The General's HQ Game 1

[Odysseus]

Ok, so the Political Standings after Diplomacy in July 1806 - Spain is still going strong!

[Odysseus]

And the VP standings as of June 1806 Economic - Spain in the lead, well done Spain!



Edit: hey, Gazfun, could you post a screen of Scandinavia, seeing as there are no french corps there that could be de-Fog of war-ed there [:D]

[gazfun]

This a screenshot of the Swedish situation as requested


Just a little editing by me to safe guard French National security [:D]

[Odysseus]

Well, the last couple of months have been dramatic! Since the DoW on Spain from both Russia and Austria, we have since quite a bit of action. First of all, Prussia refused Spain's call to arms and thus broke their alliance. Meanwhile, GB and AU allied.

The first aggression came from the Austrian fleet![X(] It sortied and managed to capture the unguarded Spanish transport fleet off the coast of Algeria, trapping two Spanish infantry corps there. While Spain's main fleet were still in the Baltic, it's minor ally Naples was present in the Med and immediately engaged the Austrians, with victorious results (I believe Austria lost 1 light ship).

Meanwhile, Russia marched on Stockholm from Christiania, but did not try to breach the walls. Turkey finally started besieging Anapa, but the defenders put up stiff resistance, killing 1 beseiger in a daredevil sortie. The Austrian land assault on Spain then started, after Austria landed on the Spanish mainland from loaned British ships. However, Spain once again stood triumphant, having outpicked Austria in every land battle - in Naples, Lisbon and Cadiz. Nor did the Austrians managed to get through the strongly defended walls of Spanish Gibraltar. In other news, the French made short work of the Liege garrisson. On Spain's turn, the ripost came and Spain engaged Austria at Elvas, capturing Mack in the battle.

By July's end, Algeria fell to Spain, the Papacy to Austria and Egypt to Turkey. The war between GB and Gibraltar lapsed.

All in all - an astounding row of victories for Spain! It was to continue, in spite of the overwhelming resistance.

In August, Prussia and Austria allied.

In the naval phase, Spain chose to attack the Russian fleet in the port of Copenhagen. This was apparently a mistake from the side of the Spanish player - the plan was to only attack with the Swedish fleet, to destroy it before Russia could get its hand on it, but by happenstance, the entire Spanish fleet came with. No matter, the dice stood Spain by, and Spain won the engagement, sending every single Russian light to the bottom, together with 2 danish heavies, in exchange for 6 Swedish heavies. Another great propaganda victory for the Spanish [X(]

During the land phase, Russia assaulted Stockholm, with 2 infantry corps and 1 cav corps. And again the Spanish won, with another row of amazing die rolls sending the Russian cowards running with 1 Spanish defender unkilled...[:@] The Anapa siege continued like in July, with the defenders sortieing to kill 1 Turk.

Austria's frustrations on the battlefield also continued as Spain again won at Naples. But then some turn of the tide - Austria won sieges at Cartagena and Madrid! Meanwhile, France eliminated the Ajaccio garrisson.

By August's end, Liege Fell to France.

In September, nothing much happened in terms of diplomacy or naval moves - the Spanish moved its fleet to Le Havre and the British fleets transported more Austrian troops to the Spanish mainland. The numerical superiority of Austria is now crushing, with half the Spanish army still stuck in North Africa (though it's slowly moving towards Austrian held Morocco).

In Stockholm, Russian numbers finally prevailed, even though the garrisson was strengthened by 5 Swedish infantry. Austria still failed at the siege of Naples, as well as at Barcelona, Cadiz and Saragossa. However, Austria took one depot at Lisbon (but failed to breach the walls) and occupied Oporto.

The defenders at Anapa finally gave in to starvation, saving Turkey more men.

Spain retaliated at Madrid, and successfully besieged the city, killing the 4 Austrian defenders.

At the end of the month, Corsica fell to France.

This is the current situation in Spain:

[Odysseus]

Situations elsewhere:

The Turks seem to be moving West....

[Odysseus]

And in central Europe, everything is quiet.

[Odysseus]

Naples still holds against the Austrians, and Parma is still Spanish!

[Odysseus]

As you can see, the Spanish state is still very highly regarded in the courts of Europe!

[Odysseus]

And Spain (now run by a new player), might very well be on the way to winning this game! . But it's of course not over yet!

[gazfun]

Good AAR Odysseus

[Odysseus]

It's been a while since last update, I'm afraid. This is very much due to my being a new father since Oct 29 last year. That kinda saps a bit of time. And sleep.[:D]

But partly because after the war with Spain concluded with a conditional surrender by the Spanish to Austria and Russia, things have been really, really quiet in the world. The war ended in October 1806. Russia chose Royal Marriage and Sweden, and Austria chose 1/2 reparations and Remove 3 Corps, which was contradicted by the conditional.

After that, peace ensued and have lasted until now, May 1807. France declared WAR on Russia. Russia called Prussia, Great Britain and Austria to help. Prussia answered, Austria refused, breaking the alliance with Russia. Great Britain was prohibited to enter due to enforced peace. France, in turn, called Turkey and Spain against Russia and Turkey agreed. Spain was prohibited to enter due to enforced peace.

Russian troops stood ready in Stettin, together with a Prussian force under Blucher.

The Russian navy also stood ready and immediately sailed to blockade the French navy anchored at Lubeck. France tried to break out, but both sides lost 4 ships, and so the blockade is holding.

On the Russian land phase, the forces in Stettin has marched on Lubeck and successfully destroyed the sizeable garrison of 10 inf and 2 militia. The Russian expeditionary corps to Turkish occupied Anapa was less succesful and could not breach the walls. Now we are anxiously awaiting what the wrath of France might bring upon us...

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Bolkonskij raised his blade once more. Once more, the line of infantry raised their rifles behind the make shift barricade. Once more his blade came down. Once more the barrells smattered, filling the air with thick billowing white smoke and the prickling smell of gun powder. And then came the heavy thunder of cannons. The town hall of Lubeck, last bastion of the French garrison, erupted in a shower of brick, mortar and dust. Screams of dying and wounded came carried over the wind as the echoes of the intense fire ebbed away.

-Reload, shouted the company commanders in choir, all the way down the line.

As the white mists of gun smoke separated under the northerly gale, Bolkonskij finally caught a climpse of the once proud seat of city power, it's once-white walls now a charred smoky gray. And through a window, a long wodden stick with a white flag. It was over. The city was theirs.

The victory "Hurrahs" that ensued were almost as loud as the cannon thunder that had preceeded them. Bolkonskij looked towards the heaven. If only the rest of the war could proceed with the same ease.

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And finally some screenies for ya! VP situation!

[Odysseus]

PPs.

[Odysseus]

The situation in Central Europe - the main French force in Strasbourg. Looks scary!

[Odysseus]

And just FYI, the quiet Italian peninsula....Nothing happenin' here...

Maybe someone else can post something from Northern Europe?

[Odysseus]

Bezukhov slowly made his way through the crowds of St Petersburg. Everywhere there was celebration and drunken revelation. Newspapers littered the ground, the huge headlines of "Victory" adorning the ground like paper streamers. As he finally got through the door of the shock full cafe, a very drunk junior officer grabbed a hold of him, slurring something about how Russia could never be defeated, only to be swept away by his friends to the cards table. Finally, Bezukhov made his way into the reserved room, to be immediately welcomed by his very jovial colleagues.

- Truly magnificent, isn't it? Our boys in the navy deserve a huge celebration when this war is over, indeed, the first one said, grinning ear to ear.

- I heard that the British are less than pleased. Not only did they want to be the ones to defeat the French navy, but the notion of scuttling it while it was at anchor is apparently against their notion of a fair fight, Bezukhov said dryly.

- Nonsense, the second one chimed in. If so, they should not have been so darn eager to make peace with that Corsican upstart. We'll do what the British, with all their thin red lines, were unable to, and bring that little runt to justice, together with our Prussian friends, of course.

He raised the glass to the German guest.

- Don't celebrate too quickly, Bezukhov shot back. We haven't even met any French regulars in the field yet. Next month, things might look very differently. They have already gotten to Weismar...

With that, he sat back and took a stiff drink, ignoring the sounds of discontent from his friends. Next month seemed awfully close, indeed.

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The month ended with the French navy being scuttled in Lubeck. The French retaliated the only way they could, by succesfully besieging and routing the garrison at Weismar. The world holds it breath as the next month has just begun. The central European situation:

[gazfun]

Reading the report of the French fleet being scuttled in Lubeck harbour, Captain Auclair became outraged at the lack of the garrisons will, of not holding there ground at Lubeck.
"What where they thinking of, the defenders there!" the captain shouted out loud. Colonel Mathe replied that "There is no guarantee when it comes to the fortunes of war one hour you have a success and other a misfortune, such is the fortunes of war, regardless how well you make plans, my fear is however" Mathe says grimly, "That there is going to be a lot of blood spilt, whether its ours or theres Im not to sure, but it has placed a terrible resolve in the hearts and minds of our Generals.
Mathe continued "Just to show how you how things changed, the other day I read an order, that an officer was caught in overindulgence of his commission and authority, and was put in disgrace and sent back to Paris"
"Yes I saw that in the military gazette yesterday" says Auclair, "Yes a junior officer by the name of Verfont was it?" "But surely for taking a horse off a local in Weimar for his own use, instead of walking is not unreasonable, he was injured and he paid for the horse?" Mathe interjected "But its not regulation!" Mathe continued "Today our Generals dish out punishments to maintain disipline, and tommorrow they may dish up wine, such is our life in the army Austace, remember that, we have to take the good with the bad, and this is going to be a long, a long hard drawn out war, so you had better brase your self Austace, you may not be drinking wine for a long time".

[Odysseus]

Update time!

June became a somewhat more eventful month.

First, the UK DoWed Malta (Turkey gained control) and allied with Spain, France's trusted companion that help him defeat the British. Meanwhile, France slipped into Instability, due to its catastrophic loss of the navy. Thus it lost Flanders, Luxembourg, Liege, Corsica and Julich. Russia gained Mecklenburg. Prussia started trading with Britain, which is already trading with Russia and Austria in violation with the peace terms with France. France thus has a Casus Belli, but has yet to act on it.

Nothing much happened on the high seas this month, except the Royal Navy moving an invasion force to Malta (of course).

On land, the French started with an attack against the Saxon Corps at Leipzig, by Massena leading 3 corps. The lone corps was no match for the aggressors and was promptly destroyed. France also took Thuringia. Prussia tried to retaliate, sending Blucher leading a force of some 10 corps against Massena's 3, but the French commander proved slippery and managed to get away with a succesful Withdraw.

Great Britain, meanwhile, landed outside the walls of the Maltese Fortress but failed to gain entry.

In the Caucasus, Turkey and Russia has manouvred a bit for the past months, and this month the 1 infantry factor that Russia had put in the undefended Anapa finally managed to get control of the minor. The Turks are marching into the area with 1 infantry corps and 1 cavalry corps led by the Grand Vizier, but Russia keeps withdrawing its lone infantry corps from the region, sending in only a Cossack to harass the enemy.

During the Economic, Spain ceded Naples to the UK, Austria ceded Oldenburg to the UK and Russia ceded Mecklenburg to Prussia.

VP situation is as follows: Spain clearly in the lead, followed far behind by Russia, Prussia, Turkey, Austria, France and Great Britain.

[Odysseus]

Colonel Bolkonskij looked over his reserve regiment once more. All were in good shape, formed up, ready to move, looking good. Another plume of heavy smoke drifted in over them, and try as he might, it was simply impossible to see more than a few hundred metres because of all the fires and clouds that drifted over the battlefield. The thunder of the guns was incessant, assaulting their ears again and again.

Suddenly, a messenger broke through the haze, his horse dirty, his uniform in a complete mess. He stumpled off the mount and almost fell to the ground when he struggled to reach the young colonel.

- What news, Bolkonskij barked, wide eyed at this behaviour. Why haven't we been given our orders yet? What will it be, does Blucher want us here, or as part of the outflanking force?

- I dunno, sir, the young man rambled incoherently as he looked up, wide eyed. I think Blucher might be dead, they're all dead, the French, sir, they're not stopping for anything, they're everywhere! They're right behind me! Run, run for your life, save yourself!

Just then, the rumble turned into a roar as a mass of cavarly men broke through the clouds, trumpets screaming to attack. All Bolkonskij had time to see was the uniforms of French Cuirassiers, before they were upon him. The last thing he saw was the blade of a French sabre sweeping down against him.

Then everything went black.

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And then July came.

Austria and France DoWed Nassau, but France opted to withdraw its declaration, even though he had threatened anyone with war who intervened in his sphere of interest following the Instability situation (Spain gained control). Great Britain then Declared War on Turkey, which prompted the minor Tripolitania to join the Ottmans in the war. And then Spain declared war on Prussia (which holds Tunisia, through an absurd turn of events) as well as Cyrenaica, so things are certainly heating up in the Med! Lausitz joined Prussia as a Free State in the face of this Spanish aggression.

Prussia tried to summon Russia and Austria to war against Spain, but the peace treaty in effect prevented this.

France offered to sign an informal peace with Russia, but this was rejected.

At sea, Spain moved fleets to invade Tunisia and Cyrenaica. Nothing else happened.

On Land Turkey invaded Russian Free State Georgia and besegied the capital of Tblisi. They succeeded to breach, but the defenders fought valiantly and managed to route the Turks after losing 2000 men.

Then France moved against Blucher's force in Leipzig, force marching the main body under Napoleon to reach the fight in time, thus facing the Prussians with 11 corps! Still, Kutuzov was in Lausitz with another 3 Russian corps, ready to reinforce and Blucher cleanly outpicked Napoleon's Assault with an Outflank. But then the Prussians routed after the first round and the pursuit was murderous. Five Prussian corps were destroyed and the Russian corps were severed, too, the political fallout sending Prussia straight into Instability [X(]

In the Med, Britain gained entry to Malta and defeated the defenders handily, but after taking some heavy foraging casualties for two months. Spain invaded Tunisia and lay siege to Tunis, but failed to get into the city. It did better in Cyrenaica where Spanish forces quickly dispatched of the defenders in the city.

And that ended July, with Prussia having taken a hard hit on the nose (but still not out) and tensions running higher all across the continent. The war of 1807 seems to be getting hotter!

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Maybe Turkey, UK or Spain could take a screenie of Central Europe for the reader's benefit? And could someone not Turkey or Russia post a screenie of the Caucasus and the Turko-Russian border?

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[gazfun]

This game is continuing we are now in November 1808
See results here
The Generals HQ

[gazfun]

This game is still going