The Age of Enlightenment. Game 9.

So the rumours that Lord Fong's nerferious henchman Dr Fu Manchu has been secretly building a fleet of clockwork mechanical fire breathing Dragons are true. Will no one stop Fong's mad schemes for world conquest!!!!

Dragon fire does have a way of changing ones outlook on life when you're on the receiving end...ok it's usually now a very brief outlook...

Is Dragon fire similar to a really hot Vindaloo? Which has sometime been confused with Dragon Fire, the "back(side)" blast it causes can usually only be remedied by placing toilet rolls in the freezer the night before the fire making substance is consumed.

Ref The Age of Enlightenment G9

Have I got it right in thinking that Spain:

- Is ruled still ruled by a Regency for the "miracle" Hapsburg baby of Carlos II(?) & his Queen (?) but the Regency is pro French?

- Spain is about to suffer a bad famine and is planning to ship people to the America's and probably ship in extra food if this can be imported to reduce the effects of the famine. But just when it needs its shipping lanes clear its gone to war with the English?

Clearly some deep and "enlightened" plotting going on in G9 way above heads of mere mortals.

The Spanish Regency has changed, the original male child has been declared a changeling and a female miracle child the Infanta Christiana has been declared the legitimate heir.
France and Austria apparently accept Christiana's legitimacy. Spain has declared that the previous regimes policies to be illegal, including the sale of Milan to Venice.
The Pope was asked to investigate the whole affair, but the Spanish Regency now consider the Vatican to be under the influence of the English.

There is a lot of fake news going around at the moment; His Holiness could be just another pawn in the English scheme. With nothing but criticism of Spain from the pontiff what's a boy to think!? Luckily Rosales knows the truth, and careful reading and interpretation of his magnificent speech should reveal all...

As for the rest of it - no one was more surprised than i to see the tentacles of English scheming woven into the very fabric of the Spanish leadership...careful on the roads my lords, them potholes can be pretty dangerous!

The famine is a disaster, but what can you do. If no one plants food crops across the entire Empire then little Diego is going to go hungry...but, like in the best movies the 'Cavalry' is trundling to the rescue!

I've never been a fan of the 'grain rules'. RL Spain was, like a lot of countries at this time, beset with several localised food shortages, but the scale of the surplus/deficit amounts doesn't seem to reflect the Rule book...that said it is a game, and it is only a mechanism. The scale of any famine
could technically make it a position killer. Far more devastating than any war, and only 5 months in the impact. By December the Empire may resemble a scene from the Walking Dead, so if you are planning to visit do take precautions!

We'll see what the Gods have in store for us...

It seems that nobody is left active in this thread, instead the game is more active than ever!

We have fights going on in canadian waters, and UDP is taking monopoly of the journal.

Turn is in town people!

September 1704. The gathering of Armies.

1. English and French Naval forces skirmish in the Americas, whilst French-Canadian light troops raid the northern frontier.
2. Whilst still officially neutral the Dutch government denounces the Spanish and Bavarian declarations of war against England. The Dutch boast of having the second largest army in Europe.
3. A further 30,000 Swedish troops arrive in the UDP to join King Charles XII forces all ready in the Dutch state. King Charles XII prays for peace whilst swearing to defend the reformed religion.
4. Swiss mercenaries are enroute to join the Dutch army, much to the anger of the Spanish government.
5. The Emperor suggests that Reicharmee be increased to 60,000 men and that a Reich Navy of 40 Warships be created. France Shockingly offers to provide troops for the Rhenish Circle Reicharmee contingent.
5. The Emperor is in Rome throwing money around and discussing theology with the Pope. Leopold has requested a secret audience with the Holy Father.
6. All in all it appears that a major war will break out, with Flanders as the main battleground between the Catholic and Protestant powers.

It is fascinating how insane games you don't play can seem from just reading the boards.

I see Leopold is going senile...asking the Pope about the "Chinese Rites Controversy"...what controversy? Chinese Rites are all correct and proper, as is the natural order of things...to suggest controversy is to suggest the world is out of balance...now that may be the case among the barbarian nations as they fight each other but in the blessed realm of the Holder of the Mandate of Heaven, all is in balance.

Deacon wrote:
It is fascinating how insane games you don't play can seem from just reading the boards.

And while Anarchy and War seems to have started in G8 "The Age of Enlightenment" over in G7 Peace and Harmony seem to have broken out.

Ok that may be to be a slight gloss on events in G7 but cerrainly lots of people have signed peace treaties.  Pity a lot of them seem to have signed different treaties and various people like the Scots seem to have been missed out but clearly peace making if not exactly harmony seem to be the order of the day in G7.

Only person in G7 who seems to be going against the trend is Prince Ferenc Rakoczi who is currently in Kiev and has declared his troops are on the march into Hungary.  Which may seem a bit insane to some as its December in G7 and conditions in Eastern Europe are "wintery".  Plus the Hapsburg's have just made peace in the West.

No particular sign of Leopold going senile in G7 but he clearly is getting on a bit and has a hard life what with the French & the Turks which makes the treatened revolt against one of Europe's and G7 elder statesmen even more of a outrage. Lucky for Leopold the Hapsburg Ruler of Spain in G7 is not a "miracle" baby or a girl and can give his dear old dad a hand V the nasty rebels.

After all this mucking about in Western Europe with POW exchanges and flowery speaches perhaps we can get back to proper Eastern style campaigns with rebels dogs impaled along the road from Buda to Vienna "Im Rakoczi......No Im Rakoczi" or sent back to Kiev in 100 men chain gangs.....with one eye"

Lord Fong once more reveals his thin skin and ignorance of the teachings of the Holy church. We can only pray for this poor benighted heathen and hope his eyes are opened to the truth of the Holy Catholic Church.
As to Emperor Leopold, I believe the last person to accuse him of senility was the Doge, just before the Austrian Army occupied most of Venice's territory.

Lord Fong's skin is no thinner than any other; he merely makes these observations out of concern for the health of the duke of Austria and of course concern for those the duke rules-if their lord is ill then how can he rule wisely?

As to the Catholic Church, the Empire has long studied and tolerated its presence, Lord Fong knows all of it he needs to.

Managed to reply in time, first time since i begun playing

October 1704.

1.  Spain seizes St Helena from England.
2.  The English and French fleets face off against each other at Brest and N America, but do not engage.  French irregulars raid Boston.
3.  The Spanish Ambassador insists that Spain has no aggressive intent towards the Dutch Republic, whilst warning them to restrain the Swedish Army currrently in the UDP.
4.  The King of Sweden remains in the UDP with his army, meeting with the Lutheran clergy and the Dutch government.
5.  The Emperor remains in Rome, visiting the sights and donating large sums to the various catholic Orders.  Meanwhile in Vienna Archduke Karl launches the autumn session with a program of Operas and Concerts.  The King of Germany has left Bresiach after attending a Grand Tattoo of the Reicharmee.
6.  Foiled in trying to annex Baden-Durlach Bavaria now seems intent on acquiring  Liege-Cologne.  Given this is a Prince-Bishopric can we exspect the Elector to depose his own brother and then take holy Orders himself?
7.  Regional Governor Fong sends his nefarious henchman Dr Fu Manchu to try and bride the Emperor into allowing him to enslave workers from other Chinese provences.  How the poor benighted slaves will feel about being torn from the lands of their ancestors and their family tombs is of no concern to Fong.
8.  The Holy father clarifies the churches position on the Chinese rite i.e. Praying to Chinese philosophers is idolatry.  Governor Fong once more shares his narrow views of the happening in Europe, whilst the HRE opens a Academy to increase the Reichs knowledge of China.

You know, way this game is going, I think I need to have a chat with Stuart and get some pointers on the best way to burn Rome...

Historically the Pope did ban the Chinese rite at this time. One would have thought that given Fong's contempt for the western barbarians , he would be uninterested in their religious practices. Unless Fong is himself a Catholic convert of course.

Lord Fong concludes that the Westerners are petty indeed. It is impossible to reason with them because they do not understand larger issues as we understand them in China. There is not a single Westerner versed in Chinese works, and their remarks are often incredible and ridiculous. To judge from this proclamation, their religion is no different from other small, bigoted sects of Buddhism or Taoism

Turn's out

Spoiler Alert:

In Lord Fong's defense, he _might_ have conquered the whole world, but as a white devil, you're just too stupid to notice.

Do be careful that your codpiece doesn't have a "made in China" tag. I think it's part of China's "their hearts and minds will follow" plan.

It is simply that the barbarians have failed to prove themselves worthy of the honour of being ruled by the Great Lord Fong. You have to feel sorry for them, they will have to continue to be ruled by petty dukes and priests rather than such a wise, generous and humble man as Lord Fong.

Moving on another point.

The Anglo-French war (or Canadian Bacon War, as all the action is tacking place in the colonies) doesn,t look like a war a was expectiong. No action on the field, few minor naval battles in the colonies, a couple of indian raids.

Were is the action? Will we have to wait another couple of years for a war we can call "war"?

Opinions?

November 1704.

1. 2 Roughly Equal Fleets of English and French Warships engage each other in the St Lawrence River, no ships lost on either side, but the French fleet apparently suffered heavy damage. Further south an English Sqn appears before Havana. Both sides wage a proxy war using their American Indian Allies, whilst Spanish Horse appear before Charles town.
2. Both sides continue to lose merchantmen. King William has openly issued letters of Mark, whilst King Louis declares France to be above such thing, although he may be using the Barbary Corsairs as a front.
3. The Pope accepts that Protestants and Orthodox Christians may be tolerated but not encouraged in the former Turkish lands recently liberated by the Austrians. The fact that the Emperor has been in Rome for the last 3 months spending money like water may have influenced the Holy Father's opinion.
4. The Emperor voices his support for the continued independence of the Prince-Bishop of Liege-Cologne. This is popular in Rome, but perhaps less so in Bavaria. The Emperor welcomes the offer of French troops for the Reicharmee, but wants them based as far away as possible from France, on the Danube rather than the Rhine.
5. Swedish troops continue to pour into the UDP, whilst the Swedish fleet in England is mobilised and the Dutch Government voices it support for their Stadtholder also know as King William III of England, Scotland and Ireland. Both are still officially at peace with France and it's allies.
6. The Tsar raises taxes on the Church 3% for the nation Orthodox Church and 5% for foreign Churches and Old believers. At a Ball in Moscow the Tsar awards that paragon of virtue Hetman Mazzeppa with the St Andrews medal, the Hetman prompt swears his undying loyalty to the Tsar.
7. The Spanish government dismisses the recent criticism of its actions in the press us slander and boast of its friendship with the Superpower that is France.
8. The Great Moghul appears to be active again, is Asia big enough for him and Lord Fong?
9. The ever humble Lord Fong has received an answer for his request for more recruits from his overlord the Chinese Emperor. The Emperor has rejected Fong's initial proposal, but will reconsider it if Fong is willing to undertake the defence of the entire Chinese coast. Should Fong fail in this duty, he may find his head in a basket.
10. Fong once more decries the ways of the westerners with the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope topping his hit list. Is Fong a secret Calvinist who plans to form a God worshipping Society and create a Heavenly Kingdom of Peace in China?

Nexus06 wrote:Moving on another point.

The Anglo-French war (or Canadian Bacon War, as all the action is tacking place in the colonies) doesn,t look like a war a was expectiong. No action on the field, few minor naval battles in the colonies, a couple of indian raids.

Were is the action? Will we have to wait another couple of years for a war we can call "war"?

Opinions?

I suspect we're building up for some naval confrontation off Brest, can't see the French letting the Royal Navy sit there for too long

Nexus06 wrote:Moving on another point.

The Anglo-French war (or Canadian Bacon War, as all the action is tacking place in the colonies) doesn,t look like a war a was expectiong. No action on the field, few minor naval battles in the colonies, a couple of indian raids.

Were is the action? Will we have to wait another couple of years for a war we can call "war"?

Opinions?

England will always want to fight a Naval and Colonial war where France's advantage in numbers is less apparent. England lacks the manpower for a slugging match on land with France.

France would need to secure Naval superiority in the Channel to land an Army in England and if his aim is to restore King James he will probably need around 100,000 men.

The UDP and Sweden are pro-English but still officially at peace with France and its Allies, so France must watch its Northern border. If France attacks the UDP, big bad aggressive King Louis of legend will be back and the HRE will start getting twitchy.

Basically England can only attack at sea and in the colonies and the French alliance has to weigh up the political ramifications of appearing to be too aggressive.