Sick Man of Europe - an Ottoman Empire AAR

[morningSIDEr]

Cracking stuff, very good updates. Great to see the Ottoman Empire making use of the seldom employed 'Botanical Expedition', 'Fire God Wills It' and the 'they need to be "protected"' casus belli! None can thus say that the Ottoman Empire is a nation of unjust warmongering blaggards. Well, none can say that and expect to remain independant for anytime... Now though war with France whilst potential rebellions could break out all over the place. Excellent!

 

[Stuyvesant]

Given the 'encirclement' you face from the French and Russians, eviscerating mainland France is the more sensible thing to do.

From a 'prettifying the map' perspective, I'd say sort out Africa first.

Oh yes:

October 25: Transylvanian Nationalists revolt. Our armies grab some stakes and resolve the problem.

It's nice to see the Turkish Army has become culturally sensitive in its dealings with the various subject peoples. It's the thought that counts.

 

[loki100]

well wailing on France seems to be the thing to do ... so since this is a good traditional AAR I vote for #1 (says he who's never even got around to playing V2 yet)

 

[TheArchMede]

Given the 'encirclement' you face from the French and Russians, eviscerating mainland France is the more sensible thing to do.

From a 'prettifying the map' perspective, I'd say sort out Africa first.

Oh yes:
It's nice to see the Turkish Army has become culturally sensitive in its dealings with the various subject peoples. It's the thought that counts.

Impaling is a Turkish tradition. The army has been taken over by reactionary forces who are reinstituting the historic method of executing rebels. Imminent world timber shortage anyone?

 

[loki100]

Impaling is a Turkish tradition. The army has been taken over by reactionary forces who are reinstituting the historic method of executing rebels. Imminent world timber shortage anyone?

wasn't it a Romanian one - Vlad the Impaler and all that? If so then this is a nice gesture of cultural inclusiveness towards one of the people's of the empire ... & yes watch the price of wood soar

 

[winsingtonIII]

wasn't it a Romanian one - Vlad the Impaler and all that? If so then this is a nice gesture of cultural inclusiveness towards one of the people's of the empire ... & yes watch the price of wood soar

Impalement has been used by many cultures throughout history, Vlad of Wallachia is just the most famous individual to have done so. It was used in ancient Greece, by the Assyrians, supposedly by the Persian king Darius I, as well as by the Swedes, Poles, and yes the Ottomans as well. There's probably many more I am forgetting

 

[Mr. Sometimes]

Impalement has been used by many cultures throughout history, Vlad of Wallachia is just the most famous individual to have done so. It was used in ancient Greece, by the Assyrians, supposedly by the Persian king Darius I, as well as by the Swedes, Poles, and yes the Ottomans as well. There's probably many more I am forgetting

Impalement was basically how you said "hello" in ancient Assyria

 

[naggy]

Dewirix: Hrm...true. One extra thing: Every French POP I leave in France is another POP they can mobilize from.

morningSIDEr: We have been utilizing the Khandesh Diplomatic Service.

Stuyvesant: It's always important to be culturally sensitive. Of course, in a century, oppressed French youth will riot because they aren't being treated well by their Turkish hosts...

loki100: It's a Paradox Tradition!

loki100, winsingtonIII, Mr. Sometimes: Exactly. However, it's also a known fact that Transylvanian rebels are vampires. Thankfully, they do not sparkle.

 

[naggy]

Interlude: (Lack of) Preparations for War

I would love to say that the declaration of war against Brazil was part of a brilliant strategy. The truth is, it was an 'oh well, what the hell' move. I can't project power there, they can't hurt me, so why not?

I didn't really expect France to join in the war.

With war declared, it's time to actually move my army into position. I could show you a lot of nice maps, but it's simpler to give a textual OOB:

Ottoman Empire:
4 armies of 36,000 men are stationed one province back from the French/ex-German border, arranged so all border provinces are adjacent to an army.
2 reserve armies of 36,000 men are stationed in Bohemia. They are moving to the French border.
3 36,000 man armies are being pulled from the Polish/Russian border to the French border.
2 36,000 man armies are being pulled from the Turkish/Russian border adjacent to the Black Sea, moving to Palestine. One more 36,000 man army is coming from Armenia.

France:
57,000 in Alexandria
57,000 in Dubai
24,000 in Gabes (Algeria)
51,000 in Cayenne (French Guyana)
57,000 in Tolanaro (Madagascar)
18,000 in Caen
12,000 in Dunkirk

(92 of 148 brigades)

As you can see, France has at most 198,000 men in France proper. However, since I can't stop their navy, they'll probably move the men in Guyana, Madagascar, and Dubai during the war and land them somewhere annoying. Also, France's mobilization will give her over 180 brigades, mostly in France and Algeria.

The War Plan:
France has level 3 forts in Metz and Strassburg, and a level 2 fort in Calmar. There are level 1 forts on the Dutch/French border, and one more on the Swiss/French border, with a little fort building going on otherwise. Attacking French armies (who have machine guns and better tech than me) through forts would be suicide.

In Egypt, with a near 2:1 advantage, I should be able to wipe the army in Alexandria then move west and deal with the army in Algeria. The hard part is Algeria - getting my army in requires moving it piecemeal through craptastic terrain.

In France, I'm going to use a defense in depth strategy. Essentially, I will put a small army of infantry with my best defensive generals in a border province, and let the French attack it. (PLEASE attack Geneva! Mountains FTW!) The main army or armies behind it wait for the battle to start, then join in.

The main problem I will have is that encirclement will be hard, given the small border and large # of armies, however, I can't let 180 mobilized divisions with near-endless reinforcement ability stay alive long.

 

[Stuyvesant]

However, it's also a known fact that Transylvanian rebels are vampires. Thankfully, they do not sparkle.

The non-sparkliness is a huge relief.

Regarding the impalement, let's split the difference and say it's a shared cultural tradition, a way to show that "Hey! We're just like you!"

Fighting France should be the biggest challenge you've had in a while. That should make for interesting reading.

 

[Grunthex]

Finally got France away from Russia, very nice!

If it's not already played out, I'd be inclined to take French colonial holdings mostly, to make it easier to focus your forces in the next war. Plus as you say, the terrain down there is craptastic, do you want to do it again (and again?)

That's not to say I might not mix and match a bit, and nibble off a french border state that allowed me to get past really annoying forts, next time.

 

[morningSIDEr]

The War Plan:
France has level 3 forts in Metz and Strassburg, and a level 2 fort in Calmar. There are level 1 forts on the Dutch/French border, and one more on the Swiss/French border, with a little fort building going on otherwise. Attacking French armies (who have machine guns and better tech than me) through forts would be suicide.

An excellent plan, although I rather think the Fire God would prefer a simple charge into French territory, be it fortified or not! I'm looking forward to the report on the war itself, with the odds in France's favour, it should make for a great read.

 

[aldriq]

Given that you are not going to be suicidal it seems the outcome of the war will be greatly determined by how suicidal the French are...

51,000 in Cayenne (French Guyana)
57,000 in Tolanaro (Madagascar)

The AI, ever so reasonable with colonial garrisons...

 

[naggy]

Stuyvesant: I like your take on impalement! Yes, the war with France will be interesting. Unless you're in the Ottoman or French army, in which case I think it's "terrifying"

Grunthex: The terrain works in my favor, given the AI's love of large armies.

morningSIDEr: You go right ahead and do that.

aldriq: Yes. If the AI had fought WW1, there would have been massive trench warfare in Africa, and 3 guys with rifles protecting Berlin, Paris, and London.

 

[naggy]

Chapter 27: Let them rush into the room, then electrify the floor!

The French do not mobilize at the start of the war - interesting.

April 7, 1887: The party starts with a feint into Besancon - 3 brigades tempt the French into attacking, and my armies follow in. The +4 defensive general helps.

April 12: The first French landing takes place in Pakistan. That's 17 brigades (I think). My armies start filtering down from Kokand, but it'll take a while.

April 13: Argh.

April 19: The French retreat from Besancon before I can envelope them, and retreat to Chaumont. A large French army attacks me in Besancon (annoyingly after I merge armies and prepare to attack, losing my +4 defense general), and the retreating army returns. Here's the second battle, starting on the 28th:

May 1: The French army in Bela loses about 7000 men to attrition. Yay!

May 11: Kokand is annexed.

May 24: The French army in Egypt decides to commit suicide and charge across the Sinai desert into Gaza, losing 19,000 men to attrition before running smack into my massed armies (who of course envelope them). In Pakistan, Bela falls, but the French do not move further inland.

June 11: Triestian Nationalists rise in Trieste.

June 26: The French Egyptian army surrenders, losing 51,000 men between attrition, battle, and surrender.

June 28: Yeah, let's add a war with China to the list! No. I pick the huge militancy boosting option, which raises my average MIL from 1.2 to 2.7 - still not enough to enact any reforms. ARGH!

June 30: Some French armies try and free their friends in Besancon. I envelope the army in Dijon, but the army in Melun is screwed.

July 6: Sokoto is eviscerated.

July 9: Oh @#%&!

 

[Enewald]

I don't get why angry militant citizens can be good.

 

[morningSIDEr]

July 9: Oh @#%&!

Impeccable choice of words! Things have been going very well until now, even if you lose a few of your small units of 3,000 men who are most likely to be caught out whilst busy besieging French land, do you have enough men to attack the conscripts whilst their morale is still low?

 

[naggy]

Impeccable choice of words! Things have been going very well until now, even if you lose a few of your small units of 3,000 men who are most likely to be caught out whilst busy besieging French land, do you have enough men to attack the conscripts whilst their morale is still low?

Not even close. They're out of position or stuck in battles. Some of my little units will be able to run, but I need them to survive long enough for the battle in Besancon to finish (they have 3 artillery units left fighting).

Enewald: Gotta piss people off to get reforms.

 

[Melrick]

Looks like things are about to get ugly in France... I mean, all those extra beret's and baguettes... *shudders*

 

[Dewirix]

On the plus side, the mobilised forces won't have much in the way of organisation for a while yet, and the AI seems to like throwing them into battle as soon as they turn up. As Germany, I got used to holding off the French hordes with my professionals while waiting for my own reserves to gain full ORG.

Some of your smaller armies are going to have a shock though!