Ralegh
Posts: 1557
Joined: 2/1/2005
Status: offline
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Before I start - one apology: due to technical problems with my PC, I failed to take many screenshots of this game: people did say they would like more screenie - particualrly of battles - and I have less here. Sorry - my bad.
Spain, 1805 Campaign, Napoleon level
Situation: We start allied with France and at war with Britain, Sweden, Austria and Russia.
Threat: beware a situation where France either surrenders to some of the allies, or accepts their surrender - that leaves them just at war with Spain! This is particularly bad if it is Austria - they will march their army over! Initial strategy: Help France. Knock Austria out of the war. Try to make friends with Prussia and Turkey. If we can ever get out of the war with Russia and Sweden, do so.
Political goals: We start with Naples, Sicily and Calabria (totalling 4 glory per turn). Gibraltar is worth 3 and Portugal 2. Other glory provinces are: Gascony (Fr), Ireland, N. Ireland (B), and the neutral countries of Sardiania, Morrocco, Oran, Algiers, and Tunisia. So lets try to get Gibraltar and Portugal now. If we ever get out of all the wars, we can think about all the African ones. Perhaps get something nice and trade it to France for Gascony?
Economy overview: although the provinces aren't very advanced, Spain has a great mix of resources, including great wine supplies (Tuscany) and excellent horses (Andelusia), as well as excellent sources of cotton, wool, iron and timber.
Forces: Spain starts with 2 army counters, and units for one decent army and one militia force if you rob from some of the city garrisons. Although the leaders aren't stellar, they are OK. Navy is 60 ships. Diplomats are poor.
Economy: save up to upgrade the barracks in Madrid to level 5, so we can build a corps counter. Develop banks, farms and factories. Spain is quite feudal, so there will be levies coming on. Note that the protectorates in Italy produce really good units (average more over 5, unlike native Spanish units), in an even mix of cavalry and infantry. Set a "reinforce to" command so those units donft just sit around.
Initial moves:
Send privateers to the eastern med where Britain wont find them
Send merchant to Ligurrian Sea
Instruct navy to support a French move against Nelson's fleet [in a support move, we only move into the attack if another allied fleet has already moved into the area]
Put main forces into a good army with all leaders, and send them towards Switzerland - we want them in Styria, so if Austria surrenders it may be to us. Lets conquer Venice on the way - it is an awesome country.
Construct a militia army and send it against Gibraltar
Diplomacy: Try to make some treaties to get additional colonies and, if possible, recruit some help from Turkey and/or Prussia for the alliance. [Note: Neither of them will be willing to attack Austria usually. Prussia might take on Sweden, though, and Turkey might take on Russiac]
In Sept 1805, the French fleet bravely sailed out from Cadiz against Nelson long before the Spanish fleet (which wished to help) could get into position. Nelson was victorious with 53 British ships sunk and 44 French ships - France must have had the wind guage to do so well. Whittling down the ships in Nelson's fleet is a very good start for the alliance. The British moved to Gibraltar, and the Spanish fleet took their position off Cadiz.
In Oct 1805, the Spanish fleet was instructed to blockade Gibraltar, intending to call Villaneuvre's fleet as reinforcements if they refused to come into the sea area. Sure enough, the British came out, we got the wind guage, and Villaneuvre reinforced with his remaining 38 ships. Unluckily for us, some of the stronger ships in the French fleet only made it to the rout area and didn't actually engage the enemy. In a close fought battle, Nelson broke the back of the allied navies, sinking 35 ships for the loss of only 22.
Meanwhile in Europe, France won huge battles against Austria and Russia, including a 40 glory batttle at Linz, as well as 14 and 8 glory battles, all in the same month!
Our militia army beseiged Gibraltar, and the main army besieged Venice. A few months went by. We got into Venice, just as Austria surrendered to France. Oh no - thatfs what we were afraid of! The main army immediately moves to Styria to beseige the Austrian capital.
Meanwhile, Britain has gained control of Portugal as its protectorate, giving it a decent army quite close to my capital. This is a disaster - no way my militia army can beat them, and I don't want to withdraw the main army, for fear the Austrians will follow me, and I will spend the next several years defending the peninsula. Lets set a French rally point for Madrid - they can defend me against Britain, while I fight Austria (who they aren't at war with anymore). Fortunately, the Portugese army marches to France, so I cancel the rally point to allow my ally to do as he wishes.
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HTH
Steve/Ralegh
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AAReport - Ralegh as Spain - 
That's one thing that this forum has always shown me that separates it from others...cognitive reasoning
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