[ETW AAR] Välde från norden; Domination from the North.. Updated 8-7-09

[thealmightyzorg]

Here's a small intro for a Sweden AAR I will be starting this weekend. It will focus on the the points of views of the generals. Anyway on with the show:

Intro:
A Dream

General Carl Gustav Armfelt was asleep in his commander's tent. He had orders to keep guard a few miles outside of the capital. Being so near to Stockholm gave the soldiers a sense of safety, but that feeling of well-being didn't keep the chill from entering their tents. Like his soldiers, the general was not sleeping well. The cold however was not making him toss and turn, but the vivid dreams. As he tossed in bed he dreamt of a unified Scandinavia, of all the northern lands under the noble Swedish flag. He envisioned great cities, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and St. Petersburg all with bustling ports and rich palaces ruled by a single, Swedish king. As he plunged deeper into the realm of sleep, visions of the Russian bear tamed, the Prussian eagle caged, and the entire North Sea dominated by enormous Swedish ships appeared before him. Huge legions of troops marched in file towards distant lands, fighting for their empire, under the Swedish cross. He saw all of this and was in awe. But one thing he had yet to see, how? How was he going to do this for Sweden and the crown?

The general was up all night, envisioning crafty strategies and grand campaigns. When the sun shone blindingly over the distant peaks, he was already dressed and rehearsing his delivery to the other commanders and generals. Waving away aides he strode to the tent and unrolled a large map of Scandinavia on the table on which they were seated. He talked on how he would conquer the peninsula and force the Danes into the sea in just a few years. He would take an army forth to Christiania while his friend and student Carl Gustav Rehnskiold would take Copenhagen. The Danes would be demolished in one cruel stroke. As he left the tent, he had a grin on his face. He sent a messenger to request more troops. He was going to need more men for this one...
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A small start. As for pictures I will have them by the next update, which should be tomorrow. I just have to start actually doing stuff before I can upload them . I am open to all feedback as it is my first AAR.

[uzi716]

Good start, keep it going

[thealmightyzorg]

Good start, keep it going

Thank you, and I shall keep writing. The next update will be tomorrow, with some pictures also.

[René Artois]

I say old boy! Off to a bally good start, it's really pulled me in and i cannot wait to read more!

[thealmightyzorg]

I'll be putting the update on around noon-ish. Thanks for the compliments.

[René Artois]

What's you timezone, old chap? When you posted the above, it was noon in England! It is now 5pm¬

[thealmightyzorg]

Ah, eastern US, so GMT -5, I just finished uploading the pics (took a freaking age) so I'm going to start writing now.

[thealmightyzorg]

Chapter 1:
New Enemies

General Armfelt's plan had been recieved well, all he had to now was implement it. General Rehnskiold had agreed to muster his forces and assault Copenhagen while he attacked Christiania.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

General Armfelt knew he wasn't going to meet much resistance at Christiania so he would turn south after securing Norway and assist the smaller army of Rehnskiold. Just then however a messenger rushed into the tent with an envelope with the King's seal on it. Shooing away the boy he opened the seal with a knife.

General,

The Russian King Pyotr has announced his intention to declare war on us. I have ordered some of Rehnskiold's army away to deal with this threat. They will not be able to help you in your campaign. As of now your operation is secondary, sieze Christiania if you wish, but know that we will not be able to capture Copenhagen.

King Karl XII

He wanted to shout. Why now?! He had just formed his army, and with Rehnskiold he would have been almost unstoppable. He moved his army on the border of Norway just in case the King ordered him to take it. It was the summer of 1701 and he did not have much time before he needed to act.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Russians had assembled a small rabble in the forests a small distance away from St. Petersburg. Made up of a unit of Streltsy and cannon. Not a large threat for a competant general thought Rehnskiold. He did not have time to lead an expedition as he was busy defending Riga from Courland's armies who recently declared war on Sweden. So he sent a young, ambitious captain by the name of Odert Nordby to take care of the threat.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Odert was a young man who had little experience in battle. In military training however he had set himself apart, so it was not a stretch for him to be appointed to a command post. The company he led was small, only with a unit of cavalry and line infantry, but the enemy he fought had an even smaller force so he thought this was going to be an easy mission.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

He started by moving his men up to the small tree grouping ahead of him. He looked to his right and saw the company of line infantry pushing and shoving amongst each other as they marched. But as he was about to yell to them, cannonfire erupted from the enemy lines. Four cannonballs whistled through the air towards the line, only one hit, however. He saw two men drop dead, each with missing limbs and the jostling stopped. He started counting from when he saw the cannons fire, and at thirty seconds four more cannonballs shot towards them. They were headed for his cavalry this time and the men behind and beside him dropped like flies. Ten men were instantly killed, at this point he ordered his men to charge the cannons, this succeeded in stopping the barrage.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

He retreated then as the Streltsy began chasing them. While the Russians had their backs turned towards the Swedish infantry they let loose a volley. Five men dropped and the Russians charged the line infantry entering a melee with them. Seeing this, Odert sounded the charge, and forty-nine horses slammed into the backs of the green clad Russians.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

It was Odert's first battle, and his first victory. He then planned to march on the ill-defended Russian region of Karelia.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

When Rehnskiold heard of this victory he was happy, but the smile would fade off of his countenence when he saw the army approaching his town of Riga.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Rehnskiold assembled his men at the walls. He had fended off one earlier attack because the enemy was ill prepared for a siege and could not scale the mighty walls. Now he knew that they had learned their lesson and brought cannon. Also this time he had a worthy adversary, not a captain. Almost immediately
the enemy began bombarding the walls, and it wasn't long before they were demolished.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Knowing that he would be annihilated if the cannons continued to bombard him, he ordered his men to file out of the gap in the wall. His line infantry was immediatley intercepted by a unit of the enemies' militia.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

They exchanged fire until the enemy routed after continued volley. The infantry then wheeled around to meet the pikemen who were trying to flank them. The enemy pikemen were then routed by the Swedish pikes.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Knowing that he had won the battle, Rehnskiold sat back in his saddle. The men were chasing down the routing troops. Looking around, he saw a Swedish unit of militia engaged in melee with another, much smaller enemy unit of militia. He also saw the enemy general closing fast on their flank. Sounding the charge he slammed head-on into the enemy general's bodyguard.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Rehnskiold raised his sword above his head and sliced an enemy across his chest. The enemy fell sideways off of his saddle. He cheered, but then he was silenced. A searing pain came from behind, and he saw a blade appear from his stomach. He fell, and there was naught but darkness. Soon after the enemy general was slain, and both lay side by side on the field.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The day was won, but at a cost. After this the city mourned the loss of a hero. Soon after his death Karelia and Norway were siezed. Plans were laid for the destruction of Courland, and the capture of Copenhagen. The empire was at a turning point, would it expand and be great, or would it fall?

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That was longer than I thought it was going to be . Hope you like it!

[thealmightyzorg]

Comments, suggestions, anything?

[Carl von Döbeln]

Very nice.

+rep

[Blackshamrock.]

A swedish AAR nice very nice.

[thealmightyzorg]

Thank you, next update will be either later tonight or tomorrow.

Edit: Looks like it will be tomorrow. About 2 years went by but I had some very interesting battles so its going to take awhile.

[thealmightyzorg]

Chapter 2:
Red Snow

After he had learned of his friend's death, General Armfelt stayed in his office for a day. It was the office of the previous, Danish governor of Norway. Sitting at his desk, head in his hands, Armfelt sobbed. While he was locked in solitude, he composed a letter to the governor of Riga requesting that Courland be attacked immediately. The small country was continuing to be a thorn in Sweden's side, but its garrisons were low after the defeat outside Riga. Soon after the governor recieved the letter he attacked, and the lone province of the country was siezed and the nation destroyed.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The King of Sweden, Karl XII, was three-hundred miles away in Stockholm. Although only twenty years old, he was already experiencing the stresses and toils of matters of state. A year previous, St. Petersburg had been siezed by a small Russian force. The occupation had only been for six months, and brave Swedish soldiers snatched the city back quickly, but the experience had been eye-opening for the young king. He knew after that that the Russians were a force not to be taken lightly, and that they could not be beaten while the Swedes were also fighting the Danes. He was desperate for peace, and going against his advisors' requests for patience, signed a peace deal with the Russian king.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Now knowing that he had a secure flank with Courland conquered and Russia at peace, the king turned his sights on Copenhagen. The king invited generals to volunteer to lead the attack. Though he desperately wanted to be the general at the head of the attack, Armfelt had to stay in Christiania due to raiding parties burning villages and workers' strikes. In the end, however, the king chose an unlikely prospect; Ejlert Suhr. Though many objected to such and important attack being left to an unexperienced general, the king held fast in his decision, pointing to Obert Nordby, the general who had barely any experience but siezed Karelia.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

So, leading a respectful sized army, Suhr set out for the boundries of Swedish control. He stopped just off the shore of Copenhagen, waving away his lieutenants' advice to attack now. The general was hoping to lure the Danish to rashly attack, negating the slight advantage of the large mob of citizens in the city. His gamble paid off. His scouts reported troops filing out of the city, and soon the armies were face to face.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Battle Near Copenhagen: 1703

Suhr surveyed the landscape with a spyglass. The terrain was fairly flat, with trees towards the enemy positions. He organized the Swedish troops thusly:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The cannon were ordered in front, where they began a prolonged duel with the enemy's demi-cannons. Cannonshell exploded near the lines, and Suhr looked intently at the enemy positions. Knowing that he had the upperhand in infantry, getting in a shooting match would end in his victory, that is if his line stayed in formation. Eventually a cannonball shot went over the heads of the infantry and slammed into his bodyguard, killing many of his lieutenants.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

After one of his cannons were hit, Suhr realized he had to engage the enemy in a firefight. He marched his troops forward and to the left, in the middle of the open plain. In response the enemy retreated slightly and made a line directly opposite the Swedes. The Danes then made a very tricky move that Suhr did not anticipate. Without Suhr's knowledge, some of the Danish militia snuck into the forest on the left flank of the Swedish troops and were almost able to send off a volley when they were intercepted by the Swedish militia cavalry.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Making a fateful decision, Suhr split his line in response to the envelopment of his troops. The right flank suffered withering gunfire and almost collapsed, while the left did much better, and destroyed the Danish pikemen using muskets and cavalry. With depleted numbers a battalion general led his men in a futile bayonet charge on the right flank, his men however did not last and they ran to safety in the forest. The left flank however overpowered the enemy troops there and promptly surrounded the remaining enemy. In a very close battle, where Suhr himself killed a few men, the Swedes won out, the enemy general however could not be captured as he turned tale and ran, all the while being taunted by the Swedish infantry.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This victory was talked about for many weeks after it was announced. Suhr recieved a not from the king thanking him for this service to the empire and good luck in the siege. Now Suhr had a decision to make. Should he assault Copenhagen quickly with his experienced but very depleted warband, or should he wait for the reinforcements that were coming?
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Well, another chapter down. Next chapter will be in the next day or two. Good god, I had to re-write this because I accidently hit back and deleted it. That was jaw-droppingly stupid of me. This update was shorter, because #1. I don't have as much time on my hands and #2. I wanted to focus on The Battle Near Copenhagen. Next one will have an interesting turn of events. Hope for feedback, thanks to those who are giving some! I regret not having more pictures of the battle, it was hard enough that half the time I forgot I had to take pics.

[TheKasier]

Great so far Keep it up

[thealmightyzorg]

Chapter 3:
Insurrection

Suhr thought hard about his decision to stay across the channel rather than besiege the city of Copenhagen. He needed reinforcements, and most of all he needed to be successful. If he attacked with this small, weary group of soldiers, he knew he would fail to capture the city. Reinforcements weren't far out, and the soldiers were not willing to fight anyway. The king understood, and his reply to Suhr's letter concerning the decision was acceptive.

Dear General Suhr,

I understand your lack of haste in taking Copenhagen. It is an important mission, one trusted to you because I believed in your skills and wisdom. Your performance at the Battle Near Copenhagen was impressive, and proof to myself and the other generals, that you have the ability to make decisions for yourself. So rest, wait for your army to be replenished, and when the time is right, take the city for me, Sweden, and those fallen in the Battle Near Copenhagen.

Your King,
Karl XII

Across the empire in Karelia, rebellion was stirring. Workers and peasants were enraged at the lack of religious freedom given to their provence, and the man who governed them, a certain Odert Nordby. Nordby was young, and impatient. The role of governer did not suit him, so to satisfy his longing for adventure, he often retired for weeks on hunting trips, or to tend to his estate some miles away, only to find the garrison struggling to contain the protesting citizens. They chanted numerous phrases at Odert, none of them particularly kind:

We want a governer not a gardener!
Swedish pig! Russia forever!

This was contained insurrection, until one fateful day in the summer of 1703, when it became an uprising. Reports from the north began to flood into Odert's office about armed militia, rising against the government.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Before he knew it, they were at the gates, demanding a fight.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

All he had as a defence was his bodyguard, and a regiment of horse he used to serve in. He knew that his doom had grown nigh, but inside he was relieved. He had dreaded the prospect of dying in his sleep at his estate, or even being murdered, now he knew at least that he was going to die in battle.

He saw the enemy lines, and he felt his companions in death experience a shiver of fear. He saw their faces turn from eager, to dreadful. So to make sure his men did not run even before the battle began, he gave a speech to boost morale, or maybe it was to comfort himself, he did not know.

"MEN!" he exclaimed, "Fear not their muskets, nor their swords or taunting words. Know that you are braver than them, and that every one of you is worth ten of them, and that you will die with glory. Yes, you will die, this is a truth. But it is one I willingly face, for I am proud to die in battle, and I plan to slay as many of these peasants as I can. Do you?! If you do, follow me, to death and glory!!"

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With this his men cheered, and the charge was sounded. The peasant militia was caught off guard and as the horses and men charged into battle, no musket fire greeted them.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This cycle of charging and re-charging continued until one of the enemy regiments routed, a cheer went through the men, until they realized they had been enrounded. At this there hearts wavered, but even as they shook with fear, they fought like demons.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Odert was slicing left and right, his sword piercing numerous men. Eventually his horse was slain and he fought on foot for the rest of the battle. At one point he stabbed a man, who fell to the ground and took his last breath. As Odert looked upon his victim, a sudden pain enveloped him. A musketball had become lodged in his innards. He fell, and all was dark. His last sight was his bodyguard rushing towards him and the militia closing in. His bodyguard surrounded his body, protecting his fallen body, and the people say that when they went to him, they found six bodies surrounding him, and his sabre still in his grasp.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Not a single man survived, just as Odert predicted. This defeat cost Sweden Karelia, but this was considered a great victory in the hearts of the Swedes. Ninety-five rebels lay dead, while sixty-nine Swedes were fallen. A memorial was erected in the center of Stockholm, and plans were laid for the recapture of the region. But the plans were set aside by a sudden declaration of war by Russia. Sweden's future was precarious, and a wrong move could lead to the conquer of their Baltic Empire.

In Copenhagen things were dangerous as well, a stand-off had developed between the armies and navies of Sweden and Denmark. A year later St. Petersburg was under siege, and a single battle could decide the fate of the empire. The king was in Stockholm, thinking of a way to save his kingdom and salvage Swedish pride and sovereignty.


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One more down, and I hope you like it! I think its better than yesterday's and there was a lot more writing than pictures. Anyway, please give me feedback and vote in the poll above, your words help this AAR survive!

[thealmightyzorg]

Comments, suggestions? I hate having to ask for comments.

[uzi716]

There is no need for suggestions, I think its fine....

[thealmightyzorg]

Thank you. I have to reinstall my game after one of my game files was deleted permanately. It was my doing, I'm an idiot. Anyway I have my saves so my AAR isn't doomed, its just going to be a little while before I can actually play again.

[crucify_ego]

Thank you. I have to reinstall my game after one of my game files was deleted permanately. It was my doing, I'm an idiot. Anyway I have my saves so my AAR isn't doomed, its just going to be a little while before I can actually play again.

1. Go to Steam
2. Right click on Empire: Total War in My Games tab
3. Press Properties.
4. Go to Local Files Tab
5. Click "Verify Integrity of Game Cache*

This will see if you're missing some files and if so will automatically install the missing files.

[thealmightyzorg]

Wow, I wish I knew that sooner. Thank you, if I ever have a brain meltdown again and delete some more files, I'll use that. I already reinstalled it however. By the way, next update is probably/maybe going to be tomorrow.