Moin Moin!

the eerie calm in the East has been finally shattered! It began last year with fighting over Transylvania. Now, the Eastern marches of the Rzeczpospolita and much of the Balkans stand aflame! Historically the 1650s were arguably the worst decade in Polish history ("The Deluge" until the 20th century. Poland never fully recovered from Cossack, Russian, Swedish and Transylvanian invasion, though the famous Sobieski still brought glory to Polish arms in later decades. I very much recommend the Polish movie adaptation of Henryk Szienkiewicz's "With Fire and Sword" (also the author of "Quo Vadis?", I was tempted to give 1648 the name "With Fire and Sword", btw). It's set in 1647-49 and gives you a good sense of those times (who doesn't like seeing a charge of winged horsemen?). The Cossack leader Bohdan Chmelnicki gets a really favourable treatment whereas the Polish magnates - um - not so much... A much better movie than the imo virulently nationalistic Russian movie "1612", which indulges in anti-Polish sentiment. In a way these recent films are rather telling mirrors of an increasingly insular, authoritarian and, sadly, xenophobic Russia and that of a far more internationally-minded contemporary Poland. Ah well, sorry for the digression...

Another remarkable development may be Denmark's much improved position. Frederick III is clearly benefitting from Oxenstierna's focus shifting more into a south-easterly direction by the looks of it. Indeed, the four westernmost powers appear to be recovering from past setbacks, though to varying degrees. It was quite remarkable to see one whole side of the map simultaneously suffering through a time of troubles. I am anxious to see how the ebb and tide of the great power's fortunes will evolve.

Regarding the RP file, I've reworked it to conform with the actual date. Not sure whether it is compatible with the older version of the 1648 module. If not, then download the latest version from diplomaticcorp.com.

When submitting orders, it'd be nice if you could list the orders in alphabetical order. Makes things a bit easier for me, but don't fret about forgetting to do so.

For our two new observers: You can find past adjucations and a slideshow of earlier maps at www.diplomaticcorp.com (this game being DC264).

Liebe Grüsse,

Charles

----------
PLAYERS:
AUSTRIA: Jorge Saralegui <jmsaralegui(at)gmail.com>
DENMARK-NORWAY: Michael Thompson <psychosis(at)sky.com>
ENGLAND: Chris McInerney <c.p.mcinerney(at)gmail.com>
FRANCE: Nathan Albright <nathanbalbright(at)yahoo.com>
POLAND-LITHUANIA: Roger Leroux <yrl1967(at)gmail.com>
RUSSIA: Mikael Johansson <m_don_j(at)hotmail.com>
SPAIN: Matt Kremer <matthew.kremer(at)yale.edu>
SWEDEN: Wayne Bailey <WBailey(at)nyiso.com>
TURKEY: Dirk Knemeyer <dirk(at)knemeyer.com>


PROCLAMATIONS:
o AUSTRIANS SEND FLORENTINE WORKS OF ART TO HOFBURG
o FREDERICK III TRIUMPHANTLY REENTERS HIS CAPITAL
o COMMONWEALTH NAVY GAINS COMMAND OF ENGLISH CHANNEL
o FLANDERS OCCUPIED BY FRENCH MARINE DETACHMENTS
o POLANDS SEEKS REVENGE IN BALKANS AS THE COMMONWEALTH'S EASTERN VOIVODSHIPS ARE OVERRUN
o TSAR CONQUERS ORTHODOX LANDS TO THE WEST OF HIS REALM
o SPANISH ARMADA SIGHTED OFF IRELAND
o SWEDISH INVASION OF BRANDENBURG REBUFFED BY POLES
o NEWLY-BUILT IMPERIAL FLEET MEETS OTTOMAN FLEET OFF DALMATIAN COAST

PRESS:




From Poland-Lithuania:

The Polish government issued a denunciation of the Turkish invasion of Transylvania today. Said a spokesman for the King, "it is clear that the Turks have no honorable intentions and cannot be taken at their word." The Turkish ambassador was unavailable for comment, but did release a terse statement on behalf of the Turkish government saying they were only testing the resolve of the Polish peoples.

ORDERS:

Austria:
A Bavaria - Tyrolia
A Lombardy - Tuscany
A Lorraine Hold
A Prague Hold
A Swabia Supports A Switzerland
A Switzerland Hold
F Trieste - Adriatic Sea (*Bounce*)
A Vienna - Hungary (*Fails*)

Denmark-Norway:
F Helgoland Bight - Holstein(wc) (*Fails*)
A Lower Saxony Supports F Stettin - Mecklenburg
F Skagerrak - Copenhagen
F Stettin - Mecklenburg

England:
F Bristol Supports F London - English Channel
F London - English Channel

France:
A Dauphiné - Switzerland (*Fails*)
F English Channel - Flanders
A Paris - Lorraine (*Fails*)
A Savoy Supports A Dauphiné - Switzerland

Poland-Lithuania:
A Brandenburg Supports A Mecklenburg (*Ordered to Move*)
A Courland Supports A Prussia
A Hungary - Croatia (*Bounce*)
A Prussia Supports A Courland
A Silesia - Slovakia
A Warsaw - Podolia (*Bounce*)

Russia:
A Crimea - Volhynia
A Moscow - Smolensk
F Novgorod(sc) Hold
A Pskov - Polotsk
A Turkestan - Moscow
A Ukraine - White Ruthenia

Spain:
F Algiers - Western Mediterranean
A Madrid - Leon
F Mid-Atlantic Ocean - North Atlantic Ocean
A Morocco - Algiers
F Portugal - Mid-Atlantic Ocean
F Sevilla Supports F Algiers - Western Mediterranean

Sweden:
A Christiania - Lapland
F Copenhagen - Baltic Sea
A Holstein - Mecklenburg (*Fails*)
A Ingria - Riga
A Mecklenburg - Brandenburg (*Disbanded*)
F Scania Supports F Copenhagen - Baltic Sea
F Stockholm(ec) - Gulf of Bothnia

Turkey:
A Belgrade - Croatia (*Bounce*)
A Constantinople - Belgrade (*Fails*)
F Damascus - Eastern Mediterranean
F Ionian Sea - Adriatic Sea (*Bounce*)
A Persia - Damascus
A Transylvania - Podolia (*Bounce*)
A Tunis Hold
F Tyrrhenian Sea Hold

Ireland:
A Ireland Hold

Moldavia:
A Moldavia Supports A Crimea - Volhynia

PapalStates:
A Papal States Supports A Lombardy - Tuscany

Rhineland-Westphalia:
A Rhineland-Westphalia Supports A Lorraine

Saxony:
A Saxony Supports A Lower Saxony

Tuscany:
A Tuscany Supports A Savoy (*Disbanded*)

Venice:
F Candia Hold

RETREATS:

None.

SUPPLY CENTER OWNERSHIP:

Austria(: Bavaria, Lorraine, Prague, Swabia, Switzerland, Trieste, Venice, Vienna.
Denmark-Norway(4): Lower Saxony, Scotland, Stettin, United Provinces.
England(2): Bristol, London.
France(4): Brest, Marseilles, Paris, Savoy.
Poland-Lithuania(6): Brandenburg, Courland, Cracow, Prussia, Vilna, Warsaw.
Russia(6): Crimea, Moscow, Novgorod, Turkestan, Ukraine, Voronezh.
Spain(6): Algiers, Flanders, Madrid, Morocco, Portugal, Sevilla.
Sweden(7): Abo, Christiania, Copenhagen, Holstein, Mecklenburg, Riga, Stockholm.
Turkey(: Belgrade, Constantinople, Damascus, Naples, Persia, Transylvania, Tunis, Wallachia.
Minor Powers(7): Candia, Ireland, Moldavia, Papal States, Rhineland-Westphalia, Saxony, Tuscany.

DEADLINE SCHEDULE: (all orders are due NLT 6PM CET (GMT+1)...not local time)
o Fall 1651 Moves: 5 August
o Winter 1651 Retreats/Adjustments: 6 August
o Spring 1652 Moves: 12 August

ORDERS MAP:


RESULTS MAP: