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Chapter 26 – The Novgorod War (1590-1592)
Gearing for War
Dutch soldiers muster for the Provincial Armies
Gearing for War
Dutch soldiers muster for the Provincial Armies
The capture of Lithuania and Riga finally gave Muscovy access to the Baltic, allowing year round trade with Northern Europe. The new Czar Simon III had greater ambitions, though. He wished to claim the title of Czar of all the Russias, but an obstacle stood in his way. Veliky Novgorod, one of the most ancient and important cities of the Rus, had been under Swedish control since 1447. The city was still an important trade center for the Baltic, but the local Metropolitan had been driven out by Swedish Justifiers in the early 16th Century and the city’s cathedral re-consecrated as an Evangelical church.
With his intention to be the defender of the Russian people and the Orthodox faith, Simon began to make secret preparations to regain the city from the Swedes. His father’s armies had already learned firsthand how difficult it could be to defeat the League of Darmstadt in the field. Therefore, he sought out allies to tie up the League’s forces while his armies crushed the Swedes in Ingria and Finland. Both Denmark and Poland had recently been humiliated by the League and stripped of their territories; they were quite willing to assist the Czar if there was the possibility of regaining their honor. Secret protocols were signed between the three kingdoms, and planning began for a three pronged sneak attack.
The possibility of new hostility with Muscovy did not escape King Christian II of Sweden. Conducting his own clandestine diplomacy, he signed an agreement with the Kingdom of Georgia on Muscovy’s southern border to come to Sweden’s aid in the event of war. Hopefully the Georgians would buy enough time for Sweden and her League allies to gear for war…
Excerpt of letter from the Swedish Ambassador to the United Provinces, His Excellency Anton Severinson, to King Christian II Brahe
April 20, 1590
Your Highness,
It gives me great pleasure to report that the States-General have unanimously agreed to support our Kingdom in our struggle against the Muscovite invaders. The have issued a formal declaration of war against the Czar of Moscow and his allies, the King of Denmark, King of Poland and Duke of Riga. Stadtholder van Swieten personally assured me of the Netherlands’ commitment to stand fast with us for the duration of hostilities, and sends his regards attached to this correspondence.
A general army mobilization order has been issued to the Provinces, and it is expected that 34 regiments will be mustered for deployment. The Army of Flanders should be ready by the end of next month, and will be dispatched immediately to Halmstad. In addition, the States-General have contracted a Condottiere to raise an army of eight mercenary regiments for an Army of the Baltic. The Dutch navy has assembled forty-three ships for the campaign, with the first squadron scheduled to depart Amsterdam as soon as they take on provisions.
The States-General graciously agreed to provide a subsidy of 15,000 guilden over the next six months to pay for the provision and quartering of Dutch troops in our territories. The first shipment will arrive with the Stadtholder’s army upon their arrival at Halmstad. Attached are official correspondences from the States-General and Stadtholder, details on the deployment of Dutch forces in relation to our own, and reports on…
Your Highness,
It gives me great pleasure to report that the States-General have unanimously agreed to support our Kingdom in our struggle against the Muscovite invaders. The have issued a formal declaration of war against the Czar of Moscow and his allies, the King of Denmark, King of Poland and Duke of Riga. Stadtholder van Swieten personally assured me of the Netherlands’ commitment to stand fast with us for the duration of hostilities, and sends his regards attached to this correspondence.
A general army mobilization order has been issued to the Provinces, and it is expected that 34 regiments will be mustered for deployment. The Army of Flanders should be ready by the end of next month, and will be dispatched immediately to Halmstad. In addition, the States-General have contracted a Condottiere to raise an army of eight mercenary regiments for an Army of the Baltic. The Dutch navy has assembled forty-three ships for the campaign, with the first squadron scheduled to depart Amsterdam as soon as they take on provisions.
The States-General graciously agreed to provide a subsidy of 15,000 guilden over the next six months to pay for the provision and quartering of Dutch troops in our territories. The first shipment will arrive with the Stadtholder’s army upon their arrival at Halmstad. Attached are official correspondences from the States-General and Stadtholder, details on the deployment of Dutch forces in relation to our own, and reports on…
Excerpt from Journal of Andrés Munoz de Huelva, Soldier of Fortune
April 23
Since those Swedes arrived last week, all anyone can talk about is war. A fine thing, pagans and heretics in the frozen north killing themselves. Those damnable Justifiers get what they deserve, thumbing their noses at God’s Church. May they all freeze in Hell, after they freeze in the snow. Still, might be for the best to look for a commission in this new army they’re raising. Didn’t manage to take much when I got out of Castille, and there’s not much left of that. And say what you will of the Dutch, but they’re richer than Croesus, and they’re in a spending mood. Roorback said he knows one of the officers raising a regiment, might be able to find a position with him.
April 25
With the last of my meager funds, I have managed to secure a Captaincy with Tosetti’s Heavy Infantry in this so-called “Army of the Baltic” the Dutch are raising. A couple of drinks and a few stories of my “illustrious” career in His Catholic Majesty’s army, and he put me in charge of a manga of musketeers. Would have rather had some good steel pikes to command, but what is a poor exiled hidalgo to do? At least I am in a suitable Italian tercio, and not one of those German mobs these northerners like. Those drunken peasants and quivering peddlers will break at the first charge! I will have to show them some true Andalusian courage, since it will be up to us to hold the line.
I took on Roorback as a second, known him since I got here in Antwerp two years ago and he’s a good man in a fight. He’s a mestizo from New Brabant and darker than a Moor, but talks like a Haarlem fishmonger. Claims he’s the bastard of a Company officer, but for all the money he's leeched from me he must have wasted anything he got from him. I have him out drilling the men with the new muskets Tosetti provided. Only ten for sixty-five men, but better than nothing. The rest will settle with arquebuses.
So far they’re busy shipping the Dutch army to Sweden, so I have a few more weeks to enjoy my captain’s pay in Rotterdam before we’re sent out. The government has been quite generous, I should be able to afford much better prostitutes for a while. At least the authorities here aren’t as straight-laced as those whoresons in Antwerp.
Since those Swedes arrived last week, all anyone can talk about is war. A fine thing, pagans and heretics in the frozen north killing themselves. Those damnable Justifiers get what they deserve, thumbing their noses at God’s Church. May they all freeze in Hell, after they freeze in the snow. Still, might be for the best to look for a commission in this new army they’re raising. Didn’t manage to take much when I got out of Castille, and there’s not much left of that. And say what you will of the Dutch, but they’re richer than Croesus, and they’re in a spending mood. Roorback said he knows one of the officers raising a regiment, might be able to find a position with him.
April 25
With the last of my meager funds, I have managed to secure a Captaincy with Tosetti’s Heavy Infantry in this so-called “Army of the Baltic” the Dutch are raising. A couple of drinks and a few stories of my “illustrious” career in His Catholic Majesty’s army, and he put me in charge of a manga of musketeers. Would have rather had some good steel pikes to command, but what is a poor exiled hidalgo to do? At least I am in a suitable Italian tercio, and not one of those German mobs these northerners like. Those drunken peasants and quivering peddlers will break at the first charge! I will have to show them some true Andalusian courage, since it will be up to us to hold the line.
I took on Roorback as a second, known him since I got here in Antwerp two years ago and he’s a good man in a fight. He’s a mestizo from New Brabant and darker than a Moor, but talks like a Haarlem fishmonger. Claims he’s the bastard of a Company officer, but for all the money he's leeched from me he must have wasted anything he got from him. I have him out drilling the men with the new muskets Tosetti provided. Only ten for sixty-five men, but better than nothing. The rest will settle with arquebuses.
So far they’re busy shipping the Dutch army to Sweden, so I have a few more weeks to enjoy my captain’s pay in Rotterdam before we’re sent out. The government has been quite generous, I should be able to afford much better prostitutes for a while. At least the authorities here aren’t as straight-laced as those whoresons in Antwerp.
Initial Combatants, April 1590
Blue - League Forces
Kingdom of Sweden
United Provinces of the Netherlands
Kingdom of Bohemia (ruled by Sweden)
Landgraviate of Hesse
Kingdom of Georgia
Red - Muscovite Alliance
Imperial Moscow
Kingdom of Denmark-Norway
Kingdom of Poland
Duchy of Riga
Not pictured - Oirat Horde
Blue - League Forces
Kingdom of Sweden
United Provinces of the Netherlands
Kingdom of Bohemia (ruled by Sweden)
Landgraviate of Hesse
Kingdom of Georgia
Red - Muscovite Alliance
Imperial Moscow
Kingdom of Denmark-Norway
Kingdom of Poland
Duchy of Riga
Not pictured - Oirat Horde
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Yes indeed, it is good but some pics would make it better...
O yeah and if it would be nice to change Guilders into Gulden...
O yeah and if it would be nice to change Guilders into Gulden...
Very nice.
So a war with the Czar again...
This time, I'm not so sure he will so readily accept a White Peace.
So a war with the Czar again...
This time, I'm not so sure he will so readily accept a White Peace.
Done and done. I guess people have gotten spoiled by illustrations 
As for the question about my sliders, here's where they're at currently:
Centralization/Decentralization = 0
Aristocracy/Plutocracy = -4
Serfdom/Free Citizens = 2
Innovative/Narrowminded = 2
Mercantile/Free Trade = 2
Offensive/Defensive = 1
Land/Naval = 2
Quality/Quantity = 0
I've focused mainly on Centralization, Free Citizens for the tech bonus, and Free Trade for the worldwide trade domination and some of the Netherlands' unique decisions.
Edit - Had the Inno/Narrow number negative when it should have been positive.
As for the question about my sliders, here's where they're at currently:
Centralization/Decentralization = 0
Aristocracy/Plutocracy = -4
Serfdom/Free Citizens = 2
Innovative/Narrowminded = 2
Mercantile/Free Trade = 2
Offensive/Defensive = 1
Land/Naval = 2
Quality/Quantity = 0
I've focused mainly on Centralization, Free Citizens for the tech bonus, and Free Trade for the worldwide trade domination and some of the Netherlands' unique decisions.
Edit - Had the Inno/Narrow number negative when it should have been positive.
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I like it, but I like history-book better.
Perhaps a mixture will be better, 80% history-book, 20% narrative/letters?
In any case, great update!
asd
Perhaps a mixture will be better, 80% history-book, 20% narrative/letters?
In any case, great update!
asd
You're as good at narrative as you are at history book, which is very.
Would those "German mobs" be your equivalent to Gustavianus' (IIRC, it's 3:23 AM and I'm tipsy on genever) new formations?
Would those "German mobs" be your equivalent to Gustavianus' (IIRC, it's 3:23 AM and I'm tipsy on genever) new formations?
I decided that it could use some "history-book" overviews of the greater situation, in addition to the personal accounts, since it would be difficult to cover the whole war without having dozens of individuals. For example, I failed to mention that Georgia was allied with Sweden, which made a significant difference in the progress of the war. So I've edited the above chapter, and future ones will include a brief overview in addition to the excerpts.
The "German mobs" that de Huelva is so dismissive of are Maurician infantry. In his opinion, they've got too many shifty musketeers and not enough solid pikemen, and the pike doesn't even form up into orderly squares! Italians and Spaniards are the only good soldiers out there, and the Dutch are particularly bad because they're blaspheming shopkeepers. But they've got good money, which is good enough for him.
The "German mobs" that de Huelva is so dismissive of are Maurician infantry. In his opinion, they've got too many shifty musketeers and not enough solid pikemen, and the pike doesn't even form up into orderly squares! Italians and Spaniards are the only good soldiers out there, and the Dutch are particularly bad because they're blaspheming shopkeepers. But they've got good money, which is good enough for him.
Hmm... prostitues and mercenaries... the dutch surely are rich.
Sweden is fighting something like the war in the beginning of 18th century... but this time UK shall save the swedes...
Sweden is fighting something like the war in the beginning of 18th century... but this time UK shall save the swedes...
A good update.
Contrary to many, I think too many pictures can detract from an AAR. But there was a nice one to headline this particular update.
Contrary to many, I think too many pictures can detract from an AAR. But there was a nice one to headline this particular update.
Chapter 26 – The Novgorod War (1590-1592)
Elsinore
Map of Helsingør/Elsinore, 1588
Elsinore
Map of Helsingør/Elsinore, 1588
The Army of Flanders departed Rotterdam in late April, under the command of Stadtholder Constantijn van Swieten, and arrived at Halmstad a week later. Still only half equipped, the army would finish organizing while on the march, as the Danish Army of Norway had crossed over into Värmland and was driving back the Swedish garrison there.
Meanwhile, King Christian’s Bohemian army managed to outflank Polish forces north of Krakow, pinning them against the Swedish army at Danzig. The Poles were quickly forced to capitulate, renouncing their claims on the Swedish territories of Pomerania and Wielkopolska. The Bohemian aristocracy was reluctant to continue campaigning for their foreign king now that the immediate threat to their lands was dealt with, so they withdrew their troops back to Prague while Christian’s representatives attempted to convince them to fight.
As fighting raged from the Arctic Circle to the Caucasus Mountains, the Dutch concentrated on breaking the Danish blockade of the Øresund, which prevented them from relieving Swedish forces in Finland. Overlooking the Sound were two fortresses, Helsingborg to the north, and Helsingør to the south. With the heavy cannons mounted in their walls, they could sink any ship that attempted to pass between them.
Report from Captain Jakob Niemann, commander of Alkmaar Flotilla
May 10
We have reached the mouth of the Øresund, and taken up positions two miles from the entrance. We’ve seen no evidence of enemy ships, but on approach the coastal fortresses opened fire, preventing us from entering the strait. I’ve dispatched longboats to investigate the two Belts, but both show evidence of fire ships lying in wait. The narrowness of the passages will prevent us from maneuvering, leaving the fleet vulnerable to attack. Therefore, I advise that effort be given to reduce one or both of the Øresund fortresses, to allow free passage of our ships.
Your humble servant, Capt. Jakob Niemann
We have reached the mouth of the Øresund, and taken up positions two miles from the entrance. We’ve seen no evidence of enemy ships, but on approach the coastal fortresses opened fire, preventing us from entering the strait. I’ve dispatched longboats to investigate the two Belts, but both show evidence of fire ships lying in wait. The narrowness of the passages will prevent us from maneuvering, leaving the fleet vulnerable to attack. Therefore, I advise that effort be given to reduce one or both of the Øresund fortresses, to allow free passage of our ships.
Your humble servant, Capt. Jakob Niemann
Excerpt from Journal of Andrés Munoz de Huelva, Captain of Muskets in the Army of the Baltic
May 23
Finally off those damn ships. Packed us in like cattle, and then had the audacity to run into a storm. Roorback was laughing all the way, said it was nothing compared to the Atlantic. I would have cursed the pig, but that would have meant turning away from my bucket.
They’ve landed us in a small bay a few miles west of the fortress we’re supposed to take. An Englishman in the unit, William or something, said it was called Elsinore. Apparently it guards the way into the Baltic, so the Dutch navies have us here to deal with it.
May 25
We’ve arrived at this Elsinore, and begun to build siegeworks around the place. A fairly impressive fortress, but at least its big cannons are all pointing towards the sea. The land-side ones are just short bombards, and no threat to us so long as we keep our distance. We’ve only got a few thousand infantry and two cavalry battalions, so I figure we’ll dig in and wait them out.
May 30
Moses’ horns, I can’t believe it. Those execrable Dutchmen put a complete slackwit in charge. “Commander” Schouten just announced that we are to assault the fortress, despite the lack of cannons or siege equipment. We’re to make do with ladders! Colonel Tosetti’s just as disgusted as I am, but there’s nothing to be done. He suggested to Schouten that we dismount some guns from the ships offshore, but he would have none of it. Take too long, he said. May Satan make a codpiece out of him! We assault tomorrow morning, and I pray the Holy Mother watch over me.
June 15
At least I am still alive by the grace of God, no thanks to that ass Schouten. Three times he had us charge the walls, and three times we were slaughtered by the guns. There must have been a thousand dead out there on the field, and that damn fortress continues to squat there. And now finally the rulers back in Amsterdam see fit to send us proper equipment. Twenty heavy cannons, four Dutch regiments and trained siege engineers. I doubt the fortress will last a fortnight. And then we can be on to Copenhagen, and the treasure inside her walls. At least that will make up for the mess this campaign has been so far.
Finally off those damn ships. Packed us in like cattle, and then had the audacity to run into a storm. Roorback was laughing all the way, said it was nothing compared to the Atlantic. I would have cursed the pig, but that would have meant turning away from my bucket.
They’ve landed us in a small bay a few miles west of the fortress we’re supposed to take. An Englishman in the unit, William or something, said it was called Elsinore. Apparently it guards the way into the Baltic, so the Dutch navies have us here to deal with it.
May 25
We’ve arrived at this Elsinore, and begun to build siegeworks around the place. A fairly impressive fortress, but at least its big cannons are all pointing towards the sea. The land-side ones are just short bombards, and no threat to us so long as we keep our distance. We’ve only got a few thousand infantry and two cavalry battalions, so I figure we’ll dig in and wait them out.
May 30
Moses’ horns, I can’t believe it. Those execrable Dutchmen put a complete slackwit in charge. “Commander” Schouten just announced that we are to assault the fortress, despite the lack of cannons or siege equipment. We’re to make do with ladders! Colonel Tosetti’s just as disgusted as I am, but there’s nothing to be done. He suggested to Schouten that we dismount some guns from the ships offshore, but he would have none of it. Take too long, he said. May Satan make a codpiece out of him! We assault tomorrow morning, and I pray the Holy Mother watch over me.
June 15
At least I am still alive by the grace of God, no thanks to that ass Schouten. Three times he had us charge the walls, and three times we were slaughtered by the guns. There must have been a thousand dead out there on the field, and that damn fortress continues to squat there. And now finally the rulers back in Amsterdam see fit to send us proper equipment. Twenty heavy cannons, four Dutch regiments and trained siege engineers. I doubt the fortress will last a fortnight. And then we can be on to Copenhagen, and the treasure inside her walls. At least that will make up for the mess this campaign has been so far.
Next – Dark Woods and the White Sea
Enewald said:For the prostites of Copenhagen?
Or what that treasure is.
Heh, no
. Mercenaries were generally allowed to sack cities they captured, that's how they received a lot of their pay. Generals would give them a few days to take whatever wasn't nailed down, and then they'd get a cut. Sacking Copenhagen, capital of a major European power, would be sure to make any mercenary rich.
+1Middelkerke said:
Some ingame screenshots will clear some things up.
And the poor merceneries! Why didn't you give them any canons!