Moin Moin!
First of all, sorry for the glitch email earlier. One wrong ENTER and it was off. Fortunately, I had not yet added any genuine information, so no harm done other than filling your inboxes unnecessarily. Lesson learnt and I shall ensure that cannot happen with actual adjucations. Please accept my apologies.
Now, how has our first year turned out? The year began with the great powers of Europe acting largely in a peaceful manner towards another. The fall campaigning saw yet tensions rising to the boiling point in numerous parts of Europe. Queen Christine has shattered the "Peace of the North" by overrunning territories once held by Frederick III. Further to the West, Cromwell's Republic may be paying for having executed poor Charles (always have a soft spot for my namesakes!). Her conquest of Scotland proved but a brief interlude, though at least England itself is yet controlled from Westminster. In Central Europe, Spain's attack on Swabia has been repulsed and the vaunted Army of Flanders was in turn defeated by a joint Austro-French offensive. And in the Mediterranean Spain's ambitions in Italy were not only checked, but her Napolitan bulwark itself was lost. In Eastern Europe, Sweden championed Courland's Keppler dynasty's on going de-facto independence from Poland, whereas Czar Alexis has methodically gone about the conquest of the Tartar Khanate.
In many a region the loyalties of lesser powers played a decisive role. I cannot stress how important it is to sway those in your favour and it is only too apparent that some powers have been distinctly more successful in this endeavour. While on the subject of general advice I think I can give in my role, do not neglect communications with powers farther afield. This is especially important given the role minor powers play, but also the far lower victory criteria than you might be used to from Standard Diplomacy. Don't leave any stone unturned!
Let me thank you players for a smooth game so far. May it remain so! Please remember to send ALL your diplomatic correspondence to me, not least because otherwise my statistical findings will be marred. Also, I ask you to make it a habit of yours to get your move preliminary orders in no later than Sunday. Expect to be unceasingly bugged by me should you not do so. :p
I should perhaps also mention that the latest issue of Diplomacy World is available for download (http://www.diplomacyworld.net/), including my introductory article regarding 1648. I thank those of you who pointed out the various mistakes I had made. Doug Kent really went out of his way to help get it done and published in this issue. It's no coincidence that Diplomacy World has enjoyed a renaissance since he became lead editor.
You shall find the Realpolitik status file attached as always. Now, about the Winter orders. You may make your adjustments conditional on the immediately preceding retreat/disband orders since I am adjucating both in one fell swoop. The deadline is tomorrow, Thursday 6 PM CET. I may however publish the adjucation earlier, should I have all orders and nobody explicitly asks me to wait until the 6 PM deadline.
Took me longer to get this done than I had thought, but wanted to prevent any mistake from happening this time over.
Liebe Grüsse,
Charles
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PLAYERS:
AUSTRIA: Jorge Saralegui
DENMARK-NORWAY: Michael Thompson
ENGLAND: Chris McInerney
FRANCE: Nathan Albright
POLAND-LITHUANIA: Roger Leroux
RUSSIA: Mikael Johansson
SPAIN: Matt Kremer
SWEDEN: Wayne Bailey
TURKEY: Dirk Knemeyer
PROCLAMATIONS:
o FERDINAND III AND MAZARIN AGREE ON THE FATE OF LORRAINE AND SWITZERLAND
o SWEDES DECLARE WAR ON THEIR SCANDINAVIAN NEIGHBOUR, OVERRUN DANISH TERRITORY RIGHT WHEN FREDERICK III'S ATTENTION IS FOCUSSED ON THE WEST
o CROMWELL CHECKS FRENCH INVASION, YET FAILS TO HOLD ON TO HIS SCOTTISH CONQUESTS
o MAZARIN SEIZES THE DUCHY OF LORRAINE WITH IMPERIAL SUPPORT
o THE TRANSYLVANIAN NOBILITY ACKNOWLEDGES POLISH SUZERAINITY
o VASA MONARCHS IN DISPUTE OVER THE FATE OF THE KEPPLER DUKES OF COURLAND
o CRIMEAN KHAN CANNOT STOP RUSSIAN-COSSACK ADVANCE
o TURKISH BANNER FLIES OVER NAPLES
MESSAGES:
From France:
Dateline, Paris, France. Concerned about the recent anti-monarchial moves in England, where the British have just excecuted their king, France has sworn that it will aid Charles II, who currently resides in comfortable exile in one of the King's spare palaces, in regaining his patrimony. France has asked for support from other European nations to help convoy Charles and his invasion force of English Royalist emigres into Scotland to restore the Stuarts to power, saying, "The French fleet isn't seaworthy enough to venture too far into the North Sea without endangering our own security." Who knows where the French fleet, currently enjoying the light to moderate chop of the English Channel, will head, whether it will be into Cornwall or into Ireland, the traditional place where the French invade to help influence wars on England. Stay tuned for further details.
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From Turkey:
BENEVOLENT TURKS STRIKE OUT AGAINST SPANISH AGGRESSION
For Immediate Release
CONSTANTINOPLE (Turkey) - Fall 1649 - The Sultan issued a proclamation this week, calling for Jihad against the Spanish Empire.
"From Flanders to Naples to Seville, Spain already has military presence across much of mainland Europe," commented the Sultan. "Now we watch them invade the fine lands of our North Africa brothers, cut
down through the noble lands of the Holy Roman Empire, and amass the largest military force in the world. With their deploying a large navy already in the Mediterranean, we simply cannot stand by and watch this
gluttony go unchecked. Thus, the great people of Turkey will unite in a fist of controlled fury to lead the Spanish dismantling."
Rumour has it the Sultan plans to seek out new allies to assist in an equitable and balanced split of Spanish holdings. Active diplomacy is expected in the year ahead.
"We have no need to travel beyond our beloved Mediterranean," continued the Sultan. "Our fair friends in western and northern Europe have nothing to fear from us once the Spanish menace is contained. We look forward to assist other right-minded powers in achieving their ambitions in the powerful Atlantic, while staying committed to our negotiated peace in the east."
In a show of diplomacy to other European powers, the Turks have already provided various military and diplomatic assistance. Among the recipients are Poland, who received military support into the fine lands of Transylvania from their Turkish friends.
ORDERS:
Austria:
A Swabia Supports A Paris - Lorraine
A Tyrolia Supports A Switzerland
A Venice - Tuscany (*Fails*)
Denmark-Norway:
F Helgoland Bight - Copenhagen (*Bounce*)
A Lower Saxony - United Provinces
F Norwegian Sea - Scotland
England:
F Scotland - Bristol (*Dislodged*)
F Yorkshire - Scotland (*Fails*)
France:
F English Channel - Bristol (*Bounce*)
A Paris - Lorraine
A Savoy Supports A Switzerland
Poland-Lithuania:
A Podolia - Transylvania
A Prussia Supports A Samogitia - Courland
A Samogitia - Courland (*Fails*)
Russia:
A Novgorod - Moscow
A Severia Supports A Voronezh - Crimea
A Voronezh - Crimea
Spain:
A Lorraine - Swabia (*Dislodged*)
F Morocco - Mid-Atlantic Ocean
F Naples - Papal States(wc) (*Dislodged*)
A Sevilla - Morocco
Sweden:
F Baltic Sea - Copenhagen (*Bounce*)
A Brandenburg - Lower Saxony
A Lapland - Christiania
A Riga Supports F Courland
Turkey:
A Egypt - Tunis (*Fails*)
F Ionian Sea - Naples
A Wallachia Supports A Podolia - Transylvania
Algiers:
F Algiers Supports F Tunis
Bavaria:
A Bavaria Hold
Courland:
F Courland Hold
Crimea:
A Crimea Hold (*Disbanded*)
Ireland:
A Ireland Supports F Norwegian Sea - Scotland
Mecklenburg:
A Mecklenburg Supports A Brandenburg - Lower Saxony
Moldavia:
A Moldavia Hold
PapalStates:
A Papal States Supports F Ionian Sea - Naples
Persia:
A Persia Hold
Portugal:
F Portugal Hold
Rhineland-Westphalia:
A Rhineland-Westphalia Supports A Lower Saxony - United Provinces
Saxony:
A Saxony Hold
Switzerland:
A Switzerland Hold
Transylvania:
A Transylvania Hold (*Disbanded*)
Tunis:
F Tunis Hold
Turkestan:
A Turkestan Hold
Tuscany:
A Tuscany Supports F Naples - Papal States(wc) (*Cut*)
Ukraine:
A Ukraine Supports A Voronezh - Crimea
UnitedProvinces:
F United Provinces Supports A Brandenburg - Lower Saxony (*Disbanded*)
Venice:
F Candia Hold
RETREATS:
Spanish A Lorraine can retreat to Normandy or Dauphiné or Flanders.
Spanish F Naples can retreat to Adriatic Sea or Tyrrhenian Sea.
English F Scotland can retreat to North Sea or North Atlantic Ocean or Irish Sea.
ADJUSTMENTS:
Austria: Supp 5 Unit 3 Build 2
Denmark-Norway: Supp 4 Unit 3 Build 1
England: Supp 2 Unit 2? Build 0?
France: Supp 5 Unit 3 Build 2
Poland-Lithuania: Supp 5 Unit 3 Build 2
Russia: Supp 4 Unit 3 Build 1
Spain: Supp 4 Unit 4? Build 0?
Sweden: Supp 6 Unit 4 Build 2
Turkey: Supp 5 Unit 3 Build 2
SUPPLY CENTER OWNERSHIP:
Austria(5): Prague, Swabia, Trieste, Venice, Vienna.
Denmark-Norway(4): Copenhagen, Holstein, Scotland, United Provinces.
England(2): Bristol, London.
France(5): Brest, Lorraine, Marseilles, Paris, Savoy.
Poland-Lithuania(5): Cracow, Prussia, Transylvania, Vilna, Warsaw.
Russia(4): Crimea, Moscow, Novgorod, Voronezh.
Spain(4): Flanders, Madrid, Morocco, Sevilla.
Sweden(6): Abo, Christiania, Lower Saxony, Riga, Stettin, Stockholm.
Turkey(5): Belgrade, Constantinople, Damascus, Naples, Wallachia.
Minor Powers(18): Algiers, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Candia, Courland, Ireland, Mecklenburg, Moldavia, Papal States, Persia, Portugal, Rhineland-Westphalia, Saxony, Switzerland, Tunis, Turkestan, Tuscany, Ukraine.
DEADLINE SCHEDULE: (all orders are due NLT 6PM CET (GMT+1)...not local time)
o Winter 1649 Retreats/Adjustments: 9 July
o Spring 1650 Moves: 15 July
o Summer 1650 Retreats: 16 July
o Fall 1650 Moves: 22 July |
