German Minors

[TLS]

Electorate of the Palatinate

Statistics
Population: 3,200,000
Capital: Dusseldorf
Sovereign: Charles III Philip, von Wittelsbach
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 3,200,000
Resource: Dusseldorf
Craft Center: Dusseldorf
Total Income: 2.8 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-2 Fortresses (Dusseldorf, Heidelberg)
-1 Garrison (Dusseldorf)

Elector's Army (Dusseldorf)
-4 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade

Upper Rhenish Circle Army (Dusseldorf)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade

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Bishop-Elector of Cologne

Statistics
Population: 550,000
Capital: Cologne
Sovereign: Elector Joseph Clemens August of Bavaria (also rules Munster)
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 550,000
Craft Center: Cologne
Resource: Cologne
Total Income: 2.15 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortresses (Cologne)
-1 Garrison (Cologne)

Electoral Army (Cologne)
-3 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade

Electoral Rhenish Circle (Cologne)
-1 Cavalry Regiment

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Duchy of Wurttemberg

Statistics
Population: 1,075,000
Capital: Stuttgart
Sovereign: Duke Eberhard Louis
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 1,075,000
Resource: Stuttgart
Total points: 1.3

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortresses (Stuttgart)
-1 Garrison (Stuttgart)

Ducal Army (Stuttgart)
-1 Infantry Brigade

Swabian Circle Army (Stuttgart)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade
-1 Cavalry Regiment

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Prince-Bishopric of Munster

Statistics
Population: 2,150,000
Capital: Munster
Sovereign: Prince Bishop Clemens August of Bavaria (also rules Cologne)
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 2,150,000
Resource: Munster
Craft Center: Munster
Total Points: 2.55 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortress (Munster)
-1 Garrison (Munster)

Prince-Bishop’s Army (Munster)
-4 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade

Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle Army (Munster)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade
-1 Cavalry Regiment

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

Prince-Bishopric of Wurzburg

Statistics
Population: 1,075,000
Capital: Wurzburg
Sovereign: Prince Bishop Christoph Franz von Hutten
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 1,075,000
Resource: Wurzburg
Total Income: 1.3 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortress (Wurzburg)
-1 Garrison Brigade (Wurzburg)

Prince-Bishop’s Army (Wurzburg)
-1 Light Infantry Regiment
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Franconian Circle Army (Wurzburg)
-1 Light Infantry Regiment
-1 Cavalry Regiment

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Bishop-Elector of Trier

Statistics
Population: 550,000
Capital: Trier
Sovereign: Elector Francis Louis of Neuburg
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 550,000
Resource: Trier
Income: 1.15 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortresses (Trier)
-1 Garrison (Trier)

Bishop's Army (Trier)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Electoral Rhenish Circle Army (Trier)
-1 Light Infantry Regiment

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

Bishop-Elector of Mainz

Statistics
Population: 550,000
Capital: Mainz
Sovereign: Elector Lothar Franz von Schonborn
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 550,000
Craft Center: Mainz
Income: 1.15 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortresses (Mainz)
-1 Garrison (Mainz)

Bishop's Army (Mainz)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Electoral Rhenish Circle Army (Mainz)
-1 Light Infantry Regiment

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Landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel

Statistics
Population: 1,075,000
Capital: Cassel
Sovereign: Landgrave Charles
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 1,075,000
Resource: Cassel
Total Income: 1.3 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortresses (Cassel)
-1 Garrison (Cassel)

Landgraviate Army (Cassel)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Upper Rhenish Circle Army (Cassel)
-1 Cavalry Regiment

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Duchy of Brunswick-Luneburg

Statistics
Population: 1,075,000
Capital: Luneburg
Sovereign: Duke George
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 1,075,000
Resource: Luneburg
Total Income: 1.3 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortresses (Luneburg)
-1 Garrison (Luneburg)

Ducal Army (Luneburg)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Lower Saxon Circle Army (Luneburg)
-1 Infantry Brigade

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

Duchy of Mecklenburg

Statistics
Population: 550,000
Capital: Schwerin
Sovereign: Duke Carl Leopold
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 1,075,000
Resource: Schwerin
Total Income: 1.3 points

Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortress (Schwerin)
-1 Garrison Brigade (Schwerin)

Ducal Army (Schwerin)
-1 Light Infantry Brigade
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Lower Saxon Circle Army (Schwerin)
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Rest of Germany

No other German states are large enough to merit inclusion in this list. There are a few minor duchies who could raise sufficient military forces to be relevant if necessary, but they will be added only when they become relevant to game developments.

There are Nine Electors as of 1725:
Elector of Brandenburg
Elector of Bavaria (de facto Royal Union with Spain under the von Wittelsbachs)
Elector of Saxony (royal union with Poland)
Elector of Palatinate
Elector of Brunswick-Luneburg
King of Bohemia (held by the Archduchy of Austria)
The Archbishop of Mainz
The Archbishop of Trier
The Archbishop of Cologne

[TLS]

Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp

Statistics
Population: 400,000
Capital: Schleswig
Sovereign: Frederick IV
Prestige: C
Tech Level: 3

Economy:
Population: 400,000
Resource: Schleswig


Military:

Army

Fixed Positions
-1 Fortress (Schleswig)

Ducal Army (Schleswig)
-2 Infantry Brigades

[TLS]

German Mercenaries available for hire for start of campaigning 1702

With war thundering across the eastern half of the Empire, the mercenary bands of the German states are eager to earn some hard earned thalers. Though the bands have starting prices, if demand shoots up they will raise them, and discounts are to be had if the offers are tempting (read: multiple units contracted, or guaranteed contract for a decent multiple of years) enough. The most organized mercenaries have already been contracted out for 1701, and thus all of these units will only come into play in 1702 and beyond.

Units are contracted on an annual basis, but their contracted power has right of first refusal at the end of each year (so you can't buy a mercenary unit out from your enemy while still in their service--they have honor, after all). You only pay the upfront cost the first year of their service--if they remain in your employ you just pay the higher maintenance. Maintenance is included in the first year/hiring cost.

Note: This does not include units with affiliation to an established court (so basically just the Palatinate, from the German standpoint). Negotiations to obtain those 1-2 brigades would be carried out with the government of the Palatinate (PM me), and will be influence by the geopolitical interests of the Elector, rather than his desire for shekels alone.

Units available
Costs per unit: 5 points upfront, 1.5x maintenance
7 Infantry Brigades
3 Cavalry Brigades

[TLS]

The entry of the Commonwealth into the Great Northern War on the side of the Swedes and Brandenburgers, and the betrayal of the Danes into joining the Swedish alliance at the cost of the freedoms of the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, reverberates throughout the German lands. With the war increasingly being cast in Protestant/Catholic terms, with Pro/Anti-Emperor overtones as well, the states of the Empire look on and fear a return to the violence of the Thirty Years War half a century prior. Though none are so motivated yet to declare openly for one side or another, this news affects the availability of mercenaries on the market, with many explicitly refusing to serve one side or the other due to new cleavages. This also brings a greater supply of warriors into the fight, driving down prices across the board.

Units available

To the Protestant Powers (Sweden's allies)
Costs per unit: 3 points upfront, 1.5x maintenance
3 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigades

To the Catholic Powers (Austria's allies)
Costs per unit: 3 points upfront, 1.5x maintenance
4 Infantry Brigades
2 Cavalry Brigades

To the highest bidder (no allegiance)
Costs per unit: 4 points upfront, 1.5x maintenance
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigades

OOC Note: You should all do your bidding here, so we can have ourselves a real hootenany.

[Galveston Bay]

France offers monetary and other inducements to these mercenary units

To the highest bidder (no allegiance)
Costs per unit: 4 points upfront, 1.5x maintenance
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigades

Service will be in North Africa, and at the conclusion of the war veterans will be offered land and positions in the new colonies to be established or if desired, land and positions in Canada or Acadia. Families are encouraged as well.

[Kilani]

Commonwealth diplomats and foreign agents are very quick to respond tomthe accusqtions coming out of Italy with their own arguments and potential promises of monetary outlay. The Commonwealth, it points out, has no desire to see the Thirty Years War refought nor to reignite the bloody purge and countermpurge of the Wars of Religion (even if they are a Protestant nation). Rather, the Commonwealth reacted to the declaration of some misguided holy crusade by the Austrian court.

Feelers are put out to mercenaries and minor states both sides. Although the odds of inducing them to switch sides is slim, buying neutrality is seen as valuable by the Entlish foreign service.

[Rodenka]

Christian VI proclaims his interest and dedication to preserving the independence of the various polities of Germany and makes it clear that he sees this only as the reassertion of his rights as the historic and rightful liege of the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp. He holds no other territorial aims in the Germanies. Indeed, part of his reason for re-entry into the war is to preserve Brandenburg from the aggression of the Polish-Lithuanian and Austrian crown.

Additionally, Christian VI proclaims that he has no desire to see the religious wars of the previous century reignited, but that the religious terms in which the Habsburg emperor declared their entry into the war caused him "most grave concern" as he puts it in his open letter to the rulers of the German states.

He closes by reiterating his great desire for peace and urges Russia, Poland-Lithuania, and Austria to see sense and end the war before it goes any further.

[Lefty]

Saxon and Polish diplomats travel to the various states of the Empire, and especially the electors, noting that King-Elector Augustus supports the rights of each prince to determine their own faith, as Augustus himself did. No state is more representative of the Peace of Westphalia than Saxony.

These same diplomats express grave concern that Denmark has sided with the forces of regicide and anarchy, and calls for Christian to reconsider his foolish and self-damaging decision.

[TLS]

OOC Update: As I did in the Italian NPC thread, I've expanded the list of minors fairly substantially to include practically anyone of real significance. For reference, since the borders of the Empire are actually fairly unchanged since Westphalia, see here for geographic boundaries. Major changes of note, though: Lorraine, Bar, and Franche-Comte all belong to France, the two Holsteins are part of Denmark, Magdeburg is part of Brandenburg, the Spanish Netherlands belong to Austria.

All of the states above are currently (start of Summer, 1702) neutral, but if the war expands they will start taking sides. Just because a state isn't listed above doesn't mean you can't interact with it/it can't raise an army if actively invaded, but generally at this even more minor level they can at best field a garrison brigade or 1 infantry brigade if really provoked. You can move hither and yon across their borders at will so long as they are neutral--I don't want to spend 100 PMs going back and forth on negotiating transit rights through Fulda.

[TLS]

Germany, January 1712

As in Italy, the heartlands of the Empire begin to sort themselves out for the coming conflagration, though as of yet without an openly pro-Bourbon faction. The House of Wittelsbach, loyal to the Emperor personally, will follow their liege if and when he ever declares for a side, while the Lateran Coalition has amassed the loyalty of much of the Catholic leadership--though most of the Prince-Bishops, having declared, have no real army with which to fight. The Protestant lords of northern and central Germany, meanwhile, remain neutral and subject to intense pressure from Bourbon diplomats (seeking to establish alliances), Austrian representatives (who clamor about the French King's unilateral annexation of a state under Imperial protection), and Protestant clergymen (who raise the specter of both Papal domination and unprovoked French aggression against the Protestant Dutch).

[TLS]

Wartime Builds, 1713

Uniform Assumptions:
-Wartime Taxes for all combatants
-Smaller loan caps (Palatinate and Munster treated as normal states for loans, but all other minors capped at 5 pts, no more than 2 per year)
--These two nations also have B credit ratings; all others are Cs
-Any occupied population won’t be providing taxation

Electorate of the Palatinate

Economy:
Taxation: 1.5 points (Population: 3,000,000)
Resource: Dusseldorf
Craft Center: Dusseldorf
Loan: 5 points ( .6 pa over 20 years, .25 in principle and .35 in interest) [5/15 points borrowed]
Total Income: 8.5 points

Maintenance:
-2 Fortresses (1 point)
-2 Infantry Brigades (.5 points)
-1 Cavalry Brigade (.75 points)
Total Maintenance: 2.25 points

Expenditures:
-1 Infantry Brigades (4 points) [Dusseldorf, Ready Summer]
-1 Cavalry Regiment (2 points) [Dusseldorf, Ready Summer]
-1 Infantry Battalion (.25/1 points)
Total Expenditures: 6.25 points

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Bishop-Elector of Cologne

Economy:
Taxation: .25 points (Population: 500,000)
Craft Center: Cologne
Resource: Cologne
Loan: 2 points (.4 pa for 10 years, .2 for principle and .2 for interest) [2/5 points borrowed]
Total Income: 4.25 points

Maintenance:
-1 Fortresses (.5 points)
Total Maintenance: .5 points

Expenditures:
-3 Infantry Battalions (3 points) [Cologne, Ready Summer]
-1 Infantry Battalion (.75/1 points)
Total Expenditure: 3.75 points

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Duchy of Wurttemberg

Economy:
Taxation: .5 points (Population: 1,000,000)
Resource: Stuttgart
Loan: 2 points (.4 pa for 10 years, .2 for principle and .2 for interest) [2/5 points borrowed]
Total Income: 3.5 points

Maintenance:
-1 Fortresses (.5 points)
-1 Infantry Brigade (.25)
-1 Cavalry Brigade (.75)
Total Maintenance: 1.5 points

Expenditures:
-2 Infantry Battalions (2 points) [Stuttgart, Ready Summer]
Total Expenditures: 2 points

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Prince-Bishopric of Munster

Economy:
Taxation: 1 point (Population: 2,000,000)
Resource: Munster
Craft Center: Munster
Loan: 5 points ( .6 pa over 20 years, .25 in principle and .35 in interest) [5/15 points borrowed]
Total Income: 8 points

Maintenance:
-1 Fortress (.5 points)
-1 Infantry Brigade (.25 points)
-1 Cavalry Brigade (.75 points)
-1 Infantry Battalion (.1 points)
Total Maintenance: 1.6 points

Expenditures:
-Upgrade 1 Infantry Battalion to Brigade (3 points) [Ready Spring]
-1 Garrison Brigade (3 points) [Munster]
-1 Infantry Battalion (.4/1)
Total Expenditures: 6.4 points

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Prince-Bishopric of Wurzburg

Economy:
Taxation: .5 points (Population: 1,000,000)
Resource: Wurzburg
Loan: 2 points (.4 pa for 10 years, .2 for principle and .2 for interest) [2/5 points borrowed]
Total Income: 3.5 points

Maintenance:
-1 Fortress (.5 points)
-1 Infantry Brigade (.25 points)
-1 Infantry Battalion (.1 points)
Total Expenditures: .85 points

Expenditures:
-2 Infantry Battalions (2 points) [Wurzburg, Ready Summer]
-1 Infantry Battalion (.65/1)
Total Expenditures: 2.65 points

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Bishop-Elector of Trier

Economy:
Taxation: .25 points (Population: 500,000)
Resource: Trier
Loan: 2 points (.4 pa for 10 years, .2 for principle and .2 for interest) [2/5 points borrowed]
Total Income: 3.25 points

Maintenance:
-1 Fortresses (.5 points)
-1 Garrison (.1 points)

Expenditures:
-2 Infantry Battalions (2 points) [Trier, Ready Summer]
-1 Infantry Battalion (.65/1)
Total Expenditures: 2.65 points

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

Bishop-Elector of Mainz

Economy:
Taxation: .25 points (Population: 500,000)
Resource: Mainz
Loan: 2 points (.4 pa for 10 years, .2 for principle and .2 for interest) [2/5 points borrowed]
Total Income: 3.25 points

Maintenance:
-1 Fortresses (.5 points)
-1 Garrison (.1 points)

Expenditures:
-2 Infantry Battalions (2 points) [Mainz, Ready Summer]
-1 Infantry Battalion (.65/1)
Total Expenditures: 2.65 points

[Galveston Bay]

https://commonwealthe20.rpg-board.net/t43-italian-minors#867

The French offer which would have France and Austria leave Italy and the Austrian and Papal response is posted in newspapers in England, and widely distributed in the various Protestant states in Germany as well as Sweden and Denmark along with the French refusal to let either power negate the Peace of Westphalia and the right of Crowns to determine the fate of their own nations instead of allowing the Pope to do so. Editorial comment is made that the Pope clearly wants to rule France as well as Germany through his surrogates Bavaria and Austria.

[TLS]

https://commonwealthe20.rpg-board.net/t43-italian-minors#867

The French offer which would have France and Austria leave Italy and the Austrian and Papal response is posted in newspapers in England, and widely distributed in the various Protestant states in Germany as well as Sweden and Denmark along with the French refusal to let either power negate the Peace of Westphalia and the right of Crowns to determine the fate of their own nations instead of allowing the Pope to do so. Editorial comment is made that the Pope clearly wants to rule France as well as Germany through his surrogates Bavaria and Austria.

The French propaganda campaign does not make much headway, particularly since the terms of the Peace of Westphalia does not apply to states not within the Empire. Legally minded individuals in the Empire doubly note that the principle of Cuius regio, eius religio implies that the Prince of a land needs to clearly delineate his faith and have his citizens abide by those terms; as the King of France is still (at least nominally) a Catholic, he is bound by the Peace to follow Catholic doctrine and to observe the dictates of the Papacy. If the French King wants to throw off the shackles of Rome, as he sees them, he must do so openly and honestly. French hostility to the Holy Father, their disregard for the Orders Religious, their betrayal of Malta to the Turk have all further pushed the Catholic states of the Empire towards continuing the war--particularly as they sit in Paris.

Of course, all this legalese has little to do with facts on the ground. The more notable facts are that the Swedish state is far too broken to engage in overseas adventures and that the Protestant Electors of the Empire have, through their shadow campaign to subsidize and aid the French king, effectively broken their own militaries and their banks. The Protestant princes of the Empire have effectively promised to hew to the Brandenburgers, who are both the most depleted by their campaign in France and are honor-bound by their agreement with the Emperor. Not trusting in the word of the Lutherans, however, the Austrians are forced to retain a substantial force in reserve in their capital at Vienna, to keep the Protestant states bound by their agreements.

[Hussam B.]

The Emperor approaches Brandenburg and asks for a possibility of a loan of 5 credits in 1717 to be ostensibly used to fund the raising of units for the proposed Imperial army.

[TLS]

The Empire Through 1725

High on the victory of the Lateran War, the Wittelsbach Emperor embarked on an ambitious plan of reform and consolidation within the Empire. Of course, the Perpetual Diet being what it is, the princes of the Empire stymied and countered the Wittelsbach’s plans at almost evert turn. It was only the consent of the Brandenburgers and Austrians, eager to obtain Imperial funds to rebuild their broken militaries, that finally allowed one reform to pass: the reformation of the Imperial Army. Thus, the first half of the 1720s is spent by each prince throwing together the forces necessary to meet their obligations under the terms of the Perpetual Diet’s proposal.

Politically, the princes of the Empire look on as the Emperor begins to seem increasingly frail. Though he has lost none of his mental acuity nor his drive to advance his house, they know that an election cannot be far off. With the addition of Brunswick-Luneburg as an elector the threat of an Imperial tie is no more. The Wittelsbachs have retained their stranglehold on three of the Electorates: Bavaria, the Palatinate, and Cologne, with the two additional Bishophric electors keen on following the will of the Pontiff—or their own pockets. The Papacy, however, is bounded on two sides by Austrian power, while the Protestants (having doubled their number in the college from 1 to 2) look on uneasily at both the prospect of Hapsburg resurgence and Spanish influence.

[Haven]

After discussions earlier in the year, an official proposal is sent to Duke George of Brunswick-Lunenberg to marry his daughter, Anne, to the Stadhtolder's son, Willem Friso.

[Haven]

Dutch agents and diplomats in the German states spread word that the Netherlands is looking to contract 2-3 Infantry Brigades and a Cavalry Brigade (depending on price) for a minimum five year term starting in 1730, with promises of renewal for further five year terms so long as service is satisfactory. Protestant soldiers are preferably sought.

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