“I depart, but the State shall always remain” - King Louis XIV on his deathbed
King Louis XIV de Bourbon, following in the political footsteps of Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin, is strengthening the power of the monarchy to the detriment of the feudal aristocracy.
The Thirty Years’ War’s end – won over an exhausted Holy Roman Empire – has not brought a stable peace. Spain is still acting aggressively against France’s interests and many German and Dutch princedoms are starting to fear France’s unmatched military power.
But despite all the enemies he is facing, internal and external, Louis XIV is strongly inclined to make the Kingdom of France the Arbiter of Europe. Like a Sun determining the orbits of the other minor celestial bodies around it.
Le Grand Siècle - the "Great Century” – has begun!
Pike and Shot: Campaigns has been updated! This new version is dedicated to the great military modernization of the French Army - with which the Roi Soleil desired to sustain his absolutism – the matching military advances of the other European powers, as well as several other great improvements!
More specifically:
1. Added “Le Roi Soleil” skirmish module, covering European armies from 1649 to 1698. This adds 37 new army lists and many new unit types to the game.
2. Added these new army lists to the Pike and Shot Campaign to allow it to cover any European conflict from 1494 to 1698.
3. Added new Late Pike and Shot models for Austrian units in Great Turkish War campaign.
4. Used new models for Royalist Edgehill mostly-pike and mostly-musket units.
5. Descriptions added to MP scenarios.
6. Campaigns: Significantly increased chance of defending army fighting either open battle or defending field fortifications rather than retreating when province is invaded. If they fight an open battle against a superior invading force there is a chance they will engage the invader before all his troops have arrived.
7. Campaigns: Improved auto resolution algorithm for defensive (field fortification) battles.
8. Campaigns: Corrected bug in reporting of supply limits for provinces with enemy armies in them. Now correctly reports supply limit that will apply for player armies when the enemy field army has been driven from the province.
9. Corrected sound effect for Szeklers and Lancer Banners shooting.
10. Corrected troop description of Veteran Late Pike & Shot and LG.
Have fun!