Re: Portuguese Colonial War (1714 - 1717)

by Lefty Tue Mar 13, 2018 8:15 pm

Galveston Bay wrote:In France the King is furious that again ostensibly trading companies are pretending to be nation states. More so as the Dutch East India Company attacks are deliberate violations of the peace treaty which as subjects of the Dutch Government they are required to honor. The Poles are viewed with a certain puzzlement as France is aware of no formal declaration of war, merely rumors that the Polish Company complained to the Polish Crown about Portuguese officialdom.

Orders are issued that unless a formal declaration of war is issued by either the Dutch or Polish government, any Dutch or Polish trading company warship seen to attack any merchant or naval vessel, regardless of the nation, is to be considered piracy and if French naval vessels are in sight of such, they have permission to intervene as the seas should be made safe from piracy, no matter the nationality.

A note to this effect is handed over to the Polish and Dutch Ambassadors, along with strong urging that their trading companies be brought to heel.

Having returned from his pilgrimage in Rome and hearing of the uproar from the courts in Western Europe, King-Elector Augustus sends letters to his emissaries in London, Dublin, Versailles, Madrid, and Lisbon (before knowing his ambassador was removed from his post) declaring that the soldiers and sailors of the New Courland Company are lawfully abiding subjects of the King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, and should be treated as such. Any attempted to label them as pirates are false libel against the honorable men of the Company, and attacks against them should be considered attacks against the King himself. The declaration of war by the Company should be seen as valid and endorsed by the King, and the King grants his ambassadors the power to arrange an honorable peace.

by **TLS** Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:18 pm

A vingança!

Winter, 1717

The Portuguese court is enraged, and is replete with fantastical plots to invade Poland itself, but the Portuguese King recognizes that Portugal is too weak and vulnerable to be overcome with emotion. After having had her colonial empire so fundamentally wounded, Portugal’s goal is to secure the slave-trading routes to keep Brazil—the gem in her crown—functioning and profitable. Thus, the Portuguese embark on a two-pronged strategy; the first is based on restoration, with a small fleet of frigates and PatRons sent to restore the Portuguese presence in West Africa. The Polish have left behind a small garrison in Guinea (1 LI regiment), which the Portuguese restoration force (began with 5 LI regiments, after dropping one off at Cape Verde is now 4 LI regiments) is able to overwhelm after a few days of tropical slog (3 turns; first 2 have no hits either side, 3rd has 1 Portuguese hit). The Portuguese fleet continues by raiding the New Courland Company (NKK)’s trading posts at Gambia, Lagos, Niger River, and Libreville burning them to the ground. They do not continue further, unaware that the Polish have left their Congo colony similarly unprotected. By the end of season, the Portuguese have restored control over the trading posts at Guinea and Sao Tome, as well as the islands of Cape Verde. (Game Effect: Portugal will have to spend 2 points each to restore both Guinea and Sao Tome, Poland will have to pay 2 point each to restore the 4 destroyed trading posts).

The main force of the Portuguese fleet, however, is aimed straight at the heart of the NKK: Trinidad. Stopping to drop off a securing force at the Azores, in case the Polish fleet attempts to raid that key point, too, the Portuguese sail on straight for the NKK’s pirate-stronghold-turned-trading-post. When they arrive in mid-February they find that the Polish have anticipated this move and moved the entirety of their fleet to the island, sheltering in the Gulf of Paria within sight of the Polish fortress’ guns. The Portuguese, hell-bent on revenge, decide that they will never have as good an opportunity to so utterly defeat and opponent, and embark on a desperate gamble.

Battle of the Gulf of Paria, February 22

Portugal
-9 BB2s (Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Nossa Senhora da Assunção, São Lourenço, Rainha dos Anjos, Nossa Senhora das Necessidades, Nossa Senhora da Piedade, Nossa Senhora da Luz, Nossa Senhora do Pilar, Princesa do Céu)
-13 Frigates (Ulisses, Venus, Active, Amazonia, Tritao, Real Fonsor, Perola, Santa Rosa, Zambeze, Gaivota, Diligente, Cachalote, Barracudo)
-8 PatRon

Poland
-1 Fortress
-8 BB2 (Amity, The Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Battle of San Fernando, Sarmatian, Liberum Veto, Elector, Jacob Kettler, Golden Liberty)
-11 FF1 (Chastity, Fortune, Charity, Diligence, St. George, Kindness, White Eagle, Patience, Abstinence, Vistula, Black Eagle)
-11 PatRon

The Portuguese, the products of centuries of maritime tradition and the heirs of Henry the Navigator, are confident of victory over the predominantly German sailors of the Polish fleet, who have never seen true naval combat on the open seas outside of the Baltic (Poland loses the proficiency comparison; Portugal gets +1 to crit rolls in opening round, to represent superior Portuguese skill at distance, which diminishes as battle goes on). However, the fleets are otherwise evenly matched, and the guns of the Polish fortress worth diligently to keep the Portuguese at bay.

As the Portuguese approach the Polish their gunners get underway with pinpoint accuracy, blowing apart Polish ships left and right. The Polish crews simply cannot match the rate or precision of their Portuguese counterparts, and suffer blow after blow. However, between the cannons from the fortress and the desperation of the Polish crews, the Poles inflict not-insubstantial casualties on their attackers. (Turn 1: Portugal rolls 22 hits, of which 7 are Crits, 3 of which are due to their bonus. Poland rolls 12 hits, of which 2 are Crits; if they had had the Portuguese bonus they would have rolled 3. Portugal loses BB2 Nossa Senhora da Luz, FF1 Active, and 3 PatRons disabled, Poland loses BB2s Amity, San Fernando, Liberum Veto, Golden Liberty, and FF1st Charity, Patience, and Abstinence, as well as 2 PatRons disabled).

The Portuguese are thus left with a commanding dominance in terms of tonnage, and the Portuguese admiral lets emotion get the better of him. Rather than withdraw, satisfied with having sent a message to the Polish at little cost, he pushes the issue—the Polish are little better than pirates (in fact, many are pirates) and deserve to all see the bottom of the sea, if not a hangman’s noose. In this part of the battle the Poles, now at a serious disadvantage, manage to continue a punishing barrage of fire, but again lose out to the quality of the Portuguese gunners (Portugal has lost its crit bonus. Portugal rolls 18 hits, 6 of which are crits, but 3 of which are “wasted” on ships that were already disabled by normal hits. Poland rolls 11 hits, only one of which is a crit. Portugal sinks BB2s Sarmatian and Jacob Kettler and FF1s Kindness, Chastity, and Diligence. Poland disables BB2 Conceicao and sinks FF1 Venus).

Casualties of the Battle of the Gulf of Paria

Poland
-6 BB2s sunk (Amity, Battle of San Fernando, Liberum Veto, Golden Liberty, Sarmatian, Jacob Kettler)
-1 BB2 (2x) damaged (Elector) [1 turn, 1 point to repair]
-6 FF1 sunk (Charity, Patience, Abstinence, Kindness, Chastity, Diligence)
-3 FF1 (2x) damaged (St. George, Vistula, Fortune) [1 turn, .5 points each]
-2 PatRon sunk

Portugal
-1 BB2 Sunk (Nossa Senhora da Luz)
-1 BB2 (5x) heavily damaged (Nossa Senhora da Conceicao) [4 turns, 2.5 points]
-1 BB2 (4x) heavily damaged (Rainha dos Anjos) [3 turns, 2 points]
-2 BB2s (2x) damaged (Nossa Senhora das Necessidades, Sao Lourenco) [1 turn, 1 point]
-2 BB2s (1x) damaged (Nossa Senhora da Assuncao, Princesa do Ceu) [1 turn, .5 point]
-2 FF1s sunk (Active, Venus)
-2 FF2s (2x) damaged (Tritao, Perola) (1 turn, .5 points)
-3 FF1s (1x) damaged (Amazonia, Real Fonsor, Zambeze) (1 turn, .25 points)
-3 PatRons sunk

The Portuguese fleet considers its job accomplished and divides itself; the majority of the fleet goes on to Salvador, whence it can continue to threaten both the island of Trinidad and the Polish presence in Africa. A core of the fleet returns to Lisbon to keep guard over the Iberian homeland and potentially threaten Polish shipping in the North Atlantic.

At the same time, the Portuguese send emissaries to the Saxon Elector—pointedly ignoring the PKW and NKK, which the Portuguese view as non-sovereign entities—to extend an offer of peace. Poland’s navy has been overwhelmingly bested, her colonies lie in tatters, and the treasure required to return them to profit will be extensive. If Poland is unwilling to bring her piratical subjects to heel, Portugal is more than willing to supplant her colonies in Africa, sink her few remaining ships, and, certainly, replace the Polish presence in Bombay by returning it to Portuguese ownership. However, Portugal is also tired of war, and willing to leave the war at status quo ante, confident that the financial (and political) burden of repairing these losses will be more than sufficient to punish the Baltic pirates for their transgressions.

Forces, End of Winter, 1717

Portugal

Fixed Installations
-5 Fortresses (Lisbon, Porto, Salvador, Recife, Bahia)
-6 Garrisons (Luanda, Rio Grande, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, Maranhao)
-6 Brazilian Militia Infantry Regiments (2x Salvador, 2x Recife, 1x Fortaleza, Rio de Janeiro)

Salvador
-1 BB2s (Nossa Senhora da Piedade)
-2 BB2s (1x) damaged (Nossa Senhora da Assuncao, Princesa do Ceu)
-3 FF1s (1x) damaged (Amazonia, Real Fonsor, Zambeze)
-2 FF1s (Ulisses, Gaivota)
-2 FF2s (2x) damaged (Tritao, Perola)
-3 PatRon

Lisbon
-3 Infantry Brigades
-1 Cavalry Brigade
-1 BB2 (Nossa Senhora do Pilar)
-1 BB2 (5x) heavily damaged (Nossa Senhora da Conceicao)
-1 BB2 (4x) heavily damaged (Rainha dos Anjos)
-2 BB2s (2x) damaged (Nossa Senhora das Necessidades, Sao Lourenco)
-4 FF1s (Diligente, Cachalote, Barracudo, Santa Rosa)
-2 PatRon

Cape Verde
-1 Light Infantry regiment

Madeira
-1 Light Infantry Regiment

Guinea
-1 Light Infantry Regiment

Azores
-1 Light Infantry Regiment

Sao Tome
-2 Light Infantry Regiments
-4 FF1s (Tridente, Narval, Hidra, Albacora)
-3 PatRons

Poland

Fixed Positions
-4 Fortresses (Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Trinidad)
-10 Garrison Brigades (Warsaw, Gdansk, Krakow, Lwow, Smolensk, Riga, Talinn, Kiev, Congo, Bombay)
-1 Militia Brigade (Konigsburg)
-1 Militia Regiment (Trinidad)

Warsaw
-4 Infantry Brigades
-2 Cavalry Brigades

Gdansk
-3 PatRon

Trinidad
-1 BB2 (The Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth)
-1 BB2 (2x) damaged (Elector)
-2 FF1 (White Eagle, Black Eagle)
-3 FF1 (2x) damaged (St. George, Vistula, Fortune)
-9 PatRon

Congo
-3 BB2 (Warsaw, Thunderbolt, Virgin Mary)
-4 FF1 (Daugava, Hussar, Humility, Gdansk)
-6 PatRons[/b][/b]

by Lefty Wed Mar 14, 2018 10:34 pm

Emissaries of the Saxon King-Elector enter into negotiations with the Portuguese, determined to reach an honorable peace.

Several talkative ladies of court have been heard saying that yet another table has met its unseemly demise. The King-Elector's personal aides are unwilling to discuss such uncouth slanders.

by Haven Wed Mar 14, 2018 10:47 pm

The Dutch ambassador informs Portugal that the United Provinces are willing to accept the reduction in the amount due (3 points due versus 5), but still expects the payment to be made this year (1717).

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