A newbie blunders forth - A Sardina-Piedmont PON AAR

[Powloon]

good solid set of turns ... always a good idea in any AGE game to take your time, recover, regain losses etc.

be careful about the fleet in the Dardenelles, I managed to get 60% of my combat ships sunk as I wasn't paying attention, between coastal fort guns and land units set to bombard you can end up with a lot of hits on your ships over a 15 day turn

When you take Istanbul, that should be it, with their NM after such an event, you'll generate a decent WarScore pretty quickly

Whilst I have not taken horrendous losses with the Balkans more or less secured it was definately the right time to halt for a coulpe of turns and take stock.

You are right about the fleet I am somewhat hesitant to risk it particullarly as its loss would impose a heavy National Morale penalty which I could do without as I approach the end game. I have been able to make regular breaches in the fortifications at Constantinople without it so there looks like there is little requirement for it anyway.

Yes Constantinople (and Smyrna an Ottoman objective city) should hopefully be the last act in this little drama. Haven't had any luck getting Tirana to show in the claimed regions box so far. Looks like I will have to script the transfer of Tirana you don't remember what war score it showed for this region do you? (will be claiming Libya through the normal diplomacy interface)

 

[Powloon]

1866 Jul to Sep - Constantinople Besieged

Balkans Theatre

Situation Early July (East):

I Army

The expected fireworks at Constantinople fail to materialise as Garibaldi leads his I Army to capture the main objective of our campaign. The enemy commander worried by Garibaldi’s reputation and aware that much of his nation’s manufacturing capability is now at risk declines battle and decides instead to withdraw his force within the fortifications of Constantinople.

** It makes my life much simpler to have their main field army bottle itself up inside the fortifications. The down side is I cannot order a quick assault.

I Army maintains the siege throughout August and September without interference from either the besieged force (roughly 2200 power) or any relief force. The navy still smarting from its defeat in the Aegean Sea and with 2 squadrons immobilised by casualties (2 squadrons are immobilised in Thessalonica as replacement ships are being built) decides it cannot provide a blockade in light of the more powerful Turkish fleet harboured within the naval base at Constantinople much to Garibaldi’s disgust.

By the end of September four major breaches have been made in the fortifications making an assault on the city feasible (the city starts with non-industrial level 3 fortifications).

** I am not sure at this stage whether to just sit it out and attempt to get the enemy force to surrender or except the potentially high casualties and assault the city.

During August I Army detaches a light cavalry brigade which successfully transits the strait into Izmit. The mission of the cavalry is to provide early warning of any relief force approaching Constantinople. The region is found empty of any enemy forces and a siege is instigated around Izmit (city). Patrols are sent out around the clock to monitor the surrounding regions.

Marine Corps

Proceeded by a heavy artillery bombardment which opens a further 2 breaches in the fortifications the marines successfully neutralise the Ottoman garrison at Plevne over the course of two separate assaults.

Thousands more Ottoman prisoners are marched to the already over flowing POW camps at Tirana.

With the depot in their hands the marines move to reduce the last 2 Ottoman hold outs along the Black Sea.

In July Constanza is easily cleared:

Later on in July Varna is also captured:

Again large numbers of Ottoman troops are taken prisoner.

** General Cucchiari has been congratulated several times and is now one of our leading 3* generals with a 4-5-2 rating. He started the campaign as a 2* general with a 3-3-1 rating.

With the eastern Balkans wrapped up the Marines move to Adrianople to support I Army's operations and to take on replacements. They also receive reinforcements in the guise of the 3rd Marine Division which until now had spent its war garrisoning Tirana.

Situation Early July (West):

In the west the heroic Ottoman stand at Sarajevo is eventually overcome and the western Balkans is secured.

A single cavalry division based in Sophia will now provide security for this area whilst the remaining infantry formations will march towards Adrianople before deploying across the straits into Asia Minor.

By the end of July the Balkans are completely secured (other than Constantinople) and the campaign in Asia Minor can begin in earnest.

Asia Minor Theatre

II Army

At the beginning of July II Army forces the enemy garrison at Canakkale to surrender:

With this surrender the straits are opened to our navy and we secure a bridgehead into Asia Minor.

During this period our scouts had observed an enemy army marshalling to the South at Smyrna. After resting to take on supplies General Fanti ordered that this force be driven off and the industry at Smyrna captured.

** Smyrna is important as it is an Ottoman objective city and one of only very few cities which actually has some industry.

In August the 2 armies face off in Smyrna (no screenshot)
The enemy force is defeated we take 2511(29) v 19885(194) casualties (hits) (plus the enemy suffers an additional 32 hits during its retreat). No elements are destroyed on either side.

The situation at the end of August:

With the enemy force in full retreat, Smyrna is besieged. In September General Fanti orders the assault:

At the end of August (the Ottomans have disappeared again from the score screen in September) our total casualties had risen from 122550 to 134500 (+ 11950) and our national morale had slipped slightly to 131 whilst Ottoman casualties rose from 401700 to 521762 (+ 120062). Ottoman prisoner numbers rise from 98700 to 171000 (72300) and Ottoman NM had declined slightly to 75.

** Whilst these Ottoman casualties sound appalling the vast majority of them are from the destruction of garrisons rather than from their field armies. I am hoping the fall of Constantinople and Smyrna will be enough to push their NM below the magic threshold of 65.

Elsewhere:

• We complete a depot extension in Djibuti.
• We upgrade the iron extraction in Piedmont to an iron pit.
• We complete a coaling station in Aden.
• We complete a coal pit in Susquehanna Valley (USA).
• We complete schools in Tabor, Ankober and Ogaden.
• We complete a depot in Albania.
• We get a new Prime Minister Beninto Ricasolli.

The French and the Prussians decide to let off a bit of steam:

** This has the unfortunate consequence of slowing our bid to overtake the French in prestige terms. We had managed to close the gap to just over 1000 points before this set back!

Despite the war we are still plugging away at our colonial goals in West Africa:

Mainly to secure a coaling station for our ships moving around the Cape of Good Hope to our East African empire and equally important to try and secure the gold mines here.

 

[loki100]

Given they will have few supply problems, I'd wait at Istanbul for the inevitable surrender event. It may take some time but as you can't risk a blockade, I think you'll find any assault will generate near 1-1 losses. You can afford it in one sense (as long as you win any impact on NM will be minimal) but it'll put one of your armies out of action for some time (probably with lost elements). I was a bit casual about all out assaults and in combination lost at least one complete corps (all I have to this day is the rump artillery unit) as well as a lot of elements (which have taken me 2-3 years to recoup). Bit too much of a Rise of Prussia game ends/world ends mindset rather than remembering your army has to last you another 54 years.

Don't forget there is cheap NM for the taking in the Dodecanese and at Adana. Equally Aleppo, Damasc and Jerusalem will lower Ottoman NM. So indulging in those peripheral campaigns could be a good use of your armies while you wait at Istanbul? Maybe hunt down Ottoman garissons in placed like Cyprus, all helps fuel the NM ratio and warscore - none will win the war in isolation but they will boost the gains.

 

[Stuyvesant]

So indulging in those peripheral campaigns could be a good use of your armies while you wait at Istanbul?

You sound positively WWI-era Churchillian.

I'm impressed with your war, Powloon: no extravagant victories or setbacks, just a steady, relentless grinding down of the Ottoman will to fight. Their armies contained or destroyed, the Balkans entirely occupied, Constantinople under siege... And you're even starting to probe and raid in Asia Minor. It looks like you will be able to completely dictate the terms to your liking, as long as you can stay the course (oh, and as long as the Ottomans don't conjure up a mob of militia-like soldiers from the Anatolian heartland that catches some of your smaller units unawares).

 

[Powloon]

Given they will have few supply problems, I'd wait at Istanbul for the inevitable surrender event. It may take some time but as you can't risk a blockade, I think you'll find any assault will generate near 1-1 losses. You can afford it in one sense (as long as you win any impact on NM will be minimal) but it'll put one of your armies out of action for some time (probably with lost elements). I was a bit casual about all out assaults and in combination lost at least one complete corps (all I have to this day is the rump artillery unit) as well as a lot of elements (which have taken me 2-3 years to recoup). Bit too much of a Rise of Prussia game ends/world ends mindset rather than remembering your army has to last you another 54 years.

Don't forget there is cheap NM for the taking in the Dodecanese and at Adana. Equally Aleppo, Damasc and Jerusalem will lower Ottoman NM. So indulging in those peripheral campaigns could be a good use of your armies while you wait at Istanbul? Maybe hunt down Ottoman garissons in placed like Cyprus, all helps fuel the NM ratio and warscore - none will win the war in isolation but they will boost the gains.

All good to know. I think I will wait until I hold Constantinople and see if the Turks need any further nudging.

Talking of which I did wait a couple of turns and turned Constantinoples walls into a large Swiss Cheese but I grew a little impatient and my mouse seemed to move by its own accord to the assault toggle ... lets just say there was jaw dropping carnage!

You sound positively WWI-era Churchillian.

I'm impressed with your war, Powloon: no extravagant victories or setbacks, just a steady, relentless grinding down of the Ottoman will to fight. Their armies contained or destroyed, the Balkans entirely occupied, Constantinople under siege... And you're even starting to probe and raid in Asia Minor. It looks like you will be able to completely dictate the terms to your liking, as long as you can stay the course (oh, and as long as the Ottomans don't conjure up a mob of militia-like soldiers from the Anatolian heartland that catches some of your smaller units unawares).

Thanks! I move away from the steady relentless grind though in the next update I personally blame it on a combination of impatience and the influence of alcohol!

 

[Stuyvesant]

Thanks! I move away from the steady relentless grind though in the next update I personally blame it on a combination of impatience and the influence of alcohol!

Alcohol-infused strategy gaming can make for some very memorable reading. I look forward to the results (i.e. the aforementioned 'jaw dropping carnage').

 

[Powloon]

1866 October - Götterdämmerung

Balkans Theatre

Situation Early October:

Throughout the month the guns of I Army continue to hammer at the defences of Constantinople opening at least 2 further breaches in the already undermined fortifications. With winter approaching and no sign that the enemy is willing to parley Garibaldi prepares his men for an assault on the Ottoman positions. With this in mind the Marines move into the siege works to lend their weight to the attack.

Facing the attackers (I Army and Marine Corps approx 5000 power) are at least 3 enemy Corps plus a host of supporting militia (approx 2100 power). This showdown promises to be the defining moment of the campaign.

At dawn on the 2nd October the first assault goes in against the outer defences

Losses on both sides are horrendous however the Ottomans loose 3 times as many men with several units trapped and forced to surrender. Most importantly the assault is successful and the enemy is driven from their positions.

Over the next week four further assaults are launched against fanatical Ottoman resistance whilst none compare to the initial battle it proves to be a bloody affair. The keys to victory numbers, leadership, firepower and morale are all heavily weighted in our farvour.

By the end the Italian flag flies over the ruins of a once great city. With its main army destroyed and their capital captured the Ottomans send emissaries to begin discussing the terms of the peace.

** I will need to wait at least 6 turns before I can make peace due to the fact I have 2 naval units locked in Thessalonica taking on replacement ships (with hindsight I should have moved them to Italy before allowing replacements to be built). I am not sure if these units would be destroyed by the peace routine as it tries to relocate them to a home region.

Both I Army and the Marines have suffered nearly 50% casualties:

Captured equipment:

The butcher’s bill:

Almost forgotten amongst the carnage further east II Army moves to intercept the Ottoman army in Eskisehir with the aim of preventing a counter attack towards Constantinople:

The Ottomans are put to flight and we now dominate the approaches to Constantinople:

Whilst costly in men and material these battles secure our reputation around the world as a military power:

Our national morale shoots to its highest level ever 193. Our casualties rise from 134,500 to 212,275 (+ 77,775). Ottoman casualties are obviously an order of magnitude higher. Ottoman morale at the beginning of October had fallen to 56. With the destruction of the army and the capture of their capital it is likely it decreased by a significant amount. Ottoman prisoner numbers rise from 171,000 to 333,500 (+ 162,500)

 

[loki100]

bloody hell (literally)

the only good news in there is it shows the merits of being methodical about allowing cut up units to recoup their losses. You lost very few elements, so its *just* a case of paying the replacement bill. I made the mistake of hurrying after the brutal battles at Adrianople.

Another reason to wait is of course your WS will increase due to holding their capital, that may allow you demand more than you can at the moment. Are you going to campaign actively from now on or just sit back and recover?

 

[Powloon]

bloody hell (literally)

the only good news in there is it shows the merits of being methodical about allowing cut up units to recoup their losses. You lost very few elements, so its *just* a case of paying the replacement bill. I made the mistake of hurrying after the brutal battles at Adrianople.

Another reason to wait is of course your WS will increase due to holding their capital, that may allow you demand more than you can at the moment. Are you going to campaign actively from now on or just sit back and recover?

Basically I am going to sit back and recover (other than keeping that Ottoman army in Asia Minor from becoming a threat) as mentioned I have got to wait at least 6 turns anyway. To be honest the fun has gone out of the campaign now that the Ottomans are broken. I have enough war score to claim Libya and enough to justify the switch of Tirana by script. It might be that in 6 turns or so I might have enough war score to release Cyprus as well.

One thing is that nearly every 2* leader has become eligible for promotion. With a huge number of 3* leaders and the potential increase in the number of armies I can field the thought of having a go at Austria has returned.

 

[Stuyvesant]

Good god! In something like a week you lost 63,000 men, while the Ottomans lost something in the region of 300,000 men! Oh, and you razed Constantinople to the ground. Again. I'm sure Greece will have sudden memories of the Fourth Crusade.

I can understand that the fun has gone out of the campaign after such a crushing victory. The Ottomans are done for, it's just a matter of running down the clock now. Oh, and let's hope Russia doesn't smell blood and jumps into the fray.

Perhaps take a few deep breaths before you commit to a war with Austria. I assume they won't roll over as easily as the archaic Ottoman army.

 

[Powloon]

Good god! In something like a week you lost 63,000 men, while the Ottomans lost something in the region of 300,000 men! Oh, and you razed Constantinople to the ground. Again. I'm sure Greece will have sudden memories of the Fourth Crusade.

I can understand that the fun has gone out of the campaign after such a crushing victory. The Ottomans are done for, it's just a matter of running down the clock now. Oh, and let's hope Russia doesn't smell blood and jumps into the fray.

Perhaps take a few deep breaths before you commit to a war with Austria. I assume they won't roll over as easily as the archaic Ottoman army.

You are right about Austria I will definately need to think carefully before attacking them although this war thing is quite exhilerating and I'm not sure how easy it is going to be returning to turns which consist of counting out how how much wood I need to stockpile .

The other possibility remains the Ottomans part deux. They still control 2 of my objectives Adana and the Dodecanese and with their sudden collapse of power it might be best for me to aquire them sooner rather than waiting for some other power to sweep them up.

As mentioned I do think the casualty figures in PON are somewhat overstated I think even 19th centuary states might have recoiled at battles producing 360,000 casualties in a week!

 

[Powloon]

1866 Nov to Dec - Peace Talks

With the capture of Constantinople and the initiation of peace talks the war enters a “quiet” phase.

Situation Late December:

I Army and the Marines spend the period recuperating by the shores of the Black Sea. By the end of December both formations have been made good with replacements. I Army also finally upgrades to the new breech loading artillery.

Both will remain in defensive positions around Adrianople and Constantinople until an armistice is signed or strong Ottoman forces are encountered.

In Asia Minor we decide to extend our stop line to include the Ottoman depot in Ankara which will deprive the Ottomans of a supply hub to support any advance on Constantinople.

II Army advances on Ankara in late October:

This battle highlights the rapidly decreasing combat effectiveness of the Ottoman army and sees us inflict casualties at over 10:1

In a desperate counter attack the enemy tries to push us back:

** Bizarrely considering the results this somehow displays as a stalemate. I have to say I would happily settle for stalemates which see hits in the order of 36:1 and 4 elements destroyed.

Finally II Army storms the city:

Cavalry formations are ordered into the regions around Ankara to provide early warning of enemy flanking manoeuvres.

With the winding down of the hostilities our engineers are ordered to destroy the fortifications previously built up around Thessalonica.

Prestige:

Over the course of the year we reduce the prestige gap to France to under 1000 points and increase our overall ranking from 4 to 3. We also for the first time draw near to surpassing France in terms of combat power.

Elsewhere:

• We extend two of our mechanical parts factories to the 2nd generation factories
• With the removal of all Ottoman influence in Massawa Harbour we are finally able to start proceedings to declare Eritrea as a formal colony
• We complete a wood logging structure in Weichsel (Prussia).
• We pass another electoral reform (Contentment now stands at 94% and militancy 0%)
• We complete the fort extension in Sicily (Level 3 industrial fort)
• We complete a depot in Sanaa (Yemen)
• Schools are also completed in Negele and Goba (Ethiopia)
• We agree a state visit with the USA
• Zanzibar and Nigeria are both likely to be eligible for colonial status in the next 6 months whilst 2 areas in the Gold Coast region of West Africa will also soon be eligible for Protectorate status over the same period

 

[loki100]

that looks like its all over, except for the racking up of warscore, that sequence of battles around Ankara was very telling as to the respective morale of the 2 armies.

Realise you want to hang on till those ships are ready, but more generally how are you doing for warscore against desired gains?

Something I've found on my second Ottoman visit is I am all of a sudden responsible for feeding/common goods et al for the Ottoman population. This is having some pretty wierd results. I can't meet the total demand - even importing like mad - so my contentment is dipping from the high 90s to the mid-90s. But the amount of private capital I am gaining from flogging all I can produce and import is pretty impressive.

 

[Stuyvesant]

Can only agree with loki that the Ankara operation was very telling: if the storming of Constantinople was a bloodbath, then the battle of Ankara was a very one-sided bloodbath. If an Ottoman army of over 100,000 men can't even inflict more than 300 casualties on you, then truly their fighting power is gone.

 

[Powloon]

that looks like its all over, except for the racking up of warscore, that sequence of battles around Ankara was very telling as to the respective morale of the 2 armies.

Realise you want to hang on till those ships are ready, but more generally how are you doing for warscore against desired gains?

Something I've found on my second Ottoman visit is I am all of a sudden responsible for feeding/common goods et al for the Ottoman population. This is having some pretty wierd results. I can't meet the total demand - even importing like mad - so my contentment is dipping from the high 90s to the mid-90s. But the amount of private capital I am gaining from flogging all I can produce and import is pretty impressive.

The war score is definately on an upward trend. Last time I checked it was somewhere in the region of 168 (in between the times I can't when the Ottomans are begging for mercy with there own peace offer)

My initial war goals were Libya which costs 72WS and Tirana which dosn't show up on the claimed region list (which I think might be a bug as this from what I understand was addressed in version 1.02 where you should be able to claim objective regions?) but based on the current war score these demands should easiliy fall within the limits for me to claim (through script).

I am trying to work out whether the score justifies claiming the Dodecanese as well? So assuming the war score stands at around 180 when I make my peace offer that is 72 for Libya and 54 each for Tirana and the Dodecanese does this sound reasonable (unfortuneatly as I have never gotten to this stage before I have no idea what the going rate for a province is)?

I noticed the same thing re feeding the Ottoman masses. I was lucky in this case as I noticed it fairly early and so far have been able to keep on top of the internal demand (other than luxuries) and hence it hasn't damaged my contentment rating. This is also part of the reason I have no desire to sweep through the rest of their empire as I am reaching the point where I won't have the capacity to meet that demand. I think this is a nice little game mechanic which you don't see in many games where you actually become somewhat responsible for the care of the population you have conquered.

Can only agree with loki that the Ankara operation was very telling: if the storming of Constantinople was a bloodbath, then the battle of Ankara was a very one-sided bloodbath. If an Ottoman army of over 100,000 men can't even inflict more than 300 casualties on you, then truly their fighting power is gone.

Yes an unending stream of victories must be pretty boring for anyone reading this AAR (luckily that probably dosn't affect that many people)

I do have the security of knowing that going into battles everything is heavily waited on my side. I think the main factor is the huge disparity in national morale although in addition my leaders are better, I have good quality troops who are now gaining experience, I have a pronounced technological advantage (breech loading rifles and artillery v muzzle loading) plus I have a lot of massed artillery in my armies. Whilst it does make battles a forgon conclusion it as mentioned dosn't make for a very fun game hence why I will seek peace in the next couple of turns.

 

[Stuyvesant]

Can't talk about the game mechanics and/or how 'expensive' the Dodecanese are, but I would expect that a bunch of Aegean Islands would be pretty low on the list for the Ottomans right now, looking at it from the plausibility angle. I mean, you have occupied their capital, the Balkans are completely under your control and Asia Minor is falling fast, not to mention that the last few attempts at armed resistance have ended in absolute massacres for the Ottomans - I'd think they would be happy to shed Libya and the Dodecanese. They might be less willing to concede Tirana, as it really gives you a permanent dagger aimed at their Balkans possessions, but I'd still think that they'd fold - they are beaten and they know it. They must be eyeing their borders with the Russians nervously, in case the Tsar decides now is a good time to push into Anatolia.

So, long story short, I think you'd be quite justified in awarding yourself the dry sands of Libya, the craggy rocks of the Dodecanese and the barren hills of Albania.

 

[Powloon]

So, long story short, I think you'd be quite justified in awarding yourself the dry sands of Libya, the craggy rocks of the Dodecanese and the barren hills of Albania.

When you put it like that it dosn't really sound like it justifies the slaughter of over 800,000 men! (even the digital one and zero kind) :happy:

Game updates have slowed I'm afraid as I am facing a serious issue / bug / undiscovered game feature where my stockpile of luxury goods (my main generator of private capital) and to some extent my wine stockpile (also a good private capital generator) seem to halve every other turn for no readily discernable reason. There is no civil unrest so I am not losing these items due to looting (contentment is on average 94%; lowest province contentment is 67%; all provinces are content or happy). I am not losing them due to over stockpiling. To be honest it is very frustrating as it is having a serious impact on how much private capital I am raising per turn and therefore my ability to improve my economy and perform colonial actions

Strangely in the same turns I am losing luxury goods and wine I am getting increases in my wood and mineral stocks (I think).

 

[loki100]

thats odd, I do notice some very odd fluctuations - opium is one where it goes up and then returns to zero and then goes up again. So I wonder if it is a game mechanic (wonder if it is related to those messages that crop up in the tech advances about stockpile levels). Also looking at my last post, it seem as if my luxury stock does vary substantively - I've tended just to think this a product of the international trade variations but maybe it is something else.

 

[Powloon]

1867 January to June - Peace in our Time? / New Threats

Diplomacy

Despite an overwhelming military victory the peace congress set up in Paris and mediated by the Great Powers proves to be a long torturous affair. Our reasonable demands include the immediate withdrawal of all Ottoman officials from Libya and the cession of Albania and the Dodecanese Islands to Italy.

Eventually by early March the Ottomans with a nervous eye on the Russian menace in the Caucasus and confronted by the hopeless military situation give in and sign the Treaty of Paris. The year long war cost of over 140,000 Italian casualties (Ottoman casualties may never be fully known however it is estimated that they lost over 500,000 men) many in Italy privately question whether the resulting territorial gains were worth the price paid in blood.

On the back of his work to secure the peace Prime minister Rattazzi comes to power.

Of the territory ceded to us only Albania had been occupied during the course of the war and here we had already begun the process of integration

Fortifications, a depot and port facilities had been constructed in Tirana out of military necessity however we also kick start the process of industrialisation by ordering the construction of a railway and canned food factory. It is hoped that by creating a new middle class here that we can avoid the worst of the nationalist rebellions which were such a feature of Ottoman occupation.

Libya had long been outside of the effective control of the Ottoman Empire with vast stretches of the colony controlled by rebels. By late June a division of Marines had landed to secure Tripoli and its environs.

The general staff begins laying plans for a full scale military campaign to secure the colony. These include the raising of three new Colonial Divisions (1 x Colonial Brigade; 1 x Mixed Expedition Brigade; 1 x Supply Wagon). The Marine Corps is also put on notice that it will participate in the campaign.

The islanders in the Dodecanese had taken advantage of the war to expel the Ottoman garrison and were not in the mood to exchange one set of masters for another.

In early April General Cucchiari leads an expedition to reclaim the islands.

In what by pre war standards would have been seen as a bloody affair the islands are secured and a marine garrison is installed.

Fortifications and port facilities are started in order to stamp our authority on the islands. Plans are afoot to harvest the islands rich fruit crop to help pay the costs of occupation.

Elsewhere Russia chooses to look east to expand and declares war on China.

Military

With the cessation of hostilities the bulk of our operations in this period involve moving back large numbers of men and guns from the Balkans to Italy. This process is hampered by the shipping required for the Dodecanese operation and by the end of June is still not completed.

At the end of May French revolutionaries capture Dijon together with the Coal mines established by one of our mining companies. Several Italian managers and their families are taken hostage. Garibaldi is out raged when he hears the news and acts before any orders from Rome can reach him. He swiftly crosses the French border to deal with the partisans

Unfortunately Garibaldi rather over steps the mark and claims all farms and factories in the region as “reparations”. Diplomats are enroute to Paris to help soothe over the fall out from Garibaldi's actions.

** When Garibaldi destroyed the rebels not only the Italian coal mine but all the French structures suddenly become Italian. Will need to sort this little lot out through script!

With our position in the East Mediterranean secure and the overzealous suppression of Italian nationalist uprisings in Milan the Austrian question is once again front and centre.

Our returning armies are immediately ordered to deploy along the Po. In addition we begin mobilising a fourth army in case tensions escalate out of hand.

At the end of June are army dispositions are as follows:

• I Army is deployed to Allesandria (minus a corps under Garibaldi)
• II Army is in transit from Albania to Rome
• III Army moves out of its barracks in Rome to take up positions in Parma
• IV Army begins assembling in Romagna

We have built the following naval units:

• Replacements: 1 x Light Warship; 3 x Merchant

We have built the following land units:

• Replacements: 1 x Field Artillery
• 3 x Colonial Brigades
• 3 x Mixed Expedition Brigades
• 1 x Mountain Division
• 1 x Infantry Corps L

Economy

The end of the war has shown us that the main bottleneck remaining in our economy remains the number of mechanical parts. Our new economic policy focuses on the creation of new factories to build this vital commodity.

Balance of Trade:

Organic Stockpiles:

Inorganic Stockpiles:

Census:

We started the following industrial improvements:

• Canned Food Shop – Albania - January
• Railroad - Albania - March
• Oil Field - Trucial (Dubai) - March
• Canned Food Shop - Rome - April
• Canned Food Shop - Sicily - May

We completed the following industrial improvements:

• Textile shop - Toscany - February
• Mechanical Shop - Campania - March
  

Colonisation

We gain our first foothold in West Africa with Lome being declared a protectorate. This provides us with a strategic port location for ships voyaging around the Cape of Good Hope.

Our hold on East Africa is further secured with the announcement that Eritrea is now a formal colony and that Zanzibar will also follow suit in the next couple of months.

The Gold Coast region of west Africa (8 regions with at least 2 gold producing regions) is close to being declared a protectorate. This produces a few nervous flutters as for the first time we are directly competing with the British Empire.

Colonial Possesions
Protectorates:

• Kenya
• Yemen
• Zanzibar
• Lome
• Libya

Protectorates ready for colonial status:

• Zanzibar

Colonies:

• Somalia
• Somaliland
• Dubai
• Djibuti
• Eritrea
• Abyssinia

Prestige

Our national morale stands at 157. We close the prestige gap to France to 443 points.

 

[loki100]

well that was good progress, I'm especially impressed at your willingness to expand into West Africa for key resources, even if it runs the risk of ruffling the British a bit.

Good to see that Gari is doing what seems to come naturally ... I wonder about that gain all the structures if you take a province from rebels, as I think I have been on the receiving end of it. I'm pretty sure that explains how the Spanish nabbed my wood producing thing in SW France and I've also (just noticed) lost my tea thing in India. I wonder if that would explain it in both cases.

You've got a good PC stock and have obviously done well out of the coal producing process - I think with hindsight I was wrong to ignore those S French resources as in my game France has shown little interest in developing them - which harms the entire world economy.