La République Peut Fleurir - A French Beginner AAR

unmerged(430977) · Feb 22, 2013

La République Peut Fleurir - May the Republic Blossom

La Grand République de France

This'll be a French AAR for MotE. Considering France is really the central role of the Napoleonic Wars, I figured it'd be kind of nice to do the first French AAR. I don't really know anything about MotE so far, except that I've played about a year in game. I really want this to be genuinely beginner, so I'm not going to be looking up any LP's or strategy guides to help me. So please, be gentle.

With that out of the way, let's get to business: La république vivra longtemps!

unmerged(430977) · Feb 22, 2013

I - Primary Analysis

Tensions were brewing in Europe, with the French Revolution, and the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as the Emperor of France. The French-Anglo War was just beginning, and it would be the first spark of the blazing inferno that was the Napoleonic Wars. The battle between old and new, traditional and radical, democracy and despotism was heating in Europe and soon the world's Powers would all fight for glory and fame.

In the beginning of 1805, the French troops were concentrated in Normandy and Northern France, in anticipation for a English naval attack that never came.

The Spaniards, allies to France, were well positioned in the event of war, manning plenty of troops, more than ready for conflict.

France had at the time the world's largest army, four hundred and thirty thousand men strong, well supplied with recruits acquired via Revolutionary France's remarkable ability to mobilize men. They were severely outnumbered by Great Britain in terms of their navy, shorter by 26 ships, and possessing much less naval power. The continent was France's domain, but soon the sea would be the same. The country was held in extremely high regards, less so since its revolutionary coup d'état by Napoleon, second only the British Empire.

Napoleon Bonaparte la Première had been installed as head of state, ready to lead his country to war. Bonaparte was a remarkable leader, known for his uncanny abilities on the battlefield, and his unorthodox methods of administration. Napoleon would be remembered for millennia as a great leader, leading France to glory.

Napoleon was running with a generous budget, with a large national surplus, which would allow him to build and expand France significantly in the coming years.

France was a Revolutionary Empire, and was very ideologically radical, holding incredible new tactics of war that would set them apart from any other country in Europe for decades.

France is the dominant power in Europe at this point, holding the most strategically valuable territory, allowing them to exert power over large swathes of land, even outside their own borders. Britain was a competitor, but they held little actual influence and power on the continent, leaving them comparatively powerless to France. Russia was also a concern. Napoleon certainly had his reservations about Russia, and it seemed that he was losing favour in Russia, and he may have to face a Russian-British entente.

DisgruntledLemming · Feb 22, 2013

Very nice thus far. I'll be watching! I hope to see your first picture realized! (Go to France over Yonder!)

unmerged(430977) · Feb 22, 2013

Prince of Savoy said:
Very nice thus far. I'll be watching! I hope to see your first picture realized! (Go to France over Yonder!)

Thanks! We'll see about the possibility of Great France, maybe? I'm writing as I go, more or less.

Avindian · Feb 23, 2013

My first game of this has so far been as France; best of luck!

unmerged(430977) · Feb 23, 2013

Avindian said:
My first game of this has so far been as France; best of luck!

Thanks! France is pretty interesting in this game, and has lots of room to expand politically. They're really the central power of the game, I'm surprised it wasn't the first pick of AARland.

unmerged(15561) · Feb 23, 2013

France obviously has the easiest starting position. But I hope to see how the GB and Russia AI fares against you AND just as importantly, how well you react to the AI.

Good luck with this endeavour!

Seelmeister · Feb 23, 2013

Very thorough overview of the starting situation. Very much looking forward to what promises to be an action packed AAR!

unmerged(430977) · Feb 23, 2013

2Coats said:
France obviously has the easiest starting position. But I hope to see how the GB and Russia AI fares against you AND just as importantly, how well you react to the AI.

Good luck with this endeavour!

Thanks! Yeah, France is the easiest, but I have to say that the nice thing about this game is the balance of power between the 8 major powers.

Seelmeister said:
Very thorough overview of the starting situation. Very much looking forward to what promises to be an action packed AAR!

High praise, thanks.

dodedo · Feb 26, 2013

the main thing for me was to lure the navy away and invade the Isles. It wasn;t a picnic after that per se but I had breathing room and had wars on my own time

unmerged(430977) · Feb 27, 2013

dodedo said:
the main thing for me was to lure the navy away and invade the Isles. It wasn;t a picnic after that per se but I had breathing room and had wars on my own time

I have my plans for the Isles, just you wait.

unmerged(430977) · Feb 28, 2013

II - January-April 1805

Great Britain forms a coalition against France, with a pact between Russia and Britain being signed into effect.

To avoid more Powers joining the British, France forms the Diplomatic Corps, a series of ambassadors, two representing each major power, one representing Russia, one for each nation in France's indirect control, and another five representing France. This group excluded Britain on grounds of war. This would help France communicate its intents to the powers of the world; Napoleon did not intend to destroy the order of Europe, or so it was stated. He simply had a vested interest in containing British powers, and keeping a balance between the Major Powers to create future stability for the continent.

With the formation of the Anti-French War Alliance, Napoleon found himself threatened by the Tsar and his influences, and preemptively called upon Spain's agreement to fight under "L'Entente pour l'ediguement de Grand Bretagne", (The Agreement for the Containment of Great Britain). In early January, the King of Spain declared war on Britain, joining France in the Anglo-French War.

His fears were justified, and two weeks later, Russia entered the war, backing Britain. Immediately proceeding the declaration, the Russian ambassador was deported on suspicions of espionage.

On February 6, Napoleon saw his chances to expand into the Rhineland, and declared war on Nassau, annexing the small state in less than a week. On the 15th, he declared war on Oldenburg, and quickly swept in with fifty thousand men, when France received a declaration of war from Brunswick, honouring their coalition with Russia. Napoleon, having finished the Oldenburgian conquest, sent thirty thousand troops south to Brunswick, eager to connect its separated German holdings.

In early March, France annexes the state of Oldenburg, to focus itself on the defeat of the Brunswick forces, sensing no looming threat from the distant Russians and the infantry-poor Britons.

Seeing Mecklenburg, as of yet untouched by Prussia, Napoleon had hoped to acquire the city of Lübeck, and there's no sense in leaving a job half done, so the plan to annex Mecklenburg began. Denmark was guaranteeing their independence, and to avoid conflict with the Danes, Denmark was invited to the Entente. After Denmark agreed to this, Piedmont declared war on the Entente, on behalf of Russia. Brunswick was soon annexed, and French forces could spread to defend northeast France.

France declared war on Mecklenburg. Despite their agreement with France, King Christian decided that Mecklenburger independence was more important than its own, and declared war on France, all the while simultaneously warring with Britain's coalition. Almost the day after, Sicily joined the war against France with Britain. France is currently winning the war, by a thin margin of 4%.

By the end of April, the occupation of French Mecklenburg was almost complete.

unmerged(430977) · Mar 6, 2013

May-August 1805

Early May, Piedmont lands 8k troops in Corsica, a small distraction that could be dealt with in a timely fashion. More pressing was the audacious landing on the French beach in Oldenburg, an absolutely foolish move that left 40k British soldiers surrounded.

Portugal joins the war, Mecklenburg gets annexed, and troops get into position to begin the Battle of Minden. Austria declares war on the Ottomans, which is a relief, meaning France didn't need to worry about Austrian intervention. No matter how strong Austria could be, they couldn't hold a land war with France and the Ottomans at the same time.

The Sicilian Campaign is progressing, with the soldiers taking Benevento in mid-May. Then, on the 17th, Napoleon commenced the battle of Minden - the bloodiest battle the war had seen so far. The battle lasted three days, and 36k British soldiers were slaughtered, matching 2.5k French. The remaining troops were routed and quickly defeated.

By then the Sicilian Campaign is in full stride - Naples is taken on the 22nd, and the retreating Sicilians were ambushed in Taranto, killing nearly 4k Sicilians, and 27 French. Denmark ceded Hamburg, and returned to fighting the Brits and the Swedes.

In the end of July, the Siege of Palermo finalized French victory in Sicily, and the Sicilian Campaign was over.

Spain and Portugal continued to fight in Iberia, and Britain harrassed French sailors in the Channel, but France was not seeing any direct engagements for the time being. It was time for the Irish Campaign to begin motion.

In mid-August, individual barques dispersed throughout the Channel and the Atlantic to scout for an enemy fleet and help stall the enemy.

60k troops were loaded onto the first wave of transports, and on August 31st, 1805, the French had landed in Waterford, Ireland. The French-Irish Campaign had begun.

Belgiumruler · Mar 10, 2013

looking good,

dodedo · Mar 11, 2013

London awaits!

Seelmeister · Mar 11, 2013

That is a fantastic victory at Minden. Looking forward to seeing how the Irish campaign unfolds.

unmerged(430977) · Mar 12, 2013

Belgiumruler said:
looking good,

Thanks!

dodedo said:
London awaits!

London Bridge is gonna fall down. For realsies this time.

Seelmeister said:
That is a fantastic victory at Minden. Looking forward to seeing how the Irish campaign unfolds.

Minden was a terrible move for the British. I have no idea why they attempted it, but it was clearly a fatal mistake.

unmerged(430977) · Mar 12, 2013

III - September-December 1805

September - December 1805

Early September - the Irish campaign was underway. With the small fleets still guarding the Channel, 77k reinforcements were delivered to Waterford after the sighting of British troops in Ireland.

By mid-October, the occupation of Ireland was halfway done, with only Dublin, Belfast, and the surrounding farmland still standing. It was then, in Ballinasloe that the first major Anglo-French battle since Minden. Etienne MacDonald led the charge, and 18k Frenchmen died to push back the Brits, who lost fewer men, but were routed to Sligo.

The French adopted a policy of Expert Foraging, which legalized soldiers looting foreign farms and cities to supply themselves to help

reduce attrition.

In mid-November, the Battle of Dublin began. 60k Frenchmen attacked at Dublin, taking minor casualties, and killing over 30k British soldiers. It was the second large defeat of the British at the hands of the French in the British Campaign. An exhausted force routed to Naas, where they were intercepted by a roughly equal force, who killed 4k and left unscathed.

Arthur Wellesley marched toward Sligo, to aid the British forces at the Battle of Sligo, which happened in two stages. The first Battle at Sligo saw 33k dead British, and the second saw the attack by the exhausted, demoralized British forces of Wellesley, who were all but destroyed. With the Siege of Belfast and the Battle of Londonderry, Ireland was secured. Winter had come, and it was time to rest.

Napoleon attempted to meet King George to discuss the transfer of Ireland, to which the King replied "He will pry these lands from my cold, dead, hands." Napoleon agreed that this was a fair deal, and the invasion of Britain would begin shortly.

beezneez · Mar 12, 2013

Great AAR, love the pace. Looking forward to the sound of guns in Britain

unmerged(430977) · Mar 12, 2013

beezneez said:
Great AAR, love the pace. Looking forward to the sound of guns in Britain

Thanks, I was wondering about the speed of it, because the last one I tried didn't work because I tried to update too often

La République Peut Fleurir - A French Beginner AAR

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