8 July
Sicily accepts. We are now back at peace. Compared to the offer Sicily proposed we lose out on 21 ducats, a handful of prestige but gain around 5 provinces.
Looking at the victory situation, it seems we have a new competitor. Though France is land dominant, as it has not managed to seize any strategic naval provinces, it has fallen behind to Russia. This makes things interesting as we both are now at 74% required of our achievable goals. If only we'd been able to cede Palermo as well.
Still taking our targets from Portugal and Ottomans can help us double our current rating. Neither should put up as much of a fight as France, but then Spain guarantees Portugal so we risk war with her. So the our next target is pretty obvious. The Ottoman Empire finds itself in the middle of a gigantic pincer movement, from the north Austria wears down her armies and from the east, Russia marches almost unchecked towards Constantinople, her capital. We will need to muster our forces in Italy (and elsewhere) and move to the island of Crete to capture Candia and then move onto the Hellenic peninsular to grab Athina. Hopefully though we can accumulate enough warscore to wrest these provinces from our foe.
13 July
With the truce in place we will have to wait till 8 July to attack Sicily once more and grab Palermo. We perform some house keeping to move Wellesley's force to Naples and the Peninsular army to Messina. We also take the opportunity to increase our contingent of cavalry for our armies, building two dragoon brigades and two brigades of lancers in Leicester. This drops our available manpower reserves by just over seven thousand.
14 July
We also begin recruitment of a further four light infantry brigades to replace those lost on the continent. Which sees our manpower drop from 95k at the beginning of the month, to just over seventy eight thousand, in two weeks.
Persia adopts the idea of Fast Move. The Red fleet in Messina relocates Malta force's seven thousand troops back to their station. A quick check of our finances shows our income is back in black. While we continue to progress to gain our next idea, we are just shy of pushing through the threshold – on 199 points.
18 July
We observe the situation in Europe. France continues its push eastward, having isolated Nassau and the northern region belonging to Bavaria. Ottoman continues to hold a status quo in the north, limiting Austria's advance in its north territories and Wallachia. Even capturing two key cities over the Austria border. Together with Russia, they have also divided Moldavia between them. The Russian also lead a charge with Persia from the east that is three provinces away from Constantinople.
Sweden and Denmark continue their tussle. This conflict sees the Danish having taken around 40% of the northern Swedish lands, but at a cost of 75% of their territory around their capital, which is also under enemy control.
19 July
Prussia asks for Military Access through our lands which we grant immediately. If only Russia would ask for the same. While France now guarantees Mecklenburg's independence.
22 July
New brigades keep being built and we now begin to see the fruits of our effort as core of new continental army begins to form in Chatham. Having just passed twenty-two thousand in number, we will need it rise by another eighty to a hundred thousand if we are to match just one of France's massive armies. When compared to the number of manpower we have available, then we begin to see the extent of the challenge that lies before us. Furthermore manpower seems to have dropped another few thousand as our brigades in Italy are slowly reinforced back to maximum strength.
24 July
We reconsider halting the expansion of our army and decide to add another 4 service units, one for each of the four “pillars” we intend to have ready for our time combating France. These are built in Leeds. Available manpower now equals seventy thousand. But we do not stop here.
26 July
Production of brigades continues as we add a King's German Legion artillery brigade and three horse artillery brigades to the build queue in Norwich. Our manpower takes another five thousand point hit!
In a surprise move Denmark also retakes Kobenhavn from Sweden.
30 July
With Moldovia taken Russia begins to move south towards Constantinople and is now one province away from the Ottoman capital in the south.
1 August
A closer look shows that Ottomans is being overrun right across its southern territories. We had better get a move on if we are to try to take Athina and Candia before she falls.
With the start of a new month we gain an fifteen new idea points and choose to adopt the Trained Firefighters skill which will enhance our light infantry's defence and attack by 33%.
Though both we and Russia have achieved an identical overall victory level we have land dominance of 42.8% and 100% naval dominance. While Russia has a land dominance of 85.7% and 71.4%. We are also the incumbent naval dominant power and though we must usurp France for land dominance, Russia must usurp both of us if it is to win the game. Fun times lay ahead!
3 August
A change of plan. The Home Army is split in two. A new army is formed - the Anglo Allied Army with twenty-two thousand men and with a 100% supply level, covering 18 days, its newly assigned command staff, lead by Sir David Dunas is loaded onto Blue Fleet with orders to set sail for the Mediterranean.
4 August
Meanwhile the Peninsular army's 25 brigades (25k men) are loaded onto Red Fleet and given an escort by Nelson's Mediterranean fleet to the coast of Crete. A quick check sees that our War Exhaustion has returned to zero in around a week. It was kept so low over the course of our campaign in Sicily mainly due to our ruler's skill. It was 0.23 at the end that conflict.
A quick check on manpower shows that we have broken through the 70k a year level, gaining 5.5k a month. Currently our armies are 4.9k short of men to reach their full compliment. We have 68k manpower waiting to be assigned. So while we are healthy in terms of manpower, we could always do with more.
5 August
The Ottomans have the Karadorde event occur. We notice that Spain is also at war with Morocco... so much for them guaranteeing their independence.
11 August
The Crete invasion fleet nears the Hellenic peninsular. It has 69% of its supply measuring another 16.4 days. More than enough time to set on land, but will it be enough for a protracted siege?
12 August
Wallachia takes on the Fast Move idea. The Anglo Allied Army sailing for the Mediterranean is suffering attrition of 4.4%, for being our at sea (not the coastline). Its supply remains at 51% - just 9 days left. It will have to call in port somewhere in Portugal as it will not make Gibraltar.
13 August
With the Peninsular army now off the coast of Candia, we declare war on the Ottomans... can it get any worse for them?
18 August
With only 3 days of supplies left the fleet carrying the Anglo Allied Army moves to the port of Porto. Back in Crete the siege of Candia begins... but an assault on the 2000 strong garrison is not worth the collateral damage. With attrition being 5% we split the army into two and move one of them into the neighbouring province of Helaklion to reduce the number of casualties we receive.
23 August
The Home Fleet is separated in two, to allow our navy to provide cover in more theatres. A new fleet of 5 squadrons is formed, while the Home Fleet retains a modest 8 squadrons.
24 August
The Blue fleet carrying the Anglo Allied army puts into Porto and stays there to take on supplies, receiving them from Lisboa. On the island of Crete, Helaklion falls.
27 August
Spain has marched through and taken control of a large region of Morocco and now has now added Tangiers, one of its naval dominance targets as well.
31 August
Spain wins its war with Morocco ceding the all important Tangier and several other provinces. Plus gaining a little gold and prestige in the bargain. Things are hotting up indeed!
