Thirty Years War (quick ) AAR

Bill came over to play Thirty Years War this evening, and I wanted to post a quick AAR before I hit the sack -- for tomorrow I'll be very busy and don't know if I'll have time to get to it, between school (my busy day) and gaming Red Storm Over the Reich with Mike.

Once again, into the breach, Bill was the evil Protestants, while I was the evil Catholics -- are there no good guys here?!?!

Turn 1: 21 VPs (start): Not much going on -- the Protestants entered Saxony and whipped the Saxons in battle. They then took Leipzig, eliminating all Saxon units. Not a good start for the Pope's valiant armies...

Turn 2: 16 VPs: Hungary falls to the Austrians -- the revolt is put down! Christian of Brunswick entered for Protestants and was converting areas in Northern Germany. The Bavarians help their Austrian allies by taking Bohemia, and a Spanish army under Spinola enters the United Provinces, in an attempt to, for once and for all, make tha damn place Catholic!

Turn 3: 18 VPs: The Danes enter on the Protestant side, with King Christian running around Northern Germany. Fighting in the United Provinces begins, as Spinola's Spanish army takes Breda. The Bavarians move north and take Bohemia, consolidating Catholic gains for the turn.

Turn 4: 18 VPs: Baden enters on the Protestant side, putting more of the map into play. Cordoba brings a new Spanish army into Antwerp, as hostilities continue. A regiment of English veterans shows up at Mannheim, joining the Protestant cause. At the end of the turn, Prague falls to a Protestant army after a back and forth fight with the Austrians.

Turn 5: 19 VPs: Spanish troops head south and take the Lower Palatinate and Lorraine for the Catholic side. The Protestant army in the United Provinces leaves and lands, courtesy of the Dutch navy, in Mecklenburg.

Turn 6: 23 VP: The Catholic-allied Bavarians move west, taking Wurtenberg and marching on Baden. The Danes counter this move by bringing Munster under Protestant control. The Spanish besiege Metz, and the fortress holds...

Turn 7: 31 VPs: The Intervention cards are added to the deck, opening more possibilities for each side. The English go home, to deal with the impending Civil War, leaving their Protestant allies to face the Bavarians alone.Ferdinand II dies, throwing the Holy Roman Empire into chaos as Ferdinand III ascends to the throne -- much bickering amongst unpaid troops.The Dutch launch two counter-offensives in the United Provinces, taking back territory from the Catholics. Europe sees a huge, monumental battle at Prague between Mansfield's Protestants and Wallenstein's Imperial troops. Wallenstein begins earning a name for himself by winning decisively.

Turn 8: 32 VPs: The Danes, under the enigmatic Christian, advance into Munster and besiege the Electorate at Koln. Spanish units retreat back into the Spanish Netherlands, avoiding battle with the Danes. Wallenstein's grand army FINALLY takes Prague, after a prolonged siege.

Turn 9: 32 VPs: A large force of Spanish veterans enters the board, via the Alps, under Cardinal Infante and heads into Upper Palatinate. The Protestant armies regroup, and all Catholic sieges this turn fail.

Turn 10: 27 VPs: The Swedes, under G. Adolphus (sp?), enter the fray with a kick-ass army. Fortunately for the Catholics, the Swedes also land an army in Denmark, causing King Christian and his force to head home (and out of the game). The Spanish take back Munster, and both side build up for the "endgame."

Turn 11 will start with 30 VPs. The Catholics need 21 for victory, the Protestants need 19. This game is most certainly up in the air. I can't wait to play again, and I look forward to Round 2, as the Protestants, win or lose this time around.

A lot of fun was had tonight, that's for sure.