a short statement from my viewpoint:
Firstly ,a demand of 20,000 ducats was *somewhat* frightening from my PoV, as that equals the recruitment of TWO MILLION Austrian Infantrymen.. it is also equal to TWO HUNDRED months of minting for Austria. So, to me, it didn't look like "just 20,000 ducats"
Secondly, I saw 250,000 Dutch getting MAULED by 80k Frenchmen "somewhat" unnerving...
Thirdly, during session, French troops were at a level of around 500-600k from what I gathered (might have been some double- or miscounting). Substantially more than Austria could field in total, of which a significant part was confined to Hungary for obvious reasons.
Fourthly, since my leaders now were the best I ever had (except for Eugen) and ever will have, and the first already DID die of old age.. I began to get somewhat frightened, especially when mister 4/5/7 or something was announced..
Fifthly, France had been threatening Austria for quite some time recently (Alsace, Maria Theresa, second war vs. Otto's) adn thus I saw this as an opportunity to atleast delay French ambitions (Alsace is quite a good province, actually )
But most important of all: I underestimated the strength of my morale and leaders (most striking: Von Daun (4/5/6 I think) with some 80k troops was in Lyonnais when some 150k Frenchmen started to move towards Savoy, at this point, I gave up on von Daun, but moved him to Savoy in hopes that he *might* just survive.. imagine my surprise when he won the battle and gave the French a run for their money)
