Post by John Marston on Jun 18, 2021 11:51:48 GMT
Why France?
A cursory analysis reveals two countries with easy-ish access to all fronts: France and Austria. I found it convenient to compare them to their 1798 counterparts, HRE and France. France here has to conquer a hostile Spain, and Morocco, while in return it enjoys a friendly entity in western Germany (Confederation of the Rhine), a friendly Sweden, a more powerful Poland, a friendly Naples, and control of Rome. Seemingly not too different a position from 1798. Austria has a friendly Spain, but must now deal with a more hostile Italy, a hostile Sweden, a more powerful Poland, and instead of starting with western Germany in its hands, must conquer this region. All in all, a much weaker position. Britain, which in 1809 does not have Nelson's mediterranean strike group, is right out. So, I chose France.
Strategic Positioning
We identify 5 major fronts, and 1 minor front.
1. Great Britain
2. Iberia: Spain, Portugal, Morocco
3. The Northeast: Prussia and Poland
4. The Southeast: Austria and the Balkans
The minor front is Sardinia and Sicily.
1. Operations Against Britain
Generals: Napoleon, Bernadotte, Junot
Our Armée de l'Angleterre (Army of England) is powerful, but the Royal Army (Wellesley, Paget, and Mercer at sea; Cotton and Rowland on land) is powerful too. The goal here is for Napoleon and Bernadotte to cross over to Britain and seize Southampton before the British Army can converge on them. Then, this army engages in a mostly defensive fight (potentially seizing targets of opportunity like Plymouth and Birmingham) until the British Generals are vanquished.
Once Britain's Generals die, Britain crumbles. Expect to kill all the Generals by turn 15-ish, take London by turn 20, and finish up Britain by turn 30. If Junot or Bernadotte die, that's regrettable but probably fine.
2. Operations Against Spain
Generals: Lannes, Ney
As you can probably guess, this front goes very smoothly, particularly with the Armée de Péninsule (Army of the Peninsula) fielding a powerhouse such as Jean Lannes. With a little luck (or S&L), Ney can singlehandedly take Barcelona on turn 2. From there, he joins Lan in attacking Zaragoza, and then push onwards through Spain.
None of the Spanish Generals are particularly threatening, but a little Siege Artillery (build in Albacete, Bilbao, wherever is expedient) goes a long way in clearing out Spanish cities and forts. After Spain is hobbled, take Portugal and Morocco. It really won't be hard to have this front all finished by turn 30.
3. Operations In the Southeast
Generals: Soult, Isabela (or powerful Artillerist you provide)
Because the Armée de Péninsule is so powerful, it can lend certain units to constitute the Armée du Danube (Army of the Danube). Specifically, the Heavy Artillery in Toulouse goes to Isabela, who along with Soult heads through northern Italy towards Austria. There, this force will face some serious Austrian resistance (Radetzky, Archudke Charles), and some amateurish Austrian resistance (Rosenberg), before taking Vienna. After Vienna falls, Buda and Pest come next, and then you will split up the Armée du Danube. Soult, with most of the regular units you used, will go mop up Debrecen and the Balkans, while Isabela with a small force will join the Armée de l'Allemande to constitute the new Armée de la Russe.
4. Operations in the Northeast
Generals: Sophia (or equivalent Artillerist you provide), Lan (or powerful Cavalry General you provide) Initially, this war is a defensive war. Sophia (on the Light Artillery north of Paris) rushes east alongside some regular troops, to constitute the Armée de l'Allemande (Army of Germany). They defend the Confederation of the Rhine against the various Austrian/Prussian attackers (Blucher, Merveldt, Bulow, Vecsey), for a start.
Eventually, you deploy Lan (Double Heavy Cavalry is good enough), and she helps mount an offensive. You take Berlin, possibly Prague too, continue eastwards through Prussia, and join Poland to fight off any Russian attackers (Barclay, at the minimum, will be on the scene by turn 20). After finishing the defensive war in Poland, this army, along with Isabela, will become the Armée de la Russe (Army of Russia), and invade, you guessed it, Russia.
5. Expedition Russia
Generals: all three of your Generals
The most troublesome target will be Minsk. Kutuzov is a menace, the Large Fortress is a pain (although Sophia does a good job taking it out), and Russia will put out Sacken from the Minsk tavern to bother you too. Since you're in a hurry, your Generals can't spend too long here, so you'll need them to bloody the Russian noses, and then use normal units to mop it up. After your Generals have passed Minsk, divide forces however your intuition dictates. You'll need to reach Reval (possibly Helsinki too), Kaluga (and kill Raevsky on the way), and of course St. Petersburg.
Minor Front: Italian Isles
Generals: None
Your ships in the Mediterranean, that Armored Car from Lyon, and the Guards from Rome take over Sardinia, starting in the north. Then, they help Murat take Sicily. Simple.
Credits - Jean-Luc Picard
A cursory analysis reveals two countries with easy-ish access to all fronts: France and Austria. I found it convenient to compare them to their 1798 counterparts, HRE and France. France here has to conquer a hostile Spain, and Morocco, while in return it enjoys a friendly entity in western Germany (Confederation of the Rhine), a friendly Sweden, a more powerful Poland, a friendly Naples, and control of Rome. Seemingly not too different a position from 1798. Austria has a friendly Spain, but must now deal with a more hostile Italy, a hostile Sweden, a more powerful Poland, and instead of starting with western Germany in its hands, must conquer this region. All in all, a much weaker position. Britain, which in 1809 does not have Nelson's mediterranean strike group, is right out. So, I chose France.
Strategic Positioning
We identify 5 major fronts, and 1 minor front.
1. Great Britain
2. Iberia: Spain, Portugal, Morocco
3. The Northeast: Prussia and Poland
4. The Southeast: Austria and the Balkans
The minor front is Sardinia and Sicily.
1. Operations Against Britain
Generals: Napoleon, Bernadotte, Junot
Our Armée de l'Angleterre (Army of England) is powerful, but the Royal Army (Wellesley, Paget, and Mercer at sea; Cotton and Rowland on land) is powerful too. The goal here is for Napoleon and Bernadotte to cross over to Britain and seize Southampton before the British Army can converge on them. Then, this army engages in a mostly defensive fight (potentially seizing targets of opportunity like Plymouth and Birmingham) until the British Generals are vanquished.
Once Britain's Generals die, Britain crumbles. Expect to kill all the Generals by turn 15-ish, take London by turn 20, and finish up Britain by turn 30. If Junot or Bernadotte die, that's regrettable but probably fine.
2. Operations Against Spain
Generals: Lannes, Ney
As you can probably guess, this front goes very smoothly, particularly with the Armée de Péninsule (Army of the Peninsula) fielding a powerhouse such as Jean Lannes. With a little luck (or S&L), Ney can singlehandedly take Barcelona on turn 2. From there, he joins Lan in attacking Zaragoza, and then push onwards through Spain.
None of the Spanish Generals are particularly threatening, but a little Siege Artillery (build in Albacete, Bilbao, wherever is expedient) goes a long way in clearing out Spanish cities and forts. After Spain is hobbled, take Portugal and Morocco. It really won't be hard to have this front all finished by turn 30.
3. Operations In the Southeast
Generals: Soult, Isabela (or powerful Artillerist you provide)
Because the Armée de Péninsule is so powerful, it can lend certain units to constitute the Armée du Danube (Army of the Danube). Specifically, the Heavy Artillery in Toulouse goes to Isabela, who along with Soult heads through northern Italy towards Austria. There, this force will face some serious Austrian resistance (Radetzky, Archudke Charles), and some amateurish Austrian resistance (Rosenberg), before taking Vienna. After Vienna falls, Buda and Pest come next, and then you will split up the Armée du Danube. Soult, with most of the regular units you used, will go mop up Debrecen and the Balkans, while Isabela with a small force will join the Armée de l'Allemande to constitute the new Armée de la Russe.
4. Operations in the Northeast
Generals: Sophia (or equivalent Artillerist you provide), Lan (or powerful Cavalry General you provide) Initially, this war is a defensive war. Sophia (on the Light Artillery north of Paris) rushes east alongside some regular troops, to constitute the Armée de l'Allemande (Army of Germany). They defend the Confederation of the Rhine against the various Austrian/Prussian attackers (Blucher, Merveldt, Bulow, Vecsey), for a start.
Eventually, you deploy Lan (Double Heavy Cavalry is good enough), and she helps mount an offensive. You take Berlin, possibly Prague too, continue eastwards through Prussia, and join Poland to fight off any Russian attackers (Barclay, at the minimum, will be on the scene by turn 20). After finishing the defensive war in Poland, this army, along with Isabela, will become the Armée de la Russe (Army of Russia), and invade, you guessed it, Russia.
5. Expedition Russia
Generals: all three of your Generals
The most troublesome target will be Minsk. Kutuzov is a menace, the Large Fortress is a pain (although Sophia does a good job taking it out), and Russia will put out Sacken from the Minsk tavern to bother you too. Since you're in a hurry, your Generals can't spend too long here, so you'll need them to bloody the Russian noses, and then use normal units to mop it up. After your Generals have passed Minsk, divide forces however your intuition dictates. You'll need to reach Reval (possibly Helsinki too), Kaluga (and kill Raevsky on the way), and of course St. Petersburg.
Minor Front: Italian Isles
Generals: None
Your ships in the Mediterranean, that Armored Car from Lyon, and the Guards from Rome take over Sardinia, starting in the north. Then, they help Murat take Sicily. Simple.
Credits - Jean-Luc Picard
