Game 10

Strangely my dear fellow I believe that Lord Derby is completely fine with that. After all... He once told me that it was not his aim to make the world peaceful, but to make the world British!

Kingmaker wrote:there is more than one way to wage a war and it dose not mean the use of troops.....

This is very true, and very important.

Otherwise, the small positions would have no options for dealing with threats from the larger positions.

Stuart Bailey wrote:
It would probably not be unreasonable for certain positions to have particular weaknesses.  I wonder if perhaps a particular English weakness with the Whig/Tory/Jacobite split in Glory & Tory/Liberal/Socialist split in scrabble is a marked sensitivity to hostile propaganda or even how news is viewed since so many people, papers. MP's etc are predisposed to think the worst about their leaders.

Interesting theory, and it makes a lot of sense. In the pure monarchies, you have relatively consolidated honour blocks. Nobles, church, and  commoners. Most are relatively uniform religion-wise, so the desires of these constituencies are pretty aligned.

England is a democracy with fractured desires. It is hard to find things that all the constituencies will approve of, so it may be harder to win Honour as England. Never mind that in the absolute monarchies if somebody annoys you can just lop their head off. I imagine you tend to respect that threat a bit more...

Given similar characteristics in the UDP, I wonder what people's experience playing that position is regarding ease of honour gain?

EDIT: and both UDP and England have built in trade advantages so maybe this is the counterbalance?

I have been playing for a few months now so about time I said hello.

Only my 2nd game of Gloire but I played in game 3 from the very first turn until the game closed.

Good to know you're in G10 with us Hapsburg In case you hadn't picked up, I'm playing Scotland

Looking forward to it; how many active players?

I would hazard a guess on roughly 10 to 15 tops. It is a rather lively game as far as discussion and the like go.

Great to read of active players in G10 ... But I won't say who I'm playing, it's a secret!

Turn is out.........

Basileus wrote:Turn is out.........

I think this game is looking to be an interesting one. Conquest in Milan already that is likely to get nastier. Taking something and keeping something being entirely different. Will a Austria-Hungarian army be marching soon? Somebody is apparently upset enough about the matter to issue an announcement, but cagey enough not to sign it.

I also note that the Stuarts are rising on the honour rolls with good support from France. That will be something to watch too. Is James II getting ready to start issuing Letters of Marque as the English Foreign Office claims?

History has altered course as the French have taken the traditional Dutch trade concession with Japan. Does this mean that the Japanese might be thinking of ending isolation and that war in Asia is a more real possibility?

In a sign of the impending end of time, the venetians and ottomans are making nice.

And of course, everybody seems to be ignoring the chinese.

Well...the Freddie Mercury Wannabe may be doing ok on honour at the moment but the French have taken a bit of a battering on that score this month...this is what happens when all you make is wine and not whisky

Jason wrote:Well...the Freddie Mercury Wannabe may be doing ok on honour at the moment but the French have taken a bit of a battering on that score this month...this is what happens when all you make is wine and not whisky

True. All my experience indicates the little players have an advantage on the honour rolls.

Nah, it's the advantage of being Scottish, the chosen people and inventors of the drink of angels...who just get lumbered with having Hell for neighbours and France as your traditional allies

Jason wrote:Nah, it's the advantage of being Scottish, the chosen people and inventors of the drink of angels...who just get lumbered with having Hell for neighbours and France as your traditional allies

You're still lagging the spear carrying darkies

My force of Winged War Haggi will deal with them...and then Venice shall fall to the kilt!!!

Jason wrote:My force of Winged War Haggi will deal with them...and then Venice shall fall to the kilt!!!

You're militarizing the sheep again, aren't you? damn.

I'm arming the Highland Cattle and enrolling the sea eagles in the Fencibles

Jason wrote:Nah, it's the advantage of being Scottish, the chosen people and inventors of the drink of angels...who just get lumbered with having Hell for neighbours and France as your traditional allies

If I was the G10 English Govt, think I would be getting worried about having a traditional French Ally breeding dreaded war haggi in the dark and misty glens to my north.

I have to admit that Game 10 is looking a bit tasty, and could be seen as building up to a crisis point that will eventually upset things and provide opportunity to mix things up.

France getting control of Deshima is as exciting as it is unexpected - Both player's certainly kept that negotiation under wraps.

I know there has been some debate over the harvest failure in this first game year, but the wide-reaching threat of famine across various 'central position' countries has added a large element of the unforeseen into the game. Diplomatic missions and negotiations over the limited supplies of surplus grain has brought an interesting twist into the game - Confusion, misunderstanding and error has featured in the newspaper previous to this month, and now, this month, we have the subtle cutting of the Venetian ambassador over their Republic's grain selling policy (unless it was of course just a matter of historic prejudice?). It all makes for great reading, at least - Until the boots on the other foot and I suffer a bad harvest in the future!

As to my area of influence in the game; Southern Africa is plodding along slowly, I think it is fair to say. Two of us playing and actively working in the geographic vicinity is pushing things along, as a side-show to the main game theatres, but it should come to bear fruit in 1701-2 probably - Agema has worked into the game the Madagascan incident against the Portuguese, so they have that issue to address, and obviously Rozwi, being neighbouring to both (sort of), can get involved.

The Rozwi game position isn't one that can be rushed, I've found. What would take a European country a month to complete can take us three months - if the task is a simple one that we know how to achieve. My securing a shipwright mission to build and work small coastal fishing boats is a great example as to how behind, technologically, Rozwi is. Not that I'm complaining, as I'm totally enjoying playing them. Reading books on Bronze Age Britain for technological and social ideas to use in the game, also the Egyptian books by Wilbur Smith. I'm even having to ask for in-game advice as to what we can do and can't research / build - the majority of the options available in the rules books, etc, are totally beyond Rozwi! I know I'm having to fudge things, as I just can't find any historic evidence on some subject matters, not for 1650-1700 at least, and re-interpret game options to fit what Rozwi can do.

Anyway, I'm very much enjoying playing the game and wish to thank everyone playing (and Agema) for making it so much fun to read and take part in.

Deacon wrote:

Basileus wrote:Turn is out.........

I think this game is looking to be an interesting one. Conquest in Milan already that is likely to get nastier. Taking something and keeping something being entirely different. Will a Austria-Hungarian army be marching soon? Somebody is apparently upset enough about the matter to issue an announcement, but cagey enough not to sign it.

I also note that the Stuarts are rising on the honour rolls with good support from France. That will be something to watch too. Is James II getting ready to start issuing Letters of Marque as the English Foreign Office claims?

History has altered course as the French have taken the traditional Dutch trade concession with Japan. Does this mean that the Japanese might be thinking of ending isolation and that war in Asia is a more real possibility?

In a sign of the impending end of time, the venetians and ottomans are making nice.

And of course, everybody seems to be ignoring the chinese.

I thought the Duchy of Milan belonged to Carlos II of Spain not the Emperor?  Ok so Carlos is on his death bed but surely the poor chap has some ministers in Madrid who get paid to get upset about their Royal Masters estates & titles getting pinched by the neighbours?  What are Spanish & Milanese tax payers paying these laggards for?

Then under the current agreement between William of Orange & Louis XIV the Duchy of Milan was intended for the Duke of Lorraine.  The good Duke & his royal French Wife have seemed a bit vague on the agreement so may not be too upset about their "Duchy Move" being ruined.  But surely William of Orange & Louis XIV should be a bit upset about their agreement being ruined by close relatives of the Holy Roman Emperor right hand man?

If the Jacobites start offering letters of marque will be interesting to see who they are against?  Dutch, Scots or English shipping or all three?  And who takes them up.  What I wonder would be the legal position of a French ship sailing under a Jacobite Letter of Marque trying to sale its prize in Dunkirk?  Or the legal position of French Ship sailing under a letter of Marque issued by King James and captured by the Dutch?

My guess is the Chevaliers Forbin & Bart would be fine in a French Court but would need a damn good lawyer in London or the Hague to get them off Piracy Charges.  That or a French Army at the gates.

Ottomans being nice to Venetians aggggggghhhhh..... what is wrong with Ottomans these days?  What was wrong with the old G2 Ottoman theory that the only good Venetian was a dead Venetian?  And being "nice" to Venetians ment beheading rather than Impalement or Flaying.

Stuart Bailey wrote:

Jason wrote:Nah, it's the advantage of being Scottish, the chosen people and inventors of the drink of angels...who just get lumbered with having Hell for neighbours and France as your traditional allies

If I was the G10 English Govt, think I would be getting worried about having a traditional French Ally breeding dreaded war haggi in the dark and misty glens to my north.

Tsk tsk Stuart, you are stuck in 17th C thinking, this is an enlightened 18th C Scottish Government, it knows the Future is Red and it knows which side its bread is buttered

While Milan is Spanish, Austria-Hungary has the best claim to it, as I understand it. It isn't France's to give away, at least not with agreement with the HRE. Certainly it isn't Savoy's!

Can only speak for Game 8 but Italian troops seem to runaway at the sight of Austrian White Coats.  Their Historic record up to 1918 against Hapsburg troops doesn't inspire conference.

Deacon wrote:

While Milan is Spanish, Austria-Hungary has the best claim to it, as I understand it. It isn't France's to give away, at least not with agreement with the HRE. Certainly it isn't Savoy's!

Poor old Carlos II is not even dead yet in G10 & already the vultures are starting to grab the best bit's of his Empire.

Think historic 1st and the 2nd "partition" treaties were draw up by William of Orange & Louis to try and avoid the wars which was probably going to start over Carlos II various holdings.

In 1700 the treaties were rather sunk by Carlos II will which left the whole inheritance (or nothing if he declined it) to Phillip of Anjou. But in G10 Savoy seems to be trying to sink the treaties early.

Since Carlos II is not dead yet the job of kicking the invaders out of Milan would seem to be Spanish then in Carlos II dies before Savoyard troops are kicked out job would seem to fall to who-ever is Carlos II heir in the Milanese.

Guess if Spanish Ministers ask Austria or France for help this will give us some clue about current state of Carlos II will in G10.

Goldstar wrote:Can only speak for Game 8 but Italian troops seem to runaway at the sight of Austrian White Coats.  Their Historic record up to 1918 against Hapsburg troops doesn't inspire conference.

Prior to C19 I dont think you can really talk about Italian troops.......rather they were Venetian, Papal, Savoyard etc.

Its also interesting to note how many of the top Hapsburgs commanders like Parma, Spinola, Montecuccoli, Piccolomini, Caprara, Eugene of Savoy (Though he was born in Paris) were from what is now Italy along with a lot of their rank and file.

Generally actual Austrians were a minority in Hapsburg forces at all levels. But this can also be said about most military establishments who in were formed from mercenaries who drifted from service to service for various reasons.

Probably the most "National" was the Army of Louis XIV of France but even this Army included many non French troops esp Swiss, Germans, Irish & Italians at all levels.