Post by pathdoc on Nov 25, 2023 15:41:55 GMT
Notes on Small Nations: Hessen US 1775
It's been a while since I did one of these, and I figured why not cover one or more nations in the US theatre of war for a change.
Hessen is a geographically small but politically highly rated nation, FOUR stars, on the America 1775 map. It is being included here because of its small size in geographic and deployed-forces terms.
In 1775, it begins the game with 150 gold, 50 wrenches, 1000 food.
As a 4-star nation, it is capable of deploying four generals.
(Reminder: # of gens deployable = 8 - number of stars).
Hessen is RED, allied to Britain, Indians, Spain, Brunswick, Saxony, Portugal and against USA, Netherlands, Russia, France.
Hessen territory (labelled as New Jersey on the map) stretches six hexes north to south along the US eastern seaboard, halfway between Boston and Baltimore. For most of this, it is two hexes wide. The top strip is three hexes wide and the second strip is a narrow peninsula of six hexes east to west and one hex north-south.
The western border of Hessen is formed by a river which extends three hexes further north into US territory and ends at the US/British border. A second river cuts the top strip into two hexes west and one east. There are no bridges across these rivers; thus all take one turn to cross.
All land borders are with the US. The least distance to friendly territory is three hexes (directly north), or two hexes and two rivers, depending on the direction chosen.
CITIES:
New York (Level 4 at start) is at the base of the east-west peninsula, to the lower right of a large fortress.
Trenton (5th hex down, left) is a Level 2 artillery factory.
There is an unnamed seaport (Level 1) in the upper right.
ECONOMY:
===========
From New York: 20 gold, 2 wrenches
From Trenton: 8 wrenches
From the sea port: 3 gold, 1 wrench.
There are two farms, one of which is fully developed, yielding 40 + 5 food.
Total starting economy: 23 gold, 11 wrenches, 55 food.
MILITARY/LOGISTICS:
===========
Starting units:
Double light infantry (General WURMB), 8 food per turn
2 x Double line infantry, each 10 food per turn (20 total)
Single light cavalry (amphib), 7 food per turn
Triple Grenadiers (Gen EMIL), 15 food per turn
Single light artillery, 5 food per turn
Total food consumption = 55 food.
Hessen produces JUST ENOUGH food to sustain its starting units. If it were able to stay neutral, it could only just survive indefinitely.
MILITARY ASSETS:
=================
The middle hex of the northern border is occupied by a large fortress.
General WURMB has 86 HP, 1 Nobility, skill NOBLEMAN (not useful in this context)
General EMIL has 74HP, 2 nobility and skill ARCHITECTURE. As you are a relatively small nation, geographically speaking, this will be useful in the early rounds as you can upgrade farms and facilities cheaply.
New York is a Tavern with the following generals:
JOYES, deploys at Round 19 for 3 medals, 310 gold, 120 wrenches.
54hp, 3 nobility,
2* inf, 2* cav, 1* mobility, 2* trading
(2* fort skills not usable as tavern gen)
skills transport (has his own boat ticket),
fort trainer (not usable as tavern gen)
GRAHAM, deploys at Round 37 for 7 medals, 560 gold, 195 wrenches.
64hp, 2 nobility
2* inf, 3* art, 2* trader
Skills Artillery trainer (not usable as tav gen)
Infantry tactics (minor boost to attack roll)
Disguise (builds bunkers more cheaply)
DOMBROWSKI, deploys @ Round 48 for 7 medals, 650 gold, 280 wrench
86hp, 5 nobility
2* inf, 4* cav, 2* art, 3* trader, 3* mobility, 3 retrain
Skills Banner (not usable as tav gen)
Surprise (minor attack buff)
Strike (deprives terrain evasion to cav)
Defence art (randomly reduces strike to 1hp)
At the start of the game, UK Generals Collingwood (BB) and Howe (artillery) plus a frigate are just off your coast and may assist you against Washington in Philadelphia. Alternatively, let them hold him off while you strike upwards into Connecticut and Massachusetts and make for the trading centre in Boston harbour. (Strategy edited 8 December 2023 as I realized I'd overlooked the Boston trading post.)
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Survival and expansion is dependent on capturing land with which to feed your army and facilities (especially stables) from which to expand it. For such a geographically small nation with relatively weak starting generals and small army, its four-star status seems inappropriate and designed to provide a challenge. I do wonder if the first order of business is not an immediate assault on Phliadelphia, to provide a Level 7 city with a trading post for further expansion. But is that even possible, if Collingwood and Howe do not cooperate fully?
It's been a while since I did one of these, and I figured why not cover one or more nations in the US theatre of war for a change.
Hessen is a geographically small but politically highly rated nation, FOUR stars, on the America 1775 map. It is being included here because of its small size in geographic and deployed-forces terms.
In 1775, it begins the game with 150 gold, 50 wrenches, 1000 food.
As a 4-star nation, it is capable of deploying four generals.
(Reminder: # of gens deployable = 8 - number of stars).
Hessen is RED, allied to Britain, Indians, Spain, Brunswick, Saxony, Portugal and against USA, Netherlands, Russia, France.
Hessen territory (labelled as New Jersey on the map) stretches six hexes north to south along the US eastern seaboard, halfway between Boston and Baltimore. For most of this, it is two hexes wide. The top strip is three hexes wide and the second strip is a narrow peninsula of six hexes east to west and one hex north-south.
The western border of Hessen is formed by a river which extends three hexes further north into US territory and ends at the US/British border. A second river cuts the top strip into two hexes west and one east. There are no bridges across these rivers; thus all take one turn to cross.
All land borders are with the US. The least distance to friendly territory is three hexes (directly north), or two hexes and two rivers, depending on the direction chosen.
CITIES:
New York (Level 4 at start) is at the base of the east-west peninsula, to the lower right of a large fortress.
Trenton (5th hex down, left) is a Level 2 artillery factory.
There is an unnamed seaport (Level 1) in the upper right.
ECONOMY:
===========
From New York: 20 gold, 2 wrenches
From Trenton: 8 wrenches
From the sea port: 3 gold, 1 wrench.
There are two farms, one of which is fully developed, yielding 40 + 5 food.
Total starting economy: 23 gold, 11 wrenches, 55 food.
MILITARY/LOGISTICS:
===========
Starting units:
Double light infantry (General WURMB), 8 food per turn
2 x Double line infantry, each 10 food per turn (20 total)
Single light cavalry (amphib), 7 food per turn
Triple Grenadiers (Gen EMIL), 15 food per turn
Single light artillery, 5 food per turn
Total food consumption = 55 food.
Hessen produces JUST ENOUGH food to sustain its starting units. If it were able to stay neutral, it could only just survive indefinitely.
MILITARY ASSETS:
=================
The middle hex of the northern border is occupied by a large fortress.
General WURMB has 86 HP, 1 Nobility, skill NOBLEMAN (not useful in this context)
General EMIL has 74HP, 2 nobility and skill ARCHITECTURE. As you are a relatively small nation, geographically speaking, this will be useful in the early rounds as you can upgrade farms and facilities cheaply.
New York is a Tavern with the following generals:
JOYES, deploys at Round 19 for 3 medals, 310 gold, 120 wrenches.
54hp, 3 nobility,
2* inf, 2* cav, 1* mobility, 2* trading
(2* fort skills not usable as tavern gen)
skills transport (has his own boat ticket),
fort trainer (not usable as tavern gen)
GRAHAM, deploys at Round 37 for 7 medals, 560 gold, 195 wrenches.
64hp, 2 nobility
2* inf, 3* art, 2* trader
Skills Artillery trainer (not usable as tav gen)
Infantry tactics (minor boost to attack roll)
Disguise (builds bunkers more cheaply)
DOMBROWSKI, deploys @ Round 48 for 7 medals, 650 gold, 280 wrench
86hp, 5 nobility
2* inf, 4* cav, 2* art, 3* trader, 3* mobility, 3 retrain
Skills Banner (not usable as tav gen)
Surprise (minor attack buff)
Strike (deprives terrain evasion to cav)
Defence art (randomly reduces strike to 1hp)
At the start of the game, UK Generals Collingwood (BB) and Howe (artillery) plus a frigate are just off your coast and may assist you against Washington in Philadelphia. Alternatively, let them hold him off while you strike upwards into Connecticut and Massachusetts and make for the trading centre in Boston harbour. (Strategy edited 8 December 2023 as I realized I'd overlooked the Boston trading post.)
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Survival and expansion is dependent on capturing land with which to feed your army and facilities (especially stables) from which to expand it. For such a geographically small nation with relatively weak starting generals and small army, its four-star status seems inappropriate and designed to provide a challenge. I do wonder if the first order of business is not an immediate assault on Phliadelphia, to provide a Level 7 city with a trading post for further expansion. But is that even possible, if Collingwood and Howe do not cooperate fully?
