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A crushing victory and apparent vindication for the 'Canadien' style of warfare. I wonder, though, how well it will hold up if the English pull together a large force of regulars. If they can reach the main cities of Quebec, a more conventional siege is likely to follow and I wonder how well the Canadiens and natives will deal with that.

Of course, for now that possibility is still a very long way off. You have secured your borders where Fort Cumberland used to be - well done.
 
A crushing victory and apparent vindication for the 'Canadien' style of warfare. I wonder, though, how well it will hold up if the English pull together a large force of regulars. If they can reach the main cities of Quebec, a more conventional siege is likely to follow and I wonder how well the Canadiens and natives will deal with that.

Of course, for now that possibility is still a very long way off. You have secured your borders where Fort Cumberland used to be - well done.

You are right. My strategy is to be sure that any "large force of regular" who could threathen Québec or Montréal arrive so disorganised and weakened that my own regular and Montcalm can crush them.
 
October 1755 - February 1756 - Revenge & Revanche.


EnglishRevenge.jpg


1. French revanche for their fear

With the fall of Fort Cumberland and the destruction of Braddock's column, the French are free to rampage in the Delaware.

Fort Allan is the first victim of French actions :

Turn8PoorBraddock.jpg


Very unfortunately, reinforcements from the homeland had been disembarked in Alexandria, two provinces away and next logical target...

Turn8Great.jpg


This is the panic :

Turn8Surprise.jpg


Ultimaly, though, the Indians would take their winter quarters and the guns & supplies could be shipped to New York without major issues.

Action were taken in prevision of next year :

Turn8SoWhat.jpg




2. English revenge in Acadia

In Acadia, the landing went unopposed (October) and I can march on Saint-Jean. Meanwhile, the French had evacuated their troops for winter. English Acadia would remain English...

Turn8Siege.jpg


The siege started in November. It would be very long despite the presence of siege guns :

Turn9theSiegeofStJean.jpg


From December onward, the supply chain to English Acadia was set into place. Supplies would be moved by ice sledge over the Gulf. [In game terms, I loaded each turn a supply unit on my "frozen" transports, and unloaded the following turn in Halifax]

Turn10TheSiege.jpg


Yet, the siege was long and difficult :

January :

Turn11Thesiegecarrieson.jpg


February :

Turn12TheSiegeCarriesOn.jpg


The port would fall in March, and Grandpré is still standing.

Turn13FallofSaintJean.jpg


The troops would be exhausted (I had one turn of supply lack, and winter had taken its toll), and shipped back to Halifax. The time needed to make that force recover its power would mean it would not fight for the beginning of 1756.


3. Preparation in Albany

In October, I receive very precious troops in Albany - the battoemen :

Turn8Battoeman1.jpg


While not the most punchy, they are some of the most practical units of the English - in addition to their supply bonus and their crossing of rivers bonus, they can build bateaux in some hard-coded places :

Turn8Battoeman2.jpg


Plus they come with a commander :

Turn8Brad.jpg


Meanwhile, on the Champlain, the French were pulling out (for winter), so I decided to follow them to see what could be done (october) :

Turn8gogogo.jpg


The French force was rather small, and if I could take a large part of the Champlain early, I would be in a strong position for 1756.

Unfortunately, the weather was too bad to carry on November, and I pulled out as well to Albany, where I waited the end of winter.

Turn9BackToAlbany.jpg
 
Just talking from a little experience - it's not rly worth it. Brits get massive reinforcements when albany falls.

Good times :)

It doesnt if you keep it in strategic places or if you train them.

For the training : True, but Washington had a queue of troops to train long enough to hold all winter and beyond.

For the strategic places : I did not know, but does that mean you get more troops the following year, or just the difference ?
 
Also, don't forget :



There is the Aarthena to vote for as well ! (but no fancy icon).
 
does sound a bit like you were saved by winter ... the near loss of those supplies and guns must have been scary. At least with St Jean, you will be able to move onto clearing that fort that protects Quebec once your fleet arrives in force.

There is the Aarthena to vote for as well ! (but no fancy icon).

Not yet, prob start of Feb

but please all go and vote - so far there is only 1 (& that is disallowed) vote for any AGEOD game
 
For the training : True, but Washington had a queue of troops to train long enough to hold all winter and beyond.

You could try to juggle them - move away units that have at least one trained element in them. IIRC that is enough for them not to dissolve.

For the strategic places : I did not know, but does that mean you get more troops the following year, or just the difference ?

IIRC you can have 2 militia units from a region in a strategic place from the region and they won't dissolve. Techincally you should get more troops next year, as long as you are not near the total number of militia units you can have at the same time. Also fully trained units don't count towards that cap.


Question to general hoth - why didn't you build depots and bunker down on the south bank of lake champlain?? From what I remember it's crucial not to let the british get acces to a harbor on the lake.
 
Because Fort Carillon (and Oswego for the english) are built via event in next summer. Fort 1 and Depot 1. I don't have the guns and supplies to spent on early fortification.
 
The history corners remind me of sciences humaines 10. I'm torn in who to cheer for though, so I'll have to wish goo luck to all the participants then!
 
Le Grand Dérangement et la Drôle de guerre

The troops were arriving in Montreal. Nearly two thousand of them, returning from the Champlain area without having fired a single shot. Gouverneur Général de Vaudreuil was really angry. Not against them but against their leader, the Baron de Dieskau. Named Commander in chief by Versailles, he completly failed his first operation. Refusing to continue to wage war like Vaudreuil wanted and ignoring the lessons of the stunning victory of Fort Cumberland, the Baron assembled most of the military force of the colony and headed directly toward Albany. The Marquis de Vaudreuil sent him letters after letters warning him that Albany was too well defended for an all out attack to succeed and that a defeat could spell the doom of his army as there was absolutly no logistic base to retreat to, only forest for miles away! The Baron concentrated his forces near Fort St-Frederic and then advanced on Albany. He finally listened to reason when his Huron's scouts finally convinced him that the Albany's garrison was 4 time large as the combined Indians, French and Canadian army. His second, the Chevalier de Rigaud, a Canadian born nobleman and brother of the Gouverneur-Général, convinced him to try another operation. The Mohican, an Iroquois tribe, was one of the rare native tribe engaged in the war alongside the redcoats. Rigaud suggested to make an exemple of them and burn their village while Dieskau attacked the nearby Fort Edward. A strange strategic ballet would begin, thus giving inspiration to modern historians to call this campaign the "phony war", la "drôle de guerre".

young-french-soldier-portrait-randy-steele_zpsaf117b4d.jpg

Canadien's raiders, the main strengh of Dieskau's army.

It would be 2 full months of unconclusives manoeuvers, small raids on villages, failed ambushes, march and countermarch until Dieskau realised he had lost his chance: the english were on the verge of surrounding him and were at least 3 times more numerous than his army. The enemy was closing in and Dieskau had no other alternative than to flee or to die. He organised a well timed retreat, escaping the enemy who were looking for his force from three differents directions. The retreat was a total success, without shooting a single volley. But as part of the troops were reinforcing Fort Saint Frédérick's garrison, the rest was regrouping in Montréal, ready to take winter shelter. The morale was low amongst them, ashamed of not having won the sames astounding victories of their comrades in arms in Acadia or Fort Cumberland. Dieskau was relieved of his command at the express order of Gouverneur Vaudreuil. Versailles accepted to send more reinforcement and a new commander-in-chief: the Marquis de Montcalm. Now, winter was coming, New-France was about to enter hibernation until spring.

deacutefrichage_hiver_zpsd54a441f.jpg

In Nouvelle France, even the harshest winter could not stop the fortifications efforts.

Far away, in Acadia, winter was not to be peaceful at all. After the evacuation of the main force of De Léry, only some guerilla forces remainded to slow the english forces alongside the militias protecting the forts and cities. The victories of the summer had made the english overcautious and more brutal. The continued to deport every Acadiens that could not have been evacuated toward Québec. Their exactions motivated the militas and guerilla who holded the english at bay during nearly all winter, causing them severe losses in the cold climate. But eventually, after months of siege, the garrisons began to surrender before straving completly. Only some guerilla forces would continue to harrass the british until the end of the war.
Joseph_Broussard_Beausoleil_acadian_HRoe_zpscf8ddaac.jpg

Some legendary guerrila leaders would emerge and become heros in modern day movies and litterature, like Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil

But a fact could not be overlooked: it was a defeat. French territory had been conquered and could probably not be taken back by force unless peace gave it back. His inhabitants were deported by the thousands, loosing all while thousands of english settlers came to take theirs lands. Survivors would tell their stories everywhere in New France and in Europe, showing the inhabitants of the Nouvelle France what would happen if the English finally won. A new motto was on all the lips: LA VICTOIRE OU LA MORT (victory or death).


Historian's corner

LE GRAND DÉRANGEMENT: the acadian's deportation


The first modern ethnic cleansing operation in history is called the "great upheaval", le "grand dérangement" by it's victim, the Acadians. Fearing a possible civilian insurrection of the Acadiens behind their lines, and having an eye on the most fertile land and farm in the whole of north america, they decided to get rid of the Acadians. They first insisted upon them to take an oath to fight the French. They refused but proposed to instead, take an oath of neutrality and non-intervention. When the fall of Fort Beauséjour in 1755 ended any threat of French interference, the governor Charles Lawrence began organising the operation. He sent troops in all corners of Acadia and ordered the deportation to begin september 5th. It began at Grand Pré (it's why I tried to defend it) when colonel Lieutenant-Colonel John Winslow rounded up all the men of the region to read them the deportation order.

DEPORT2_zps98d28aa6.gif

Colonel Winslow reading the order of deportation.

They learn that the Crown was confiscating their lands, homes, livestock and all possession excepted their money and that they were to be shipped out of this province. The british even broked that promise, stealing all before forcefully embarquing them in overcrowded ships. A third of the acadians died of those horrible conditions. The governor Lawrence ordered Colonel Montkon to separate men from their families. Monkton then began to burn acadian house and giving the lands to british settlers. Governor Lawrence then ordered to starve any surviving families hiding in the woods.

2_La_Deportation_des_Acadiens_George_Craig_1893_LARGE_zpsa95ddf04.jpg

English troops were ruthlessly efficient against the old mens, women and childrens

Boishébert and his irregulars would continue to resist with guerilla method for the rest of the war while many acadians would fight in the Plains of Abraham. Some hero would enter the legend, as Joseph Broussard, aka Beausoleil.

Thousands of them would end up in Louisiana, becoming the "Cajuns". British governement still haven't presented his excuses for these events. Acadians are now a scattered community in Canada, divided by english communities and having nearly no political power or representation. But they survived and adopted the french tricolor flag as an emblem, with the star of the virgin mary on it and are still proudly displaying it today.

Tintamarre_zpsccde32c3.jpg

A modern day "tintamarre", an old french tradition

I encourage you to watch this small 5 minutes video from The History of Canada documentary. It will even begin to show you the conflict between Vaudreuil and Montcalm! http://www.videopediaworld.com/video/59491/Québec-History-10--The-Acadians-Deportation
 
Just wanted to say what a great AAR this is a brilliant mix of gameplay and historical information! If I but had the time to play more than 1 game at once WIA would be there at the top of the list.
 
Thank for the comments. I will try to add more screenshots in the future.
 
We are playing 56 right now. Many uncivilised battle yet to come!
 
Haha, I'm excited. Keep it up!
 
I don't know which side is winning at this time (the present in the AAR, not in your actual game), but I had kind of expected a stronger British attack by now. So going by my poorly reasoned gut feeling, I'd say the French are doing better than they originally did and hence so far this is General_Hoth's game to lose and Narwhal's game to win. Of course, it's really far too early to say anything about the final outcome.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the various strokes and counterstrokes. Looks good, looks interesting.
 
This is always only the french to loose. I can't possibly think of invading the 13 colonies while the enemy can crush me if I make one or two mistakes. 56 is ending in the game, if you like stroke and counterstroke, you will be served.
 
Any idea when the next update is coming? Great AAR by the way.