10-23-2007, 01:18 AM
Austerlitz Nations : Confederation of the Rhine (PBM)
JOERG TITZ, with some ideas for a challenging position ...
AT FIRST VIEW the Rhine seems to be a strange country. It is not one of the bigger countries, it has six neighbours and it has only got one ore mine. But take it easy. The Rhine has one of the strongest armies and much more in the way of resources (money, ore, gold) in the starting turn than your neighbours. For a good starting position and a fun game, I want to offer you some ideas for the first turns.
Strategy
Don't be afraid about having so many neighbours. Because of its strong army it should be the Rhine that chooses which country to visit first with its troops. The Rhine needs to become bigger and stronger as soon as possible, so an early search for allies and enemies is important. It matters a lot for the Rhine to get more inhabitants and a second ore mine in Europe as soon as possible. To reach this goal early, France, Holland, Prussia or Italy are possible enemies.
Don't forget that war can already be declared in April 1808. An early war is the strategic advantage for the Rhine. In this case your strong position at the beginning of the game (with a stronger army and more resources than most of the other countries) can be used effectively.
Economy
I suggest building three factories, three mines (one ore and one gold mine in Europe and one gold mine in India), one mint, one weaving mill and two sheep farms in the first turn. In the next turns more sheep farms and mills should follow. About 12-15 farms and three mills together. Because of the wood in the warehouse, lumbercamps will be needed a bit later.
In my opinion it is very important to have a very strong economy as soon as possible to get a lot of EcPt in the first turns, so that a strong army can be built very soon and you will have advantages for the following turns.
Usually you need one mill, four-five sheep farms and one lumbercamp for full production in one factory. For one European ore mine two factories are OK. But because of the good resources in the warehouse you can built three factories in the starting turn, so you can produce more EcPt than with two factories and you can use that in the second turn to increase your army faster. For slightly better production, I suggest you buy wool and textiles from the Munich trading centre in the first turn.
The Rhine has four areas with a population density of 4 or more, except for Munich. These areas should be used for the factories and the mint. There would be the possibility to increase one area from 3 to 4, but it's better to use the citizens there for building troops and economy.
The inhabitants have to pay taxes and the mint changes gold into Louisdore. So the Rhine has a regular income. To earn more money there are some possibilities: in the starting turn the Rhine has a lot of gold in Europe and India. This could be taken on a trading ship or baggage trains and be sold in other trading centres when the rate is high (6 or 5). The ships can even move to the Caribbean. Or the gold could be sold in Munich. You could sell other goods too, but it could be better to use them for the production of the EcPt. It is better to sell the goods in little steps. You can earn more money if you sell 100 EcPt ten times than 1000 EcPt once. The money from the colonies can be transferred to Europe, but you need to take care to keep enough money in the Indian warehouse, if you want to build any production site there.
Brigades
It is important to build as many strong troops as possible in the first turns. Never forget to train them. It is much better to have 170 battalions with an experience level of 8 and 7 than 340 with a level of 3.
I would prefer the Grenadiers for the Rhine. They only cost 140 Louisdore per man and are the strongest infantry troops. In addition, I'd choose some Riflemen. Later, when the number of citizens is low, Pioneers and Light Artillery should be built. After building horse farms, Cavalry could follow. The Musketeers are great, to build extra federations. They can be sent into the hostile country to conquer it.
In the starting turn there is one brigade of 7 Colonial Troops (Kt). I would suggest demolishing these brigades in the first turn: they cost nearly 200000 Louisdore per month, and before they can do anything in the colonies they've cost about one million Louisdore for nothing. If you don't like to demolish it, transport this brigade to the colonies.
Ships
Unfortunately, the war fleet of the Rhine is small and weak. It could be used for transporting troops to India, or from Europe to India. Or it can escort the trading ships that are bringing goods from India to Europe.
One alternative use for the war ships would be to sell them: maybe England, Holland, France or Denmark (or others) have an use for these ships. As a price, I suggest charging half of the money and the EcPts that are necessary to build them. This makes the risk for your trading ships a bit higher, but the fleet is weak so you won't miss it. You just make money and EcPt by selling it, and save the monthly cost.
The trading ships are good enough for transporting goods or brigades, and for trading goods in other trading centres.
Colonies
It is important to transport ore, zinc and wool from India to Europe in the first turns for the EcPt production there.
There are some possibilities for the colonies. One course is to conquer Haiphong, but usually this will be a race between the Rhine and Spain. Or Thailand/Malaysia and their mines can be interesting to conquer too. The same applies to the lonely zinc mine island on 82/99.
The colonies are not necessary for surviving in Europe, but India can deliver some interesting goods like ore, gold or zinc.
After conquering the first areas, estates and lumbercamps (for increasing population or building fortresses if necessary) should be built.
Diplomacy
Because of your six neighbours, good diplomacy is important. Try to make alliances or at least friendships with some of them. If this isn't possible with their other neighbours, they could help you in the case of a war. That means that Naples could help in a war with Italy, Warsaw in a war with Austria or Prussia and so on.
Selling your war ships could be a part of your diplomacy and a good start for making an alliance.
Your spies should be used to get information about your neighbours (how many troops they have, or which relationship they have to the others). Avoid nasty surprises: spy on your neighbours!
Austerlitz at a glance
Detailed PBM Napoleonic wargame from Supersonic Games Ltd in the UK, Quirxel Games (the designers) in Germany and SSV in Austria. UK charges are £10 for startup, £3.75 per turn.
http://www.austerlitzpbem.com
JOERG TITZ, with some ideas for a challenging position ...
AT FIRST VIEW the Rhine seems to be a strange country. It is not one of the bigger countries, it has six neighbours and it has only got one ore mine. But take it easy. The Rhine has one of the strongest armies and much more in the way of resources (money, ore, gold) in the starting turn than your neighbours. For a good starting position and a fun game, I want to offer you some ideas for the first turns.
Strategy
Don't be afraid about having so many neighbours. Because of its strong army it should be the Rhine that chooses which country to visit first with its troops. The Rhine needs to become bigger and stronger as soon as possible, so an early search for allies and enemies is important. It matters a lot for the Rhine to get more inhabitants and a second ore mine in Europe as soon as possible. To reach this goal early, France, Holland, Prussia or Italy are possible enemies.
Don't forget that war can already be declared in April 1808. An early war is the strategic advantage for the Rhine. In this case your strong position at the beginning of the game (with a stronger army and more resources than most of the other countries) can be used effectively.
Economy
I suggest building three factories, three mines (one ore and one gold mine in Europe and one gold mine in India), one mint, one weaving mill and two sheep farms in the first turn. In the next turns more sheep farms and mills should follow. About 12-15 farms and three mills together. Because of the wood in the warehouse, lumbercamps will be needed a bit later.
In my opinion it is very important to have a very strong economy as soon as possible to get a lot of EcPt in the first turns, so that a strong army can be built very soon and you will have advantages for the following turns.
Usually you need one mill, four-five sheep farms and one lumbercamp for full production in one factory. For one European ore mine two factories are OK. But because of the good resources in the warehouse you can built three factories in the starting turn, so you can produce more EcPt than with two factories and you can use that in the second turn to increase your army faster. For slightly better production, I suggest you buy wool and textiles from the Munich trading centre in the first turn.
The Rhine has four areas with a population density of 4 or more, except for Munich. These areas should be used for the factories and the mint. There would be the possibility to increase one area from 3 to 4, but it's better to use the citizens there for building troops and economy.
The inhabitants have to pay taxes and the mint changes gold into Louisdore. So the Rhine has a regular income. To earn more money there are some possibilities: in the starting turn the Rhine has a lot of gold in Europe and India. This could be taken on a trading ship or baggage trains and be sold in other trading centres when the rate is high (6 or 5). The ships can even move to the Caribbean. Or the gold could be sold in Munich. You could sell other goods too, but it could be better to use them for the production of the EcPt. It is better to sell the goods in little steps. You can earn more money if you sell 100 EcPt ten times than 1000 EcPt once. The money from the colonies can be transferred to Europe, but you need to take care to keep enough money in the Indian warehouse, if you want to build any production site there.
Brigades
It is important to build as many strong troops as possible in the first turns. Never forget to train them. It is much better to have 170 battalions with an experience level of 8 and 7 than 340 with a level of 3.
I would prefer the Grenadiers for the Rhine. They only cost 140 Louisdore per man and are the strongest infantry troops. In addition, I'd choose some Riflemen. Later, when the number of citizens is low, Pioneers and Light Artillery should be built. After building horse farms, Cavalry could follow. The Musketeers are great, to build extra federations. They can be sent into the hostile country to conquer it.
In the starting turn there is one brigade of 7 Colonial Troops (Kt). I would suggest demolishing these brigades in the first turn: they cost nearly 200000 Louisdore per month, and before they can do anything in the colonies they've cost about one million Louisdore for nothing. If you don't like to demolish it, transport this brigade to the colonies.
Ships
Unfortunately, the war fleet of the Rhine is small and weak. It could be used for transporting troops to India, or from Europe to India. Or it can escort the trading ships that are bringing goods from India to Europe.
One alternative use for the war ships would be to sell them: maybe England, Holland, France or Denmark (or others) have an use for these ships. As a price, I suggest charging half of the money and the EcPts that are necessary to build them. This makes the risk for your trading ships a bit higher, but the fleet is weak so you won't miss it. You just make money and EcPt by selling it, and save the monthly cost.
The trading ships are good enough for transporting goods or brigades, and for trading goods in other trading centres.
Colonies
It is important to transport ore, zinc and wool from India to Europe in the first turns for the EcPt production there.
There are some possibilities for the colonies. One course is to conquer Haiphong, but usually this will be a race between the Rhine and Spain. Or Thailand/Malaysia and their mines can be interesting to conquer too. The same applies to the lonely zinc mine island on 82/99.
The colonies are not necessary for surviving in Europe, but India can deliver some interesting goods like ore, gold or zinc.
After conquering the first areas, estates and lumbercamps (for increasing population or building fortresses if necessary) should be built.
Diplomacy
Because of your six neighbours, good diplomacy is important. Try to make alliances or at least friendships with some of them. If this isn't possible with their other neighbours, they could help you in the case of a war. That means that Naples could help in a war with Italy, Warsaw in a war with Austria or Prussia and so on.
Selling your war ships could be a part of your diplomacy and a good start for making an alliance.
Your spies should be used to get information about your neighbours (how many troops they have, or which relationship they have to the others). Avoid nasty surprises: spy on your neighbours!
Austerlitz at a glance
Detailed PBM Napoleonic wargame from Supersonic Games Ltd in the UK, Quirxel Games (the designers) in Germany and SSV in Austria. UK charges are £10 for startup, £3.75 per turn.
http://www.austerlitzpbem.com