Great Northern War - II: A Good Plan - Extra History

Bill Lemmond

I realize the story of so mny people is going to be too complicated for such a brief, simplified format, so I don't expect more as to why the numerically inferior Swedes were so regularly winning. It's still something to kknow that for years, Sweden was dominant. And maybe that's why they were left alone in two world wars.

Extra History

Your last point is the one that truly convinces me. I'll look into production and see what we can do! Heaven knows I love those little soldiers friends as well.

Thornhenge

Thanks for the clarification.

Paul Lenoue

<a href="http://www.happymeeple.com/en/media/what-is-a-meeple/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.happymeeple.com/en/media/what-is-a-meeple/</a> I like your simplified yet easily identified design for soldiers using a wide base and finger-friendly body for easy moving around the playing board. Much better than traditional meeples, studier than cardboard miniatures, easier to work with than more detailed metal miniatures, and more flexible to paint custom features, like robotic prosthetics, pirate hooks, ninja masks, steampunk stuff, etc. Not to mention each meeple having the same head dimensions allow for 3D printing of custom hats in large batches. I design a lot of games and meeples in the shape of your soldiers would make for a great addition. Besides, what game _wouldn't_ be improved by random Swedish army meeples showing up.

Extra History

Bad tactics. :(

Extra History

Not in this series. :( Possibly in Lies!

Extra History

Sorta like a modern-ish Achilles, huh?

Extra History

I can look up what meeples are (and have) but in what context would you use them for your gaming? Are there games that allow random Swedish meeples to be used as pieces?

Thornhenge

When you say that the Polish strategy was "Just Keep Losing", joking aside, what does that mean? The King thought he could wear out the Swedish forces if he just kept engaging them? He was just straight up terrible at tactics?

I can't help but wonder when you're going to discuss the Caroleans, the soldiers that made Charles' victories possible. They were undoubtedly the most badass fighting force in Europe at the time.

Times Chu

Also, if you're interested in the Great Northern War and like Power Metal, you should absolutely check out the album "Carolus Rex" by Sabaton. It's my favorite album of all time and it's great.

Times Chu

Charles XII was SO COOL! Spoiler: Because of the myth that he was protected by divine providence, it's often said that the shot that one day killed him was in fact not a bullet, but one of his own buttons, taken from his coat. The buttons were special, being from a king's coat, so of course the theft was recorded, but the button itself was never found... except for many years later, in the 20th century, a brass and lead button was found in the fields of Fredrikshald. A recent investigation found it bore the same DNA traces as the blood that still stains Charles XII's gloves.

Paul Lenoue

Any chance you could make your little soldiers into meeples for gaming?

Extra History

For good reason. :( It will come up towards the end of this series!

Ville Vuorela

*sigh* For all his victories, Charles XII is not looked upon very favorably in Finland today.

Moarice

Looking at the Youtube comments, I think you guys are going to have to say this a lot in the Lies episode.

Extra History

You are strong in my heart, Sweden! -Soraya

Marcus Berg

Sweden stronk. *proud Swede* Passed tense, though.

Extra History

Yeah, I don't have to tell you that his rations are going to become a problem pret-ty soon here. ;)

Extra History

Maybe he should have. But that wasn't in his nature, it seems.

Extra History

nowhere is safe

Extra History

I'm not sure if there are plants to bring him up in Lies, but I'll mention the name to James to make sure he is aware of Patkul!

Jim McGeehin

The Baltics were actually very useful for Peter, the ports there were much warmer than his ports on the White Sea, and any landing of troops across the Baltic would be much harder if Charles didn't have a friendly port to land them in. One of Charles's great problems was that his frantic pace caused trouble with supplies. The superior training and equipment of his troops were holding, but they can only go so far on half rations.

Wesley Wu

If I were Charles, I think I would have just called it quits after capturing Krakow. That was some real spectacular losing.

Bumble

And it would be in 1939 that the French took a page put of Poland's book and decided to...lose

Since they didn't cover him in the episode, now is a good opportunity to read about the life and times on Johann Patkul, as he pulled many of the strings that have been brought up, such as inspiring Augustus' plans in Livonia from episode 1, and brokering the alliance between Russia and Saxony/PLC. He really managed to get the wheels turning.

Jonathan Luoto

Well one of Augustus' problems was that he was not very powerful as Polish- Lithuanian king. Large parts of the aristocracy didn't like him, and the peasants, i.e. potential soldiers were tied to the aristocracy. Likewise the potential officers of course were the aristocracy itself and they didn't like Augustus very much.

Billy Henline

Ok, I can facepalm in peace.

Extra History

Glad we could cheer you up!

Extra History

You got it. ;)

Extra History

Just like the Polish-Lithuanian line! Eyyyyy

Mikael

Thank you, I needed a laugh after this week :)

Billy Henline

If I'm cutting through the sarcasm right, 'Keep Losing' translates to Poland-Lithuania kept mounting useless attack after useless attack with poor tactics.

Nessf

My sarcasm-meter seems to have broken.

Extra History

Yeahhh it doesn't go great here. By the way, belatedly happy birthday to you, Martin!

Extra History

No, we were not serious. ;) Just poking fun. But they'll be back later in this series!

Veteran of the Mushroom Wars

The Polish have faired remarkably poorly throughout history, at least after about the 13th century.

shadowscribble

I couldn't tell if you were serious with P-L wanting to lose. Waiting for them to pull the "you fool! That was my plan from the beginning!" And I thought I got it with the civil war; but no, they literally were trying and racking up fails.

Martin Verran

It's now 6:00 PM BST. In other Words same Upload Time as always. :-) Although this is EH's First Forray into Polish History I get the Impression things are not going to End Well for the Poles, Considering what Catherine the Great did to them at the End of her Series.