Crossing of the Somme, August 5th 1636,
Spanish cavalry arrive on time to slaughter the retreating french, killing 600. The Spanish and Holy Roman Imperial troops have lost just 35 men dead and 50 wounded. The joint Spanish-Imperial Army then marches on to besiege Corbie which falls to them in a week.
The overwhelming victory at the Somme still fresh in his mind, the Cardinal Infante Ferdinand commands the army to continue its march towards Paris.
King Louis XIII writes to the Prince of Conde, commanding him to abandon the siege of Dole in order to defend Paris.
However by the time the message reaches the Prince the Spanish-Imperial army has already arrived on the outskirts of Paris...
So yeah, my intention is for a French defeat in the final rounds of the thirty years war, leading to reichsreforms within the HRE which bring them slowly towards federation.
Any ideas? Criticisms? Suggestions? Observations? Notions?