Scotland cooperative game thread

[Velociryx]

Update:

Played through to October, 1429, and it has been a period of relative quiet, however....the time has come to bring some additional pressing matters before the council. Scotland is strong....too strong, apparently for the English to attempt to pick a fight with us again, and that is good. It is good that they fear us.

They are wise to fear us.

But, to the particulars.

First and most notable, is the fact that once again, we are a creditor nation, slowly building a cash surplus, and carrying no debt. We have taken and repaid three loans from the Helvetian moneylenders, and they now regard us as an excellent credit risk (our interest rate keeps dropping, which will make the taking of additional loans increasingly more attractive and easier to repay).

National stability has been restored, and has seldome twitched away from tranquility (+3).

We have had peace, and in that peace, we have grown strong.

Events of note:

February 14, 1426 - Provence declares against Savoy, drawing our alliance into a war with Savoy, Genoa and Milan. At this time, we are still promoting tax collectors in our unfortified Irish provinces, and so we post the naval squadron off the coast of Munster with small garrisons in Leinster and Connaught, in the event of an (admittedly unlikely) Italian landing in Ireland.

The war ends with no action on our part, and sees us not even raising war taxes (saving that for a possible war with England)

February 26, 1426 - The truce with England expires....they seem reluctant to test our mettle again, and we likewise make no provacative pronouncements against them. The border is tense, but quiet. It seems that they acknowledge our rightful claims to our new lands.

Our armed forces have been re-allocated to our holdings, and we have divided our army into six regiments, these are:

In Ireland
Leinster Regiment (Connaught Garrison) 1115 Infantry
Leinster Regiment (Leinster Garrison) 1115 Infantry

In Scotland
Lancashire Regiment (in Lancashire) 3925 Infantry
The Army of Douglas (in Lancashire) 4000 Cavalry

Northumberland Regiment (in Northumberland) 2257
Northumberland Cavalry Command (in Northumberland) 1098

Totals: 8412 Infantry/ 5098 Cavalry (Grand total: 13,510, 12k max)

By May of 1426, Province is humbled by the Savoyard alliance (which expands mid-war to include Brittany), and the men of Brittany gain Maine from Province.

January 1427, 153d in our treasury....minting enough coin so that we break even.

Monthly Income: 9.8 --> 7.2 from taxation, 2.6 from goods production

Unit costs:
Warships cost 58d each
Galleys cost 11d each

Infantry cost 7d on the thousand
Cavalry costs 20d on the thousand

June: Trade level increases to 2, trade effie up to 35%

September, Infrastructure increases to level 2, infra effie up to 23% - This increase causes our monthly income statement to jump to 10.8 --> 7.8 + 3.0

Slider adjustment, full effort to Infrastructural improvement (no coin minting)

1429

January 1 - our second slider adjustment (centralize +1) - production effie increases to 25%, and we have 276d in our treasury, with our loan coming due on October 1st (losing 2.9 per month, inflation steady at 6.5%)

France annexes the house of Bourbon, damaging our relations somewhat (+80)

In March, England and their new, strong alliance (Burgundy, Aragon, Navarra, and Granada) declare against Gelre (burgundy is the aggressor)

This angers the men of Brittany, who declare against the Burgundians, sparking a wider conflict.

England briefly posts 5k troops in Meath, frightening our subjects in Ireland, but the pressing concerns of the suddenly broader war against English interests cause them to abandon the position and our garrisons breathe a sigh of relief.

October 1st - Our third loan is paid in full, national stability returns to +3 (dipped to +2 when we further centralized the government), and England stands....empty and unguarded as her troops sail for the continent. If ever there was a time to strike....that time is now.

-=Vel=-
(Screenshots to follow)

[Velociryx]

Guarding against the machinations of the Italians....

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A peek under the hood at the economy....

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1429 Situation shot 1

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1429 situation shot 2

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1429 situation shot 3

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1429, final situation shot

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and finally....a blast from the past....an elusive, missing screenie from the Irish War, detailing the cavalry command of the Army of Douglas, and their ride through the southern Irish provinces, claiming them for Scotland!

[Velociryx]

So....questions looming:

Are we ready for a war with England? They are handsomely pre-occupied by concerns in Gelre, and with the alliance of Savoy, principally, a strong, prepared Brittany.

Their territories stand empty, and are ripe for plunder by our veteran armies. Douglas stands ready, as ever, to take the fight to our enemies, and we stand to make further territorial gains against our hated English foes.

Also, a thing that must be considered is: What shall we do with the money gained in the prosecution of this war? We could:

* Save money to construct one or more refineries and/or a fine arts center in Lothian, proving to the world that we are not $haggy barbarians as most believe, but civilized and cultured.

* Fortify our Irish provinces so they are not such easy pickings and require less attention from garrisons on the island.

* Increase our fleet, so that we may one day challenge the supremacy of the English in this regard.

Or, we could simply save the coin to stockpile for years when times may be lean

Our options, at this point, are truly without limits.

If the council seeks a declaration of war with England, then we should go to full mobilization now, so that our troops are ready to fight at the dawning of the new year.

The swiss moneylenders will, no doubt, stand ready to finance our war effort if we need it, but by raising war taxes in August and recieving a boon from pillaging as we raid south, odds are excellent that we will not need such assistance at all, even if we are forced into having to recruit troops in number (not that we'll need to in the beginning, as we are still slightly above our normal support limits).

What is the wish of the council?

-=Vel=-

[Velociryx]

Douglas' War

After much weighty deliberation, the council has opted for a war with mighty England, and unlike our previous engagement with that nation, this time, the battle is at a time of our choosing, and a fight we are fully prepared to make.

God save Scotland in our righteous endeavour to grow stronger in the face of our hated fores!

October 1429
In preparation for this looming conflict, 5,000 new infantry recruits are raised--3,000 being raised in Northumberland to augment the infantry already there, and 2,000 raised in Lancashire for the same purpose. This gives us two groups of 5,000+ infantry, which we can use for sieges, while Douglas screens these forces with his mobile cavalry, taking the fight to the enemy and preventing them from dislodging our siege crews. Additionally, we have the 1098 Cavalry command in Northumberland, with specific instructions to serve as a RAP force (recon-and-pillage).

November 1429
Responding to our own troop buildup, the Irish begin rebuilding their Army of Ulster. We keep an eye on it, but do nothing at this time.

OoO

January 1430
Our armies stand ready to press our claims and interests! It begins....

Initial Marching Orders
Northumberland Siege Crew (5257 Infantry) ordered to Yorkshire

Lancashire Siege Crew (5925 Infantry) ordered to Wales

Leinster Garrison (1115) ordered to Meath

Northumberland Cavalry Command (RAPtor Force) (1098 Horse) ordered to Lincoln

Douglas splits his command (2k each group), leading his half into Bristol, and ordering the other half to Midlands

National mint begins working overtime (full minting).

This plan of action will allow us to see the comings and goings of every English province on the Scottish Isles, save for Kent, and we'll get to that one by and by. 78d in our treasury as war is declared and we start this party!

[Velociryx]

Marching Orders:

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February
By the first of the month, we have reached all of our initial targets, and the pillage-money-machine kicks into high gear! (treasury nearly doubles, jumping to 135d)

We've also discovered a 2k English garrison guarding Anglia, and recruitment activity begins in Midland.

Not wanting to be caught by surprise with a large English force appearing in our midst, we arrange a loan with the money lenders, and spend 192 of our 200d to hire the Luzern Regiment (mercenaries - 5000/2000) in Lancashire. These march to Midlands and Douglas consolidates his forces there in preparation for battle with the newly trained English recruits.

Our Raptor force makes for Wessex.

February 24
The Raptor group arrives in Wessex with the report of recruitment activity in Kent as well....grim tidings inded....

Meanwhile, Douglass has amassed 5,000 Infantry and 6,000 Cavalry in Midlands for the looming battle there, and the nation of Scotland holds its breath....

March
Raptor group ordered to Cornwall, 156d in our treasury.

April
Raptors return to Wessex to appraise Englands strength in Kent (t = 161d)

April 2nd, Douglas is attacked by 7,000 Infantry and 1,000 Cavalry....fresh recruits, all. Our sturdy general takes no losses whatsoever, and reduces the enemy force to 3467/294 (total losses are 3533/706 = 4239)....an enormous victory!!!

The defeated English force routes toward Lincoln seeking safety, and Douglas rides his 4,000 veteran cavalrymen hard, arriving in Lincoln ahead of the English force. The mercenary band is left in Midland to continue the siege there (three sieges in operation now, Yorkshire, Wales, and Midland).

[Velociryx]

The Battle of Midland

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April 11 - The report from the Raptor group in Wessex is that 3k troops from Kent are marching north to Anglia, which will give them 5k guarding the English capitol. These, and the beaten recruits streaming toward Lincoln are the only English units on the Scottish Isles.

April 15 - Douglas arrives in Lincoln and prepares to greet his English foes.

April 20 - The Battle of Lincoln pits Douglas' command (4,000 cavalry) against 3467/294 Englishment, with the 3,000 (cavalry) from Kent arriving via Anglia racing to join them.

April 25 - The English recruits are smashed again. Douglas loses no troops, and the english force is reduced to 2454/91 (total losses are 1013/203 = 1216).

April 29th - Arriving too late to save the shattered recruits, the English Cavalry regiment nonetheless determines to fight our famed general. These too, are routed, fleeing toward Bristol. Douglas loses 720 horse defeating them (3280 remaining under his command), while the enemy regiment is reduced to a scant 441 horse.

Douglas is intent on ending the matter once and for all in Bristol, and orders the Raptor group to rally there and meet him to give battle to the English.

May 22nd, Douglas joins the Raptor group, bringing the total horse under his command up to 4378, and with this force, he faces 2454/532.

By the end of the battle, Douglas is left with 4129 horse (losses of 249), and the enemy force is reduced to 796/139, which again, routes toward Lincoln.

In order to beat the enemy TO Lincoln, Douglas executes a daring rapid crossing of the Thames (takes 41 losses due to attrition for moving at month-end rollover), and arrives in Lincoln with 4088 horse. The enemy force arrives separately, and is defeated independently in battles lasting only one day each, on the 12th and the 17th. The enemy forces are destroyed to a man, and these two battles see Douglas losing only 35 cavalry (has 4053 under his command).

2k Cav recruited in Lancashire to keep the Army of Douglas in fighting shape.

July
The only English troops reported anywhere on the Scottish Isles are the 2k guarding Anglia.

Siege progress report:
Wales (-3/Breeched)
Midlands (3) (no damage)
Yorkshire (-3)

Recruitment activity begins in Kent - we need to conclude our initial sieges quickly so we can move to lock down the rest of the island.

August - Our 2k cavalry recruits are ready and ride to Lincoln to join Douglas, giving him a force of 6053 horse.

September (a total of four sieges operational at this point)

Wales captured on September 1st - Wales siege crew advances to Bristol
Midlands (2)
Lincoln (3)
Yorkshire (-5/breeched)

October, Stability increases to +3 and war taxes are promptly raised (stab drops to +2)

Yorkshire falls on the 7th - a covering force is left in Bristol and 4725 Infantry march to Wessex as we begin to lock down the rest of the island.

Douglas' Cav command invade Anglia, and the Yorkshire siege group advances to Lincoln to take his place at the siege there.

October 11-14: The 6053 Cavalry under Douglas' command attack the 2k garrison in Anglia and destroy them utterly. Douglas is left with 5993 (60 losses).

November: Covering force left in Wesses and the remainder of our infantry there march to Cornwall.

November 26th - Douglas invades Kent, destroying another 2k garrison that was recently trained, and finds himself with 5874 horse remaining (119 losses), and by the first of December, 1430, the island is locked down. No further English recruitment will occur on our island for the remainder of this war.

[Velociryx]

Year of our Lord, 1431
Our war continues....

Siege progress:
Midlands (-6/breeched)
Bristol (-2)
Kent (Douglas) (1)

All other provinces covered to prevent recruitment

April 3rd - Bristol falls into Scottish hands and the siege crew advances to Cornwall.

April 20th - Midlands is captured - siege crew advances to Lincoln)

We are interrupted in May by a 7k revolt in Bristol....not an immediate concern, but a thing that will have to be dealth with! Improvement in our siege of Kent (walls at -3).

July - Aragon lands 1980 men in Northumberland...pesky bastards.

August
Kent (-7/breeched) (Douglas commanding)
Cornwall -7
Lincoln -1

on the 18th, Aragon lands 3942 men in Lancashire....we've had about enough interference, and make it more of a priority to deal with these nettlesome interruptions to our quest for domination over the English squatters on our lands!

on the 30th of August, Kent falls, followed promptly (september 1st) by the surrender of Cornwall. Our national stability returns (+3) and war taxes are again raised.

Douglas orders allavailable forces to Wesses, and by the 17th of September, he has assembled 9810 Infantry and 7047 Cavalry under his proud banner.

October 1st - leaving a covering force in Wessex, Douglas marches against the English rebels in Bristol with 9112/6546 (7200 rebels).

By the 20th, the rebels are routed, and Douglas has 8632/6450 remaining (576 losses (480/96).

November 1st - Douglas leads 6,000 Infantry and 5,000 Cavalry to Midlands, sending the rest of his force to Wessex to assist with siege operations there (walls of Lincoln are at -4).

December - Douglas marches to Lancashire to give battle to the men of Aragon (3942), but is handed a stinging defeat on Christmas eve, and retreats to York to recover, having only 2851/4371 of his force remaining (we lost 3778 total, 3149 infantry and 629 cavalry - Aragon lost 1840....a humiliating defeat!) No matter....Douglas vows to return to Lancashire and kill every man of Aragon when he does!

-=Vel=-