First Shots Con.
May 23rd: Anglo-Hanoverian forces cross the border into Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. These forces are mostly made up of well trained Canadian troops that had not seen combat, with some veteran Canadian units mixed in to strengthen the effort. Some Indian troops are present as well - about 40,000.
The attacking forces are divided into three Army Groups - Army Group Montana, Army Group Dakota and Army Group Minnesota. The plan calls for Army Group Minnesota to take Minneapolis, then drive on to Wisconsin, while the other Army Groups try to do their best to capture American cities and prevent effective mobilization of American resources. Their long-term goal is to cut the nation in half by reaching Mexico.
At the same time, Mexican raiders attack small American towns in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. These attacks are very small scale, and are meant only to distract American attention from the north, not to really accomplish anything. Mexico mostly fights only half-heartedly, and merely tries to accomplish its treaty obligations towards the Anglo-Hanoverian Empire.
In the north, initial American resistence is light - the border is overwhelmed, and what American Army units were in place were driven back, many so rapidly that they were not able to effectively sabotage railroads or bridges. At the end of the day, only light fighting occured between Anglo-Hanoverian units and American units, with some incidents of armed American civilians firing at the invaders.
The Anglo-Hanoverians react to the American civilians in much the same way they reacted towards armed Belgian civilians - some are shot. All in all, though, the pace of the battle and strict discipline in the Anglo-Hanoverian units led to very few atrocities. Other than accidental deaths and actual snipers who were punished, few American civilians were killed.
May 24th: Anglo-Hanoverian troops continue their advance, encountering almost no serious resistance.
Meanwhile, President Ehmann rallies the nation, and orders the preparation for a counter-offensive, one to be aimed at both the Anglo-Hanoverians and the Mexicans. Preparations are made, and American tanks are made ready for their first test in battle... (these American tanks were the result of the American "landironclad" program, and are less well designed for trench warfare than the Anglo-Hanoverian models. All in all, the American design is inferior.)
May 25th: The American counter-offensive is launched. Poor co-ordination and insufficient transport leads to some American units arriving late. Still, a major battle occurs.
The Battle of The Rockies - American forces attack the Anglo-Hanoverian Army Group Montana near the Rocky Mountains. The Canadians hang back, and make the Americans come to them. The Americans comply, sending in a major attack, which the Anglo-Hanoverians meet with artillery, to which the Americans cannot really reply, as their artillery was lagging behind.
The American cavalry, which had been intended primarily to raid the Anglo-Hanoverian supply lines and to scout, was slaughtered, as was the American infantry. They were green and inexperienced, and their officers made many mistakes the Anglo-Hanoverians had learned from in the early days of the war.
The Americans charged in, were met with heavy fire from artillery, machine-guns and rifles, and so fell back... only to reform almost immediatly as more troops arrived, and charge once more, only to be broken again, and to reform again as the final reinforcements arrived, at which point they attacked again, and were defeated again. In the end, losses were heavy to both sides, but the Anglo-Hanoverians held the field.
In the south, on the other hand, the American counter-offensive found no sign of the Mexican raiders, and in fact moved into Mexico.
Losses from The Battle of The Rockies:
American:
- 50,000 dead
- 48,000 wounded
- 12,000 taken prisoner
Anglo-Hanoverian:
- 40,000 dead
- 36,000 wounded
May 26th: As the Anglo-Hanoverians advanced, a new American counter-offensive met them in North Dakota. Anglo-Hanoverian Army Group Dakota met fierce resistance near the town of Grand Forks. The Battle of Grand Forks ensued, and resulted in a minor American loss with heavy losses to both sides. The Americans were proving to be ferocious fighters, although they lacked experience.
May 27th: The Americans launched yet another counter-attack, striking at Anglo-Hanoverian forces just south of Grand Forks, hitting them hard as they advanced after their victory. The Three Day Battle ensued, as fighting became fierce.
May 28th: As the fighting south of Grand Forks continued, the Americans instated their highest level of conscription, and called up anyone they could find who wan't involved in a the production of war material.
May 29th: The American forces opposing Army Group Dakota finally break. They are effectively routed - the Anglo-Hanoverians advance almost unopposed.
May 30th: The Battle of Helena - Anglo-Hanoverians move against Helena, Montana. The governor of Montana refuses to surrender the Montana state capital, and against the the advice of army officers, tries to hold the city. He fails, and some 4,000 Americans, the governor amoung them, are taken prisoner when the city is surrounded.
June 1st: The Battle of Bermuda - the American Atlantic fleet fights the Anglo-Hanoverians near Bermuda. The Anglo-Hanoverians prove victorious, destroying fourteen American ships including the dreadnoughts America and Texas. The Anglo-Hanoverians lose only eight ships of their own, of which none are dreadnoughts.
June 2nd: The Battle of Idaho - with Montana fairly well occupied, the Anglo-Hanoverian Army Group Montana crossed into Idaho, where it met American forces. After a full day of furious fighting, the Anglo-Hanoverians withdrew. Although the Americans took more cassualties, this is considered an American win.
June 2nd: The First Battle of Minneapolis - American forces, well supplied and heavily reinforced, fight the Anglo-Hanoverians as they move in on Minneapolis. Ferociously determined, the Americans make Minneapolis into "another Paris." Anglo-Hanoverian losses are massive, as are American losses. As night falls, the fighitng continues.
June 3rd: The First Battle of Minneapolis continues, as the Anglo-Hanoverians struggle to take the city away from its determined defenders. This second day sees heavy losses to both sides continue, although when night falls the Anglo-Hanoverians hold about half the city. The Americans are being constantly reinforced and resupplied by rail, and so are prepared to continue fighting.
June 4th: In Europe, The Battle of Hamburg sees the city fall to the Anglo-Hanoverians, although its Prussian defenders inflict heavy losses.
In America, The First Battle of Minnesota comes to a close as that city falls.
June 5th: The Battle of Saint Paul - Fresh from their victory in Minneapolis, Anglo-Hanoverian troops advance on Saint Paul. Unexpectedly, they encounter trench lines, and their advance stalls. They suffer high losses, but take the city. Still, the battle lines have been drawn - the Anglo-Hanoverian Army Group Minnesota will experience no more massive advances like they did at the start of the war.
June 6th: Preperations begin for an American offensive from Maine into eastern Canada.
June 7th: The Battle of The Plains - the Anglo-Hanoverian western forces grind to a halt, as trench warfare starts in eastern Montana.
June 8th: The Eastern Offensive - The American army drives into eastern Canada. As they advance, they encounter some resistance, but not enough to stop them. They continue to advance.
June 9th: In Europe, The Battle of Bergedorf sees the Prussians forced back once more, although they make the Anglo-Hanoverians pay for every inch they advance.
In America, Fredericton falls with light resistance, and the Anglo-Hanoverian Army Group Dakota bogs down in The Battle of Aberdeen (South Dakota). With all of North Dakota and most of Montana and Minnesota under Anglo-Hanoverian control, the Anglo-Hanoverian advanced have been stopped.
June 10th: The Battle of The Florida Keys - an American cruiser squadron runs afoul of Anglo-Hanoverian ships. Three American cruisers are lost, in exchange for only one Anglo-Hanoverian ship.
June 11th: The Battle of Lake Erie - in spite of inventive and heroic resistance on the part of Canadian forces in the Lake Erie area, American troops force their way into Canadian territory.
June 12th: The Anglo-Hanoverian High Command makes the decision to send most Canadian units home.
June 13th: A small Anglo-Hanoverian force invades Alaska, mostly to secure it against the event that American forces try to land in it and use it as a base from which to attack Canada.
June 14th: Japanese troops land in the Aleutian Islands, seizing another possession for Japan.
June 15th: The Battle of Kure - the Japanese fleet, with some Anglo-Hanoverian support, moves towards Hawaii. The American fleet meets it at Kure, where a large-scale battle ensues. The American Pacific squadrons lose 21 ships to the Entente losses of 17 Japanese and three Anglo-Hanoverian. All in all, the result is a draw in America's favor - it keeps the Japanese away from Hawaii for a while...
June 16th: The Battle of Halifax - American forces secure Nova Scotia. American losses are heavy, while the Anglo-Hanoverians fight mostly to preserve their forces, which are safely evacuated by sea.
June 17th: The First Battle of Niagra - American forces fight their way up the Niagra peninsula, suffering horrific losses all the way, from their dug-in Canadian enemy.
June 18th: Anglo-Hanoverian ships bombard New York once again, firing a few dozen shells without warning then fleeing.
June 19th: The Second Battle of Niagra - American forces find themselves bogged down in trench warfare in the Niagra peninsula when their breakthrough attempt fails.
June 20th: In Europe: The Battle of Wittenberge sees the Prussians beaten once again. Prussian morale is near rock bottom. Still, they fight on, hoping they might still somehow win...
