[ETW AAR] Prussia AAR

[Debe]

Ok this is my Prussia game im playing at the moment. Not sure how this will turn out im playing in windowed mode with notepad and making notes and taking pictures whenever anything takes my interest so its a little disjointed but hopefully someone will enjoy it!




I start off by upgradeing everything i can get my hands on (roads, farms, factories) and researching ring bayonets.

I want control of the Baltic, its official. Taking a look around i want more ports, and Denmark (Copenhagen) has 3 possible ports. I'll make that a target, but unforunately Hanover is in the way, unless i use a fleet to transport my army... To make matters worse Hanover is allied with Britan and Denmark is allied with Russia and Poland.

On the other hand Sweden isnt allied with anyone... Ooo the possabilities...

I get a new Gentleman on the next turn and stick him in the school with my starting gentleman. Im not sure if they stack in a single school but its worth a shot! If im going to get into a war (and im going to have to) im going to go for Sweden, Poland and Norway. Not in that order necesserily.

West Prussia would link my land and i guess that should really be my first target. So i start training some linemen in Berlin. Prussia has an excellent Lord Minister of War unfortunately he's 65! so i'll have to make good use of him while he is around.



The navy minister on the other hand proparbly wouldnt know what an ocean was if he drowned in one. So i make him a little redundent. The replacement is a vast improvement!

Sweden and Denmark are fighting it out, i just saw Sweden destroy one of Denmarks Fleets.

I offer Poland 6000 for West Prussia but they arent having any of it. Nevermind i'll just have to take it by force... eventually... but that can wait. I've changed targets.

I decide instead to take my general (Leopold) and his army and land it near Copenhagen, But next turn Saxony declares war on me! Thankfully Poland decides to stay our of both wars. Russia altho does not and piles in with Denmark. But having no Baltic port and no territories nearby its an empty threat.

I engage the defenders at Copenhagen as quickly as possible. I need to finish this and get back to defend Berlin.

My cannons find the mark almost immediately and destroy several of the enemy cannons and a regiment of calvery.



The Danish defenders begin to sweep into the city.



My forces stay in position. I have more cannons than they do. I can level the city entirely if i feel so inclined. They'll have to come for me.



A unit of milita take up position in a building infront of my lines... poor choice of cover when you have 4 cannon batteries pointed at you...



I start demolishing the city.



Then... my game crashes... bah! Nevermind. Reload, Continue Campaign, Turn, everything happens as before and i attack Copenhagen once more.

This time however my first cannon volly doesnt do as well... The Calvery unit that i wiped out in my first attempt this time comes stright for my cannons! the only thing that saves a costly melee is a very lucky cannon shot that knocks out most of the unit.



After what seems like the systematic destruction of half of Copenhagen i manage to destroy 75% of the enemy cannons... My cannons that had been so accurate in the last battle now couldnt hit the broad side of a church... well they could... they often did hit the church, and every other building it seemed.... I want a city not a pile of smoldering rubble!



With the cannons delt with the cannons are free to retarget. The Danish take horrific casualties as the cannonballs rain down on them.



I'd played with them enough, time for the kill.



My ring bayonets come in useful!



Victory! Now i know some people will look at that any say "the ai is crap it just say there taking the shots!" and yes it did but in its shoes what would you do? charge my line? suicide. flank me? i had more men. Its army was lower quality and totally outmatched. I've seen the AI do some bloody stupid things. But sometimes its surprised me.



So now i have Copenhagen which means i have three regions entirely seperate to each other... fantastic. And Saxony breathing down my neck... no matter. Once i have Copenhagen under control i can deal with Saxony.

I quickly transfered Leopold back to Berlin minus some linesmen to keep control in Copenhagen. I picked up another cannon battery along the way and made straight for Dresden.



But the Saxony army intercepts me before i reach the Capital. This doesnt look good... he has alot of caverly.



They charge my lines, Im not ready for that... they'll overwhealm me... nothing i can do about it either!



My lines quickly crumble



Ooopse...

Ok things i learnt from that.

1) Cannons vs a charging force are useless with just roungshot.
2) I underestimated my enemy.

Luckily i have some reinforcements in Berlin and manage to fall back, Saxony doesnt follow... i think i gave them a bloody enough nose that i have some breathing room. But unfortunately Leopold didnt make it

With two schools my technology is going well. I've researched military syllabis and Common land enclosures. Next up... canister shot... heh heh heh. Ok ready to go, brand new army and hopefully this time i'll be able to stop that charge.

I leave Berlin and get intercepted by a small Saxony force! Ok... target practice boys... Game crash... bah! nermind, post this then back to do some more i guess.

Thats where im at so far. Any constructive criticism, pointers or queries?

[Stoned8Ball]

I like it!

Go and take Saxony

[ClaymanVTW]

Ally with hanouver and try to take Saxony.

[JohanRegus]

Go at Dresden again

[Debe]

I dont really want Saxony but i dont think they'll take "leave me alone" as an answer. They can intercept any army leaving Berlin so they are going to have to be dealt with but after my last defeat im a little more than nervous about facing them.

Hanover is a problem, i dont really want to ally with them because i want their territory. I cant risk declaring war because Great Britan is their chum and i want that tradelane to GB and they have a navy where my grand imperial fleet consists of a row boat with a slingshot attatched to the front. Im going to have to try and get them to attack me... lots of spying and assasination attempts then i guess, mixed in with some unreasonable demands.

But first Saxony..