Diplomaticcorp

Welcome Guest! [Log In] [Sign Up]

Diplomaticcorp Discussion Forum

Current View: Recent Messages: dc474
(Europe 1615)

Messages:

New Post
List of Topics
Recent Messages

Preview:

Compact
Brief
Full

Replies:

Hide All
Show All

FALL 1615 - mmedeiros (Dec 01, 2013, 11:09 pm)

It was inevitable. The Scandinavians were pressing deep into northern Germany, the Netherlands would soon be engulfed. As the hulking Norwegian fleet sailed south, the Dutch would meet their assailants just north of the West Frisian Islands. As one Dutch historian would put to paper in the coming days: "The great galleons would collide, fused in a fury of cannon balls, musket fire, and screaming men. Without the help of her allies, the Dutch Provinces soon fell to the onslaught the northerners, and the supporting Hessian army to the south."
The Scandinavians would not stop there. Supporting the army of Mecklenburg and its advances into Brandenburg, the Austrians were quickly expelled.
In Poland, a once staunch ally of Austria, the Protestant factions take hold of the parliament, setting their army against the Austrians; the Venetians would follow suit.
The Southern Netherlands fall to the French in exchange for Brittany. The French push east taking the Lorraine and overcoming Savoy. However, the Lorraine was a bastion of Protestantism and now rebels against its occupiers. (France will not be able garner influence from the Lorraine, but still entitled to a build.)
The Spaniards take Rome; the King of Spain is now hailed the King and Protector of Rome; the vatican welcomes its Christian occupiers.
The English continue to hold Scotland (its Catholic majority in revolt), and has successfully claimed the Channel.
The Portuguese fleet continues to hold the port city of Corunna in Galicia; this will impact the garnering of influence for the Spanish.

Communique from the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway with its vassal the Kingdom of Sweden: "I am really sorry Austria, it is in the name of Balance."

Austria retreats to Silesia as we open into this Winter of 1615.

Territorial acquisitions:

Powers:
- Brittany, Champagne, Rome, and the Marches to Spain
- Southern Netherlands, Lorraine, and Savoy to France
- Wuertemburg to Austria
- Scotland to England
- Dutch Provinces, Bremen, Brunswick to Scandinavia

Expanding minor states:
- Pressburg to Poland
- Franconia to Bavaria

Entitled builds:

Powers:
- Austria: 4 SCs - 3 units = +1 units
- Spain: 7 SCs - 4 units = +3 units
- France: 7 SCs - 4 units = +3 units
- England: 5 SCs - 3 units = +2 units
- Scandinavia: 7 SCs - 4 units = +3 units

Expanding minors states:
- Poland: 2 SCs - 1 unit = +1 unit (build order to be given by Scandinavia)

Army of the Lorraine and the army of Savoy disbanded.

[Reply]

Europe 1615 - mmedeiros (Nov 25, 2013, 12:32 am)

Had Luther and Calvin been confined before they had begun to dogmatize, the states would have been spared many troubles.

-Cardinal Richelieu

The great French statesman of the early 17th century was alluding to the rise of Protestantism as a major threat to the integrity of the Church's jurisdiction in state affairs. One could only assume that a century earlier Martin Luther could not have foreseen the destructive consequences of his seemingly righteous protestations against the Church's wealth and corruption, and his calls for reform. The wars of religion that continued into the 17th century would culminate with the Thirty Years War from 1618 to 1648, when Protestants and Catholics would clash over princely rights, royal succession, and territory within the Holy Roman Empire.

With the opening of the Europe 1615 Diplomacy variant (DC474) we see players immediately drawing political and religious lines to impose their strategic will. The setting: A fragmented Germany where the individual German states are pliant to the doctrines of Protestantism or Catholicism and the persuasions of the great powers that surround. Deployment of influence by the great powers serves to sway the allegiance of the minor states, primarily German and Italian states (but includes other states like Poland, and Portugal). If the influence is substantial, the state could fall under Protestant or Catholic control. Such a condition would affect builds, scoring, and the garnering of more influence.

We are now entering the Fall of 1615. The Protestant powers' (England and Scandinavia) frugal use of influence at the opening of the game has proven beneficial, as counter tactics have been employed to tip the balance against the Catholic powers. Scandinavia is carving a path through central Germany, while Austria has expanded to take Brandenburg and Wuertemburg. An unlikely partnership occurred between Spain and France to secure a French position in the English Channel, but, because of a lack of coordinated orders, England and Scandinavia have capitalized on the confusion. The events are only heating up. The Livonian army has landed in Pomerania and the Spanish have been expelled from Westphalia with a well-supported Scandinavian-directed offensive by the Hessian army. Should Scandinavia maintain its hold of the Lower Saxon state of Brunswick-Lunenburg it may prove to be too difficult for the Austrians to remove the Protestant presence.

The Ottomans continue to maintain a neutral position to growing European conflict.

Stay tuned.

[Reply]

Page: 1

Rows per page:

Diplomacy games may contain lying, stabbing, or deliberately deceiving communications that may not be suitable for and may pose a hazard to young children, gullible adults, and small farm animals.