Swedish AAR

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Chapter 1

Introduction

I shall tell you of a great kingdom. So, please, stay a while and hear my tale. For this tale you all should hear. Some will call me a liar, and some will try to prove my words wrong. This bothers me not, for I know the truth, and the truth will always prevail. It is an old tale I have to tell. And it starts like this…

A long time ago, the proud people of Rome had conquered all of the civilized world. Through numerous wars and conflicts the legions had secured the Pax Romana, the peace of Rome. At this time, the eldest knew about a country far north of the mighty Rome. This county could be found beyond the wild dangerous forests of the Germanic tribes, and across an ocean of water that was neither salt nor sweet. A country as beautiful and sweet in the summers, as unforgiving and harsh in the winters. Its inhabitants were shaped by these two opposites. From the warmth of the summer they became happy and peaceful, from the cold of the winters they became hard and unyielding. This combination led to them being equally proficient in the way of war as the way of the trader, and no fear would live in their chest. No king could force his rule on this people, instead they chose their king from amongst their own ranks. This king would only stay in his position as long as he was accepted by his people though, for if he was found to be a weakling or a tyrant, the people would soon replace him. For centuries this country lived in peace, and the people thought themselves to be the luckiest people in the world. Protected by mighty forests and cold oceans they were safe from intruders. Their country was generous to them, giving them rich harvests and plenty of game. The mighty forests and mountains gave them enough resources to live a rich life. The oceans and rivers provided food and transport. Soon however, they became restless. Constantly taking their small ships further and further out from land, their curiosity driving them to expand their horizons.

As the might of the Roman Empire declined the people in our country discovered new ways to travel across the oceans. Fast agile ships were built, ships that could carry men far across the cold unforgiving waves. Soon they would discover new lands to settle, and new routs of trade. While their neighbors in the west and south would wage wars of rape and pillage, our people sought the peaceful way of trade and exploration. Their reputation grew as they came into contact with other great countries, and they were met with respect and fear.

This was not to be for long however, as their aggressive neighbors soon cast their greedy eyes upon our country's wealth. Invasions would come, both from the south and the west, and countless wars were fought, some won, and some lost. At this time our country had stretched its borders across the ocean we today call the Baltic ocean. Hostile tribes were discovered on the eastern borders though, and numerous wars had to be fought against this newfound enemy. Hard pressed from three sides, our country was soon conquered by her southern neighbor. Conquered, and occupied, but far from defeated and beaten.

We now go to the year of our lord 1492. As a brave explorer is making his ships ready to set sail from the Spanish port of Palos on a voyage of discovery that will soon change history we turn our attention north.

Far away from this port, and this man, we travel across a Europe in turmoil and over an ocean of water that is neither sweet nor salt. We find our country occupied by the mighty Danes. Reduced to a mere vassal of the Danish king, surrounded by his armies and his fleet, and constantly under threat from the countless eastern hordes. In this year a young king emerges in our country. Quickly gaining the support of both the nobles and the commoners he is elected ruler of our country. Outwardly acting as the loyal subject of the Danish king, he has different, secret plans. He is merely waiting for the right time, the time to cast off the yoke of occupation.

A time for freedom.

(to be continued...)

Steve

 

[Helios]

This is a BAR (Before Action Report)...

 

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Chapter 2 Opening moves

The young king quickly realized that it would be difficult at best to gain independence from the Danish crown. After the ceremony in the cathedral of Uppsala where he had received his crown from the archbishop of Scandinavia (a Danish bishop of course) he had quickly traveled to Stockholm and the royal castle. For days he had locked himself inside his chambers pondering his first move. Before anything he needed to explore his diplomatic possibilities. His first action was to send envoys to the various embassies in the city. The result was bleak at best. A majority of the ambassadors viewed the Swedish king as nothing more than a marionette, following every order from his Danish master, easily replaced should he fail to carry out any order. To make matters even worse, he suspected that the Danish king somehow knew about his plans, perhaps not all of them, but enough to view him with suspicion and keep him under careful watch. Every day the Danish ambassador would arrive at the castle demanding information about his current actions and plans. Any move by the king towards independence would quickly be discovered by the Danish spies. As things stood right now, Poland-Lithuania, Russia, The Hanseatic league, Spain, the Teutons and Denmark were openly hostile to Sweden. She was indeed surrounded. The only major countries showing any sympathy to the king whatsoever were France and England, but their support were halfhearted at best. By the looks of things, Sweden would have to endure the Danish yoke for years to come.

An opening would soon present itself however. On the 4th of January in the year of our Lord 1492 the young king received a secret letter from the Swedish ambassador in England. Apparently the English king would accept a wedding between his cousin, the Duke of York and the younger sister of the Swedish king. Quickly seizing upon this opening, the kings sister, Gabriella, at the mature age of 13, was put on the first ship bound for England. There she would wed the 43 year old Duke. Needless to say, her farewell to her country became one of many tears. The relations with England improved significantly however.

The Danish king quickly countered this move by the Swedish king. On the 6th of January Count Vladimir of Russia married Princess Christine of Denmark. It was clear to everyone, that if the Swedish king wanted his independence, he would have to fight hard for it, and he would probably have to fight a war on two fronts. The king ordered three new armies to be raised, so it came to be that the regiments of Gastrikland, Bergslagen, and Nyland were formed, each regiment would only field 3000 men however. The king also ordered new fortifications to be built in Vastra Gotaland, a clear provocation against the Danish king, as this was one of the border regions between Denmark and Sweden. Swedish spies reported that the Danes were fortifying the region of Skane however. Apparently the Danish king was making his own preparations.

Spring came early this year,
in March all of the snow melted, and with spring came new promises. On the 2nd of March Spain and England entered an alliance, something that somewhat melted the frozen relations between Sweden and Spain. At the same time, the relations between the German order, the Teutons and Russia worsened. The Swedish ambassador in Moscow reported that the Russians were preparing for war, he did not know against whom however. Assuming that the Russian move would be against Sweden or the German order, the king offered the Teutons an alliance against the Muscovites. It seemed logical and sound. The proposal fell on deaf ears however, as the high master of the German order rejected this alliance without further discussion. The Danish king received news of this proposal, and on the 13th of March, a large Danish army of over 25 000 men entered Swedish territory in Gastrikland. A clear provocation, and, a warning.

On the 12th of May, another wedding was announced. The Grand Duke of Pskov was married to the Danish Princess Lisbeth, the kings own sister. It was clear that the Danish king was building allianced with the aim of threatening the Swedish provinces in the east. The provocations got worse. On the 30th of May another Danish army entered Sweden. This time 21 000 men came all the way to Stockholm, setting up camp just a few hundred meters from the royal castle. Such a provocation did not go unnoticed, and the nobles were demanding an end to these insults. The king now had over 90% of the nobles behind him should he choose to go to war.

The king realised that this was not the time for war however, but he wanted to teach the Danes a lesson. Svea Lifgarde, the best formation of the Swedish army with 25 000 men including 10 000 cavalry was stationed just outside Stockholm, and during the night the king ordered them to surround the Danish encampments. Tension was high on that beautiful summer morning as over 46 000 men spent most of the day carefully observing eachother while ambassadors and officers hurried back and forth with orders and questions. The very next day the Danish army left Stockholm, undoubtedly they would be back in greater numbers as soon as the Danish king got word of this incident.

As the Danish army disappeared south, dispatch riders were taking off from the castle in all directions. Later that day the Swedish fleet received orders to rebase to the province of Smaland, and Svea Lifgarde were to march without delay to new positions in the same province. War seemed inevitable.

The days of that ominous summer passed quickly as both sides prepared for war. The king, knowing that he would have one chance, and one chance only, to gain independence positioned his troops very carefully. The king himself traveled to Smaland in order to stay close to his troops. Besides, with Stockholm empty of troops, the only thing that stood in the way for an invasion from the north were Gastriklands regiment of 3000 men. No, the king was probably safer with the main army. Then, on the 19th of September A.D. 1492, the Swedish fleet received orders to enter the straits between Sweden and Denmark, and prevent any Danish ships from making the passage to Skane. Later that night, as the last ships were leaving port the king sent the following order to his Danish ambassador: Inform the Danish king, that from midnight tonight, Sweden declares her independence from the Danish Crown. As he watched the dispatch rider disappear in the dark September night the young king wondered if he had made the right move. Now, there were no turning back. His greatest fear was an attack on his eastern provinces. Both Russia and the German Order were preparing for something, he knew that. Intelligence reports showed alot of activity in the border regions, new armies were being formed, Lord only knew for what purpose.

In the whole of Finland he only had 20 000 men, half in Karelia, and half in Nyland. A meager force, capable of nothing but defense against small raids. They did not even have proper fortifications, the current economic situation effectively prevented that. The Swedish economy was a disgrace, with a net loss of 2 dukats a month and an empty treasure chest, no new armies would be raised over there, not anywhere else either for that matter. Already a loan had been taken, but that gold were long gone now. Here on the Danish border things looked a bit better though. The Swedish navy reported two armies in Denmark proper, their combined manpower strength was a meek 15 000 men. And with luck, the Swedish fleet would be able to prevent their shipping to reinforce the Danish positions in Skane. The most recent intelligence reported a standing army of 9 000 Danish infantry in Skane. Svea Lifgarde had more than twice that number, 15 000 men and 10 000 cavalry. Surely Skane would be taken. The outcome in the west was another matter though. The province of Vastra Gotaland was protected by the 10 000 men of Gota Lifgarde. No one knew how many Danes who hid in the neighboring province of Ostlandet. As the king went to his tent that night to try to get some sleep, his army were making preparations to march south at first light.

(to be continued...)

Steve

 

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Originally posted by Henrik
This is a BAR (Before Action Report)...

Heh, I guess your right. I just thougth I'd try to set the mood for my great war ( =I was bored at work )



Steve

 

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Chapter 3 The war of independence

The war came to Skane in early October A.D 1492. On the 6th of that month the armies met on the field of battle. 25 000 men from the Swedish army was faced by 9 000 Danish infantry. In the end, the danes never had a chance, and on the 8th of October the remaining parts of the army retreated to within the fortifications of Lund. What would later be known as the siege of Lund started later that day, as the Swedish forces surrounded the city. 5 000 men had fled into the city though, so it would take considerable time before the fortress fell. In a first attempt to reinforce the beleaguered garrison a Danish army attacked Vaster Gotland from the west. The initial Swedish reports spoke of 7 000 Danish cavalry supported by 9 000 infantry. The local Swedish commander, colonel de la Gardie led his men against this powerful force, all the Swedes could muster were 9 000 infantry and 1 000 cavalry. This would be a hard battle indeed.

Colonel de la Gardie received reports from his scouts that the Danish army was not prepared for battle however. Instead they were stretched out in a long column, several kilometers long along their marching route The Danes, undoubtedly overconfident in themselves, expected to meet a Swedish army on the defensive. Instead De la Gardie quickly seized on this opportunity to strike. At noon, the Danish pickets reported Swedish forces ready for action not one kilometer away. Panic erupted in the Danish ranks as it would take the better part of a day to reorganize the Danish army into battle ready units. Time the Danes did not have. As the buglers sounded the attack order, the Danish commander was desperately trying to maneuver his units into defensive positions. To no avail however. The Danish cavalry, disorganized and strung out bore the brunt of the first Swedish attack. They quickly melted in the face of the determined Swedish attack. At the same time the Swedish cavalry flanked the Danish defenses and got into position to attack several regiments of Danish infantry, still marching along the road. In the first hour of battle the Danes were routed in several places, their positions untenable. The Danish commander had little to do but to order a general retreat west. The Swedish forces managed to surround a large body of Danish infantry, and quickly forced them to surrender. While most of the infantry was busy clearing out the last pockets of resistance, the Swedish cavalry were constantly harassing the retreating Danes. In the end the Danes lost over 6 000 men in that short battle.

De la Gardie quickly realized that now was a golden opportunity to destroy the Danish forces in Norway. The remainders of the Danish army were disheartened and in full retreat. Quickly he ordered his forces to pursue the fleeing enemy. On the 30th of November 1492 the Swedes caught up with the bulk of the Danish forces in the province of Ostlandet. 8 000 Swedish infantry supported by 700 cavalry attacked the weary Danes. The Danes still had most of their cavalry left though, over 7 500 cavalry and 3 000 infantry. The battle was intense and desperate. As both sides morale had plummeted due to the forced march the both armies were on the brink of exhaustion. In a critical moment of the battle, a Danish Cavalry squadron managed to break through the Swedish lines and rout several battalions. This proved decisive as this led to the collapse of the Swedish left flank. With only 3 000 men left, de la Gardie decided the battle was lost and began a general withdrawal to the east.

Meanwhile the king was occupied with other matters of state. The English ambassador had arrived at his camp in Skane, and demanded an end to all hostilities. Claiming that the war was destabilizing the region he expressed the deep concern of the English king. In an attempt to better the relations with England, the king wrote a long and personal letter to the King of England. This helped the relations to improve a bit, but the English king remained neutral in the conflict.

On the very last day of the year the Swedish positions worsened. The Danish army returned to Vastra Gotaland. Apparently they had been in pursuit of the retreating Swedish army all the way from Ostlandet, but no one had noticed them. De la Gardies exhausted, broken troops never stood a chance against the Danish cavalry. 1 000 men including colonel De la Gardie himself managed to withdraw into smaland. As the new year came, the Danes surrounded the Swedish garrison inside the city and began a siege. It was indeed a grim beginning to the new year. January saw the Swedish army regrouping in the west. De la Gardie and his men marched north to bergslagen to join up with the regiments from gastrikland and bergslagen. On the 2nd of February the armies joined up, now De la Gardie had 14 000 men under his command, all of which were infantry. This army, together with the king's army currently besieging Skane were the only forces left in the west. The eastern border was still quiet though, thank God. And some 17 000 men were stationed in Nyland and Karelia to maintain a watchful eye on the Russians and the Teutons.

In early March, good news finally reached the king. Saxony had accepted the Swedish offer to form an alliance. Strengthened by this message the king quickly began making preparations for the summer. The Swedish fleet was ordered to leave its current positions, and take up new positions in the straits between Skane and Denmark. This to prevent any Danish attempts to reinforce Skane. At the same time De la Gardie were ordered to move south with his army and break the Danish siege of Vaster Gotland. On the 4th of March, ominous news came from the east however. Swedish intelligence reported that a new Russian army was forming in the region of Onega, right on the Swedish border. Lord only knew what intentions the Russians had. The king knew the Russians were on the Danish side in this conflict. A new loan had to be taken, this in order to reinforce the east. The Swedish crown now had two loans, but new armies were being formed in Nyland and Karelia. On the 23rd good news came from the west. A merchantman reported that Russia was at war with Kazan, and that the Russian army had suffered a major defeat in the province of Vladimir. The king was outraged at his foreign minister for failing to discover that there even had been a war, and that the Swedish king was dependant on merchantmen to inform him of such important businesses of state. The ambassador to Russia were recalled and replaced by a more competent one. The news however, were good indeed. This would undoubtedly lead to a more secure eastern border, as the Russian ruler hardly would put his country in a two front war. In early April the Russian army formed in Onega was seen marching east. And on the 8th of that month, the new ambassador reported that the Russians had won a battle against the Kazans. It would seem the Swedish back was secure for another couple of months.

May was a month of disasters for the new kingdom. First, a major naval battle took place outside Skane, and the Swedish fleet was thoroughly defeated, loosing 11 ships to 2 Danish vessels. And as if this was not enough, De la Gardies army was defeated in Vaster Gotland by Danish Cavlary. The Swedish army retreated south. The losses had been small though, only 1 500 men, but this left all of northern Sweden undefended. Should the Danes choose to attack now, 2 000 men stood between them and Stockholm. For some reason the Danes chose to withdraw from Vaster Gotland after the battle though. De la Gardie quickly siezed upon this opportunity and moved his army west and reoccupied the region. During the entire summer De la Gardie kept his troops in the region, resting and trying to build up their shattered morale. The siege of Skane continued however, with no sign of ending soon.

As the autumn came, new opportunities presented themselves to the Swedish kingdom. De la Gardies army was now combat ready, and was quickly ordered to attack west into Ostlandet. At the same time, the remains of the Swedish fleet were ordered south into the straits again. Now the Danish forces showed signs of collapsing. On the 7th of September the Danish army in Ostlandet was routed and a siege of Christiania was started. The garrison was over 10 000 men though, so it would probably have to be aborted sooner or later. For now, it kept up the pressure on the Danes however. Then on the 22nd of that month, Skane surrendered! The king quickly tried to capitalize on the victory, sending his ambassador in Denmark to meet with the Danish king offering peace. With two stars, he demanded Skane, but was quickly turned away, apparently the Danish king had other plans. On the 15th of October a large Danish fleet with over 30 warships and 15 transports were sighted in the Straits. Our fleet of 11 warships did not hesitate one moment, and attacked the Danes although outnumbered 4-1. Three days later, a Danish invasion force entered Skane. 18 000 fresh Danish infantry attacked the battle weary Swedish army of 24 000 men who had besieged Lund for over a year. This was the decisive moment of the war for independence. If we could hold Skane, our independence would be secured, if we lost, nothing could stop the Danes from marching on Stockholm. As the two fleets were slugging it out in the Strait. On the 20th the battles were still in the balance. The morale of the Swedish army had gone from disciplined to weak, and at the same time the Danes reinforced their invasion with another 3 000 infantry and 1 000 cavalry. The king himself took to his horse and entered the battle together with his guards. Then, on the 29th, the battle turned. After a massive cavalry shock the Danish center collapsed, and a general rout started. The last reports told of 3 000 Danish infantry desperately trying to retreat to their ships. At the same time the Danish morale at see was crumbling, amazingly enough, the Swedish fleet was winning the sea battle as well. On the 30th of October in the year of our Lord 1493, an envoy came to our troops in Skane with a message from the Danish king. In return for peace, he would give the province of Skane to Sweden for all times. With tears in his eyes the king signed the peace treaty. He had succeeded in his holy task, Sweden had won her independence. Skane, with 13 000 inhabitants was won, and as the king watched the Swedish flag fly over the fortress of Lund, that brisk October morning he fell to his knees and thanked God for his victory.

All throughout the kingdom the churchbells rang in celebration of the magnificent victory, and as the victorious army returned to Stockholm the streets were covered with flowers. The people were standing along the streets cheering each and every man. From the castle, the guns fired a 24 shot salute. A new kingdom was born, a free and independent Sweden.

(to be continued…)

Steve

 

[Tue]

Evil bastard

 

[hjarg]

WOW!!! That was a pleasure to read. Especially that BAR Btw, have you noticed that you have played for couple of years and have already written three parts. If you plan to play until 1792, that will qualify as a novel And a thick one as well.

 

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Originally posted by hjarg
WOW!!! That was a pleasure to read. Especially that BAR Btw, have you noticed that you have played for couple of years and have already written three parts. If you plan to play until 1792, that will qualify as a novel And a thick one as well.

Hehe, well as I have come to the full realization that I'll never become a rich author, I might as well post everything I write on here.

Anyway, I plan to keep writing this as long as I have a kingdom to control, might be a very short aar...who knows

Steve

 

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Originally posted by Tue
Evil bastard

Dont worry, I suspect the Danish hordes will come charging across my borders sooner or later. I suspect you will have plentiful of pleasant reading in the future if you rout for the Danes

Steve

 

[Quinton]

WAR!!!

Just do like i allways do... Anex dennmark or they will gangbang you with russia.

and beeing gangbanged by them later is boring

 

[nalivayko]

Great AAR. I wonder though about one thing. Being a supporter of unorthodox methods myself, I want to ask: is it ever possible for Sweden to become friends with Russia? Bribe them, if you will, but is it possible to sneak in the alliance once the war of independence is won? Wouldn't secure eastern borders compensate for those bribes. Denmark certainly would be outraged, and Teutons would no longer be needed as allies and will become a nice target, since Poland and Russia will more than likely attack them in a decade or two.
Just thoughts, no pressure. Keep on writing

 

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Chapter 4 The trade war

Independence had been won, and the new kingdom was slowly returning to normal. The king knew that Denmark would be back sooner or later though, for the Danish king was no doubt outraged at the loss of Skane, one of the most prosperous regions in the north. The first order of business for the king was the economy however. The kingdom had already taken two loans, but the yearly incomes were so low that repaying these loans was almost impossible. In order to secure a higher income the king appointed a tax collector in Skane, the richest province of the kingdom. After that, two merchantmen were sent to Venice with orders to expand the Swedish trade there. Money was lacking to do anything more, but other important issues needed the kings full attention. On the 27th of January 1494 Denmark and Russia entered into a military alliance. These news were depressing indeed, any new war with Denmark would undoubtedly lead to a two front war, a war against two of the most powerful countries in the region. On the 4th of April, more bad news came from the east. Kurland had been annexed by Poland-Lithuania. The Polish empire were expanding its borders, and they would undoubtedly be another threat in the future with relations at a depressing -183.

The king knew that he needed new allies, and fast. England and France were too far away to be of any real help in the future. But where could new allies be found? Russia and Denmark were already teamed up, both countries with a deep hate towards our kingdom (-200 and -196). The Teutons and The Hanseatic league had also formed an alliance, these countries at a modest -165 and -142. Poland-Lithuania were at -188 for some reason the king did not understand. As far as he knew he had never done anything against that empire. The Prussians were just as bad, currently a vassal under Poland they were at a steady -173. The new kingdom was surrounded by enemies, and these enemies were probably just waiting for the right time to strike.

As the king was pondering his situation over his maps, his eyes fell on Saxony. Sweden and Saxony had relatively good relations (at 65). Saxony lay well inland however, and they could not reach any coastal provinces on the Baltic without having to pass through other nations. But what if Saxony and Hannover could be persuaded to join in an alliance with Sweden. Hannover (currently at -40) had borders to the Hanseatic league, and a port close to Denmark. A thought began to form in the Kings head. If Hannover and Saxony would join with Sweden, a real threat would appear towards the southern borders of both Denmark and the Hanseatic league. Quickly deciding that this was the best way to act, he sent dispatches to Hannover and Saxony with proposals of a royal weddings.

On the 26th of June, bad news came from Hannover. They had refused the offer. Saxony however accepted, so Princess Helene was married to Prince Hannibal of Saxony (relations at 95). The king, knowing full well just how much he needed Hannover in his alliance, wrote a long and personal letter to the Prince Wilhelm of Hannover. The Swedish ambassador reported that the letter had helped the relations to improve a bit (now at -5). Just one month later, the king wrote another long and personal letter, again improving relations somewhat (now at 15). Another month, another letter, and finally on the 30th of December 1494 the wedding took place between the young Prince Rutmar of Hannover and Lady Inga of Sweden. Relations were now improving rapidly between the two countries, and on the 9th of April 1495 she entered in the Sweden-Sachsen-Hannover alliance. The rest of 1495 was spent improving the relations with these two countries. At the end of 1495, Hannover was at 180, and Sachsen at 160. At the same time, the bonds between the Hanseatic league and the Teutons grew stronger thanks to weddings and trade agreements. Denmark and Russia managed to persuade Pskov to enter into an alliance with them. It can ideed be said that the year of our Lord 1495 was one of intensive diplomatic efforts. It was clear that all countries surrounding the Baltic ocean were preparing for war.

1496 came with more ominous news as Venice joined the Hanseatic league and the Teutons in their alliance. To have these two trade centers in a firm alliance against Sweden was not good for the Swedish trade. At the same time the Swedish economy was still suffering. Good news came in April of that year however, as a rich mineral deposit was found in the mountains of Bergslagen. Siezing on this new income, the king ordered new armies to be formed, mostly in Finland. Tax collectors were ordered in Svealand and Finland. Hopefully this would help improve the economy in the future. At the same time new ships were built, the next war would undoubtedly start at see. Two new letter sent to Sachsen and Hannover improved the relations yet more. On the 30th of June war broke out on the continent. England, Milan, Naples and Poland-Lithuania vs France, Scotland, The Papal state, Navarra, Savoy, and Switzerland. Undoubtedly this war would decide much about future Europe, but more specifically, it would decide whether England or France would be the dominant part in mainland Europe. For now, it did not affect our kingdom however, so the king returned his focus to his diplomatic efforts.

As 1497 came, so did the first news from the European war. Scotland lost a major battle against England, and paid 192 gold for a separate peace. Then in March, Milan was annexed by France. So, the score was at an even 1-1 as of now, with France a bit ahead. During the year, our king built yet more ships for the Swedish fleet, after the discovery of the advanced rudder in 1496, some transports were built aswell. Then in October the young kingdom learned how to manufacture cannons, undoubtedly an important discovery at this time. Now the Swedish army would be able to storm fortifications. In the end of the year, new letters were sent to Sachsen and Hannover. Hannover, now at a firm 200 was our closest friends, and the king asked them if they wanted to become a vassal to him. His offer were refused however, and relations dropped to 160.

Anxious to repair his blatant mistake, the king had a special royal crown manufactured and sent it as a personal gift to the Prince of Hannover. With it was a letter where the king wrote his apologies, and hoped that the crown would forever be on the princes head where it belonged. Relations jumped back to 200 and the king could relax a bit. He had decided his new cource of action, and in that endeavor he desperately needed the help of Hannover. Sweden would soon go to war with the Hanseatic league. The reason for this was very simple. Income. If just one of the Hanseatic provinces could be conquered the population density alone would ensure tax incomes that would greatly help the poor Swedish economy. If Holstein could be conquered, then Sweden would dominate the trade in most of the Baltic region. At the same time Sweden would threaten Denmark directly from the south, and would have its first toehold on the continent. Denmark was strong now, and she had strong allies in Russia and Pskov. The Hanseatic league on the other hand, had allies in the Teutons, and Venice. The Venetians were too far away to pose any real threat, and any attempts by the Teutons to attack Finland would surely fail, as Sweden currently had 35 000 men in two armies in Finland. No, the Hanseatic league was the perfect target, rich, poorly defended, without powerful allies, and strategicly placed.

As 1499 came, the Swedish army made its final preparations for war. The fleet left port for the Straits between Denmark and Sweden. At the same time 25 000 (10 000 cavalry) men were leaving camp in Skane to prepare to embark on the ships. On the 1st of February the men embarked on the ships. At the same time the king sent two letters to his allies to improve the relations one final time before the war. On the 21st of March in the year of out Lord 1499, Sweden declared war on the Hanseatic league. That very same day, the royal army started its invasion of Holstein.

The Teutons and Venice joined the war on the Hanseatic side. Hannover joined the war, as they recognized the threat the Hanseatic league posed to all of northern Europe. The cowards of Sachsen on the other hand deserted the alliance.

On the 21st of April, the siege of Holstein began as the Swedish army had finished its landing. No Enemies were in sight, and the king ordered that the 15 000 men of Gota Lifgarde under De la Gardie should ship over as soon as possible in order to advance on Western Pommeria. The king could not believe his luck. As good as all of the Hanseatic league was undefended. At the Same time 35 000 men from Hannover had invaded Mecklenburg. Spies reported of desperate conscriptions in all provinces of the Hansa. But it would hopefully be too little too late. News from Karelia came however. The Teutons had attacked Karelia with 16 000 men. They were quickly defeated by the Eastern Swedish army stationed there though (15 000). Siezing upon this opportunity, the King ordered Nylands regiment (1 000 cavalry, 15 000 infantry) to occupy now undefended Ingermanland. As the Teutons were retreating south from Karelia, the Regiment started its march towards Ingermanland.

On the 20th of May disaster strikes in the east. Upon reaching Ingermanland, Nylands regiment finds itself under attack from 48 000 men (15 000 cavalry) in a reinforcing Teuton army. The Swedish infantry never had a chance against this enormous mass of men and horses. A general retreat was ordered back to Nyland. But only 3 000 men made it back. Then, on the 30th of June the Teuton army reached Karelia. The 14 000 defenders were quickly swept aside by this tide of Teutonic knights. On the 15th of July, Karelia was conquered. The Swedish army currently had 4 000 men in all of Finland. The king had no other option but to sue for separate peace with the Teutons. Karelia was lost in the negotiations, together with 55 ducats. But most importantly, peace was secured in the east. The king was devastated at the news however. Furious he wanted to shift attention to the Teutons, but one of his advisors talked some sense to him: "Karelia is nothing more than a wasteland of forests and swamps, inhabited by 1500 something poor souls. The Teutons can have that place for now, and if we manage to secure one province on the continent, it will all be worth it." The king realized the wisdom of the advisor, and acted upon his recommendations. As Gota Lifgarde were debarking in Holstein to reinforce the siege, 8 000 men of the newly constructed Dala regiment were ordered to embark on the ships in the straits. As the ships started their journey south, the men could hear a lookout cry "Ships sighted off the port bow, they are flying the Hanseatic colours".

(To be continued...)

Steve

 

[nalivayko]

Great going, don't les us hang in the air, the suspense becomes too much for my poor heart.

 

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Nalivayko: In my most recent GC I took loans in the beginning to buy off Russia, and eventually formed an alliance with them, Hanseatic league and Portugal! Good relations with Russia come at a steep cost, but imho it is worth it to avoid fighting two-front wars that are very taxing on your country and economy even if you win.

Russia kept Poland Lithuania and the smaller eastern states busy while I annexed denmark, ended my alliance with Hanseatic League and annexed them too eventually

Portugal was very good at keeping spain busy later on, and when I had strengthened my empire enough to take on the russians, I let my alliance with them expire and teamed up with the Netherlands instead (they also kept spain busy, and are valuable allies for Sweden if you are fighting in Germany). With their help I took Flanders from the spaniards and that really helped my economy hehe.

So yeah its possible to stay on good terms with the russians, but eventually you will want to pay them back for their past crimes against your glorious kingdom...

 

[nalivayko]

Johan, what crimes are we speaking of? I thought it was Sweden who was guilty all the way down. At any rate, thanks for telling me that that idea could work. I promise, I'll ask Danes in my game to treat Swedes nicely .

 

[unmerged(3438)]

Nice AAR, Hortlund.
Especially liked the king's antics . Keep it on.

 

[Carolus Rex]

Please post some screens tooooo!!
I wanna know how the Swedish emporium looks like. For remeber in 1700, I come around!!! (Karl XII)

 

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Chapter 5 The Golden cross over Holstein

10 ships flying the Hanseatic colors were rapidly approaching from the south. There were no time to debark the 8 000 infantry aboard the Swedish ships as the Germans would be within firing range any minute. As the transports were trying to move north to evade battle the warships set battle sails and formed a defensive line to block the Hanseatic ships. Only 5 warships was included in this line. Soon the first ships opened fire. At the far south of the Swedish line the 32 cannon frigate "Tapperheten" engaged two Hanseatic ships closing in on her. The German ships did not even try to maneuver, they just kept going straight at her at full speed. They probably wanted to board her to make most use of their advantage in manpower. "Tapperheten" was dividing her firepower to inflict as much damage as possible on the two ships before they could grabble her. Soon the sound of musket fire could be heard from the south, the Germans would soon be within boarding range. The main thrust came in the middle however. 6 red frigates was trying to force an opening in the Swedish line. Here, just 3 Swedish ships, "Mars", "Nyckeln" and "Dristigheten" lay between the Germans and the 7 transport ships carrying the Dala regiment. A bad move by one of the German ships put her right in front of "Dristigheten" who managed to rake her twice with full broadsides. This put the German ship out of the action and she was last seen trying to retreat south. Meanwhile "Mars" and "Nyckeln" were engaging 3 German ships a bit further to the north. It was impossible to see how the battle went over there due to the large clouds of smoke from the cannons. The German ships were at a serious disadvantage though as they were all still flying full sails. Undoubtedly the German admiral had his sights set for the transports, and wanted to breach the Swedish line as soon as possible. This led to the German ships being more vulnerable to chain shots however, and soon two more German ships were forced to retreat south without any sails. At the extreme north of the Swedish line "Manligheten" was fighting alone against 3 German ships. No news were heard from that part of the line, and nothing could be seen through the thick smoke. Musket fire could be heard though. The Swedish line was rapidly deteriorating, as the engagement turned into a melee of ships. Tactical control was lost as every ship tried to survive. "Dristigheten" was hit by two broadsides that took out most of her crew. At the same time "Nyckeln" managed to rake a German ship with her left broadside, and just a few seconds later fire off her right broadside against a German ship maneuvering to get behind her. "Mars" had been rammed by a German frigate and a vicious melee was taking place aboard both ships. Further south "Tapperheten" had driven off one of the German ships engaging her, and she was desperately maneuvering to avoid being boarded by the second ship. At this critical time of the battle Swedish morale was very low, close to the point of breaking. Then, at this critical moment, two things happened. First, two German ships collided as they both were trying to move within grappling range of the crippled "Dristigheten". At the same time the captain of the frigate "Nyckeln" managed to maneuver his ship behind the now disabled German ships. She pumped broadside after broadside into the helpless Germans. Suddenly one of the German ships exploded with a thunderous roar. The ensuing fire soon reached the other ship too, and they slowly sank together. The three still floating German ships within sight of this disaster quickly decided that the battle was lost. As they were trying to escape south, one was sunk by a broadside from "Nyckeln" and the other one lost most of her rig. Meanwhile, the crew aboard "Mars" had managed to save their ship against the boarding Germans. The German soldiers soon surrendered when they saw "Nyckeln" approaching from behind, ready to blast both ships out of the water if the Swedish sailors should loose the battle. And thus the battle ended, with 2 Swedish ships badly damaged but still floating, and with 5 German ships lost. It was indeed a magnificent victory for the young Swedish navy.

Two days later the Dala regiment began debarking from their transports and about three weeks later they reported for duty to the local commander at Holstein. These reinforcements proved to be worth their weight in gold, and on the 13th of November 1499, Holstein surrendered to the Swedish arms.

As the good news reached our king he was indeed pleased with his armed forces. He promoted the young captain on "Nyckeln" to admiral, and gave him command of the new fleet currently under construction in Stockholm. We will hear more of this capable man later in our story. In December, the crippled Swedish economy finally broke under the strains of war, and the country declared bankruptcy. As the news spread throughout the country morale plummeted. This could not have come at a worse time as 90 % of the Swedish army were currently fighting a desperate war on foreign soil. The king had no alternative but to continue the fight however, a retreat was unthinkable at this moment. But as the new century began, the Swedish army was close to the point of desertion.

In January 1500 a new Hanseatic army was seen being formed in Bremen. The spies were unable to determine the size of this new force, but it was clear that it had to be destroyed quickly. If it was allowed to form and gain moral it would make a lethal threat to the Swedish army. The king ordered the victors from Holstein to move south without any delay. They would meet the Hanseatic soldiers as soon as possible, and hopefully destroy the new army before it posed any real threat. On the 3rd of February the Swedish army met the new formed Hanseatic army on the fields outside Bremen. The battle was quickly won, as the Germans only had managed to raise 3 000 men. The Swedish force of 15 000 men with 2 000 cavalry soon had them routed, and in order to prevent any similar attempts, a siege of Bremen was ordered. Just a couple of months later good news came from our allies as Hannover conquered Lubeck. The Hanseatic empire was crumbling.

In June that same year the garrison of Bremen surrendered to the Swedish army. We now held two provinces on the continent, and we had another two under siege. Our allies held one province, and were moving towards Mecklenburg. It was obvious that the Hanseatic league was getting desperate, and on the 27th of June, 3 ships tried to close our lines of communication over the straits. Our proud fleet quickly defeated this feeble force. And much to our amusement an ambassador from the Hanseatic league approached our king and offered us Holstein in return for peace. The king was insulted by this proposal and quickly dismissed him without further discussion. Realizing that there was a real chance of eliminating the Hanseatic league once and for all, the king ordered our armies to march east along the coast. In October Western Pommeria was surrounded and our forces began a siege of the city. As of right now East and west Pommeria were the only remains of the once proud Hanseatic league.

The tables were about to turn once again however. In October our allies made a separate peace with the Hansa. Asking for nothing more than 250 ducats in return. While we could not understand why our proud allies agreed to this, we would not criticize them in any way for this. The bond between Sweden and Hannover had grown very strong over these years of war, and they had played a very important part in our magnificent victories on the continent. We will undoubtedly need their help again in the future, as they have proved to be men of their word, and true fighters. The separate peace put us in a bad position though, when they left the war, we lost the support of their 45 000 men strong army. Now, all we had was 20 000 men on the continent. Our economic situation did not allow us to recruit any more soldiers, and morale was still very low despite all our victories. As the new year came, our forces were still heavily committed to the siege of western Pommeria. But a new Hanseatic army was forming in eastern Pommeria. At the same time we had lost many men in the siege over the winter. Our continental army was down to 6 000 men in western Pommeria, and 7 000 men in Holstein. Then, on the 14th of April 1501 the bloody Germans attacked our positions in western Pommeria with 16 000 men. 16 000 against our 6 000, our 6 000 with very low morale.

This was the battle that would decide the fate of the Swedish positions on the continent. If we lost, nothing would prevent the Germans from taking back all of their territory. If we won, perhaps we could secure some peace of sorts. And so it was, that on the morning of the 14th of April in the year of our Lord 1501 the king himself took to his horse to lead the few remains of the once proud Svea Lifgarde onto the field of battle. It was a beautiful spring morning as the army formed. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon. We could see the Hanseatic army in the distance. Long lines of infantry dressed in blood red, a couple of thousand cavalry riding slowly on their right flank. The Germans formed 3 lines of infantry, each line consisting of over 4 000 men. Their cavalry still on their right flank, perhaps 2 000 horses. On our side 5 000 men. The king formed our infantry in two lines of 2 500 men each. The reds stood shoulder to shoulder, their line stretching over 2 km long. Our line, with huge gaps between each battalion, stretching perhaps 1,5 km's. The men were hungry, they were tired after almost constantly fighting or marching for the better part of two years, tehy were scared... In the rear, our cavalry, numbering no more than 1 000 horses.

It took a couple of hours to form our defensive line. The Germans had halted their advance perhaps one km form our line. They too were preparing for the battle. Men could be seen riding back and forth along their lines, giving last minute orders. We waited as the sun was shining from a cloudless spring sky. At noon they came. We could hear their buglers sounding the advance. Slowly the giant mass of men started to walk across the open field. Our men were nervous, some were scared. Steady men, the king ordered. Let them come to us. He rode back and forth across our line to calm the men down. Beside him rode a page with the flag, our beautiful blue flag with the yellow cross. When the red line was perhaps 100 meters away their buglers sounded the assault, and they all charged. The king ordered our cavalry onto the field as he had spotted the red cavalry moving in for the assault. This would be the first battle. As the 3 000 cavalry met on our right flank, the two lines of infantry crashed together in a vicious melee. All tactical command was soon lost as there were men everywhere. Different battalions were desperately fighting for their lives. Some reds broke through our first line and managed to surround some regiments, they were in turn attacked by our second line units, and were soon surrounded themselves. And so was the fighting for the most of the day, with isolated islands of Swedes desperately fighting to avoid annihilation. The battle continued for the better part of the day with heavy losses on both sides. The king himself was surrounded in one of the pockets with his lifeguard, fighting along the regiment from Dalarna. Over on the left flank the Finnish regiments were surrounded on all sides facing 5 enemies for every Swede. In the middle, the king fought alongside his men against equally hopeless odds. On our right the Vastgota Lifgarde under De la Gardie had managed to find a small rise in the terrain, forcing the reds to fight uphill. Our cavalry was nowhere to be seen, but hopefully they were out there somewhere. The sheer number of reds pressed us back, our lines were crumbling under the pressure. But we all knew there would be no retreat in this battle, there was no place to pull back, it was as simple as that.

Things looked bleak for our men. The lines in the south were crumbling, the king was surrounded with the major part of our army. He could be seen in the middle of the defensive circle they had formed, trying to encourage the men to achieve more than humanly possible. But yet, everywhere he appeared, he managed to calm the men, to persuade them to fight instead of give up. Suddenly we hear buglers from the north. It was De la Gardie who had ordered his men to assault down the hill towards the king. Apparently he thought it best if he could join his forces with the king. A small blue line of infantry managed to strike their way across the red ocean, and soon the little blue island where the king fought had grown a bit, now stretching perhaps 300 meters across. At least the forces were together now. No news came from the south though, and it was impossible to see what was happening over there. The king and De la Gardie met inside the circle. De la Gardie had been wounded in several places, nothing life threatening though. He urged the king to order a general attack north in order to take some of the pressure off the finish regiments on our left flank. The king agreed, "anything is better than to just stay here and loose the battle" he remarked as he called for his bugler. De la Gardie and his men were ordered to fight as a rearguard, protecting the army's back as they prepared to strike north. In a few minutes the orders had been relayed to the battalion commanders and the king rode up to the northern part of the defensive circle. As the bugler sounded the advance, the Swedish line charged with a ferocity never seen before. The sheer desperation of the attack caused the red lines to crumble. The king was at the absolute forefront of the assault together with his guards. And the sight of the Swedish king together with his flag and his proud guards fighting like lions were too much for many of the Hanseatic mercenaries. Their lines did not break, but rather moved out of the way. No one wanted to be the one standing directly in the path of the furious assault. Soon the better part of the army was on the advance, with De la Gardie struggling in the rear to keep the reds off our backs. The red lines had soon been breached, and the foremost regiments were approaching the Hanseatic soldiers surrounding the Finnish regiments. Shocked to suddenly be under attack from behind, these lines quickly melted. And the King had managed to rescue the survivors of the Finnish regiments. This would prove to be the decisive point of the battle. As the red lines between the kings regiments and the Finnish regiments melted away, panic started to spread throughout the red army. Many of the red battalions caught between the two parts of the Swedish army began to retreat east in panic. And as these battalions passed other regiments, the panic spread. Soon the better part of the Hanseatic army was in retreat west. As the Swedish army was regrouping to form new defensive lines, the red buglers called the general retreat. The battle had been won. As the Hanseatic army retreated west our exhausted men could not believe what just had happened. They were too tired to cheer, most of them just fell to the ground, to exhausted to even speak.

It was a magnificent victory, but a costly one too. Of the Finnish regiments, numbering 16 000 when they arrived on the continent, only 500 remained. The entire army was down to 3 000 men. But the battle had been won. Soon the Hanseatic league approached the king with new offers of peace, and this time it was accepted. The price was high though, as Sweden was given control over the provinces of Holstein, Bremen and Western Pommeria for all time.

And so it was that in the year of our lord 1502 Sweden more than tripled its population and gained control over Holstein, the most desired trade center in northern Europe. As the news flew across Europe, the king wept as he saw the Swedish flag fly over Holstein, a bright golden cross over a blue background, that beautiful spring morning a long time ago.

(to be continued…)

Steve

 

[Tue]

Great AAR. Is it just me or have your wars so far been on the brink of disaster?

Tue

 

[unmerged(749)]

The reds stood shoulder to shoulder, their line stretching over 2 km long.

Goode Sir, we here at the Royal acedemy were wondering, what the devil is a "km", it being circa 1500 and all?