Because you asked for it…
Chapter 41: War Of The Americas!
We start this chapter with a bit of potentially bad news. If François II doesn’t produce an heir, this grand tale might just come to an unexpected end. There’s no reason to panic, though. The king is only 24, so he has plenty of time.
Anyway, I have other things on my mind, so I start by training 40 new regiments, which brings us over the Force Limit by a substantial amount. As a result, I find myself staring at -40 ducats per month. The French economy just can’t handle it, so I am forced to disband them again.
Time for plan B, then. I had hoped to have a full 50-regiment army in North America, but that will not happen, it seems. Instead, I send 28 regiments. Let’s hope it’s enough. Another 28 regiments get send to Suriname.
All this takes time, of course. While I am busy, The Thirteen Colonies declare war on Outremer, hoping to reconquer their lost territory. They will lose the war, at the cost of renouncing their claim on Manhattan.
This is going to take a long time, so I can safely secure new tech levels in both Administration and Diplomacy. With only about 50 years left on the clock, I am starting to wonder if I will even make it to tech level 32. Oh well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
On the 19th of June, 1772, France declared Colonial War on Great Britain. Ostensibly, the target was the Gold Coast, an important center of trade. In reality, however, France had its eyes elsewhere.
Liège joins the war, as expected, and anticipated. This will give us a chance to grab Luxembourg, where we still have a claim. Kilwa doesn’t really concern me, but Hindustan does. I have 48 regiments ready to invade it. At the very least, I want that coastal province that seperates my Indian holdings. Fun little fact: Hindustan has expanded to the point where they now share a rather large border with Russia…
The Battle of Liège is over almost before it begins, which will turn out to be a good thing.
Here is why. The British navy will land a substantial army in Calais. I try to prevent the invasion, but the Royal Navy is still as unassailable as ever. They start with double the morale of my navy. I will end up losing over half the fleet before I can pull out, and the landings will still happen.
Unfortunately for them, on land, things are the other way around: French morale starts 2.4 points higher than the British morale does.
I kill half of their army in Calais. The rest run to Picardie, where they will obligingly wait for me to slaughter the rest of them. I love British Fair Play, don’t you?
Sometime later, they try again. Same story. Same outcome (without my losing any more ships this time). After that, they don’t bother me at home again.
In the meantime, I have not been idle, of course. Gold Coast was undefended, a ripe fruit ready to be plucked. Neither does the army in South America encounter any kind of resistance when invading British Guyana.
In the great plains of North America, however, several battles will be fought. This is the first one.
Kilwa invades and occupies Sardinia. The only thing about this, that bothers me is the fact that they will loot the place twice by the time the war is over.
I did make an error, though. I had forgotten Cameroon, which is a Portugese colony. No chance of getting access from them, of course. Maybe something for the next war.
Another massive engagement in America. Don’t let the flag fool you: those were New Mexican forces.
All this time, Outremer is singlehandedly keeping both the Thrteen Colonies AND Newfoundland busy. No mean feat, considering the fact that Newfoundland basically encompasses 2/3rds of modern-day Canada. This means I can safely focus on New mexico.
This is New mexico’s last attempt at any sort of organised resistance. After this battle, they will be reduced to smal groups trying to survive long enough to make a difference.
By the 8th of March, 1774, Luxembourg is secure. As soon as I make peace with Liège, thereby freeing my home armies from worry, the game goes crazy on me. First the HRE DoWs Liège, pulling Great Britain and Lüneburg into the fray.
Then, the autopause freezes, and I am kicked out of Steam alltogether. Thankfully, I only lose 1 month.
When I restart, I am still at war with Liège. However, this time, the HRE doesn’t wait for peace and declares war right away. This means that the British and Lüneburg are again at war with the Empire.
This must be Great Britain’s worst fear. They are now at war with France, Russia, Spain, Naples
and the Empire. All at once. Fun times!
Here’s a picture I did not want you to miss. Russia is definitely coming through on this one!
By January, 1775, I am beginning to realise I made a serious mistake grabbing that Diplomatic Tech Level earlier. I will never be able to grab everything I want without making the war drag on for another 10 years or so. Besides, I have to be careful about my AE in Europe. I settle for Luxembourg and their entire treasury, in order to save up points for the peace negotiations with the British.
Money is not a problem this time. With war taxes and the money from Liège, I can even repay a loan while at war.
Neither is Manpower. At this point in the war, I still have almost 100,000 MP in reserve.
DP and OE are the true limits to my ambitions.
By August, 1775, I decide to call it quits. Like I said, I don’t want to drag this war on until I can gain another 300 DP (at a rate of 9 DP per month). There is a more practical consideration as well, though. As I told you, Outremer has done a splendid job throughout this war. But I can see that they are on their last legs up in the North. Those 30 enemy regiments extra, might tilt the war back into their favour.
I grab about half of what I was after, but it is still a substantial gain. An important center of trade in Africa (with level-6 trade buildings no less!!), the Indian province I wanted in the first place, a bunch of stuff to reward Outremer and some stuff in the midwest. I can even start coring everything right off the bat, too.
The new situation in South America. I left Guyana out of the peace deal because it is useless to them now, and concentrate on the coast.
A world view of the French empire and its allies. And before you ask, yes, I did commit to a Royal Marriage with Naples. I still have that succession war hanging over me like the Sword of Damocles, remember?
See you next time!
