Bonaparte II Tournament Game #2 PBEM

[Patient English]

Turn order for this game:

Umpire FiGu
British Patient
Prussians Voltar
Independents
Austrians Sas
Russians Steve
French Case
Spanish Darius
Swedish Henrik

This is as near as I can get to a "Battle of the Nations". Most of us are playing our own country. Ought to add a bit of spice....

I will start this one.

 

[Patient English]

The Times, London, 27th May 1803

Incensed at French refusal to properly comply with the Treaty of Amiens, His Majesty's Government allowed a French smuggler to be boarded and sunk in the Channel earlier this week. The steadily-building spirit of National Patriotism that greeted this news bodes ill for the Corsican General skulking in the Elysee Palace.

Our Atlantic squadron also sunk a French Privateer masquerading as an naval vessel some sixty miles off Brest. Not to be outshone, HMS Ariadne, a Frigate with the Mediterranean Fleet, dispatched another small raider off Sardinia...

Trade still goes on in the Baltic. A convoy bearing smelted iron from Brunswick arrived in Riga earlier this month.

In diplomatic news, we can report that Ambassadors have been dispatched to all the Powers of Europe....

 

[voltar]

Nothing to report, other then economic change in Prussia.

 

[Patient English]

The Times, London, 27th May 1803

Incensed at French refusal to properly comply with the Treaty of Amiens, His Majesty's Government allowed a French smuggler to be boarded and sunk in the Channel earlier this week. The steadily-building spirit of National Patriotism that greeted this news bodes ill for the Corsican General skulking in the Elysee Palace.

Our Atlantic squadron also sunk a French Privateer masquerading as an naval vessel some sixty miles off Brest. Not to be outshone, HMS Ariadne, a Frigate with the Mediterranean Fleet, dispatched another small raider off Sardinia...

Trade still goes on in the Baltic. A convoy bearing smelted iron from Brunswick arrived in Riga earlier this month.

In diplomatic news, we can report that Ambassadors have been dispatched to all the Powers of Europe....

Exactly the same turn played, as far as I can work it out. Just at Prince (Major) level...

 

[voltar]

Industrilization begins in Prussia. Soon our industry will greatly improve.

 

[Winterfritz]

St. Petersburg - In a glittering ceremony at the Winter Palace, French and Russian diplomats this month signed an alliance joining the two great European powers together in an 'Emperor's League.' Though Tsar and French Emperor continue to eye each other distrustfully over the expanse of Europe, both rulers feel that the agreement will help the two empires co-ordinate their actions and avoid misunderstandings in the future.

The Tsar has made it clear that his compact with the Emperor is not an act of aggression against Great Britain. The naval war on the other side of the continent is of no concern to Russia and she has no desire to interfere in its outcome; the profitable trade between Britain and Russia will continue unimpeded.

On the other hand, the Tsar has also been quick to use the diplomatic leverage afforded by his new treaty to issue an ultimatum to Austria. The Dardanelles are the funnel through which the goods of southern Russia reach the outside world; any foreign power which threatens the status quo in that region threatens the security and livelihood of the Russian people. Hapsburg territorial ambitions in the area are well known, but the Russian Ambassador in Vienna has made perfectly clear that any Austrian annexations of Ottoman land - in Europe consisting of the cities of Tirane, Corfu, Patrai, Athens, Thessalonica, Sofia, Heraklion, Canakkale, Stara Zagora, Varna, Constanta and most importantly Constantinople - will be punished by swift retaliation from both Russia and France.

 

[Patient English]

Great Britain views with disquiet recent developments in Russia. Not so much a possible Franco-Russian axis itself, but more the beligerent demands being made of Austria. Perhaps General Bonaparte and his new-found Autocratic friend are thinking of partitioning Austria between them...?

Austria has a long and honourable tradition of combat against the Turks - at one time standing alone to defend Christendom. It is more than reasonable that they be allowed to continue their crusade. Similarly, Russia may also wish to continue her war against the Sublime Porte (Turkey).

Both actions are not mutually exclusive.

However, attempts by Russia to exclusively dominate the Balkans and perhaps even Greece, will be resisted by Britain.

Russia may find her "free flow of goods" through the Dardenelles more than hampered if the Royal Navy are instructed to impede them!

In conclusion, Britain does not stand against Russian ambitions in the Balkans or points further south. However, Russia should not take it upon herself to deny other countries similar ambitions....

 

[sas]

*Munich liberated
*Tirane captured
*Stara Zagora captured

Austria and Prussia announces an alliance. Both countries agrees to cooperate both in trade and defence matters. Any attack on either country is considered an attack on both.

but the Russian Ambassador in Vienna has made perfectly clear that any Austrian annexations of Ottoman land - in Europe consisting of the cities of Tirane, Corfu, Patrai, Athens, Thessalonica, Sofia, Heraklion, Canakkale, Stara Zagora, Varna, Constanta and most importantly Constantinople - will be punished by swift retaliation from both Russia and France.

Austria will not accept the Russian demands, as it would harm Austrias ability to defend itself against the Turks. We strongly suggest Russia moderates its demands down to realistic levels.
We are however willing to discuss further how the Balkans should be divided between Austria and Russia. Austria welcomes British support to Austrias position.

We propose that Russia gets Constanta, Varna, Kanakkale and Constantinople. And Austria gets Sofia, Corfu, Thessalonica, Athens and Patrai.


Sas

 

[Winterfritz]

The Balkans are populated primarily by Orthodox Christians. By the 1774 treaty of Kutchuk Kainardji Russia was recognised as the official protector of these Christians, and in this capacity we cannot tolerate the Austrians seizing Balkan territory from the Ottomans. While enjoying toleration under the Sultans in Constantinople, our Orthodox brethren would suffer considerable persecution under the notoriously Catholic Hapsburgs.

This in addition to the already stated fact that control of the Dardanelles is essential to Russian trade interests combine to make any Austrian annexation in the Balkans unacceptable to Russia.

Russia may find her "free flow of goods" through the Dardenelles more than hampered if the Royal Navy are instructed to impede them!

The Royal Navy itself may be impeded in such a task by a not inconsiderable force entitled the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Britannia would do well not to overeach herself; she does not rule all the waves just yet

 

[Winterfritz]

St.Petersburg - Just as news of Austria's defiant advance into Albania and Bulgaria reached the Winter Palace, emissaries of Sultan Selim III arrived to plead for Russian assistance against Hapsburg aggression. In return for some territory in the Caucasus, including the small town of Kal'chik, the Tsar agreed and promptly declared war on Austria.

Meanwhile ambassadors have been sent to Prussia to probe King Frederick III's stance on this new European conflict. Whilst Russia has no quarrel with her German neighbour and sees no need for a war in Poland as well as the Balkans, Prussia should know that our forces are more than ready to repel her troops should they foolishly attempt to aid their southern neighbours by attacking the Rodina.

Before leaving Vienna, the Russian Ambassador made it clear that Russia would cease hostilities if Austria immediately ceded Tirane and Stara Zagora to St.Petersburg. 'If you choose not to take this course of action,' he concluded, 'then we can always resume discussion when the tramp of marching Russians can be heard on the Ringstraße.'

Roumania - Following the declaration of war Russian troops made rapid progress down the hot and dusty road to Bucharest, handily annihilating two Austrian infantry regiments on the way. Behind them many more reinforcements are amassing in Moldovia, while the Russian Black Sea Fleet, responding to British threats as well as Austrian aggression, has deployed into the waters off the Balkan coastline. Given the overwhelming force that will shortly be at their disposal as well as the high confidence and morale of their troops, Russian commanders are confident of a swift victory for the Motherland against the decadent Hapsburgs.

 

[Winterfritz]

OOC; one thing I noticed while playing my turn: Bucharest had some wierd squares after its name. Does this mean that the save is corrupted? Or are you perhaps using LazyCiv, Sas?

 

[voltar]

It is from lazyciv, lazyciv edits long names.

 

[Henrik]

 

[Case]

New Army Name Sparks Rumors

Armchair generals and diplomats across France have been perplexed by the news that the French 'Army of England' has been renamed the 'Army of the Channel'. While the French government is refusing to comment on the rationale behind this change, Le Monde sources in Calais have reported that a blacked out ship is regularly sliping in and out of Calais harbour under the cover of darkness. Some wild rumors claim that this ship is the property of the French Foreign Ministry and that the crew's rations largely consist of mutton and tea.

France Worried by Russian-Austrian War

The French government has anounced that it's 'shocked' and 'concerned' by the outbreak of hostilities between Austria and Russia. As the French government has expressed it's unwillingness to enter this war, the Austrian government is asked to ensure that their public knows of French neutrality, as the Austrian King will be held personally responcible for any missguided attacks on French citizens.

French Armies Advance on All Fronts

In accordance with the strategy devised by Emperor Napoleon, French troops have secured various cities on the fringes of the French Empire. The commander of the attack on Oldenburg has been relieved as a result of the excessive casualties he sustained in his sucessfull attack on the city.

As an act of good faith, France has occupied Ravenna, thereby giving Austria a totally secure Italian border If the Austrian government would rather secure it's own borders, it is formally invited to send its' finest diplomats to Paris to discuss the establishment of permanent French and Austrian spheres of Influence in Italy.

------------

Victory points + 5

 

[Patient English]

Britain wishes to make the following announcements:

1) A ceasefire has been negotiated between Britain and France. This may be a harbinger of even better relations in due course.

2) A defensive alliance is announced between Austria and Britain. To back up her earlier statements on the Balkans, and as proof of her sincerity in concluding this alliance, Britain formally declares war on Russia. The new understanding with France releases the entire Meditteranen fleet, which is now sailing for the Dardenelles.

3) Britain is pleased to note the lessening in tension between Austria and France, and congratulated both parties. Italy is doubtless a major French point of concern, and Britain is content to see the extension of French influence there. However, some Austrian small compensations in this theatre are in order we think.

4) Britain has long been working for better Prussian-Austrian relations. We are delighted at this new alliance, and look forward to a concerted effort to repulse Russian aggression. Now their western borders are much more secure, especially.

We hope Russia thinks again, before it is too late!

Sorry for the brief and uncolourful post, but my g/f is dragging me out for "walkies" !

More later....

 

[Case]

The French Foreign Ministry has two anouncements to make:

1) As anounced by Britain, there is now a cease fire in place between Britain and France. This agreement has not involved the transfer of any money or territory, and is only intended to stop what threatened to become a long and pointless war for both nations.

2) Prussia and Austria are formally warned not to expand the current war beyond their borders.
While France will remain neutral as long as the war is fought outside Russia's May 1803 frontier, any incursions across this frontier will be met by a full scale French invasion of both Prussia and Austria.
In the interests of European peace, Britain is urged to constrain her European allies.

 

[Henrik]

John, I just discovered that the turn order is wrong, spain moves before Sweden

 

[Waku]

Let's play then

The Emperor of the French and the King of Spain and the Indies have resolved to unite their efforts by signing an alliance

 

[Patient English]

Damn it, Henrik! You're right of course! I will edit the thread headers - could everyone change their spreadsheets please?

 

[Henrik]

Espionage Drama in St. Petersburg!

Earlier this week some very strange and unusual events took place in St. Petersburg and the gulf of Finland...

Johan Brahe, one of the employees at the Swedish embassy in St. Petersburg was observed boarding the "Hans Majestäts Skepp Slupen Kristina" late at night this tuesday, the sloop then took of with incredible haste for the Gulf of Finland.
Not much later a plutoon of Russian Imperial guards was observed entering the harbour, aparently looking for someone, in vain.

However the strange things did not end there, two days later as the same sloop was observed leaving the gulf of Finland, making haste for Stockholm, however several big russian warships tried to intercept the sloop, in an attempt to block it's way out of the gulf.
These ships remain in place and as of yet no official reaction/explanation has been made from either Stockholm or St. Petersburg.
However again the sloop aluded it's hunters, and was observed at dock in Stockholm's harbour on thursday.

Furthermore, the days following the arrival of the HMS Kristina has been marked by an intensively increased activity in the Royal Palace, diplomats are reported to have been sent to Brittain, Austria and Prussia and several important millitary officers have left for Finland.

Naturaly all knowledge of Johan Brahe, or a supposed espionage affair has been denied by both the Swedish and Russian government.

The Russian blockade: