Interlude: Peace and War
Peace has come at last. I take a deep breath. A lot of men have suffered in the struggle against Austria, but Prussia has emerged victorious.
I have gained everything I ever stood to gain from Austria, what with one domination objective being in the hands of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, and the other being held by my new lapdog, the HRE. If Austria knows what’s best for it, we will never have to go to war again.
Actually, looking at the state of my country, I wouldn’t mind never going to war again at all. Of course, I know that cannot be. My first course of action is to spend the money I plundered from Wien on a civilised development in Warshau, my second biggest manpower-provider. My armies are in tatters, and I need men any way I can. Similarly, I build depots in any area that provides more than a 1,000 men, including the ones I just took from the Austrians. Their culture groups are Saxon and Czech respectively, so I’m not too worried about their loyalty to their former empire.
Then I look to my right:
I look to my left:
I have a sneaking suspicion that one of these states, locked in deadly battle with each other, will declare war if I don’t do anything soon. From a different life, I know that particularly Russia is fairly trigger-happy when it comes to its P-endowed neighbour.
I have two options. I can ally myself with Great Britain, and by extension, Russia, or I can ally myself with France, and hope that their forces are enough to repel the Russian ones. I have a mad vision of the French winning my war on my soil with my armies hanging back, recuperating, and before I know it, I’ve made a decision.
In a moment, my relations to both countries are close to zero, but with Britain the only negative one. I give it a week, and suddenly France would like my help. In exchange for a LOT of money.
War's pretty expensive. Even when you don't intend to fight it.
The Anti-French coalition responds in a surprising fashion.
I figure, why play favourites? At least it doesn’t seem like they’re going to declare war, and for some reason it doesn’t seem as though France is going to call me into their war either. Everything’s coming up Prussia!
Then something strange happens.
Britain and France are jockeying for whether my relationship with Britain should turn into a serious commitment or all-out war. And despite these modifiers, I am back to having a positive relation to them!
I check. Yup. I am no longer in the French coalition. At least Russia is still unwilling to declare war, now that they’re marching hundreds of thousands of soldiers through my territory on their way to be brutally defeated in France. Hey!
I also notice that France isn’t doing too well in their German territory, but I’m not taking that as a sign of weakness. Both the Netherlands and the French home territory remains unmolested.
Even if war is raging around me – or especially because of it – my manpower is not returning swiftly enough. It will be two full years until I am completely replenished, and that’s two years I simply cannot afford. I have three standing armies at the moment, two around 20,000 men, and one below 10,000. I disband the smallest one to support the biggest. It helps a lot. I also go through the brigades I’ve got, and disband any that has less than a hundred men.
If war came tomorrow, I’d rather have a small, fully supplied army, than a large, half-full one.
The Elbe Armee, or as I like to call them, the 23rd Homecomers.
Half a year after the end of the war with Austria, I am still at peace, despite not being in any coalition. I thank the gods. Britain has kept on increasing our relations, and France has kept on staging coups to break them down. You’d think that when Prussia is seen as the perpetrator trying to overthrow their government every other month, it would have long-lasting political consequences, but they are still more than eager to please.
In February 1808, I get a new idea, and it’s one I sorely need: Prussian Military Academy! Yes, it has a lot of neat effects, but the one that matters? +25% manpower modifier. With the Academy in place, there’s just half a year left until I am fully stocked. Phew!
I spend the time trying to improve my relations with Russia. I’ve somehow ended up being the most prestigious nation in the world, so I’ve got plenty prestige to spare even when I get on my knees to beg Russia not to attack me.
By November, I have turned my manpower-situation around, and I can start building more units for my armies. The first thing I need is more cavalry, and more light infantry. Everything else I still have in adequate, if not good, supply.
Going into 1809, enough time has passed that I get a new national idea. Of course I pick Prussian Education System. It will guarantee me a new idea every 8 months. Even more often if I fight a lot. And as I said in an earlier chapter, I don’t intend to lose ANY battles (no need to worry about those I’ve lost already).
France and Britain still hasn’t settled their war of Prussian relations by June. I find that highly comforting. However, now that I have a functional army again, I need to look beyond my borders.
And Europe thought Prussia dormant...
I only need one more land Domination Objective, but I need several naval ones. I could storm into Denmark and Bavaria, both guaranteed by France, while taking the naval provinces I need from Denmark and France. The downside is that I would need an immense army to defend myself while doing so, not to mention a massive fleet to knock Britain off the top naval spot.
If it could be done, this war would be over in a year. But I have doubts. Doubts as in France has six times the army I have, and so many nations on their side that I would have no chance of settling peace. That plan would have me embroiled in a war against both the French and the British coalition at the same time.
I can feel Russia shaking its head at my insolence.
No, I will have to take my objectives piecemeal, while staying friends with France. And that begins in Malmö…
Hello, Kingdom of "I Have No Allies" Sweden.
I hover over the declare war button. Even if they have better ships, I have a fleet as large as they do. I can ferry people across, and fell the country in a single strike. Yes, that is how it should be done. Prussia and Sweden, facing off in an undisturbed struggle over the southern tip. It shall be a glorious campaign, where we break the Swedish Empire once and for all! A beautifully executed, flawless-
Someone clearly didn't learn their lesson in that war they nearly won.
Next time: Putting the cows out to pasture
), but I'd just like to say that this is a great AAR. The Swedes won't stand a chance. 
