The Wars of Religion - Europe 1588-1593

Europe in 1588 was a continent already at war, with the potential for more conflicts to break out at any moment. The divide was broadly along confessional lines, with the Calvanist Dutch having rebelled in 1568 against their Catholic ruler Philip II of Spain, the most powerful monarch in Europe. The Dutch could count on the support of Protestant England, busy trying to supress the native Catholic Irish, and on the French Huguenots, embroiled in their own savage civil war since 1562 with an uneasy alliance of the French Catholic League and the Royalists, supported by Savoy. By 1588 Philip's general in the Netherlands, the Duke of Parma, was ready for a final push against the Dutch, but his master planned to divert the army both against England and to support the failing cause of the League. In Central Europe, Philip's Hapsburg cousin debated whether to restore his notional authority as Holy Roman Emperor over the Protestant German states, or to push back the Ottoman Turks - there is already heavy skirmishing in the disputed lands of 'Royal' Hungary. The former course would probably be opposed by Denmark the more successful it became, although Catholic Bavaria, the Pope, and the smaller Catholic German states would most likely support it. The Pope and Venice would probably aid in a crusade against the Turks, leaving Germany neutral. If Denmark entered a war to stop the Hapsburgs recovering northern Germany it was likely that the Poles and Swedes, temporarily united under one king, would intervene on the Catholic side. Then there were the Moslem states of North Africa to consider: with their strong navies and loose alliance with the Turks they were a considerable threat, although hampered by their own troubles with the Kingdoms of Morocco and Fez to the west, and the Berber tribes in the Atlas Mountains. The Swiss, whether Catholic and Protestant, were stubbornly neutral, and well able to defend themselves.

In general: keep a close eye on the News strings as a number of Theatre Options will appear and disappear depending upon the dynamics of the game. VPs represent money, prestige and political control - don't press every Theatre Option that becomes available unless you see your opponent doing the same. It is perfectly possible to conquer a larger chunk of the map than you held at the start and still lose or draw because you've 'spent' so many VPs. This would represent your being on the verge of bankruptcy, or having aroused such hostility that a further wave of revolts or wars are inevitable.

Those formations already at war start as activated; others mobilise in response to various events, or if an enemy unit moves past or attacks them. See the House Rules in the Atlantic Ocean regarding various restrictions. As the Hapsburgs you should be aware that the Turks will attack about nine months (variable) after you move against the Protestant Germans, possibly even sooner if you do well, or around mid-1590 even if you do nothing at all.

Active Catholic/Protestant states can pass units through friendly neutrals, but Protestants and Moslems may not pass through each other's territory. Priests and Pastors offer the chance to change hex control without using armies - think of it as stirring up localised peasant revolts, or merely sympathy for one side or the other. Neither can move into Moslem starting territory.

Most capitals are supply points for their own side. London, York, Southampton, Plymouth and Belgrade will act as Hapsburg supply points if captured: Lisbon, Calais, Rome, Cadiz, Barcelona, Cagliari, Porto Vechio, Messina, Vienna, Prague and Otranto for the Protestants/Ottomans. The Poles have a supply point at 88,42.

Only those English Trained Bands shown as marines can be sea transported - see the House Rules for other sea movement restrictions.

Winter will severely degrade all armies, as will being out of supply for more than a week or so. This is the sixteenth century. There will be plagues, mutinies, revolts, contrary winds, storms and mud, possibly an assassination and no real 'front lines'. All formations, except the Spanish Tercios, are set to Internal Support only. It is important to understand the implications of this - different allied nation's armies will not cooperate in combat.

Because the French Royalists, Catholic or not, mistrust their notional allies in the Catholic League the former are deliberately set to static until attacked by the Protestants (or Ottomans if they reach northern France, in which case the Counter-Reformation is in big trouble!)

Many countries have the option to call up extra reinforcements, build fleets or hire mercenaries, at a heavy cost in Victory Points.

TOAW was never designed for this: I'd welcome any comments or suggestions.