New Byzantium

The Attack on Fort St Jacques

2012-05-15T11:51:00.002-07:00

Fort St Jacques

Another morning in paradise dawned as the bright sun rose over Fort St Jacques, on the waterfront of St Jacques Town, on the French Caribbean island of St Jacques. Captain Bertrand climbed up to the observation tower to scan the horizon and the still sleeping town. The mist was slowly rising over the land, but the sun was already bright on the Fort's battlements

"All quiet so far?" he asked the sentry on duty.

"All quiet" mumbled teh sentry, clearly just awakened

The Captain extended his telescope and surveyed the sea, the town, and the shore....

Captain B_ surveys St Jacques Town - and sees something

However, a movement caught his eye - out beyond the rocks on the shoreline, among the palm trees. He focussed his telescope.

Bonny Annie sports a magnificence pair of pistols

There - in his eyeglass - Bonny Annie and her Band of Buccaneers! Scourges of the Spanish Main! Famous from Tortuga to Tahiti for her pair of large.... pistols. She was trying to sneak up on the Fort to free her key henchman, Dirty Dick, whom the Captain had captured earlier that week.

The Governor was adamant that Big Dick would swing later that day from the town gallows, Annie was clearly trying to mount an early morning surprise rescue from the Fort jail.

The Pirates try and rush the Fort while the garrison are still asleep

"Shoot at them" yelled Captain Bertrand to the sentry, knowing that would be the quickest way of rousing the Garrison. The Sentry raised his musket, pulled the trigger, and....pffft. The musket ball rolled out the barrel.

Cursing the incompetence of colonial militia sentries, the captain yelled as loudly as he could for the garrison to wake up, but shouting from the high observation post was lost in their snoring. In desperation he fired his pistol - which woke Lieutenant Quesne (pron. Keen) up, and he and two men stumbled outside and up on to the battlements to see what was going on. The sentry on the docks was also roused by this and climbed onto one of the ships to get a better view

Wiping the sleep from their eyes they all saw the pirates, opened fire, and two shots found their mark, and one pirate fell dead, while another howled as a musket ball hit his (now ex-)parrot.

This noise roused the rest of the Garrison who managed to muster themselves and ran to shut the wide open Fort main gate and after a few desultory shots at the battlements, Bonny Annie and her cutthroat crew fell back.

The Captain was congratulating himself when a runner came down from the Governors mansion up the hill, to tell him that the Governor had been kidnapped! Bonny Annie had just been a diversion. The Governor's daughter had narrowly evaded capture because....and at that point she fell silent, as it was clear she had not spent the night in the Governorial mansion!

(We played a big pirate game on a c 8 x 6 table using Legends of the High Seas rules, this was one of 2 main actions in the game, the other was the attack on the other side of the hill that splits St Jacques Town, by the brewery and tavern. There the town militia had fought valiantly all morning, helped somewhat by the three attacking pirate crews falling out with each other over plunder rights.

My Compagnie Franche de La Marine de St Jacques in the garrison slept soundly through most of the action (my lousy dicing), only rousing themselves then slowly coming out the barracks once the pistol went off, so were ineffective throughout the game. The Mayor would have taken a dim view on such a dereliction in the light of the Governor's capture, but then again, if he made too much noise it may come out, as Captain Bertrand tactfully pointed out, as to where exactly the Governor's daughter had been that night....)

The pirates of St Jacques

2012-05-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Compagnie Franche de la Marine de St Jacques

Salute has kept us South London Warlords busy the last few weeks so not a lot of campaigning or painting has happened -but in the future there will be Pirates (Arrrr) and my contribution is the Compagnie Franche de la Marine de St Jacques* (above)

In focus are our heroes, those characters who Will Have Names. Out of focus are the Extras, the never ending supply of poor sods who always get shot in each episode of the movie.

St Jacques, by the way, is the mythical Caribbean island and town dreamed up by Patrick Leigh Fermour in his novella "The Violins of St Jacques". In later times, St Jacques was a hotbed of culture until consumed by volcanic eruptions. (The island was basically one big volcano...ooops)

But in our time, there are violins (I painted four of 'em) but also lots of piratical violence and derring-do, which the Compagnie has to put a stop to.And protect the Governor, and his daughter, from the evil designs of various blackguards.

Arrr

*Which, I agree, does look suspiciously like the Arquebusiers de Bergerac in undress, but one should never be confused wth them.

Molefe saves the day

2012-04-17T02:53:00.012-07:00

We interrupt Seven Years War Imagi-Nation tales temporarily to bring you 1980's Cold War Africa....

The Ridiculusium mine at Bazinga in the Eastern province was always going to be a major bone of contention, sighed President-For-Life Mokele-Mbembe. Educated at Oxford (Poly), he took over the country in the 1960's Uhuru, and his grateful people had made him Leader for life, which was now being propped up by all sorts of modern medical miracles.

So long as the there was Ridiculusium so close to their border with the Communist supported Social Democratic People's Republic, there would be war and turmoil. And that meant requiring far more of an army than the President necessarily wanted. His view of an army was that it should be small, professional. and his posssession alone.

Mbembe had inherited the British colonial forces at Independence (mainly WW2 equipment plus a few Saladin armoured cars), and in the 1960's and 70's was still largely linked to Britain. But the British wanted to charge top whack for new equipment, so the only modernisation the army had in the 1970's was when he wangled some old ex Vietnam equipment after a speech at the UN where he and Kissinger got drunk one evening in Little Italy.

It was during the Scorpion Affair in 1980 when he realised that being a French client state got you more contract kickbacks and Foreign Aid, especially the sort provided by the Foreign Legion - very useful by then, as the Marxist rebel leader Emela-nTouka was causing much trouble in the Eastern provinces, funded from across the border.

One French language laboratory course and the switching of squirrelled family assets to France later, and the President and country became Francophone, much to the bemusement of the population, though the switching of beer from bitter to biere in the state shebeens was welcomed. The more tangible result was a shipload of old gear (quite a bit of it ex-US) that the French didn't need anymore.

Aerial view of the Ridiculisium Mine at Bazinga, with the Regiment deployed. East is to the left

Fast forward to today, a clear blue late spring sky has dawned, and Private Molefe, a newly conscripted recruit of the Eastern Province Regiment, was sitting on his Toyota 4x4 pickupe cleaning his 106mm Recoilless rifle while his section, posted as vedettes, watched the East from their position among the old ruins of Zimwebab. The rest of his Regiment (well, more a battalion really) was posted around Bazinga town and the Ridiculusium mine, as there were rumours that Cuba Libre mercenaries had arrived and the Social Democratic People's Republic may mount an attack to seize it. So seriously were these warnings taken that the French Foreign legion and the President's First (and only) Mechanised Brigade was driving up that day to secure it.

A drone in the air, initially lost in the morning chorus of cicadas, became audible as the lookouts up on the ruined walls shouted down that they could see vehicles approaching along the road - from the wrong direction for the French. They tried to raise the HQ at the Mine, but clearly the lazy buggers were still getting breakfast.

Tanks come pouring over the rise, Molefe and Co are holed up in the ruins (bottom left)

Within minutes, tracked vehicles were going past them on the main road, and Molefe gulped and aimed his weapon. A boom and whoosh was followed up by an immense bang! as the shot struck home and the leading vehicle went up in smoke. At that point 2 other Technicals came hurtling round the ruins, shouting to get the hell out as "many, many tanks" had come over the rise. The sections kicked into gear - with an entire enemy tank battalion coming up their arses.- and the pickups bounced across the veld, aiming for a nearby kopje where another vedette section was posted

"Good Shooting, Lance Corporal Molefe" beamed the Lieutenant

Molefe's section was fired at from the pursuing tanks, who found it very difficult to hit the small bucking technicals as they bounced along, but it was clear that the angles were all wrong, so Molefe and Co stopped behind a useful donga and decided to give the enemies another shot to see if they would draw away. There was some superb shooting and Molefe's gun put a round into the HQ section, causing total confusion among the enemy units. Sadly, Molefe's section took hits as they exited and the other jeep was hit.

"Good shooting, Corporal Molefe" yelled the Lieutenant, "You are in charge of the section now" as they re-mounted their jeeps and ran for the mine before the enemy collected their wits again.

Molefe's section shoot down 3 of the enemy scout section before trying to retreat over the veldt to the kopje (corner bottom right)

By this time the main enemy thrust had reached the town of Bazinga and were deploying their first wave as the inexperienced conscripts of the Eastern Province regiment fired AK-47's and RPG-7s wildly over their heads. Old Colonel Tembu, who had been trained at Sandhurst and Moscow, prepered to sell his life and that of his inexperienced troops as dearly as they could (before they ran), when suddenly boom! boom! boom! and the enemy first wave vehicles started to blow up. Tembu turned his glasses West, and there he saw large wheeled vehicles on the far side of the vlei moving rapidly forward, shooting as they went. The French had arrived!

J'arrive - the big AMX 10 RC guns start blasting the enemy personnel carriers from across the vlei.

With the Legion now arriving at the mine, and the Spahi d'Afrique's AMX 10's big guns outranging those of the aged T-55 tanks of the Cuba Libre "mercenaries" that the enemy were using, they decided to retire as dusk fell. The Ridiculusium mine was still intact in State hands for now.

(First game using Fistful of Tows III - 450 pages of ruleset were quite daunting, but they worked well and played quickly once we got the hang of it - the differences of morale and equipment effectiveness gives nuance, but there is still room for the gods of fate - Sergeant Molefe's uncanny abiity to throw sixes, and the enemy's inability to hit the techinicals - to blunt the best of tactics, in this case one side of the enemy's pincer attack!)

Perfidious Albion on the march

2012-04-06T04:22:00.004-07:00

Perfidious Albion is building forces in Europa

A bit of a backstory to the Saxe-Märchen blog so far....

In essence we are building up to a big game (France v Prussia) in a few weeks time, and in the meantime we are going to have a smaller "Wargames Scenario" game between the Reichsarmee Brigade and some Unknown Furriners to try out Maurice Lite - the blogging here is the machinations to all that.

And in the meantime, the painting buildup of British forces is starting. They are based on Age of Reason organisation (like my French). The first British battalion is done but unflagged (centre pic, and there are 3 brigades now nearly based as follows:

- Centre of pic - British brigade, 3 line battalions, 1 fusilier

- Right - Hanoverian Brigade - 4 line battalions.

- Far right - Mixed Brigade - 2 Highlander battalions, 2 Legion Brtittanque battalions

- At the far rear is teh fisrt battalion of the German forces (Hessians, Brunswickers etc)

On the left is the start of the cavalry brigades, as follows:

Front - Hanoverian Garde du Corps and Grenadiers (1 squadron each). To be joined by British Dragoons and Brunswicker heavies.

- Centre - Royal North British Dragoons. To be joined by 2 more German Dragoon regiments

- Rear - British Light Dragoons - to be joined by 2 German Hussar regiments

On the front are 3 of 4 Light infantry detachments, and 2 of 3 planned combined Grenadier battalions.

Not shown are 2 Heavy Guns and 4 Medium Guns.

We are also awaiting drafts of Officers, Standard bearers and Musicians.

Prussian blues

2012-04-05T13:19:00.003-07:00

An Aide of Field Marshal Souibise rode up to the Duc de Pinotage and his Generals...

"Have you found the Prussians?"

"No - Have You found the Prussians?"

"No"

"Well, tell us if you find them"

"Yes, You too"

"Oh - and what of your Reichsarmee lot?"

"They are going north into the Hesse Hatlland"

"Have they seen the Prussians"

"No, just Hessians with various hats"

"Oh. Ah, Soubise told me he is assigning the Hohenzollern Kurassiers to you. There are 61 different states in their 2 squadrons. Wants you to lick 'em into shape. Byeee...must dash"

(When Soubise's army invaded Saxony, the thin Prussian forces scuttled away, Frederick had to make haste from the other side of Prussia.)

On the Road

2012-04-02T07:43:00.007-07:00

On The Road North

Leopold, commander of the Saxe-Märchen contingent, galloped up to the Comte de Syrah as the Reichsarmee Brigade marched up the North road. The cavalry was already a few hours gone to clear the way, and now the infantry battalions stretched in marching columns along the road, interspersed with guns, supplies, coaches of officers' mistreses and waggons loaded with everything including the kitchen sinks.

"So what is going on? - why North to the Hessian lands - Saxony is due North-East, surely"

Leopold was merely repeating word for word what Werther had asked him a while earlier.

"Well, I had a word with (Le Duc de) Pinotage last night" said the Comte de Syrah, "and its all very, well, confusing. Apparently, Soubise's main army - which moved off some days ago - found the countryside abandoned, the Prussian garrisons were ordered to send off the artillery and stores, to blow up any suitable works, and to join the "Britannic Army of Observation" which is apparently now assembling to the North. This army is under British pay and consists of various stripes of Hanoverians, Brunswickers, Bückeburgers, Hessians and Sachsen-Gothaers".

"I see - but what has this to do with us - why are we being sent to go stomping around up in the Hessian heart-and-hat lands?" Leopold was brave, energetic, and a fine figure of an officer, but without Werther he found the not-totally-obvious slipped tenuosly from his mental grasp.

"Well, Soubise is concerned as he doesn't know what this army will do, and he doesn't know what the Prussians are really up to. So, he has ordered the Corps du Vin to screen his main army from all this lot - until he hears from Richelieu about what is happeneing to the other invasion , of Hanover itself. And we have in turn been ordered to screen the Corps du Vin on its North West flank, by grabbing some strateghic river crossings - so here we are....."

"The other Invasion?"

"Ah, yes....You would not have known - another French army is due to invade Hanover from the Low Countries as well, with various Reichs armee contingents joining it too. It was actually a toss-up as to which army the Saxe-Märchen contingent would join, but it was decided you would come with us and then join the other Reichsarmee units against Prussia."

"I see - and what prompted that decision"

"Tails, I think...." said the Comte.

Moving Out!

2012-04-01T11:20:00.006-07:00

Sir! Sir!

"Sir! Sir! Young Werther ran up to the Comte de Syrah, who was taking a walk with his mistress, the lovely Lady Charlotte.

"Yes?"

"Orders from the Duc de Pinotage Sir, we are to move the ReichsArmee Brigade out in the morning, due North and to occupy the key bridges over the Vielenfisch River between Bad Salz and Pfeffernussenkirchen, and interdict all traffic on it, making sure no supplies get to Prussia. Also, we are to make sure that no Prussian spies pass through the area"

This came out as a single stream of words. Werther gulped a breath

"And sir, the Duc said that we were to take the Sarkozy Hussars. Arquebusiers de Bergerac and Malthus's Dragoons with us to demonstrate towards Hesse Fedora, whatever that means"

"I see. Thank you Werther. Can you go and tell your Uncle Leopold to make ready, and then tell Malthus to get all the cavalry saddled up, and the Arquebusiers to make ready. We will move out at Nine onto the North road, cavalry first. I will tell the Batalion Valais myself."

"Yessir. Will we see any action Sir"?

"Maybe, young Werther, maybe. But lets cross that bridge when we come to it. Aha aha...cross that bridge"

"Very Good Sir! Anything Else Sir"

"No Werther, go and tell the others"

"Are all your aides as keen?" asked the Lady Charlotte as Werther ran off into the distance.

"In fact, Werther is a bit of a dreamer" said Le Comte "I'll go and check with Pinotage later that we got the full message".

"Well, he seems to interrupt you an awful lot when I'm with you" thought the Lady Charlotte, a small smile playing on her lips......

Go to War? Just a minuet!

2012-03-11T13:35:00.009-07:00

Dancing the Minuet - an essential part of a French Officer's life!

On the French Army in the Seven Years war

"...there was no discipline, no subordination, no order on the march, in the camp, or even on the battlefield. The very subalterns had their mistresses with them, and the officers left their men to accompany them on their march in their carriages. Everything that could contribute to the luxury of the officers was found in the French camp..... Balls were given in camp, and officers left their post to dance the minuet."

The Saxe-Märchen contengent are loving camp life......

(Eureka and Old Glory figures)

Effort mit dis Axe inter Otter Vase!

2012-03-04T08:43:00.007-08:00

The Disposition of the Corps du Vin,spring 1757 - Saxe-Märchen forces in dark blue, other Imagi-Nation regiments in light blue

“Gentlemen” said the Duc de Pinotage “I have gathered you into the Big Tent to tell you about our orders from Marechald de Soubise, and thus the disposition of or forces.”

The big tent contained all the notables of the Corps du Vin and it’s ReichsArmee contingent - the Marechals, Brigadiers, Inhabers and various staff worthies. The Duc unveiled a large diagram on a board, and everyone craned their necks to see it:

“I have organised the force like this – I have two French brigades, made up of battalions as follows. On the right, the Brigade Champagne, comprising of the battalions from the Champagne, Medoc, Royal Italian and the new Beaujolais battalion. In the Centre, Brigade Touraine,comprising of battalions of the Touraine, Provence, Perigord and Alsace regiments. A third French brigade, mainly of militia, is due to reinforce us later to cover our lines of communications”

Murmerings and mutterings of precedence arose, but the Duc had broadly got it right.

“On the left in this campaig is the Reichsarmee Brigade; comprising of the two Saxe Marchen battalions, the Kreis Regt Mosel, and the Swiss Battalion Valais, which will be the senior battalion”

(And probably the only one that can fight, thought the Comte de Syrah, who had accompanied them all the way down the Fluss to their base here……)

Leopold, younger brother of the Duke of Saxe-Märchen and theoretically the commander of their forces, woke up from his hangover doze (darn, these French parties were good) at the mention of Saxe Märchen, saw that the Saxe Märchen forces were in the 2^nd line, and that someone else would be commanding the brigade, briefly felt his honour slighted, quickly realised that the 2^nd line meant less danger to his person, and no damage at all to pursuing les liasions dangereuse with the ladies of the French camp, and closed his eyes again.

“I have split the cavalry into 2 commands”, continued the Duc – the ChevauLegere Brigade comprising the Chevaulegers Bourgogne, Fleurie and Royal Rousillon,and the Dragoon Brigade, comprising the Languedoc and Schomberg dragoons,and the Saxe Märchen Malthus Leib-Dragoner Regiment. In reserve are the Grenadiers Royaux de Chantilly, the combined grenadiers of all the Reichsarmee regiments, and a Heavy Cavalry regiment, the Gendarmes d’Anjou.

More murmering, especially that Gendarmes had been attached to the command.

“The Volontaires de Fischer have been attached to us, and I have combined them, the Sarkozy Hussars, and the Arquebusiers de Bergerac into a Light brigade, they will be responsible for scouting and seizing forward positions”

“And seizing the Prussian women before we get there” grumbled the Royal Roussilon cavalry commander, who considered this sort of thing his droit de signeur and a perk of the job.

“Soubise's plan isthat the main army will be pressing into Saxony , the orders for our Corps are to move out earlier and demonstrate on the Northern flank and so prevent any surprises from that quarter, and also seize major crossing and towns to deny the Prussians any logistical support from thereabouts”

At that, the most superb moustache in the Corps twitched agitatedly, as its owner exploded

“Bah – Effort mit dis Axe inter Otter Vase!" harrumphed the gruff Graf Malthus “Votter fokk iss diss “Demonstrate, In myday ve found der fokkers undt ve charged dem undt ve killt dem undtil dey voss all dedt”

“You What?

“He means he fought with de Saxe, and, er, they would seek out the enemy and try to destroy them where they found them“ said Young Werther helpfully, waking up from his own romantic daydreams about the lovely Charlotte, mistress of the Comte de Syrah..

“And who are you?” asked the Duc

“Furst Werther, sir, son of the Duke of Saxe Marchen”

“Ah - well, you look like a smart young chap – I’ll put you on my staff, you can be my Liaison with the ReichsBrigade – and the Graf’s dragoons.” Said the Duc. "Speak to the Comte, he’ll get you fixed up".

Turning to Graf Malthus then, “I am sure there will be action soon enough, Herr Graf” said the Duc soothingly, ”I can’t see the Prussians - or even the Hanoverians – letting us get away for long with strangling the supply routes from the Northwest.”

The moustache, still bristly, stilled.

Afterwards,the Duc and the Comte de Syrah were comparing notes:

“That briefing went as well as could be expected, Syrah, but what about that old moustachioed firebrand Malthus”

“Well Pinotage, It did occur to me we could do with having a force of our own, to “demonstrate” on our own exposed flank as it were, and all these tinpot Germans could do that, and get some bloody experience at the same time. At the worst we get to hear the Prussian guns going off earlier and have more time to get sorted out, at best this lot actually do some of the fighting and save French lives”

"Excellent idea, Syrah - and why don't you command it - get you out of all the logistics nonsense and into action again, I'll bet you are itching for that, eh, eh?

Syrah actually rather liked Logistics - as Marechal des Logis you have the power of saying "no" over the field generals,which meant favours owed, and staying comfortably in camp with your mistress (and theirs).....

"Erm, that's a great honour sir, but - who will look after logistics"

"Who indeed", said Pinotage - "maybe Brigadier Minion needs a chance at it, he is always whining about how things could be done better.Yes, Minion is the man.You command the damn Germans, take that young chapWerther in your staff to translate for you."

Syrah wondered how he was going to explain this new twist to his mistress, the lovely Charlotte.

Arquebusiers de Bergerac pass though Saxe-Märchen

2012-02-28T02:28:00.001-08:00

Arquebusiers de Bergerac en route to their new bases

The buildup of the French army continues, the Arquebusiers de Bergerac (from St Maurice) moved through Saxe-Märchen this last weekend, en route to join the Corps du Vin. (see above, in pokalems and with jackets packed)

This has led to a certain amount of unease - a large body of armed men moving throught the Duchy, and with Saxe-Märchen's own main forces elsewhere, who shall protect Saxe-Märchen?

In the event the Duke's Garde du Corps squadron was mustered to escort them, but this just highlighted that Saxe-Märchen had nothing to defend itself with.

"We should start to call up the Schonberg regiment, sire"

"Bah - that's far too expensive, all we need is a few cavalry and Gendarmes"

"Well, we could always ask for volunteers among the wealthier young blades to serve as cavalry, give them something to do and a dandy uniform, make em serve for nothing - a Free Corps ahaha"

"Sire, that is not quite what Free Corps means"

"Why not, keep em out all teh taverns - and God knows there are enough hunters and mountain men in the GrimmWald and Sonneberg to set up one of these new-fangled Jäger units - couple of Thalers a year for service when necessary. Yes, the GrimmWald Jägers has a ring to it"

"Very good sire, but we do need some form of regular force just in case we need to deploy quickly. The Bergerac were friendly, imagine if they were not! And most of the field artillery went with the French force"

The argument is carrying on, and on. The Duke is caught between the twin desires to to keep his pockets full and his arse safe...

Young Werther goes to war....

2012-02-18T03:53:00.005-08:00

The speeches are done, farewells have been said, the troops are embarking, The force commander, Duke Werther's troublesome younger brother Leopold, has delivered his tear jerking faerewell speech (later to be picked up in song):

And so, I go, To fight a savage foe, Although I know
That I'll be sometimes missed by the girls I've kissed.
In some Prussian land or French Dominion I shall do my bit,
And fall for the flag if I must.
Where the foreign sand is nice and handy, I'll be full of grit
You won't see my heels for the dust.
I'll do or die
You'll know the reason why
When told, of bold
Leopold's last stand
For the Märchenland.

....when The Duke's 18 year old son, Young Werther, espied Mme Charlotte, mistress of the Comte de Syrah, on the barge deck. His heart was immediately smitten and he felt all sorts of emotions (and other things) rise within him..

"Father", he says, "I want to go to war. I want to go with the army"

"What"? Duke Werther was stunned.

Up 'till now Young Werther had been an poetically inclined dreamer (according to the Duchess....a wimp according to Leopold). But still, mused the Dule, this may yet make a man of him, thought the Duke. Besides, we have an heir and spare....

"Good Idea - we'll make a man of you" said Leopold.

"Ja. Dis vill bu gut for ypu" boomed Graf Malthus, gruffly "You vill not be sorry".

The Kreisregiment Mosel comes ashore

2012-02-17T13:56:00.010-08:00

Regiment Mosel, Inhaber Kolonel Schnott has a cold. Gezundheit!

The French flotilla has arrived at Driebrucken, and on board already is the Regiment Mosel, the Kreissregiment of the Bishopric of Wurstburg am Mosel. There was a bit of a shock when it was clear they were not wearing gaiters, another sign of the poor state of many of the Kreis-regiments in this hurried call-up.

The Mosel, along with the now-to-embark Saxe-Märchen regiments Driebrucken and Wahlheim, and the Swiss batalion Valais, (still coming down the Fluss after an altercation with the Frundsberg town clock) will form the Reichsarmee Brigade Imaginär of the French Corps du Vin, for the Big Push this year of our Lord 1757

Anyway, they have been allowed off the boat to ~~relieve their thirst~~ stretch their legs, and here is their colour party parading in the StadtPlatz.

The Gendarmes have noted an influx of ladies into Driebrucken , and note its unlikely to be for church on Sunday

Taking inventory of the infantry

2012-02-16T01:37:00.010-08:00

Colour companies of the Infantry Regiments Wahlheim and Driebrucken parade in Driebrucken StadtPlatz before embarking with the French fleet

The French barges were spotted this morning coming down the Fluss, and a messenger moved quickly to Driebrucken where the forces are being assembled to embark.

With much pomp and ceremony, the bands and colours of the two Saxe-Märchen regiments going to war have paraded in the town square while sergeants make sure all the troops are roused, dressed and ready to go.

Later in the day, Duke Werther will have an Official Farewell Ceremony, but he is still riding down the North Way with the Malthus Lieb-Dragoons and his Garde.

As well as the excitement though, there is a certain amount of irritation and apprehension among the Driebruckeners - as they have the only regiment that was in any way organised (being on the main river, that is the one the parsimonious Duke keeps operational) they feel they are paying the price. The Wahlheim regiment has been rapidly re-constituted but some of the young men in it have scarcely seen a musket, never mind fired one in years.

"Who is going to protect the river-front now?" they wonder. The Gendarmerie are scarcely large enough to cope with a busy Saturday night, never mind a world soon to be at war.

The Sarkozy Hussars pass through KeinBrucken

2012-02-15T01:21:00.019-08:00

There were amazing scenes late yesterday afternoon at Keinbrucken, when the Cross-Fluss ferry found that over 300 men and horses (also in poor condition, poor creatures - needing a good wash and dry-brushing) wanted to be transported over to the Saxe-Märchen side.

These turned out to be the reknowned Sarkozy Hussars, who are usually in St Vignoble* service - one can only assume the French have twisted their arms as well for this campaign. They had apparently missed the French flotilla owing to too much carousing in Frundsberg upriver and are now racing to catch it at Driebrucken tomorrow.

(For a map of Saxe-Märchen, so you can follow the action, go here)

They have taken all the beds (free and occupied) in Keinbrucken and in Hamelet tonight. The innkeepers and tavernkeepers are rubbing their hands with glee, but their wives and daughters are finding its other things that are being rubbed......a Hussar is never happy unless in the saddle. So far the Gendarmerie report no major incidents except a rather large number of ladies flocking into the town

(*I rather like some of my fellow Imagi-Nationeer's units, so have press-painted them into the service of the Corps du Vin for this campaign. More will follow.....)

(By the way, the Hussars are painted a light-medium grey, but in the camera flashlight have a blue hue. I may try that colour lightened for some of the French units. They are Perry plastic Napoleonic French Hussars by the way, who also come with a Mirliton hat option. I am using them for all my 7YW volunteer/Imagi-nation (as opposed to regular) Hussar units, size wise they fit in well with my Front Rank, Foundry and Old Glory, they are a bit slimmer but its not really noticeable.)

Ve Haff No Standards....

2012-02-14T10:47:00.013-08:00

Graf Malthus leads the Leib Dragoner regiment out the South Gate towards the Wars

".....und der horses are not yet schip-schape, dey need a gut vash undt dry brush, effrytink is being done in such a hurry"...grumbled Graf Malthus as he led the Saxe-Märchen Leib-Dragoner Regiment through Wahlheim and south onto the Schonburg road, en route to Driebrucken to embark with the French. "Und our bases are still Alte Schule und der Franch say they now need to be - vot is dis - flocked"

(Wahlheimers have a fairly rustic accent to those living in metropolitan Schonberg, you see...)

"Ja, Herr Graf" agreed his Aide de Camp, "Ve must pick the standard from Ruimpelstiltskin & Sohn as ve pass through Schonberg und meet der infantry regiments"

"Der Franch can get der flocked though, ve is Alte Schule...." harrumphed the gruff Graf.

Still, the old warhorse looked happy, reflected his Aide de Camp. Herr Graf hadn't really settled down since '48 and was clearly itching for a last campaign.

(For a map of Saxe-Märchen, so you can follow the action, go here)

(The Graf doesn't know it, but they will be in action far sooner than he thinks - getting Saxe-Märchen's forces together in time has been very rushed - and I haven't yet decided on the colour of lapel lace or the devices on the mitres)

Meanwhile, back in France.....

2012-02-10T04:00:00.002-08:00

The Duc de Pinotage and (ahem) staff watch the Corps du Vin fall in - Picture from P Joux's marvellous drawings

Darumadum, Darumadum, Darumadumdumadumdumadum.....

The drums are beating as the Corps du Vin falls in. The Duc de Pinotage reads the orders one last time. The Champagne and Alsace brigades are to proceed by main road to rendezvous on Soubise's north flank in 10 days time. The guns will go with them. The Bourgogne Chevauleger brigade is to take the smaller road to the south to ease the flow on the main road. The Dragoon brigade is to follow them.

He is to also take a fleet of barges down the River Fluss to pick up Reichsarmee regiments readied en route by various ~~tinpot kingdoms~~ valued allies - the Chasseurs de Bergerac, the Sarkozy Hussars, and the Saxe-Märchen contingent, and he needs to now embark the Regmnt Mosel (which makes up the remainder of the Reichsarmee brigade)

Just in case there is trouble, Pinotage decides to also embark the crack Swiss Batalion de Valais, and the heavy artillery - there is nothing like a battery or two of 12 pounders to focus a reluctant valued ally's mind - and they are such a pain to move by road anyway.

The Comte de Syrah is put in charge of the flotilla.

Syrah is most put out, as his mistress hates water, and that also means he will be missing the minuetting on the march.

"Good point" says the Duc. "You can take the String Quartet, that'll prevent lots of pointless prancing on the road.- maybe they can learn Handel's Water Music on the voyage ahar ahar ahar"

The Duc wheezed at his jest and trotted off to supervise the packing of his bathtub......

Bugger - more like the "Music for Fireworks" thought the Comte, as he went to tell the lovely Charlotte that a boat trip was on the cards.....

Raising the Standards in Saxe-Märchen

2012-02-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

The standard of the Driebrucken regiment

The standard of the Wahlheim regiment

"We need new standards" said Herr Unterling the under-chief-cashier to Duke Werther nervously. "We hauled out the old ones and a lot of very fat moths tried to fly up, crashed on the floor and rolled away...."

"GottimHimmel" muttered Duke Werther..."how much now."

"Well, we need ones for both the battalions equipping for the campaign, so that's the DrieBrucken and Wahlheim, you may as well get one for your Garde grenadiers, and we need one for the Leib-Dragoner..."

"Can't old Baron Malthus pay for those horsey boys - he is Inhaber after all?"

"Well yes, but remember when you let him pay for the uniforms and he chose Salmon red facings for the coats...."

Duke Werther groaned....Old Malthus had a thing for pink, but he didn't think the populace would stand for the Life Dragoon regiment flying a pink flag....

"Oh alright then - what's the design to be"

"Oh, we thought we'd do the same as before, your Grace. - the Saxon Elector's pattern with the icon of Our Lady Of Blaue HoheKirchen on it, it is traditional after all and Rumpelstiltskin & Sohn said they could do them in a week as the old boy still has the pattern from the last flags we did for War of the Polish Succession - and the French said to be ready in a week..."

"Ah, the Blau Engel again eh - didn't old man Rumpelstiltskin use the Markgrafin Marlene, who was his mistress, as the model eh, eh.....caused quite a stir if I recall"

The Duke cheered up a bit. Aunt Marlene was defintely quite a character....

"Very well then, give me the cheque book and the bloody Ducal seal...."

"Here your Grace. Now, we need to discuss trousers for the Wahlheim regiment, they have none....."

(Standards courtesy Kronoskaf and Blue Nun....)

Saxe Märchen tallies the cost of War

2012-01-30T02:53:00.000-08:00

Baron Malthus, commander of the Saxe-Märchen Leib-Dragoner regiment and owner of the largest moustache in the land

"We have to WHAT!" bellowed Duke Werther.

His advisors cowered...the Old Duke in a bluster was not a pretty sight. They all looked to the Head Clerk, who nervously shuffled his papers and the piece of paper that arrived yesterday, the fateful memo of 29th January.

"Erm"..he began.

Werther glowered at him, but - ah well, in for a pfennig, in for a pfund.

"Erm....our contribution to the Reichsarmee is supposed to be two battalions of foot, 2 squadrons of horse, and an Artillery battery. The French message says that they need them to be ready to embark at Koblerz on February 13th to join the French Corps du Vin on the easthern flank of Soubise's army..."

"Well, they can whistle Dixenhausen, I'm not giving it to them"

"The French are sending boats down the river to pick them up. And they want the Bishop's battalion to be ready as well"

"Bah. They can go away empty then" fulminated the Duke

"Erm...your Grace may be advised to give them something, apparently part of this French force is also coming down the Fluss on those boats - they may not take too well to being asked to leave empty handed"

"Well we can blow them out the water if they try anything - make the guns ready on the redoubts at Keinbrucken and the Nordenstrand".

"Your Grace, there are an infantry brigade and a horse brigade of French coming down the river to fetch us.....thats about 5,000 men"

"Pah" the Duke harrumphed, but subsided, realising that Saxe-Märchen was going to war whether he liked it or not. "What can we do?"

"Well, we can send the Driebrucken battalion, they are billeted right by the docks - and your brother is Inhaber and fancies himself a soldier, gets him out the castle. And Baron Malthus has already sent messages daily saying that his Dragoons are ready for action, and wanting to know where he must march to..."

"That old War-Horse - will he ever retire - didn't he fight with De Saxe?"

"And Eugene, if you can believe him....still, the Dragoons will be in good shape I am sure, and that does get your brother and the Baron out of your hair"

"Oh, very well", said Werther, brightening - "and the other battalion - what shall we send?"

"Ah, well thats is a bit more difficult, we have let things slide a bit elsewhere, apart from your own Garde, your Grace, the only actual troops we still have working guns for are the Grenadiers and Fusiliers of the other 2 battalions"

"Have our standards slipped so far?"

"Speaking of standards, we pulled all the army standards out the Rathaus cellar, and the moths have been at them........"

"Gotterdammerung" spluttered the Duke. "How much will all this cost?"

"About a thousand thalers, all in all"

"We have to spend WHAT!" bellowed Duke Werther, apoplectic again

Worse news reaches Saxe Märchen

2012-01-18T10:19:00.000-08:00

News has just clattered into Schloss Schonburg...it would seem that the proposed Saxon alliance with France has resulted in the French believing that the Saxe Märchen forces are available for their field army to deploy.

And the French want to see them muster by mid February as they plan to march out of winter quarters early to attack perfidious Albion. The French commander has written to say he will be coming down the Fluss and will pick them up on his way north.

Duke Werther is beside himself......mainly because neither the French nor the Elector have mentioned who will pay for his troops, and while the option of being tardy with the Elector was one thing, telling the French they are not ready when the French have an army parked on your beach is not so easy....

Skirmish at Mano Cena

2012-01-12T03:42:00.000-08:00

Srjan and his merry men had snuck back over the Hungarian border from a succesful night's ~~rustling~~ liberation campaigning and were getting breakfast from the farmers at the little hamlet of Malo Cena, trading one of their newly liberated ducks for a good feed.

Two of his men had gone to Old Man Popovic's barn to get fresh eggs, and he had posted two men as lookouts at the bottom of the meadow, and young Milos, his brave but impetuous cousin, was trying to impress the farmer's daughter next door with his newly "liberated" brass trumpet. Tea was brewing and life was looking good on this clear late winter's day, when suddenly a shot rang out from the cornfields and one of the pickets pitched forward, face downward.

There was pandemonium as armed men ran up the stairs to the top floors of the farmhouses while farmers rushed their families down the stairs and away. From the bedroom of Old Popovic's house Srjan saw puffs of smoke from the cornfields...and advancing men. They were fanning out to reconnoitre all the houses in the hamlet, and moving fast

At that all the men started shooting wildly from the houses. Old Popovic shook his head, took his rifle off the wall, loaded it, took aim and shot - and one of the Hungarians dropped down, dead, at a long range. "That is how you fight" he said.

The Hungarians stopped advancing at that, and then started shifting to their right, clearly planning to stay out of effective range, take the barn as a strongpoint, and then advance. The 2 men in the barn hesitated and then ran for the houses, but one didn't make it, and fell.

What followed was a furious exchange of fire from the Hungarians in the cornfields and the TransSyldavians in the farmhouses. The Hungarians were the better soldiers (Old Popovic, who had been in The Wars, reckoned they were real Grenzers and some even had rifles) but the Syldavians had hard cover and being outdoorsmen were pretty good shots.

After about an hour it was clear the Hungarians had decided the farmhouses were too well defended to take and were retiring, and so young Milos stood up and leaned out the window to see them off with his trumpet (and impress the farmer's daughter). Sadly for him, the Hungarians turned, took one last shot, let a volley fly and Milos pitched over the windowsill and fell to the ground, stone dead.

The cock-a-hoop bravado of breakfast was gone, the only good news was when Timohir got up and limped back from the barn, his leg wound was not too serious, but he had been so shocked by being shot he'd fainted. He still had the eggs, though.

Old Popovic started harnessing his horse to his waggon. "They'll be back, he said, "and I think its time the family took a little holiday with my brother in town"

(We played this opening skirmish game using Songs of Drums and Shakos, the 300 pts of TranSyldavians were represented by Albanian Irregulars from the Ottoman Napoloeonic list, the 400 pts of Hungarians were Grenzers and 2 Jaegers from the Austrian list)

Bad News in KlosterBad

2012-01-09T01:47:00.000-08:00

The Principality of Saxe-Märchen has slumbered peacefully over the decades since the War of the Spanish Succession, but recently events have started to take an ominous turn.

It all started last year (1756) when the Elector of Saxony wrote a letter to the various far flung small Saxe-Principalities, saying that Saxony could not necessarily defend them against depredation, and to look to themselves. Now, to an extent that had already been the case, so the question was "why is that letter being sent, now".

Well, that is becoming clearer.

His excellent Duke Werther and family has spent the Christmas and New Year weeks taking the Spa waters and snow up at KlosterBad, but this week a confidential epistle reached him, from the Saxon Elector. The gist of it was that:

(i) There is very likely going to be a war with Prussia this Spring
(ii) The Saxon Elector was trying to set up an alliance with France and/or Austria
(iii) Saxe-Märchen is now required to make a foot regiment, a cavalry regiment (more accurately *the" cavalry regiment), an artillery battery and a Jäger battalion, available to the Saxon forces this spring.

"So", muses Werther as he rides back down to Schonberg today, "We must look to ourselves but also send troops to Saxony, including our only cavalry regiment and jägers we don't have. This bears careful thought, I had better pull my advisiors together when I get back......"

A very Merry Christmas from TransSyldavia

2012-01-07T16:28:00.001-08:00

..the TransSyldavian Orthodox church follows the Julian calendar, so Christmas is on the 7 th of January of course.

And now it's time for Slaczek and mulled wine, the traditional Christmas fare, so we may forget these troubled times if only for a short while

A Council of War and Piece-Rates

2012-01-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

The Bishop rides into the castle courtyard...

The candles are burning long into the night in the Grand Duke of TransSyldavia's castle as the Duke and his cabinet wrestle with the problem of Hungarian manouvres, Pan-Serbian nationalism, Austrian manipulations and Dukely ambition.

"Are we sure the Hungarians will attack"

"No, my Liege, but if they do not, the Serbs will attack them, and will claim that we have shirked our responsibility in Balkan resistance to the yoke and if they succeed, no doubt some ambitious Serb lordling will decide he can ryle us better than you"

"And the Austrians - will they assist us?"

"Unlkely my Liege, though they may send money if we attack the Hungarians"

"Do we have the men to defend TransSyldavia"

"Not immediately my Liege, we have your own Zoauves, the TransSyldavian Grenz regiment will fight for us of course, the State Artillery is ready, our 1st and 2nd Battalions of Infantry and the Cavalry are being readied from winter quarters and we are calling up the City Militia, but that still leaves us woefully short in the short term. Also, we don't want to alarm the population over nothing, so calling up a general rising out is not yet a good plan".

Just then a horse clattered into the castle courtyard, and an unmistakeable deep bass boom sounded "I must see the Duke urgently"

"Oh no", groaned the Duke of TransSyldavia, "not Bishop Nevamakalos! What does the Mad Monk of the Mountains want now?"

The doors crashed open and in came the Very Bearded Bishop, swatting at the courtiers with his staff, his ivory handled pistols in his belt and his Bible close to his heart (it had already stopped more than one bullet).

"Duke" he boomed "the men of the mountains tell me the Hungarians are on the borders"

"Men Of The Mountains" sputtered the Duke - "If you mean those bandits, bashirs and bashi bazouks you call your flock...."

"Now Now Duke" said the Bishop "banditry is all in the past, they are all honest men now, ever since my grandfather Don Dharko was made Baron"

The Duke started to sputter some more, but the Bishop cut him off....

"Anyway, I know you don't have the men to head them off, but if I railled the Faithful of the mountains" the Bishop raised his eyes piously to the ceiling "we could easily get 2-3 battalions worth of mountain men in weeks, if not days. And God favours the big battalions"

The Duke was still sputtering but General Dinamic cut him off "Splendid idea, my dear Bishop. And I take it that the mountain men will fight for TransSyldavia, Freedom, and keeping whatever they find"

"God helps those who help themselves" beamed the Bishop.

The Duke was about to sputter again, but realised that the Bishop and his bandits on his side meant troops, now, and forced his best Dukely smile.

"Splendid - do take some of this rather good wine with us, my dear Bishop. Bulls Blood, I believe it is called"

"That would do nicely" said the Bishop."To the Mountain Men - long may they defend TransSyldavia from knaves and rogues"

"To the Mountain Men"

............................

"Of course, my Duke", murmured the Bishop, mounting his horse "after this little affaire, I am sure you will support me in my bid to become Archbishop of TransSyldavia"

The Duke groaned, and nodded.....

Disturbing Daguerrotypes from Dragonica

2012-01-04T05:11:00.000-08:00

Our spies have sent worrying pictures of Hungarians massing over the border....Grenz, Line and Honved (Militia) forces have been seen moving up to the Trans Syldavian border. More worrying, we have in our possession another Telegram To Vienna:

Gruss Gott!

I have some bad news for You Sir! Our enemies have foreign support! Some Polish mercenaries arrived in Hungary. I heard gossip about a Polish Prince Woroniecki, recruiting a Jager-Rifleman battalion, from his own budget, as a gift for the revulotional brothers. He is recruiting hunters and foresters, with hunting rifles, they have their own uniform, the battalion is now around 250 strength. Mieczyslaw Woroniecki served in the Austrian Army as an artillery cadet, then infantry cadet in the rebellious Dom Miguel regiment. Finally He was a lieutenant in a dragoon regiment. Well trained man, about all arms. Meszaros, the Hungarian military minister give him a rank major, and a post to be a battalion organizer.

I met an English born mercenary as well! Richard Debaufre Guyon from Bath (Somerset), after receiving a military education in England, Guyon fought against Dom Miguel in Portugal. In 1832 Guyon entered the Austrian service joining the Hungarian Hussars; and on being attached as aide-de-camp to Baron Splényi (he was the leader of the noble bodyguard, and owner of the 2. Hussar Regiment), married the daughter of that general in 1838. He was a lieutenant, than lived as a noble. But now he became a major of the Home Guard near the big fort Komarom, he may be send to the South Front as well.

The Hungarians are semi trained artillery officers, but they have plenty of 6pdr guns. Also the local horses are much smaller than the horses what the Austrian Army use, so they have a different organization for the batteries. All the batteries have 6 guns and 2 howitzers, and all the guns have 6 horses instead of the normal four. In this case the batteries are quicker and have more firepower, than the Austrians.

The Hungarian hussars are escaping from the other part of the Empire! They all travelling back to Hungary following the national call to arms. That’s very bad news Sir, we have got no light cavalry at all. They have trained light cavalry 13 regiments. 2 regiments are locked in Italy, they are too far away, and busy on the Italian front. But the rest are going back, bits and pieces.

Please pay more attention and pay some money to David Krautner Von Thantemburg ,colonel of the imperial army. He is the commander of the local Uhlans. And if I can suggest try to organise more Serezan or Bashi-Bazouk units on horseback, friom the other Balkan states.

This has sent alarm bells ringing in TransSyldavia, and the Grand Duke and his council are debating deep into the night! But it does look as if some Austrian aid may be possible to pay for TransSyldavian cavalry

The Hungarians are up to something.....

2011-12-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

A message from our spy in Vienna....he has intercepted this intelligence about Hungarian troops massing on the Trans Syldavian border.

Gruss Gott!

The Hungarian Government is sending 2 battalions of Szekely Grenz infantry from Transylvania to the Serbian border. Each battalion has six company of 140 light infantrymen (16 marksmen with rifles) against the Serbian Rebels (The fools cannot tell the difference between Trans Syldavians and Serbians). These are trained light infantry, the same veteran troops, as our own Serb Grenz infantry. They will also send a battalion of line infantry from the Don Miguel regiment, veteran troops, all Hungarians, loyal to the new goverment. And a battery of 6pdr guns, with newly recruit volunteer students crew. The Home Guard (nemzetor) organisation is very slow, and they are short of muskets and uniforms, we do not expect this force earlier than March.

From the Capital (Buda) they send a battalion of Red caps volunteer infantry as well, highly motivated but green troops. The Hungarians are calling them Honved (National Guard), be careful with the battalion commander, he is an ex Austrian captain, called Janos Damjanich (Jovan Damjanić his real serb name). He is a Serb, but he is a more Patriotic Hungarian than the real Hungarians, he wants to kill all the Serbs, to that end he will kill himself as well, just to be sure the whole nation is destroyed. This traitor rebel dog is very skillful, and the Red caps are ready to die for him. He had served in Italy as a Grenadier Captain, against the Italian rebels.

The Hungarians are starting to mobilise the Transylvanian Szekely Hussars, and this traitor Damjanich has a company of Hungarian Betyar (Brigand and Highwayman), they are irregular murders, fighting for the New Government. They have amnesty to be a volunteer, they are very good to plunder and raid against villages, hang them all Sahib!

Good bless You Sir, when I have more information, I will let You know.

Regards

Jusuf

Ps: The Ulans are not too keen to fight for the Hungarian Goverment, so just let them leave, don`t attack them!