SYW Global Campaign - 1760, Year-end Summary

  World maps at the start of 1760:

• Dutch and France have not been totally knocked out yet but both choose to avoid conflicts
• Britain has been knocked out after being threatened by large naval invasion, choosing to keep their isles and skip the fight.
• Austria is now a single rebel stack in Hungary and will wait and see what happens in the area.
• Russia will continue to fight Sweden, see below for battle result.
• Ottomans will only fight Spain, while keeping small garrisons to monitor the various rebels that didn't actually attack them. see below for battle result.
• Prussia will fight no battles but continue to use its proxies to keep other countries threatened, after knocking out Britain diplomatically.

Spain vs Ottomans

The battle was split into two games, the below shows one of the two games. Overall, Spain was unable to inflict enough damage on the Ottomans over the two games. With more troops left, the Ottomans take Croatia.

Round 1 - Spain on top, Ottomans at the bottom

The Spanish heavy cavalry meets the light Ottoman cavalry at the bridge

Despite losing every combat, by timing their movement, the light Ottoman cavalry manage to get around the Spanish

Start of Round 2, Ottomans take the middle town

The Ottomans are able to push forward and set up on their right

Near the middle town, the Spanish infantry units are getting into a bit of a traffic jam among itself, while taking lots of lucky shots from the Ottomans

The Ottoman cavalry corps flank the Spanish infantry on their right

The Ottoman light cavalry corps took a lot of casualty near the middle, but the two remaining units do manage to survive and wipe the Spanish cannons

The Spanish cavalry units try to do the same to the Ottoman cannons near their camp, but are blocked by some brave Ottoman infantry

End of round 2 - the Ottomans have successfully gotten around to the Spanish flank, both near the center, and the Ottoman right

At the start of round 3, the already weakened Spanish infantry units fail their discipline check and charge into the middle town, which only wound them even further
 

At this point, the Spanish center and flank are both on the verge of collapsing. With their casualty already high, the Spanish player conceded. The game is called in favor of the Ottomans.

Russian vs Sweden

The Russian-Sweden battle was incredibly messy. Overall, a high casualty battle resulted in a minor victory for Russia as they secured the Sweden camp right before night fall. However, without enough reinforcement, the Russians are too weak to gain any real grounds.

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The End of Campaign Approaches!

With peace treaties signed, and some countries too weak to fight on, our Seven Years War campaign will continue on for a year or two in name but not in deed, with no more major battles. After some consolidation on the campaign maps for a couple turns, we will post the final map.

In the meantime, here are the final nation rankings based on our scoring system. It's been a good first run of our SYW multi-player campaign using Might and Reason and Soldier King. We hope to do this again but in-person after our players take their well-deserved breaks. Stay tuned!

1. Prussia 4 VPs, 4 capitals taken
2. Spain 3 VPs, 1 Capital taken
3. Ottomans 3 VPs, 0 Capitals taken
4. France 2 VPs, 0 Capitals taken
5. Dutch 0 VPs (+1-1) but they made out fairly well all considered
6. Britain 0 VPs but lost the most
7. Russia 0 VPs but split into 2 countries
8. Austria 0  VPs, did not survive as a country. 

SYW Global Campaign - 1759, Year-end Summary

 

 World maps at the start of 1759:

North American Theatre

Britain acts first and invades Brazil. However they suffer greatly from scurvy (played by France) on the voyage there, and then suffer even more in their Battle (B7) against the Spanish. Wolfe is killed in action, Lord Amherst captured, and all British land chits destroyed.  

Initial set-up, British at the top, Spanish at the bottom

Spain takes middle town.

British deploy early across the line.

Spanish lights draw first blood on the flank (also featuring some newly painted TundraWorks British)

British Lights rush the town, but largely unsuccessful

Beginning of Turn 3

At the end of Turn 3, heavy casualties suffered by the British. Game called for Spain.

Both France and Spain order naval invasions that happen after. British Fleets will split and attempt to defend Bahamas and Leeward Islands respectively.

Spain's naval battle is a tough go, but ultimately the Spanish Flag Fleet prevails, and all other naval chits on both sides take a step loss. Spain takes the Bahamas.

France's naval battle goes extremely favorable, being that they outnumber the remaining British fleets 2 to 1. They are able to take back leeward islands and disperse the British fleets with minimal casualties. 

Another initiative is rolled, and since there are no remaining British chits in the area, Spain seizes the last British island.

With nowhere to run the scattered and demoralized British fleets are cut up as follows:

• 2 captured by enemy
• 2 destroyed
• 2 escape back to Europe.

Asian Theatres

France sieges madras at takes it with little trouble.

The Dutch take Siam and the rebel province, destroying the rebel chit.

Northern Europe

Prussia acts before everyone else and invades Netherlands. In B1 they win both battles handily and force the Dutch to sue for peace…

With steady advancement, Prussia takes the middle town early game

All lined up

Impetuous Prussian cavalry charge trapped the units in the Dutch fire zone

Prussian cavalries having success on their right. The lines in the middle maneuver slowly.

Two lines of Dutch still stand between the Prussians and the Dutch home objective.

Ultimately, the Dutch cannot withstand the Prussian shooting. Game ends with heavy Dutch casualties. 

The Dutch will become a minor ally (structurally) of Prussia. They will "contribute" to garrisons in Europe but otherwise be completely demilitarized on the continent. 3 Dutch fleets will be donated to Prussia. Dutch players will continue to operate their country but only be able to move units in the colonial maps. I will continue to score them but at -1 VPs.

Eastern Europe

The Russians attack the Swedes at St Petersburg in B2. However, a bloody massacre ensues and although the swedes take many casualties, the Russians are left unable to maintain the siege and must retreat. The front is a stalemate.

The Ottomans attack the Russians at Volhynian for B3. The ottomans push back the Russians and take the province.

In Hungary, the Ottomans attack the Austrian rebels for B4. A desperate and bloody battle ensues, but the Austrians dig deep and push back the ottomans and the 11th hour. Hungary remains in rebel hands.

Opening deployment, Ottomans at the bottom, Austrians on top

Both sides are slow to move, Ottomans take the center objective

Irregulars battling it out, Austrians losing

Some Ottomans made it to the Austrian home objective, but it's hard to take with just Irregulars

Austrian cavalry countercharge and split the ottoman line

Mass charge in front of the middle town

Austria manages to take the town on Turn 4 Round 2, with heavy casualties

In the bottom of Turn 4 Round 4, Austrian cavalry tries to push back the Ottomans surrounding the town, but fails, with 2 of the brigades 1 sp away from death. With one possible round remaining, the Ottomans would surely wipe out all these brigades... but the turn ends on a 3/d4 and the game goes to the Austrians as the ottomans fail their break by one. Despite having lost 12 units in turn 4, they are not yet at breakpoint. Meanwhile, the Austrians themselves are 1 away from breakpoint due to all the pink cavalry escaping. For a game where there was no casualties until turn 4, it turned out to be the closest we've yet seen.

Croatia's battle is cancelled as the Spanish are able to bribe the command there to switch sides.

Southern Europe

Splitting their army into two, the French are surprised by a direct Spanish advance into their territory. They retreat to reform their army, and meet the Spanish even terms on the Western approach to Versailles for B5.  The French lose both battles and are forced to sue for peace.

Opening deployment, Spanish at the bottom, French on top

France advance on all sides, Spain takes the middle town.

French cavalry charges towards the Spanish home objective valiantly, but gets trapped.

Spanish cavalry blowing through unprepared French on their left.

Game called early for Spain. Spanish cavalry already threatens the French gunline. French would go well over break point by end of Turn 2.

France will cede Provence to Spain, opening a new land path from Catalonia to Provence for Spain.  Piedmont, intimidated by Spain, will  allow passage by Spanish armies for the rest of the game.  France will also cede 40 resources and Spain will gain 2 fleets from the unlaunched commandeered ships and impressed seamen at ports in Southern France.

World maps at the end of 1759: