of Hispaniola right after the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Hispaniola's darkest hour
Triumphant return
