This is my first game and I have just fought my first war. Playing as Portugal in the grand campaign.
The year is 1572. 80 years ago our grandfathers made a pldge: to turn Portugal from an economically and militarily backward country into a world power to be reckoned with. Since then, in pursuit of this dream, they had travalled to where no one has gone before. The Lord Admiral Da Gama and others took our colonists to India and Indonesia. The legendary Francois Xavior pioneered the way to set up trading posts deep in a land known as Kamchatka and Siberia. Our troops defeated the barbarian natives in North America and mined the gold there as well as engaged in fur and tobacco trading. Brazil is firmly in our hands. Portugal also monopolized ivory trading in Africa. Portugese traders became world famous, with colonies in Manhatten, Brazil, Bombay, Jakatta, Singapore, Siberia, Table, Monterey, Ceram, and Angara. Our merchants dominated trade not just within our borders, but in foreign markets as well. We drove the Chinese merchants out of business in Tianjin, cut a large share of profits in Persia, and became the second largest trading nation in Novgorod. Magnificient refinaries were built in Jakarta and Opporto, serving both overseas and home needs. A fine art academy was establishd in Lisbon. Tax collecters and chief judges helped us to run the country. There is prosperity everywhere.
But elsewhere we are not as successful. There was a time when our entire army numbered fewer than 15000. They were spread around the globe fighting, and often fleeing from, natives. For 20 years not a single solider manned the deteriorating defences in Lisbon. Faced with the prospect of a Spanish invasion we had to empty our entire treasury to send repeated personal gifts to the Spanish king to gain his favour. The same gifts were also presented to the Indian princes. Our beloved princess was married, against her will, to the Spanish young prince to discourage the huge Spanish army from marching across the undefended borders. For 50 years we had no allies anywhere in the world to help us should we get into any trouble.
Not anymore. We now have diverted resources to set up a strong army, with some 38k infantry, 6k cavalry and 100 cannons in Lisbon. Fortifications are strengthened across the entire Spanish border. Colonial troops were also raised in Tangiers and in every major colony. We are now ready for war and we want to take our gold back from Spain.
Our diplomats have made a daring plan to get into a war with Spain without us actually declaring war on them, because we don't want to appear as agressors. First, we successfully joined the military alliance headed by Austria, with France, Sweden, Scotland, Hungary, and a few minor German states as allies. Next, we declared war on Netherlands, claiming that we want to reform the protestants back into the Catholic Church so that no one will notice our true motives. Being allied with the Dutch, the Spanish declared war on our alliance and the trick was done.
There was only one flaw in the execution of this plan, but it was a major one and it almost ruined all our plans: France dishonoured our alliance. But our colonels assured us that our main objective, Andalusia, will fall in a few months and we can make a quick peace with Spain.
So, we proceeded according to our plan. We dispatched 10k infantry and 80 cannon to besiege Andalusia, and recruited new troops. The main army will stay in Lisbon to counter any Spanish threat.
Almost immediately the Spanish recruited new troops across the border. They marched and besieged Opporto. This move was not unforseen by our military planners, and we let the siege continue until disease and fatigue have taken the toll on the 20k Spanish invasion army. Then we crushed them with our entire army, save for the contingent besiging Andalusia and the day was ours.
Next thing we knew, Andalusia fell! Overjoyed, our king dispatched our best diplomat to negotiate a peace with Spain, demanding Andalusia but the Spanish rejected our generous offer. We had prepared a contingency plan just for this. Newly recruited troops in Algarve would march into and hold Andalusia. The siege army would march onto Gibralter. The foreign minister agrees that if we can take Gibralter, Spain will agree to cede Andalusia to us.
Meanwhile, our main army marched back to Lisbon to rest and refit. Here lays the first surprise of the war: the supposedly defeated Spanish army came back to Opporto after being reinforced and surprised our army on its way back to Lisbon. Although our men numbered 2:1 they took the field. We were fotunate that we did not lose a lot of men but our army was demoralised.
The next few months were relatively quiet. Our siege army continued to besiege Gibrater, while the Spanish army tried to take Opporto, and our main army rested in Lisbon.
Our army marched into Opporto once again to relieve the siege so that our most priced refinary will not fall into enemy hands.
Another Spanish army landed in Tangiers but they were wiped out by our defending army there.
We were confindent that we would win the war at this point. Our siege army in Gibralter won several skirmishs against small contingents of Spanish soldiers and Gibralter was about to fall. Our army marching into Opporto had a 2:1 advantage over the Spanish army. Everything looked good. Then the tide turned.
A Spanish army, numbered no more than 9k, defeated our army in Gibralter. The army appeared before our army as if by magic and took us completely by surprise. Our demoralised army marched back to Andalusia with considerable losses. Our main army in Opporto did not have much luck either: Spanish reinforcements arrived during the battle and lifted the morale of the Spanairds. The Spanish were clearly winning the battle despite the odds. Our manpower sources were also depleted and no more new recruits were available. The king was so depressed that he was ready to send a messenger to Spain to return Andalusia to them in exchange for peace.
Then, a miracle happened. A messager from the Spanish king arrived and, to our great surprise, offered Andalusia for peace! The big battle was still going on in Opporto and our defeated siege army was still on its way back from Gibralter at this point. The Spanish king must be unaware of his army's most recent successes and we are saved.
Our next move will be to kick all the Spanish traders out of Andalusia......
The year is 1572. 80 years ago our grandfathers made a pldge: to turn Portugal from an economically and militarily backward country into a world power to be reckoned with. Since then, in pursuit of this dream, they had travalled to where no one has gone before. The Lord Admiral Da Gama and others took our colonists to India and Indonesia. The legendary Francois Xavior pioneered the way to set up trading posts deep in a land known as Kamchatka and Siberia. Our troops defeated the barbarian natives in North America and mined the gold there as well as engaged in fur and tobacco trading. Brazil is firmly in our hands. Portugal also monopolized ivory trading in Africa. Portugese traders became world famous, with colonies in Manhatten, Brazil, Bombay, Jakatta, Singapore, Siberia, Table, Monterey, Ceram, and Angara. Our merchants dominated trade not just within our borders, but in foreign markets as well. We drove the Chinese merchants out of business in Tianjin, cut a large share of profits in Persia, and became the second largest trading nation in Novgorod. Magnificient refinaries were built in Jakarta and Opporto, serving both overseas and home needs. A fine art academy was establishd in Lisbon. Tax collecters and chief judges helped us to run the country. There is prosperity everywhere.
But elsewhere we are not as successful. There was a time when our entire army numbered fewer than 15000. They were spread around the globe fighting, and often fleeing from, natives. For 20 years not a single solider manned the deteriorating defences in Lisbon. Faced with the prospect of a Spanish invasion we had to empty our entire treasury to send repeated personal gifts to the Spanish king to gain his favour. The same gifts were also presented to the Indian princes. Our beloved princess was married, against her will, to the Spanish young prince to discourage the huge Spanish army from marching across the undefended borders. For 50 years we had no allies anywhere in the world to help us should we get into any trouble.
Not anymore. We now have diverted resources to set up a strong army, with some 38k infantry, 6k cavalry and 100 cannons in Lisbon. Fortifications are strengthened across the entire Spanish border. Colonial troops were also raised in Tangiers and in every major colony. We are now ready for war and we want to take our gold back from Spain.
Our diplomats have made a daring plan to get into a war with Spain without us actually declaring war on them, because we don't want to appear as agressors. First, we successfully joined the military alliance headed by Austria, with France, Sweden, Scotland, Hungary, and a few minor German states as allies. Next, we declared war on Netherlands, claiming that we want to reform the protestants back into the Catholic Church so that no one will notice our true motives. Being allied with the Dutch, the Spanish declared war on our alliance and the trick was done.
There was only one flaw in the execution of this plan, but it was a major one and it almost ruined all our plans: France dishonoured our alliance. But our colonels assured us that our main objective, Andalusia, will fall in a few months and we can make a quick peace with Spain.
So, we proceeded according to our plan. We dispatched 10k infantry and 80 cannon to besiege Andalusia, and recruited new troops. The main army will stay in Lisbon to counter any Spanish threat.
Almost immediately the Spanish recruited new troops across the border. They marched and besieged Opporto. This move was not unforseen by our military planners, and we let the siege continue until disease and fatigue have taken the toll on the 20k Spanish invasion army. Then we crushed them with our entire army, save for the contingent besiging Andalusia and the day was ours.
Next thing we knew, Andalusia fell! Overjoyed, our king dispatched our best diplomat to negotiate a peace with Spain, demanding Andalusia but the Spanish rejected our generous offer. We had prepared a contingency plan just for this. Newly recruited troops in Algarve would march into and hold Andalusia. The siege army would march onto Gibralter. The foreign minister agrees that if we can take Gibralter, Spain will agree to cede Andalusia to us.
Meanwhile, our main army marched back to Lisbon to rest and refit. Here lays the first surprise of the war: the supposedly defeated Spanish army came back to Opporto after being reinforced and surprised our army on its way back to Lisbon. Although our men numbered 2:1 they took the field. We were fotunate that we did not lose a lot of men but our army was demoralised.
The next few months were relatively quiet. Our siege army continued to besiege Gibrater, while the Spanish army tried to take Opporto, and our main army rested in Lisbon.
Our army marched into Opporto once again to relieve the siege so that our most priced refinary will not fall into enemy hands.
Another Spanish army landed in Tangiers but they were wiped out by our defending army there.
We were confindent that we would win the war at this point. Our siege army in Gibralter won several skirmishs against small contingents of Spanish soldiers and Gibralter was about to fall. Our army marching into Opporto had a 2:1 advantage over the Spanish army. Everything looked good. Then the tide turned.
A Spanish army, numbered no more than 9k, defeated our army in Gibralter. The army appeared before our army as if by magic and took us completely by surprise. Our demoralised army marched back to Andalusia with considerable losses. Our main army in Opporto did not have much luck either: Spanish reinforcements arrived during the battle and lifted the morale of the Spanairds. The Spanish were clearly winning the battle despite the odds. Our manpower sources were also depleted and no more new recruits were available. The king was so depressed that he was ready to send a messenger to Spain to return Andalusia to them in exchange for peace.
Then, a miracle happened. A messager from the Spanish king arrived and, to our great surprise, offered Andalusia for peace! The big battle was still going on in Opporto and our defeated siege army was still on its way back from Gibralter at this point. The Spanish king must be unaware of his army's most recent successes and we are saved.
Our next move will be to kick all the Spanish traders out of Andalusia......
