This is the first article in a series where I will present each of the five powers of Baltic Empires in turn. I am starting with Sweden as that is the power that will likely be most familiar to players of GMT´s other games set in the Baltic region during this period (1558-1721), such as Pax Baltica and Nothing Gained But Glory.
Sweden in 1558 is recently independent after breaking from the Danish-dominated Kalmar Union, starting the game with only 4 Provinces and a combined income of 6 Goods and Thalers, which makes them initially one of the smaller powers. Their prospect for internal economic development is very limited as they have few unbuilt Workshops and no options for expanding their weak mercantile position, having only a single City location within their realm (the capital of Stockholm). This really leaves only one course of action for the Swedish player: expansion!
This was also what the Swedish player´s historical counterparts concluded, and in pursuit of this goal they united the estates behind an expansionist policy and organized the state in a way where most classes both gained from and shared the cost of war. This made Sweden unique among the powers of Baltic Empires and allowed them to field and sustain standing armies far larger than their enemies, compared to the size of their small population and economy. Sweden was also blessed by a line of outstanding kings who proved to be great military innovators with a knack for appointing highly skilled officials, ministers, and generals. In game terms this is represented by Sweden having a far lower upkeep costs for their military than any other power in the game, and thus enables them to maintain a relatively large army for little to no cost in Thalers, which is the only resource that can be used to pay upkeep. This is especially important to Sweden since Thalers are hard for them to get their hands on, and thus they have precious few to spend. The widespread support of an expansionist policy is also represented by Sweden´s higher loan limit, which will allow them to quickly raise a lot of Thalers – but the player must exercise this option carefully to avoid plunging the country into a downwards debt spiral as all loans (plus interest) will eventually have to be repaid.
In addition to internal political support Sweden has one more ace up their sleeves when it comes to war. Their extensive mining industry gave them cheap access to bronze and iron that made Sweden´s armies better equipped than most, especially in the field of artillery, and Sweden built upon this advantage with a series of tactical reforms that stressed the importance of firepower. In game terms this is represented by Sweden´s monarch Gustavus II Adolphus making their Infantry units hit more reliably in battle.
In Baltic Empires players can recruit Dramatic Personae cards to their Court, increasing their Hegemony rankings and granting them unique new powers (this is described in detail in my earlier article on Dramatic Personae). The ability to recruit more than a couple of these is limited and certain requirements must be fulfilled to unlock additional Court slots. These requirements vary dramatically from power to power, based on the historical situation of each power. In Sweden´s case they are (surprise surprise!) linked to expansion, as Sweden´s economy and internal political stability all depended on the success of their expansionist policies.
As described in my earlier article on Victory Conditions in Baltic Empires, Sweden´s focus on conquest is also represented by their National Ambition, which requires them to gain control of Riga and Pomerania while retaining control of Stockholm and Scania. On the map to the right the National Ambition locations for each power are marked with “A” in that power´s color while Trade Center locations are marked “TC”. As you can see Sweden enjoys a central position on the map, and is thus in close proximity to all the other powers in the game and within easy striking range of every Trade Center on the map.
To play Sweden well a player must be able to optimize its strengths and minimize its weaknesses. They have a strong military and start the game as the Military Hegemon, and are thus in a position to orchestrate the War phase so they can react to the moves of their enemies and/or swoop in to secure undefended provinces ahead of them. This, combined with the extra hitting power of their Infantry and the fact that their navy controls the central Baltic Sea, offers more opportunities in the early game than any other power. But they do not have the economy to do everything and must seek to achieve quick and relatively cheap conquests, and must at all costs avoid being entangled in long wars with multiple powers. This requires a lot of diplomatic finesse and understanding of the positions of the other powers.
Previous Articles:
Victory Conditions in Baltic Empires
The Sequence of Play in Baltic Empires
Dramatis Personae Cards in Baltic Empires
Author: Brian Asklev
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