Re: Lateran War, Colonial Theater (1711 - 1713)

[TLS]

Colonial Theaters

Fall, 1712

With hurricane season in full swing, and the VOC having effectively purged the Far East of the French presence, the various colonial armies generally spend the season hunkering down and preparing for the war in the following year. The most notable movements take place in North America; France, desperate for manpower in Europe, strips most of its colonial army in New France and sets them across the cold North Atlantic to reinforce the coastal ports. Further south, along the Gulf Coast, the French again move their armies in Florida back towards Mobile. The combined French army moves towards the small Austrian garrison at Roterpol (RL Baton Rouge), which thought it had drawn off the French threat.

The French, however, had no intention of leaving the Austrian colony unaccosted, and attack the Austrian infantry battalion. The Austrians manage to inflict some hurt on the attackers (FF roll 3, MF roll 1, 1 French infantry battalion destroyed) but the French overwhelm the Austrians in short order (roll two hits in the MF, destroying the Austrian infantry battalion). The French rechristen the town “Baton Rouge”, spring their captured colleagues from Austrian bondage, and are able to find enough sympathizers that their stay is not unpleasant, such as it can be in the swamps. They are closer to the core of the Austrian colony, however, and thus there also remain a substantial number of wary Walloons, Flemings, and other Austrian subjects.

Forces in region, End of 1712

Note: Indian Ocean theater is unchanged from end of Summer

Bourbon Alliance

England

Barbados
-1 Infantry Brigade

Naval (Key West)
-4 English BatRon
-2 English CruRon
-2 English PatRon

France

Pensacola
-1 Fortress
-2 Infantry Battalions

Baton Rouge
-2 Infantry Battalion
-2 Cavalry Regiments

Keys
-1 Fortress

Naval (Florida Keys)
-1 Privateer PatRons

Lateran Coalition[

Spain

New Castille:
- 1 Fortresses (Mexico City)
- 2 Depots (Mexico City, Cuba)
- 9 Colonial Garrisons (6 Mexico, 2 New Mexico, 1 Guatemala)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (Vera Cruz, Acapulco, Santa Fe, San Antonio, El Paso)

Cuba:
- 1 Fortresses (Havana)
- 1 Depots (Havana)
- 1 Colonial Garrisons (1 Havana)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (2 Havana, 2 Santiago de Cuba, Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe (Camagüey, Cuba))

Hispaniola:
- 1 Colonial Garrison (Santa Fé de Española (Léogâne, Haiti))
- 6 Infantry Battalions (4 Santo Domingo, Puerto Principe (Port-au-Prince), Santa Fé de Española)
- 1 Mercenary Bavarian Infantry Battalion (Puerto Principe)

Puerto Rico:
- 1 Infantry Battalions

New Granada:
- 2 Fortresses (Panama, Portobello)
- 2 Depots (Bogota, Panama)
- 2 Colonial Garrisons (1 Panama, 1 New Granada)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (Bogota, Medellin, Caracas, Guayaquil, Maracaibo)

Naval
-10 PatRons (2 Havana, 1 San Juan, 1 Veracruz, 1 Acapulco, 1 Panama, 2 Portobello)

Havana
-2 BatRons
-1 BatRon, lightly damaged
-4 CruRon
-2 CruRon, heavily damaged
-4 PatRon

The Dutch West India Company

Curacao
-1 Fortress

Martinique
-1 Infantry Brigade

Aruba, St Maartin, Bonaire, Saba, Suriname
-5 Infantry Battalions (1 each)

Naval (Curacao)
-1 BatRon
-2 CruRon
-3 PatRon
-1 Infantry Brigades
-2 Privateer PatRons

Austria

Leopoldsburg (New Orleans)
-1 Garrison Brigade

Naval
-1 CruRon
-2 PatRon

[TLS]

West Africa Theater

Fall, 1712

On his way back from the Cape, the French fleet of 2 BatRon, 2 CruRon decides to pay a little visit to each of the Dutch trading posts along the West African coast. The trading posts at Dahomey, Ivory Coast, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone fall victim to the French attacks, and as they are left undefended save for a small armed guard they each are left wasted by the French marines. Their dirty deed done, the fleet then sails for Brest for resupply and refitting.

Game Effects: All 4 Dutch trading posts are destroyed and thus will not provide income next year (or any other until re-establishment).

[Galveston Bay]

In private conversations in Ireland and England, French diplomats try to convince the Dutch to take the peace offered

Points are made that the Holy Roman Empire, in their peace demand, would all but make France a vassal of the Empire and totally destroy the balance of power and create a power so strong that no one on the continent could stand against them

Again the offer is made to trade Martinque/Guadalupe and now French Guyana for Capetown is made and again the Dutch pointedly refuse.

This information is passed on to newspapers in London, Dublin, and Belfast (all of which exist now) and to British and Irish officials and talks end soon after the new year.

France declines to make another formal proposal as the initial talks have failed to achieve any results

[Galveston Bay]

France proposes the following to the Dutch

Return to Status Quo Antebellum in the Caribbean and South Africa
France agrees to not establish a fortification at Singapore
The Dutch agrees to lend France 30 points and to not lend money to the Lateran League
France transfers French Guyana to the Netherlands as reparations and returns 2 merchant shipping units taken

France has already pulled out of India

during ongoing negotiations the loan request was revised to 5 points for 1713 and 5 points for 1714

[Lefty]

France proposes the following to the Dutch

Return to Status Quo Antebellum in the Caribbean and South Africa
France agrees to not establish a fortification at Singapore
The Dutch agrees to lend France 30 points and to not lend money to the Lateran League
France transfers French Guyana to the Netherlands as reparations and returns 2 merchant shipping units taken

France has already pulled out of India

during ongoing negotiations the loan request was revised to 5 points for 1713 and 5 points for 1714

After some deliberation, and significant reduction of loan payments, the Dutch Republic agrees to the amended terms.

[Galveston Bay]

France proposes the following to the Dutch

Return to Status Quo Antebellum in the Caribbean and South Africa
France agrees to not establish a fortification at Singapore
The Dutch agrees to lend France 30 points and to not lend money to the Lateran League
France transfers French Guyana to the Netherlands as reparations and returns 2 merchant shipping units taken

France has already pulled out of India

during ongoing negotiations the loan request was revised to 5 points for 1713 and 5 points for 1714

After some deliberation, and significant reduction of loan payments, the Dutch Republic agrees to the amended terms.

Bells ring in celebration across loyal France as Lent begins....

[TLS]

Colonial Theaters

Winter, 1713

While diplomats in Europe are hurriedly (and successfully) bringing the war between the Dutch Republic and the French crown to an end, their colonial empires—slow to begin combat at the start of the war—are too far away to learn of the successful peace overtures. In many of the regions involved the winter is the most suitable season for campaigning—located, as they are, in tropical climes—and the combatants all make the most use they can of the situation. The three main prongs of the campaigns take place across the world: along the Mississippi, on the island of San Juan, and on the Coromandel Coast.

Battle of Leopoldsburg (New Orleans), January 20

Austria
-1 Garrison Brigade
-1 Naval Infantry Brigade

France
-4 Infantry Battalions
-2 Cavalry Battalions

The first move of the campaign takes place in late January, as the French army in the lower reaches of the Mississippi decides to move on the capital of the French colony. The Austrian commander hurriedly impresses much of the naval force in the port into service (CruRon is scrapped to form a naval infantry brigade, -1 to dice rolls) and attempts to throw up defensive structures to defend against the attackers (the Austrians are entrenched, and so get an FF, but it’s not a walled city or a fortress and have no defensive roll bonus).

The attacking French army, once the hastily raised naval brigade is taken into account, only barely outnumbers the defending Austrians. The heavy Austrian guns lifted from the ship make a difference, and are able to inflict substantial casualties on the attackers. Three waves of French attacks attempt to overwhelm the defenders, and they manage to destroy the garrison brigade, but the Austrian naval forces continue to cling to the palisades. (Turn 1: FF: Aus 1x, MF: Aus 1x, Fr 0x. Turn 2: FF: Aus 0x, MF: Aus 1x, Fr 1x. Turn 3: FF: Aus 1x, MF: Aus 1x, Fr 0x) The French commander has set a fairly high threshold for retreat, and thus continues to throw his men against the defenders. Eventually, however, even that limit is reached, and he retreats into siege positions. Though the Austrians have managed to barely cling on to their possession, in the process they have heavily damaged their naval squadron in the region, leaving the city vulnerable to siege combined with blockade.

Casualties of the Battle of Leopoldsburg

Austria
-1 Garrison Brigade
-1 CruRon scrapped for Naval Inf Brigade

France
-3 Infantry Battalions shattered, reformed into 1 and 1 remnant
-2 Cavalry Regiments shattered, reformed into 1

To the south, in the Greater Antilles, the English fleet under Admiral Byng is joined by another BatRon from the homeland in early February. The English, after the disaster on Hispaniola, are seeking another opportunity to redeem themselves in the field of battle and set their sights on the least defended island in Spain’s possession: San Juan.

Battle of Puerto Rico, February 12

Spain
-1 Infantry Battalion

England
-1 Infantry Brigade
-2 Marine Battalions
-5 BatRon
-3 CruRon
-3 PatRon

The Spanish defenders are heavily outgunned and outmaneuvered by the English attackers. The capital of Puerto Rico is lightly defended when compared to the other major ports of the Caribbean, with only an infantry battalion to its name, though it benefits from being an entrenched position and the colonial walls which, though unmanned by a fort, still surround the settlement (FF roll and defensive bonus). The attacking English come ashore at the western end of the isleta de San Juan, on which the Spanish city is built, and approach the Spanish defenses. Though the firing from the walls is ineffective (no hits on FF roll) when the English breach the walls the Spanish defenders put up a fierce fight before being overwhelmed (MF turn, Spain shatters 1 marine battalion, England shatters the defenders).

Casualties of the Battle of Puerto Rico

Spain
-1 Infantry Battalion

England
-1 Marine Battalion (1 point to replenish marines for 3 BatRons)

The English are thus able to take command of the island of San Juan, and though this has taken the battlefleet away from threatening the Spanish port at Havana for the season it is still a blow to the Spanish presence in the region. English gains in the Caribbean, however, threaten to be overwhelmed by losses in the Indian Ocean.

Battle of Pondicherry

England
-3 Infantry Battalions

VOC
-2 Infantry Brigades
-1 Infantry Battalion
-2 Marine Battalions
-4 BatRon
-6 CruRon
-2 PatRon

Dead-set on expanding their hold on the Indian Ocean trade, the VOC decides that the first step towards doing so is to destroy the English presence in India. The French battalions in Pondicherry have recently been transferred to English control, and thus the trading post is decently defended (FF roll and defensive bonus, old world city).

The English defenders, from behind their walls, lay into the attacking Dutch. Though outnumbered 3-1, they are able to inflict heavy losses into the attackers even in the opening wave. The Dutch, advancing along the shoreline, see their sepoy armies cut down while doing only nominal damage to the defenders (FF turn, English roll 1 hit, MF turn, English roll three hits [that means three 1st, v lucky] while the Dutch only roll 1). The Dutch decide to lift the attack and return to their ships, who then lay down withering fire on the English defenders. The English trade-post is set alight, and the commercial holdings damaged, but due to their inability to seize the post the Dutch are unable to fully knock it out of commission before they retreat to try again.
Of course, the Dutch second attempt will never come. News of peace in Europe reaches the Caribbean by early April, and the Orient by early August. The colonial war between the French and the Dutch has ended inconclusively; the French colony in Natal is more firmly established, but the Dutch have retained their colony on the Cape. The French have been ejected from the Far East, at least for now, while the English have returned to India. The Dutch colonies in the Caribbean and North America remain safe, but beset on potentially all sides by enemies, leading to a campaign to redouble and expand the size of the Dutch garrison in the New World. As Dutch government returns to the Cape, the restablished VOC makes life particularly difficult for the Huguenot residents of Franschhoek, who welcomed and prospered under French rule. The population of the settlement largely abandons their residence (and their vineyards) to the Dutch, and emigrate to the French settlement at Caronville.

Game Effects
-English trading post at Pondicherry is knocked out of commission, will cost 2 points to get back up and running
-The French settlement at Caronville expands from an Outpost to a Village
--With the return of peace to South Africa, growth of French colony returns to its normal rate of ½ speed (when compared to North America), as opposed to 1/3 before
-The establishment of supply routes for the military has left Natal better situated, and thus maintenance rates are normal

Forces in Caribbean, End of Winter

Note: With the end of the Franco-Dutch war, the Indian Ocean theater will not be regularly updated unless player actions cause it to be relevant again

Bourbon Alliance

England

Puerto Rico
-1 Infantry Brigade

Naval (Puerto Rico)
-5 English BatRon (no marines)
-3 English CruRon
-3 English PatRon

France

Pensacola
-1 Fortress

Leopoldsburg (Siege)
-2 Infantry Battalion
-1 Infantry remnant
-1 Cavalry Regiments

Keys
-1 Fortress

Naval (Florida Keys)
-1 Privateer PatRons

Lateran Coalition

Spain

New Castille:
- 1 Fortresses (Mexico City)
- 2 Depots (Mexico City, Cuba)
- 9 Colonial Garrisons (6 Mexico, 2 New Mexico, 1 Guatemala)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (Vera Cruz, Acapulco, Santa Fe, San Antonio, El Paso)

Cuba:
- 1 Fortresses (Havana)
- 1 Depots (Havana)
- 1 Colonial Garrisons (1 Havana)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (2 Havana, 2 Santiago de Cuba, Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe (Camagüey, Cuba))

Hispaniola:
- 1 Colonial Garrison (Santa Fé de Española (Léogâne, Haiti))
- 6 Infantry Battalions (4 Santo Domingo, Puerto Principe (Port-au-Prince), Santa Fé de Española)
- 1 Mercenary Bavarian Infantry Battalion (Puerto Principe)


New Granada:
- 2 Fortresses (Panama, Portobello)
- 2 Depots (Bogota, Panama)
- 2 Colonial Garrisons (1 Panama, 1 New Granada)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (Bogota, Medellin, Caracas, Guayaquil, Maracaibo)

Naval
-10 PatRons (2 Havana, 1 Santo Domingo 1 Veracruz, 1 Acapulco, 1 Panama, 2 Portobello)

Havana
-2 BatRons
-1 BatRon, lightly damaged
-4 CruRon
-2 CruRon, heavily damaged
-4 PatRon

Austria

Leopoldsburg (New Orleans)
-1 Naval Infantry Brigade

Naval
-2 PatRon

[TLS]

Caribbean Theater

Spring, 1713

After the successful capture of Puerto Rico, the English do not treat the island with particular respect. Though under orders to leave the population unperturbed, the occupying force is also tasked with looting everything of value—including Papist idolatry, resulting in violent altercations with parishioners seeking to defend their holy relics. The English ransack some of the churches and Spanish colonial buildings for loot (.25 points seized, Port of San Juan only provides .75 income until 1715) before Byng receives orders from England in early May to embark the infantry brigade for further actions. The English have been tasked by the Admiralty to join forces with the French laying siege to the Austrian settlement at Leopoldsburg.

In the lower reaches of the Mississippi, the weather begins to turn for the warmer, though still not reaching the heights of the season. The French defenders are struck by disease regardless (1 infantry battalion shattered, reinforced by battalion remnant to remain at full strength) as they try to wait out the besieged. The Austrian PatRons are able to shuffle supplies back and forth, to an extent, from the Spanish port at Havana. The English aim to end this state of affairs through the addition of their battlefleet, but the Spanish fleet at Havana has been tasked with intercepting any fleet movements to that effect, and have been lurking in the vicinity of Dry Tortugas to try to force the English fleet into battle.

Battle of Dry Tortugas, May 18

Spain
-3 BatRons
-4 CruRon
-4 PatRon

England
-5 English BatRon (no marines)
-3 English CruRon
-3 English PatRon

The Spanish commander is inherently cautious in his approach to this battle; he recognizes that his fleet is the last remaining Lateran fleet of consequence outside of the Mediterranean (and, arguably, including inside the Mediterranean) and thus is not inclined to pursue a brutal fight with his English opponent. Byng, similarly, is not interested in a fight to the death—though under other circumstances he would be, he is escorting a landing force to seize Leopoldsburg, and his task is to make sure it gets there safely. The destruction of the Spanish fleet en masse is not his goal…yet.

The two fleets engage a half mile from the southern shore of the uninhabited islands—close enough for any survivors of a downed ship to think they can make it—and the engagement is brief but furious. The Spanish commander, recognizing the disparity in heavy guns, directs his BatRons to focus their fire on one unit, his CruRons to spread it over their opposite number, and his PatRons likewise. The English are aiming to inflict enough damage to force the Spanish to retire (at great expense) and thus spread their hits out more evenly.

The Spanish BatRons inflict heavy hits on the lead English BatRon (4 hits) but are substantially outgunned by the attackers (England rolls 8 hits, including two crits, but they’re inefficiently distributed; three of the hits, including both of the crits, hit the 2nd Spanish BatRon, while the first is hit by 2 and the third is hit by 3). The Spanish get the better of the exchanges between the lesser ships (they score 3 CruRon hits, one on each, at the cost of one hit to their own, and the English and Spanish exchange PatRon hits).

With his fleet clearly the worse off, the Spanish commander turns to break the engagement. The English fleet, focused on escorting the Brigade, does not make heavy pursuit; their CruRons break off to make pursuit, and are able to inflict further casualties on the Spanish, but the Spanish make it hurt (Spain lands 4 hits, inefficiently distributed, sinking one CruRon and damaging another, but the English are able to sink a Spanish CruRon as well). Byng has clearly come out the better from the engagement, and is content to let the Spanish skulk back to Havana while he continues on his mission—secure in the notion that the Spanish battlefleet will almost certainly be too afraid to emerge from the safety of Havana’s guns.

Casualties of the Battle of Dry Tortugas

Spain
-1 BatRon sunk
-1 BatRon lightly damaged [1 turn, 1 point]
-1 BatRon damaged [2 turns, 3 points]
-1 CruRon sunk
-1 CruRon damaged [2 turns, 1.5  points]
-1 PatRon sunk

England
-1 BatRon Heavily Damaged heavily damaged [4 turns, 5 points]
-1 CruRon sunk
-1 CruRon heavily damaged [3 turns, 2.5 points]
-1 CruRon lightly damaged [1 turn, .75 points]
-1 PatRon sunk

The English fleet arrives a few days later, and though worse for wear is still clearly superior to the tiny Austrian flotilla offshore. Though the English fleet cannot readily sail up the river to attack the defenders, their presence means that the city is cut off from naval resupply. Cut off from the sea and outnumbered heavily by the attackers, the beleaguered defenders hold off for a few more days, but eventually choose to surrender the settlement at the beginning of June.

Game Effect: England captures 2 Austrian PatRon, France captures 1 Austrian Commercial Fleet.

Meanwhile, with the English fleet otherwise occupied with the capture of New Orleans (thus rechristened) the Spanish continue to move supplies to their Caribbean holdings. Arms and men flesh out the smaller garrisons, which are combined into more substantial units. The wounded Spanish battlefleet hides in Havana, not only the gem of Spain’s Caribbean holdings but also the sole remaining Naval Yard in the Spanish Empire.

Forces in Caribbean, End of Spring

Bourbon Alliance

England

New Orleans
-1 Infantry Brigade

Naval (New Orleans)
-4 English BatRon (no marines)
-1 English BatRon, heavily damaged (no marines)
-1 English CruRon, heavily damaged
-1 English CruRon, lightly damaged
-4 English PatRon

France

Pensacola
-1 Fortress

New Orleans
-2 Infantry Battalion
-1 Cavalry Regiments

Keys
-1 Fortress

Naval (Florida Keys)
-1 Privateer PatRons

Lateran Coalition[

Spain

New Castille:
- 1 Fortresses (Mexico City)
- 2 Depots (Mexico City, Cuba)
- 9 Colonial Garrisons (6 Mexico, 2 New Mexico, 1 Guatemala)
- 2 Infantry Battalions (Vera Cruz, Acapulco)
- 1 Infantry Brigade (San Antonio)

Cuba:
- 1 Fortresses (Havana)
- 1 Depots (Havana)
- 1 Colonial Garrisons (1 Havana)
- 2 Infantry Brigades (Havana)

Hispaniola:
- 1 Colonial Garrison (Santa Fé de Española (Léogâne, Haiti))
- 2 Infantry Battalions (Puerto Principe (Port-au-Prince), Santa Fé de Española)
- 1 Mercenary Bavarian Infantry Battalion (Puerto Principe)
- 1 Infantry Brigade (Santo Domingo)


New Granada:
- 2 Fortresses (Panama, Portobello)
- 2 Depots (Bogota, Panama)
- 2 Colonial Garrisons (1 Panama, 1 New Granada)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (Bogota, Medellin, Caracas, Guayaquil, Maracaibo)

Naval
-10 PatRons (2 Havana, 1 Santo Domingo 1 Veracruz, 1 Acapulco, 1 Panama, 2 Portobello)

Havana
-1 BatRon, heavily damaged
-1 BatRon, lightly damaged
-2 CruRon
-1 CruRon, damaged
-2 CruRon, heavily damaged
-3 PatRon[/b][/b]

[TLS]

New World Theater

Summer, 1713

The Bourbons have achieved strategic dominance over the Atlantic through their repeated victories against the Spanish and Austrian fleets, as well as their diplomacy with the Dutch, and the range of their superiority is made apparent in mid-1713. The English and French fleets are tasked with a long-shot raid against the Spanish presence in South America, which takes some time to assemble. The two disparate fleets, sent from Europe to the Cape, spend much of the winter season and into the early spring to arrive at the Cape, transport the garrisons from the Cape to Natal, and thence embark.

The large French landing force is not transported by impressed merchant vessels, but instead crammed onto the French warships. This makes for a miserable voyage across the rocky South Atlantic in late Fall/early winter, and the French suffer for their thriftiness (5 infantry battalions embarked onto the French fleet, of which 4 are shattered due to disease, cramped conditions, and other such wonders. This reduces the combat-ready contingent to 3 battalions). However, the combined Anglo-French fleet arrives in the River Plate in early winter, dead-set on scoring a blow against the Spanish Empire at the other end of the world. Recognizing that an attack against the fortress at Buenos Aires would be far more costly, the allies have set their eyes on the other Spanish port of the region: Montevideo.

Raid on Montevideo, July 5

Spain
-1 Garrison Brigade
-1 Infantry Battalion

Bourbons
-3 French Infantry Battalions
-1 English Marine Infantry Battalion
-1 French Marine Infantry Battalion
-2 English BatRon
-1 English CruRon
-1 English PatRon
-2 French BatRon
-1 French CruRon
-1 French PatRon

The overwhelming Bourbon naval superiority (there is a PatRon on station in the area, but focused around Buenos Aires itself) makes short work of the antiquated fortifications of the city, but the Spanish are still fighting from an entrenched position and defending their homes and ports (Spain gets FF roll, but no defensive dice bonus). The defenders are substantially outnumbered, but determined to hold on against the attacking heretics.

The initial Allied attack against the city goes poorly; the Spanish lay down sufficient fire as the attackers advance to cause havoc, while their attacking response was largely ineffective (Spain rolls FF 1x, MF 0x, Allies MF 0x, 1 French infantry battalion shattered in FF). The Bourbons wheel back again for another attack on the defenders and this time are better able to unload a volley on the Spaniards (Spain rolls 0x in both MF and FF, Allies MF 1x, Infantry battalion shattered). The fighting continues into the night inconclusively, with the Allies pushing further into the city but unable to dislodge the defenders (literally 3 turns where no one scored a hit, battles between units with hits on 1s can be brutal).

The next morning, after an extended night of reducing the defenses (and ships in the harbor) through cannon fire, the Spanish are exhausted but not yet ready to surrender. The Allies make one last concerted push into the city, where they are met by ferocious Spanish counterfire. The desperate heave by the attackers pushes through at great cost, and the Bourbons take control of the port (Spain rolls FF 1x, MF 1x, Bourbons MF 1x, shattering the Garrison).

Casualties of the Raid on Montevideo

Spain
-1 Garrison Brigade shattered, destroyed
-1 Infantry battalion shattered

Bourbons
-3 French infantry battalions, shattered, reduced to 2 (some of the remnants from the voyage over are healthy enough to reconstitute)

The port has been bought at great cost, and the attackers are not in a forgiving mood after the extensive blood they have shed for it. The guns turned on the ships in the harbor overnight have already effectively destroyed all the shipping therein, and the soldiers on the ground proceed to loot, pillage, and destroy the Spanish port. It is not an especially ostentatious settlement, and thus the looting is negligible, but the Allies inflict a hard hit on the local economy. After spending a few days to ensuring the job is done and to refit for the voyage ahead, the English and French fleets decide to go their separate ways, both heading north to continue their naval war against the Emperor.

Game Effect: Spain loses 2 commercial vessels destroyed, Montevideo provides no income in 1714, half income 1715.

La Plata is not the only Spanish Viceroyalty to come under attack from the English. Coming off their victory against the Spanish battlefleet at Dry Tortuga and the Austrians at Leopoldsburg (reverting to New Orleans, in the hastily convened French colony of Louisiana—named for the Queen of France) the English believe they have sufficient freedom of movement to attempt a raid on the Mexican mainland. Byng is bullish, but not reckless—though he will not shy away from the Spanish battlefleet if it dares emerge from Havana, he decides that an attack on the Spanish fortress would still be too risky.

Raid on Veracruz, July 28

Spain
-1 Garrison
-1 Infantry Battalion
-2 Spanish CruRon
-2 Spanish PatRon

England
-1 Infantry Brigade
-4 English BatRon (no marines)
-1 English CruRon, lightly damaged
-4 English PatRon

The English have timed their raid well; the port of Veracruz is fat with the goods to be sent home to Spain on the treasure fleet (all 3 commercial fleets are in port, and seizing it will result in a disproportionate amount of treasure). Though the system has evolved over the previous century to mean that the fleet leaving Veracruz is no longer the main vein of the treasure fleets (providing, in 1700, about 12-15% of the total value of system) and enough Anglo-Spanish wars have broken out for there to be contingency plans (fleets reroute through other ports in the Caribbean en route to America) this still represents a valuable target (with 2 treasure fleets per year, and New Spain generating 9 points per year, and 40% of its trade goes through to Europe, 30% to Asia, and 30% domestically, it comes to an extra 2 points, on top of the potential value from seizing the fleet and raiding the port).

For such a fat target, however, the English have brought surprisingly little manpower. The core of the battlefleet is without a marine contingent, and what’s left is insufficient to form a viable battle unit and is left in reserve to be able to seize control of the fleet. The English are also unable to fully bring their cannons against the defenders, as the aim is to capture the treasure, not sink it. Even if they were inclined to turn their cannons on the city, part of the diminished Spanish escort fleet came across to try and secure Spain’s treasures, leaving the English fleet otherwise preoccupied. The Spanish are thus outgunned, but not by as much as they might otherwise be (Spain gets FF and defensive roll).

At sea the Spanish vessels attempt to do their best to buy time for the treasure fleet to attempt an escape and the defenders to hold the city. The Spanish hold longer than might be expected against such overwhelming odds (combat goes two turns), but their continued fighting is for time, not for damage. The first English broadsides manage to cripple much of the Spanish defenders (5 hits, including a crit; 1 Spanish CruRon lightly hit, 1 crit hit and sunk, 2 PatRons hit, disabled, and captured) at light losses (1 lightly damaged CruRon is hit again, dropping it to damaged and sub 50%). The lone Spanish CruRon continues its brave stand, and manages to bring down an English unit (English CruRon receives another hit, is disabled, sunk) but is itself blown apart (England rolls like 7 hits which just destroys the defender).

On land, meanwhile, the English infantry brigade comes into trouble almost from the get-go. The unreduced walls of the city, though unmanned (Spain hasn’t built a fortress there, after all) are still proving a problem for their attack, though the defenders are not in any position to take advantage of that fact, it seems. (Spain rolls no hits in FF or MF, England rolls no hit, would have been a hit without defensive roll). The fight continues inconclusively as the day progresses, though their naval counterparts have clearly established the upper hand by this point (again, no hits are rolled, though England just rolled a 6 this time so defensive bonus made no difference). As the sun starts to set the English attempt yet another sally against the city, and by now Byng is frustrated by the impertinence of the Spanish defenders and turns his guns against the defenses (the Spanish lose their defense bonus).  The English sally forth, confident in victory now that the full brunt of their guns have been brought against the defenders, but in their hubris are cut down in their charge along the tick-infested sand against the city (Spain rolls 1x in the FF, shattering the English infantry brigade).

Casualties of the Raid on Veracruz

Spain
-2 CruRon sunk
-2 PatRon heavily damaged, captured [1 point, 2 turns each to repair]

English
-1 CruRon sunk
-1 Infantry brigade shattered, reduced to battalion

Humiliated and furious, Byng throws the goal of capturing the fleet aside and focuses on inflicting damage against the port and its inhabitants. The fleet pummels the port with cannon-fire into the night, and while he has proven unable to seize the port or the treasure fleet he has managed to sink much of it—albeit close to shore, and part of the fleet was able to escape due to the covering action. The next day Byng sails away, with part of his fleet bound for New England for repairs and the rest for the Leeward Islands for refit and to hide from the tempests that plague the region. The Spanish commander looked over the damage, and though it could have been worse it certainly comes as a hit to the Empire: The fleet was not yet fully laden, but attacks on the stores cause damage to the treasures bound for Spain, the port’s facilities, and attempts to recover the lost treasures are hampered by the propensity of local villagers to go on unofficial rescue expeditions themselves.

Game Effects: Spain loses 2 commercial fleets, destroyed, and Veracruz provides . 5 points income for 1714 (this represents damage to the port and damages to the assembled treasures above and beyond what was lost on the ships).

Forces in Caribbean, End of Summer

Bourbon Alliance

England

In Boston to resupply and repair
-1 English Infantry Battalion
-1 English BatRon, heavily damaged
-1 English CruRon, heavily damaged
-2 English PatRon, heavily damaged

[i]Naval (New Orleans)
-4 English BatRon (no marines)
-4 English PatRon

France

Pensacola
-1 Fortress

New Orleans
-1 Infantry Battalion
Baton Rouge
-1 Garrison Brigade

Keys
-1 Fortress

Naval (Florida Keys)
-1 Privateer PatRons

Lateran Coalition[

Spain

New Castille:
- 1 Fortresses (Mexico City)
- 2 Depots (Mexico City, Cuba)
- 9 Colonial Garrisons (6 Mexico, 2 New Mexico, 1 Guatemala)
- 2 Infantry Battalions (Vera Cruz, Acapulco)
- 1 Infantry Brigade (San Antonio)

Cuba:
- 1 Fortresses (Havana)
- 1 Depots (Havana)
- 1 Colonial Garrisons (1 Havana)
- 2 Infantry Brigades (Havana)

Hispaniola:
- 1 Colonial Garrison (Santa Fé de Española (Léogâne, Haiti))
- 2 Infantry Battalions (Puerto Principe (Port-au-Prince), Santa Fé de Española)
- 1 Mercenary Bavarian Infantry Battalion (Puerto Principe)
- 1 Infantry Brigade (Santo Domingo)


New Granada:
- 2 Fortresses (Panama, Portobello)
- 2 Depots (Bogota, Panama)
- 2 Colonial Garrisons (1 Panama, 1 New Granada)
- 5 Infantry Battalions (Bogota, Medellin, Caracas, Guayaquil, Maracaibo)

Naval
-9 PatRons (2 Havana, 1 Santo Domingo,, 1 Acapulco, 1 Panama, 2 Portobello)

Havana
-1 BatRon, heavily damaged
-1 BatRon, lightly damaged
-2 CruRon
-1 CruRon, damaged
-2 CruRon, heavily damaged
-3 PatRon[/i][/i]

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