The Great Northern War (1701 - 1703)

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The Great Northern War (1701- 1703)

Decades of Swedish intervention on the continent against a weaker Russia, not to mention the German states and Poland, had deprived Russia of an outlet to the Baltic, but over a century of war and occupation by the Swedes left the Empire stretched to the brink of its manpower and financial resources. In the opening days of 1701, the Russian ambassador to the Royal Court of Sweden issues a declaration of war against the Swedish Empire in a gambit to finally reverse these losses and crush Swedish power on the eastern shore of the Baltic.

Combatants as of Fall, 1701:

Sweden and Allies
-Sweden (Holsteiner Claim)
-Denmark
-England

The Coalition
-Russia
-Poland-Lithuania
-Saxony
-Brandenburg
-Austria
-Sweden (Palatine Claim)

[TLS]

Baltic Campaign

Winter, 1701

The northern reaches of the Baltic Sea freeze over entirely by late January/Early February, and remain as such until mid-late March. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Charles XII decides that he can waste no time waiting on the raising of relief forces to join him, and he sets sail in mid-January for the port of Riga--the northernmost unfrozen port on the eastern shore of the Baltic. He reaches it in late January, and moves with his retinue north through his territories. All of the armies remain in winter quarters, but he recognizes the severity of Sweden's position. Once the spring thaw arrives in late March, the full force of the Russians will descend on his territories. His hard winter march across the Baltic leaves him out of communication with Stockholm, and he is thus unaware of how the rest of the war is developing--who is declaring for which side, which other armies are possibly on the march. He has but one goal: save Narva.

[TLS]

Ingrian Campaign

Spring, 1701

April

The Russian Severnaya Army, under the command of Boris Sheremetev, gets under way as soon as the weather permits. The march from Pskov to Narva is more arduous than expected, due to the chaotic nature of spring along the Gulf of Finland, but the mighty host (some 55,000 strong, though half of it is hastily drafted militiamen who serve as glorified cannon fodder) lumbers its way to the gates of the Swedish fortress at Narva. Narva, the linchpin of the Swedish Empire and the transit point between Finland and Livonia astride the narrow strip of Ingria, has been preparing for the arrival of the Russian menace. Charles XII, having taken personal command of the fortress, faces off against the mighty horde with not even a third of the Russian army at his disposal.

Battle of Narva, May 17th

Swedish Forces: (under the command of Charles XII, King of Sweden [Warrior King])
-1 Fortress (Narva)
-2 Cavalry Brigades
-5 Infantry Brigades
-1 Garrison

Russian Forces: (under the command of Boris Sheremetev)
-10 infantry brigades
-10 militia
-2 cavalry brigades

Sheremetev is under strict orders from Tsar Peter: to destroy or drive off the Swedish defenders of Narva and take the fortress. Aware that his numerical advantage will drop precipitously if the siege continues for too long (Militia can only serve for 2 turns, and their desertion rates increase drastically when operating outside of their home region and thus by the next turn would largely melt away.) and interpreting his orders to mean a decisive battle is called for, he readies his army for an assault on the fortress. He knows that if the Swedish army is destroyed here, the war will be as good as won--or at the very least, Livonia and Ingria can be taken before Sweden is able to raise an army of that scale again.

The Russians launch an ambitious assault on the defenders, but the Swedes are ready. With Charles at the helm (Warrior King bonus, increase chance to hit), behind the walls of their fortress (one free fire roll before the start of combat), and armed with the latest in war-making weaponry (TL defense bonus means another FF roll), the Swedes are able to blast away as the Russians thunder across the foreground of the fortress. The Militia force in its entirety is devastated (10 brigades shattered), and what remains melts away, while the cavalry (both brigades shattered) and much of the infantry (4 brigades shattered) are pushed off as well. Sheremetev looks on grimly as his army is torn to shreds, knowing that the machine he has set in motion cannot be stopped until it has met its doom (withdrawal can't occur until after the mutual combat phase).

A core of the Russian army manages to come within reach of the fortress and begins to unload on the defenders. Even behind the walls of the fortress casualties are inflicted, and the dismounted Swedish cavalry, operating out of their element, are most heavily affected (2 brigades shattered). The Swedes are, however, able to effectively return fire, and the Russian infantry wither under the force of the counterfire (5 infantry brigades shattered). Sheremetev finally sees an opening to withdraw, and calls his lone standing infantry brigade back to regroup. The Russian army limps back to Pskov to lick its wounds.

Casualties from the Battle of Narva

Russia: (Total Casualties: ; 19,000 killed, 3,200 wounded, 3,800 captured [of whom 2,700 wounded])
-9 Infantry Brigades shattered [reformed into 4 brigades, 1 battalion] (8,000 killed, 1,250 wounded, 2000 captured [of whom 1500 wounded])
-2 cavalry brigades shattered [reformed into 1 brigade] (2,000 killed, 200 wounded, 300 captured (of whom 200 wounded)]
-10 militia brigades shattered [reformed into 5 brigades] (9,000 killed, 1,750 wounded, 1,500 captured (of whom 1000 wounded])

Sweden: (Total casualties: 2,500; 1,600 killed, 900 wounded)
-2 Cavalry brigades shattered [reformed into 1 brigade] (1,800 killed, 700 wounded)

Forces in theater as of end of Spring, 1701

Russia (Pskov):
-5 Infantry Brigades
-1 Infantry Battalion
-1 Cavalry Brigade
-5 Militia Brigades

Sweden (Narva):
-1 Fortress
-5 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade
-1 Garrison

[TLS]

Schleswig-Holstein Campaign

Spring, 1701

April

Denmark, unable to ignore the opportunity to cut their upstart neighbor down to size and to avenge--and possibly revert--the infamous Treaty of Roskilde, joins the war against Sweden. First on the list of Danish objectives is to neutralize the Swedish fleet, based just over the Oresund from Copenhagen at Malmo. Generally, the Danes would be satisfied with simply blockading the port and trapping the Swedish Navy there, but the proximity of Malmo to Copenhagen (you can see one from the other on a clear day) means that the Swedish fleet simply cannot be allowed to remain in place, and a decisive naval action is required to dislodge (and hopefully scuttle) the Swedish fleet.

Battle of the Oresund, April 12th, 1701

Denmark (under the command of Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve)
3 BatRon (Elephant, Fredericus IV, Christianus V, Dannebroge; Justitia, Mars, Fredericus III, Jylland; Norske Løve, Prinds Christian, Tre Løver, Sophia Hedvig)
2 CruRon (Oldenborg, Sværdfisk, Tomler, Fyen; Dronning Lovisa, Tre Kroner, Falster, Christiansøe)
4 PatRon

Sweden (under the command of Hans Wachtmeister)
-1 Fortress (Malmo)
-2 Batron - (Göta Lejon, Enigheten, Tre Kronor, Wenden; Sverige, Prinsessan Hedvig ,Prinsessan Ulrika, Gota)
-2 CruRon (Skåne, Bremen, Fredrika Amalia, Westmanland; Pommern, Södermanland, Wachtmeister, Werden)
-2 PatRon

The Swedes are moderately outnumbered, but benefit from engaging within range of the fortress at Malmo. The two walls of timber and sail encounter each other in the early afternoon of April 14th, and trade salvo after salvo throughout the latter half of the day. The firepower of the Swedish defenses and ships is so furious that an entire Danish CruRon (Dronning Lovisa et al.) and PatRon (1 PatRon sunk) are sent straight to the bottom of the sound, while much of the Danish fleet withers under the guns of the Swedes and is forced to beat the retreat back to Copenhagen (1 CruRon, 3 PatRons damaged) while one BatRon (Elephant et al.) endures heavy fire but remains in the fight. However, though the Swedes benefit from the presence of the fortress, the disparity in heavy vessels makes the difference. The Danish give as good as they get, sinking a BatRon outright (Gota Lejon et al.) and disabling the 2 CruRons and 2 PatRons, while inflicting moderate damage on the last BatRon (Sverige et. al). Wachtmeister, seeing that the day has turned decisively against him, orders his flagship and its accompanying ships (the last BatRon) to head into the Baltic and north to Stockholm. The Danes, damaged themselves and having achieved their objective of neutralizing the majority of the Swedish naval threat, withdraw from Malmo. The fortress continues to stand watch over the Oresund, but naval traffic can pass outside the range (though within sight) of the fortress for now, while the port no longer plays host to a Swedish battlefleet.

Casualties of the Battle of Oresund

Denmark
-1 CruRon sunk (Dronning Lovisa et al.)
-1 PatRon sunk
-1 CruRon (Oldenborg et al.) severely damaged, 3 points (2 turns) to repair
-3 PatRon severely damaged, 1 point each (1 turn) to repair
-1 BatRon (Elephant et al.) damaged, 4 points (2 turns) to repair


Sweden
-1 BatRon (Gota Lejon et al.) sunk
-1 BatRon (Sverige et. al lightly damaged, 1 point (1 turn) to repair
-2 CruRon (Skane et al., Pommern et al.) captured by Denmark, severely damaged, 3 points (2 turns) each to repair
-2 PatRon captured by Denmark, severely damaged, 1 point each (1 turn) to repair

May, 1701

Denmark
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigade
1 Infantry Battalion
1 Cavalry Regiment

Holstein-Gottorp
1 Fortress
2 Infantry Brigades


Meanwhile, on land, the Danish army has assembled to march into the territories of the Swedish vassal of Holstein-Gottorp--land that historically was a vassal of Denmark, but which the perfidious Swedes had wrested from their rightful sovereign. A large Danish army gets under way to besiege the Holsteiner capital at Schleswig. The Holsteiners, outnumbered and outgunned, are content to hide behind their walls and hope that allied action could come to their rescue. The Danish army invests in the siege in early May, and though suffers an outbreak of cholera in early June (reducing one Cavalry Brigade to a Cavalry regiment, which is combined with the remaining cavalry regiment to re-constitute a cavalry brigade) settles in for the long haul.

Forces in theater at the end of Spring, 1701

Land

Denmark
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigade
1 Infantry Battalion

Holstein-Gottorp
1 Fortress
2 Infantry Brigades

Naval

Denmark
2 BatRon (Justitia, Mars, Fredericus III, Jylland; Norske Løve, Prinds Christian, Tre Løver, Sophia Hedvig)
1 damaged BatRon (Elephant, Fredericus IV, Christianus V, Dannebroge)
3 severely damaged CruRon (Oldenborg, Sværdfisk, Tomler, Fyen; Skåne, Bremen, Fredrika Amalia, Westmanland; Pommern, Södermanland, Wachtmeister, Werden)
5 severely damaged PatRon

Sweden
1 damaged BatRon (fled to Stockholm, Baltic theater)

[TLS]

Polish Prussian Campaign

Spring 1701

May

The Siege of Konigsberg

With the declaration of war against Sweden, and the entrance of the Brandenburgers into the war, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth sets its sights on the territories of their one-time vassal, Prussia. A large Polish force, consisting of a large portion of militia, sets out for the Prussian capital of Konigsberg, and lays siege to the crowning capital of the Elector of Brandenburg. The Prussians withdraw their regional garrison into the fortress to boost its numbers, but otherwise remain behind their walls, hoping for relief by land. The Poles incur the disbandment of a Militia brigade due to disease and desertion (1 militia brigade shattered, but militia battalions are so useless that its just sent home) and counting down the clock until the Militia are released for the fall harvest.

Forces in theater at end of Spring

Poland:
Army of Poland
3 Infantry Brigade
5 Militia Inf Brigade
3 Cavalry Brigade

Brandenburg:
Army of Prussia
1 Fortress
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Garrison Brigade

Polish Livonian Campaign

Spring 1701

June

The Siege of Riga

The Polish-Lithuanian War machine heads north into the Swedish dominions as well, besieging the Livonian port of Riga. The Army of Lithuania invests in the siege of the city in early June, though this army is even more reliant on militia than its counterpart in Prussia. The Poles face a less trained and less heavily reinforced army at Riga than in Konigsberg, however, and hope that this siege will be swift. No outbreaks of disease or banditry are reported before the end of the Spring.

Forces in theater at end of Spring

Poland
Army of Lithuania
3 Infantry Brigade
5 Militia Inf Brigade
3 Militia Cav Brigade

Sweden:
Riga Garrison
1 Fortress
1 Garrison Brigade

[TLS]

Saxon Brandenburg Campaign

Spring 1701

April

In mid-April, the Saxon army under the command of the King/Elector himself, heads north to punish the impudent Brandenburgers for rejecting their demands for free passage and supply. Aiming to knock the upstarts out of the war through a quick one-two punch (the simultaneous siege and capture of the capitals of both Brandenburg and Prussia), Berlin is under siege by late April. However, unlike further east, Berlin's defenders more evenly match the forces outside. The Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick III, decides that the risk to allowing the siege to properly get under way is too great to merit waiting for relief, and marches his army into the field to deny the Saxons the opportunity to invest their siege and entrench their lines.

Die Kurfürstschlacht, The Battle of the Electors/The Battle of Berlin, April 27th

Saxony (under the command of Elector Frederick August "The Strong" I/King Augustus II):
5 Infantry Brigade
2 Cavalry Brigade

Brandenburg (under the command of Elector Frederick III):
1 Fortress
3 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigade
2 Garrisons

The Brandenburger army emerges from its defensive positions under cover of fire from the fortress (which retains a defensive bonus throughout the battle) and is quickly engaged in combat with the Saxons. The Saxons are able to quickly sweep away the weaker parts of the Brandenburger army (2 garrisons and 1 cavalry brigade shattered), but not before they and the core of Frederick's army are able to land a series of crippling blows (2 cavalry and 2 infantry brigades disrupted). At this point the Saxon and Brandenburger armies are roughly evenly matched (3 saxon inf brigades against 3 brandenburger inf brigades and a fortress) and neither Elector is willing to suffer the shame of withdrawing from an even slog. The two armies thus regroup and march into complementary repeated volleys of lead. The two sides continue to endure the punishment for as long as they can, trading equal blow for blow to the point that both armies see their infantry almost entirely whittled down (each side suffers 3 infantry brigades shattered). However, this means that the Brandenburgers ultimately hold the field, as their fortress is able to tilt the battle in their favor. The Saxons are thus forced to lift their attempted siege and retreat back to Dresden to regroup for another foray northwards, while Frederick III holds his capital though at the cost of any viable field army.

Casualties by end of season

Saxon Casualties: (Total: 8,750; 5,150 killed, 1,300 wounded, 2,300 captured [of whom 1,300 wounded])
5 Infantry Brigades shattered (reformed into 2 infantry brigades, 1 infantry battalion) (Total: 6,250; 3,450 killed, 1,000 wounded 1,800 captured [of whom 1,000 wounded])
2 Cavalry Brigade shattered (reformed into 1 cavalry brigade) (Total: 2,500; 1,700 killed, 300 wounded, 500 captured [of whom 300 wounded])

Brandenburger Casualties: (Total: 7,500; 4,250 killed, 3,250 wounded)
3 Infantry Brigades shattered (reformed into 1 brigade and 1 battalion) (Total: 3,750;  2,000 killed, 1,750 wounded)
1 Cavalry Brigade shattered (reformed into cavalry regiment) (Total: 1,250; 650 killed, 600 wounded)
2 Garrisons shattered (reformed into 1) (Total: 2,500; 1,600 killed, 900 wounded)

Forces in theater at end of Spring

Saxony (Dresden):
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Infantry Battalion
1 Cavalry Brigade

Brandenburg (Berlin):
Fortress
1 Infantry Brigade
1 Infantry Battalion
1 Cavalry regiment
1 Garrison

[TLS]

Ingrian Campaign

Summer, 1701

July

The Russian Severnaya Army, now under the command of under the command of Alexander Menshikov, settles into its position guarding the northern frontier. The army is bolstered by forces from the South, the Yuganskaya Army, to build strength in preparation for a more methodical campaign to crush the Swedes. Meanwhile, the Swedes King has decided that the best way to tilt the war in his favor is to continue to score a series of decisive victories, and marches the majority of his army out of his fortress at Narva to take the fight to his enemies.

Forces in theater as of end of Summer, 1701

Russia (Pskov):
-5 Infantry Brigades
-1 Infantry Battalion
-5 Cavalry Brigade
-4 cavalry regiments (Cossack)
-7 Militia Brigades

Sweden (Narva):
-1 Fortress
-1 Infantry Brigade
-1 Garrison

[TLS]

Schleswig-Holstein Campaign

Summer, 1701

The siege of Schleswig continues uneventfully. The defenders seem no closer to surrendering, and the besieging army is unaffected by disease, banditry, mutiny, or any other sort of disfortune.

Forces in theater at the end of Summer, 1701

Land

Denmark
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigade
1 Infantry Battalion

Holstein-Gottorp
1 Fortress
2 Infantry Brigades

[TLS]

Summer 1701

Charles has led his army on a march through his Livonian lands en route to Riga, aiming to lift the siege, defend his southernmost Baltic port (and thus his best chance at resupply in the winter), break half of the Polish army, and force its counterpart to lift their siege at Konigsberg. A tall order, but the Warrior King has just vanquished an army 3x his size at Narva, and is not lacking for confidence. The march across his Livonian lands is not exactly at a death march pace, and thus his army arrives in Riga in mid August. Meanwhile, the Polish Army of Lithuania is fully invested in the siege, having built its fair share of defensive entrenchments, and though has suffered increasing losses to desertion from the militia (the equivalent of 1 militia inf brigade lost) still substantially outnumbers the defenders.

The Relief of Riga, August 16th, 1701

Poland
Army of Lithuania
3 Infantry Brigade
4 Militia Inf Brigade
3 Militia Cav Brigade

Sweden:
Riga Garrison
1 Fortress
1 Garrison Brigade

Ingrian Army (Charles)
4 Infantry Brigades
1 Cav Brigade

Charles is now fighting without many of the benefits of his last victory. He is still outnumbered by his Slavic foes, but is not fighting from a defensive posture--indeed, the Poles now benefit from their earthworks (no FF turns, Charles' Warrior King bonus is negated by defensive bonus of the Poles). The battle is joined pre-noon, with the Swedish army advancing on the Poles under the support of artillery fire from the fortress. The Poles are able to return fire against the fortress (shattering the garrison) and the Swedes (shattering the cavalry), but Charles' force effectively annihilates the Polish Militia in response (3 mil inf brigade, 3 mil cav brigades shattered). The Swedes and Poles are now more evenly matched, and the armies again engage in the earlier afternoon. The Poles, based around the core of their infantry brigades, are able to inflict substantial casualties on the Swedes (shattering 2 infantry brigades), but are trapped between the fortress and the Swedish army and are torn to bits by the Swedes (1 militia brigade, 2 infantry brigades shattered, 1 infantry brigade destroyed).

Charles marches into Riga a savior at the head of his now bedraggled band. Though he has saved his city, his army is forced to lick its wounds without any expectation of relief by sea for now, as Coalition warships control the waters between Stockholm and Riga. The Poles, on the other hand, are forced back to the Fortress at Windau to regroup. Effectively reduced to a single infantry brigade until the Spring, as the Militia have been released for the harvest, the Poles now effectively cannot threaten Livonia until the next year at the earliest, barring a radical redirection from the force at Konigsberg.

Casualties of the Relief of Riga

Polish Casualties: (Total: 11,250; 5,900 killed, 2,200 wounded, 3,150 captured [of whom 1,600 wounded])
2 Infantry Brigades shattered (reformed into 1 infantry brigade) (Total: 2,500; 1,500 killed, 400 wounded, 600 captured [of whom 300 wounded])
4 Militia infantry brigades shattered (reformed into 2 brigades) (Total: 5,000; 2,600 killed, 1,000 wounded, 1,400 captured [of whom 700 wounded])
3 Cavalry Brigades shattered (reformed into 1 militia cavalry brigade, 1 militia cavalry regiment) (Total: 3,750; 1,800 killed, 800 wounded, 1,150 captured [of whom 600 wounded])

Swedish Casualties: (Total: 5,000; 2,800 killed, 2,200 wounded)
2 Infantry Brigades shattered (reformed into 1 brigade) (Total: 2,500; 1,550 killed, 950 wounded)
1 Cavalry Brigade shattered (reformed into cavalry regiment) (Total: 1,250; 550 killed, 700 wounded)
1 Garrison shattered (remnant) (Total: 1,250; 700 killed, 550 wounded)

Forces in theater at end of Summer

Sweden

Riga, under Charles
Fortress
3 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Regiment

Poland

Windau
Fortress
1 Infantry Brigade

Wilno (reappears in spring)
2 Militia Infantry Brigades
1 Militia Cavalry Regiment

[TLS]

Prussian Campaign

Summer, 1701

While their counterparts to the East are being pummeled by the Swedes, the Polish army besieging Konigsberg has its own share of misfortune. The entire militia force is effectively whittled away over the course of the season, due to a combination of disease and desertion (a lot of dice rolls went bad for Poland). Even in light of this misfortune, however, the Polish commander remains confident of a positive outcome. The militia were due to be released in the following season anyways, and they still substantially outnumber the Prussian garrison--which would be marching to certain death if it emerged from the safety of the fort and into the lines of the entrenched Poles.

Forces in theater at the end of Summer, 1701

Land

Poland
Konigsberg
3 Infantry Brigade
3 Cavalry Brigade

Warsaw (available in the Spring)
4 Militia Infantry Brigades

Brandenburg:

Army of Prussia (Konigsberg)
1 Fortress
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Garrison Brigade

[TLS]

Austrian Brandenburg Campaign

Summer, 1701

The entry of the Austrians into the war radically shifts the balance of power in Northern Germany. Though Elector Frederick III believed he had at least another year of breathing room after breaking the back of the Saxons, he is painfully aware of his lack of standing forces to withstand another siege. The Danes, Saxons, Poles, and Austrians approach from most of the cardinal directions, and with Konigsberg under siege by a vastly superior force knows that a Charles-style relief is out of the cards. To that end, he decides that the best strategy available to him is to keep his army in being, and abandons the Brandenburger capital at the beginning of the season. In late July he moves with what remains of his mobile force, leaving behind only a token garrison of the fortress (in essence abandoned and converted into an infantry battalion), to the West, deciding that he will use his holdings in Cleves as a redoubt from which to plan to regain his lands.

Meanwhile, the Emperor Leopold assembles his army for his drive to the north. Taking his army at Vienna, and augmenting it with his army in Bohemia, Swiss mercenaries acquired with the help of the Pontiff, and the remnants of the Saxon Elector's forces, his force lumbers north--expecting heavy resistance. The Emperor himself arrives at the head of his host in late September to the gates of Berlin, where the city surrenders immediately. The Austrians and Saxons settle into an uneasy occupation of the Brandenburger capital to ponder their next moves.

Forces in Theater at end of Season

Brandenburg
Army of Brandenburg (Cleves)
2 Infantry Brigades (1 infantry battalion and the fortress merged into one brigade)
1 Cavalry regiment
2 Garrisons

Hapsburgs
Hapsburg Army of the North (Berlin)
3 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigade
1 Engineer Brigade
2 Swiss Infantry Brigades
1 Swiss Cavalry Brigade

Saxony
Army of Saxony (Berlin)
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Infantry Battalion
1 Cavalry Brigade

[TLS]

Low Countries Campaign

Fall, 1701

Shortly after news reaches London of the signing of the Treaty of Travendal, English warplans move into action. The Channel Fleet (4 Batron, 1 CruRon) and the Atlantic Fleet (4 BatRon, 1 CruRon, 1 PatRon) sail across the channel and into the with orders to burn the port of Antwerp, burn the naval yards and otherwise render the port unusable for further naval operations, as well as taking, capturing, or burning any enemy commercial shipping they find there; the Combined Fleet is under the command of Cloudesley Shovell.

The Austrians, for some time anticipating the English moves, have swung into action to prepare for the inevitable attack by sea. The core of the Austrian Atlantic fleet is based in Antwerp, but their BatRons are laid up. The Austrians plan to reinforce the fleet at Antwerp with ships from the Mediterranean, but they are too far to be able to reach the port in time. The rest of their fleet is on alert but heavily outgunned by the approaching English fleet. The fleet is not as restless as it would be otherwise, believing that the Dutch would not allow the English access through the Scheldt so soon after the end of their brutal war.

Battle of the Scheldt, October 23, 1701

Forces:

England
Combined Fleet (under the command of Cloudesley Shovell)
8 BatRon
2 CruRon
1 PatRon

Austria
Navy of the Low Countries (Antwerp)
2 CruRon
2 PatRon

The Dutch, in fact, do allow the English access through the Scheldt. As the fleet tries to go up the estuary, it is harassed by shore based defenses that prove to be mostly ineffective, though the narrows of the Scheldt make the English fleet unwieldy and unable to effectively spread out for battle. This gives the Austrians the benefit of facing a much reduced contingent of the English Navy by the time it reaches Austrian waters proper (the English can only commit 1 BatRon, 2 CruRon, 1 PatRon to the initial fight, though retain near endless reserves in BatRons).

The fighting takes place over the better part of the day, as the fleets engage tepidly at first, knocking out the smaller ships (2 Austrian PatRons disabled 1 English) before engaging more forcefully. The main ships, hemmed in by the shoreline and the narrow depth of much of the Scheldt, effectively lose their ability to maneuver and simply pummel away at each other until one side gives in. The (immobile, yet more powerful) English BatRon ultimately turns the tide, but both of the fleets are bloodied by the battle (2 Austrian CruRons sunk, 1 English CruRon sunk).

The Scheldt having been cleared of hostile forces, the English fleet is able to get on with its goal and opens fire on the Austrian naval facilities for the latter half of the afternoon. Also in the crosshairs are the Austrian ships in drydock, which make for easy kindling. The enfilade continues as dusk falls and into the night, as the Scheldt is too narrow to effectively navigate such an unwieldy fleet in the dark. As morning rises, Antwerp’s docks and piers are effectively useless, and the English fleet is able to make for home.

Casualties of the Battle of the Scheldt

England (1 unit sunk, 1 damaged)
1 CruRon (sunk)
1 PatRon (damaged, 1 point to repair, 1 turn)

Austria (1 facility heavily damaged, 4 units sunk, 2 captured)
1 Naval Yard (heavily damaged, 20 points to repair, 5 years)
2 BatRons destroyed in drydock
2 CruRons sunk
2 PatRons captured (damaged, 1 point to repair, 1 turn)

Landing at Ostend, November 3-17, 1701

After successfully neutralizing the Austrian fleet in the Low Countries, England makes for the windswept coast of the Duchy of Brabant. Over the course of two weeks the New Model Army (now christened the Army of the Netherlands) braves the increasingly turbulent North Sea to establish a beachhead at Ostend. The weather significantly delays their landings, and by the time the army is established it essentially has to move into winter quarters. The nearest Austrian forces are Militia based out of Antwerp who are in no mood for a fight after the catastrophe that befell their city and withdraw to Brussels to strengthen the garrison there

Forces in the theater by the end of Fall, 1701

England

Army of the Netherlands (Ostend, under the command of Charles Mordaunt)
3 infantry brigades
1 cavalry brigade
1 cavalry regiment


Austria

Brussels Garrison
Fortress
Infantry Brigade
Cavalry Brigade
Militia Brigade

[Galveston Bay]

With news of the English invasion of Flanders and the Danes switching sides, France (and Naples) reminds all powers that it is neutral in the war being fought in Europe and more importantly is waging a war meant to defend all of Christiandom from the Barbary Scourge.

The Vatican is told politely that perhaps if the Papacy had been more supportive of the desires of the French crown perhaps more would be possible.   However France guarantees that no Protestant forces will be allowed to invade Italy, nor will any armies or navies from Islam.  The Pope is also bluntly told that France has no desire to refight the wars of Religion, particularly not to return to the vicious slaughters of Catholics and Protestants alike as recently as the 30 Years War.  

If others want to slaughter and ruin each other than let them.  

It also reminds the powers that a defensive alliance exists between France and Portugal.

[Kilani]

English broadsheets at home are quick to blast the hypocrisy of the Pope for his attempts to whip up anti-reformist frenzies when it was the Austrians who set out on a religious crusade. The Commonwealth merely reacts to Austrian actions.

On the foreign front, Commmonwealth diplomats begin speaking to foreign courts - notably in Germany.

[TLS]

Prussian Campaign

Fall, 1701

The siege of Konigsburg drags on into the end of the year, but as it becomes apparent that the Swedes will not be moving to relieve the siege the defenders eventually lose hope. The news of English and Danish entry into the war is met with jubilation, and some supplies are able to reach the fortress by sea, but it is not enough to stave off the inevitable--Polish guns control much of the access to the port itself. In early December, the commander of the Brandenburger garrison extends the white flag, and the Poles take the city.

Forces in theater at the end of Fall, 1701

Land

Poland
Konigsberg
3 Infantry Brigade
3 Cavalry Brigade

Warsaw (available in the Spring)
4 Militia Infantry Brigades

[Rodenka]

Frederick IV 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-Lithuanian, and Austria to see sense and end the war before it goes any further.

[TLS]

Brandenburg Campaign

Fall, 1701

Emperor Leopold, distraught at being denied his chance at martial glory, sets off in pursuit of the Brandenburger Elector in Cleves. Leaving behind a small garrison of his own troops, but reinforced by those of Saxony, to dissuade the Danes from moving on Berlin, the Emperor races to beat the seasons and engage the Brandenburger field army before moving into winter quarters. The Danish army in Schleswig is nominally under orders to aid Frederick III, but by the time they hear that the Austrians are moving and of the size of their force they decide it best to hold the north and wait for reinforcements--or for the Austrians to be destroyed. Frederick is unable to retreat any further--moving into the Austrian Netherlands will only have his army facing the Fortress at Brussels, moving north or south will only lead the Emperor to him on open ground (as he is substantially outnumbered in cavalry), and retreat into the Dutch Republic would brign only shame and dishonor.

Battle of Cleves, November 28, 1701

Brandenburg
Army of Brandenburg (Frederick III)
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry regiment
2 Garrisons

Hapsburgs
Hapsburg Army of the North (Leopold I)
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Brigade
1 Engineer Brigade
2 Swiss Infantry Brigades
1 Swiss Cavalry Brigade

The Brandenburgers have fortified themselves inside the city, and though it lacks a fortress proper they still fight from a position of strength--or so they think. Included in Leopold's host is an engineer brigade, which quickly nullifies the defensive positions of the Brandenburgers and turns the battle into a fight where his much larger army is able to thrive. The urban combat takes its toll on the cavalry elements of the Austrian army (1 cavalry brigade disrupted, 1 swiss cavalry brigade disrupted) but the Austrians are able to push the Brandenburgers back into the center of the city (1 brandenburger inf brigade shattered, 1 cavalry shattered, 2 garrisons shattered). Frederick is still unwilling to yield before the Emperor's might, however, and draws his forces into defensive positions in the center of the city. The Emperor is more than willing to help the Elector meet his doom, and sends in his army to annihilate the Brandenburger forces. In the fighting that follows the Brandenburgers inflict casualties on the Austrians (1 austrian inf brig shattered), but the overwhelming firepower of the Austrians wipes away the Brandenburger unit (1 inf brigade destroyed).

In the melee the Elector of Brandenburg is mortally wounded, and dies before he can be brought before the Emperor in triumph. The Elector's heir, the young Frederick Wilhelm, is quickly encouraged by his advisors to offer the surrender of what few forces remain in the field and to enter into negotiations for the wholesale cessation of war between Brandenburg and the Emperor's allies.

Casualties from the Battle of Cleves

Hapsburgs (Total: 3,750; 1,950 killed, 1,800 wounded)
1 cavalry brigade shattered (Total: 1,250; 600 killed, 650 wounded)
1 swiss cavalry brigade (Total: 1,250; 700 killed, 550 wounded)
1 infantry shattered (Total: 1,250; 650 killed, 600 wounded)

Brandenburg (Total: 12,500; 4,700 killed, 7,800 captured [of whom 2,700 wounded])
1 infantry destroyed (Total: 2,500; 1,500 killed, 1000 captured [of whom 800 wounded])
1 infantry shattered/captured (Total: 2,500; 650 killed, 1,850 captured [of whom 600 wounded])
1 cavalry shattered/captured (Total: 2,500; 800 killed, 1,700 captured [of whom 550 wounded])
2 garrisons shattered/captured (Total; 5,000; 1,750 killed, 3,250 captured [of whom 750 wounded])


Forces in Theater at end of Season

Hapsburgs
Hapsburg Army of Brandenburg (Cleves)
1 Infantry Brigade
1 Infantry Battalion
1 Cavalry Regiment
1 Engineer Brigade
2 Swiss Infantry Brigade
1 Swiss Cavalry Regiment

Berlin Garrison
1 Infantry Brigade

Saxons
Army of Saxony (Berlin)
2 Infantry Brigades
1 Infantry Battalion
1 Cavalry Brigade

[TLS]

Low Countries Campaign

Spring, 1702

With the spring thaw the two opposing armies in the Austrian Netherlands set out with orders to tie down, or destroy, the other. As they are equally matched in terms of cavalry, attempts to hide and screen movements are less capable than they would be, and each army recognizes that they are on a collision course for one another. Shortly into the campaigning season the two armies meet in the countryside near the village of Nazareth, close to the city of Ghent.

Battle of Nazareth, April 18, 1702

Forces:

England
Army of the Netherlands
-5 Infantry Brigades
-3 Cavalry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Regiment

Austria
Habsburg Army of the Lowlands
-3 Infantry Brigades
-2 Cavalry Brigades
-1 Engineer Brigade
-2 Swiss Infantry Brigades
-1 Swiss Cavalry Regiment
-1 German Cavalry Brigade
-1 Militia Infantry Brigade

For the first time in the war two armies are meeting on open ground (and thus no one gets a bonus! It’s all up to the dice gods!) on roughly equal terms. The heterogeneous Austrian army, consisting of Imperial, Swiss, and German mercenary forces, stands slightly larger than that of England, but not enough to make a decisive difference. The opening volley of the engagement demonstrates the ferocity of two lines of men opening fire at each other across an empty field, and the vast majority of casualties are inflicted in the first phase of the battle. Both armies see their cavalry forces effectively disintegrate (England suffers 3 cav brig shattered, 1 cav reg destroyed), but the English are also able to send the militia into flight and dispatch some of the swiss mercenaries (Austria sees 1 mil brig, 1 swiss cav reg destroyed, 1 ger cav brig, 2 cav brig, 1 swiss inf brig shattered).

As the battle rages on it is reduced to a slug-fest between the infantry core of each army, with each side inflicting heavy and equal casualties on the other (England suffers 3 brigades shattered, Austria 2 brigades and 1 swiss brigade shattered). The Austrians are forced to quit the field first, however, as their engineer brigade is now dangerously exposed to another attempt by the English to engage, while the English lack the standing forces to pursue the Austrians. England is left in command of the field, which means the army shortly moves to consolidate itself in the fields outside the nearby city of Ghent. Meanwhile, the Austrians retreat behind their fortress at Brussels in anticipation of further action over the summer.

Casualties of the Battle of Nazareth

England (Total: 7,500)
3 Infantry brigades shattered, reformed into 1 brigade and 1 battalion (Total: 3,250)
3 Cavalry Brigades shattered, reformed into 1 brigade and 1 regiment (Total: 3,250)
1 Cavalry Regiment destroyed (Total: 1,000)

Austria (Total: 12,250)
2 Infantry Brigades shattered, reformed into 1 (Total: 2,500)
2 Swiss infantry brigades shattered, reformed into 1 (Total: 2,500)
2 Cavalry brigades shattered, reformed into 1 (Total: 2,500)
1 German cavalry brigade shattered, reformed into regiment (Total, 1,250)
1 Swiss cavalry regiment destroyed (Total: 1,000)
1 Militia infantry brigade shattered and disbanded (Total: 2,500)

Forces in the theater by the end of Spring, 1702

England
Army of the Netherlands (Ghent)
-3 Infantry Brigades
-1 infantry battalion
-1 cavalry brigade
-1 cavalry regiment

Austria
Habsburg Army of the Lowlands(Brussels)
-1 Fortress
-2 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade
-1 Engineer Brigade
-1 Swiss Infantry Brigade
-1 German Cavalry Regiment
-1 Garrison Brigade

[TLS]

Ingrian Campaign

Spring, 1702

Alexander Menshikov takes the Severnaya Armiya and moves to lay siege to Narva. The Tsar makes it clear that he is not to offer battle to a relief force unless he is confident of victory. He doesn't want a repeat of the last battle. The Swedes, meanwhile, lack the forces to effectively reinforce Narva in the face of the massive advancing Russian army. Though the upgrade Reval garrison is sent to bolster the forces at Narva, they still remain massively outnumbered by the Russian army which arrives at the gates in late April.

Meanwhile, the Swedes are able to move more men into position in their attempts to secure the northern approaches across the Ingrian peninsula and into Sweden. The Swedes are able to ferry over an infantry brigade to Turku, and the assembled Swedish garrisons trudge across the peninsula to assemble in Vyborg. However, as the units are arriving from disparate corners of the Finnish provinces, the army is not in place until the end of the campaigning season.

Forces in theater, end of Spring 1702

Russia

Sevarnaya Army (Narva)
-6 infantry brigades
-1 infantry battalion
-1 cavalry brigade
-2 cavalry regiments (Cossack)
-4 militia brigades

Army of Finland (Novgorod)
-2 militia brigades (converting to infantry)
-1 infantry battalion (training)
-2 cavalry regiments (Cossack)
-1 militia brigade (relocating from Moscow)

Sweden

Narva Garrison (Narva)
-1 Fortress
-2 Infantry Brigades

Army of Ingria (Vyborg)
-1 Fortress
-2 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade

[TLS]

Baltic Sea Campaign

Spring, 1702

With the arrival of the English and Danish fleets in force to augment the Swedish navy, the Coalition have rapidly found themselves going from having naval superiority to facing an enemy with effective naval dominance. The Polish fleet is operating with orders to engage the Swedes, but the commander of the fleet is well aware that a full on battle will likely end in disaster for his force. Thus he keeps the bulk of his heavy ships out on the sea in pursuit of a smaller target, rather than an attempt to engage in battle. When the English Baltic Fleet is sighted approaching Danzig, clearly intent on blockading the port, the Polish commander elects to take his fleet up the coast to be based out of Konigsberg rather than to leave it open to attack by the English and Danish vessels.

Though disappointed at the lack of decisive naval engagement, the English and Danes recognize that their key mission is to keep the sea lanes open for traffic between Sweden and the European mainland. To that end they spend much of the spring ferrying reinforcements and soldiers across--either from Stockholm to Finland, or from Malmo to Stettin. These movements are completed within the first month of Spring, and the fleets spend the rest of the season escorting Swedish commercial shipping or continuing the blockade of Danzig.

Forces in theater at end of season

Denmark
Danish Fleet (based in Copenhagen)
-3 BatRon
-1 CruRon
-4 PatRon

England
Baltic Fleet (based in Malmo)
-4 BatRon
-1 CruRon
-1 PatRon

Sweden
Baltic Squadron (Stockholm)
-1 Batron
-1 CruRon
-4 PatRon

Poland
Polish Fleet (Konigsberg)
-2 BatRon
-4 CruRon
-3 PatRon

[TLS]

Livonian Campaign

Spring, 1701

With the spring thaw Charles decides on a risky course of action: to take to the field rather than wait for his enemies to come to him. He recognizes that the war is turning against his smaller armies in the east, as even with the resupply from across the sea his armies will be overwhelmed by the larger Russian and Polish armies. He thus intends to move to take the Lithuanian capital at Wilno, wagering that through such an act he could divide the Polish state against itself and broker peace.

Simultaneously, the Poles decide to muster all of their mobile forces for a massive push on Riga. Recognizing the requisite manpower to overpower the Swedish defenses, troops from as far away as Warsaw are ordered to make for the Livonian port city. However, the two nearest armies (other than the token force at Windau) are based in Konigsberg and Wilno, and move to combine before marching north to the muster point, with the Warsaw Army some weeks behind. As fortune would have it, all three armies would meet outside of the Lithuanian town of Poniewiez

Battle of Poniewiez, May 8

Poland
-3 Infantry Brigade
-3 Cavalry Brigade
-2 Militia Infantry Brigades
-1 Militia Cavalry Regiment

Sweden (Under the command of Charles)
-4 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade

Charles is overconfident in his abilities after a string of overwhelming successes, and moves to engage the Polish force which outnumbers him more than 2-1. Though he is certainly the better commander on the field (he still gets tasty dice roll bonuses), his army is not fighting with the benefit of fortifications or the defense. In an open field his army is not substantially better equipped than his enemies, and it shows. The Polish infantry and cavalry are able to inflict heavy damage on the Swedish force (disrupting the Swedish cavalry and half of his infantry) while the majority of their casualties are sopped up by their militia (1 mil cav, 1 mil inf disrupted).

Charles now recognizes that he is in real trouble--without cavalry to screen his escape, he has no choice but to stand and fight, as the Polish cavalry would merely cut his army down if he gave a volte-face. The second round of fighting goes no better for the Swedes--in fact, it is so vicious that an entire brigade withers away almost to nothing under the Polish fire (1 inf brigade destroyed, 1 shattered) while returning meager damage to the Polish forces (1 mil inf brigade shattered). The Swedish army is thus routed and, due to the large amount of cavalry, almost entirely captured. Charles himself barely manages to steal himself away back north (I rolled a d10, where 8+ was escape, and he rolled an 8. Lucky guy, I didn’t even give him his dice bonus) but the largest Swedish standing force has been destroyed.

Casualties of the Battle of Poniewiez

Sweden (Total: 12,500; 7,500 casualties, 5,000 captured)
-1 Infantry Brigade destroyed (Total: 2,500; 2,500 casualties)
-3 Infantry Brigades shattered, reformed into 1 brigade 1 battalion captured (Total: 7,500; 3,750 casualties, 3,750 captured)
-1 Cavalry Brigade shattered, reformed into 1 regiment captured (Total: 2,500; 1,250 casualties, 1,250 captured)

Poland (Total: 3,250)
-2 Militia Infantry Brigades shattered, reformed into 1 brigade (Total: 2,500)
-1 Militia cavalry brigade shattered, disbanded (Total: 1,250)

With the Swedish army destroyed at Poniewiez, the combined Polish armies are all otherwise able to assemble at Windau unmolested and prepare for the summer campaign.

Forces in theater at end of Spring

Sweden:
Riga (Under the command of Charles)
-1 Fortress

Poland:
Windau
-4 Infantry Brigade
-3 Cavalry Brigade
-5 Militia Infantry Brigades

[TLS]

Pommeranian Campaign

Spring, 1701

Thanks to the fact that their allies control the sea, the Swedes are able to rapidly move a force across from Malmo to Stettin as soon as the ice melts in the spring. The Scanian Army is rechristened the Pommeranian Army, and is ordered to engage the Saxon force which has been left to garrison the Brandenburger capital at Berlin. Of course, the Saxons believe Stettin to have been left thoroughly undefended, and thus set a march for the Pommeranian port, leaving Berlin in the hands of the light Austrian garrison (that’s another theater--stay tuned!) The Saxons thus arrive at Stettin as it is in the middle of being established as the base camp for Swedish activities on the continent.

Battle of Stettin, April 10

Saxony
-2 Infantry Brigades
-1 Infantry Battalion
-1 Cavalry Brigade

Sweden (Under the command of Charles)
-1 Infantry Brigade
-1 Garrison Brigade
-1 Cavalry Brigade

The Swedes are unable to move the entirety of their army in Malmo over to Stettin by the time the Saxons arrive, and are in a state of thorough disarray (they thus get no urban defensive roll bonus). The Saxons, however, were not expecting more than a token Swedish force (and thus, by dint of that surprise, don’t get any particular bonuses due to said confusion) and are shaky when they enter the battle.

The Saxons, however, have the larger force and the larger guns, and make short work of the Swedish defenders. The first wave of the battle is fairly indecisive--the Saxons blast away the Swedish garrison (the only non-penalized unit in the battle, not that it did it any good--shattered) at the cost of little damage to their own forces. When the Saxons regroup and make a second push into the city, their forces are able to massively overpower the out-of-element cavalry and outgun the Swedish infantry at higher, though still minor, casualties (1 Swedish inf brig shattered, 1 cav brig destroyed, at the cost of 1 Saxon infantry battalion).

Casualties of the Battle of Stettin

Saxony (Total: 1,000 casualties)
-Infantry battalion shattered, remnant disbanded (Total: 1,000 casualties)

Sweden (Total: 7,500; 5,000 casualties, 2,500 caputred)
-1 Infantry Brigade shattered, captured (Total: 2,500; 1,250 casualties, 1,250 captured)
-1 Garrison brigade shattered, captured (Total: 2,500; 1,250 casualties, 1,250 captured)
-1 Cavalry Brigade destroyed (Total: 2,500; 2,500 casualties)

Forces in theater at end of Spring

Saxony:
Army of Saxony (Stettin)
-2 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade

Sweden:
Scanian Army (Malmo)
-2 Infantry Brigades

[TLS]

Brandenburg Campaign

Spring, 1702

While the Swedes and Saxons are battling it out for Pommerania, the Danish army at Holstein gets underway with the aim of engaging and destroying the Saxon army in the field. The Hapsburgs, independently concerned for leaving Berlin so lightly occupied in the event of a Saxon departure, spend the early part of the season reinforcing the Brandenburger capital, and by the time the Danes cross into Brandenburg the city has been thoroughly reinforced. The Danish army discovers the news of the fall of Stettin around the time it crosses into Hapsburg-allied territory, and the commander decides that the best way to continue the war effort is to move on the city of Berlin.

Siege of Berlin

Berlin is invested by the Danish army in mid-May, with the cavalry providing screens to the northeast to track the Saxons and the west to ensure that no Hapsburg army is moving up against them. Though Berlin no longer has a fortress, attacking a decent-sized defending force in an urban environment threatens to destroy the last remaining field army that Denmark or its allies have outside of the Low Countries or Finland and the Danish commander errs on the side of caution.

Casualties from the Siege of Berlin
Denmark
-1 Infantry Battalion shattered, disbanded (disease outbreak among besiegers in June)

Forces in Theater at end of Season

Hapsburgs
2 Infantry Brigades
2 Militia Brigades

Danes
4 Infantry Brigades
2 Cavalry Brigades
3 Infantry Battalions

[TLS]

Caribbean Campaign

Spring, 1702

While the war rages in Europe, the colonial empires of the warring powers finally begin to stir against one another. From the opening stages of the war the Courlanders (vassals of the Poles) have been needling privateers into their camp. Though it has largely fallen on deaf ears due to the power that the pirates hold over the island of Trinidad, with the outbreak of the trouble in Jamaica the pirate lord Thomas Tew is convinced to sell his allegiance to the Polish crown for an undisclosed, though rumored to be substantial, sum of gold.

The English, intent on wreaking havoc and maybe even regaining some island territories, set off with a fleet to crush the Courlanders. They expect to encounter merely a poorly-defended island; however, they are surprised when they run up against a much more formidable fleet than they were lead to believe existed.

Battle of Gulf of Paria, June 5

The English fleet, though much larger in terms of ships of the line, is swarmed by the pirate fleet flying Polish flags. The English are forced to fight in the shadow of the fortress’ guns, seeing as they aim to land an army to seize the island, and the pirate gunners are able to wreak havoc among the English fleet. Wave after wave of sloops batter against the wooden hulls of the ships-of-the-line, scoring ever higher casualties. Eventually the overwhelming power of the English BatRons puts what’s left of the Polish fleet to flight, and allows for the English expeditionary force to put ashore.

Casualties of the Battle of the Bay of Paria

Poland (5 units sunk, 5 damaged)
-1 CruRon (Pirate) sunk
-3 PatRon (Pirate) damaged (1 turn, 1 point to repair)
-1 PatRon (Pirate) sunk
-2 PatRon damaged (1 turn, 1 point to repair)
-3 PatRon sunk

England (4 units sunk, 1 damaged)
-1 BatRon sunk
-1 CruRon damaged, sent back for repairs (2 points, 2 turns)
-1 CruRon Sunk
-2 PatRon sunk

Battle of San Fernando, June 5

England
-3 Infantry Battalions

Poland
-1 Militia Brigade
-1 Infantry Brigade (Pirate)
-2 Militia Brigades (Pirate)

As the English assemble on shore, prepared for a campaign against a lightly-equipped token militia garrison, they are instead met with the fury of a buccaneer army fighting in their element. However, the English fleet offshore has distracted the fortress’ guns, giving the English a fighting chance.

The English force, equipped for a token campaign on a jungle island, soon shows its limits. Though ostensibly better trained than the buccaneers, their ruthless manner and overwhelming numbers soon win out over the English. Though the pirates suffer decent losses (2 militia brigades shattered), the English are overwhelmed and captured for a man. The pirates, not being ones to lose a chance at profit, offer to ransom them back to the English government for a reasonable sum (1 point). Their naval squadron heavily depleted and their expeditionary force in tatters, the English fleet sets off on the long journey north to lick its wounds and plot revenge.

Casualties of the Battle of San Fernando

England (Total: 3,000; 1,500 casualties, 1,500 captured)
-3 Infantry Battalions shattered, captured (Total: 3,000; 1,500 casualties, 1,500 captured)

Poland (Total: 2,500 casualties)
-2 Militia Brigades (Pirate), combined into 1 (Total: 2,500 casualties)

Forces in Theater at end of season

Poland:
Trinidad
-1 Fortress
-1 Infantry Brigade (Pirate)
-1 Militia Brigade (Pirate)
-1 Militia Brigade
-3 Pirate PatRons (damaged)
-2 Patrons (damaged)

[TLS]

West African campaign

Spring, 1702

With the Courlander fleet unable to run convoys back and forth through the Baltic with the turncoat actions of Denmark, her African colonies lay exposed to action by the English. A small squadron is dispatched from England to harass the Polish colonial ventures. The closest, and most vulnerable, Polish possessions are around the mouth of the Gambia River. The Polish naval squadron (2 PatRons) engage the English (2 BatRons, 1 CruRon, and 1 PatRon), and though they’re able to score a surprising critical hit (and sink the English PatRon) they are otherwise quickly defeated and captured or sunk (1 Patron captured, 1 sunk). The English are then able to unload cannonade after cannonade at the Polish possessions, and inflict heavy damage, knocking the trading post out for the rest of the year (no income for 1703, will cost 1 point to restore to operation)

Casualties

England (1 ship sunk)
-1 PatRon sunk

Poland (1 ship sunk, 1 captured)
-2 PatRons, 1 sunk 1 captured (1 point, 1 turn to repair for England)
-1 Trading Post damaged

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