Part 1
The whole AAR and screenshots should be available sometime late Thursday at http://www.geocities.com/sean989898us/
I didn’t have time to update the web yet, but had the story finished and ready to go, so enjoy.
The battle plans were drawn up, and a quick look at our military might suggests that this should be a quick and easy war. Our total men in arms numbers 404,000 infantry, 257,000 cavalry, and 1011 guns, though only a fraction is stationed on the Chinese border. I have built a fleet of 334 warships ov which around 60 dock in the far east. The plan is as usual the division between field and siege armies. This time, I have Marlborough assigned to a siege unit, a second siege unit, and two field armies of about 35,000 men each. That should be ample force, as despite my Makisrovka I haven't seen a Chinese army unit within range of our spies.
I order an amphibious transport to the island of Hainan, while Marlborough moves to siege the rocky Hainan province on our borders. After the navy drops off the siege unit they return to pick up a field army and drop them behind enemy lines in Kiansi, that force should draw the Chinese away from Marlborough's siege, and if they storm a province we can open up a second front, as the lines of advance from Hanoi mean that we can only attack one province at a time. On February 26th the bastard Scots declare war. They are apparantly still holding a grudge from the way we dealt with their Stuarts, and their rebuilt army of close to 100,000 savages crossed the border heading to the marches. I am a century removed from ever fearing the Scots as I have our Northern provinces linked by the most intricate series of fortifications in Europe. I don't bother to send my northern army to chase them out, let the heathen starve a little first.
At the news of Scotland's assault, a wave of patriotism sweeps the nation, and men are flocking to the conscription centers all over England. I take this time to raise some huge armies in case other European nations look upon our Imperial ambitions and decide to attack. In March our fleet brushes aside a larger Chinese force and sink 40 of their ships while the army disembarks at Kiangsi. I order an assualt of the province, but the attack fails. By May 10 the Scots have seen the error of their ways and offer a white peace. I send Minister Dalglish home with the news that I will not rest until every province in his pitiful nation mourns the death of their fathers, sons and husbands, I want my Culloden.
One June 6th the island of Hainan falls, and Marlborough is nearly done with Yunnan. The field army in Hanoi is chomping at the bit to get to the interior of China, the plains there should be an excellent surface for our cavalry to play in. At home, the nation’s papers are full of patriotic ferver. There are false reports of China being on the verge of surrender, the aura of our armies' invinibility forcing the Emperor to abdicate and other such nonsense. The Old Pretender, son of James II has joined the Scots in the Marches, he's whipped up the war into a cause for restoration. Hopefully he'll travel to the Marches where my last reports inform me that the only food left are the hooves of dead horses.
I transport my amphibious siege unit from Yiangsi to Yalu. I want the Chinese to be spread out by our three advances, and try to stop them concentrating their forces. On July 1, our army in Kiangsi is met with disaster. Still recovering from their failed assault, a Chinese army of 30,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry attacks. The army flees, but the costs of pursuit, and being out of supply has reduced that army to only 9,000 men fit for duty. After supervising the landings in Yalu, my fleet turns to try and extracate those poor souls in Hejiang, however, I am met with twin disasters. My fleet is wiped out, completely, just like that, gone, kaput, and the men in Hejiang are assaulted and lose another battle. I am shocked that rather than take prisoners, the Chinese had the survivors executed, and the heads sent in a basket to Marlborough in Yannan. It would appear that warfare in the East is somewhat less cordial than we are used to. When a Colonel was sent forth to offer battle to the Chinese he was impaled, and their cavalry charged whilst our officers were still having breakfast.
I supress the news of this trouble from The Times and hastily do what I should have done 6 months earlier, send the regiments from home to help in the conflict. Despite raising Burmese, and Indo-Chinese replacements, they have to march half way across Asia to get to the frontlines, and I calculate that the losses on those marches are greater than the number of men who reach the army. Since the invention of the steam engine, I’d toyed with the idea of invading Japan, and using their prisoners to build a Burma railway, but alas, it’s too late now.
I embark 100,000 men in London, and send the entire fleet, 270 ships-of-the-line around the world. With the stop offs to resupply in Africa and India it will take many months to reach China, but I am under no delusion that the war will be over by the time they arrive. Yannan finally falls, and I have hope that we will soon be in the open plains. I send Marlborough to siege Gung Dong the field army to Hunan. The river crossing, and long march takes it's toll on the field army, and they fail in their attempt to storm the city. In December, Marorough reaches Gung Dong, and I estimate that the war will last 10 years if I can't do something to speed up the progress. Winter sets in, and my army in Yalu is freezing to death, the plight of the marines at Chosin 250 years later is brought home to me when I receive the updated butcher’s bill from the Colonel Keegan.
As 1714 dawns I have a doubt that we can win this war. Marborough's 200 guns are working far slower than I had anticipated in the siege of Gung Dong, and though the Yalu force holds off counter attacks by the Chinese army, I am disturbed by reports from the front. Unlike the Europeans, the Chinese never retreat. They fight to the last man, and this takes a horrific toll, even when they have only small forces. Despite the constant stream of reserves to my armies across the Vietnam border, the winter is ravaging my forces. I think on what Napoleon faced in Russia, and can't help but look at this campaign as a mirror. Our army is far from home, facing a fanatical foe, and slowly freezing to death. I consider making peace and just asking for the border provinces, but if the fighting qualities of the Chinese is reflected in their diplomats then I fear we will get nothing. Moreover, a loss of face in China may prompt our neighbours in Europe to test us, and I know that I can't protect the Empire from naval blockade and the disruption to trade. By mistake I sent the wrong messanger to Scotland and accepted their last offer of a white peace, I will have to pick another time to turn the highlands red. At least 30,000 of their soldiers are now fertilizing the Marches’ fields rather than pointing muskets at us.
Something must be done in the East, my tactics are not working, so I decide to try a new approach. I detach Marlborough and give him command of the mobile force, while the siege unit continues in Gung Dong. Marlborough is ordered to assault the city on Yunnan and take it at all costs. On the 25th January, despite the heavy snowfall, Hunnan falls, and we at last have a path to central China. The garrison once again fought to the last man, the commanding officer refusing to surrender, even when down to a handful of troops. I order Marlborough to Kiangsi, the site of our crushing defeat, and a new siege unit to Fukien. In Korea, Yalu falls on March 4th, and our brave survivors are ordered to siege Kjongju. There is nowhere for them to go but forward, until my fleet arrives, and can extract them. The Vietnamese replacements have an even longer march to the front line now, and this war is becoming horrendously costly to human life. On February 14th Marlborough storms the gates of Kiangsi, and the garrison falls, again to the death. What is wrong with the Chinese? Can they not accept the path of righteous change? We go there not only for the richness of the land, but to civilize the barbarian nation with our western ideals and advanced culture. Our government has been a steadying influence in Europe and the colonies, why should China resist our aid?
On April 8th Marlborough assaults Heijiang and takes the city, we have stumbled on the right formula for war out here. The provinces are not sufficient for a siege force of any decent size to be able to survive. Though Gung Dong falls after 6 months, I realize the foolishness of my army's composition. I should never have taken so much heavy artillery into China. I should have a cavalry screen to hold off the Chinese army, and large infantry forces to storm their cities. I will rectify the mistake when the 100,000 men of the home regiments arrive. On April 25th the starving men of Keegan's siege command reaches Kjongju. Their march was slowed by constant suicide attacks by small Chinese detachments. By the time they arrive, there are only 70 guns and 6,000 men left from the proud army of 30,000 that boarded ships in Hanoi. Keegan informs me that human flesh tastes just like chicken, and far better than the rat soup which sustained them in Chosin.
The whole AAR and screenshots should be available sometime late Thursday at http://www.geocities.com/sean989898us/
I didn’t have time to update the web yet, but had the story finished and ready to go, so enjoy.
The battle plans were drawn up, and a quick look at our military might suggests that this should be a quick and easy war. Our total men in arms numbers 404,000 infantry, 257,000 cavalry, and 1011 guns, though only a fraction is stationed on the Chinese border. I have built a fleet of 334 warships ov which around 60 dock in the far east. The plan is as usual the division between field and siege armies. This time, I have Marlborough assigned to a siege unit, a second siege unit, and two field armies of about 35,000 men each. That should be ample force, as despite my Makisrovka I haven't seen a Chinese army unit within range of our spies.
I order an amphibious transport to the island of Hainan, while Marlborough moves to siege the rocky Hainan province on our borders. After the navy drops off the siege unit they return to pick up a field army and drop them behind enemy lines in Kiansi, that force should draw the Chinese away from Marlborough's siege, and if they storm a province we can open up a second front, as the lines of advance from Hanoi mean that we can only attack one province at a time. On February 26th the bastard Scots declare war. They are apparantly still holding a grudge from the way we dealt with their Stuarts, and their rebuilt army of close to 100,000 savages crossed the border heading to the marches. I am a century removed from ever fearing the Scots as I have our Northern provinces linked by the most intricate series of fortifications in Europe. I don't bother to send my northern army to chase them out, let the heathen starve a little first.
At the news of Scotland's assault, a wave of patriotism sweeps the nation, and men are flocking to the conscription centers all over England. I take this time to raise some huge armies in case other European nations look upon our Imperial ambitions and decide to attack. In March our fleet brushes aside a larger Chinese force and sink 40 of their ships while the army disembarks at Kiangsi. I order an assualt of the province, but the attack fails. By May 10 the Scots have seen the error of their ways and offer a white peace. I send Minister Dalglish home with the news that I will not rest until every province in his pitiful nation mourns the death of their fathers, sons and husbands, I want my Culloden.
One June 6th the island of Hainan falls, and Marlborough is nearly done with Yunnan. The field army in Hanoi is chomping at the bit to get to the interior of China, the plains there should be an excellent surface for our cavalry to play in. At home, the nation’s papers are full of patriotic ferver. There are false reports of China being on the verge of surrender, the aura of our armies' invinibility forcing the Emperor to abdicate and other such nonsense. The Old Pretender, son of James II has joined the Scots in the Marches, he's whipped up the war into a cause for restoration. Hopefully he'll travel to the Marches where my last reports inform me that the only food left are the hooves of dead horses.
I transport my amphibious siege unit from Yiangsi to Yalu. I want the Chinese to be spread out by our three advances, and try to stop them concentrating their forces. On July 1, our army in Kiangsi is met with disaster. Still recovering from their failed assault, a Chinese army of 30,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry attacks. The army flees, but the costs of pursuit, and being out of supply has reduced that army to only 9,000 men fit for duty. After supervising the landings in Yalu, my fleet turns to try and extracate those poor souls in Hejiang, however, I am met with twin disasters. My fleet is wiped out, completely, just like that, gone, kaput, and the men in Hejiang are assaulted and lose another battle. I am shocked that rather than take prisoners, the Chinese had the survivors executed, and the heads sent in a basket to Marlborough in Yannan. It would appear that warfare in the East is somewhat less cordial than we are used to. When a Colonel was sent forth to offer battle to the Chinese he was impaled, and their cavalry charged whilst our officers were still having breakfast.
I supress the news of this trouble from The Times and hastily do what I should have done 6 months earlier, send the regiments from home to help in the conflict. Despite raising Burmese, and Indo-Chinese replacements, they have to march half way across Asia to get to the frontlines, and I calculate that the losses on those marches are greater than the number of men who reach the army. Since the invention of the steam engine, I’d toyed with the idea of invading Japan, and using their prisoners to build a Burma railway, but alas, it’s too late now.
I embark 100,000 men in London, and send the entire fleet, 270 ships-of-the-line around the world. With the stop offs to resupply in Africa and India it will take many months to reach China, but I am under no delusion that the war will be over by the time they arrive. Yannan finally falls, and I have hope that we will soon be in the open plains. I send Marlborough to siege Gung Dong the field army to Hunan. The river crossing, and long march takes it's toll on the field army, and they fail in their attempt to storm the city. In December, Marorough reaches Gung Dong, and I estimate that the war will last 10 years if I can't do something to speed up the progress. Winter sets in, and my army in Yalu is freezing to death, the plight of the marines at Chosin 250 years later is brought home to me when I receive the updated butcher’s bill from the Colonel Keegan.
As 1714 dawns I have a doubt that we can win this war. Marborough's 200 guns are working far slower than I had anticipated in the siege of Gung Dong, and though the Yalu force holds off counter attacks by the Chinese army, I am disturbed by reports from the front. Unlike the Europeans, the Chinese never retreat. They fight to the last man, and this takes a horrific toll, even when they have only small forces. Despite the constant stream of reserves to my armies across the Vietnam border, the winter is ravaging my forces. I think on what Napoleon faced in Russia, and can't help but look at this campaign as a mirror. Our army is far from home, facing a fanatical foe, and slowly freezing to death. I consider making peace and just asking for the border provinces, but if the fighting qualities of the Chinese is reflected in their diplomats then I fear we will get nothing. Moreover, a loss of face in China may prompt our neighbours in Europe to test us, and I know that I can't protect the Empire from naval blockade and the disruption to trade. By mistake I sent the wrong messanger to Scotland and accepted their last offer of a white peace, I will have to pick another time to turn the highlands red. At least 30,000 of their soldiers are now fertilizing the Marches’ fields rather than pointing muskets at us.
Something must be done in the East, my tactics are not working, so I decide to try a new approach. I detach Marlborough and give him command of the mobile force, while the siege unit continues in Gung Dong. Marlborough is ordered to assault the city on Yunnan and take it at all costs. On the 25th January, despite the heavy snowfall, Hunnan falls, and we at last have a path to central China. The garrison once again fought to the last man, the commanding officer refusing to surrender, even when down to a handful of troops. I order Marlborough to Kiangsi, the site of our crushing defeat, and a new siege unit to Fukien. In Korea, Yalu falls on March 4th, and our brave survivors are ordered to siege Kjongju. There is nowhere for them to go but forward, until my fleet arrives, and can extract them. The Vietnamese replacements have an even longer march to the front line now, and this war is becoming horrendously costly to human life. On February 14th Marlborough storms the gates of Kiangsi, and the garrison falls, again to the death. What is wrong with the Chinese? Can they not accept the path of righteous change? We go there not only for the richness of the land, but to civilize the barbarian nation with our western ideals and advanced culture. Our government has been a steadying influence in Europe and the colonies, why should China resist our aid?
On April 8th Marlborough assaults Heijiang and takes the city, we have stumbled on the right formula for war out here. The provinces are not sufficient for a siege force of any decent size to be able to survive. Though Gung Dong falls after 6 months, I realize the foolishness of my army's composition. I should never have taken so much heavy artillery into China. I should have a cavalry screen to hold off the Chinese army, and large infantry forces to storm their cities. I will rectify the mistake when the 100,000 men of the home regiments arrive. On April 25th the starving men of Keegan's siege command reaches Kjongju. Their march was slowed by constant suicide attacks by small Chinese detachments. By the time they arrive, there are only 70 guns and 6,000 men left from the proud army of 30,000 that boarded ships in Hanoi. Keegan informs me that human flesh tastes just like chicken, and far better than the rat soup which sustained them in Chosin.
Way to go!
