War of the Austrian Succession - Preview

Today we are pleased to share with you a preview of the next title coming down the road for the Musket & Pike series. War of the Austrian Succession! We try to keep a pretty tight reign on information regarding projects that are in the works, but when we enter the "final stretch" we like to share a bit of what is coming. Our rule of thumb is 6 months - so we are reasonably confident you will be able to put this through the paces within the next 6 months - possibly sooner!

Andrew Bamford is the lead scenario designer on this project. He's a professional historian, a published author and he's contributed to other projects we have published in the past - with a primary focus on the Napoleonic-era British forces in the Spanish Peninsula. He was featured in our first Designer's Corner post back in March of this year. Assisting is Gary McClellan, who was the lead scenario designer for the Seven Years War game.

Overview

Notwithstanding his careful plans for the eventuality, the death in 1740 of the Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI without a male heir created the pretext for a linked series of conflicts that would end up spanning much of the globe. Through the so-called Pragmatic Sanction, Karl expected to be succeeded in the Habsburg domains by his daughter, Maria-Theresa, and as Emperor by her husband Francis of Lorraine. However, the Elector of Bavaria contested the succession on the basis of his marriage to the late Emperor’s niece. In due course, with French backing, he would – briefly – become Emperor as Karl VII. With such a blatant challenge to Habsburg dominance, war was inevitable.

Around Europe, other powers sought to take advantage of the turmoil. In Prussia, the newly-crowned Friedrich II – not yet ‘The Great’, but with definite ambitions – sought to gain the territory of Silesia at Austria’s expense. Bourbon Spain, already embroiled in a colonial war with Britain, sought to expand her position in Italy. The exiled House of Stuart saw a European war as the ideal opportunity to reclaim their lost crown, and with the support of the Bourbon powers would launch the last of the Jacobite Risings. Only after an epic eight-year struggle, and the death of Karl VII, would Maria-Theresa be confirmed in her inheritance – but it would be an inheritance shorn of some of its lands, and in the peace settlement were sown the seeds of the even greater conflict that would break out less than a decade later. In the meantime, Friedrich II would make his name, Maurice de Saxe would give the Bourbon monarchy its last great string of victories, and ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ would bring his rag-tag Highland Army to within 130 miles of London before going down to defeat at Culloden – all inspiring material for a new title in the Musket and Pike series.

With such a sprawling conflict, and even after omitting the colonial elements, there has been a great deal to fit in. Amongst other things, key components include:

• The campaigns in central Germany, with actions like Prague, Sahay, Dettingen, and Simbach.
• De Saxe’s rampage through the Low Countries, with the sprawling battles of Fontenoy, Roucoux, and Laufeldt.
• The First and Second Silesian Wars, including the major battles of Mollwitz, Chotusitz, Hohenfriedberg, Soor, and Kesselsdorf.
• Battles in Italy, from Campo Santo down on the plains to Casteldelfino and Assietta up in the mountains, as well as actions at Madonna dell’Olmo and Velletri.
• The ’45 Rising, with historical battles of Prestonpans, Clifton, Inverurie, Falkirk and Culloden, as well as a hypothetical campaign that imagines what might have happened had Charles chosen to over-rule his advisors and press on southwards in December 1745.

(Map credit: enmergal.deviantart.com -  https://www.deviantart.com/enmergal/about )

The Eighteenth Century was the era of the “Great Captains,” beginning with the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy and ending with the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. The War of the Austrian Succession was well represented with two.

There were many notable generals in the war, however by the time the war ended, the two names that were universally acclaimed as the greatest commanders in Europe were Friedrich II, King of Prussia, now known as “the great” and Marshal de Saxe.

Arminius-Maurice de Saxe was the illegitimate son of Elector Friedrich Augustus of Saxony, by a Swedish countess. His father pointed him towards a career in the army, sending him to join a Saxon contingent with Marlborough’s army in the Malplaquet campaign. Not long afterwards, young Maurice was officially acknowledged by his father and given the title Graf von Sachshen (Count of Saxony). He continued to serve in the military, joining Prince Eugene in the Belgrade Campaign against the Ottomans.

In 1720, he joined the French army, seeing greater opportunity for advancement than in the Saxon army, becoming the Colonel of the Greder regiment. During this time frame, he also attempted to secure the Duchy of Courland unsuccessfully.

Upon the death of his father, he returned to the French service in the War of the Polish Succession. It’s a sign of the times that he served in the French army against his half-brother who was attempting to gain the Polish throne. Maurice served with distinction at the siege of Phillipsbourg.

Maurice commanded the vanguard of the Franco-Bavarian army that advanced on Prague in the early days of the War of the Austrian Succession and launched a successful coup de main to seize the city. In 1744, Maurice was promoted to the rank of Marshal of France (thus leading to his common nickname Marshal Saxe).

In 1745 Marshal Saxe would win the Battle of Fontenoy, calmly directing his troops despite the British Infantry breaking deep into his position. He would follow that up with his victories at Rocoux and Lauffeldt, being promoted Marshal General of France.

Marshal Saxe died in 1750 of a fever. His book “Mes Reveries” (My Reveries) was published after his death.

Friedrich II of Prussia was born in 1712, son of the (then) Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm. As young Friedrich grew up, the relationship between him and his father was deeply troubled.

When the War of the Polish Succession broke out, he served with the troops who joined the elderly Prince Eugene, where he learned much from the elderly master, but also noted the poor condition of the Hapsburg military. Returning to Prussia after the war, he continued that martial education with the “Bayard Order”, a group of friends who discussed military matters.

In 1740, he ascended the throne, filled with ambition, and his opportunity soon came. When Emperor Karl VI died, he ignored the agreements of the Pragmatic Sanction and moved to seize the rich province of Silesia. The Austrians scrambled to send an army in defense of their lands, and they met at Mollwitz. It was not the young King’s finest hour, as he fled the field under the advice of his Field Marshal, but the stout infantry he’d inherited carried the day.

Determined not to be humiliated in the same way again, he worked to improve his army, especially the Cavalry which performed so poorly at Mollwitz. He quickly gained a reputation as a great commander with his victories in Silesia, but he also gained a reputation as a ruthless opportunist dropping out of the war (abandoning his allies) and rejoining it to secure his gains when the war started to turn against the Franco-Bavarian alliance.

When peace finally returned to Europe, he knew that Maria Theresa would seek to reclaim her lost lands, so he spent the following years carefully preparing for what he saw as an inevitable war. When that war appeared to be imminent, he decided to strike first, invading Saxony and kicking off the Seven Years War.

Of course, there is a great deal to be said about Friedrich the Great, both as a general and as a King, but in the War of the Austrian Succession, we see him as an unknown quantity. Young, aggressive and ambitious, with his skills yet unproven.

As of this writing we have 66 scenarios in testing, and at least another 20 are planned. Additionally, we aim to have 3 campaigns to choose from in the Campaign format of play.

The engine has been refined a bit with some small bug fixes put in that have been uncovered since the release of Thirty Years War. Some new features have been added as well, but since they are primarily intended for other games in development they won't be highlighted here.

For those who may wish to do a little reading before release time, here are some suggestions:

For a good overview of the conflict we have: