The Annals of the Tsar - A Napoleonic Europe AAR

[ernieschwitz]

"December 22nd, 1800.

- Today I learned that the troops at Ruschuk were not attacked. So the city is now ours for sure. I have also heard from General Pogorelsky, who is withdrawing his troops, buying time ... so the forces of General Nostitiz can move into position to replace his forces. General Ushakov is still covering the flank towards the Austrians, though now it would seem that this has been unnecessary.

- The Ambassadors from Italy and Spain got into a quarrel, and I hear they will duel each other tomorrow morning. Swords being the weapon of choice. It probably has something to do with the Spanish declaring war on the United Italian City States. Life at court is not dull.

- Alexander, Tsar."

turn 15 start messages.jpg (32.85 KiB) Viewed 65 times

The start of the turn, as usual. Disappointingly the Ottomans did not contend me taking Ruschuk. I begin eying the possibility that I may first get them to fight me, when I near Constantinople. At least in the West..

As per usual we had an officer leveling. This time it was Pogorelsky.

turn 15 leveling.jpg (65.18 KiB) Viewed 65 times

He will have his Malyy Korpus (Small Corps) upgraded soon to a Bolshoy Korpus (Large Corps). The difference lies in the amount of staff, as can be read earlier in the thread. The extra staff allows for more troops. A Malyy Korpus is 2 cavalry and 4 infantry, where a Bolshoy Korpus is 1 cavalry and 2 infantry units more.

The Velikiy Korpus's (Grand Corps) that are commanded by Ushakov and Nostitiz are 8 Infantry and 3 Cavalry. Kiselyov who is the main thrust in the Caucasus has earned the right to Command a Korpus (Corps), instead of his Malyy Korpus. This change comes with an extra cavalry and an extra infantry.

turn 15 Romania before.jpg (470.16 KiB) Viewed 65 times

Above, Romania/Bulgaria, the West front, as it looked before the turn was played. I notice that the Ottoman officers are beginning to have levels too, because the troops have combat bonuses too. I try and shore up my lines, with new troops, and move the troops from Ushakov slightly towards the south.

turn 15 Romania after.jpg (475.25 KiB) Viewed 65 times

Also as can be seen, the troops with the white stripe (Pogorelsky) is moving a bit backwards. Several Ottoman units have 50+ strength. The weather makes offensives difficult.

[ernieschwitz]

turn 15 Caucasus before.jpg (282.11 KiB) Viewed 64 times

The Caucasus Area. Here you can see the situtation before the turn. The weather makes it so I can really only move 1 hex at a time in the mountains. So that is annoying. I decide to do something about the Levy unit to the north. It loses all its troops as it surrenders, mostly. I then play the card "Forced March" that gives a HQ and units under it, within range of it, a bonus of up to +40 APs. This allowed me to move them two hexes. Since there are no opponents there, that I think will attack, the -25 Defense and -25 Attack rating as well as the 25 readiness penalty mean very little.

turn 15 Caucasus after.jpg (266.99 KiB) Viewed 64 times

As can be seen I also moved some of my troops under the command of Kiselyov (Brownish stripe). They attack the unit that is closest to them down the road towards the heartland of Turkey, it is another Levy unit. I follow up the very successful attack, with a cossack only attack on them, and my cossacks suffer 2 losses to their 2. Can't win them all as dominantly as elsewhere, I guess.

turn 15 New HQ to Caucasus front.jpg (145.6 KiB) Viewed 64 times

I have assembled a new HQ (Malyy Korpus) in Stavropol, over the last couple of turns. The units are now moving southwards, as can be seen in the picture above. Their commanding officer is.. not great.. but he is free. He'll get better, I think, I hope. Rodion Imereti. Let's try and remember his name, in case he gains some fame, or infamy.

turn 15 totals and losses kills.jpg (32.58 KiB) Viewed 64 times

I figured it would be fun to see the total war casualties taken by each side. They are at the top of the picture. Left side are the Ottomans, and to the right the Russians. Below that is the turns losses and kills.

Before I ended the turn, I decided to enact the Policy Innovation again. I was close to doing Recruitment. I have plenty of manpower to be able to do so, but, it is winter, and I think I could use the PPs better, for now. I use the PPs this turn to buy a cavalry unit in Taganrog, and an Infantry unit in Kiev, and two Infantry units in Moscow, which I march towards Finland... it's a long road.

[ernieschwitz]

"Jaunary 11th, 1801.

- The New Years Ball and Banquet has come and gone. It was a nice occasion to have some fun. To dance, and to mingle among the dignitaries from abroad, and some of the nobility as well. I have my eye on some of them, for having potential to be new Generals, for what might be a new adventure in Kalmar Union controlled Finland.

- The winter has really hit Europe now, even in the south where the Ottomans are doing their best to prepare for when the weather is more clear. General Pogorelsky has withdrawn from battle, awaiting reinforcements, while General Nostitiz & Ushakov each are controlling their sections of the front. There have been some battles, but nothing big. Things seem to move a little more in the East, in the Caucasus, where General Kiselyov has begun advancing.

- Alexander, Tsar."

The turn, as I have come to expect, not revealed any attacks by the Ottomans on my troops, here at the beginning of turn 16.

turn 16 start turn.jpg (28.05 KiB) Viewed 30 times

Three Generals got new levels: Branicki, who went from being able to confer bonuses to from 8 Staff to 11 Staff. Much more acceptable. Pogorelsky leveled as well, from the kills he did the turn before last turn (you can only gain 1 level a turn), and Kiselyov leveled as well, from his actions last turn.

turn 16 levels.jpg (182.43 KiB) Viewed 30 times

[ernieschwitz]

turn 16 Caucasus before.jpg (268.8 KiB) Viewed 29 times

The Caucasus, or perhaps more appropriately Georgia, front as it was before the the movements of this turn were made.

turn 16 Caucasus after.jpg (300.27 KiB) Viewed 29 times

I my forces (Branicki, blue stripe) have reached Erzufum, and surrounding areas. I should be able to station them there, and kill of any nearby troops, if I want to. Maybe I'll push forward with them, but the terrain won't allow for supplies to travel too far there, so I am bit hesitant. It seems like a waste though, to just have them standing there.

The other HQ (Kiselyov, Brown? stripe) is moving along the road westwards, from Trabizond. Still a bit away from Sinope, but that is their goal. Capture it, and I have a port that supplies can come in through... or maybe not, since the Ottomans might have ships in the Black Sea. There were some battles there, but I presently cannot remember exactly what was lost and not. I do remember following up with my Cossacks though.

[ernieschwitz]

Here is the view of the Bulgaria/Romanian area, before my moves. Notice the White striped units, they belong to Pogorelsky... more on them later.

turn 16 Romania before.jpg (472.13 KiB) Viewed 29 times

I have now for two turns, had my HQs there get supplies partially from the conquered cities, but it is not quite enough, but enough to keep them from completely losing readiness.

turn 16 Romania after.jpg (563.42 KiB) Viewed 29 times

As can be seen, Pogorelsky's troops are no longer on the Eastern part of the front. They have been pulled back, and instead Nostitiz troops have taken over their place. Also, some of Nostitiz troops made some attacks to the west, where some units had been moved to by the AI. Pogorelsky's forces, as they left, transferred as many Infantry as they could to the nearby units, to get them back to 20 Infantry II. Why take them with him, to be reinforced, when they can serve as reinforcements here.

Before I show you the Kills and losses, I want to mention that I had two dilemmas this turn. One was if I should produce more troops in Moscow, to send towards Finland, or get extra supplies. I had not been getting enough supplies to the HQs in Kiev and Stavropol, and figured I'd bump them up quiet a bit. That is what I chose to do, get more Supplies. I then got two more Infantry formations in Kiev.

The other dilemma was if I should get Infantry III, Staff II, or wait for Artillery II, that was just a few turns away. in the end I settled for Staff II. I've never these researches in that order before, but, I am not averse to trying something new. I then went to the button on the statistics menu, where you can upgrade everything, by pressing that, and it told me I had enough supplies to convert everything, except for ... 6 units, which were surprise, those that are furthest away from the parent HQ. In other words, the frontline stuff. Having pressed the button I also realized that the Supplies from almost all of my HQs except for the one in Moscow, had been drained completely of whatever supplies they had. So I had to bump up the amount to pull extra, for the HQs in Kiev and Stavropol. Live and learn...

Here is the turns Kills and losses.

turn 16 losses kills.jpg (12.2 KiB) Viewed 29 times