Dreams of Frisian Freedom

[Hootieleece]

The readers wait with baited breath to hear how Frisia will survive and of course about the Titanic battle between Ottomans and Russia.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Russia v Otto Man! Let them bleed each other. It is amazing how many times the AI (CK & EU) ignores the war goal. Get that sweet ticking war score! Please, Mr. Coalition Man do not fire while Franconia is rescuing people from Bohemian oppression and rhapsodies. Thank you for the update.

 

[Rensslaer]

So if I read the text correctly you are not currently allied with Great Britain. Why would you choose to become closer to Portugal as an ally rather than already-friendly GB?

@Lord Durham is correct. My Brandenburger spirit chills at the mention of Bohemian Stettin! Just not right!

It occurs to me that I had once considered this AAR a "gameplay" AAR, but whether it was always so or if you've shifted I now recognize it more as a "historybook" style. Any thoughts on this? I know I've often shifted from one to the other in my AARs.

Still reading the update but these are my reactions from the first third of it or so.

Rensslaer

 

[HistoryDude]

That ending was a surprise. Hopefully Friesland can deal with this unexpected incursion!

If Franconia and co win, will Friesland get anything from Bohemia and their allies?

These Russo-Ottoman Wars will be fun...

 

[Rensslaer]

To complete my thoughts...

That is one MASSIVE army at Brugge! Wow.

Of course that means your enemy is there, and not guarding their home territory, which can present an opportunity!

One thing that caught my eye is that you choose fewer monarch points from an event in order to avoid inflation. How does inflation impact you, this late in the game? I'm nearing 1600 in my game, and haven't even finished all the economic ideas. But already I find that my inflation disappears quickly so I don't bat an eye at a fractional percentage of inflation. Course maybe that's because I've had pretty huge inflation at times, meaning anything less seems insignificant.

Rensslaer

 

[Lord Durham]

All caught up. Man, that's some war. Marching. Counter-marching. Battles. Sieges. And Rus vs Ottomans to boot. Lots happening. Great post.

 

[jak7139]

Unfortunately, Friesland’s rivalry was too recent to be relieved before 1733. Another option would have to be sought.

Well, Castille has also rivalled you, so you'd also need the AI to change their attitude as well, along with your attitude-shift. Same with Portugal.

Apart from the direct benefits, it should allow more buildings in some locations.

For the Town Halls, that +1 building slot is taken up by the building itself. So courthouses, Universities, etc. are free in that sense. To actually get more building slots, you'd need to develop your provinces or use the expand infrastructure button in your provinces. Both of those sound like feasible options since you said you have plenty of monarch points.

led by the South East Asian country of Blambangan but soon joined by four European nations, the most significant of which was Austria itself

How large is Austria's army and could you theoretically declare a preemptive strike on the coalition before it grows larger (after this current war, of course)?

Russia had the smaller army but more reserves and would be largely fighting on home soil. The Ottomans had over a million men under arms. Both sides were technologically comparable.

Russia may have more reserves, but a lot of those will be used up to build more troops. The Ottomans have a large advantage with their million-man army. I'm curious why the Turkish morale is so low. What does it say in the ledger when you hover over their morale?

 

[Bullfilter]

Okey-dokey, need something to distract and (hopefully) amuse as the real world goes to hell in a handbasket. So Frisia's adventures will be up soon and here is the feedback for the last chapter comments (and noting the content of these next two chapters was all played through in the last session as well). Some of the time I'll therefore have to fudge a bit to prevent spoiling.

We've got the usuals. Russia, Scandinavia, big France, GB (eventually), ottomans and persia. And most patently, a Chinese faction looks like its Dominating neighbours, which could be trouble.

Right, if this is typical for EU4 (sounds likely to me). Qing fell apart early, but Shu looks to be rebuilding the empire bit by bit. Hoping it affects others more than the Frisian East Indies!

this is how an architecture style is born!

there's a neighboring province to be taken as well

Right, but mainly up to Franconia to worry about I thought.

it'll be fun to see

Fun is the right word - if you're observing from a distance!

sounds like not the best time to start this war but whatever, Russia delenda est!

Though not before they 'delenda' the Ottos (sorry, I know the affinity there, but in game they're just too huge and need cutting down a bit)! Or preferably, each other

loved the section names of this episode

Thanks! Thought it would be a bit of fun.

sounds exactly like how filcat describes AI behaviour

Yes, I had that in mind as this unfolded. Ba$tards!

The readers wait with baited breath to hear how Frisia will survive and of course about the Titanic battle between Ottomans and Russia.

Yes to both - the war with Bohemia and Switzerland (mainly) proves harder than was anticipated. As for the big death match ... it's only just beginning

Russia v Otto Man! Let them bleed each other. It is amazing how many times the AI (CK & EU) ignores the war goal. Get that sweet ticking war score! Please, Mr. Coalition Man do not fire while Franconia is rescuing people from Bohemian oppression and rhapsodies. Thank you for the update.

Exactly! The Bohemian war has plenty of twists and turns yet: a major factor affecting Frisian perspectives occurs early in the next chapter ...

So if I read the text correctly you are not currently allied with Great Britain. Why would you choose to become closer to Portugal as an ally rather than already-friendly GB?

That's right. GB can be allied at any time. But Portugal would be great to help match both Castile and France, especially in the colonies. North America (New Friesland) is a real concern and Portugal have a huge presence there and in South America. Same for Australia on a smaller scale. If Castile is not a short-term prospect, we just though Portugal would be worth a try.

@Lord Durham is correct. My Brandenburger spirit chills at the mention of Bohemian Stettin! Just not right!

Indeed. Maybe one day we can do something about it - but today is not that day (other than blockading it, anyway)

It occurs to me that I had once considered this AAR a "gameplay" AAR, but whether it was always so or if you've shifted I now recognize it more as a "historybook" style. Any thoughts on this? I know I've often shifted from one to the other in my AARs.

To me, it is a gameplay AAR (with much of what happens in game depicted, both for presentation and learning for me) but presented in a history book kind of style (where most of the time there is the 'literary fiction' of it being a historical treatment of the story as if it had actually happened in an alternate time line. So your comments are spot on from my perspective. Most of my AARs are a blend of styles and I feel no need to place them in a particular pigeon hole.

I too have shifted repeatedly within AARs. My HOI3 magnum opus (Talking Turkey, now into its 8th year and my first AAR) is a prime example of that. It morphs from style to style and format to format depending on where the story and my fancy takes me!

That ending was a surprise. Hopefully Friesland can deal with this unexpected incursion!

It was for me too! And not a nice one. I decided to RP the moral outrage of the times at such atrocities.

If Franconia and co win, will Friesland get anything from Bohemia and their allies?

At this point I was unsure, and don't (as far as I know) have the ability to affect that much as a support8ing ally. Unless I've missed some part of the peace conference mechanic.

These Russo-Ottoman Wars will be fun...

Ooh yeah!

To complete my thoughts...

That is one MASSIVE army at Brugge! Wow.

Of course that means your enemy is there, and not guarding their home territory, which can present an opportunity!

Yes, even my entire European based army would have trouble with it. And the casualties from a pitched battle would be horrendous. At that point, I was waiting for attrition to chip away at them and get ready to pounce if they split their forces.

One thing that caught my eye is that you choose fewer monarch points from an event in order to avoid inflation. How does inflation impact you, this late in the game? I'm nearing 1600 in my game, and haven't even finished all the economic ideas. But already I find that my inflation disappears quickly so I don't bat an eye at a fractional percentage of inflation. Course maybe that's because I've had pretty huge inflation at times, meaning anything less seems insignificant.

Re inflation, I don't really know. Was just thinking with such a big economy, even a small amount of inflation would be bad in gross terms. And I'd been butting up against the point limits for a while due to being so far ahead of time in all three (over 20% for a while). And as someone who was a young adult in the late 70s and into the 80s, perhaps I have an in-built mistrust of inflation! Look what it's doing to mus now, again. When we were looking to get our first home loan in the recession of the early 90s, we had to wait for mortgage interest rates to come down from 17%!

All caught up. Man, that's some war. Marching. Counter-marching. Battles. Sieges. And Rus vs Ottomans to boot. Lots happening. Great post.

Thanks - and yes, a lot happening, local and more widely. Wars going on in the Far East too, though I'm covering them more in passing. We're going through quite an active period: and its about to get way more intense in Europe! Blood will flow ...

Well, Castille has also rivalled you, so you'd also need the AI to change their attitude as well, along with your attitude-shift. Same with Portugal.

Exactly. Not sure what the AI's threshold is for doing so, or what it would take (short of ceding colonies or some such) to get them to change that much. I've been trying and will try a range of things short of that to see how much I can budge them.

For the Town Halls, that +1 building slot is taken up by the building itself. So courthouses, Universities, etc. are free in that sense. To actually get more building slots, you'd need to develop your provinces or use the expand infrastructure button in your provinces. Both of those sound like feasible options since you said you have plenty of monarch points.

I kinda thought that, but at least it didn't make it any worse and thought I may as well spend some of those excess ducats. I have done the other mechanics a little bit to do that in a few cases ... may have to look at it in selected examples later, though I'll probably limit that to core European provinces I hope to hold onto for the duration (if that's possible).

How large is Austria's army and could you theoretically declare a preemptive strike on the coalition before it grows larger (after this current war, of course)?

Austria had at least 120,000 troops on the border I think at this point, so about equal to my whole European army. You will see what happens re Austria and the coalition in the next chapter ...

Russia may have more reserves, but a lot of those will be used up to build more troops. The Ottomans have a large advantage with their million-man army. I'm curious why the Turkish morale is so low. What does it say in the ledger when you hover over their morale?

That's true - and they do that. I'll try to check the Otto morale when I next have the game fired up.


Thanks everyone so much for the readership and especially the comments. Next chapter up soon.

 

[Bullfilter]

Chapter 48: Outrage (1720-21)

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Carnage

The end of April 1720 saw a proposal for massive state expenditure on a system of canals and turnpikes for Cleve and the North Rhine. While an admirable idea, even with the vaunted Frisian wealth the price was considered too steep for the benefit. It was decided to let local investors do what they could.

​

The Franconian-Bohemian War for Weimar was beginning to turn in favour of Friesland’s ally, thanks more to siege work than field battles, where the balance stood slightly in the enemy’s favour. The Franconian coalition’s will to fight on remained high, while that of Bohemia, Goslar and Saxe-Lauenburg was beginning to fade.

​

In Strassburg, currently under enemy occupation, a Bavarian army of around 34,000 men attacked the occupying Bohemian army of 35,000 in late May 1720. By 13 June the Bohemians had been reinforced with another 13,000 men. Though their morale was running low, the Bohemians outnumbered the Bavarian by 32,500 to 23,200 and seemed on the cusp of victory. Six days later, both sides were barely hanging on – but Friesland’s ally was saved by the arrival of another 8 regiments from Cologne and 30 from Strasbourg’s Armée du Rhin. With now almost 60,000 men, many fresh, Friesland’s allies crushed the Bohemians and began a siege to regain the city.

As that battle was concluding in a miraculous win, Tuscany, with backing from France and Savoy, launched a nationalist war against Bologna, who only had the fellow Italian Papal States and Kingdom of Naples as allies.

​

With the continuing hold on Weimar and the taking of Lauenburg by Brunswick, by mid-August the war had swung further in Franconia’s favour, despite Strassburg still not having been relieved yet.

​

Then a further – and larger – shift in regional power dynamics occurred in early September, with Austria supported by their ally Great Britain declaring war on Saxony – which drew mutual enemy Bohemia into that conflict, which they could ill afford at that time. However, Switzerland was not party to that conflict so remained free to concentrate on Franconia, Friesland and the rest of the coalition.

​

By 10 October, Bavaria and Strasbourg were still trying to retake the latter’s capital. The huge Swiss and Bohemian force in Brügge and Gent were making headway in their sieges while two Frisian armies picketed them to the north, not having the numbers – nor mandate – to intervene.

​

Over in Bohemia, L.v. Oversticht completed its siege of Fjotsko to further boost the warscore and were ordered across west to support their comrades while L.v. Latgalia sought to bring the long siege of Goslar to and victorious end. But the biggest blow of the war so far had been struck by Franconia, which had successfully taken the Bohemian capital of Praha in the last few weeks as large coalition armies ranged across southern Bohemia.

All this progress was put in perspective and any Frisian words of celebration turned to ashes in their mouths when news came on 5 November 1720 of one of the blackest days so far in modern Frisian history. The great fortress of Brügge had fallen to the Swiss but worse was to follow …

​

The vicious and barbaric Swiss devastated the great city and its environs in a terrible sacking. This heinous atrocity outraged the entire Frisian Republic: but none more than its leader. He [meaning me, in game and RP] vowed unrelenting, merciless vengeance on those who had perpetrated this horror.

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Umbrage

On 14 November, word came that the two Swiss armies were leaving Brügge, laden with loot and even more shame and opprobrium upon their shoulders. But the smaller Bohemian army in Gent remained in place, their dirty work not having been done yet. Three days later, the siege of Goslar was finally over (the garrison allowed to leave with their flags flying) and L.v. Latgalia started marching west to join the other three armies poised in Holland.

​

After seeing that the Swiss had moved south (out of sight) into France, the Frisian armies to the north began their approach to Gent, revenge on their minds and in their hearts, not waiting for the fourth army to arrive.

There was good diplomatic news in late November, with Austria leaving the coalition against Friesland. In the months to April 1721, the other members would all leave.

​

As November was ending, Franconia concluded a peace agreement to take Goslar out of the war – on the back of the Frisian siege, but claiming most of the benefits themselves, though Friesland did get a share. But still, this rankled just a little with the Burghers of Leeuwarden, who took umbrage.

​

Frisian casualties, mainly from attrition, were mounting, with over 41,000 men lost already – in the name of Franconian expansion. However, vengeance directed at both Bohemia but particularly Switzerland still motivated Friesland to pursue the war with great vigour.

L.v. Goslar was the first on the scene in Gent on 12 December breaking the siege, where the main Bohemian army had fled just before they could be engaged. Lubbert Stiensma’s men did catch a single Swiss artillery regiment there that did not move quickly enough to get away: no mercy was shown during the brief skirmish.

​

Without pause, Stiensma pushed on to ‘Poor Bloody Brügge’ to start righting the terrible wrong that had been done there.

They were on the spot just four days later, as the rest of the Frisian army closed in. Reports from scouts indicated the Swiss and Bohemian armies were by then in an extended line of march to the south-east; presumably retracing the steps they had taken to get to the Low Country in the first place.

​

Stiensma would not wait for a long siege to play out, further extending the suffering of the population. A barrage on the 1,200-man occupying enemy garrison was conducted, followed by a bloody assault. Brügge was liberated on 27 December, around 900 Frisian troops dying in the assault.

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Rampage

The Ottoman-Theodorian War had started back in July 1719, embroiling Russia as Theodoro’s ally and protector. By February 1720 the Ottomans had began advancing into Russia and by December 1720 this had become a rampage. The massive Ottoman onslaught had already seen many provinces occupied and was now being conducted on a wide front in central Russia and apparently largely unopposed there.

​

The story was a little different in and around Imereti (Russia’s ally) in the Caucasus, though large Ottoman armies were involved there as well.

But to the east, the Ottomans’ Kazakh ally had borne the brunt of the Russian response and most of the Tsar’s armies were still in and around Central Asia, though a large spearhead was heading across Persia towards the Ottoman border in Iraq.

​

Only four battles had so far been fought, three of them at sea and only one on land, where an Imeretian army had been defeated in Odishi. The vast majority of casualties had come through attrition, mainly during sieges, with the Ottomans (and their small allies) already having taken a massive 341,000 in losses so far, compared to fewer than 90,000 for the Russian alliance, plus eight naval vessels (mostly Imereti) in the Black Sea. The war was, unsurprisingly, trending in the Ottomans’ favour.

​

Rebels in the recently acquired FEI province of Kediri became restless at this time, despite the presence of Frisian troops, so harsh measures were enforced to partly quell the unrest. In March 1721 as both sides re-positioned in the Franconian-Bohemian War.

At home, the misery of Brügge, now being rebuilt, was balanced by a massive investment to start the further expansion of the Dutch Polders in Amsterdam. The dominant Burgher faction was at least very pleased.

​

At that time, maximum monarch points had been reached in diplomacy [999] with the next research milestone getting closer [now just 1,024 points from 85% ahead]. None were spent as yet in the hope this might come within reach shortly.

A month later, the improvement of relations with Portugal reached its maximum level [net relationship up to -30 – much better than where it had been at -200]. The embassy was recalled on 6 April for re-tasking.

L.v. Oversticht had by then been redeployed to eastern Franconia while one of the main Swiss armies turned up in southern Bavaria (another Franconian ally). With the threat to Brügge and Gent now apparently over, all four Frisian armies were ordered to move en masse to the Franconian border with Bavaria in the hope they might corner their mortal enemies.

While in a surprise to Frisia, the (deliberately) undefended ‘accidental’ outpost in Thubaqt came under Bohemian siege and would fall a few weeks later. Not that it would materially aid the enemy’s war effort.

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To Upstage

The Frisian Grand Leger was largely assembled in southern Franconia by 9 May, by which time they had upstaged the Swiss siege in Bavaria, scaring them off to parts unknown. The advance would now start to swing south-west towards the Swiss homeland. Revenge would be had, even if the cost would be paid in blood.

​

Over in the East Indies, France’s colonial war seemed to be in the doldrums, with them making a white peace with Bone (in Sulawesi) on 21 May. L.v. Goslar was approaching the Swiss fort of Chur and would arrive there on the 28th.

​

With further movement blocked in that narrow pass, the other three armies branched out left and right to ‘go around the long way’ to get at the rest of the Swiss homeland.

With no quick diplomatic research advance happening, a total of 45 diplomatic points were spent on 6 July to increase base production (and development) by 3 in Oldenburg, the mainland province in most need of improvement. And an increase in the army’s force limit (to 216) allowed two more artillery regiments to begin construction in Friesland and Amsterdam.

The Ottoman advance in Russia had further progressed by July 1721, especially in the north. However, a large Russian army had arrived in Imereti, whose situation had improved in the last six months.

​

While Russian forces were swarming through Persia towards the Ottomans’ most exposed provinces along the north coast of the Persian Gulf. However, much of their army remained well to the east.

​

Overall, the Ottomans’ bargaining power in the war had improved significantly, but the attrition of the campaign was reaching huge proportions, while Russian (and allied) battle casualties had mounted as well, with losses at Basrah, Lahsa and Ustyug: though not to the same extent in total as those of their enemies.

​

Great though the occupation of Russian territory was – and extending into their heartland provinces – it remained only a small geographical proportion of their huge country. Friesland remained ranked fifth among the world’s powers, with the Deccan Empire still not having embraced the Enlightenment.

​

And a few days later, France’s colonial war in the East Indies petered out more with white peace between them and Pahang.

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Mortgage

On 27 July the last of four sieges on Swiss territory was started when L.v. Latgalia arrived in Mailand. The Frisians had taken up mortgages on these Swiss provinces, with the payments being in the attrition their troops would be incurring in coming weeks and months.

“The Siege of Chur”, 1721.​

As those sieges were set, the two main Swiss armies were spotted at Brno in southern Bohemia and up north, besieging Brunswick’s capital of Hanover. Franconian coalition armies patrolled the spaces in between, where a significant amount of enemy territory had been occupied.

​

And that day, Saxony (simultaneously the target of Austrian aggression) unsurprisingly came to a separate peace deal with Franconia. Friesland again got a cut of the fine imposed and a small prestige boost. They had so far lost almost 47,000 of the total 254,000 Franconian coalition casualties of the war to that date.

​

Soon after, there was further mischief in the north as Saxe-Lauenburg occupied Frisian Celle. Strassburg had yet to be liberated, with its own army still keeping the siege.

​

This failure to retake the capital cost them just two days later, as they sued for a separate peace with Bohemia, becoming the first of the Franconian coalition to do so. Their own mortgage had fallen due and Bohemia had enforced their terms.

​

Striking back, St Gallen was occupied by Friesland on 12 August, the first Swiss province to be taken.

Always keen to increase their treasury if feasible to do so, a colonial wool tariff was imposed on 2 September.

​

The same day, relations with Portugal were improved a little more (to -20) when military access was voluntarily granted by Friesland as an act of good will. If only Portugal would revoke their own rivalry of Friesland (-100), the relationship would become quite positive despite the continuing impact of the Treaty of Torsedillas (-52) and Portugal’s designs on a couple of Frisian Australian provinces (-32).

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Verbiage: Badinage and Persiflage

In South East Asia, on 11 September Castile’s long war against Malacca saw them gain Tarakan in Borneo at the expense of Friesland’s former ally. The was more – and more important – diplomatic verbiage to come, however.

​

Of far more significance, however, was a great win by Brunei over France, with the Sultanate being granted seven French colonial provinces as a result of the peace treaty. The Frisian leadership was most impressed and it cemented Brunei's place as a regional power to be reckoned with.

So much so that an ambassador was sent to improve relations with them straight away, leading to a formal alliance being proposed and agreed to in November 1721. Whether this diplomatic stroke would prove to be bold or foolhardy was yet to be seen.

​

The next day, Friesland occupied Walsch-Bergen in Switzerland [warscore to +28%]. Unfortunately, less than a week later Hanover fell to the Swiss besiegers forcing Brunswick to sue for peace. The list of participants on both sides was getting smaller as the casualty lists grew longer.

​

Friesland’s leaders knew that by all rational analysis, this war had already cost too many Frisian lives for too little gain (actual or potential). Pure animus for the sack of Brügge drove them on now. That and the chance to see two hostile regional Protestant powers humbled. The sieges in Switzerland would continue, with little change to the situation for the next few months.

In early November, another 39 diplomatic points [up to 998 again] were spent to improve base production and development in Oldenburg by another two. But this was greatly overshadowed by news of a major battle at Pardubice in Bohemia.

​

Cologne’s army of over 40 regiments that had been besieging the province was ambushed by a far larger Swiss force (both its major armies combined, and noting the Brunswick army shown below was now neutral and not engaged). This would result in a heavy defeat for one of Franconia’s two remaining major allies [though with marginal effect on the warscore]. Friesland continued its work back in the Swiss homeland.

Friesland’s new all Brunei launched a small war of nationalist conquest on the island country of Ternate, to the east of Sulawesi, on 21 December. However, they did not attempt to call Friesland into the conflict.

Then on the 30th, the diplomatic badinage with Portugal turned to persiflage. They had expanded their list of colonial provinces they wanted to wrest from Frisian control to six directly owned by Friesland in Africa and the East Indies. Much of the previous improved relations was prejudiced by this and Portugal remained a rival [-80 net opinion of Friesland, -101 of Portugal in return].

It was a sour note for the eventful year of 1721 to end upon. Wars raged between Franconia and Bohemia; the Ottomans and Russia; Tuscany (with France and Savoy) and Bologna (plus most of the rest of Italy); and Austria (supported by Britain) and Saxony (and Bohemia). Many worried about what 1722 would bring. The hope was for peace, but not the expectation.

 

[HistoryDude]

Oh, hey. The Big Blue Blob is mortal. Is this a sign that Friesland can defeat them eventually?

Remember Brügge! I can see many future wars between Friesland and Switzerland started by that sack. The Swiss must lose land and money for that insult!

Are the Frisian burghers starting to think about breaking the Franconian alliance? This war did not seem worth it.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Franconia is throwing a few coins towards Friesland as a small thank you. Bohemia/Switzerland must pay. Thanks for the update.

 

[diskoerekto]

The vicious and barbaric Swiss devastated the great city and its environs in a terrible sacking. This heinous atrocity outraged the entire Frisian Republic: but none more than its leader. He [meaning me, in game and RP] vowed unrelenting, merciless vengeance on those who had perpetrated this horror.

do the same to their capital! down with the swiss and their cheese smell like miner's feet anyway!

The Ottoman-Theodorian War had started back in July 1719, embroiling Russia as Theodoro’s ally and protector. By February 1720 the Ottomans had began advancing into Russia and by December 1720 this had become a rampage. The massive Ottoman onslaught had already seen many provinces occupied and was now being conducted on a wide front in central Russia and apparently largely unopposed there.

But to the east, the Ottomans’ Kazakh ally had borne the brunt of the Russian response and most of the Tsar’s armies were still in and around Central Asia, though a large spearhead was heading across Persia towards the Ottoman border in Iraq.

seems like the dead AI of filcat just came into life as terrible behemoths from under the ocean!

The Frisian Grand Leger was largely assembled in southern Franconia by 9 May, by which time they had upstaged the Swiss siege in Bavaria, scaring them off to parts unknown. The advance would now start to swing south-west towards the Swiss homeland. Revenge would be had, even if the cost would be paid in blood.

Blood! Blood! Blood!

While Russian forces were swarming through Persia towards the Ottomans’ most exposed provinces along the north coast of the Persian Gulf. However, much of their army remained well to the east.

both blind behemoths that don't know what they're doing but spewing terror anyway in the process left and right

The next day, Friesland occupied Walsch-Bergen in Switzerland

do we also have an option to sack? i hope we do

 

[Rensslaer]

Wow @Bullfilter that's an amazing conflict you've got running there. Brugge must be avenged! No quarter!

But yes, what costs!

The Otto Rus conflict is interesting. Wondering how long it might take the Russians to retake that land, it if they'll bother. I was impressed by how they divided their forces to take land in Kazakhstan. If they can do that to retake Western Russia they might make it.

Rensslaer

 

[jak7139]

At this point I was unsure, and don't (as far as I know) have the ability to affect that much as a support8ing ally. Unless I've missed some part of the peace conference mechanic.

If you don't want to sign a separate peace, you can only indirectly affect the peacedeal. Your ally will try to give you land based on your claims, set provinces of interest, what you have occupied, and participation score.

Austria supported by their ally Great Britain declaring war on Saxony – which drew mutual enemy Bohemia into that conflict

Good in the short term. But you probably want Bohemia to stay strong enough to still threaten Austria.

L.v. Latgalia started marching west

That's an interesting name for a Frisian army. Was that the game's doing or yours?

At that time, maximum monarch points had been reached in diplomacy [999] with the next research milestone getting closer

I'm not sure if it's come up yet, but developing provinces also decreases devastation, which could help you with Brugge.

The list of participants on both sides was getting smaller as the casualty lists grew longer.

At least that means there's less of the pie to share!

do we also have an option to sack? i hope we do

Unfortunately, it is an RNG event. And it can even fire when reseiging your own provinces!

 

[Bullfilter]

Hi all, an update: I’m back from my week away at a cricket tournament but alas, in the fourth match I gave myself a nasty ankle sprain (both sides of it) resulting in my world narrowing a bit to a moon boot, ice packs and pain relief for now. And negotiating a two leg (pun intended) return flight today. With a dodgy knee on the other leg, which led to the stumble that ruined my good one!

So, in essence it not only took a week out of my schedule but it will slow my return to full steam a bit. Plus the Olympics being on. But no worries, the schedule will be resumed in due course.

 

[Rensslaer]

@Bullfilter glad you're back, sorry you're injured! That was a worthy pun!

I'm sure these sports things keep you in good shape. I was never - even as a kid - in better shape than when I was in kickboxing a few years back.

World conquest can wait.

Rensslaer

 

[jak7139]

Take as much time as you need to heal and relax after your trip!

 

[diskoerekto]

Hi all, an update: I’m back from my week away at a cricket tournament but alas, in the fourth match I gave myself a nasty ankle sprain (both sides of it) resulting in my world narrowing a bit to a moon boot, ice packs and pain relief for now. And negotiating a two leg (pun intended) return flight today. With a dodgy knee on the other leg, which led to the stumble that ruined my good one!

So, in essence it not only took a week out of my schedule but it will slow my return to full steam a bit. Plus the Olympics being on. But no worries, the schedule will be resumed in due course.

I hope you get well soon and 100% my friend, health is the most important thing

 

[Bullfilter]

Oh, hey. The Big Blue Blob is mortal. Is this a sign that Friesland can defeat them eventually?

Mortal, but pretty boss. We'll need help and time with them but never say die!

Remember Brügge! I can see many future wars between Friesland and Switzerland started by that sack. The Swiss must lose land and money for that insult!

Always. Money, men and occupying provinces yes, but as the associate ally we can't dictate any territorial outcomes. And any Swiss territory would be a bit hard to hold onto anyway, I guess.

Are the Frisian burghers starting to think about breaking the Franconian alliance? This war did not seem worth it.

Yes, opposition to the war is growing, but the (somewhat emotional/irrational) desire for vengeance in spite of all the manpower losses - when we were meant to be regrowing it - for an ally's interests rather than ours (other than a general desire to reciprocate alliances and see the Protestants lose) became more of an RP/in-game revenge thing rather than optimal gameplay.

Franconia is throwing a few coins towards Friesland as a small thank you. Bohemia/Switzerland must pay. Thanks for the update.

Will make them pay as best we can, but no amount of coin for a rich Friesland can replace the manpower lost. Still, having fun, so it kept going anyway!

do the same to their capital! down with the swiss and their cheese smell like miner's feet anyway!

Huzzah!

seems like the dead AI of filcat just came into life as terrible behemoths from under the ocean!

Well put.

Blood! Blood! Blood!

We can smell it.

both blind behemoths that don't know what they're doing but spewing terror anyway in the process left and right

All over a little one-province ally.

do we also have an option to sack? i hope we do

Per below not deliberately, no. Just comes up as a rare option/event.

Wow @Bullfilter that's an amazing conflict you've got running there. Brugge must be avenged! No quarter!

But yes, what costs!

Yes to both. It's not entirely rational but ... honour must be satisfied! Even if it kills us.

The Otto Rus conflict is interesting. Wondering how long it might take the Russians to retake that land, it if they'll bother. I was impressed by how they divided their forces to take land in Kazakhstan. If they can do that to retake Western Russia they might make it.

You will soon see what they do over the next couple of years. The massive war isn't ending soon.

If you don't want to sign a separate peace, you can only indirectly affect the peacedeal. Your ally will try to give you land based on your claims, set provinces of interest, what you have occupied, and participation score.

They just seem ponderously slow getting to it and I don't think we have any set claims etc to press. And finding out is starting to cost a lot of men - and it will escalate.

Good in the short term. But you probably want Bohemia to stay strong enough to still threaten Austria.

I think Bohemia will be in big trouble after this and may end up going the same way as Poland did. Too many hammers and anvils around for them!

That's an interesting name for a Frisian army. Was that the game's doing or yours?

Purely done by the AI, I think it often gives the name based on the province it is formed or based in. I've just left them as they come for the flavour of it.

I'm not sure if it's come up yet, but developing provinces also decreases devastation, which could help you with Brugge.

Ah right, may look to that in the future, or just wait for it to recover itself.

At least that means there's less of the pie to share!

True.

Unfortunately, it is an RNG event. And it can even fire when reseiging your own provinces!

Ouch - that would be nasty!

@Bullfilter glad you're back, sorry you're injured! That was a worthy pun!

I'm sure these sports things keep you in good shape. I was never - even as a kid - in better shape than when I was in kickboxing a few years back.

World conquest can wait.

Take as much time as you need to heal and relax after your trip!

I hope you get well soon and 100% my friend, health is the most important thing

Thanks guys! Pretty sore and hobbling around for now, but back home and being well taken care of. Fortunately I had this last session played through a bit further with the images for this chapter already substantially worked up. Have now written the narrative and will publish soon, bringing the reports for the ;last session back up to date.

 

[Bullfilter]

Chapter 49: Fortitude (1722-23)

Europe at war, 1722-23.

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Magnitude

For Friesland 1722 began with major advances in administrative and diplomatic technology that led to a new ideas group being opened up. And it would be in the area of diplomacy, where Friesland saw much of its future prospects being decided.

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In these research areas Friesland was now very far ahead of most nations – but was still willing to invest the research rather than having it mount up or spent on other administrative aspects.

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With the entire European Frisian army encamped across eastern Switzerland, one of the two main Swiss armies was spotted approaching from the east. The Swiss were not part of the war with Austria, so was free to march across to contest the Frisian occupation.

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By early March, the Swiss had picked up a few more replacements and was approaching Chur from the north-east, where L.v. Goslar remained involved in their long siege and would suffer the terrain disadvantages in the battle.

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In response L.v. Neubrandenburg was ordered across via St Gallen to reinforce their comrades in the hope they could hold on long enough for that flank march to decide the battle. Then five days later, good news was received when a Franconian army of 30,000 men was spotted coming on behind the Swiss from the north. A large and decisive battle seemed to be in the offing if the Swiss pressed forward.

The Swiss did not back away and struck on 16 March, with Frisian leadership counteracting their terrain disadvantage and L.v. Neubrandenburg just a week away. By 23 March both them and the Franconians had joined the battle to gain a large numerical advantage and retain their tactical advantage.

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Two days later, a new danger emerged with the other main Swiss army sighted marching to the sound of the guns. The victory came on 30 March with most of the Swiss army destroyed but over 11,000 mainly Frisian casualties taken. General Eelsma also picked up a very useful new trait.

The magnitude of the conflict continued with the second Swiss army attacking despite the odds, hoping that the Frisian-Franconian troops would be too tired to withstand this fresh assault. And the attack was initially carried out on 1 April with great verve.

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But the Frisians had turned around that momentum by 9 April with their numbers also telling. By the time the Swiss retreated on 12 April, they had suffered around 16,000 casualties in the 2nd Battle of Chur. The Frisians and Franconians lost around 8,500 in another substantive victory. However, it would drain the already reduced Frisian manpower reserve far more rapidly.

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Vicissitude

As those casualties mounted, the economy was also going through some choppy waters, with a large amount lost from the treasury in late April when labour shortages hit.

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Following the two great battles at Chur, it was the more weakened L.v. Goslar that left to hook around to the north and resume the occupation of St Gallen, which was eventually completed on 12 July.

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The economy needed more government intervention in July, which ended up at least gaining more loyalty from the Burghers.

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At that time, while the Age of Revolution had begun, it had not yet spread to Friesland.

[Question: Is this something we’re going to have to worry about as a Republic that has already instituted a parliament? Or is it more likely to have consequences for the more absolutist regimes?]​

The new alliance with Brunei caused no problems when their short war against Ternate ended in an easy Bruneian victory and the island of Ternate’s annexation on 25 August.

The increasing development of Friesland led to a new seat being added to the Landtag on 21 August, with the demands of Brügge being agreed to.

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The battle and attrition losses meant the Frisian manpower pool was down to just 2,700 men with around 2,100 needed for reinforcements and 1,276 generated per month in November 1722. And the Potestaat once again came out on the side of the Burghers in a decision over the future of cottage industries.

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Attitude

Friesland’s stubborn attitude to the war continued, although some were questioning its wisdom further as time went by and the casualties mounted. From October 1722 through to January 1723 Chur (a big gain), Illanz and Mailand all fell, keeping the Potestaat hoping that Franconia would end the war with Bohemia as the warscore increased.

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Though the bad news was veteran General Lubbert Sytstra succumbed to old age while on campaign in Switzerland.

On the Baltic Sea, Bohemia’s sole port at Stetin fell to the Austrians on 18 January, forcing the Bohemian fleet to sea – and into the jaws of the Frisian blockade, aided by the co-belligerent British Royal Navy. One Bohemian heavy frigate was captured and the rest of the enemy fleet sent to the bottom.

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In early March, the Frisian manpower pool was empty and the armies at the front needed over 5,600 replacements; but still the Potestaat pushed on with the war. Though he had begun to look at the options for ending Friesland's part in it.

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A separate peace with Bohemia could be had by Friesland, for a gain of over 1,250 ducats but no territory and at the cost of offending Franconia.

So the war went on and just four days later Zürich fell to Friesland. But still Franconia did not conclude their war.

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Rather than staying in Switzerland (and continuing to bleed attrition casualties), L.v. Neubrandenburg left Zürich up to the Frisian province of Lüttich (formerly Liege) where 4,000 Swiss troops were besieging it. This affront would not be allowed to continue.

Eelsma’s army arrived on 15 April, taking the terrain advantage against the besiegers, springing a tactical surprise and using his martial superiority to inflict a total defeat to clear the interlopers out in just two days of fighting.

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As the fighting dragged on, Friesland was able to update their military technology. For the Leger, the option was taken to adopt Frederickian infantry and Carabiniers for the cavalry. Frisian eyes here were principally focused on a future need to take the offensive against either local neighbours or even France itself.

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Solitude

The war started to further narrow as Franconia next made a white peace with Saxe-Lauenburg. Apart from the usual financial punishment, of which Friesland got its share, the losers were forced to convert to Catholicism, which met with Frisian approval. Though the conflict had now cost 106,000 men.

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Recent military advances led to the progressive upgrade of Friesland’s navy, doing so with the FEI fleet in June 1723 (392 ducats for 33 ships) and in Europe (420 ducats for 35 ships), mainly transports converted to East Indiamen.

On the diplomatic front, Portugal rejected the previous grant by Friesland of military access on 13 June, further weakening the relationship (-106 Portuguese opinion of Friesland now).

There was some more poor news in Asia, when Castile ended up winning their war against Aceh, who were forced to cede the islands of Mentawai to the colonial power.

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There were further moves to upgrade the older trade frigates protecting trade in Lübeck. All 16 would be upgraded from 10 July from heavy to great frigates.

With new shipbuilding on hold for now but the longer-term development of the navy’s quality in mind, in August Friesland decided to invest in the naval force.

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A few weeks later, the weakened Poland had declined so much it was no longer considered a valid rival for Friesland. Because they were still at war, Friesland would have to wait until it ended to select a new one, as its status demanded.

Then a little later, Portugal decided to declare a new Holy War against Morocco, with the assistance of Aragon. For its part, Morocco could once again call on Tunis and Granada to help them.

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It would be interesting to see how this one developed and whether any Frisian gains against Granada in West Africa might be considered, once the war in Europe was concluded. But with the severe manpower deficit and past experience of war in Africa, great care would be taken, with any possible operations there more likely to be entrusted to mercenary armies this time.

When the fortress at Chum fell on 27 September L.v. Oversticht was also ordered home, where Swiss raiders were again causing mischief after L.v. Goslar had headed east to guard Frisian gains around Weimar.

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Ineptitude

As public and political pressure grew on veteran Potestaat Fokke Galama to end the war, he was accused of ineptitude in the key area of diplomatic relations. Some even described him as a babbling buffoon, despite his otherwise competent reputation.

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And speaking of Africa, the regional power Air declared Friesland a rival in early November. Perhaps they should be taught a lesson at some point?

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On 14 November, Tuscany claimed total victory in their war against Bologna and its Italian allies. Bologna was completely annexed and the Papal State lost four provinces to the victors, including Rome itself.

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More grim diplomatic news came on 1 December – and this new rivalry was potentially an existential threat to Friesland: France itself declared their formal enmity! Cries to end the war and cursing Galama’s foreign policies reached greater heights.

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Victory in the siege of Waldstätte on 3 December brought Frisian bargaining power against Switzerland to a new peak. But because Friesland was not the war leader, it was legally unable to conclude a separate peace with the Swiss, who it was assessed had suffered sufficient ravaging by then for Frisian honour to have been satisfied.

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With Franconia seemingly unwilling to conclude this interminable war [probably some AI suckering of us as an ally or some such] the new rivalry with France alarming many in the government and no prospect of land gains for Friesland, Galama finally relented to all the pressure.

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A separate peace was concluded with Bohemia for a large indemnity on 4 December 1723. Their remaining allies would be a bit put out, but at least Friesland’s diplomatic reputation would not be affected by any aggressive expansion penalties.

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Frisian casualties had by now increased to 111,000 – in any practical sense, the settlement not even remotely worth the effort. But it had been more about honouring alliances and then pig-headed vengeance, while putting some heretical Protestant powers to the sword. Surely it would take years for Frisian manpower reserves to recover (none in reserve though only 1,350 men required for replacements). A real concern with the increased threat from France.

In any case, the end of the war allowed Friesland to complete its set of rivalries, with the upstart Air selected for the honour. The least dangerous of the options available, it was judged, and a possible future target of colonial expansion.

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Multitude

Elements of the Ottoman multitude had reached deep into Central Asia by December 1723, though the Russians had managed to invade Mesopotamia and they had launched a counter-offensive and regained some territory in Russia proper. Despite this, the Turks now held a substantive advantage in the war.

Steppe warfare between the Ottomans and the Russians, 1723.​

But the cost of this in manpower had been huge, especially for the Ottomans in terms of massive attrition. Of the almost one million casualties they had so far suffered, 900,000 had come from attrition. Russian casualties had also been massive, with a higher proportion lost in battles.

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Imereti had been forced out of the war for the Russians, the same having befallen the Kazakh allies of the Ottomans. But bolstered by their great ally, little Theodoro (the long-occupied actual target of the war) still fought on, clinging to the Tsar’s coattails.

In the wider world, the Austrian coalition was near victory against Saxony and its allies (including Bohemia). Of course, Friesland’s withdrawal had set back the overall position of the Franconian war effort against Bohemia and Switzerland, but in Frisian eyes they only had their own obstinacy (even more bloody-minded that the Potestaat’s) to blame.

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Friesland remained the fifth highest ranked major power in the world and sixth overall in accumulated glory over the last almost 300 years. Whether that would survive a possible attack by France was of course another matter.

Allies and a large war chest would be needed, in addition to a large army. There may be a case to start repatriating one or two of the colonial armies to Europe in case such a conflagration began in the coming years.