Spring - 1459

1459 Spring - Love's Labour Lost


This turn saw only one battle to fight, the delay in Austrian leadership saw the turn put back a few weeks however this gave me time to think about the map and opportunities that could present themselves. One rather astounding one that I realised that, much like I had done to France, if Austria won their game, with the correct financial backing, they could capture all of the Florentine provinces in one fell swoop - no doubt irritating the papacy, granting me a shield for the south and also investing Austria in provinces that he would have to divert his income to. I shared the plan, he got the gist and seemed to want to execute it - I did stress how vital winning he game was and advised a few practice games before hand, which he decidedly chose to ignore and went headlong into the battle unprepared against the most practiced general of the game.


Surprise surprise, he lost - in fact he lost without inflicting any damage to the Papal forces... Anyway I can dream, and it's best not to dwell on what could have been.


Orders were sent in, I initiated my counter assault on Austrian lands after their refusal to withdraw from the port of Genoa, and also sailed my fleet from the Eastern gulf of Lyon to the port of Savoy, where I intend to lay siege and secure my coast line. My army in Turin (Which is amusingly the longest surviving army having never been disbanded since the beginning of the campaign, and also having started under Papal ownership) finally captured the city and cut off any direct line of Austrian retreat back to Tyrolea from Genoa.


Elsewhere, Austria raised two armies and held everywhere else (they lost a total of three provinces last turn and five this turn), Venice joined me in my division of Austrian lands capturing Carniola, but losing the upper Adriatic to the Papal states, they also met a Turkish army on the border of Albania. The Turks continued their reclamation of their home provinces, shipping an army from Otranto into Durazzo and marching north with the other. Naples has interestingly put ships to sea this turn, although he is so unpredictable in his orders I cannot begin to assume his movements.


In total there's two battles to be fought, I fight the Austrians in Austria and the Venetians fight the Turk on the Albanian border. No armies were lost to famine and plague shall be resolved after the battles but before the summer orders are resolved.
The newly recoloured map is shown below:

Autumn - 1458

Autumn 1458 -

With two battles to fight against the new, new, new Austrian leader I got a few games of practice DBA in before heading down to the club, and honestly there's not much you can learn when you're playing your ideal force, lessons learnt from fighting mercenary cavalry armies have taught me to avoid their pike and rough terrain but otherwise as long as I use common sense I should be fine.

Arriving at the club I found that the Austrian leader was a no show, so a stand-in general was elected. The umpire gave him a few games where he reportedly won, I wasn't too worried as DBA can sometimes swing in such ways with 6/1 results and the like. I set up the board as I was defending and decided which list to use, a nice balance between mounted (heavy and light) and rock hard infantry such as a general pike stand, and a third of crossbow. The Enemy general made his way over to the table where he informed me Austria would be throwing both games. Now I want you to see that whilst not upset over the result, I do feel rather robbed - the turn has been delayed on end so I can fight these two battles and when it came to it - the enemy surrendered... This meant my force assaulting the province of Turin succeeded and drove the Austrian army back into garrison the city, whilst my Milanese garrison that had converted to an army successfully drove the Austrians from the province of Milan, causing him to retreat to Tyrolea.

Handing my orders in, I elected for my fleet in Corsica to put to sea and move to the Eastern Gulf of Lyon, in a movement to ensure I can recapture Genoa from the invading Austrian forces in the coming year of 1459. If nothing else it pins his army in place and reduces the damage it can cause. I ordered my army in Turin to begin a siege on the Austrian garrison whilst also deciding for Milan to hold - whilst I could press my advantage now I'd risk being exposed to counter assault, the army is much more use where it is; as it commands my eastern border. Due to Austrian indecision all my orders went through and were executed as planned.


Elsewhere the Papacy moved from the newly captured Florence to assault Pistoia, whilst its second force moved and captured Pisa. The Papal states managed to roll their debt with funding from the Turks and also interestingly borrowed the maximum income allowed - I feel that he plans to default on his loan in the future, else this seems a strange move. Naples managed to force their fleet into the lower Adriatic, whilst the Turks continued their trek up through Durazzo and into Herzegovina. Venice raised a force but failed to transport it to Carinthia due to Papal blockades, and their other fleet moved from the Lower Adriatic and captured the Port of Ragusa from Austria.
I'll also start putting up the odd recoloured map every now and again so to show the movement of the campaign, Milan is Green, Venice is Brown, Papacy is Gold, Turks are Pink and Naples is Blue. Originally France was yellow, and Florence beige however since their destruction they no longer feature on the map.