• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
I was thinking I could stop writing here too, since the chapters after won't count :rolleyes:

I don't think there'll be major changes in formatting, though I suppose I might extend chapters to cover a whole war at a time... Hmm, but I suppose it's better to keep readers in suspense, and wars have tendency to get longer as armies get bigger anyways, might be some long chapters.
 
I was thinking I could stop writing here too, since the chapters after won't count :rolleyes:

LOL you dont really think i leave you off the hook so easily? :D
 
Oh, I suppose I'll get to the end eventually, just in need of a break I've been.
 
Legacy of Metternich - Chapter Elven Lied

Chapter Eleven​


reichshoffenmorot1870.jpg


Initially we had left Belgians alone, in hopes that they'd not interfere despite being officially at war with us, but since they had chose not to even send troops to Spa, von Habsburg was too tempted and crossed the border. Sadly, it turned out the Belgians had been waiting for this and sent a large force to drive us out. (5th of September)

18880905.png


When battle finally finished in Nancy, it was deemed a 'typical Austrian victory' though this time most of the fallen were actually from South German Federation. (10th of September)

18880910nancy.png


French attempt to retake Colmar was succesfully beaten back as well. (15th of September)

18880915colmar.png


Meanwhile, the French from Nancy had managed to reach Chaumont before von Württenberg and the battle was not going well, another two armee's were sent to relieve him. We had also dispatched one Armee to help the Swizz in Lons. (22nd of September)

18880922chaumont.png


Unfortunate news arrived from north at this time, a French fleet had defeated our fleet in Helgoland Bight, not that it was much of a problem for them, consider how out of date the Austrian fleet was. Even so, Wittmann was lucky to have died with his men, he should after all have known better than to sail against the french. (23rd of September)

18880923sea.png


Chaumont ended up as disaster, the relief forces were too late and chose to just secure withdrawal of the remnants of von Württembergs recruits. (2nd of October)

18881002chaum.png


The battle of Lons on the other hand, was going quite well under command of the Swizz general Fogliardi, who had managed to organize the additional Austrian reinforcements quite well. French were however, succesfully occupying western Switzerland while the Swizz troops were occupied elsewhere. (5th of October)

18881005lons.png


In the northern France, the long lasting battle of Chalons ended up with Austrian victory. At the same time, Austrian conscript armies had been moved into Switzerland to secure at least the eastern side against French occupation. (30th of October)

18881030chalons.png


The French finally gave up with Lons, this was perhaps the one battle where losses definitely favored the Austrians and their allies. (29th of November)

18881129lons.png


With winters closing, space of battles slowed down some, although there were still quite a few smaller ones taking place as Austrians moved to retake western Switzerland. Situation of French army, especially in south, was not looking that good. (14th of December)

18881214overview.png




 
Last edited:
Hmm, sphere hasn't grown all that much, I got the other Hessian state after Prussia dropped from great power status, but I've spread my influence among lot of the minors so none have really made it to the sphere yet, lot of friendly and cordials. And I'm still forced to defend some parts of sphere against French and Netherlands, Switzerland and Hannover specifically that I remember.
 
Thank you for another fine update!
Those are some huge casualitys, glad most of them wernt from your pops.

I get the impression youre going to win this war, even if you lost your fleet. (all of it?)
 
Yep, at this point it's looking pretty good, I was bit scared when those huge French stacks appeared, I think however, that lot of the better French generals might have been in Afghanistan, they had some small acquisition going on in there at the same time (nearly finished, but still).

Hmm, no, that's not the whole navy, half of it actually, I have a new fleet in Mediterranean, that is being built at this time, but it's up to 20-30 ships, ironclads and steam transports, the sunken fleet were my trusty men-of-war and clippers (that saw their first action in war against Denmark and I forgot them there, Austria really isn't naval nation...)

Edit: and checked, I was wrong about Afghanistan, lot of French troops were in other colonies at the start of the war, I'm not sure how much of them they moved into France during it, I kind of lost the track.
 
Last edited:
Legacy of Metternich - Chapter Twelve Monkeys

Chapter Twelve


lignedefeu16august.jpg



French troops from Belgium had come down to Verdun, scale of the battle was not quite like the ones at start of the war, still, compared to previous wars, these were still notable battles. Indeed, another was going on in Auxerre between French and Swizz to which we sent reinforcements as well. (1st of January 1889)

18890101.png


Both battles ended in minor Austrian victories (9th of January)

18890109.png


To surprise of everyone, word had arrived that French had landed in, and occupied, Austrian Sleswig, one and half Armee's were sent to secure the north. (17th of February)

18890217.png


And after a long battle, succeeded with favorable rate of attrition. (14th of March)

18890314.png


Later, the 'last' French in France were engaged in Macon, and pesky Netherlanders interfered once again with our efforts in the former enemy state of Prussia. (14th of April)

18890414.png


As was case lately, the battle of Macon was once again, clear Austrian victory. (23rd of April)

18890423.png


In north, situation was also turning towards decisive Austrian victory with first defeat of the French in Chalons. (1st of May)

18890502.png


And few days later, defeat of the Belgians in Arlon, yes, Belgium had been left largely alone after that first defeat against them, which had left them with fresh troops at least in comparison to the French at this date. (5th of May)

18890505.png


Finally, with half the French proper occupied, the French cabined sought peace with the original terms of Elsass-Lothringen moving to Austrian posession. While there were small arguments for pushing for total victory with the French armies now essentially routed, France and Brazil still dominated on the seas and we had no real cause to take more than what we originally asked for, and thus, it was agreed. (19th of May)

18890519.png


Austrian Industry remains in good shape, despite some sectors overproducing quite badly, mainly fabrics, as British clothes have become the newest fashion and most clothes are imported, and with sinking of our sail using navy, there's even less use for sails, however, situation is deemed acceptable and no factories are closed as it's preferable to keep people happy by giving them work. Siebenbürgen remains the industrial heartland, but Rheinland, Bohemia and Slovakia are rising higher, while the former North Italian node is unable to keep up with the growth. Also fuel factories are springing up around Austria, we are not quite sure what the fuel is used for in such quantities, but seems someone likes to buy it, so we don't complain, perhaps they still use lot of oil.. err, fuel lamps even with the electricity available. (17th of June)

1889ind1.png

1889ind2.png

1889ind3.png

1889ind4.png

1889ind5.png


 
Legacy of Metternich - Chapter Wilde

Chapter Thirteen


384pxfranzxaverwinterha.jpg


Clearly, the peace with France had come barely in time, for Brazilians had finally managed to travel into Hannover towards the end of the war, but they withdrew peacefully after the peace treaty.

1889bra.png


Later in the year, capitalists supported the goverments position against labor unions and simply closed the doors and, naturally, stopped paying wages to the uppity Madgeburgian workers who had been demanding ridiculous things like something they call pensions. If they are not intelligent enough to save money when they can still work, it's certainly not anyone elses responcibility to take care of them.

1889lockout.png


No one was quite sure where this Zadar was when reports of cholera outbreak in there came, so we happily declared that it be quarantined, permanently, just in case there's more bad things taking place in there.

1890cholera.png


And as if those socialists weren't enough, some people also thought they should have right to vote on what the emperor decides. But this is what we pay the police and military for really, so that took care of that.

1891charlist.png


The defeat of France in Franco-Austrian war had brought to surface the discontentment within the Second Republic, and after few years of disagreements among various revolutionary and rebellious movements, in June of 1892 Second French Empire under rule of Napoleon V was formed.

1892diplo.png


There were also various other rebellious movements in Germany and Spain among others, indeed, before the French had managed to decide what to do, Catalonia had declared their independence. (All following from January of 1893)

1892europecata.png


While the France itself was in chaos, their colonial governors ruled with iron fists, indeed, lot of the French moved to the more peaceful colonies during these years, both in Africa where they expanded their claims in deserts and in French india that was later named French Asia.

1892india.png


Neocolonialism was also in favor within the United Kingdom and they too expanded their colonies in western Africa, and annexed Transvaal in Boer Wars.

1892nafrica.png

1892safrica.png


Majority of German minors had been brought into Austrian sphere, but there were still many missing from complete Austrian dominance.

1892sphere.png


We also agreed to participate in financing of Olympic Games, seemed like a good idea after all, even if coming from a french.

1893olympic.png


 
2 great new updates since i last has the chance to read here, well done!

Congrats to finally winning the war against the french, looks like there is finally time for alittle peace?
Are you aiming to become germany or will you keep the austrian white?
 
scholar: Cheers, after these 3 rushed together it may be that there's a little break again, or then not, who knows...

Alexspeed: Peace? Hmm, strange concept, but maybe for few years, it's bad idea to let soldiers mingle with normal population for too long, better to keep them at the front. And I'm afraid that while we'd prefer to stay shiny white, all that smoke in northern germany will probably dull the gleam a bit.
 
The state of Poland seems a bit odd and I wonder how long it is supposed to exist as it clearly will incite rebellion in Schlesia!
 
Ah, yes, the Poland is bit exceptional I suppose, but I think I won't go into it right now, I might do that in next chapter or then I'll address the situation separately after I get it written.
 
Legacy of Metternich - Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen


vienna124478.jpg


While there were various border incidents with neighboring nations, Austria chose to settle these cases diplomatically rather than by force of arms. Two bit larger rebellions also materialized, but were swiftly taken care of by the army. Indeed, biggest event in 1895 was the outbreak of tuberculosis in the state of Moravia.

1895tb.png


However, finally, on the 17th of March 1897, remainder of German states convened in Belvedere, Vienna to formally acknowledge Austrian superiority within Germany, and to follow (second) crowning of;

His Imperial Majesty,

Franz Joseph I, by the Grace of God Holy Roman Emperor of Germany and Austria, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Bohemia, Lombardy and Venice, of Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria and Illyria; King of Jerusalem etc., Archduke of Austria; Grand Duke of Tuscany and Cracow, of Rhine and Westphalia, Duke of Lorraine, of Salzburg, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola and of the Bukovina, of Sleswig and Madgeburg; Grand Prince of Transylvania; Margrave of Moravia; Duke of Upper and Lower Silesia, of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, of Auschwitz, Zator and Teschen, Friuli, Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and Zara (Zadar); Princely Count of Habsburg and Tyrol, of Kyburg, Gorizia and Gradisca; Prince of Trent (Trento) and Brixen; Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia and in Istria; Count of Hohenems, Feldkirch, Bregenz, Sonnenberg, etc.; Lord of Trieste, of Cattaro (Kotor), and over the Windic march.

Some titles get awfully long, but in essence, Franz Joseph reclaimed the title of Holy Roman Emperor (that Ferdinand had abandoned) and melted Germany and Austria into it.

1897germany.png


Notably missing were the Polish, who though still loyal to Austria blatantly refused to relinquish their newly found indepence, Krakowians and Swizz, who maintained they were not really German either. Those two states had not really been expected to join the union, but exclusion of Poland was a set back, after all, Franz Joseph had originally meant it to have limited indepence if that, but things had changed in their 15 years of indepence. For now, they'd remain outside the union, perhaps the 'Russian Poles' could be convinced to revolt and join our 'vassal' but since they had not in the last 15 years, there were no great hopes of that happening either.

1897map.png


The neighboring powers were not all that happy about this development, but lacked the strenght to do anything about it, and indeed, lacked unity among themselves for coordinated responce anyways. Russia now had China in it's sphere, and French had convinced Ottomans to join them, but overall the Great powers - excluding United Kingdom - now had miniscule Sphere's of Influence.

1897gp.png


However, the confusion of unification lead to small depression, and the Fabric industry, that had already been in trouble only ended up in even worse state, forcing the state for first time to abandon subsidies and force closing of the factories, indeed, some of the Luxury clothing overproduction was pruned out as well.

1897prod.png


It was obviously high time to do this, as industrial subsidies had risen to 10000 a day, with closure of the worst deficit running factories, in states where workforce could find jobs in other factories at least, lead to saving of almost 8000, which in turn allowed drastic reduction of taxes.

1897budget.png


To celebrate the unification, various projects, like removing french influences from Elsass-Lothringen, building of the Kiel canal and pestering United Kingdom about the obviously German Heligoland.

1897decision.png


Now, we haven't really touched the subject of goverment of Austria (and Germany) all that often, mostly this is because, well, there hasn't been all that much change, but just to confirm this remains with the expanded empire...
Upper house, as in the court, has varying opinions, even if the emperor rarely listens to them.

1897gov.png


And lastly, the rainbow of empire's population, with some additional information.
Notably, average literacy within the empire rose by 20% with inclusion of the northern states and now has 3rd largest population in the world, after British Empire and Chinese Empire.

1897pop.png


 
The state of Poland seems a bit odd and I wonder how long it is supposed to exist as it clearly will incite rebellion in Schlesia!

So, yes, I kind of thought that state of Poland would be 'german' since majority of population were at the time of creation already north german but it turned out not to be, indeed, Germans are not even accepted culture within Poland, so they evaded the Three Hurrah's event, I'm bit pissed of by it, but not really sure what I could do about it, can't conquer them as they are within my sphere, and it'd be awfully infamous thing to do, or wait, hmm, I have cores there I suppose, will have to consider this futher, but it won't happen for few years at least.


Additionally, now that we are 'German Empire' who do you think we'll attack next?
 
The US, hmm, well, Oregon is still Russian and Washington is still British and there are some rebels around, but generally not that bad, I think they were at war with Russians once already to take Oregon, but that didn't really go anywhere...
They have actually colonized lot of oceania 'including' Hawaii.