AEIOU- An Austrian AAR

[Seelmeister]

Sounds like the powers of Europe are all waiting for someone else to make the first move! Perhaps it is worth attacking a weak foe to set things in motion? You could well find that both the Ottomans and France have you in their sights however.

Military frontiers gave you a huge manpower boost, that will certainly be valuable once this fragile peace in Europe is shattered.

 

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The 7th War of Austrian Aggression (part 1) May 1st to Jul 31st 1807

Early May the Imperial forces are near the French borders waiting for someone else to do something.

France is in too strong a position to attack on our own. 400,000 field army, 150,000 reserve pool and troop quality of 200%.

As we are close and the truce is coming to an end anyway armies are moved into position for a new Prussian war.

On the 24th all armies are in position and the truce has expired, the Second Austo-Prussian War begins.

Across the central and eastern portions 3 armies move for their first targets.

In the west Karl and Ferdinand move against the isolated Prussian holdings.

Von Bellegarde's army in Mecklenburg moves south for Berlin.

Brunswick kindly subsidises Bavaria, Mecklenburg and the Holy Roman Empire.

Salzburg's development is completed.

Von Hiller's army takes Warsaw and Lodsch for the loss of 1000 men and march to take Posen too.

Meanwhile at Berlin von Bellegarde suffers a mauling from Blucher.

Bayreuth falls to Karl.

Blucher hits von Bellegarde again, inflicting some casualties before a general retreat can be ordered.

We manage to research Austrian Army Reorganisation, +0.25 army morale, +25% National Manpower Modifier and -25% Land Maintenance Modifier.

Sicily who joined Prussia's anti-French take Roma, France loses Land Dominance status!

Blucher is pushing von Bellegarde, again a retreat is effected before too much damage is done.

Blucher breaks off the pursuit to chase after a minor British force that were besieging Cottbus in Saxony. Saved by a whisker, von Bellegarde's army were close to refusing all commands, if Blucher had attacked again the army would have been lost.

Erfurt falls to Ferdinand's assault of the breach.

Glogau likewise falls to breach assault.

Brunswick now subsidises Oldenburg.

Ferdinand bypasses Saxon cities to lay siege to Magdeburg while Karl finishes off the Saxon army at Chemnitz.

Blucher's army has now split into smaller detachments, 3 moving on Mecklenburg and one moving to relieve the newly besieged Frankfurt.

Revenge falls on July 30th.

The victorious forces move to besiege Berlin and Frankfurt once more.

 

[Willum]

Blucher breaks off the pursuit to chase after a minor British force that were besieging Cottbus in Saxony. Saved by a whisker, von Bellegarde's army were close to refusing all commands, if Blucher had attacked again the army would have been lost.

Dammit Blücher, you were this close to inflict some actual damage. :angry:

I can't help but notice that you're covering up the Prussian loses in the battle of Berlin, but they seem to have suffered worse than you, considering their idea point gain. The Prussian army quality must be quite bad at this point.

 

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Dammit Blücher, you were this close to inflict some actual damage. :angry:

I can't help but notice that you're covering up the Prussian loses in the battle of Berlin, but they seem to have suffered worse than you, considering their idea point gain. The Prussian army quality must be quite bad at this point.

Prussian losses were just over 21,000, the covering wasn't deliberate and I only noticed it had happened when writing this up. If you are waiting for shots of massacres of Austrian armies then you may be disappointed as I intend, as I've tried so far to conserve my forces as much as possible. Prussian army quality is 166%, Austria's 129%. The Prussians fed more troops into the battle across a river barrier which would explain their heavier losses.

 

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The 7th War of Austrian Aggression (part 2) Aug 1st to Nov 30th 1807

As soon as Berlin is under siege the Prussian's move another combined army towards the city. Wishing to avoid a similar fate to von Bellegarde the two besieging armies move to link up in Eberswalde.

Karl takes Leipzig and marches north to Luckenwalde.

Bialystock falls to von Wurtemburg who marches north to Augustow.

The Prussian forces near Berlin split and bypass the city, von Borberek moves quickly to crush the smaller detachment.

A battle of manoeuver begins, march and counter march, halts, retreats, sudden direction changes. Neither side wishes to be caught crossing the Elbe or one of it's tributaries.

Augustow falls to von Wurtemburg. With no soft targets left in the east, the army marches to lay siege to Thorn.

Battle is once again engaged at Berlin.

After 5 days the battle is over, the result was never in doubt.

Gleiwitz falls.

Modlin, Magdeburg, Kustrin and Berlin are all under siege.

Allegedly the French are at war with Prussia, there has been no sight of them at all.

By mid September, siege duty is all that remains to be done to force the conditions we wish from the Prussians.

Kustrin falls quickly followed by Frankfurt.

Armies start to retire from the war zone, back to the French border and to central Austria.

Money is invested to upgrade Linz to normal development.

On the 3rd of November Berlin falls.

Prussia accepts our terms.

Greater Austria

The victorious armies start the long march south to the Ottoman border.

Depot construction begins at our new fortress of Glogau.

The port at Senj opens for business and begins construction of a 2nd rate warship.

 

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Kicking the Sick Man Dec 1st 1807 to Mar 31st 1808

December is taken up moving troops from the Prussian front to the borders of the Ottoman Empire.

In early January von Bellegarde's army embarks at Zadar and with the entire Austrian Navy sets sail for Cyprus and the furthest point of our invasion.

On the 21st January war is declared and Austrian troops begin the long delayed attack into the Balkans.

The Serb rebels are overrun at Tuzla, those at Belgrade left to conduct the siege.

At Limasol the Imperial Navy takes shelter from possible attack in the newly conquered port.

Josef's army takes Hermannstadt in Wallachia and marches south to lay siege to Kutlofca.

Bosna-Saray and Nis fall in quick succession.

At Tuzla, although a breach has been blown, the large garrison deter further assaults. Ferdinand's army is replaced on siege duty and moves to Belgrade.

Dispersing the Serbs before the city walls, Ferdinand's massed batteries start their work.

Another 1st rate warship slips into the Adriatic and is ordered to join the main fleet at Cyprus.

Sofya falls to assault.

von Wurtemburg pushes deeper into Ottoman territory to Filibe.

Maria Theresia von Paradis Music School happens giving us 2 extra idea points per month for a year.

Two days later Belgrade Higher School happens to us (I got this playing the Ottomans too), -0.05 revolt risk and +5% local tax modifier again for a year. No events for ages then two at once!

Von Wurtemburg storms Filibe and drives deeper still towards Burgas.

On the Adriatic coast von Borberek takes Tiran and continues south to Ioanina.

Karl reaches and takes Pristina which had fallen to the Serbs.

France wins its war over Sweden.

Tuzla falls after a long siege, though short for us.

Von Borberek takes Ioanina and swings east for Athens.

It looks like all the Russian gains are in Moldavia and Wallachia, with territory swapping hands in eastern Anatolia regularly the bulk of the Ottoman army must be in action over there. Long may that continue.

 

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Pushing the Sick Man Over Apr 1st to Sep 30th 1808

April starts with the fall of Kutlofca after 53 days of siege.

At Burgas von Wurtemburg creates an early breach and storms the city.

von Wurtemburg swings south for Edirne, Josef strikes east for the Black Sea coast.

Our lone warship sailing for Cyprus spots an Ottoman fleet off Taranto and flees back to Ragusa where it is blockaded.

Josef takes over the siege at Edirne, von Wurtemburg marches south to attempt the Dardanelles crossing. Von Hiller who had also arrived at Edirne is ordered west to take Thessaloniki.

Athens falls after a siege of only a fortnight!

Von Borberek continues his Greek journey aiming to take Patras and the whole Peloponnese.

Karl breach assaults and takes Uskub.

After 89 days Magusa falls, the 1st of the major targets of the war.

The Imperial Navy pick up the army and make for Rodos. With the island being fortified the army is landed at Mugla to provide a safe anchorage.

Depot construction at Glogau is completed.

Von Wurtemburg blocked at the Dardanelles turns to lay siege to the Ottoman capital.

The Imperial Warfleet screening the landing at Mugla skirmishes with the Ottomans.

Seemingly satisfied with their victory the Ottomans sail off.

Karl's troops who had marched the length of the Balkans take Khalkis before being ordered back to Austria.

At Edirne Josef takes the city, he now marches south to attempt the Dardanelles crossing.

Von Bellegarde's troops make the crossing to Rodos unmolested, however the city needs to be blockaded or it will not fall.

The Warfleet leave Mugla to take blockade duties.

Thessaloniki falls to von Hiller, this army is also retired from the fighting.

Josef crosses the Dardanelles un-opposed and Bursa by force of arms.

The Warfleet suffers a mauling off Rodos.

Josef continues to storm Ottoman towns taking Izmit and moving for Eskisehir.

Von Borberek takes Patras and moves to end all resistance in Greece.

All Imperial Naval vessels at Mugla sail to blockade Rodos.

The weight of vessels and manpower quickly overwhelm the defenders and Rodos falls.

A day later Josef takes Eskisehir.

At Belgrad Karl's retiring forces link with the besiegers and storm the city.

All 3 objectives we require from our enemy are now in our possession, only a peace treaty is needed to seal the victory.

Ferdinand's troops join the march back to home soil.

The Imperial Navy including the broken remains of the Warfleet limp back across the sea from Rodos towards home territory when another larger Ottoman fleet appears. A race ensues across the Aegean. With only minutes to spare the fleet reaches liberated Greece and safety.

Rather than blockade the Ottomans sail off to cut the Dardanelles crossing.

Although close to what we need the Ottomans will not concede to all our demands.

Von Bellegarde takes to the transports and sets sail for Crete.

Josef who had completed the Austrian encirclement of Kostantinyye now marches east to take more towns in the hopes of wringing all our demands from the Turk.

We adopt Volley Fire.

The troops land on Crete just in time to excape another Ottoman fleet.

A frigate and second line warship are launched, 2 new first rates are ordered to replace some of our naval losses.

Von Borberek's army start the long march from Corinth to Trieste.

Josef storms Konya in central Anatolia then marches south to Adalia on the Mediterranean coast.

The Ottomans offer to concede defeat.

In reponse Josef storms Adalia.

With the Ottomans still refusing to cede the provinces we demand Josef marches east and takes Kayseri.

This is the final straw for the foe and on the 8th of September they accept our demands.

On the 18th of September, in an attempt to sort out our rather messy German border and to stop them falling to the French, we declare war on plucky little Brunswick.

In coalition with Prussia, Egypt, Portugal, Sicily and Piedmont, only Egypt can or is prepared to stand up for them.

We shall take Brunswick and then after a month or so make a white peace with Egypt.

It's been a long war but ultimately successful all 3 dominance targets taken at one go. OK so the Ottoman's didn't show up, but a win is a win.

 

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Nothing to do Oct 1st 1808 to Mar 31st 1809

By October the 8th the war against Brunswick is over.

Development work is completed in Linz.

The increase in manpower levels across the empire make depots viable in several provinces. Construction work begins in Dortmund, Kassel, Freiburg, Innsbruck, Trient, Czernowitz, Debrezin and Ulm.

Egypt refuses to discuss peace but give it a month or two and they'll get bored and sign a ceasefire. They are at war with France too.

Our shipyards on the Adriatic coast are slowly continuing to build up the fleet, the hope is to concentrate only on 1st rate warships now.

It will take 7 more months to replace the casualties of the Ottoman war.

France has been on the counter attack in Italy and regains land dominance status.

Into December with no incident, Egypt are still refusing to talk peace.

Port construction starts in Karlobag.

January, Egypt are still not interested in a peace treaty, they must really have liked Brunswick.

Russia and the Ottomans make peace. If France loses dominance again I think Russia may take over!

There this time to kill, the borders are looking a little wonky in the west and I haven't the courage to take on France yet. What to do now?

Erfurt and Bayreuth fall quickly.

Ferdinand who had taken Bayreuth marches north through Saxony heading for Berlin.

Von Bellegarde marches from Erfurt to Frankfurt.

Russia sends us a diplomatic message.

Two armies are ordered east towards the Russian border.

Karl takes Posen and swings south to Lodsch.

Frankfurt falls to assault, von Bellegarde now moves to the fortress at Kustrin.

Von Hiller leaves siege duties at Magdeburg to drive a marauding Prussian army out of Mecklenburg.

Direct control is assumed of the Oldenburg army to overrun Emden, once the task is complete control is relinquished.

The death of Johann Adam Schmidt goins us 25 idea points.

von Hiller crushes the Prussians in Mecklenburg

Von Wurtemburg takes Warschau, his army swings south to make a supply corridor before heading east to Bialystock.

Egypt are still refusing to make peace. I just don't get this.

Lodsch falls to Karl after 31 days of siege. The army marches north to Thorn.

Von Bellegarde storms the breach he made at Kustrin. The next siege location will be Stettin on the Baltic coast.

Finally finding the reason for the Egyptian refusal to make terms, Josef's army which had been covering the Russian border are ordered to the transports at Flaum.

After 49 days Berlin capitulates.

Bialystock falls a day later.

Von Wurtemburg's army will march up the Prussian/Russian border to Augustow and then Memel. We shall see if the Russians are building up forces in the east.

The 1st Austrian fleet arrive off Rodos to deter any possible Egyptian blockade. Although they have an army of 75,000 they have only 2 transports vessels as their navy. Even the Austrian Fleet can handle that!

 

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How did I end up here? Apr 1st 1809 to Jul 31st 1809

Great Britain has taken Kolberg from the Prussians, France has still to take any offensive action in the country and the Imperial Army is on an unopposed rampage across the land.

Prussia is a basket case now, any power that wants to take something surely will, it's better we have it than any others. We'll cast aside guilty feeling and help ourselves.

Prussia offers to surrender.

Augustow falls. No sign of the Russians so far. Nor for that matter the French.

Ferdinand's massed guns batter the walls of Stettin into submission.

All the depots recently commissioned go into operation. Further ones are commenced in Passau, Trieste, Flaum, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe.

Ferdinand's army retire from the war and march back to Prag.

Karl's army take the breach at Thorn and march to Modlin.

Josef disperses the Egyptian force on Rodos. Losing 1000 men the Egyptians gain 11.2 idea points!

However they still will not accept a peace.

Metternich becomes Chancellor giving us a +5% manpower boost for 12 months.

The Egyptians are annoying me if they won't do the decent thing and sign a treaty then they'll be forced to the table. Von Hiller leaves Prussian soil and takes up Ferdinand's station at Prag. Ferdinand will take transports to the east.

May begins with us adopting Platoon Fire.

Depot construction begins in Rodos and Magusa.

No sooner have the foundations been laid than the Egyptians land 5000 men on Cyprus.

The Imperial Navy hits the transport, sinking it and giving the Egyptians more idea points.

With half their fleet detroyed perhaps now they will accept a truce?

No.

The other half of the Egyptian fleet appears carrying another 9200 men but are driven off before effecting a landing.

Meanwhile Prussia offers Erfurt, Mulhausen, Halberstadt and Bayreuth. Nice but not nice enough.

Josef's army is transported from Rodos to Magusa where the Egyptians are dispersed.

Really assault supply column and 30 idea points?

A second Imperial Navy fleet of 7 warships sets sail for the eastern Mediterranean. A new 1st rate and transport slip into the Adriatic just as they depart.

Magdeburg falls after 106 days of siege, von Borberek who was conducting the siege retires to Breslau.

Modlin falls after 56 days of siege.

Prussia accepts our generous terms.

I don't intend to deal with Prussia again, but just in case I've taken as many fortresses from them as could be had. Things are looking cleaner in the west.

Immediately depot construction begins in our new provinces of Magdeburg and Kustrin.

All the Imperial warships are now on blockade duty against Egypt.

I plan to use the two armies against Egypt launched from Cyprus so that there is minimal delay between them deploying on enemy territory.

Ferdinand's army lands at Sidi Barrani and begins the march along the coast towards Alexandria.

Josef's army are picked up from Cyprus and make to land at El Alamein.

The grand plan. Josef will attack Cairo bypassing Alexandria, leaving Ferdinand to besiege that city. The Nile should provide enough of a barrier to enemy movement that either army can support the other should a crisis develop. Once both cities have fallen the armies will combine to move on Damietta crush the Egyptian field army and take the town. Simple.

 

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A Place in the Sun Aug 1st 1809 to Jan 31st 1810

Change of naval plan, we need more transports. A couple of new 1st raters leave the dockyard and are replaced by transports.

Cairo and Alexandria are both now under siege, suddenly Egypt decides it will offer terms.

Too late Egypt.

France forces both Sicily and Portugal to surrender taking land from them.

Our latest round of depots come into operation.

Ferdinand takes Alexandria and marches for Cairo, once that city is taken the combined armies will march onwards and fight the Egyptian army at Damietta.

Depot construction starts in Brunn. Normal development is planned in Muhlhausen.

At Cairo Josef makes a breach and defeats the mainly militia garrison.

Both armies now combine and are moving up the Nile when I realise we can finish the war now!

Not what was planned at all, we now have an African satellite. And they even have the bulk of their army intact, they could be useful if the Ottomans decide to take revenge.

The transport operation begins to return the victorious armies to Austria.

Russia declares war on Sweden.

Britain forms a coalition against France, Cyrenaica joins.

Our depots on Cyprus and Rodos become active.

All four of our current ports are building 1st rate warships again.

The depots in Kustrin and Magdeburg become operational.

The port building in Karlobag is completed, immediately another 1st rater is in production.

By late January all combat losses have been recovered and in February we can start recruiting a new army.

 

[lordvagrant]

Really assault supply column and 30 idea points?

Apparently it's a really bad idea to invade with just a supply column.

 

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Apparently it's a really bad idea to invade with just a supply column.

Though look at all those idea points, I may try raising a 35,000 supply train just to get the full 200 and a new idea

 

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Hellas Feb 1st 1810 to Jun 30th 1811

Construction of the new army continues through February and well into the new year, all troops are mustering at Pest.

Brunn's depot is now fully functional.

We acquire the Trained Sharpshooters idea, we have so many Grenzers that this should make a big difference.

The Ottomans declare war on Russia.

Leopold Auenbrugger dies leaving us 50 idea points in his will.

Joseph Haydn dies too, we gain another 50 idea points. If this keeps up we might have a lower population base but know everything!

The build up of our navy and army continues late into the year.

It's now late November and despite the season we turn back to the Balkans. Our original aim was to remove the Ottomans as a threat in the Balkans and Greece. Well now it's time to do just that.

War is declared of 26th November.

Ferdinand will take the Adriatic route this time.

Von Hiller lays siege to Tuzla.

In preparation for the invasion Kollowrath-Krawkowsky had marched down through Serbia and is now only a short march from Thessaloniki.

With Thessaloniki now in Austrian hands the army will march east and block the gateway to Kostaninyye.

The newly raised army at Pest is marched east to deal with minor incursions from Moldavia.

Ferdinand takes Tiran and Ioanina then marches for Athens.

We adopt Diplomatic Corps.

Ferdidnand takes Athens and starts the conquest of the Pelopennese.

At Tuzla von Hiller allows a Serbian general to lead the combined armies.

Our new Egyptian satellite is on the offensive in Palestine.

Unfortunately the Ottomans are on the offensive in our territory.

Kollowrath-Krawkowsky turns from the march on Edirne towards home territory, just in case.

Our newly raised army which was marching east is hurredly returned to the point of the crisis, fortunately the Ottomans have split their forces.

Ignoring the main body of the Ottomans the army now advances on Tuzla again.

Kollowrath-Krawkowsky takes Filibe and then Sofya before turning back to Edirne.

The Imperial transport fleet picks up Ferdinand and lands his troops on Zante.

The French are finally on the offensive in Prussia.

We get the Count Alois von Berkh Widmanstatten event, 25 more idea points.

From Zante Ferdinand takes the transports to Crete.

Josef who had been besieging Kutlofca, finally takes the city.

Tuzla falls after a second siege of only 23 days.

With the Ottoman army besieging Belgrade the remaining Austrian forces in theatre take Bosna-Saray and mop up some small Ottoman reinforcement forces.

Josef takes Plevne and marches for Rushuk.

Another detachment from the main Ottoman force is defeated.

The Ottomans lift the siege on Belgrad and march into battle against the Bavarians and HREs outside Peterwardein. The satellite force crush them and pursue ruthlessly wiping out the Ottomans fleeing troops outside Bosna-Saray.

Von Hiller's army have now recovered a proportion of their losses and are ordered to besiege Kostantinyye.

Edirne falls to an assault of a breach in the city walls, at the same time as Candia on Crete does.

Ferdinand's army take ship again and will land in Palestine and aid the Egyptians in their campaign there.

Burgas falls as does Rushuk.

West of Kostantinyye only Ismail and Silistre remain in Ottoman hands.

The Ottomans are exactly where we want them, on their knees.

The Ottomans have been shattered in the Balkans and Greece has been "liberated". The Ottoman empire has been split in two and if there is another war the western Ottoman territory will need to be taken to "tidy the borders".

 

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Coalition Politics Jul 1st to Oct 31st 1811

After the success of the operation to liberate Greece the troops march back to home territory.

Using the funds we have built up and taken as tribute we begin Civilised development around the capital.

France forces peace on the Prussians.

A nice little French outpost on our northern borders!

Finished with the Prussians France finally starts war with Britain again.

Next day the British diplomats extend an invitation to join their coalition, we shall leave them to wait.

Two armies numbering 95,000 men move to stations at Gleiwitz and Krakau.

The Ottomans are refused permission to enter our territory.

Things start to move faster, Spain joins France and declares war on Britain.

Josef reaches his new position at Kassel.

Karl moves to Karlsruhe, von Wurtemburg to Nassau.

Our armies in the north move to Tomaszow and Radom on the French enclaves border.

We have kept Britain waiting for 2 weeks, in no uncertain terms we advise the diplomats that we will never join in coalition with Britain again unless as the leader.

von Hiller's army reaches Flaum and boards the transports.

The transports set sail for Taranto.

Our latest war plan. 3 armies will strike into Holland and northern France. 2 armies in the east will take the French enclave there. 1 army will land at the heel of Italy and strike north. 2 armies will hold on the Rhine frontier to act as a block against any French moves into our territory. At Salzburg Ferdinand will be on hand to move west, east or south as occasion demands.

This will not be total war, we won't gain all our goals from France after one war, this shall be the first of possibly many.

On 23rd September, with the transports off the Tarantese coast and with 2 squadrons of warships guarding the entrance to the Adriatic, we declare our war on France.

In the west our armies move on targets in France and Holland.

Russia joins Britain's coalition, and declares war a few days later.

Taranto and Koln come under siege.

Von Boberek reaches Utrecht only to find the British besieging the fortress, the army is ordered now to Maastricht.

We learn Divisional Structure.

In the east it appears we may have our hands full!

Ferdinand's army starts a march to the east.

Denmark joins the French Coalition.

Our combined army in the east strikes it's first blow.

Von Hiller makes himself Beloved by the Army.

Warsaw is invested, the French counter by storming Radom and besieging Lublin.

Von Wurtemburg lifts the siege of Koln to try and counter a possible French build up.

Josef takes Gand and strikes at Bruxelles.

Karl moves from the Rhine to drive French incursions from around Nassau and Solingen.

Our second army on the Rhine leaves it's base and lays siege to Strasbourg.

A French army is obliterated at Warschau.

Josef takes Bruxelles and swings towards Bruges on the coast.

Warshau falls in the east.

We now take land dominance from France

Skirmishes are won at Bonn, Solingen and Freiburg.

Karl attacks a minor French army at Koln while Koblenz is besieged by von Wurtemburg.

Another victory in the east.

Ferdinand is halted in his eastward march and now moves towards Trieste.

Lublin falls to the French.

 

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Close Action Nov 1st to Dec 31st 1811

Small French divisions are everywhere, but nowhere in the west is there a large concentration of French force.

Von Wurtemburg wipes out a small French unit at Altenahr and swings back towards Koln.

Bruxelles comes under siege to one such minor French unit.

Von Bellegarde is cris-crossing the Rhine at Karlsruhe and Strasbourg mopping up tiny French units that seem to determined to head for Bavaria.

Tunisia joins the French Coalition.

In the east another French army is defeated. What were once two armies in the east are combined into one. (The anachronistic duet, after a brief time out to play, are back on the reserve list).

Josef destroys the siege forces at Bruxelles, all 3600 of them, and moves to besiege Liege.

Beethoven's Failed Concert takes place or doesn't, we lose 15 prestige but gain 75 idea points. Encore Maestro!

Further skirmishes occur at Louvain, Landau, Solingen, Trier, Dortmund, Cochem, Nancy and Metz. Unit after tiny unit of Frenchmen deserting, French marshals and generals weeping everywhere!

Josef once again hurries to Bruxelles to crush another small siege.

Nancy falls to assault swiftly followed by Koln.

Von Borberek defeats the French at Maastricht.

A Swiss army lays siege to Padua, Ferdinand moves from Trieste to relieve the city.

Von Wurtemburg takes Zwolle in northern Holland and moves to lay siege to Utrecht which the British appear to have lost interest in.

Tripolitania joins the French Coalition.

A mammoth 16 day battle draws to a close at Tomaszow.

The French are shattered in the east, however the victors have taken such a pounding that they refuse to move from the field of their victory.

It takes a week before the army is once again on the move against the remaining French forces in the east.

Ferdinand crushes the Swiss at Padua and moves into Italy to lay siege to Bologna.

At Radom Lannes uses poor Austrian morale to his advantage.

The constant stream of tiny French divisions has become an annoyance. At Krems in the homeland the standards are raised for an army to crush these units. Horse artillery and cavalry only to gallop across France dispersing reinforcements before they coalesce into something more threatening.

At Gand Josef drives off de Grouchy.

The French counter attack at Taranto.

Von Hillers army is split in two to allow the defeated French to be pursued and driven far from the siege.

Karl is mauled at Nancy!

Josef wins skirmishes at Bruxelles, Bruges and Mons.

Von Bellegarde, who had arrived too late to save Karl, defeats Joubert.

Ferdinand storms Bologna and marches on Firenze.

Von Bellegarde "wins" against Joubert again.

Ferdinand captures Firenze by assault.

In excess of 110,000 casualties in 2 months, if this rate of loss continues we shall be done for by May and might just outlast France by a month!

Can we pursue the war and hope to profit or seek peace and retire to lick our wounds?

 

[Willum]

Wow, that battle at Tomazow was the largest blood bath I've seen for quite some time.

Also, yay some proper defeats! One of them led by a Serbian, but he carried Austrian colours...

 

[unmerged(703992)]

Wow, that battle at Tomazow was the largest blood bath I've seen for quite some time.

Also, yay some proper defeats! One of them led by a Serbian, but he carried Austrian colours...

Hehe, I did think of titling this update "This one's for you Willum".

 

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Finishing what was started Jan 1st to Feb 29th 1812

Ferdinand storms Livorno, next stop Roma. ANother Naval Dominance target captured.

Von Bellegarde wins again at Nancy, however army morale is at a nadir and the order is given to retire to friendly territory.

Josef continues his mad scurrying around Bruxelles dispersing French divisions there and at Gand.

Maastricht finally falls.

The Bavarians are defeated at Koblenz.

Von Hiller takes Taranto and starts the slow mach up the calf of the Italian boot.

Ferdinand conquers Roma and starts the march home.

At Sandomir Kollowrath-Krakowsky takes revenge on Lannes.

Von Wurtemburg drives the Dutch from Wesel.

Molitor's army are dispersed in the east, less than 10,000 remain in the area.

Karl's army drives Joubert from Frankfurt.

We adopt Assault Column.

Drouet retakes Roma!

French resistance in the east had been underestimated.

Von Hiller reaches and reconquers Roma.

In the last act of the war Kollowrath-Krakowsky liberates Lublin.

We have had enough and so has France, on the 20th of February a peace is declared.

We take the French conquests in eastern Prussia and Italy as a puppet.

We have also taken Land Dominance from France, we can now be a target for Coalitions.

Overall the war against France has cost us between 25 and 30% of our army strength. Each victory came with a heavy loss of Austrian lives, each loss was near disasterous.

And now the hard part begins, how to wrest control of the seas from Britain?

 

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Gunboat Diplomacy Mar 1st to Nov 30th 1812

We have strategic targets required from France, Britain, Russia and Spain. We are at peace with France, Britain is guaranteed by Russia and I have pledged not to fight an agressive war against Russia.

Our navy now totals 39 vessels and is still growing, Spains navy is non-existant due no doubt to declaring war on Britain again.

Ferdinand and von Hiller are embarked in the transports.

Being a cautious soul however I think it's essential to have a safe haven for the transports to retire into once the army has been disembarked.

Spain and Algeria both declare war on us in defence of our port facility.

Von Hiller lands at Cagliari, defeats the local forces then splits his army to both besiege the town and take the rest of the island.

Ferdinand lands on Palma.

The Universalmuseum Joanneum gives us +0.05 prestige and +1 idea point per month for a year.

Having captured the rest of Sardinia von Hiller's army merges once more and settles down to siege duty.

The 1st transport fleet returns to Flaum to pick up von Bellegarde for siege duty at Port Mahon.

A Spanish vessel finishes construction in Port Mahon.

The Imperial Navy is on blockade duty off Palma/Port Mahon, Alger and Cagliari.

Cagliari falls.

We gain a new satellite, 25 ducats, 12 prestige and safe anchorage for our transports close to the warzone.

Von Hiller's army is returned to Austria and von Wurtemburg takes to the transports and sails for the battle front.

The Imperial fleets are broken apart and sent to the Spanish coast.

Depot construction is started belatedly in Warschau.

The development of Wien is completed.

Palma surrenders.

Three weeks later Port Mahon surrenders too.

Ferdinand and von Bellegarde sail homewards.

Spain refuses to discuss peace terms.

The Spanish ship that was at Port Mahon sails out to be sunk by a combined Austrian and British fleet.

Spain starts the land war proper defeating an Italian army at Milano.

I have no desire to expand our African conquests, only to drive Algeria to the negotiating table. Von Wurtemburg lands at Alger and makes his point for a peaceful settlement.

Taking to the transports once again von Wurtemburg leads his army to the Spanish mainland, storming ashore at Valencia he takes the town and burns the ship being constructed in the port.

Looking for easy targets the army in Spain marches north storming Lerida before marching on Zaragoza.

Meanwhile the Spanish invade Austria.

With the fall of Zaragoza Spain submits.

The profits from the war allow upgrading work to begin in Pest province.

The Imperial Navy now blockades the entire Algerian coastline.

Von Wurtemburg arrives from Spain to discuss peace with the Algerians again.

The Algerians accept our very generous offer.

 

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At Rest Dec 1st 1812 to Apr 30th 1813

All of Europe is embroiled in war, but for once Austria is at peace.

Russia is fighting both Sweden and the Ottomans, and supposedly the French too.

Britain is at war with France and her allies and still with Prussia

Spain is still committed to the war against Britain and Russia.

We have some things we could be getting on with, the Prussian border is looking a mess now that we have hold of Warschau and of course the Ottomans still cling on to some of their territory in the Balkans. But with only 5 months until the truce with France is over and winter thoroughly entrenched these things can wait.

December passes quietly.

In January Mixed Order further improves the training of our troops.

Our latest depot at Warschau is completed.

Money is getting tight, for the first time in years only 4 of our 5 dockyards are working. That new first rater will need to wait til March.

By March the first rater planned has been forgotten with activity mounting in the Adriatic.

In western Austria, Josef's and the Galloper armies split apart and take up temporary positions.

On the Rhine preparations are also underway.

The next great warplan - In the last war with Bonaparte time was wasted with sieges of Dutch cities, not this time. The armies on the Rhine will cross and lay siege to the French fortresses of Strasbourg, Mainz and Landau. Once these have fallen the armies will move on to Nancy, Metz and Trier. Josef's army will keep the Dutch field army in check and if able march and take Bruxelles. In Italy three armies will operate striking at Taranto, Roma and Firenze then Livorno, Ancona and Gaeta.

We'll see how long this one lasts!

On the 9th of April both the Universalmuseum and peace with France expire.

The crossing of the Rhine begins.

The first Italian objectives quickly fall, Firenze on the 14th, Taranto and Roma on the 15th.

On the 17th von Bellegarde reaches and takes Livorno then turns north for Genova.

Barely 8 days old and 2 naval targets and 1 land have fallen to us.

Von Hiller reaches and lays siege to Gaeta.

Von Wurtemburg moves in the south to grab all French territory.

There may be a change of plan along the Rhine.

In fact considering previous battles on French soil.....

Better to have them force the Rhine than be fighting with our backs to it!