At the final years of the Seven Years' War, France managed to coax Spain (who shared a ruling dynasty with them) into joining the war on France's side, as they were losing allies. The spanish decied to attack Portugal as the country was nominally pro-british and proved a possible threat if admitted properly into the british alliance system. However, the portuguese managed to surprisingly defeat the spanish through clever use of guerrilla warfare, tactical retreats and troop movements commanded by the count of Lippe, Friedrich Wilhelm. Such an event was later baptized as the Fantastic War (Guerra Fantástica), and prevented the successful entry of Spain into the Seven Years' War, which could be a burden to the british alliance system despite the balance having been tipped to their side a few years before. The war also saw significant troop movements in a brazilian side-theater.
But what if Wilhelm made too many mistakes during the defense of the portuguese homeland? What if Portugal lost the Fantastic War?
-This would obviously mean that the country would be put under spanish occupation until the end of the war. How well would Portugal be pacified? Would the guerrillas be a very big burden on the spanish military?
-The spanish would probably seize some of the portuguese navy for their own use, and with Portugal removed from the equation, the spanish navy could have been stronger and more able to take on the british fleets. Is that true?
-How would a more successful spanish entry into the 7YW affect the war as a whole? Would the country be enough for the balance to be tipped into the french side? Would it be negligible? Or would it butterfly the war's end into a stalemate?
-What are the ramifications in the portuguese colonies?
But what if Wilhelm made too many mistakes during the defense of the portuguese homeland? What if Portugal lost the Fantastic War?
-This would obviously mean that the country would be put under spanish occupation until the end of the war. How well would Portugal be pacified? Would the guerrillas be a very big burden on the spanish military?
-The spanish would probably seize some of the portuguese navy for their own use, and with Portugal removed from the equation, the spanish navy could have been stronger and more able to take on the british fleets. Is that true?
-How would a more successful spanish entry into the 7YW affect the war as a whole? Would the country be enough for the balance to be tipped into the french side? Would it be negligible? Or would it butterfly the war's end into a stalemate?
-What are the ramifications in the portuguese colonies?