Great Crisis Of Frederick II - solo play through

Managed to get a play through of Great Crisis of Frederick II over last day or so.

It is indeed a light (quite lucktastic) rendering of the Seven Years War in Europe but an enjoyable time was had even solo.

Boy oh boy the Prussians and their British/Hanovarian Allies are well outnumbered and after initial Prussian offensives at wars opening (only Prussian get to act on Turn 1) their backs are really up against the wall on multiple fronts.

The Austrians are a match numerically for Prussians with some limited support from Sweden, Holy Roman Empire and Saxony (all part of Austrian Alliance) but France outnumber Allies greatly and the Russians once they arrive are a juggernaut (some of their Commander levels seemed bit generous).

Prussians got bogged down in several lengthy sieges whilst Austrian Alliance bidded their time and built up irresistibly awaiting Russians to crush Prussia in a pincer.

Prussia has so many areas to manage threats from it is a real juggling act for them and they are susceptible to defeats/reverses and their consequences.

They suffered from below average Action Point rolls (you roll a single D6 with Prussians adding +2) and not very kind sequence of Action Chit selections (they missed one of their 2 possible activations on a couple of turns).

Once Russians arrived it was dire for Prussia as just could not stop the Tsumami from the east, of course only learning game mechanics (fairly straightforward) so better overall strategy might assist.

Combined with losses to Resource Forts (including several recaptures) the Prussians succumbed in 1759 when Berlin fell to Russia (there is auto win for Allies if Berlin captured and Prussian resource areas drop to certain level.

Catherine can die (and Russians change allegiance) later in game which would most certainly put Austria on back foot but tough to survive that long. 

Overall a fun game (as always would be much better 2 player) and certainly showcases just how lucky in many ways Frederick was in reality. 

Russians arrive on Prussian eastern flank besieging and taking Koingsberg 

French begin to mass to push on western regions

Frederick bogged down in siege warfare as enemy encroaches from France and Austria

Large Prussian force isolated at Neisse (they did 'breakout' later)

French pressuring British/Hanoverians as Austrians push north and Russians flood west

Prussian forces being 'pocketed' in central Germany as Berlin falls (blue cube)

British looking thinner on ground but holding on 

Campaign ends