A Time of War - Gameplay Thread (Turn I : 1701)

[Huey Long is a Republican]

1701

The Global Situation



The Players thus Far

King Karl I von Hohenzollern (Prussia-Poland) [GoTFan]
King Louis XIV de Bourbon (France) [Dr_Novella]
King Charles XII von Palatinate-Zweibrücken (Sweden) [Kingpoleon]
Prince-Elector Maximilian II Emanuel von Wittelsbach (Bavaria) [iBizzBee]
Sultan Mustafa II Ottoman (Ottoman Empire) [Atlas Politician]

PLAYER CRISIS

Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XIV_of_France

Louis XIV Bourbon
Popularity : Very Good
Legitimacy : Very Good
Economy : Good

- My King, you are currently fighting your mortal enemies, the Habsburgs, to ensure the ascension of your grandson Phillip to the throne of Spain. Despite the late King Charles II’s Will stating that Phillip to succeed him as King, Emperor Leopold has laid claim to Spain for his Son, Karl. With support from your ally of Bavaria, however, it seems likely that you could force the Grand Alliance to recognize Phillip as King, though he’d have to give up his claim to the french throne.

- In Eastern and Central Europe, your long time ally Sweden fights a war against Russia and Prussia-Poland. While the former is of no concern, the latter has grown in strength since the end of the Scanian War twenty two years ago. With King Karl being an ally of Emperor Leopold, he could join the war at any moment on his side. However, rebellion against him in Southern Poland spreads as former Podczaszy Stanisław Leszczyński fights to replace him as King of Poland with Swedish Support. How will you handle the growing threat of Prussia-Poland?

- While war in Europe is waged, another theatre must be taken into account : The New World. You have relatively few colonies in the New World, instead relying on the various Native Tribes and large network of forts in your claimed area. While you don’t have to fear aggression from your ally of Spain, the English might prove a much more dangerous foe in the region. Long have they sought your colonies and should they maintain power of the Atlantic, they will be able to do as they please. How will you handle this crisis?

45,000 Men in Army of The Duke of Berwick (Commanded by The Duke of Berwick)
40,000 Men in Army of de Villars (Commanded by de Villars)
35,000 Men in Army of the Duke of Vendôme (Commanded by the Duke of Vendôme)
30,000 Men in Army of Boufflers (Commanded by Boufflers)
25,000 Men in Army of le Duc le Villeroi (Commanded by le Duc le Villeroi)
325,000 Men for Recruitment


Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Electoral_Prince_of_Brandenburg

Karl I von Hohenzollern
Popularity : Average
Legitimacy : Good
Economy : Average

- My King, you are now locked in a bitter conflict against Sweden and Saxony while fighting an uprising against you in Southern Poland. King Charles XII of Sweden, looking to avenged lost honor that you and your father gave his Kingdom in the Scanian War, is looking to end your rule and involvement in the War as quickly as possible while Augustus II of Saxony, enraged and jealous at your hold over the Polish Crown, has joined Karl in his war in order to dethrone you. You must also battle Stanisław Leszczyński and his Swedish supported Rebellion in order to maintain your hold over Poland. Of these three challenges occur, the decision of who to take on first wages in your mind.

- War wages in Western Europe as your brother-in-law, Emperor Leopold battles to plant his son Karl on the throne of Spain while Louis XIV of France looks to maintain his grandson’s, Phillip, position as King of Spain. This conflict has caused an uproar in your court, particularly among three members : Your Wife, Queen Maria Anna Josepha, Your Chancellor and close friend, Jakob Rall, and your Minister of Finances, Erich Saltzman. Queen Josepha is the sister of the Holy Roman Emperor and is firmly in the camp of joining the War on his side, Chancellor Rall is a francophile and is firmly in the camp of supporting Louis XIV, while Minister Saltzman is firmly against joining the war one either side, arguing it would be more beneficial to remain neutral so you’re economy can reap the benefits of playing both sides of the War. Each side makes a valid argument, so you must examine the situation and choose for yourself on whatever the right course may be.

- The Polish Sejm remain a Thorn in your side, my King, even after you’ve become their ruler. Ever since your coronation in 1697, they’ve remained a constant agitant in your side. Despite your crushing of the 1698 Lesser Sejm Revolt, which allowed you to push through various economic and military reforms due to a brief occupation of Warsaw, there are still those within the body looking to undermine you, supporting Augustus or Stanislaw to be their king instead. How will you, an absolute monarch, deal with this foolish democratic body?

60,000 Men in Army of Lithuania (Commanded by Prinz Leopold)
50,000 Men in Army of Poland (Commanded by Prinz Francis)
32,000 Men in Army of Brandenburg (Commanded by King Karl)
20,000 Men in Army of Silesia (Commanded by Kronprinz Oskar)
15,000 Men in Army of Prussia (Commanded by Frederick William)
73,000 Men for Recruitment


Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XII_of_Sweden

Charles XII von Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Popularity : Very Good
Legitimacy : Good
Economy : Very Good

- My King, you are now locked in a bitter War with Russia and Prussia-Poland. The ambitious Tsar of Russia, Peter, looks to conquer the Baltic Lands that your ancestor Gustavus Adolphus conquered in the 17th century. At the same time, you and many Swedes are eager to make the Prussian pay for their humiliation of the mighty Swedish military in the Scanian War. With support from Augustus of Saxony and Stanislaw in Poland, who you encouraged to rebel, the question now remains, which power will you deal with first? Will you charge into Russia and kick Peter out of the War quickly so Prussia will face the might of Sweden alone or will you go after Prussia-Poland first to end the threat they pose to your germanic holdings for good?

- Your old ally France battles another ally of yours, England, for the title of Spain’s monarchy. Both nations have been your ally in various times, with England fighting alongside you just a year ago while France ensured you wouldn’t lose pomerania after the embarrassment of the Scanian War. Joining the War on Louis’ side could bring the wrath of the Dutch, English, and Austrians upon Sweden, but joining the war on Anne’s side may cause some outcry due to you also fighting alongside the ally and brother-in-law of King Karl. A difficult balance must be brought as the War of the Spanish Succession demands more and more of your attention.

- Despite you having knocked them out of the war in a relatively short time, Denmark-Norway remains an ever present threat should they ever rejoin the war of Peter and Karl’s side. How will you handle the potential re-entry of Denmark for the time being?

20,000 Men in Army of Charles XII (Commanded by Charles XII)
20,000 Men in Army of Carl Gustav Rehnkshold (Commanded by Carl Gustav Rehnkshold)
36,000 Men for Recruitment


Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_II_Emanuel,_Elector_of_Bavaria

Maximilian II Emanuel von Wittelsbach
Popularity : Good
Legitimacy : Very Good
Economy : Average

- My Prince, You are now embroiled in a conflict far larger than many believe the electorate can handle. The Habsburgs, the ancient enemy to your Dynasty, is locked in a bitter struggle against your long time ally, the Bourbons. Long has it been the dream of Bavaria to retake the Imperial Crown from Vienna and now looks like a prime opportunity to do so. However, you mustn't push too far too quickly or you could find your forces stranded in hostile territory.

- Just North-east of the electorate, the upstart Prussians have quickly become a power that could easily shift the balance in the Habsburgs favor should they support Austria. Due to the two being close allies and the Queen of Prussia being the sister of the emperor, it seems their intervention is inevitable. Your uncle Maximilian Philipp Hieronymus has suggested a pre-emptive attack by assisting Saxony in any potential invasion of Brandenburg, but many others suggest you wait until you get plans on how to deal with the situation from France. How will you handle this situation?

- Should you wrestle away the Holy Roman Emperor’s crown from Vienna, there is still the problem of Hanover to the North which will likely attempt to grab the crown for themselves The Holy Roman Empire is a precarious realm, so how will you handle it should you take control?

25,000 Men in Army of Lower Bavaria (Commanded by Maximilian II Emanuel)
17,000 Men in Army of Upper Bavaria (Commanded by Maximilian Philipp Hieronymus)
18,000 Men for Recruitment


Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_II

Mustafa II Ottoman
Popularity : Good
Legitimacy : Very Good
Economy : Good

- My Sultan, just two years ago we were embarrassed in the Great Turkish War, forcing us to give up much of our land in Hungary and Ukraine to the Habsurgs and Romanovs respectfully. Now however, both are engaged in brutal wars with two secret allies of ours, the French and the Swedes. Should we involve ourselves in this conflict, however, our eastern border with Persia could be unguarded. It is up to you on whether we should strike our enemies now and regain lost glory or bide our time and potentially let the opportunity pass us by.

- The Grand Vizier has been taking a startling amount of power from the Sultan ever since the reign of your father, Mehmed IV. Over these last few decades, the position of Sultan has become increasingly symbolic while the Grand Vizier has become the new power behind the throne. Your rule remains tenuous at best and you must find the best way possible to regain lost power before it’s too late.

- With such a massive empire, it is widely expected that there are some areas not yet submitting to your rule. There are various tribes in the middle east that refuse to bow to the Sultan and there is Georgia, which stubbornly refuses to see you as the ruler of the land. You must bring these rebels to kneel or an uprising could be upon you and one that could even spread to your ever strained control of the volatile Balkans.

42,000 Men in Army of Serbia
37,000 Men in Army of Romania
32,000 Men in Army of Iraq
26,000 Men in Army of Egypt
25,000 Men in Army of Georgia
18,000 Men in Army of Hungary
320,000 Men for Recruitment

[Kingpoleon]

A Proclamation from the Court or King Charles XII

Henceforward, to all nations that wish mine ill; all those that envy the mighty lands of Sweden; all those who seek my people, my lands, and my throne for themselves; let me remind you that I, King of Sweden, Duke of Finland and Livonia, Prince of Denmark, have already defeated one enemy. I will wage war against all who oppose me and make peace with all who withdraw; I will fight alongside any nation who will fight with me and fight against any nation who befriends my enemies.

A further 5,000 men shall be immediately raised for the purposes of defense of the Kingdom. Long live the King!

[GoTfan]

A Declaration from the court of Karl ì

It is my pleasure to announce that the marriage of Frederica to the noble Tsar of Russia will proceed as planned. Let it be known that the great states of Prussia and Russia stand as one.

[Kingpoleon]

The New Lord High Officers of Sweden

The new Council of the Realm shall henceforth be:

Lord High Chancellor: Johannes Gezelius the Younger, Bishop of Turku
Lord High Constable: Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld, General
Lord High Steward: Nils Gyllenstierna, Baron
Lord High Admiral: Hans Wachtmeister, Admiral
Lord High Treasurer: Count Fabian Wrede, former Lord Marshal to the Riksdag of the Estates

Uppsala University Chancellor: Count Carl Piper
Court Chaplain: Jesper Swedberg, Uppsala Professor of Theology

Advisors: Magnus Stenbock, General; Bengt Oxenstierna, Foreign Minister; Erik Dahlberg, Chief Engineer; Arvid Horn, General; Cornelius Anckarstjerna, Dutch Admiral

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Pre-1702 Update

Prussia-Poland Crushes Stanislaw and Augustus in Battle
In one fell swoop, King Karl von Hohenzollern of Prussia-Poland has taken out two major threats to his throne in Warsaw; Stanislaw Leszczynski has been imprisoned Augustus and the Wettins forced to become Karl’s underlings as Grand Dukes of Dresden


Prusso-Polish Forces under the command of Prinz Francis advance to crush Polish rebels at the Battle of Fraustadt, August 25th, 1701

Source : https://www.pinterest.ru/pin/797911258954514170/

In a major show of power and force, King Karl I of Prussia-Poland has been able to end the rebellion against his rule in Poland and take out Saxony. The first major victory was on October 7th, when the Armies of Poland and Lithuania, under the command of Prinz Francis and a strength of 80,000, was able to meet the rebelling Polish forces of 35,000, under the command of Stanislaw, at Fraustadt. Despite very early success,  the battle proved to be a disaster for the rebels as the Prussian Discipline that had been drilled into the Loyalist Army eventually forced the rebels into a rout. It wasn’t long until all of the leaders were captured, including Stanislaw. Days later, the rebellion dissipated and Stanislaw officially recognized Karl as King of Poland in Warsaw.

Two weeks later, on October 21st, the armies of Brandenburg and Silesia would launch a two pronged invasion of Saxony, easily crushing the split Saxon forces. The most significant battle was near the Town of Meissen, where Karl and Oskar’s forces met and faced Augustus’ forces 16 miles outside of Dresden. The force of 20,000 Saxons were very quickly decimated against the 52,000 Prussians and would lead to the capture of Augustus and the electoral family themselves!

Due to little interest from the Emperor, with his concern being more focused on forcing France to recognize his son as King of Spain, King Elector Karl forced the Wettins into agreeing to become the Grand Dukes of Dresden and swearing loyalty to the Prussian King while renouncing his and his family’s claim on the polish throne. This success was followed by another success when four hundred polish men were captured by the King’s Nephew, Frederick William, in Prussia that were attempting to disrupt the peace and incite further aggression against the King. This was followed by the realization that these men were agents of King Karl XII of Sweden, causing King Karl of Prussia-Poland to declare that he will make sure to invade and destroy the Swedish Empire as thoroughly as possible for this action.

However, these successes were also met with several failures for the Prussians as in Swedish Pomerania, the 5,000 man force sent by the King to take the province was defeated and sent back into Brandenburg after a short siege of Stettin. It was also during the Saxony Campaign that the 30,000 men sent to besiege Riga was also pushed back by the Swedish, specifically the King himself, who led a successful battle against them and forced them to surrender.

Shortly after Saxony and Stanislaw had been forced to submit, the King met with the Sejm after having arrested the supporters of the two claimants and made an agreement with them : The Sejm will be able to nominate a royal governor to serve as the King’s Ambassador in Warsaw, though he’d get the final say in who is appointed to the position. Almost immediately, the Polish Sejm voted in favor of Michał Stefan Radziejowski, a former supporter of the now Duke Elector Augustus for the polish throne and Cardinal Primate of Poland, as their representative and as a sign of forgiveness to those that rebelled against him indirectly, Karl approved of the appointment.

As an uneasy stalemate consumed Eastern Europe by November of 1701, a new question emerged. How would the war go from here as Poland was now fighting on its lonesome against two powerful states?

Peter marries Karl I’s Daughter, Unrest grows against the Tsar
As Tsar Peter Alexeyevich Romanov marries Prinzessin Frederica, uniting his Empire with Karl’s, unrest against the tsar spreads


The Marriage of Peter and Frederica with a few attendees, September 4th, 1701

Source : https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bpor/hd_bpor.htm

It began well for the Russian Tsar, as he successfully married his ally’s daughter, Frederica von Hohenzollern and was able to convince her to convert to the Orthodox faith and take on the name Adah Karlovna Hohenzollern-Romanov. However, what followed next was a large amount of unrest sweeping the Nation as many Russians declared him a foreign puppet, citing his marriage to a german princess and him allowing the Russian Army to be trained by German Officers as prime examples of this.

Despite these things, however, the Tsar has taken little interest in what he considers to be the old capital of an increasingly changing Russia. What concerns him the most is the likelihood of a Swedish invasion of Russia and even worse, the Ottoman invasion from Crimea. On October 3rd, 28,500 men invaded the Ukraine and made a mad dash for Kiev. Though thanks to the large Russian force in the area stopping the invasion quickly, the combination of the unrest and the invasion from the Turks as well as the Swedes’ potential invasion may be enough to eventually convince Russia to bow out of the War altogether.

Turks and French put pressure on the Grand Alliance
The Ottoman Empire has seen fit to take revenge for their humiliation two years ago by invading the Austrians as they battle the French


Ottoman Troops invade Hungary

Source : https://4liberty.org.uk/2016/07/22/the-new-ottoman-invasion/

After quickly quelling an uprising in Georgia against him, Sultan Mustafa II launched the quickest push into Europe in centuries, sending 10,000 men in the army of Serbia to quickly capture the venetian holdings of Dalmatia before sending the rest of the army in a mad dash to Vienna while using the Armies of Wallachia and Moldova to quickly annex Transylvania. As this happened, a major blockade took place across the Aegean Sea to ensure that no aid could come to the Doge or the Emperor.

As this happened, French forces under the command of The Duke of Berwick and Boufflers met up with savoic forces in Italy and began to quickly push on Austria. While no word has reached the King of France or the Sultan about Bavaria’s plans as of yet, this sudden push is disheartening for the Emperor, though he swears to continue fighting until he is forced from the throne or the Habsburg die fighting the invaders.

This major push has increased pressure on the Prussian King by the Pro-Austria and Pro-France sides of his court, who state that with the rebellion against them and Saxony itself dealt with, it is now time to act and either support Louis in his war or come to the rescue of the Emperor, his brother-in-law. Either choice will have vast consequences as the clock begins to tick on the time left for the King to make a decision.

[GoTfan]

A Proclamation from Karl I

Let our enemies beware, the might of Prussia has quelled dissent to us in Europe!

The crushing of the rebel and Saxon armies should settle the matter once and for all. The appointment of Augustus as Royal Governor of Poland is hereby affirmed by official decree.

Beware, enemies of Prussia, for the hammer is now set to fall.

[PSOL]

A Proclamation from Mustafa II

The latest victory in the Balkans is a turning point for victory. Unless the rulers of Austria-Hungary wish to be thrown under the hooves of my Janissaries, they shall surrender the entirety of Hungary and the land of the Catholic Serbs.

To the remaining rulers of Christendom, getting involved in any sort of fashion against my current campaigns will risk your own lands. Unless you wish to seek trial by Allah sooner for your sins, I suggest you stay out of my way.

[PSOL]

To say that I’m dissatisfied with the slow implementation of my decrees by my grand vizier would be an understatement. Luckily, by the goodness of Allahu, it seems that is the case for my enemies as well.