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Announcement – A Greater Netherlands will be going on hiatus – see posts below
Chapter 32 – The First World War (1671-1674)
A Stroll Through France
The Army of Brabant mustering for the march on Troyes, spring 1673
Chapter 32 – The First World War (1671-1674)
A Stroll Through France
The Army of Brabant mustering for the march on Troyes, spring 1673
1673 – the third and final year of the war. After the distractions in the Germanies, the United Provinces controlled the roads south through Liege and Hainault. Wintering in Breda, Stadtholder Schouten spent the time drilling his men, forging them into a professional fighting force. General van der Aa had demonstrated the effectiveness of light artillery on the battlefield during the Iberian Campaign, so the artillery division was reorganized with lighter, faster guns for fire support. With all preparations made, the Army of Brabant set out with 30,000 men. The separate columns converged towards the city of Troyes, where the British army waited.
While on paper the defending British looked to be on equal terms with the approaching Dutch, in reality they were in no shape to fight a major battle. The army’s commander, Viscount Frederick William of Bereford, had been cut off from Great Britain for two years. His funds for maintaining the Bourgogne Army dwindled away, until he was forced to pay the soldiers’ salaries from his own pocket. Even then, unrest and mutiny smoldered in his ranks, as soldiers complained of poor pay and inactivity. Over the winter of ’72 Bereford put down two major mutinies within the Scottish regiments, hampering his efforts to fortify Troyes before spring.
The Battle of Troyes was a brief and one-sided affair, as the attacking Dutch quickly overwhelmed Bereford’s army. Demoralized before the battle even began, Bereford’s troops made an attempt to counterattack and catch the Dutch off guard, only to be slaughtered by grapeshot from the enemy’s field artillery. Bereford saw no alternative but to abandon the town, and fell back with his bloodied troops to the south. However, Schouten had left his heavy siege artillery behind in Breda rather than have it slow down his march, so he was unable to break through the walls of Troyes. Leaving behind a covering force, he gave chase after the British.
The summer was a time of chaos for the British army, as it fled further south down the Bourgogne Corridor. Every attempt to halt the Dutch ended in failure, as rear-guards were crushed and blocking units outflanked. Much of Bereford’s French troops simply deserted, returning to their homes rather than die needlessly on the battlefield. Only the British and Irish regiments remained, stuck in an increasingly hostile countryside with no way home across the Channel. By July the British reached the end of the line – Clermont, the end of the Corridor. Only 7,000 men remained of the 24 regiments that had defended Troyes.
Laying waste to the Bourgogne Corridor
The British weren’t beaten yet. To the west was Bourbon, the estates of the crown prince of Castille. France’s belligerence towards the British prevented Crown Prince Enrique from joining his father in the defense of Iberia, but now he had an opportunity to strike a blow for his kingdom. With his personal guard he struck at the exposed flank of the advancing Army of Brabant, surprising a Flemish cavalry detachment outside Bourges. Pushing onwards, the Bourbons managed to capture the garrison besieging Nevers, cutting the main north-south road.
Facing imminent attack at Clermont, Bereford decided to link up with Enrique and make a stand at Nevers. The viscount snuck his remaining troops through the Dutch lines and managed to reach the Bourbons in late August. When Schouten discovered that the British were now behind him, he turned back with the core of his army to deal with the threat. The two sides fought for a final time at Langeron on September 9, a dozen miles outside of Nevers. While the British and Bourbons put up a spirited defense, they were exhausted from months of fighting and low on supplies. By the end of the day Bereford and Prince Enrique surrendered to Schouten’s forces.
Europe Unbalanced
After the victory at Langeron, more good news arrived from the Peninsula. In early October General van der Aa managed to force the Roncevaux Pass in Navarre, marching his army into Gascony before the Pyrenees were closed by winter snows. With their ancient adversaries teetering on the brink, France decided to declare war on October 26, leaving the British-Castilian army in Bordeaux facing attack from all directions. By the end of November all of Britain’s Continental possessions were in the hands of the Dutch and French.
Peace negotiations in Calais
Despite the fact that their armies still fought across the globe, Britain and Castile were defeated. Great Britain was blockaded, Madrid and San Diego were in Dutch hands, and Crown Prince Enrique was a hostage of the Stadtholder. So in early January 1674, the four parties came together in Dutch-held Calais to settle the matter. The Treaty of Calais made minor changes to Europe – the Netherlands gained control of Calais, while Portugal was given Galicia – but the real impact was on North America. Castile paid dearly for her defeats, losing southern Texas, Central America and much of their territories east of the Mississippi. They no longer had any ports on the Pacific Ocean, ensuring that the Dutch and Portuguese colonies would have a monopoly on trans-Pacific trade with Asia.
The Netherlands and Portugal emerged victorious from their fight with Britain and Castile, but the First World War was only beginning. In Asia, the Manchus were threatening Hong Kong with attack, while in the Americas colonists began to resent being used as pawns for European kings. The Tsar of Muscovy looked westward for new conquests, while central Europe threatened to tear asunder in new fighting. A time of revolutions was at hand, as the world moved towards the 18th Century.
End of Part VI
I'm going to have to put the AAR on hiatus for a while, as I'm heading back to college this weekend. I'll be busy with schoolwork, so my plan is to finish the AAR during free time, and then posting it all on a regular schedule once its completed. So while it might be a month or two before it starts up again, it'll run to completion when it does.
Yep, its Magdeburg. I had to airbrush out a big "Magdeburg" label over the town so it wasn't quite so obvious
. I definitely try to work in various real events with new players in the roles - not only does it make it sound more plausible, but it means that I've got a ready made history for the event.
I've gained Luik/Liege, and with Munster, Osnabruck and Calais I control about a third of what remains of the Holy Roman Empire. Or rather, what used to be in the HRE.
Ladislav said:mmm, it seems were you quite inspired by the sack of magedeburg (piccie of that? guessing by the COA) although in your parallel universe, the pillage had a completely opposite effect in the short-term to Tilly.
your skill in weaving elements of real history into your imaginary world makes for an amazing read and a completely plausible feel is given. well done good sir, you are not only demonstrating your superb writing skill but also your firm grasp of history
Yep, its Magdeburg. I had to airbrush out a big "Magdeburg" label over the town so it wasn't quite so obvious
. I definitely try to work in various real events with new players in the roles - not only does it make it sound more plausible, but it means that I've got a ready made history for the event.Middelkerke said:
I've gained Luik/Liege, and with Munster, Osnabruck and Calais I control about a third of what remains of the Holy Roman Empire. Or rather, what used to be in the HRE.
Too bad you're going on hiatus . But I can understand it: College will really suck up your time. I'll await your return .
And great victory by the way!
. But I can understand it: College will really suck up your time. I'll await your return .And great victory by the way!
Very well done FYROM! I didn't think you could win this decisively, but you did. Sad to see this going on hiatus for two months, I will eagerly await the next update!
The map of North America looks good, I wonder what you can do to Asia
All my favorite AAR's seem to be on hold or going on hold.
I'll be eagerly awaiting your return.
All my favorite AAR's seem to be on hold or going on hold.
I'll be eagerly awaiting your return.
Yes, this really sucksSlinky said:All my favorite AAR's seem to be on hold or going on hold.
Anyway, well done defeating both Britain and Castille
I have to say that you are an impressive writer with a very fine eye for visual presentation and one of the best imaginations I've seen in a long time. I so wish you were one of my students! Good luck this semester. I'm confident you'll do fine.
Perhaps it's a good thing you're going on hiatus--my classes start on Monday and your AAR is quite the distraction.
Perhaps it's a good thing you're going on hiatus--my classes start on Monday and your AAR is quite the distraction.
Sad to see this on hiatus, good luck in college!
Great update, where do you find those paintings/pictures/graphics?
asd
Great update, where do you find those paintings/pictures/graphics?
asd
Too bad this has to be put on hold, but at least you went on hold with a great chapter.
Glad to see you being successful.
Glad to see you being successful.
Congratulations on a rather successful looking war - what happened in Asia? Am I misremembering or didn't you want to drive the English out?
Take your time about updates to get your college work done, after all you'll still be on our subscription lists.
Take your time about updates to get your college work done, after all you'll still be on our subscription lists.
Fijj said:Way to leave it on a intresting note..
Needs to be a reason for people to come back after the hiatus
DavidsonShdw said:
I'll see if I can get a state of the world written up, I've still got a few days before I go back.
Oceanus Hopkins said:
Georgia Institute of Technology, I'm on my final year for a BS in aerospace engineering.
asd21593 said:Sad to see this on hiatus, good luck in college!
Great update, where do you find those paintings/pictures/graphics?
Google and wikipedia. Its getting harder to find pics, since the period between the Thirty Years War and Napoleon is pretty uninteresting and Rococo is a really bland art style, but fortunately the British love to paint their glorious military victories.
PrawnStar said:
Asia wasn't much of a front - the British only had a few colonies and a few thousand troops, so it was mostly sailing around and stomping islands. I'll be sure to cover it in the State of the World.
Enewald said:Revolutions!
When was the last you lost a war?
Well, I technically lost against Burgundy, and the war with Muscovy was actually very close. But most of the time the countries I fight are so war exhausted they're already half beaten. I expected this war to be harder than it was, the only real difficulty was the scale and managing four fronts at once.
Normaly i don't do this and i hate if people do it and then if i klik on the AAR that its only a guy spamming. But...
Are you working on an update?
Are you working on an update?
Middelkerke said:
Yes, in fact I am, as well as working on another AAR. However, what with senior design projects and getting ready to graduate, I haven't had much time to work on them. I can't make any promises about when I'll post them, but they're still very much on my mind, and making slow but steady progress.
But thanks for asking, its nice to know this AAR hasn't been forgotten.