Bonopart 2 PBEM

[Civfan]

interesting...

[Darius871]

Oops, first time I've ever posted on the wrong thread.

Darius871, I repeat my question,

Goodness, it's only been ten hours; I do work ya know. Anyhow, I will continue the agreement with Russia asthe threat of two-front war will make the Central European nations think twice about helping our British enemy.

My second order of business is to place France's claims for protection of weaker neutral territories. First off, the only disagreement I have with Prussia's demands involves Oldenburg. As the three cities of the Hannover region (Hamburg, Hannover, and Brunswick) are open supporters of Great Britain and will most likely be in French posession by the end of the war, we need Oldenburg if for any reason only for the logical geographic fact that it would be our land link to our hypothetical territory around Hannover.

This decision will not be retracted. However, we are willing to offer you carte blanche to occupy neutral Mainz in exchange for your allowing us to take Oldenburg.

As for British claims, I of course have no need to stick to them since we are at war.

Although Austria has made no particular claims, I am interested in making an informal agreement that Austrian troops will stay out of Italy if French troops stay out of the Balkans and other territories of the Ottoman Empire. These spheres of influence seem pretty reasonable. Let me know what you think about the issue of Italy (and soon, as it will affect my turn).

Here is a map showing the territories which Britain, Prussia, and France have put under their protection, and one we can edit as Austria and Russia announce what their plans are more officially:

[Stormbringer]

Russia claim all of the lands on the western side of the Black sea including Constantinopol. Also Russia will continue the war in Armenia against the turks. Russia is also planning an offensive in the North to take Finland under it's control. This is it.......for now

[Civfan]

Austria-Hungarian claims the Balkans and Greece. Constanople and surronding cities on the east side for Russia.

The cities Austria claims our Tirane, Sofia, Thessalonica, Athens, Patria and Corfu.

End of Claims

In regards to Italy, Austria suggests leaving Rome out(its an internal holy city)

The rest is up for grabs for France.

[Darius871]

Napoleon agrees to allow self-government for the holy city. However, we will put in place French protection; i.e. any nation that conquers the city will face full French retaliation in the name of the Pope.

This map includes the Austrian claims, along with what I'm assuming the Russian ones are. Russia is welcome to make any clarifications, since it is safe to assume that they would want more of the Near East than just Constantinople.

Note that the cities in pink (Zurich and Rome) are those cities that will remain independent permanently, and that foreign attempts to deny them their sovereignty will elicit war with France.

[Stormbringer]

Russia will not make any other claims for now....After this is accoplished we will consider continuing the war with the turks. Also I already said that we claim Finland from Sweeden.

[Darius871]

Our first campaigns against Britain have met great victory.

- The most spectacular defeat put upon the British occurred in the English Channel, in a possibly decisive “Battle of the Piers”. About a half dozen infantry regiments shipped in barges and merchant transports to the four British channel ports for temporary smash-and-run raids and were shocked at what they saw: nearly all of the British Home Fleet was blunderously lying vulnerable its ports! Upon hearing this, Napoleon ordered every single ship in the region be scraped up to transport regiments to the four channel ports. He understood that the British Navy was of course the only thing in the way of an invasion of Britain. This was an unexpected opportunity to ironically neutralize British naval superiority using the French land superiority.

Regiment after regiment of French infantry stormed the beaches near the four cities of Dover, Portsmouth, Exeter, and Plymouth, and were ordered to march directly to the masts of British ships sticking up from the port areas, and destroy every ship that they could. The sailors on the ships put up a daring and desperate defence, but they were simply overwhelmed as they were of course only lightly trained for land combat, and the French troops lit the night skies with hundreds of burning British ships. British land garrisons were the last to engage the French raiders, and they were routed.

French regiments managed to therefore occupy Dover and Portsmouth, while Exeter and Plymouth were not occupied due to lack of available ships to transport garrisons. Furthermore, an entire division of infantry is strongly fortified on a defensive line in the protective hills just south of London.

This is not necessarily in Napoleon’s mind the preparation for an invasion just yet; but rather just a rapid in-and-out raid to attrit the British fleet in southern England, as Dover and Portsmouth are expected to fall to Britain within a month. No matter how many French ships their remaining ships may be able to sink in the area, this grand victory in the Channel has most certainly been worth it. This is a list of all the British losses in their ports:

5 two-deck ships of the line
2 three-deck ships of the line
3 line infantry regiments
1 detachment of dragoon guards
1 frigate
4 brigs
1 East Indiaman
3 bomb ketches

I sincerely hope Britain makes the same mistake with their ships again.

- In order to protect the French transports still left vulnerable in the Channel, French warships operating out of Brest, L’Orient, and other cities in the immediate region made daring attacks against British warships in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay. Although the Brits were caught off guard, their superior ships and veteran crews proved devastating to the French ships, and it generally took two French ships to beat one British one. However, they overcame this somewhat through use of consultation by the British Admiralty which had been captured in Portsmouth. French ships were ordered to sink weak British ships such as brigs and frigates and they automatically became veterans. With this experience they went and faced British ships, and put up an even fight. This tactical edge combined with well-coordinated suicidal attacks allowed France to inflict the following losses in the western English Channel and Bay of Biscay, even though French losses were very high:

4 two-deck ships of the line
1 three-deck ship of the line
4 frigate

- No British forces were met in the Mediterranean except for one frigate which was sunk by a French three-decker, making its crew veteran.

- The neutral cities of Sassari and Livorno were taken this turn. Ravenna and Oldenburg have been besieged by forces sufficient to take them within a month.

France has lost very, very many of her great fighting men this month, but it seems it was worthwhile in the long run. Looking at pre-war intelligence (i.e. my knowledge of what the British have at the start of the scenario) and subtracting the massive British losses this turn, I can deduce that the remainder of Britain’s Navy is approximately 13 Frigates, 22 two-deckers, an a paltry one three-decker. The combined Franco-Spanish naval forces, meanwhile, number a full 18 frigates, 21 two-deckers, and 7 precious three-deckers. All things considered the Franco-Spanish alliance has a considerable naval superiority at this point.

Another significance of this month is that while much of the British fleet survives, the bulk of the Home Fleet in particular is neutralized, which will give France freedom in Channel and North Sea amphibious operations for a temporary period until British ships from the Mediterranean arrive to replace the Home Fleet’s losses. And finally, as a third great strategic success, as their Mediterranean forces depart to Britain France will gain operational freedom in the Mediterranean.

Oh this is getting exciting…

[Darius871]

Geeeeez this is a large-scale scenario, what with some-odd 350 units. Long turns, long posts...

Forgot to mention, I can't help but mention my irritation that Spain doesn't have a human player. In every aspect they are a major player in the game, providing a naval crutch for France as an ally and later an agent of downfall for France as an enemy, and it seems pretty bad to make it just another AI target practice. Of course I don't like it because I don't want a weak ally, nor do I like the idea of Britain knocking at my back door, attacking me at Narbonne and Bayonne...

Ideally I'd want to play both as they are allies anyhow, and then when the events file cancels the alliance, I would just give it back to the AI. But if you want to have a weak Spain then I'll put up with it I guess.

BTW here's the map including Finland:

[Stormbringer]

I have no problem with you playing as Spain too, but you will have to cancell the alliance when it is time, and continue to play France alone

[Stormbringer]

Russia would like to sign a non-agression pact with Austria, by the terms of which, both nations promise not to attack each other, and Austria Promises to stay out of Turkey. If this pact is signed Russia will move away it's army on the Austrian border.

[Stormbringer]

As Russia wants to perserve Peace in Europe we sucjest that English and French start to negotiate a peace treaty.

[Darius871]

Peace will come when Aberdeen flies the French flag. Arrogant Britain will not be allowed to continue antagonizing French interests in the future. It is Britain's mission to suppress the ideals of our Revolution by any means necessary, so we must not only defend ourselves, but to "liberate" their people as well. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite!

No news in the Spanish turn, only a merchantmen and frigate killed.

[Stormbringer]

Russia feels that a REASONABLE peace must be signed betwen Franch and British shortly. We propose that British give up Hannover, and sign Peace, whyle France gicves up all the territories they have conquered so far. If France will not be willing to sign a REASONBLE peace shortly, we might reconsider our defence pact, and I am sure France does not wat that. We will perserve Peace in Europe, even if it means elimination France.

[Civfan]

Austria signs non-aggression pact with Russia. Citizens celebrate the non-aggression pact by getting drunk on the streets on Vienna.

If no player can be found for spain I suggest maybe we should all take turns being spain. France just took their turn maybe britain next followed by Russia and Sweden and Austria.

If Africa is not claimed, maybe Austria claims so of Africa.

Civfan....
President of Austria

[Stormbringer]

I would like to remind Austria not to make claims that you cannot take. That is why I do not claim Anatolia yet, because I do not have the ability to invade it right now. If you do not have means to invade Africa, please do not claim it.