1792 No frills PBEM

[timurlain]

Prussian turn sent yesterday ...

[barbarossa2]

You are waiting for me. I will have my turn in tonight.

[barbarossa2]

Because of this illegal and unprovoked declaration of war and act of aggression and affront to European civilization, France is considering all of her options.

This insult to the laws of war may force us to change our plan. We had merely wished to finish in the top 4 without engaging in conflict with ANYONE. Every peaceful means of negotiation had been used to prevent war. Requests were sent to ask Britain in advance what they would like from France to guarantee her security.

No response was received.

The Atlantic was evacuated to help Britain feel secure and again diplomatic dispatches were sent.

No response was received.

Apparently, without any set of demands Britian's only goal is to reduce France, whose court at Versailles was virtually the last nation to secure a minor neutral after all of Europe had already claimed and carved up vast swaths of territory for themselves.

Declaration after declaration that France sought peace and trade have apparently been ignored. Repeatedly. Intentionally.

This shabby act of aggression does nothing more than put Europe on warning as to who cannot be trusted to bring about a fair settlement in Europe. If something doesn't suit Britain, there will apparently be no negotiations, no demands. The order of the day will be unprovoked surprise attacks!

Britain's barbarity and unilateral reach for the weapons of war to change the status quo, without presenting any demands in advance which France could have even given thought to--and potentially agreed to--merely present the war mongers of London in the skulking light that they deserve to be.

May God have mercy on their souls.

Do I need to say I-L-L-E-G-A-L again?


Louis XVI
King of France
Defender of the Faith and the Laws of War

[barbarossa2]

The king of France has ordered a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week watch posted at Calais. There, we have erected a tent with a table in it. In that tent sit two amassadors of France, with a small guard. They will wait there with the torches burning, until the Britsh king decides to behave himself like a member of civilization--instead of like the barbarians who sacked Rome--and presents some reasonable demands which Versailles can consider.

Louis XVI has even ordered that tea and biscuits be permanently readied for any British diplomats who aren't too ashamed of their kingdom to begin peace negotiations.

We had thought the permanent evacuation of the Atlantic had been enough. Apparently not. Perhaps he wants Picardy, Normandy, and Brittany too?

(P.S. French turn is in)

[Mus]

Oooooh Tea and Biscuits.

Glad to see this game heating up.

All this talk of peace and prosperity was making me sick.

[:D]

[montesaurus]

Ahhh, the Giants of Europe are in conflict!
Woe be to all of us!

[and2]

Turn 18 posted

Enjoy!

Chindits

[Mus]

Austrians in.

[montesaurus]

turn 18 done for the Turks

[barbarossa2]

France T18 in.

[Mus]

Still need a vote from Timurlain and make a decision on adopting a house rule or not.

[and2]

Just need the Prussian turn and Im good to go with combining files

[Kingmaker]

From, the Earl of Evenwood; 1st Minister & Foreign Secretary to his Majesty King George III.

To, the Heads of state on the Mainland of Europe: with particular reference to those of Austria, Russia & Sweden.

It is with considerable regret that I have to advise you that following earnest negotiations on our part with the Government of Poland, their intractable stance against equal opportunities for English Merchants to trade with their Polish counterparts has demanded a response from his Majesties Government, to wit, a Declaration of War has been issued against Poland.

I would advise all concerned that as of the present moment neither myself nor the Privy Council see any need for English Troops to be dispatched to that area of the Baltic, I am however sending two small fleets to initiate Blockades of the Polish ports of Riga & Kovno in the hope that a minor show of force at this time may lead the Government of Poland to reconsider its position and grant Englands Merchant equal access to Polish goods.

Whilst on the subject of open access for trade etc His Majesties Government has for some time now been in receipt, from various sources, of Intelligence from the Continent with regard to French intentions of, amongst other matters, excluding England from the Mediterranean region.

Further conclusive information was but recently received from the Master of the ‘Hull Jade’, formally trading in the Black Sea between the ports of Constantinople & Odessa, that gave overwhelming support to previously obtained Intelligence and which when added to reports of French & Spanish Fleets massed in a gesture of Intimidation in the Alborian Sea gave their Lords of the Admiralty sufficient concern to suggest that War with France was inevitable and the only recourse left open to this nation; however, that full & open Declarations of War are seen by the Court at Versailles as, and I quote, “unprovoked surprise attacks!” is viewed somewhat askance here, but given previous French verbiage and complete inability to understand even the most simple of requests perhaps should not be so surprising.

With regard to that point, repeated French claims that “No response was received” would seem to indicate a wilful disregard of accepted means of communications between Nations, His Majesty in his first communiqué to Louis Bourbon made the point very politely that affairs of State were to be addressed to myself as his duly appointed 1st Minister & Foreign Secretary, I yet again quote from his missive;

Sir, I fear I am unable to answer your questions with regard to English Foreign policy as that is the business of my Ministers. ... The newly appointed 1st Minister is the Earl of Evenwood and you should therefore address any such enquiries to him; ...

While it is readily accepted amongst the Kings Privy Councillors that Louis Bourbon may not have the intellectual acumen to understand plain English it is nevertheless felt that some effort should be made by the Court at Versailles to obtain the services of someone who can, and thus dispense with wasted Communiqués.

On another matter, the somewhat hysterical allegations emanating from France with regard to, Britain's barbarity, and suggesting a comparison with, the barbarians who sacked Rome—, was received at Court with a fair measure of incredulity, this from a Nation who’s self styled ‘Sun King’ ordered the “Rape of the Palatinate” just over a 100 years past is rather akin to ‘the Pot calling the Kettle Black’ and does seem to place French rhetoric in that most puerile of Hypocrisies “A vested interest posing as a moral principle”.

While I feel that it may well be a waste of time I will here make Englands position with regard to the Continent quite clear to the French Court.

France will not impede English rights of entry to the Mediterranean.

As France has no just cause she will immediately cease meddling in the affairs of the German Principalities, German internal affairs are not an area for French involvement.

France will be allowed to come to whatever arrangement for the division of Italy is deemed fitting by Austria & Spain as long as it does not impinge on English Trading interests in the Peninsular.

With Regard to Frances enquiry about any English interest in securing Picardy, Normandy, and Brittany suffice to say Picardy was never considered English Crown lands, Normandy & Brittany are.

I remain your obedient Servant.

Evenwood.

1st Minister & Foreign Secretary to King George III

[barbarossa2]

France has a hell of a lot more reason to be "meddling" in Germany than Britain does.

The French just cause is the illegal declaration of war on the French nation. France will not allow Britain to march through Europe without negotiations, without discussions, without demands, declaring war on people interested in resolving disputes with diplomacy.

Britain did not once -- not once -- lay out any issues which disturbed it. The French consul did ask WHAT it was France could do to accomodate Britain. Aside from one dismissive communication (mentioned in the British response), there was no effort at constructive conflict resolution. Indeed, I have long since given up on receiving any reply from any diplomatic efforts with the British king.

Britain is of course legally allowed to sail in the Mediterranean, however, the spheres of influence were decided by Mediterranean powers. Britain does not have any historical precedent for the rearrangement of political matters in the Mediterranean. The French consul never said it would not accept the sailing of British ships in the Mediterranean.

If Britain wants to resolve this dispute with negotiation (as France would like to), then France will be ready to accept a British cease fire offer. But we must first be notified of this desire.

[Mus]

LOL, I would have surprise attacked you Barb.

Kingmaker sent a normal DOW and allowed you to easily avoid battle because of it. Hard to get indignant when he let you off the hook, IMO.

Can't expect your self declared Suzerainty to go unchallenged either.

It's kinda like instead of having the French Revolution the French unilaterally formed the UN Security Council in 1792 and started issuing resolutions.

[;)]

[Mus]

Anyone heard from timurlain? We are waiting on him.

We are working on the 3rd day of this turn. Our ideal turnaround is 24 hours, 48 hour MAX. Let's try to pick up the pace a little please.

[Kingmaker]

From, the Earl of Evenwood; 1st Minister & Foreign Secretary to his Majesty King George III.

As the French Court seems determined to publicly display its woeful ignorance with regard to the affairs of the German states, maybe a timely reminder will suffice to make clear that His Majesties Government has full and absolute power invested in it to effect any measure it deems fit with regard to the conduct of German affairs; to wit, amongst King Georges many titles are included those of, Elector of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg and Arch Treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire, and, as previously indicated by His Majesty, by virtue of his marriage to Charlotte of Mecklenburg that state can also be included.

Further, upon my appointment as his Majesties Prime Minister, I made it my business to ascertain the Attitude of the various German states, Frances esteem amongst them was without exception in the negative, whereas by stark contrast Englands esteem was very markedly positive by any form of comparison, it would I feel therefore be seen as reasonable by any personage not totally deluded with their own personal vanities that whereas Englands involvement in German affairs is welcomed by those states, that of France most certainly is not!

It seems it was as I feared, but a forlorn hope that the Court at Versailles would be able to comprehend “Englands position“ mentioned in my previous communication, but I will try one last time.

When I stated that “German internal affairs are not an area for French involvement” that is what I meant, that is, German affairs will be sorted out through the good offices of Austria, Prussia & England, and that France need not involve herself with matters that do not concern her, I fervently trust that this matter is now fully understood at the French court and that Louis Bourbon can now make use of his time thus freed to look to French interest on the Italian peninsular.

Evenwood.

1st Minister & Foreign Secretary to King George III

[barbarossa2]

Concerning the French "suzeranity", we specifically stated that I was not dictating anything, but indicated what I would underwrite in terms of a status quo.

Everyone the French have been in contact with know that the French wanted peace with Britain. The Ottomans, the Spaniards, and the Austrians. I was even preparing to hand out "peace dividends" to the Austrians based on French-British peace.

Perhaps what the British consulate is saying is that the British have a right to rove about the Mediterranean as they see fit, but the French do not have the right to group together while staying in the Mediterranean for defense against surprise attacks where their friends are at (in that case, south of Gibraltar). In the end, exactly what we feared would happen, did happen. An attempt to hit the French fleets without any warning through diplomatic channels of any impending crisis.

Anyway, we suppose the time for negotiations are over. 

(let's enjoy the game now [8D]...after all, this is why we play isn't it?)

[barbarossa2]

Oh. I want to stress the fact that I think Kingmaker is a great guy and a top CoG:EE player and that my attack on British foreign policy have nothing to do with him. The game is the game (and I have always enjoyed the rhetoric of multiplayer games).

[montesaurus]

Hear Hear! [:)]