Glenn's Prussian Campaign (NTW)

[PershsNhpios]

Thank you Bamff - it cannot compare to yours!
For mine are all written at 11 p.m. at night, without forethought, and from vague memory.. ha ha ha.. it is currently 9.25pm, and I am thinking of playing, then writing the new chapter.
But that will mean a similar situation; bleary-eyed, with a fresh can of coke, typing endlessly and cursing softly at the faulty keyboard and the terrible upload-time for my one picture!

I might just do it! I won't have time soon enough!

Let's hope the Kaiser dies soon, I want new blood..

[PershsNhpios]

PREUSSEN

Ein Teil von der klassischen Geschichte Wolfdietrich von Maechtigbruecks, Uebersetzung von G. W. Roetkelchen.

Sudden reverses on the part of Kaiser Willhelm I - Part II

The fate of the Fourth Army was indeed a sad one, even if their enterprise was successful.
As written in the first part, Sweden was taken by the Third Army in 1754 and the Kaiser believed a threat was shown by the refusal of King Hans I of Danemark to take part in an alliance with Prussia.

So on imperial order did the Third army remain in Scandinavia to guard their gains.

A Fourth Army was both required and possible now in the Empire.
Sweden was already giving great benefits to the economy, and due to Kaiser Willhelm I and his ambitions for war with Britain, the First and Second armies were permanently stationed in the West.

But Finland must be taken.
It were a great shame should the Russian Tzar take the country for himself, and no less insufferable was the idea of allowing a Free Finnish King to reign, as the rumour was now in those parts!
The Fourth army was successfully trained by 1762;
It consisted of the 2nd Brunswick "Bataillion", the 13th Prussian Bataillion, the 1st Guard Bataillion (With Grenadiers), the 1st and 2nd Uhlan Brigades and the 1st Siege Artillery Regiment under Lord Ruesdorf of Stockholm.

These men, though suitably trained and dashing of equipment, were perhaps too haughty - believing that their Finnish enemy were rebels and of poor morale.

When the story of the battle near Hame reached the homeland in 1763, it lead to nation-wide grief and horror for the womenfolk, outrage for the old men, and curiousity for the young.

The Fourth Prussian Army invaded Finland in February 1763 under Kronprinz Willhelm II, whose adversary in command was the King of New Finnlande, Hoerst Edelfeldt I.

The Battle at Hamesfield.

The Finns were splendid in their fair violet-white uniforms, nearly three battalions were present, and only one company of the Swedish Varvade, who had mostly fled.
Three Brigades of Hussars flanked the infantry, and the King was seen to be discussing the field with the officer of his two four-pounder guns.

In fact, it was not a field.
The ground was so uneven and poor that the 1st Siege Artillery regiment could give only the most minimum assistance to the advancing infantry battalions without risking friendly fire.
The Finns were drawn out in a great line on a ridge behind a small forested village, which the infantry would be forced to march through.
The 1st and 2nd Uhlan Brigades marched in column out onto the far left, where the forest waned into open country, towards the enemy's weakest flank.
Ruesdorf's thirty guns failed to damage the enemy right flank, which was the only visible part.

The Infantry was to take large casualties.

2nd Brunswicker Bataillion, eager to outshine the extinct 1st Brunswicker, advanced on the left, but central to the enemy line.
The 13th moved in towards the enemy centre-left, and the 1st Guards on their far left.
Finnish rifles were already in use, and the march doubled in pace to close with the enemy.

Then, Prussian bravery became foolhardy.

The 1st Uhlan Brigade charged across a distance of 450 yards at the isolated Varvade company.
It was believed the guard would shatter, but although they were reduced to 87 men, the Varvade drove off the Uhlans with 40 Prussian horse lost.

The Uhlan Brigades then set about together, causing terrible confusion in the enemy right, where they managed to divide and charge two seperate Finnish companies, destroying 400 men at once.

2nd Brunswicker Bataillion had found their fate.

The men had charged what was seemingly a wavering Finnish company, and, as it retreated to the mess on the right where the Uhlans fought, two companies of the Battalion were entirely cut off by every Hussar on the field.

Not three cavalry brigades, not one entire Finnish battalion could break two Brunswicker companies.
They fought until the Uhlans finally freed them from their encirclement
Including the third company, 127 Brunswickers survived Hamesfield.

The Uhlan Brigades, seeing the plight of the 4th and 5th Brunswicker companies, immediately led a new charge into the backs of a Finnish battalion.
They freed the infantry, heroically, and killed 568 Finns, took 180 prisoner.
But they were destroyed to a man in this last charge.
Not one fled.

The 1st Guards and 13th Prussians were inspired by what they could see from their high position on the right.
But if they would charge, the remaining Finnish Battalions would simply retreat uphill and fire again on their tired enemy.
There was nothing left but to engage in terrible firefights, which cost everyman dearly.
The Grenadier uniform could no more stop a bullet than the artilleryman's tunic.

No more cavalry existed on either side, and the Prussian artillery could not assist the hidden fight beyond the hills.
This needed to be remedied.

The remaining Brunswickers and the other Battalions flanked the skirmishing Finnish troops, (Whose, "King", had long deserted them), and the violet coats were forced by their own tactics to flee into the forest by which the Prussians came.

At the crest of a hill the Finns found that their pursuers had halted, and began anew the firefight, blind to the busied artillery regiments only 300 yards behind them.

All remaining troops of the enemy had been cunningly forced to the edge of that obstacle forest, and Ruesdorf obliged the tactic with a shattering fire that he placed on every visible enemy.

The result was a total Finnish rout.

1180 Finns were dead, 384 captured... But 760 Prussians were dead.

The 1st and 2nd Uhlans were annihilated.

The 2nd Brunswicker Bataillion was not even the strength of one company.

The 13th Prussians were but 300 men with reserves included.

The 1st Guards was broken up and reassigned to the 13th Prussian.

Prussia was deeply wounded by the sudden realisation of how heavily the war damaged her manpower.
But these losses were incurred for chiefly one reason; a lack of heavy cavalry.
The Third army had two Kuerassier and two Hussar brigades, sufficient for breaking two battalions of infantry - the Fourth was supplied with not nearly enough.
Other reasons for such a great cost of lives at Hamesfield were the poor visibility for artillery, and the failure to quickly surround a skirmishing enemy.

Hamestadt is taken.

Hamestadt was, among other things, situated in a valley and 'walled' by a pallisade not tight enough to keep cattle in.
The 1st Artillery Regiment completely obliterated the Stadt and everyone in it.
So ended the siege of a day.

The consequences of violent policies.

Part II will discuss the empire under Kaiser Friedrich Willhelm I up until 1766.
The year in discussion is 1765.
In three years a most horrible event came upon the empire, as an effect of the Kaiser's treatment of the Northern people.
But Part II must be continued in a later stage, suffice to say that by the year 1766 Prussia was threatened with an early subjection to her neighbours.

The map of this time shall be included with this last stage of Part II. Do return to view it.

G.W. Roetkelchen.

[caravel]

I thought about starting an MTW AAR today. I came home prepared to rip out my graphics card and give onboard gaphics another try. Now I find myself confronted with yet more epics of the highest class from bamff and Glenn.... How can one compete with such aficionados...? I'll get my coat...

[PershsNhpios]

PREUSSEN

Part II continued - Consequences of Violent Policies.

The year in discussion in 1765.

Finland is subject to Great Prussia under Kaiser Willhelm I.
This year saw the remnants of the Fourth Army stranded in Finland, and hurrying to build a port that the 1st Siege Artillery Regiment might be transported in the event of war.
The port was not built fast enough.

During the year a Norwegian vessel bearing the flag of King Hans I fired upon the Prussians in the Danish straits.
A short battle destroyed the Norwegians, but immediately tension strangled the border of Sweden-Norway, the news of a naval attack deemed incredible by most, and not yet reaching the Koenigsberg.

The Kaiser refused to believe such a display of aggression to be feasible on the part of King Hans.
It was his wish that Norway would ally with Prussia and fight against England, as Willhelm I dearly treasured Saxony.

He thus declared any Prussian taking part in offensive activity against the Norwegians to be a traitor, and convinced himself that the attack was a privateering venture.

In October King Hans I led his entire remaining army into Sweden, and the Third Army was forced against the will of the Kaiser to fight for their possessions.

The Battle at the Maar.

The Maar was a small rolling field on the border which supplied little opportunity for the Divisional Artillery to inflict casualties on the advancing Norwegians.

King Hans I had two Norwegian battalions and one half strength Danish battalion, with three brigades of Hussars and one Divisional battery of four-pounder guns.

Lord Erlach of Brandenburg had the 8th, 11th and 12th Prussian battalions, the 12th being reinforced with the remnant of 1st Brunswickers - the 1st Brunswick Company.
He commanded also two brigades of Kuerassier and two of Hussars.
The Divisional artillery included 10 Eight-pounder guns, and 10 four-pounders.

Situated below the crest of a ridge, the Third Army waited in formation, the artillery prepared in the centre.
The enemy battalions marched over this crest of the wide farmland and found themselves confronted with a murderous drum-fire, timed so as to continually shatter the formations with shells.
One company was literally decimated.

But the Danish King immediately withdrew behind the ridge, and began to lead the army in a circuit around the Prussians, taking routes out of sight of the artillery.
He began to advance from a position well protected against bombardment, and the Prussian battalions were hard pressed to align themselves and remove the Divisional Artillery to a safe distance.

Now the Infanterie closed swiftly and a firefight began a very close range between the houses of a village in the field.

The Danish Hussars circumvented the Prussian right, obviously hoping to destroy the artillery, but the Kuerassiers were prepared.
A cavalry skirmish ended in Prussian victory with 15 men of three Danish brigades surviving, and 10 Prussians dead.
The 4th and 5th Kuerassiers, and the 2nd and 6th Hussars then freely lined themselves behind the engaged enemy division and led a terrific charge into the very backs of the enemy battalions, and simultaneously charged the infantry.
Not a man of the Norwegians or Danish Infantry survived, and the King was seen galloping madly away with the artillery column trying to follow.

The cavalry brigades suffered 38 casualties overall, the Infanterie 50.

Norway was open to an easy occupation.


Worse news arrives in Koenigsberg.

It is believed that King Hans I, having lost his throne and capital, and calling an armistice with Britain, had felt very threatened by the sudden Prussian offensives in the east.
He saw this not as an attack on Sweden and Finland, but on Scandinavia.
His belligerence was caused by desperation.

The Kaiser completely refused the idea of marching into Norway, which was now all but unopposed to Prussian conquest.
He was determined to have Hans I as an ally.
But they were both old men.

Kaiser Willhelm I decided in 1765 that the Fourth Army, stranded in Finland, was no longer strong enough to bear it's title.
He sent a messenger to give the Kronprinz his intention that the remaining parts of the division should be disbanded and placed on duties for the government of Finland, excepting Ruesdorf's 1st SAR, which would be introduced to a new Fifth Army.
This army would be prepared for service by 1769.

But it was not to be.

In 1766 another sudden conflict occurred in the Danish straits, again believed to be a Norwegian privateering issue.
Nothing however could allow the Kaiser to delude himself now.
King George II of Great Britain had ordered an attack on the small Prussian fleet off Sweden.
The Prussians had won, but this conflict was of gravest consequence.
On the Saxon-Pomeranian border were 3000 British, 3500 Prussian men - on the Franconia-Brandenburg border were 4000 British, 3000 Prussians.
1766 was a year of panic that bordered on fatalistic grief for the citizens of Gross Preussen.

Were the British marching already?
Had they control of the straits?
Would Poland or Russia also commit such acts of treachery?
Would France, the great western empire become involved?

No one seemed to have faith in the Prussian 1st and 2nd armies, which contained all 6 battalions of Leib Brunswicker Infantry - considered the elite of all Prussia.
They contained many brigades of Kuerassiers and Brunswicker Hussars.
The First held a battery of 25 eight-pounder guns.
The Second had almost two battalions of unassigned Brunswicker infantry.

Defeat was by no means certain, but the British had many Highlander battalions and Saxon Infantry supported by brigades of Hussars and British Light Infantry.

Would they attack the homeland, or accept the Kaiser's offer of peace?

Before 1766 had come to a close, Gross Preussen would be almost throttled by anxiety and haste to produce more artillery for the 2nd Army.

[bamff]

Looks like the storm is about to break there Glenn!

Where do the loyalties of the Russians lie? And the Poles to the south? Turbulent times ahead, methinks!

However it pans out, I am looking forward to your next chapter (and thank you for spoiling us with two in quick succession!).

And my Lord Moderator, Asai Nagamasa Pray stay, Sir, join us, and share with us the tales of your campaign....

In all seriousness, for me the great thing about this thread is in looking at the different ways that our respective virtual rulers lead their kingdoms, and the way that our various virtual generals handle battle situations, and the more contributors we have, the richer that comparison can be.

Actually another eye opener here for me has been seeing some of the interesting variations provided by different mods - sereikhaan's Samurai Warlords campaign, and Glenn's NTW campaign are two fantastic examples of this....

So come one, come all - share your stories of battle and empire building, and rejoice in the tales of others!

Okay, I'll go and have a little lie down now...

[PershsNhpios]

PREUSSEN

Ein Teil von der klassischen Geshichte Wolfdietrich von Maechtigbruecks, Uebersetzung von G. W. Roetkelchen.

Part III - War with Great Britain.

1766, as detailed in Part II, was a year of apprehensive horror for Great Prussia.
But it passed without incident.
Everyman of the British 1st Army which was stationed on the Hanoverian border were deployed against Morocco, in competition with France for North Africa.
The British 2nd Army remained in Franconia.

Hope for peace was entertained!

Of course, the Kaiser had no intentions of peace - he wanted only to postpone the war until the Fifth Army was raised and prepared for combat.
He was fifty years old by this time, and the old story of Marcus Licinius Crassus came to his mind.

Crassus, who wishing to glorify himself above his younger political opposition, Caesar and Pompeius, had sought war with Parthia in the East.
Willhelm I remembered the quote, when Crassus said to the greying and ancient Anatolian King, who was building a city, "You begin your project at the third watch.", the Anatolian replied that Crassus too was beyond his prime - to be setting out on a military expedition.

But Crassus was sixty, and Willhelm had nought but an empire and a clean bill of health to guard and improve upon.
The Fifth would soon be ready!

In 1768, King George II accepted a ceasefire - not being entirely sure himself if there ever was a conflict (The Danish Straits seemed to be a hotbed of trivial skirmishes).
In 1769, the Kaiser reviewed the new Fifth Army, it consisted of;

3rd Brunswickers Battalion, known as, "The Resigned Ones".
14th, 15th and 16th Prussian Battalions (The 16th integrated with the 10th Brunswick Company).
2nd & 3rd Prussian Dragoon Brigades.
5th & 3rd Hussars.
1st Siege Artillery Regiment, (With the Fifth Army Divisional Artillery, this included now twenty Eight-pounder gun and twenty five siege guns).
Reserve Companies for each infantry group.

How marvellous they all seemed! Each knew that the Fifth Army was raised for one purpose - war with Britain - and each were entirely convinced of their superiority.

The Kaiser now planned to create a Sixth Army before war would begin, as the British 1st Army was again in Hanover - but time was not receptive of the idea.

Trivialities in the North spark a terrible conflict.

In 1771 another naval battle occurred, wiping out the small Prussian fleet in the Straits and leaving the Third Army without protection.
Danemark had refused a ceasefire, and it was believed King Hans I would ally with Britain.
The British had ensured a war for themselves.

There could be no more anxiety, and no more confusion - Kaiser Friedrich Willhelm I ordered that Lord Ruesdorf of Sweden should immediately lead the Fifth into Hanover against the British First.
By 1774 the Sixth Army would be furnished, and the First and Second would prepare for defence.

1772 was the year in which British and Prussian land forces first met.

The Battle For Hanover

Morbid weather was rampant this season, in August, and the many guns were caught in pits of mud as the entered British territory.
The men had just hauled the guns free of the large natural ditch in the country they were marched through - when the 3rd Hussars reported the enemy ahead.

There were the First, under the King himself, lining a great sloping crest ahead of the Prussians, who were in column and crossing the aforementioned ditch.
The crest spanned to either direction out of sight, and at it's head was a great forest, where the red and white coats could be seen.

Immediately the Eight-pounders were brought up to the fore whilst the 16th Prussians and 3rd Brunswickers placed themselves on the far right.
The Dragoons ranged out to the left, where a field lay.
The 15th Prussians arrayed themselves in the ditch behind the guns, which lined in the centre.

Though truthfully in charge of only the 1st Siege Artillery Regiment, Lord Ruesdorf always found himself at the head of the army.
He was an abnormally talented man.

The British First consisted of two Highlander Battalions, one British, one light company, one Hanoverian company, local militia, one Hussar brigade and divisional Eight-pounders.
But the artillery never made an appearance, to their great misfortune.

For the King ordered the long British line to consolidate around the hill, and this led to a confused mass of men huddling on the rounded slope of the hill.

Three times in a minute did twenty Eight-pound cannonballs ricochet up the crest into that mass.

It is reported that at one stage, due to the skill of the crewmen, half of one Highlander Company was destroyed in one volley.

This barrage continued for twenty minutes, and the rain was tropical in its might.
The two Highlander battalions were reduced to one third of their original number.

But the British were not stone-faced and dumb in the face of the bombardment - several times the tried to charge to open artillery - only to suffer tremendous casualties.
And if they attempted to move from the hill they were cut down but the Dragoons.

King George II had already left the field in dismay at the battering of his men.

Now the 16th and 3rd Infanterie pushed forward, lining themselves slightly adjacent to the forest, from which the British gladly came forth to ask battle.
But they were without power in the firefight, and many more of the redcoats were seen wavering, indeed, many of them became much more red.

Ruesdorf made a mistake.

The British seemed to be wavering and he had routed all but one Highlander company with the Dragoons on the open left flank.
One company of the 16th Prussians was becoming very battered, and Ruesdorf, remembering his experience of the Fourth Army's one and only battle, despised the idea of another slaughter.

With the 15th Prussians available, he ordered them advance through the centre and to partly envelope the enemy infantry which was already half cut from the forest - having advanced down the crest towards the 16th, and having been flanked by the 3rd Brunswick.

Now the entire British First, or what remained of it, was caught in a box without a lid.

The 2nd and 3rd Dragoons obliged.

Ranging out on the left, the cut off the stragglers and charged into the backs of the engaged British infantry.
That the might not receive friendly-fire, the infantry charged immediately also.

Five hundred men at least were destroyed within a minute.

But the mistake was allowing one British company to escape the box and draw off the 16th Prussians, which allowed the Highlanders to escape, who drew the 3rd Dragoons into the woods.

Very quickly the entire box became six fragmented skirmishes both beneath and in the forest.
Already the enemy was attempting to withdraw, but the Prussians were in such a position that they could not allow a withdrawal, if they wanted to remain unrouted.

By the time the enemy had been surrounded and cut-off again, the Dragoons had suffered 83 casualties, and the Infantry overall had suffered 690.

It was another loss of 800 men for Prussia.

An Offensive was a very costly venture.

1400 British were killed, 700 having been killed by the artillery barrage!
400 were captured, and the King ransomed them for 3800 Marks.

1773 in review.

The year in discussion is now 1773, the British in Hanover were under siege by the Prussian Fifth, now making use of all it's reserves. (The Brunswicker 3rd consisted of only 130 men, and the Brunswickers were now considered to have a death-wish).
The British Second was cut off in Franconia, but was well-equipped and far outnumbered the Fifth.
Reinforcements would be expected from Britain, and King George II would certainly try to fight for the coast.

France, Britain's only ally, was growing terribly aggressive - and it was believed that a major conflict could begin with Emperor Louis I and the Eastern Alliance of Russia-Poland-Prussia-Austro-Hungaria if they wished to extend their reach further.
Or would the Eastern Alliance break?

Russia was only cordial in relations with Prussia now, and Poland was very restless.
A betrayal by either, whilst Prussia warred with Britain, would destroy the Black Prince and his Empire.

But the Sixth and the Fifth would march in Franconia and Danemark yet.

Catalogue of the Prussian Military in 1773.

The Prussian First;
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Leib Brunswicker Infantry;
1st, 2nd Brunswick Hussars;
1st Prussian Kuerassiers;
Divisional Eight-pounder guns (10)

The Prussian Second;
4th, 5th & 6th Leib Brunswicker Infantry;
2nd & 7th Prussian Hussars;
2nd & 5th Prussian Dragoons;
Divisional Eight-pounder guns (10)

The Prussian Third;
8th, 11th & 12th Prussian Infantry;
1st Kaiserliche Mercenary Uhlans;
2nd & 3rd Prussian Kuerassiers;
1st Brunswicker Company;
Divisional Eight and Four-pounder guns (5) (10)

The Prussian Fourth;
Disbanded - 1st Guards Grenadier Company and 3rd Company, 2nd Brunswicker Battalion on garrison duty in Finland.

The Prussian Fifth;
14th, 15th, 16th Prussian Battalions;
3rd Brunswicker, (One Company Strength);
2nd Prussian Dragoons, (Reinforced with remnants of the 3rd)
5th & 3rd Prussian Hussars
1st Siege Artillery Regiment with Divisional Eight-pounder guns (25) (20)

The Prussian Sixth (Still in training);
4th Brunswicker Battalion;
17th & 18th Prussian Battalions;
6th & 7th Prussian Dragoons;
Divisional Eight-pounder and Canister guns (10) (10)

[bamff]

Great stuff Glenn!

A great victory in Hanover - but worrying times ahead for the 5th with a very strong English army in Franconia and a similarly strong French force in Holland, and with the 5th now reduced by 800 men.

Are those Austrian forces in Bavaria and Bohemia?

[PershsNhpios]

Aye! The Hapsburgers, who I hope to be friendly with, are Grey.. I offer a colour code!

Green- Russia
Maroon- Poland
Dark Blue- France
Light Blue- Ottomans
Red- England
White- Danemark/Norway
Grey- Oesterreich!
Turquois/Green- Piedmont
Yellow- Spain
Brown- Portucal(Extinct)

I know most of these are obvious, but it is now a complete list!

Thank you for your interest Bamff, I hope you enjoy my modern category of armies!
It is a great challenge to remember those numbers without any aid.
I am very impressed with the aggressiveness of the AI in this campaign, my last NTW game left me with the conclusion that the Napoleonic Era was a pacifistic one in Total War!

I am worried about France.. and Poland.. Russia.. Truly, I do not believe I have any ally which I can trust.
I can only trust that Danemark is too battered to join the fight now!
For the sake of Prussia we must hope that England and France go to war - though I would not mind seeing a re-enactment of Napoleon's campaigns.

I am having a great amount of fun with this campaign - alot of that mind is all in my imagination - creating battalions and recording their histories, such as the Brunswickers, who seem to take the brunt of every confrontation.

Readers - one may add much depth and creativity to a game by making an effort to write an AAR here! Caravel!



Enough of Great Prussia for now, let us hear of King Stephen I!

[bamff]

Truly a great advertisement for the NTW mod, Glenn.

I love the touch of adding unit names by the way - very "in period".