SYW Global Campaign - 1758, Year-end Summary

 World maps at the start of 1758:

Colonial

• British fleet fled and took the India chit with it, heading for the Americas. They will not arrive until next year.
• Dutch fleet and troops moved to South China Sea while "pirates" guard the Dutch trade
• Indian rebels attacked the abandoned Madras. They took Madras.

• Dutch fleet landed in the summer and attacked Malacca. Dutch took Malacca but one fleet took a step loss.
• In the fall, the Dutch attacked the rebels in Padong. Dutch successfully took Padong and the rebels retreated with a step loss.

• Spain attacked Brazil by land, and successfully took it with no losses.
• Spain continued to attack Jamaica by sea, and successfully took it with no losses.
• Britain attacked Leeward Islands and played "Caught at Anchor". One French fleet is destroyed outright in the combat. British siege Leeward Islands with 1 fleet step loss. 
• With the British fleet sheltered in Leeward Islands, the Ottomans played "Caribbean Storm", causing the remaining French and Spanish fleet to both take a step loss.
• In the summer, fleets from all three countries arrived from Europe. French fleet dropped off the Normandie stack in Quebec. 
• British fleet attacked Florida with 3 land chits and 4 naval chits. They successfully took Florida but with a step loss to a fleet.
• Ottomans played "Pitt Takes Power", enabling them to recruit more colonial chits in the colonies.
• Spain played "boiled up and ate them", stoking mass panic in the already chaotic 13 colonies, which lost Britain 2 resources. Britain played "dysentery" to take 1 SP factor off of the Montclam army.
• With the stage set for conflict, Montcalm rushed to defend Virginia in the summer, and the British moved in to attack Virginia in the fall. The combat was resolved over two Might and Reason games, see one of the major battles here.
• The French won the overall combat, they were successful in driving the British back to sea. Virginia continues to belong to the French.

European

• In early Spring, Prussia attacked Vienna right away with all of their chits plus the Bavarians for support. The Bavarians were sent by the France. The combat was fought in three games. See one of the major battles here.
• Prussia won the overall battle decisively and took Vienna. With that, the Prussian players were presented with three options:

• Prussia chose Option 3 - Germany is formed! 
• With that, France breaks out of the alliance and declares war on Prussia and Spain.
• After losing their capital, Austria is broken into two teams - those that support and reunite with the Spanish Hapsburgs who now play as part of the Spanish team, and those that remain loyal to the "true" Hapsburgs, who now play as Austrian rebels until they can reform "Austria".

• France gave orders to withdraw various chits to defend their southern borders.
• Both France and Britain sends troops to the new world.
• In summer, France, now at war with Prussia, attacked Hesse and successfully took it with no step losses. France continued towards Hanover.
• In fall, Prussia counterattacked France in Hanover with the newly acquired Saxony armies and Frederick's best chits. The combat was fought in two games. See one of the major battles here.
• Prussia won the overall combat decisively. Not only were they able to take back Hanover, they proceeded into Ile de France. The beaten up French army decided to retreat away from the Prussian.
• With the Prussians now in their capitals, France was forced to sue for peace.

• Spain attacked Portugal with an land army and Naples fleet. Britain allied Portugal and joined the fight. Overall, the British fleet drove away the Naples fleet with one step loss. But Spain won against Portugal with one land and one sea step loss. The Portugese fleet fled to England with their troops.
• France attacked Tuscany with the Piedmont troops. The battle was played in one game. Spain won the battle and kept Tuscany.
• Spain also gained Vienna as Prussia formed Germany.

• Lots of cards were played to slow Prussia's attack in Russia by both Russia and the Dutch. However, since the Prussians were playing defensively on that front, none of the cards had a real effect.
• Ottomans attacked Russia in Volknyia early in the year. They were successful in taking Volknyia with no step losses.
• Seeing the imminent demise of the Austrians, Ottomans also attacked Transylvania and took it with no step losses.
• In the summer, Russia decided to take all their chits and attack Prussia. Prussia played "Surprise Attack" on the Russians which removed a third of the Russian army. The battle was resolved over three games. See one of the major battles here. 
• Prussia won the overall battle decisively, which allowed them to push forward and invade and take St. Petersburg.
• With their capital gone, Russia fell into a civil war, splitting the country into two sides that are now at war with each other - the German court which is under Peter and sponsored by Sweden and the Prussians, and the remaining Russian court under Catherine, who has succeeded the recently departed Elizabeth.

World maps at the end of 1758:

SYW Global Campaign - 1758, Prussia vs Russia

 Russia invades East Prussia (Again)

PR + PO 560 pts vs RU 460 pts

This is one of the two games we played to resolve this battle.

Right off the bat, the Prussians are playing aggressively, advancing on almost all fronts. By the second round of the first turn, the Prussians have taken the middle town, pushed up with their cavalry brigades on both sides, and sent the Guards down the road on their right side, heading towards the Russian camp.

Unfortunately, the Russian commanders are less in control. Most corps on their left side (Prussian right) do not activate.

Seeing the Prussian cavalry from across the river, the Russians deploy their infantry, ready for a fight. Meanwhile, the Prussian Guards are still making their way towards the Russian camp.

By turn 1 round 3, the Russian camp is taken.

The Russian cavalry brigades near their camp are now caught between the Prussian infantry, and the advancing Polish cavalry.

At the same time, the Russian center is also in risk of being overrun. 

Strong Russian shooting blunts the Polish cavalry attack.

Being attacked from all sides, and with their main camp taken, the Russians are looking surrendered. 

At the end of turn 2, the game ends with many Russians being run.

SYW Global Campaign - 1758, France vs Prussia

Prussia invades (French) Hanover 

PR 580 pts vs Fr 340 pts

This is one of the two games we played to resolve this battle.

The stage is set, with the Prussians deployed at the bottom, and a smaller French army at the top.

After intentionally losing initiative on the first round, the Prussians win initiative on the second round of turn 1 and rush into the center town before the French can.

At the end of turn 1 round 3, the French infantry brigades have formed lines against the Prussians. However, despite getting to the center town early, the rest of the Prussian infantry brigades are taking a longer time getting to the center.

At the beginning of turn 2, the Saxon cavalry brigades are getting surrounded by French line infantry.

The other Saxon cavalry brigades are also keeping busy on the Prussian right.

On turn 2 round 3, the French infantry brigades on the Prussian left fail their command roll and "charge" into the Prussian cavalry brigades that are enveloping them.

In the mean while, the Saxony cavalry brigades in the center get around the French line, and starts over-running the French canons from behind.

By the end of turn 2 round 3, enough French units broke and the game ends prematurely. This, in a way, allowed more French brigades to escape from the battle.

SYW Global Campaign - 1758, Britain vs France

 Britain invades (French) New York

FR 250 pts vs BR 250 pts

This is one of the two games we played to resolve this battle.

Starting deployment, with the British at the bottom.

At the end of round 1, now from the French perspective. The two sides are inching towards the river, slowly.

At the start of turn 2, the French infantry secure the center town, and wait for the British from across the river.

By turn 3, the two sides finally make contact. Combats start to go down on the French left/British right.

Meanwhile, the Quebec militia try to sneak past the British line and make a run for the undefended British camp.

The British try to shoot the French away from across the river, hoping to drive the entire army away before they lose their camp, with some success.

By turns 4, the French left starts to disappear under the British shooting and charges.

Fueled by their success but also getting more desperate, the British troops charge across the river in an attempt to take the center town. However, the charge is unsuccessful, causing heavy attrition to the troops, and killing the sub-commander James Murray.

After milling around for rounds, the Quebec militia finally makes it to the British camp.

At the end of turn 4, the British, after losing their camp, run away. Unfortunately, due to heavy casualties, the French also run away at the same time. The game ends in a draw. 

SYW Global Campaign - 1758, Prussia vs Austria

 Prussia invades Vienna

After successfully taking Bohemia and winning decisively against the Austrians last year, the Prussians pushes on into Vienna with two large armies. 

PR 640 pts vs AU 460 pts

This is one of the three games we played to resolve this battle.

The Prussians are aggressive right off the bat, advancing their entire line far towards the Austrians just under the first round. 

At the start of Turn 1 Round 2, the Austrian Hussars on the left charges uncontrollably into the Prussian Freicorps cavalry, and kill both.

On the Austrian right, two Prussian Cuirassier brigades are sent in to stop the advancing Austrian troops getting around and coming down the road. However, the charge is unsuccessful and the Cuirassier suffer attrition.

By the start of turn 2, the center Prussian cavalry charges into the Austrian infantry, and start to wipe them out, one charge at a time.

However, on the Prussian right (Austrian left), the two Cuirassier brigades are still trying to delay the advancing Austrians all on their own. 

Soon, the Prussians in the center start to envelope the Austrians, cutting them off from their left.

Prussian reinforcements finally arrive, just in time to relieve the beat-up Cuirassier brigades.

Between the Prussian shootings and charges, and some unlucky dice rolls, the Austrian center quickly starts to disappear.

At the end of Turn 2 Round 3, the Austrians completely surrender.