Summer 1703
A new royal heir is born in the summer of this glorious year, sure to lead us through great times when he comes of age! Our research continues and pays off with the introduction of plug bayonets, allowing our riflemen to get stuck in with melee should the need arise. We also welcome a new scholar into our ranks and our educational facilities are improved with the ordering of construction for two new colleges in Georgia and Anatolia. Yet again our government cabinet needs a reshuffle, out with the corrupt and in with the not-quite-so corrupt. In national news, nobody wants to trade technology research with us, disappointing considering we lack the knowledge to improve most of the resources in our regions.
Battle of Patras
Our recently besieged armies from Athens and the port of Piraeus are sent to the Venetian town of Patras on the Greek peninsula, hopefully to rid the area of the troublesome Venetian land presence. Our 488 battle hardened line infantry and irregulars against 364 of their inexperienced pikemen and firelock armed citizenry. They are politely asked to surrender the region to us without violence. They refuse.
Expertly-thought-out plans for the battle: umm, win, hopefully. Other than the town, which is too far off from the action to be of much use, there isn’t much that can be used to our advantage. That is, of course, until I realise most of our troops have the ability to hide in forests (and long grass for the irregulars). Thus begins the marching of our army into the nearest forest.
A small group of Venetians head towards the ruins nearby, our sneaky irregulars are sent to intercept them before they gain any advantage. They succeed in their plans and are brought around to flank the rest of the Venetian army as they wander through the forests being shot at by my partially hidden line infantry. Our tactics pay off, and the Venetian army is routed from the town, leaving their only remaining region the city of Venice itself, a decisive victory for the Ottoman Empire!
There is no time for rest in times of war, however, a small army sent from Dagestan approaches our border.
Winter 1703
Dagestan continues to amass an army on the borders of Georgia, the hashashin sent to Venice has been executed. In better news, Venetian fleets have stopped raiding our trade routes, allowing us to retaliate by raiding theirs (even if they do scare us off next year). Ports are improved across the empire, more to increase income from fishing than for any military reason. Sweden unfortunately decline our offer of a military alliance.
Battle of Caucasus
While the Dagestan army is divided between the city and mountain pass I decide to attack, in the hope of continuing to push through to the city itself and claim a strategically important region. Again we slightly outnumber the enemy, though we do have the advantage of cannons on our side.
The cannons are ordered to take out the slow moving riflemen while our mounted archers pester their cavalry. They attempt to flank me but are stopped by a combination of camel riders and the aforementioned mounted archers.
Both armies continue to exchange musket fire and cavalry charges until eventually we emerge victorious, though the battle was closely fought. As a result of his growing battle expertise, the leading General of our Georgian-Dagestinian campaign is awarded the trait of Corporal in gold braid, increasing morale for all troops under his command.
Our armies grow stronger and our borders swell, Dagestan should fall within the year and if we are lucky, Venice too might be under our control.
