Land of the Free
or a Story about nasty foreigners
great deeds and drunken nobles,
for the wise ones to record,
for the idiots to learn,
for the politicians to practice,
for the melancholics to entertain
Land of the Free or a Story about nasty foreigners great deeds and drunken nobles,
for the wise ones to record,
for the idiots to learn,
for the politicians to practice, for the melancholics to entertain
More ale Jew and be quick about it!
What's with the funny look? I said more ale, didn't you hear me?! Yes, the Warka one, not that watered down crap you're serving peasants! You're asking me if I can pay?! Jew, by the Lord, don't make me come over there and rip those damn sidelocks from that empty head of yours! Yes, of course I'll be taking the whole bloody chamber! Who'd heard of a proud defender of our beautiful land socialize with the rabble! Damn your eyes, get me my ale or I'll teach you what's like to piss off a Polish noble! Get a move on!
And who's this entering the inn like so? By God, sir, you look like a peacock ripe for shooting, hahaha! Now, now, no need to get all worked up, young sir, 'tis but a little joke, that's all! Here, in Poland, we're all equals and what's a few jokes between peers? Yes, by all means, I'd be honoured to dine with such a fine young gentleman! I must admit, you sir are the last thing I expected to see when I woke up this morning in the mud! True, I had a terrible hangover and most of my money was gone, but still it must have been one Hell of an evening!
From the way you dress and speak sir, I can clearly say you're not from around here, are you? Ah, of course, you see, besides some delicate dandies among the "high and mighty", those from Prussia and most of the royal court, almost nobody wears breeches, round brim hats or uses a rapier. Among the nobles I mean, when we're talking about commoners, who cares! Alright, MAYBE a good portion of the burghers, but that's all. For a Polish noble to dress like your ilk would be a good reason to laugh and joke at his expense!
Fine, fine, think what you will, yet that's the way things are around here! I suggest sir, that you adapt as quickly as you can, because most people around these parts may see you akin to a dancing monkey…
Which, by the way, may not be that far from the truth…
No, no, nothing, absolutely nothing!
Very well sir, I shall gladly instruct you in the ways of the land! Provided, of course, you can do something for my itchy throat… very sore, it is… needs a lot of moisture to keep it going… of course ale! Mead, wine, whatever's your pleasure! They all work equally soothing for my condition, yes, yes, very serious… oooh, that hit the spot, by God it did! Now where was I? Aah, of course, our great Commonwealth! Listen well and be sure to tell your breech loving friends back home.
How should I start explaining the Commonwealth? I'll ask a different question: what do YOU think about Poland and Lithuania? Are they a Hell for peasants? Or a Heaven for nobles? Maybe a Paradise for Jews? A Purgatory for burghers? A backwater full of drunken Poles and medieval superstitions? Well, that may be, yet tell me this: why did our "dearly" elected king Henry III of France looked so surprised, when he learned that Wawel Castle's bathrooms had access to both cold and hot water? Or when he was told, that servants don't take a dump into chimneys or on stairs, while this is commonplace in the Louvre? Wawel has a dansker dedicated to the matter since times immemorial.
True, our traditions can be a tad difficult to understand for foreigners like you. Yet none were as surprised as that French sodomite, Henry III when he was told to swear to uphold religious tolerance and never to prosecute other religions. Bloody idiot was very unhappy with that particular point, since just 2 years earlier he had the Huguenots murdered in Paris on St. Bartholomew's Day. So, when Henry said, that he will not sign any pacts guaranteeing religious tolerance, Jan Zborowski told him: if you won't sign, you won't reign! A year later, he ran off during the night like a thief, with a set of forks that were unknown in France, back to Paris when he learned of his brother's death in order to claim the French throne. Good riddance to that horse's arse!
Yes sir, foreign nations do become puzzled by the laws of our beautiful Commonwealth. It all comes down to two pillars, which hold everything in Poland and Lithuania in place. The first one is religious tolerance. Eternal peace between all denominations within the country. Thanks to this, we have no religious wars and no massacres. Remind yourself of the civil wars in France or the great war in the Holy Roman Empire next door. I also think it's a sound solution. In this country a Lutheran drinks with a Catholic in an inn owned by a Jew, a Calvinist marries an Orthodox girl, while an Arian can read the Bible without any disturbance and buy his goods from a Muslim Tatar merchant.
The second pillar is the famed aurea libertas, or Golden Freedom for the nobility. Do you even know what freedom is? Let me explain it to you. In our country every noble can say whatever it is he wants, even if it's against the current king, as long as he doesn't break any laws doing this. Nobody and I mean NOBODY, can imprison a noble without a court verdict and all courts are elected by the nobility, not by the king. Just take a look at yourself. Are you even free back in your country? You look like a noble, yet no duke or count from what I can tell. It means that the rich and powerful can do whatever the Hell they want with you. They can screw your wife or take away your lands. If you don't like the simple fact, that your better half or daughter is being humped by some baron, duke, king or cardinal even, you'll end up locked away in some godforsaken dungeon in shackles. If you lose the king's favour, you lose all your possessions and end up penniless. See where I am going?
Here, things are quite different. The king reigns, but does not rule to put it bluntly. He must respect the privileges granted to our ancestors by his predecessors. Even if he'd be a tyrant of the worst sort, he still couldn't execute nobles on a whim or confiscate their lands, nor dismiss anyone from public office because they're for life. Not to mention the fact, that a king is elected by the nobility as well.
You say all this is impossible and I'm simply making fun of you like some clown? Well then, let me tell you this: I'm no clown, but a free citizen that elects kings and deposes tyrants! I'm a truly free man, like any noble in the Commonwealth!
Our mighty country was created through a peaceful union of two great nations: the Poles and Lithuanians, which joined together to form a single Commonwealth under the rule of a monarch hailing from Lithuania. All the lands from the Baltic Sea right to the Black Sea have been our home for generations and are our pride and joy! The Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania are now one and nobility from both kingdoms has the same rights and privileges.
Speaking of, you sir, have never told me what country are you actually from. Too ashamed I assume, haha!
So which one is it?
[X] Kingdom of France – I should have guessed! I mean really, the French! Dandies, sodomites, powderfaced, wigheaded buffons! Did you know, that syphilis is commonly known as the "Gallic desease" or the "French desease"? "Franca" for short! This alone should tell what we think about the likes of you! Sure, a few may be useful, but it takes time for them to find some semblance of acceptance. Found mostly in courts of wealthy men and sometimes in the army as officers or specialists.
[X] Spanish Empire – Nobody expected you, that's for sure! Who would have thought someone from Iberia would find his way here! Did you know, that Spain is probably the only monarchy in Europe, that has almost as much nobility among it's population as the Commonwealth has? Or that Spanish culture was prevelant in the Polish Royal Court up untill recently? Both Catholic, both fighting heathens, we have some things in common! Most of your kind probably ended up in big courts, the military or on a ship.
[X] Kingdom of England – Think of England, of course! Did you know, that the Commonwealth sent its recruiters there a few times to raise regiments of mercenaries to fight against the Ottomans? Too bad the war was usually over before they even got back. The English have no particular presence here, yet those that do are usually merchants, officers, sailors and the like.
[X] Kingdom of Scotland – Ah, the Scots, good lads! Did you know that Scottish presence in the Commonwealth makes them the largest Western minority in the country, Germans excluded? Or that the word "Szot" in Royal Prussia became synonymous with a traveling peddlar? The country is full of villages brimming with Scottish settlers if you know where to look. Respected as diligent merchants, scholars and above all, excellent soldiers and officers, Scots have settled in well.
[X] Kingdom of Ireland – Irish you say? While not even remotely as numerous as the Scots, Irish expatriates have found their way here as well. Most are Catholics escaping prosecution from their Protestant overlords, therefore they gather sympathy. Good soldiers and officers, like their Scottish counterparts. Lucky them. Hey, did you know, that 1 out of 10 people here in the Commonwealth is a noble? Some even double that number. Back in the West it's about 1 in 20 at most. You're asking me what does this have to do with the Irish? The Hell if I know. Must be the mead talking…
[X] Republic of the Seven United Netherlands – The Dutch, I should have known! Did you know, that the only Polish navy in existence was commanded by one of your own countrymen, Admiral Arend Dijckman? Or that Polish nobles, usually Protestant ones, visit the Seven Provinces regularly to learn the great art of military engineering and artillery? The Dutch have quite the presence in big trading cities, Gdańsk being the most prominent among them and are known as fine merchants and sailors. Of course, they are greatly appreciated in the army as well, since it always sorely lacks trained engineers and artillerymen.
[X] Holy Roman Empire – German, by God I was right! When the average noble thinks of a wigheaded foreigner, a German is the first thing that comes to his mind. They can be found almost anywhere in the Commonwealth and form a majority of the population in it's northern and western parts. Did you know, that infantry regiments trained in Western military tradition are called "German" even though not a single soldier there knows a word of German? Sure, commands are given in that language and quite a few officers are of German extraction, but still… other than that, they can be found practising any profession, but it is their military tradition of supplying good infantry for the cavalry dominated Commonwealth army that makes them stand out.
* * *
Welcome to my little Quest!
A fair warning, updates can be a bit slow at times, but I'll do my best. In this story I'll try to entertain y'all with the fascinating little world set in XVII century Poland. Allow me therefore to be your guide. Not that really well known outside the country itself, but really interesting for those willing to learn about it! In this Quest I'll try to put in as much information as I can and introduce many of the customs found at the time, including a bit of humour. Do note, that for the sake of historical accuracy some nasty things (such as intolerance) will be present. As for details regarding the mechanics, more on that in the future.
[X] Kingdom of Ireland – Irish you say? While not even remotely as numerous as the Scots, Irish expatriates have found their way here as well. Most are Catholics escaping prosecution from their Protestant overlords, therefore they gather sympathy. Good soldiers and officers, like their Scottish counterparts. Lucky them. Hey, did you know, that 1 out of 10 people here in the Commonwealth is a noble? Some even double that number, Back in the West it's about 1 in 20 at most. You're asking me what does this have to do with the Irish? The Hell if I know. Must be the mead talking…
What was that again…?
Ah right, so you're Irish! Fine, fine, a proud and old nation to be sure! You know, sometimes I think that if I wasn't born a Polish noble, I'd sure as Hell like to be an Irish lord, ha! We have much more in common than people assume! But that's a chat for another day. Hey Jew! More mead! This here Irish gentleman's paying! I'd like to see you ask HIM if he's got any money, haha! You see sir? These people are amazing. Think a foreigner's got more coin on him than us, proud defenders of the Motherland! What's this world coming to…
Speaking of coin, sir, you do seem to be quite affluent. I take it your family's got a nice estate and you've got your share of it on you, haven't you? So, tell me a little bit about yourself!
What's your family background?
[X] Magnate – So, just like I thought! You were born to a powerful and affluent noble family with considerable influence. Mayhaps even inherited a title of nobility yourself? Do be careful of using it around, though. Aristocratic titles are forbidden by law, since technically all nobles are equal, the sole exception being made for old Ruthenian princely families. Besides, you have a full purse, standing in courts that know your pedigree and considerable social skills, so what's the use for a title anyway? True, fighting and outdoors might be a bit problematic, but that's the highborn today, the valour of their great ancestors all but a memory.
[X] Middle nobility – Ah, the cream of the crop if I do say so myself! Forget about those puffed up aristocratic bastards, this is where true power lies! The relatively wealthy nobles waged a brutal political war with the magnates for generations. So far, their collective vote balances that of the rich, yet it probably won't be long untill that changes. For the worse I mean. It also means that you still have social standing among your peers and some money to back it up. Since the best Polish cavalry is made up mostly of wealthy landowners, you are not as poor with a weapon as those dandies raised in palaces.
[X] Petty nobility – Believe it or not, but the majority of nobles in Poland don't even own a single village, not to mention owning any land at all. I guess back at your country you were one of those, huh? Did you know, that you can find loads upon loads of villages populated by no one else, but poor nobles owning just a small strip of land each, which they tend to themselves? Some had fallen on hard times, despite their once great pedigrees. This also means you lack social skills and standing. While many care for nothing, but their small little hamlets, the most audacious and adventurous can be found here in greater quantities than anywhere else. Coin can be a problem too. However, you more than make up for it with your fighting qualities and whatever things you've learned while on the road. Hey, did you know, that 1 out of 10 people here in the Commonwealth is a noble? Some even- wha? I told you this already? Impossible…
[X] Poor pleb – Don't tell me you're not even of noble birth?! Why the Hell am I wasting my bloody time with a lowlife! Oh, you were just joking? Really? Haha! Got me there, I'll tell you! Believe me, any peasant or other unfortunate scrub pretending to be a noble has one foot in the grave already! For impersonating a nobleman you hang, sir! Maybe even get tortured for good measure! These whelps have the social skills of a mule and you can smell their stench from far away! Not only that, most are hardly a match for a good noble, who's trained from birth to wield a weapon! Their only saving grace are the survival skills they had to employ to get to this point, many of them quite dishonourable for a noble. Did you know, that a nobleman by the name of Walerian Nekada Trepka wrote na interesting 800-page book called Liber generationis plebeanorum or Liber Chamorum for short, that is The Book of Plebeian Families or The Book of Boors describing nobles and their relatives who, according to him, have a false claim to nobility? A juicy read indeed!
[X] Petty nobility – Believe it or not, but the majority of nobles in Poland don't even own a single village, not to mention owning any land at all. I guess back at your country you were one of those, huh? Did you know, that you can find loads upon loads of villages populated by no one else, but poor nobles owning just a small strip of land each, which they tend to themselves? Some had fallen on hard times, despite their once great pedigrees. This also means you lack social skills and standing. While many care for nothing, but their small little hamlets, the most audacious and adventurous can be found here in greater quantities than anywhere else. Coin can be a problem too. However, you more than make up for it with your fighting qualities and whatever things you've learned while on the road. Hey, did you know, that 1 out of 10 people here in the Commonwealth is a noble? Some even- wha? I told you this already? Impossible…
Yet more things we share in common, sir. No palaces, no comfortable beds, no silken robes, just hard work to scrape out a living. You were born to a poor, yet proud noble family, much the same as I. Though living in poverty, you have not forgotten who you are and wanted to find your place in the world, prove that you are no mistake. That the deeds your ancestors did to grant you this honour were well founded and can be repeated. The Commonwealth is a large country and anyone bold and brave enough to seize his opportunity in order to raise himself above his station may achieve that goal.
Take Jan Zamoyski for example. He started his career as a poor, landless noble and ended it as the Crown Chancellor and Crown Grand Hetman, owning many villages, towns and serfs. The most powerful man in the country once was a poor noble, just like us. His meteoric rise to power and prominace is without precedent. More than that, he never forgot where he came from and always was a proud leader of the reformist circles, fighting other magnates's abuses! Truly, a man for the ages! If he were still alive, this country would have been in a much different situation.
As for a foreigner you ask? Well, all I can think of at the moment is Bernard Pretwicz, a German from Silesia. Bernhard von Prittwitz was his birth name I believe, bleh, these foreign names… sounds like stepping into a pile of crap if you ask me… anyway, this Pretwicz came to Poland and quickly made a name for himself fighting the Tatars in Ukraine. Though not a native of the steppes, he possesed an uncanny military talent for fighting these heathen pillagers and looters. Thanks to him and his incredible work there, the southern border was safer from Tatar raids than anytime in history! He died a wealthy and accomplished man, having received grants and offices from our kings.
Fine, fine, just remember that anyone can become a rich man in this country, so long as he has a skill with weapons and enough wits about him! A fine company of men behind his back helps too!
Damn it all, this mead's strong I say! I'd swear by the Virgin Mary, that it wasn't as hard-hitting just yesterday! By the way I do hope that, like all good Irishmen, you sir believe in the Virgin Mary.
Well do you?
[X] Catholic – Excellent! Praise be to Jesus! You see sir, a good majority of the nobles and most of the populus believe in the Virgin Mary and every good Catholic can expect to be well received. This is due to king Sigismund III, who used to be called the "Jesuit King" and his long, 40-year-old rule. Anyone wishing to have a career in his court or even in the provinces, had to be a Catholic or convert. Sure, some powerful men could resist this, but converting was usually easier for the sake of political expediency.
[X] Protestant – Whaaaat?! You don't?! I can't believe it! I know I said something about religious tolerance, but I never expected to… oh, nevermind. Do know this though: many nobles, commoners and the like have an aversion to heretics. Don't expect a warm welcome in many places if you like to brag about your religion. Some magnates, however, are known as protectors of reformed faiths and anyone who's like them is welcome there, especially men with talent.
[X] Atheist – Well, this is… awkward to say the least. Sure, many people don't have much faith in anything, but they usually have a general idea, that a God does exist… somewhere. Know this: don't tell anyone. Atheism is seen as a stain on one's honour no matter where you go. Even if others might agree with you in private, they'll condemn you in public just like everybody else. Some say, that this is the only confession not covered by the Warsaw Confederation, the document guaranteeing religious freedom. So, if you're unlucky, you can end up like that French maiden, Joanne d'Arc and be burned at the stake.
[X] Catholic – Excellent! Praise be to Jesus! You see sir, a good majority of the nobles and most of the populus believe in the Virgin Mary and every good Catholic can expect to be well received. This is due to king Sigismund III, who used to be called the "Jesuit King" and his long, 40 year old rule. Anyone wishing to have a career in his court or even in the provinces, had to be a Catholic or convert. Sure, some powerful men could resist this, but converting was usually easier for the sake of political expediency.
Happy to know, that pious and God-fearing Catholics are still so prevelant in Ireland. I have heared tales of your clashes with them English Protestant filth. Damn sad tales too they were. One day sir, one day, there will be a reckoning, let me tell you. The Lord shall sweep those bloody heretics back into the sea and Ireland shall be free once again, that I am sure of! All in good time, yes sir! I just hope you will live long enough to see it…
More mead, Jew!
Speaking of living, sir! Being the son of a poor, Irish Catholic noble in a Protestant-infested country must have been hard. Yet, for some reason, you decided to leave the "comforts" of your shabby home. More than that! You left your beautiful green island altogether! Surely, such a radical departure from your once stable life must have been quite an experience!
May I inquire as to the reasons for your arrival to the continent?
Well?
[X] Wanderlust – Aah, so you're one of the types, that simply hate sitting around in one place for too long! You wanted to see the whole wide world with your own eyes! The bloody shack you called home wasn't simply enough to contain the likes of you! That small island of yours wasn't the whole world as well! You love to travel, to move from one place to another quickly and efficiently, to meet new people, to see new things. To learn new things equally fast. Of course, this makes you quite unpleasant when you can't move about the way you want to and it's very hard for you to put down roots.
[X] Adventure – Oh, so that's why! Haha, you'd be surprised how many young nobles here in the Commonwealth leave home for this very reason! Filled with tales of bravery, valour and good old violence, they'd love to have a part of that! Of course, it's not all sunshine and rainbows as many of them quickly find out. Life isn't as easy as in their favourite book. Their advantage is that they're eager and ready for a fight, taking risks and act under pressure. Adventurous young nobles do tend to be a bit hotheaded, to do something before they think and, well, to bite more than they can chew. You see, sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.
[X] Poverty – You know the other most common reason young Polish nobles go out into the world? Yes, that's right. I can see it in your eyes. You seem to know it all too well. Poverty, lack of money, lack of, quite frankly, everything. When your own father can't provide you with the necessary means of sustaining yourself, you simply have to pack up, take whatever meager possessions you've got and move on in search of a better life. It's true, such hardships as filling your belly or not having a place to sleep tend to teach you survival skills others may lack and you know the sting of going poor and hungry, making you more resistant and resourceful in times of need. There is but one little thing though… yep, you guessed it. Remember, greed, for lack of a better word, is good. After all, when somebody offers you recompense or you find something of note, it's a sin not to take it for yourself…
[X] Vengeance – One the most powerful and deadly motivations to be sure. When your heart's on fire and you have your foe in sight, may God have mercy upon him. Or not! I guess someone has wronged you or somebody close to you and now you're out for his blood. Why in God's name has this chase lead you over the sea into Europe itself is beyond me. Whether you acheived your aim or not remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure: when you consider someone your enemy, that person has every reason to be terrified of you. Highly motivated, determined and utterly incorruptible, there is nothing to dissuade you from tracking down and killing your quarry in the most painful way possible. On the other hand, when you make enemies, it's for life: you do not forgive or forget. Only utter ruination and death of your nemesis will satisfy the grudge. Every transgression against you must be avenged, orders be damned!
[X] Politics – Ahh, I should have guessed! You had a run-in with the English and had to turn tail and run. Why am I not surprised? Maybe you had some quality time with the Sheriff's daughter? Or maybe you took part in some armed insurrection and had nothing left to come back to? Maybe it's because you refused to damn your soul and become a heretic, so they claimed your meager lands. Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure: you HATE the English with a passion. Of course all true Irishmen have some beef with them, but you take the cake. Due to this, you had time to learn a thing or two about social interactions and political scheming, as well some organisational skills. However, the English remain your prime enemy and you will never be at peace with them, nor cooperate with a representative or loyal subject of the Crown in any way, no matter their background. This also means, that if you have a chance to give them a bloody nose, you will do so, regardless of current obligations or goals.
[X] Politics – Ahh, I should have guessed! You had a run-in with the English and had to turn tail and run. Why am I not surprised? Maybe you had some quality time with the Sheriff's daughter? Or maybe you took part in some armed insurrection and had nothing left to come back to? Maybe it's because you refused to damn your soul and become a heretic, so they claimed your meager lands. Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure: you HATE the English with a passion. Of course all true Irishmen have some beef with them, but you take the cake. Due to this, you had time to learn a thing or two about social interactions and political scheming, as well some organisational skills. However, the English remain your prime enemy and you will never be at peace with them, nor cooperate with a representative or loyal subject of the Crown in any way, no matter their background. This also means, that if you have a chance to give them a bloody nose, you will do so, regardless of current obligations or goals.
By God sir, sometimes I can't imagine myself being in the shoes of an Irishman! Every time I meet one of you, there is English this, English that, damn the English! It's always their fault, may Hell take them! It's like they're the Devil in disguise or something. I'll be sure to make a bet each time I meet one of your fellow countrymen, that's a good way to quickly make myself rich, haha!
While I clearly understand, that it's the foul machinations of those pesky Englishmen, that drove you away from home, yet you still had to do something for a living when you landed. I mean, it's not like you had money ready and waiting, not when you were freshly out of that damp Irish bog, hahaha!
So, what did you do?
[X] Swordmaster – Ah, a noble profession to be sure! Too bad you swing a bloody toothpick, not a sabre, like a true noble! Anyway, you spend your days practicing fencing in any form possible since you were a child. After many long and sweaty sessions you achieved quite the proficiency. In fact, you were so good, that you actually started finding work as a duelist, then as a fencing instructor. While your clientele was an assortment of strange and colorful people, you eventually worked your way up to noble courts and even palaces. Many were quite surprised with your skills since you were still young, yet none could best you in a duel. Your reputation as a duelist has preceded you. Thanks to this, your social and teaching skills improved, you made a few interesting acquaintances and, quite obviously, you are very good at fighting with your rapier. Not only that, you can use a parrying dagger in your left hand, making you even more deadly in a fight. Keep in mind though, dueling is not the same as actual battle.
[X] Mercenary - What can I say? Much like your fellow countrymen, you decided to follow their footsteps and work for coin in the military. Europe is awash with sellswords and luckily for you, there's no shortage of wars to fight and armies to serve. You follow the money and fight for whoever pays more. Or offers better plunder. Or wine. You can always think of a reason to change employers and desert. Thousands have. Thing is, you're a common soldier and thus, quite expendable in the grand scheme of things. While sure, you do learn military discipline, resistance to morale shocks, better use of firearms and a bit of tactics, you're only useful as part of a unit. A single soldier is less than impressive.
[X] Officer - A cut above the common sellsword, European armies are full of foreign officers, the military of the Commonwealth as well. Using whatever knowledge and training you had, you managed to get yourself promoted to the position of an officer and put in command of a unit. Since you're still alive, it is safe to assume, that you did well. Remember, there are no bad soldiers, only bad officers and a good soldier has to learn to kill them quickly, since they are better off dead. With experience behind your belt and battles fought, you can safely say, that you know what you're doing. Having learned to organize your troops, drill them and lead them into battle, you have a better understanding of logistics, tactics, strategy and battle does not frighten you as much as others.
[X] Courtier – By some strange twist of luck it seems, you managed to sneak into a few courts and palaces as a minor noble of no importance and sycophant your way into some kind of existence. You were not the only one of course, therefore you had to fight tooth and nail for your part of the scraps. A brutal and merciless battle indeed, for the loser doesn't get to eat or is thrown out into the mud and rain. Nevertheless, you prevailed, since you ate regularly and slept in a good bed, a major improvement over what you were used to. But what's more important, you've learned how to move about in a court with dignity and grace, to scheme against your peers or even your betters and to have a keen eye for recognising any lies and manipulations.
[X] Highwayman – "It's either this or starvation". These are the words one noble brigand told me, before I shot him dead. You were forced, like many other poor nobles, to seek your fortune by robbing innocent travelers at gunpoint while roaming the countryside. A sad and inglorious career for a knight, yet one you took up out of necessity. Having taken money, jewels and whatever else you could get your hands on from merchants, other nobles and even armed soldiers, you managed to survive long enough to move somewhere else, before the inevitable crackdown of local forces comes crashing down on your head. As such, you improved your survival skills, intimidation techniques and even learned the art of torturing people. What's more, you have a certain rapport with other scoundrels, of which there are many in the Commonwealth. Yet expect no sympathy from honest people, who know what you've been doing for a living.
[X] Officer - A cut above the common sellsword, European armies are full of foreign officers, the military of the Commonwealth as well. Using whatever knowledge and training you had, you managed to get yourself promoted to the posistion of an officer and put in command of a unit. Since you're still alive, it is safe to assume, that you did well. Remember, there are no bad soldiers, only bad officers and a good soldier has to learn to kill them quickly, since they are better off dead. With experience behind your belt and battles fought, you can safely say, that you know what you're doing. Having learned to organize your troops, drill them and lead them into battle, you have a better understanding of logistics, tactics, strategy and battle does not frighten you as much as others.
Well, well, well.
So you sir, are a military man? You certainly don't look the part, but I'll take your word for it. Nevertheless, anyone wishing the shed blood for the good of the Commonwealth is a friend of mine! I do hope, that your service here, wherever it may be, leads you to riches and glory!
You see, our professional army is… small, to say the least. A few thousand good men at most. Usually stationed in Ukraine to repel Tatar incursions. Some are garrisoned in various fortresses. You ask why such a token army despite the country's size? No money, simple. The king can't levy new taxes, only our parliament has that right. Since nobody likes to tax himself, the nobles almost never do so, unless in times of emergency. Besides that, the magnates have their own private armies, which are, funnily enough, stronger when combined than that of the king! Welcome to our world, sir, where the nobility is rich and the king poor!
But enough of that!
Tell me, what branch did you serve in?
[X] Infantry - You commanded infantry units during your military service, huh? Can't say I'm too surprised. Most foreign officers I know belong to this branch, you being no different. Not that there's anything wrong with it, mind you. The Commonwealth needs good infantry officers more than anything. Since foot troops play second fiddle to our mighty cavalry, anyone who can bring them up to Western standards is a welcome addition to our ranks, since I have a feeling, we are going to need them. Oh, did you know that our infantry almost never uses pikes? That's right, the more muskets, the better. As for enemy cavalry, that's what our cavalry's for! Besides, infantry officers are never as respected as those leading cavalry units mind you.
[X] Cavalry - Hah, what a surprise! So you think you actually know how to command cavalrymen? Sir, this is the Commonwealth, home to the finest horsemen in the world! Our cavalry can beat the crap out of any of its Western counterparts without breaking a sweat. You probably order your men to trot towards to enemy, fire away with pistols and return to the back of your formation! Bollocks I say! Our men charge right home and crush anyone doing that silly caracole dance! You better have an answer to that or you are hardly worth your salt, sir!
Sadly, being the son of a poor noble and having no wealthy patron, you couldn't afford going to a proper gunnery or engineering school. There are things you cannot simply learn all by yourself. Even if you could, no sound commander would ever hire you without proper recommendation and I am yet to see one be given to the likes of you.
Now sir, inform me of where did you serve, what wars have you fought in, what field can claim to own a drop of your blood!
You can tell a good officer by his service record.
[X] Danish Army - You served in the Protestant Danish army when king Christian IV launched his ill fated intervention in the war, that's tearing apart the Holy Roman Empire. Denmark made heavy use of Western mercenaries for the first time in the war. The more you stay here, the more mercenary contacts in the West you have.
[X] Imperial Army - At some point you served in the Emperor's Catholic armies fighting battles against enemies of the Empire from Mantua in the south, to Denmark and Sweden in the north as well as everything in between. The Emperor made good use of mercenaries and allies from the Commonwealth and beyond. The more you stay here, the more mercenary contacts in the East you have, plus you gain more knowledge about the Commonwealth and its military you wouldn't normally have.
[X] French Army - While serving in the Catholic French army, you saw action against Huguenot rebels and their English allies in the south, maybe even fought in Mantua and Switzerland. France always paid well and financed other wars. The more you stay here, the more money you start with. Not only that, your glory shot will come with a bonus. Why, you ask? Didn't I mention the English?
[X] Spanish Army - In the service of the Catholic Spanish Crown you fought in the neverending war against the Dutch with Mantua and Switzerland also a possibility. Spain was the foremost military power in Western Europe for over a century. The more you fought there, the more trusted men whom you served with will join you on your new venture.
[X] Swedish Army – It seems you served in the Protestant army under Gustavus Adolphus during the early stages of their intervention in the Holy Roman Empire, maybe even during the wars with Poland earlier. The Swedish king is a renown commander and reformer. The more you served him, the more tactical acumen you gained and military innovations you know. Serving for at least 2 out of 3 possible glory shots also gains you knowledge about the Commonwealth and its military you wouldn't normally have.
[X] Dutch Army – While serving in the Protestant armies of the Seven Provinces you fought in their neverending war of independence against Spain. Oh, and the English helped too. The Dutch are famous for their heavy fortifications and cannons. The more you served them, the more you know of engineering and artillery. It's just that the English… well... let's just say, that your glory shot will come with a penalty. Becauseit's the bloody English!
Keep in mind, you can only choose up to 3 armies. Changing employers during our times is nothing to be ashamed of and is perfectly normal, so long as you do so in the proper way and without treachery. The longer you serve in one army, the more of its customs and methods you learn. This can limit your opportunities however, since you only get one shot per each to do something worthwhile. Adequate but mediocre service in one place for too long may leave you stranded in a dead-end job without prospects for promotion or glory. On the other hand, hitting the big one can mean spectacular successes and rapid promotion.
[X]Plan Western Innovation
-[X] Infantry
-[X] French Army
-[X] Swedish Army x2
Ah, most interesting!
So you've fought for them bloody French dandies, huh? Not too surprising if I may say. I mean, France does seem to be a natural destination of anyone leaving Ireland in the first place. So, you must have seen firsthand what religious strife does to people. Sure, you had plenty of that back home, yet I did mention the French Civil Wars, didn't I? At least you were on the winning side, good for you.
I am a bit puzzled by your decision to switch to Swedish service later on. You do realize what this means? It means this is not the first time you're visting the Commonwealth. You were here just a few years ago as an armed aggressor, raping, pillaging and burning, when that twit Gustavus Adolphus invaded us! Don't lie to me! All's fair in love and war you say? Why I should…!
More mead? Why, by all means! Only an idiot refuses, when a non-idiot offers! All's fair and forgiven, might I add, for such a generous gentleman!
You've also seen service with them fishmongers in the Empire? Ah, that must have been something. When that bloody Gustavus was beating the Imperial armies out of their senses the world trembled. Or rather, the Catholic world might I add. Heretics seemed to be overjoyed. You must feel damn proud to have been a part of that.
By God! I just noticed something!
We've been chatting the whole evening and I am yet to know your name, sir! It just comes to show, that when you have a purse full of gold, you don't need anything else to make yourself new friends, hahaha!
Care to introduce yourself?
[X] Write-in.
You sir, have a fascinating life story, I must say! One worthy of someone trying to redeem his soul by serving those he once oppressed! Fight well and the Commonwealth will most assuredly forget any past transgressions and reward you for your actions!
Is there anything you wish to add? Perhaps you omitted something out of shame? Or perhaps out of modesty? Surely, you can be honest with me! Honesty is an important trait for our nobles!
Do tell, go on!
Advantages
[X] Distinguished – While serving with one of your previous employers you performed a heroic act, that was noted by your superiors. You were awarded accordingly. Still have that award on you if anyone doubts your words. Usually some kind of expensive item or piece of jewelry. Attached is also a glowing letter of recommendation. Cannot be taken with [X]Disgraced.
[X] Affluent – At some moment in your past service you got yourself a nice amount of coin. Maybe you got lucky and took a bag or two out a captured supply train. Or maybe you sacked a town and kept your share of the treasure. Whatever the reason, you gain extra money at the start of the campaign. Cannot be taken with [X] In Debt.
[X] Fearless – By God, are you telling me you attacked a whole enemy host with but a handful of men and returned unscathed? Or that you went out alone into the enemy camp at night and blew up their siege cannon? I'll believe it when I see it! In the meantime, any tests involving fear, morale or intimidation concerning you personally are an automatic success.
[X] Polyglot - You sir, have a knack for languages! Besides starting with the default English and Gaelic, you also know Latin and have a very good chance to start with French, Polish and German, each one will be checked individually. You can also learn other languages more efficiently as well. Without this Advantage you will only have a good chance to possess Latin and a small one for the rest.
[X] Companions - While many have deserted, these few have stayed true to you. You will have a core of about half a dozen men, who follow you wherever you go. All have served with you and are veteran soldiers, some are even friends. Besides fighting for you, they have their own talents and agendas as well.
[X] Tactician - You say sir, that one day you'll become the Caesar of the East? Or the Scipio Africanus of Hibernia? That I'd like to see! You do seem to have a keen eye for battle, though! It means, that you gain a constant bonus to every roll regarding battle tactics and you will re-roll every battle tactics failure once.
[X] Write-in - Open to reasonable suggestions.
Disadvantages
[X]Disgraced - You left one of your former employers in disgrace. The reason? Many are possible. Maybe you failed to obey orders or you pissed off your commanding officer? One things's for sure. Because of your poor service record, you will have a harder time finding work, recruits and otherwise function in other armies. Cannot be taken with [X] Distinguished.
[X] Mortal Enemy - You have made yourself an enemy from some powerful individual. This person is much more influential than you and can make your life miserable in many different ways. Eventually he will try to ruin you and send you to your grave, unless you do it first.
[X] In Debt - It appears you own a substantial amount of money to someone. How can one squander such a fortune? Only you know. What matters, is that you have to pay it back in instalments every turn, which will hit your treasury, untill the debt is settled. Cannot be taken with [X] Affluent.
[X] War Wounds - You bear the marks of battle upon your flesh and it's not a pretty sight. You may have lost an eye, a leg, an arm or simply became lame due to wounds received. It will impede your personal combat rolls and may have a negative effect on other things as well.
[X] Slow Learner - One may say you are not the sharpest tool in the shed, sir. What it means is that you have a hard time learning anything new, that is beyond your starting knowledge and skills. Raising your skills and stats will take twice as long.
[X] Easily Frustrated - It seems, that you are prone to anger whenever things do not go according to your plans or desires. The world isn't always like we wish it to be, yet you find it hard to accept this truth. Whenever you discard an option, that is connected to your personal desires or take one that is their opposite, your Rage meter grows twice as fast.
[X] Write-in - Open to reasonable suggestions.
You may choose up to 3 Advantages and 3 corresponding Disadvantages. It is possible to take 1 Advantage for free... who am I kidding, of course it's not free! However, you will pay for it in due time. Such an Advantage becomes "jinxed". At anytime during the story, this bad luck may activate itself. Whenever you have an important roll, there will be a check. Important, as in fate of a battle, lives of many people, your own life and so on. If the check determines it, this very important roll ends with a critical failure by default. Your "jinx" has been cleared, congratulations.
A quick note on the Rage Meter: some choices may be tied to your character, such as your hatred of the English. Whenever you have to discard such an option (it will be marked), your frustration slowly rises. If you go against your believes (cooperation with the English for example) your Rage will take a big hit. When the Meter is full, it is treated as an active "jinx" ready to be discharged as per rules above. When this happens, it goes down to 0. Some options and events during the story will decrease the Meter without discharging.
Note, that Advantages and Disadvantages are optional. If you don't wish to have them, simply say:
[X]Plan: Veni, Vidi, Vici... at a price
-[X] Liam O'Donnel -[X] Polyglot
-[X] Tactician
-[X] Mortal Enemy
-[X] In Debt
"...enough." you said finally after the unknown Polish noble was bombarding you with questions and self-righteous accusations all night.
"Huh, what's that, Mr Lajam Odonel? You had enough? Ha! I told ya! I knew ya couldn't outdrink a true Polish knight, yesssir!" the nobleman said, heavily intoxicated. He looked like he was about to fall down on the floor into Morpheus's embrace.
"You had your fun, sir. And your meal. And your drink. Many times over. I have more important things to do, than to drink myself to death in some second rate tavern in the middle of nowhere. Good night, sir." and with that, you raised yourself from your seat, made a curt bow, turned around and exited the building, leaving the noble already snoring on the table.
It seems he will wake up in the mud today as well.
While you were riding out into the morning sun, you had no time for sleep. You'll sleep, when you're dead. Right now you had less than a day's ride away from your destination and you intended to reach it as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, old memories started to come back.
You were born on the 22nd of August Anno Domini 1603 to Patrick O'Donnell and his wife Martha O'Donnell, née Sweeney in a small hamlet called Alleen, County Donegal, Ireland. While you had siblings, 2 older brothers and 1 younger sister, none if them survived past childhood. Your father, a poor noble from a proud, ancient clan was as stern and distant as people go, yet he still was your father and you remember him with affection. Or rather, whatever tales mother told you regarding him, since your own memories are a bit hazy. He took part in the great war against the English, known now as the Nine Years' War. As all clansmen sworn to their leader, your father joined the forces of Red Hugh O'Donnell, the king of Tyrconnell from a very old line of kings, the same that ruled Donegal for centuries. It was a bloody and destructive conflict, your mother told you. The O'Donnell's, along with Hugh O'Neill and his men, who were the only ones with more influence in Ulster, than your own clan, waged a gruesome struggle. Yet the war turned for the worse, and 2 years before you were born, the English captured and burned Donegal Castle, along with the Franciscan abbey nearby. Having finally secured Spanish aid, the combined forces of the Irish rebels and their allies from Iberia were defeated in the decisive siege of Kinsale. The war dragged on for another couple of months, but its outcome was by now inevitable. The once great and powerful Rory O'Donnell (his brother Hugh died in exile in Spain) and O'Neill submitted to the English king James I Stuart, and that was that. For them, nothing changed. Under the surrender and regrant policy, they kept their lands and possessions, became Earls and still were politically important.
Your family however?
With your lands burned out, home destroyed, animals slaughtered and servants killed, you were forced into a pitiful existence. You remember your childhood being full of hardship and of worried looks on your parents' faces. Father worked like a slave to provide for you and your mother, labouring all day despite the weather, tending to whatever meagre holdings you had left.
And them it happened.
News broke out, that the Earls of Tyrconnell and Tyrone, along with a couple of dozen supporters, fled to the continent, leaving the rest at the mercy of the English. Needless to say, this Flight of the Earls, as it was to be known, became the downfall of many Irish families. The English began a large scale colonization scheme of Ireland, known as the Plantation of Ulster. Thousands of English and Scottish settlers came to the country and were given lands, either confiscated or otherwise extorted from their former owners. When Cahir O'Doherty began his rebellion in 1608, your father was quick to join him. Unfortunately for them, this struggle was crushed much faster than the previous uprising. O'Doherty was killed at Kilmacrennan on the same year and the rest of the rebels at Tory Island not long after. Your father was among those, that perished in the latter and it's a tale your mother was never anxious to tell you. In order to save his skin, a rebel had to kill another rebel of a higher rank than his own. This rule, known as "Pelham's Pardon" was the reason why the last of the insurgents started killing each other. Among those slaughtered was your father. Killed by an Irish sword of a coward, while the English stood there and watched with amusement. You were told that the few survivors of the massacre did receive their pardons, which made your blood boil.
With the rebellion crushed, the colonization process increased drastically. Old friends and neighbours disappeared, were killed, expelled or otherwise removed from their lands. In their place came Englishmen. After a few years of miserable existence, they finally came for you. You were a teenager back then, but you still remember the day like it was yesterday. English soldiers barged into your home, raped and killed your mother, then almost snuffed you out as well. You did manage to kill one of them with their own sword, before making it for the hills. The pain and desperation burns in you still at the mere thought of those horrible moments. You've lost everything: your family, your lands, and your home. All because of those English bastards. You made an oath back then: that one day you will avenge your family, regain your honour and kill every last one of them English dogs. But right now, Ireland seemed to be a bit too crowded by them, so you had to leave. Especially since they would be looking for you. You remembered that some time ago the English were rounding up Irishmen to be sent overseas. Military service in Sweden. While you had no idea where that was, you figured, that any place is better, than this dump. After much searching and pleading, you finally made your way aboard a merchant vessel bound for France.
The year was 1618.
[Service in France: 67/100 + 10 bonus = 77 - good and noticeable service]
Having arrived in France a poor noble without money, your options were quite limited. For a while you survived thanks to the goodwill of certain people, especially Scotsmen, who were much more easier to find, than your fellow Irishmen. Yet you knew that this couldn't last forever. In the meanwhile, you took great pains to quickly learn the French language and since you yourself had talent for this sort of thing, soon you weren't forced to rely on translators, but could even translate yourself.
Then your luck was about to take a turn for the better.
While travelling to Paris, you found yourself in a most peculiar situation. Having encountered a wealthy noble being attacked by a few brigands, you came to his rescue and put those fiends to flight. The nobleman you helped was François Henri Alphonse d'Ornano, lord of Mazargues and a colonel of a regiment of infantry named after him. He was the younger son of Alphonse d'Ornano, Marshal of France and a known commander. While his older brother inherited most of the family fortune, he still got some lands but most of all, his father's regiment. Now being 30, he was pursuing a military career, like his forbearers. Out of gratitude, he took you in and since you showed talent, made you a lieutenant in his regiment. This proved to be a godsend. Not only did you receive a steady income, but you could perfect your military skills and knowledge. As it turned out, you had a chance to prove yourself soon enough.
That same year, 1620, marked the renewal of the French religious wars. A Huguenot rebellion was triggered by the re-establishment of Catholic rights in Huguenot Béarn by Louis XIII in 1617, and the military annexation of Béarn to France in 1620, with the occupation of Pau in October 1620. The government was replaced by a French-style parliament in which only Catholics could sit. Feeling their survival was at stake, the Huguenots gathered in La Rochelle on 25 December. At this Huguenot General Assembly in La Rochelle the decision was taken to forcefully resist the Royal threat, and to establish a "state within the state", with an independent military commandment and independent taxes, under the direction of the Duke de Rohan, an ardent proponent of open conflict with the King. In that period, the Huguenots were very defiant of the Crown, displaying intentions to become independent on the model of the Dutch Republic.
Obviously, the King would have none of it and come spring next year, Louis XIII gathered an army and marched with it to the south of France to pacify the rebellion. Your regiment took part in this campaign and so did you. The first of the Huguenot fortresses, Saumur, was taken without a fight thanks to the quick wits of the monarch and its loyal population. The real fighting began during the next investment, at Saint-Jean-d'Angély. This city was under the command of Benjamin de Rohan, baron de Soubise, the Duke's brother and would not be so easily swayed. Thus, trenches were dug, the siege set. Several assaults took place and you fought in one of them, the very first one in the suburbs, the day after arrival. This was your first taste of battle and you remember how scared you were. It turned out to be a huge failure. Both regiments leading the attack took heavy losses, including a regimental commander and 3 captains. Finally, after 26 days de Rohan surrendered. You remember him kneeling down before the king and taking an oath not to take up arms against him again. As it turned out, he was back in the fight just a month later. The King detached a part of his army to block to largest Huguenot fortress in France, La Rochelle, since he did not have the manpower or fleet to invest it completely, while he and most of the force, you included, went for his next target, which was Montauban. This 2 month siege turned out to be a bloodbath. 6 000 defenders under François de Béthune, Duke de Orval and Jacques Nompar de Caumont, Duke de La Force proved to be well motivated and utterly impossible to beat. The King's army, despite having 25 000 men at the beginning of the siege could not take the city. Worse, by its end Louis XIII has lost half his men due to fighting and disease. You were storming the ramparts of the city along with your men, yet each time you had to pull back with heavy losses. Huguenot defenders periodically made sorties, with successes. Worse, winter was coming and no end was in sight. Finally, King Louis XIII ordered to abandon the siege and withdrew to Bordeaux. On the way there, the army captured and plundered the town of Monheurt as well as tore down its walls. The campaign was done for the year.
Next year turned out to be more decisive. Come spring, Benjamin de Rohan came back with a vengeance and invaded the territory of Nantes, stirring up a rebellion there. Louis XIII immediately sent his troops and arrived from Paris in person once more. The Huguenots entrenched themselves on a small island near Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. Unfortunately for them, the tide receded and the royal army went straight for them through the ford. Rohan and a few of his men immediately ran for their ships, while the army, 7 000 soldiers abandoned by its commanders, tried in vain to surrender. No pardon was given, 4 000 men were slain and the rest shackled to the galleys. It was the first major victory of the war and you had hoped many more will follow. The army then marched on Royan and took if without too much problems after a week's siege. While the defenders were allowed to retire to La Rochelle, they had to leave their cannons and ammunition. That bloody fortress was really getting on everybody's nerves. During the fighting, ships harboured there arrived and took some pot shots on the advancing infantry. The king detached more men for the investment of La Rochelle, which was underway since last year and moved towards Languedoc. Having arrived at the gates of Sainte-Foy, the army made preparations, yet it was not through the force of steel that the city was taken. The well known Duke de La Force was in command and despite it being a small fortress, the king wanted to have it done as soon as possible. So, he bribed the Duke with a Marshal's baton and a huge amount of money, among other things. After that came the capture and sack of Nègrepelisse. The small city fell after one day, then was given to the soldiers by the King. Orders were to kill every single Huguenot male. You still remember the screams of raped women and the mechanical commands you were giving out to the platoons, as they shot the next line of prisoners. After which you had to finish off any survivors. The whole city was burned to the ground, its population exterminated.
The next fortress, Saint-Antonin, surrendered after a week's fight. You clearly remember seeing lots of women among the defending troops, an uncommon sight. The poor sods had to pay a huge ransom and accept a royal garrison to avoid ending up like Nègrepelisse. Finally, there was the siege of Montpellier, dear God. It was like Montauban all over again. Despite having 20 000 men at its peak, the King couldn't take the city. While technically a deal has already been made, the defenders didn't want to let Louis XIII inside the city, fearing a massacre. During the fighting, you managed to distinguish yourself while capturing the bastion of Saint-Denis from the rebels. When your captain fell, you personally took command of the unit and held the captured ground. While you did have to abandon the bastion next day due to overwhelming enemy superiority, your actions were noticed and you had been promoted to captain, taking the place of your dead superior. During the siege, the royal army undertook a number of major assaults, yet none could break through. Unfortunately your colonel, François Henri Alphonse d'Ornano, was shot and killed while leading one of the assaults. Soon after, the King signed a treaty with the Huguenot leader, the Duke de Rohan and peace arrived.
The subsequent 3 years were calm and without any major incidents. You used this opportunity to study the art of war, as well as Latin. After some time, you gained proficiency in it as well. This really helped with all those training manuals and campaign descriptions. The problem was of another matter. With your patron gone, his older brother had no interest in maintaining the regiment. Fearing, that it could be disbanded any day, leaving you without work, you started to think about your perspectives. Then you've heard about the need for soldiers in the East. The Holy Roman Empire was ablaze and there were wars to fight in the north as well. Feeling, that you won't rise any higher in French service, despite your talent, you decided to change employers. You've learned from some Scotsmen, that Sweden was in desperate need of good soldiers and will pay well enough. True, Swedes were Protestants, but that did not discourage you. After all, this was no religious affair, like the one in France. Having contacted a Swedish agent recruiting soldiers for his master, you worked out the details and soon left France.
[Service in Sweden: 97/100 = outstanding and illustrious service]
Come spring, in 1626 you arrived on a ship in Riga in Livonia, which has been under Swedish control for some time now. The war with the Commonwealth in Lithuania was at an impasse by this point, yet the king, Gustavus Adolphus had other plans. He was gathering troops for another operation, so recruits were welcome. You have been accepted in your rank as captain and assigned to one of the German regiments. This meant yet another linguistic challenge, yet you relished the chance and surely enough, soon your German was enough to keep you going. When July came, the army was transported on an impressive fleet of 125 ships and landed in Royal Prussia in Poland. The upcoming month was a string of successes. The Swedes took 20 major towns without much opposition, yet could not secure Gdańsk, the most important Polish port. The city had a string of mighty fortifications and was reinforced by 5 000 mercenaries hired from abroad. Likewise, the Polish fleet was safe within the city's port.
It was during this crucial month, that you made your acquaintance with the Scot, John Hepburn. He was a rising star within the Swedish army and was promoted to colonel just a year ago, yet was only 5 years older than you. He took a liking to you and upon hearing your sad story from back home, was really touched. Hepburn was a Catholic, much like yourself and understood very well what's it like to be prosecuted. He even was in France at some point, just like you! Soon after that, the colonel pulled some strings and had you transferred to his regiment. You quickly learned that Irishmen were considered sub par soldiers. Those Irish soldiers send here by the English years ago? Most of them deserted or switched sides to the Polish camp in Lithuania. Religious reasons. So, to keep your chances of proving yourself, you were better off serving under him and his Scots. You had to admit, serving with people knowing your native tongue was a huge relief. Hepburn commanded a whole Scottish regiment in Swedish service and you were made one of its captains.
The first major action of the Prussian war was to be the battle of Gniew in September. Up until then, you were mostly used to fighting sieges. Polish forces lead by their king Sigismund III numbered around 14 000 soldiers, mostly cavalry. They laid siege to Gniew, captured during the summer offensive. Gustavus Adolphus lead a relieve effort of about 10 000 men, you among them. The battle took about 10 days, mostly because both sides remained in their fortified positions for most of the time. After some initial fighting and skirmishing the real battle took place during the last 2 days. The Poles had built a string of earthworks barring the Swedish army from relieving Gniew. Initial infantry attacks were repulsed, so the King ordered a stealth approach. A few regiments, yours included, managed to reach the position and take it after some heavy fighting. There you remember repulsing an attack from the fearsome Winged Hussars. They had to charge uphill in difficult terrain and you shouted for your men to pour fire into them. After that they withdrew, leaving many dead. Their infantry couldn't dislodge you as well. Finally the Polish King called it quits and withdrew during the night, leaving the field in your hands. Hepburn received much praise for the conduct of his men in that battle.
However, the Swedish position remained a precarious one. Polish forces were receiving reinforcements each day, while your army was cut from home. Soldiers from Gdańsk were fortifying the crossings on the Vistula and the Baltic was ravaged by storm, which made sending supplies and troops impossible. Gustavus Adolphus soon left the army and went back to Sweden to personally organise new forces, leaving the command in the hands of Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. In the meantime Field Crown Hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski arrived with his battle hardened soldiers from Ukraine and took command. Not having the strength to dislodge the Swedes, he began to use hit-and-run tactics. His cavalry was everywhere, moving at a blistering pace. Communication lines were cut off and the Swedish army spent the following months locked away in various cities and garrisons, unable and unwilling to leave. You remember your men being afraid of moving out, fearful that they'll be found and cut down. One thing that was a constant problem was attrition. At least a quarter of the army died due to diseases, cold and hunger. That was a harsh winter indeed. Having much time on your hands, you continued your studies, having started to learn Polish from the locals.
Gustavus Adolphus finally returned with fresh troops on the 18th of May 1627. The situation was a stalemate. While the Swedish army had numerical superiority and total domination in artillery, it was bottled up in various garrisons because of Polish cavalry tactics. Some cities were taken back by Commonwealth forces, including Puck. An envelopment plan proved ineffective, when mercenaries arriving from Pomerania were defeated by the mobile Koniecpolski at Czarne and surrendered. This battle was a turning point from a political point of view, because the Brandenburg Elector as Duke of Prussia, a Polish vassal, declared his support for the Commonwealth. Up until then he was neutral in the war and allowed Swedish armies and supplies to move freely through his territory. In May the King of Sweden tried to cross the Vistula near Kiezmark by night, along with you and other troops. The ruse failed and in the ensuing chaos he was shot in the hip and the plan was abandoned. Hepburn and his men once more proved to be an effective fighting force, having formed up and covered the retreat. That was a bizarre fight to be sure. By this time it became known, that the Poles were expecting Austrian reinforcements. Not wanting to wait for their arrival, 3 months later, the King repeated the crossing and this time he was successful. The target could be only one: Gdańsk. Koniecpolski, to prevent the Swedish army from reaching it, had to give battle.
The ensuing battle of Tczew proved to be another surprise. During the first day, you were with the rest of the infantry in the centre behind earthworks, firing at anything that approached. Gustavus barely escaped an unexpected meeting with some Polish horsemen during reconnaissance. After some skirmishing and cavalry fights, the Poles were not stupid enough to attack you head on and you had no inclination to leave your fortified position. Then the Swedish cavalry charged and defeated the Polish riders in open combat. First time in history, you were told. Koniecpolski barely survived, having been among them. Yet it was the second day that decided it all. The Swedish King, knowing about money problems in the Polish camp and that it's bad for morale, planned an all-out attack. Soldiers were promised the whole enemy camp as loot and a one time bonus of a quarter of a years' pay for this risky gamble. The attack was preceded by an intense artillery bombardment. You remember its devastating effects. When you ordered the advance, the infantry managed to capture some of the earthworks of the enemy and a local village. All was going well and victory was at hand, when the King was shot and fell from his horse. He survived, but was out of the battle. Thus, the advance was halted and the army retreated back to its positions. Not long after, the order was given to withdraw back across the Vistula. The whole operation turned out to be a waste of time and resources.
While the King recovered, no more military operations were conducted for the rest of the year beyond occasional skirmishes... The only notable event during that time was the knighthood granted by the Swedish monarch to John Hepburn and 3 others Scottish colonels, Patrick Ruthven, Alexander Leslie and David Drummond. Their services were a big part of recent successes and Hepburn himself assured you, that if you serve equally well, rewards won't be far behind. When autumn came Gustavus felt better and he once again returned to Sweden to gather more men, leaving the army in Prussia in the hands of Oxenstierna. Once more, cold, starvation and desertion took their toll on the army. By this time your Polish was satisfactory and you could communicate without problems using that language. While you enjoyed spending your time among the Scots, you were yet to meet your own countrymen. You did knew of an Irish colonel in Polish service leading a regiment of dragoons going by the name of James Butler, from Ormond no doubt. He was present in the recent battles and engagements, leading Irish soldiers. While this revelation was grim news for you, nothing could be done about it. Through Hepburn, who had an excellent relationship with the Swedish King, you learned that he had some personal hatred towards Butler.
When the campaign resumed next year, Gustavus returned with a sizeable force, increasing the army's strength to about 40 000 men. Still, most of the soldiers were kept on garrison duty and the King did not seek a general engagement like in previous years. When during summer he finally made a move and took the city of Brodnica, Koniecpolski immediately laid siege to it, while harassing the retreating main body of the army with his hit-and-run tactics. This alone cost the Swedish forces 5 000 men, desertions included, without any major battle being fought. Understandably, Gustavus was very crossed. His rage was focused on Butler specifically, because he used this opportunity and took the town of Kętrzyn. You couldn't tell if this was because of a bad year of campaigning or if simply the Irishman was really annoying him. What's more, the waste your army laid to the lands you were passing through meant, that finding food or a place to rest was impossible, which only made the matters worse. Because of constant harassing and no major battle, the Swedish forces couldn't achieve much in 1628, despite having twice the manpower and many times more artillery, than Koniecpolski. It was a grim year. The King, as was his custom, once more returned home to gather more men, leaving Oxenstierna in command. By the end of the year, Colonel Hepburn had you promoted to major and took you in as part of his staff.
The Swedish Chancellor didn't want to wait for Brodnica to fall, so in February 1629 he sent a relief force under Field Marshal Herman Wrangel. You were not part of this army, since Hepburn's men remained in their winter quarters. What matters, is that Wrangel was able to defeat the Poles at Górzno and save Brodnica. Unfortunately, Koniecpolski was not present and commanding was a certain colonel Stanisław Potocki in his absence. After that fight, a truce was signed till the end of May. During this lull in the fighting colonel Hepburn was send to Ostróda to oversee transportation of powder back to Elbląg and chose you to accompany him. It was there, where you met Colonel Alexander Leslie of Auchintoul, another Scot in Swedish service. Of course, this was not the Leslie that was granted knighthood back in 1627 with Hepburn, but a different one. During a bout of drinking with Hepburn and you, Leslie said some unwise words about Catholics and your mother. You responded just like any true Irishman would and smashed his face with a mug. A few sword thrusts later Leslie was held back by some of his men, screaming and raging at you, just like Hepburn held you. He swore that he shall have your head for this grave insult. You called him a few names and told him to bring it. After that unfortunate incident, Hepburn quickly sent you back to your unit. Little did you know that this fight would have major repercussions later on.
Gustavus Adolphus returned and in June resumed operations. The Poles received Imperial reinforcements under Field Marshal Hans Georg von Arnim and the King wanted to crush them before they combine with the main Polish forces. During the march scouts reported, that they have already merged, so a retreat was ordered, as Gustavus didn't want to fight a numerically superior enemy. But Koniecpolski, being himself, caught up with the retreating army at Trzcianna with his cavalry. The battle was fought by Swedish horsemen, who were covering the retreating infantry. A major defeat it was. The King himself barely escaped with his life, but at the cost of many lives they succeeded in protecting the foot troops, that reached the safety of Sztum and later, Malbork. The only thing you remember from that operation is the constant marching back and forth with nothing to do. You spent the rest of the war locked in a garrison.
After 4 years, both sides finally called a truce. A treaty was signed in September that same year in Altmark according to which the Swedes kept in their possession many of the captured cities and had a right to levy a toll on Gdańsk's shipping. This money would prove to be very useful in the coming war, because it was obvious, that Sweden will intervene in the Empire, where the Protestant faction was on the brink of collapse. For you, this war proved to be quite the experience. You not only saw the Polish army in action, but also had a chance to see the reforms Gustavus Adolphus being put into practice. His infantry tactics, organization and the way he started to use his horsemen in an aggressive manner, based on the Polish tactics.
While the Colonel was out conducting diplomatic matters of behalf of Oxenstierna, you trained and readied the men. As it turned out no regiments were disbanded despite the end of hostilities. On the contrary, Gustavus was on a recruiting spree, raising more troops for the upcoming campaign and stocking up on supplies. Where did he get the money for all this, you will never know. What you did know, was that the war which awaited you would be even more bloody and that made you pause. Prussia was utterly devastated during the last 4 years and now the Empire would end up the same. Still, you had your orders.
The new war began in 1630 just like the king liked it, with a naval invasion of Pomerania. Troops from Sweden, Prussia, Livonia and even Stralsund would be ferried by ship and disembarked in Szczecin and other towns. While Duke Bogusław XIV was on the Swedish side, his duchy was full of Imperial garrisons imposed on him by Wallenstein. Gustavus couldn't let his supply route back home be threatened so he undertook an operation to take out any and all threats in Pomerania before marching onward.
While you might have not liked it, this is where your star started to truly shine.
Hepburn rapidly took Colberg and many others towns, even became a governor over one of them. His Scottish soldiers were combined with others regiments to form the feared Green Brigade or Scottish Brigade, as it was sometimes called, with you as its part. This unit became a crack force, full of veterans and was usually tasked by the King to undertake especially dangerous missions. Finally, having secured Pomerania, the Swedish army marched onto the Empire, targeting Mecklemburg first. The Duchy was taken away from its previous rulers by the Emperor and given to Wallenstein for their alleged support for Christian IV during his invasion. By conducting a swift campaign, any resistance was quickly swept aside and the King returned both John Albert II and Adolf Frederick I to their thrones, securing himself new allies. Soon after, the year ended with the taking of Graz and Landsberg, in which the Green Brigade had a prominent part.
In spring 1631 the Swedish army moved down south even more and took the city of Franfurt an der Oder after a 2 day siege. Your regiment once more went into the breach with valour and distinguished itself. One of the prisoners taken was another Irishman, Colonel Walter Butler, a Catholic in Imperial service. You had a long chat with him, having no chance of speaking to one of your own countrymen in years. As one might expect, he was less than happy about your choice of employers and pointed out, that this is a war against the Holy Church, just like the one back home. In the meantime, Hepburn said that the King was disappointed with the campaign so far. By this time he expected to have a 100 000 strong army, yet he had only 20 000 men, because the German Protestant Princes were hesitant to support him. You, on your part, enjoyed the pace of the fighting, because unlike in Prussia, you were not wasting time in cities and waiting in place for months.
Then came the news of the sack of Magdeburg. The large Protestant city was captured and burned to the ground by Catholic forces under Johan von Tilly, its inhabitants killed. This lead many of the Protestants to seek Swedish protection and further boosted their ranks. The Saxons allied with Gustavus and with reinforcements, his army had swollen to about 40 000 soldiers. Likewise, Tilly receive more men and was eager to leave the devastated Magdeburg area and enter fertile Saxony. Both armies met at Breitenfeld. The Green Brigade under Hepburn was stationed in the reserve line and waited for their moment to enter combat. The moment came, when the Saxons on the left flank turned tail and ran. To prevent the Imperial army from outflanking your forces, the reserve was called into action and you fought on the Swedish left with bravery and distinction, pushing back waves of foes. Heavy firing and then bloody hand to hand combat ensured, but your side prevailed. Soon after, the whole enemy army was defeated and you took the field. Not only that, Gustavus reinforced his army with 5 000 prisoners taken from the Imperial army and came out even stronger, than before the battle.
This major victory was exactly what the King needed. Soon, more men and Princes flocked to his banner. The army moved forward south, into Bavaria, sacking and occupying much of its cities. Tilly again tried to stop Gustavus at Rain, yet was beaten once more and he himself died of wounds. Colonel Hepburn was soon a governor of one of the captured cities and promoted you to lieutenant colonel for your conduct so far, especially for your performance at Breitenfeld. Unfortunately something happened between the Colonel and the King. John Hepburn, an excellent leader and administrator, your commanding officer and friend, suddenly announced his resignation. He told you, that it was because Gustavus Adolphus insulted him by calling names his faith. Since he was Catholic, like you, this was quite the surprise, given the fact, that he was on brilliant terms with the King for most of his career. Indeed, when someone wanted to have a chat with the King, Hepburn was the proper man to go. Now he was leaving and, in private, advised you to do the same. You were puzzled by what happened, yet decided to stay on for now. This turn of events gave you an opportunity for promotion, so you wanted to make the best of it. Having said goodbye to your friend, who told you, that he will be returning home and then probably shall make it for France, you wished him luck. He hoped you will be able to meet again.
You took command of Hepburn's old Scottish regiment, by now reduced to about 600 men. The Green Brigade was commanded in turn by Colonel Georg Wolf von Wildenstein, leader of Wildenstein's Black Regiment, the largest contingent of the Brigade. This was the first time you had a regiment under your command, yet you had enough experience to do it well. Soon, the army ploughed through Bavaria and took Munich, its capital. The rich city provided loot and money for the cause, yet the Emperor took notice. Wallenstein was back in the saddle and having organized an army in Bohemia, he moved west to cut the Swedish supply line to Pomerania. King Gustavus rushed back north to intercept him and both forces met in battle at Alte Veste. Despite repeated attacks, your forces were unable to break through. Wallenstein finally retreated north due to sickness crippling his forces as well as lack of supplies. The Swedish army then moved south, intending to go into winter quarters in Swabia, but the Imperials were well aware of the supply lines problem and so moved way north, into Saxony to winter there. Gustavus once more had to rush after them, because it not only cut him off from Pomerania but also endangered his principle ally. Thus, both armies campaigned well into November, when it was already getting really cold.
It would be at Lutzen, where you would win your greatest fame.
It was a foggy day and you remember barely seeing anything. Nevertheless, the King gave his order and the battle commenced. You were fighting with your regiment on the left flank, trying to secure a windmill hill with an artillery battery. The fighting was bitter, but after two hours you had to withdraw with the rest of the men and fire from afar, hoping to weaken the enemy. Colonel Wildenstein was killed in combat, as well as lieutenant colonel Johann Winckler, commander of Bernhard's Green Life Regiment, leaving you in command of the Green Brigade, 2 000 men. At around 1 in the afternoon your artillery batteries forced the windmill hill crews to take cover behind the structure and you, along with the second line and the cavalry on the left made another attempt at crushing the Imperial line. You ordered the men to charge the suppressed battery head on and managed to capture it, then turn the guns on enemy troops further north. This boosted the morale of the rest of the Swedish army, which attacked with renewed vigour. The fighting was very bloody and your men held during the bitter struggle. Yet even this was not enough. Finally, the lines started to pull back and you had to oblige, yet you did so slowly and in formation, covering the retreat of the rest. It was then, around 3 in the afternoon, that the King's body was found. Gustavus was killed while being lost in the fog on the right flank. You remember that moment very well. Being present along with Duke Bernhard von Saxe-Weimar, Dodo zu Innhausen und Knyphausen and a few other colonels and officers, you saw the moment when Gustavus's body was brought back to camp. He was shot in the elbow and in the back. The ball pierced his lungs and killed him. Not only that, he was stripped bare naked of everything he had by Imperial and Swedish soldiers. Knyphausen advised a retreat, but Duke Bernhard and you wanted to continue the battle. What's more, the Duke shot and killed one colonel that didn't want to obey his orders. You personally threatened to do same to anybody else that disagreed. The council was over, another attack commenced. Once again, you charged the guns with your brigade, this time under heavy fire and took them in a single swipe. Afterwards, a gruelling and bitter melee engagement ensued, where no pardon was given. After 2 hours of slaughter darkness arrived and once again you had to disengage. The men were exhausted and fell asleep right there on the field among the dead. You could barely stand on your feet at the end of the day. This was the most intense fighting you ever took part in and it showed. 2/3 of your men were dead, the army lost over 6 000 soldiers. Yet it was Wallenstein that retreated during the night. It could have been called a victory, if not for the death of the King.
Your great bravery at Lutzen was commended. You were promoted to full colonel and given command of the Brigade. However, you had had enough. A few weeks after the battle you tendered in your resignation. While some were surprised, you just couldn't do it no more. This was all too familiar of what was happening back home and deep inside you knew, that you were the English this time. You couldn't stomach that. While your men said their goodbyes respectfully, you already thought of what to do next. You could return to France, but something pulled you to the opposite side. Finally, you decided to go to the Commonwealth, a mostly Catholic country, that you knew well enough after spending time in Prussia and start anew there. They were having some troubles on their eastern borders, far away from all this Protestant-Catholic crap. With a bit of luck, you could prove yourself useful there.
Yet this is where your luck ran out.
Having arrived in Gdańsk, you took a loan from a local wealthy merchant by the name of Adrian von der Linde so that you could jump start your new career. While everything seemed to be in order, you never suspected of what was to happen. By some strange twist of fate, the money never arrived. You checked every possible way, how this could have happened, but found no clue. When you went to von der Linde, he showed a receipt with your signature on it, claiming, that you collected the sum personally. It was your word against his and he not only had proof, but also money and respect. A lost cause. When you were leaving, he said something about their mutual Scottish friend sending his regards. You should have known...
Now, having finally left the inn after a whole nights of drinking away your sorrows, you made your way for the Polish capital.
Your aim: to raise a regiment in Polish service...
As you continue your journey throughout the snow-covered Commonwealth, you cannot but think about two things.
The first one is that the roads in this bloody country are nonexistent. Well, at least not to the standards of Western Europe. The fact, that they are all covered in thick snow doesn't help either.
Kind of reminds you of home.
The second thing are your own life choices.
You made a few stupid moves along the way, true, but you are wondering if this whole wandering soldier thing really suits you. Sure, you've gotten good at it, real good and that is what scares you. Killing people and commanding others to kill seem like a far fetched claim to glory and honour. One thing you do know, though. Those, that talk about glory and honour all the time have never seen the "field of glory".
One glimpse at the Lutzen aftermath would be enough for them to throw up.
Such people make you puke as well. What's more, you are quite certain, that you will have to meet them more than once during your career. Especially, if you want to convince a would-be recruit to join your regiment. The mere thought of talking about the glories and wonders of a soldier's life to some poor sod fresh from a farm sickens you. Men you commanded so far were veterans, who knew what they were doing and had no pretentious motivation or any other illusions. Now you will have to mingle with greenhorns and not only to teach them the basics, but also the simple fact, that war is a gruesome business. You were just just like that once, a long time ago. Bloodshed really does change people.
Enough of that.
You have to prepare for what lies ahead.
An important meeting is waiting for you. You are to see the man, who shall sponsor your new endeavour. This whole regiment raising is an expensive business and if you want to do it properly in this country, you need a Capitulation. No, it has nothing to do with surrendering.
A Capitulation is an enlistment permit, that allows you to recruit troops in accordance with the rules set in said document. It stipulates pay, regulations, numbers and recruitment areas, where you can organise and enlist. It's the very backbone of your regiment, the rule of law, upon which it is created. Every unit formed in the Commonwealth legally is raised by Capitulation. The same shall apply to yours as well.
The Regiment has to be formed and ready to march by the end of August 1633.
* * *
CAPITULATION
NAME
[X] Write-in - don't forget to name your Regiment!
PATRON
Having been cheated by that bloody prick from Gdańsk, you have not enough money to raise your own private regiment and thus have to resort to finding a sponsor. Luckily for you, the Commonwealth wages war on its eastern borders with the Muscovites, who have attacked and besieged Smoleńsk. Thus a recruiting drive is stirring throughout the country and new regiments are being raised every day. With your experience and recommendations from previous employers, you should be able to find a proper patron to raise a regiment for. You simply have to pick the right one. A favourable acceptance may earn you some form of bonus at the start of your work.
Choose:
[X] Władysław IV Waza – The newly elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, oldest son of the deceased Sigismund III. His election was practically unanimous and was one of the fastest as well, given the fact, that the Russians attacked during interregnum. He undertook decisive action in raising an army to march to the relief of Smoleńsk as soon as possible. While it is true, that the King has little political power, he is still the Commander-in-Chief of all military forces and starting your career with him might be a sound choice. Provided you can reach him. [Chance of being accepted favourably: 40%; regiment in royal service; may recruit anywhere; may earn the King's favour in the future]
[X] Stanisław Koniecpolski – The Grand Crown Hetman, that is, supreme military commander, and one of the most powerful men in Poland. He was Gustavus's great opponent during the Prussian War. An excellent military commander and an extremely rich magnate, starting your career under such a man can only lead to good things. Known to have a stutter and because of that dislikes public speeches. [Chance of being accepted favourably: 60%; regiment in royal service; may recruit anywhere (except in Troki Voivodeship and Ducal Prussia); may earn the Hetman's favour in the future]
[X] Krzysztof II Radziwiłł – Lithuania's Field Hetman and a hugely influential man in the Grand Duchy, plus a protector of the Reformed faith. Keeps the Muscovites on their toes while they are besieging Smoleńsk. An ardent Calvinist, his court and private armies are full of foreigners. Fighting under him can win you support in Lithuania no doubt, yet do you really want to fight for Protestants again? [Chance of being accepted favourably: 50%; regiment in royal service; may recruit in Troki Voivodeship only; may earn the Hetman's favour in the future] [+3 RAGE]
[X] Marcin Kazanowski – The Field Crown Hetman, another rich magnate, who happens to be a military commander. Kazanowski is 70 years old and a bit feeble, yet he still commands in the field, organises forces and serves in whatever capacity he can. Like others, he is recruiting men for the upcoming campaign. Given his age, it's quite obvious, that any favour won with him will not last very long. [Chance of being accepted favourably: 100%; no chance of failure; regiment in royal service; may recruit in Masovian Voivodeship only]
BUDGET
War needs three things: money, money and more money.
Negotiate your budget:
[X] Request 15 000 złotys – a regular offer, your employer believes, that this should be enough to cover your expenses. [Chance of success: 100%; no chance of failure]
[X] Request 20 000 złotys – ask for a larger budget, you do need to prepare your regiment well and that means costs. [Chance of success: 60%; in case of failure you get half: 10 000 złotys]
[X] Request 25 000 złotys – this is war and in war fortune favours the bold; ask for a huge budget with money to spare. [Chance of success: 30%; in case of failure you get half: 12 500 złotys]
As the regimental commander you have a right to 10% of the budget as your pay for the whole job. Will you accept it or ask for a smaller gratification?
[X] Accept 10% - you take what is your due. Nothing wrong with that. [no changes]
[X] Accept 5% - you ask to cut your pay by half; unsurprisingly this will win you some support in other areas. [+10% to chance of having a larger budget and a favourable patron, see above]
UNIT TYPE
Next, you need to select, what type of unit will you be raising:
[X] Infantry Regiment – You are an infantry officer and have lots of experience in training and leading foot troops. It would only be natural for you to raise a regiment of infantry in service of the Commonwealth. Should be easy enough when it comes to regulations and organisation, plus you know exactly what you will need for this to work. One can never go wrong with the tried and tested. A few things will depend on the type of infantry regulations you intend to implement, as well as the recruit profile you wish to target.
If forming an infantry regiment, you will need to decide on its regulations:
[X]Swedish Brigade – You shall pattern your unit upon that of the Swedish army of course. Gustavus Adolphus based his formation on the Dutch model, but added a few innovations. It's main advantage is firepower. Having fought in Poland against its renown cavalry, the Swedish King decided, that the volume of lead pouring out at once is the best solution to the problem. Very mobile and adaptable, it uses linear formations with musketeers having a 2/3 majority over pikemen, with regimental artillery in support. Drawbacks? The formation is complicated, requires a high number of officers and sergeants plus well drilled troops, otherwise it will disintegrate. Adding regimental cannons may also be very costly, should you go for it. Used only by Sweden. [requires 600 men minimum to avoid a firing squad for embezzlement; 1 200 contracted, anything less will have negative consequences]
[X] Dutch Battalion – Maybe it would be wiser to stick with the original reforms of Maurice of Orange? Inspired by the Roman Legions, this type of formation is much simpler, yet just as effective. The Dutch form linear musketeer units stationed on the flanks of pikemen and pour volley fire into the enemy, then counter march away. While not as heavily focused on firepower, as the Swedish model, battalions are well suited for most type of situations and can pack quite the punch. Musketeers still form the majority of troops. Soldiers must be well drilled, but officers don't have to be as numerous for it to work. Easier to form as well. Used by the Dutch, English, Scots and many German states, including Imperials starting but a year ago. [requires 550 men minimum to avoid a firing squad for embezzlement; 1 100 contracted, anything less will have negative consequences]
[X] Spanish Tercio – Old, but gold, yet is this really the case? The tried and tested Spanish Tercio was the formation, that won battlefield victories for more than a century. Invented by Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, it made Spain a powerhouse and the most dominant military force in Europe. Naturally, most foreign armies tried to adopt this formation. While formidable against cavalry and very effective in melee, its main drawback is a lack of firepower. Only about 1/4 of soldiers in it are musketeers. Thus, artillery and enemy musketeers have a nice and big pike block to shoot at, provided it won't reach them quickly enough to crush the opposition. On the other hand, it needs only handful of good officers and training should be simple enough. Used by the Imperials and their German allies, Spanish, French, Italians and other Western Catholic states. [requires 500 men minimum to avoid a firing squad for embezzlement; 1 000 contracted, anything less will have negative consequences]
Or you can scrap conventional infantry units and try something new:
[X] Dragoon Regiment – Maybe it's time to put some of those reforms and modern battle tactics into practice? Dragoons are a new type of unit, introduced but a few years back in France. They are infantrymen riding horses, that's about it. They are NOT cavalry, nor are classified as one. Horses are used to cover ground quickly and to gain a strategic and tactical advantage. When going into action, dragoons dismount and fight on foot, like regular infantrymen. They do not use pikes of course, only muskets, usually shorter ones for practical reasons. Of course, some men have to stay behind to guard the horses, which depletes firepower. This will require you to do some research into the matter though. With some specialized training, dragoons can become quite a versatile unit and their popularity in the Commonwealth army is steadily rising. [requires 300 men minimum to avoid a firing squad for embezzlement; 600 contracted, anything less will have negative consequences]
UNIT PROFILE
You need to have a general idea about whom will you recruit. Are you planning to form a regiment of natives trained in the Western style or perhaps you shall go for quality over quantity by recruiting foreigners?
[X] Natives – the simplest solution, you shall recruit local peasants and train them to be soldiers according to Western military regulations using foreign officers when possible. [no changes]
[X] Germans – you will train and recruit a German regiment, using locals and foreigners when possible. This of course leaves out a good amount of potential recruits, but will improve the regiments quality. [soldiers will be of better quality; harder recruitment; good chance of not reaching the contracted goal]
[X] Scots – some of the best soldiers in the world and that is what you aim for; you shall recruit a Scottish regiment by enlisting every tartan wearing man you can find. Too bad Scotland is far away. [soldiers of excellent quality; very hard recruitment; reaching the minimum can be a challenge]
[X] Irish – maybe it's because you are homesick or you hit yourself in the head; either way you are going to recruit an Irish regiment without setting foot in Ireland, a high bar for anyone to be sure. [soldiers of exceptional quality and skill; scarce recruitment pool if any; reaching the minimum will be a task in itself]
REGION
Now you need to select your recruitment region.
You have to keep in mind a few things, though:
You can only recruit volunteer (legally at least) peasants and burghers from the crown lands; privately owned lands and towns are off limits (which is a great shame by the way; this is one of the reasons why the army was never as large as it should be);
Nobles will not join infantry units as common soldiers no matter how poor they are;
Nobles may join as officers, yet since infantry was always looked down upon, they may need some convincing... too bad the vast majority has no experience beyond ploughing fields.
[X] Masovian Voivodeship – located north of Warsaw all the way to the Prussian border, this is a region full of small villages populated by poor nobles and a good number of crown lands from which you can recruit. It was affected only slightly by the Swedish war and should be a good spot to form a regiment. Then there's always a chance to nip some Germans from beyond the border. [no changes]
[X] Pomeranian Voivodeship – the Commonwealth's window to the world, where Gdańsk is situated, it used to be one of the richest regions in the country. Too bad, that it is still recovering from the war, that ended but 4 years ago and that you were part of the invading force. People here are quite well off and crown lands are not as numerous. However, there is no better place to look for foreigners. The land is full of them plus both the Empire and Prussia are just around the corner. Countries beyond the sea can add to this as well, provided you have time, money and well… contacts. Which you don't, but that can be arranged. [easier access to foreigners and can import recruits by sea; big penalties to local recruitment and to supplies]
[X] Troki Voivodeship – you can use the opportunity to recruit in western Lithuania, and this is the best place to do so. Close to Prussia, it gives you access to Germans, but most of all, Grodno County is famous for being dominated by crown lands, giving you a big pool of potential natives for recruitment. The Radziwiłłs are powerful here and have a big amount of lands to the north. If you could get into their good graces, you might receive access to their lands, full of Germans and, most of all, Scots. [good pool of native recruits; good potential pool of foreign recruits; Protestant Radziwiłłs dominate the political landscape, can be friends or enemies]
[X] Ducal Prussia – now this one can be a little tricky. You see, the Duchy of Prussia is a vassal of the Commonwealth and thus, should be on your side. In practice, Georg Wilhelm von Hohenzollern does whatever it is he wants. His neutrality during the Prussian War really pissed off certain important people. Now the King wishes to reassert his dominance over the Elector's Prussian lands and recruit soldiers directly. Starting with you. [excellent pool of German recruits and natives; hostile administration; supply problems]
[X] Plan Angry Irishmen
-[x] Regiment Name - The Gaelic Blacks
-[X] Władysław IV Waza
-[X] Request 20 000 złotys
-[X] Accept 5%
-[X] Dragoon Regiment
-[X] Irish
-[X] Pomeranian Voivodeship
Winter was quite unpleasant this time of the year.
Yet that did not dissuade the majority of guests present in Warsaw that day. In fact, one could say that the Polish capital was as buzzing with people like a hive. It is because the City Square was full of them. One might say that the fair has come to town and the local merchants were competing with those from abroad for clients among the rich and powerful nobles living in court. Sadly, this was not one of those days. For starters, it was too bloody cold. The other reason was that most of the people in town were armed soldiers with no intention to be pestered by some screaming women selling garlic, good luck charms and miracle cures.
You happened to be among them.
With a bit of luck, you managed to find yourself a room to stay in one of the inns close to the city (those within Warsaw itself were long since taken). Having made all the necessary preparations and armed with your documents and letters of recommendation, you made your way to the designated staging point, which was the Town Square. With no other choice, but the wait in the cold, you wraped yourself as best as you could with your outerwear coat and took a look around. You saw about two dozens of men of similar status as yourself, foreigners talking to each other or cursing the weather in different languages, probably waiting for the chance to present themselves before His Majesty or someone competent to treat with them. After giving this a moment, you can't help but to smile. Isn't this a business as well? You and the others are simply peddlers wanting to sell their wears to a rich client and hope, that the competition is not as solid. Very fitting for you to gather on the market square. From what you could hear, most of the spoken lines were in German, not surprising. The Commonwealth is full of Germans and the war in the Empire just produces more and more officers in need of a job. Just like yourself.
Besides that you've spotted some common soldiers here, patrolling the streets and guarding certain entrances. All armed and dressed in the Western style. You could only imagine, if they were locals or just hired hands from abroad. Not that it matters really. Just another piece of meat for the grinder. Sometimes you can't help but wonder. Was all this cynicism there from the beginning or was it a byproduct of recent years? Bloody English… it you have no one else to blame, blame it on those peckers.
Your mighty philosophical ruminations were cut short, when someone started yelling in the middle of the square, asking for everyone's attention. His attire was clearly of Eastern origins, that is, local. The young lad, dressed in a small fur coat, started speaking, as the gathering of foreigners surrounded him from all sides.
"Gentlemen, may I have your attention!" he yelled, in Latin no doubt. Luckily for you, the Roman tongue was a language you understood. Indeed, you heard that any foreigner traveling throughout the country will never get lost or experience a problem, if he only knows Latin. It is a language known by almost everyone of higher stature, even by poor and landless nobles. So, when in doubt, use Latin! But since you know Polish as well, you have a better way to communicate. One you hope will win you some much needed support.
"Sirs! His Majesty is a most busy man at the moment, as you well know! Therefore he will only have time to see but a selected few of you today! The rest shall be free to await for further summoning or direct their efforts towards His Majesty's Deputy Chancellor or the Hetman's office!"
A murmur could be heard among the gathered men. It seems not all of them shall be lucky enough to see the King in person and ask for a commission. You hoped, that you were not among those unfortunate ones.
"The following gentlemen shall accompany me to the Royal Palace! Herman Schultz! Liam O'Donnell! William Mattison! Erwin Holk! Unfortunately, the rest of you gentlemen won't be able to see his Majesty today! Thank you for coming!"
You heard a few curses, some swearing and a good bit of grumbling. Yet that was to be expected, given the fact, that the vast majority of men stood there in the bitter cold for nothing. From what you know, some of these wretches have tried to see the King for days now, yet they can never get pass the red tape. It seems, that you were not among them, since you managed to win an audience on your first try. When the crowd slowly started to disperse, only you, the young herald and three other Westerners remained. Your company was soon joined by 4 soldiers seen patrolling the square earlier.
"Follow me please, this way!" the young Pole said and started to lead you all through the town towards the Palace. The soldiers acted as an escort. During the trip, you couldn't help, but to look with disdain at the man, who claimed to be named Mattison. That English prick was as happy, as a maiden on her wedding day, having finally won an audience. You have a strong urge to say a thing or two to him, hoping he will be stupid enough to draw his sword, damning himself.
[Intelligence roll: 79 – urge resisted]
You kept your mouth shut.
While the prospect of insulting that English hobo is a tempting one, you shouldn't pick a fight just before meeting the King. Not only can this lower your chances of employment, but also cost you your head. The law states, that anyone disturbing the peace within a radius of 3 miles from where the King resides, is subject to summary judgement by the King's Marshal and usually ends up on the scaffold. While courts in the Commonwealth are slow and ineffective, this is one of those, that beg to differ.
During your march, the noble instructs all of you what to do and what not to. When in the presence of the King, take your hat off, be sure to bow, address him "Your Majesty", do not unsheathe your sword… you hardly listened to be honest. Most of these rules are quite obvious for a man, who spent his years fighting under the gaze of a monarch. After trudging through the snow for what seemed like ages, you finally reach the Palace. An impressive building made from red brick, with a clock tower above it and guards around every corner. These ones however, were dressed in distinctively Polish attire, with blue, red and yellow colours used. They were carrying halberds, like in the good old days, probably the royal guard. You braced yourself for what was about to come.
Waiting inside the Palace corridors was infinitely better, than outside. Sure, it may not have been the warmest place you could think of, but better than freezing out in the snow. Inside the room just opposite you, guarded by a pair of tall oafs with halberds, dressed like those buggers outside, was the King. You'll never get used to the local uniforms. The carnival's in town, you thought.
One of those Germans, Schultz, was called in first. This means, you had to share space and air with that bloody Englishman. He was busy talking to the other officer, Holk. Their conversation was in German, so you understood everything you could hear. It seems they were exchanging experiences from the war in the Empire. You kept a reasonable amount of distance, otherwise you simply had to grant his face the honour of meeting your fist. Suddenly, he turned his round, plump face towards you and said in German:
"Mr. O'Donnell sir! Forgive me to intrude, but I believe you come from the Isles as well?"
"I do." you answered simply "What's it to you?"
"Mr. Holk is asking me, whether it's true, that Ireland is part of England. Care to explain it to him?"
"Ireland is NOT England" you hissed in English "Explain it yourself, ya English gobshite."
"What did-" Mattison, with his face red, apparently wanted to say something nasty while reaching for his rapier, but was cut short by the oppening door. The poor bastard had to keep quiet if he wanted to find employment. Schultz was leaving the room with a wide smile on his face and turned to leave the Palace the way you all entered. It looked like he got what he wanted. Meanwhile Holk, watching the whole scene, seemed pretty amused. At the same time, the well known face of the young Pole appeared from inside the room.
"Mr. O'Donnell, if you please."
Without saying another word, you went inside, leaving the perplexed officers in the corridor to their own devices.
The room was in stark contrast to what you've experienced so far. For starters, it was warm. The fire burned intensely in the chimney to the right, while the people present sat behind a large, mahogany table, full of documents and a map. In the middle, upon a large chair, sat the 38 year old man himself. The newly elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Władysław IV of the Royal House of Vasa, also by right King of Sweden and elected Grand Duke of Moscow. Naturally, the King was the only one sitting directly in front of you. The rest of the present noblemen either sat on the sides of the table or stood next to the monarch. Most were dressed in the Western style, with the exception of 2 plus the guards. The room itself was well maintained, with ornamental furniture and paintings hanging from the walls and well lit with a couple of candlesticks present for good measure. All in all, 9 people were inside the room: the King himself, 6 of his dignitaries and two soldiers guarding the door from this side as well.
You reacted as you were told and took off your hat, bowed reverently, taking a few swipes with your headwear along the floor. Courtly rituals were never your strong point, yet you adapted and wanted to get it over with. After showing due respect to the King, you stood up straight and started speaking in Polish:
"Liam O'Donnell, former Colonel in the army of His Majesty, the late Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. At Your Majesty's service." and you bowed once more.
[First impression roll: 76 + 10 bonus from Budget choice = 86 - very favourably received]
"Ah, yes." the King said with a smile "We have been expecting you. Your offer of service is most welcome in these troubled times. Please be seated, Colonel." the King pointed at the single chair in the middle of the room.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." you answered, taking up his offer.
"So, Colonel... how's the war going in the Empire?" said King Władysław, apperantly in a good mood "We have heard of the death of our dear Cousin. Yet never from an eyewitness. Care to elaborate?"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me, but I was not present at the exact time of the King's death. I only saw the moment, when his body was brought back to camp. His Majesty was stripped of all worldy possessions, even clothing, with gunshot wounds to the arm and back. His death wasn't quick, it's obvious he must have suffered from his pierced lung before the end. As for the war in general... before I left, we were told by Chancellor Oxenstierna, that the conflict shall continue."
"Obviously" said in Latin one of the noblemen inside the room with a snicker "The fox knows, that otherwise his whole war would have been a waste of time and money."
"Dönhoff" the King scolded him "Now's not the time."
"Yes, Sire. I am sorry."
"Now then, Colonel" King Władysław turned his gaze back to you and spoke in Polish again "We have read your letter of recommendation from the Duke of Weimar. You are an unusual one. Not only do you speak Polish, but have also seen service in Prussia, correct?"
"I have, Your Majesty."
"Why then have you left Swedish service, despite your conduct in the Empire and wish to serve Us?"
"I..." you pause for a moment, trying to come up with an answer "I have seen enough bloodshed caused by Protestants to Catholics. Both back home and here. Now I wish to serve a Catholic power with the hope of achieving some... inner peace."
"Inner peace?" the King rose his eyebrow and chuckled "Do you not mean better pay, Colonel?"
"No, Sire. If I was looking only to profit from my skills, I wouldn't have left. I had a good chance of achieving a higher rank in Swedish service and with it, money and power. Yet I forfeited it all and came here to serve Your Majesty in any way I can."
"And by serve you mean money, correct?"
"The best way of serving Your Majesty would be to raise and lead a regiment for the King's army. That's what I do best and what I would recommend, hoping Your Majesty shall agree with me on this."
"Of course, O'Donnell. We wouldn't have summoned you if We were of a different opinion. What force do you propose?"
You gave this moment a long thought on your way here. What kind of regiment shall you create and lead? What would be its profile? While it's obvious, that the easiest choice would be to train a unit of locals, you had a better idea.
One, that you harboured for a long time.
One, that popped into your head the moment you joined the French army.
One, that you now had a chance to put into practice.
"I shall raise a unit of Irishmen for service in Your Majesty's armies." you said with firm conviction in your voice.
"Oh? An Irish regiment? Like Butler's?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
"So, you have heard of him. It means you really did serve in Prussia." the King said with a smile.
You remember very well talk of James Butler and his unit of Irishmen fighting your forces during the Prussian War. It was universally agreed, that his men were some of the best soldiers on the Polish side and he was known to Gustavus Adolphus and Oxenstierna by name. The King hated his guts for how pesky and efficient he was. For you it was proof, that such a task, like recruiting a unit of Irish soldiers, was entirely possible.
"Very well." King Władysław said "While We were hoping for some more local regiments trained up to Western standards, there is no shortage of officers, that can do that. Colonel Butler proved, that Irish soldiers are well worth having and We simply cannot say no to such an opportunity. You have Our permission to do so."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you very much." you said with a smile, relieved that your dream shall finally come true.
"Have you formed any plans beforehand, Colonel?"
"Of course,Your Majesty. I shall recruit in Pomerania, with the hope of attracting local Irishmen to our cause and make good on any compatriots I may reach over the sea. By summer my unit should be ready to march."
"What type of unit can We expect?"
"Dragoons, Sire. I've seen their effectiveness firsthand and wish to emulate them. Besides, Your Majesty has to agree, that it will be easier to form a crack troop with a... smaller number of men."
"Or one, that's easier to find recruits for." King Władysław answered with a smile.
"That's true, Sire, but I guarantee they'll be no less efficient."
"You really are modeling your unit on Butler's, aren't you Colonel? Do remember, that by the end of the war, he was ordered to reform it into an infantry regiment with but 2 companies of dragoons left. We suggest you stay open-minded, should such a need arise. Remember, We need your men to be ready for war by the end of August at the latest."
"You may later hammer out the details of your Capitulation with Crown Court TreasurerJerzy Ossoliński." the man in question, one of the 2 nobles dressed in Polish attire, noded "We are sure, he shall accommodate your needs in regard to financing the operation. As well as your pay."
"I only need half of what is offered me." you answered quickly "The money shall be better spent on arming and feeding my soldiers."
The men around you looked confused. This is problably something they do not hear very often.
"Very well, Colonel. See to it, Ossoliński." the King said.
"It shall be done, Sire."
"Now, Mr. O'Donnell. Is there anything else We can do for you? You only need to ask."
You're in luck to find the King in a good mood. Any help you could think of may be useful in forming your dream regiment. You just have to decide what you need...
Think quickly.
[X] Recruits - Any Irishmen present in the capital and close to it may prove useful, if you could get your hands on them. This is Warsaw after all, the capital and while it may be lacking in style, like venerable Cracow, it still is a good spot to look for foreigners present here for one reason or the other. By having a one time only offer to try and enlist them to your cause, you may jump-start your work on the regiment. You have to remember though, this only gives you a right to recruit. Whether anyone will be willing to fight for you is an entirely different matter. Plus, it's still winter and you have to think about feeding your recruits, clothing them and finding them a place to sleep.
[X] Officers - One thing you do lack is a good officer corps. You're, quite frankly, all alone out here and have to recruit everyone from scratch. Since you are doing everything yourself, it can be a long and tiring process. Having someone with the proper knowledge and experience like you to help out with tasks from the beginning can be a great boon. You have to keep in mind, that the man sent to you might not necessarily be of Irish origin. Given the fact, that you're in no position to be picky, you'll have to manage.
[X] Supplies - Ask for a few wagons of supplies, that may help you get an early advantage. Supplies shall be the universal unit, with which you will arm and feed your men. Food, clothing, weapons, ammunition, they all fall under this category. Given the fact, that in Pomerania you may have a problem finding and buying enough supplies to maintain your unit, this can be a lifesaver.
[X] Local Gentry - Power is everything, said one merchant just before his demise. There seems to be a bit of truth in that. You can ask for recommendations to some of the local gentry, those with money and power to be precise. While they won't do your job for you, you may try and contact them in trying times to ask for help, should they feel generous enough to provide it. Relying too much on them however, can have negative consequences in the long run.
[X] Nothing - You may simply politely decline help at this moment and time, hoping to keep the favour in your back pocket for an emergency situation. The thing is, the longer you wait, the lesser will be the favour you can expect to cash in. The King does have many other duties and may quickly forget he owes you anything.
