Ottoman Empire 1792-1808
The Sultan was pleased with this era. It brought him back to the glory days of the Empire when the Ottomans were a respected power.
The era started with the Ottomans still at war with the Empire of the Manchu along with our Russian allies. The war was prosecuted successfully and 4 provinces were brought into the one true faith including the valuable COT in the south.
The Sultan then had a clever idea.... Why not unite the Algerian crown with that of the Ottoman Empire? 20 of the Sultans most attractive daughters, begot from amongst his 117 wives, were sent to the Crown Prince of Algeria. This kept him busy enough while The Sultan's agents bribed enough of the Algerian army (A nice woolly Sheep for every soldier!) to effect a bloodless coup. Algeria was ours!
Then it was time to get involved in Western affairs once more. The Sultan approached his former allies and enemies in the East and proposed a Ragnorak Alliance that would hurl our vast hordes against the West. This alliance was readily agreed to by the former powers in the East - Russia, Sweden, Austria, and Poland. When war broke out between Spain and England vs France and Holland. The East prepared for war.
The Great Sultan commanded that the sharpest spears were to be handed out to our vast peasent levies. Every tenth man was issued a helmet, every 20th man was issued a flintlock and powder enough for 3 shots, and every 50th man was promoted to the rank of General to improve morale.
The armies of the Empire were ready. The Napoleonic armies (Land Tech 60) of France were about to face the wrath of the Ottomans (LT 30).
The Ottoman Empire accepted an alliance with our English friends and war was declared. Austria soon joined as well followed by The Tsar.
The war was, in a word, glorious. It brought the Sultan back to old times. The Empire's troops fought mostly in Northern Italy along with their brave Austrian allies. The battles raged back and forth in Lombardia, and Mantua. The highlight of the war for the Ottomans was the 2nd battle of Mantua. 140k Imperial troops faced off vs Marshall Massena and 120k French split in two armies.
The Jannissaries, wisely using them as a massive shield, drove the peasant levies into the gunfire of the French. The French fired and fired until their ammunition ran low and then the Ottoman cavalry swept across the battlefield. Two french armies were wiped out.
The Ottomans and Austrians were masters of Italy! ..... until Davout and another 100000 more troops showed up. The French engaged the Allied army in Lombardia while the wily Davout arranged to have a mass of pop ups appear before the eyes of the Turkish commander. By the time the pop ups were closed, the Allied army was completly destroyed.
Davout's command then proceeded into Austria driving the Allies higgilty-piggilyt into the hills as they ran from this superman. Venice, Tyrol, and The Steirmark were taken from Austria. The Ottomans, Austrians, and their Russian allies, gathered for a last stand at Vienna. However, the French had other distractions. Rather than continue to hit the Eastern punching bag, Davout (The Wily) pulled back into Italy and disappeared back into the darkness of France. The Allies once again emerged from where they were hiding and quickly moved back into Italy ready to continue the struggle.
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A fun session indeed. We'll finish this game off next week. 13 years left in this war filled Campaign.
I forgot to make a save at the session end so I'm not sure what the victory points are. I do know that Spain is back in first, followed by Holland, then France and England. It's going to be close
