A small matter of Defence of the Homeland

 

"HOW MUCH?"  Duke Werther reacts to Herr Unterlings calculations for raising two more battalions

The heady days of last year, when Duke Werther had taken French gold and sent off all the Saxe-Märchen forces a-soldiering (except for his own Schonberg Regiment and Garde du Corps of course), was starting to look a bit less golden.

The treasury had made a tidy profit for letting the French march their young men up and down the land. However, as the action had hotted up a few months back, it slowly began to occur to the Duke that, while sending his his troublesome brother and over-excitable son and many of the more energetic young bloods away with the French to fight the Prussians in some far forgotten fields had much to recommend it, it had its downsides. While removing many troublesome young (and not so young) men and adding to the Ducal treasury chest was a win-win, there were now precious little troops left to defend the Ducal house and skin in times of trouble, which was a big lose-lose..

And trouble was most certainly brewing. After Hastenbeck it seemed safe to let the boys go adventuring abroad, but news was now coming from afar that the British had reinforced and refinanced the Hanoverians over the summer, and they were soon to go on the march to occupy the very lands the French had left less defended while Dranging nach Osten. And some of those lands could well be those of Saxe-Märchen.

The Duke had already written to Marshal Soubise to see if he could have his troops back, but the French and Imperial army, having been extended trying to find and flush out the Prussians in Saxony, were now involved in an increasingly "hot" situation, in which Saxe Marchen forces had already been fiercely engaged recently. Soubise was thus not at all keen on releasing them right now, as major battle was looming.

Saxe-Märchen would have to look to its own resources. "After all", Soubise had pointed out, "what with the money we are paying you for your troops, you could surely recruit some more battalions with little trouble".

The Duke finally decided to Do Something, and assembled his Court to decide what it was they Should Do. They stood around a large map of Saxe-Märchen (hurriedly picked up from the Schonberg tourist bureau) spread on the table.

"Well, we have the 2 regiments' depot battalions still" said Herr Unterling, the Treasury minister.

"Yes, but that's just two companies of rookies and they all march around with broom handles because we have no muskets"

"Well, we have enough young men to raise two more full battalions"

"Yes, but that is on full pay, and then they'll just sit around all day"

"Better that than have no one ehrm the Hanoverians come"

"How about a Miitia then?"

"We will need cavalry"

"And Guns. We sent all the artillery off to war"

"We should build redoubts along the river and canal"

"Fortify Schonberg"

"No, that would be expensive, its too big and might be too badly damaged. We could move the court up to Kloster Bad, fortify it and fight from there"

"But where do you go if Kloster Bad falls - its open hillside and meadow around there"

"Send the family and jewels to Feeland, no one will find anything in those marshes"

"The Feelanders will sell your jewels and daughters within the week"

"Or how about hiding out in the GrimmWald, up on the high slopes. Maybe we could pay all those backwards GrimmWald backwoodsmen some money to fight".

An idea began to form in the Duke's mind. Yeees, if he could persuade enough GrimmWald hunters to fight, it would take a huge army to winkle him and his treasure chest out the GrimmWald.  And if he could fortify enough nooks and crannies in the Glucklichstal, especially up on the foothills, it would make Saxe-Märchen quite a tough little nut to crack. With luck the Hanoverians would try and approach via Feeland, and thatw ould (literally) bog them down for ages.And maybe bring all the depot battalions up to size. No, that was expensive - but what about a part time militia to man the barricades?

Of course, it meant spending some of that gold he had lovingly watched pile up, but fear has a way of releasing many tight orifices, including the treasury sack.

Corps du Vin in Action

War of the Austrian Succession game (will write up as more Memoirs soon ) played this week,   but a friend took this photo which (1) makes my army look good and (2) captures my master stroke - my cavalry charge from the rear - so I just had to put it up :)

Brigade Alsace advances, opening a gap for the Heavy cavalry brigade to charge from behind them. Cavalry Regiments Bourgogne, Royal Rousillon, Fleury, Gendarmes d'Anjou and the Oberrheinische Kreiseskadron all charge

Venn I medt Diss Axe

In late 2012 1757 the Reichsarmee brigade of the Corps du Vin had settled down into winter quarters in three key crossroad towns bordering the Hesse-Lands and now, in the spring of 1758 had resumed campaigning. Instead of sending the brigade marching up and down the borders of the various Hesses to Look For The Prussians,  they resorted instead to sending out patrols from the 2 cavalry regiment with them - the Sarkozy Hussars and Saxe Märchen's own Leib Dragoons, commanded by the venerable warhorse the Graf Malthus, on his venerable warhorse. It was faster and cheaper on shoe leather that way, reasoned Duke Leopold, O.C of all the Saxe-Märchen forces in the brigade, as he helped himself to a second large slice of torte and eyed the barmaid's charms. These Hessian gals  cut their dirndls a lot lower than back home, he thought approvingly

There was only so much poetry Young Werther could read, and only so much yearning after unrequited love he could do in a day, so he started riding on various patrols with the cavalry.

On one of these, he fell into step with the gruff old Graf Malthus, and asked how the Graf had come to fight with Marshal de Saxe, whom the Graf revered.

"Vell", said the Graf, "I Voss yoost a junk man, mit my first kommand..I vill tell you how I choined the cavalry, but zat iss vor an otter day. It voss inder Lost Var, in '41"

(We translate the rest of this talk into high German rather than the Baron's Saxon, for your better understanding)

"....anyway, about meeting de Saxe. It happened like this. In 1741, my squadron was brigaded with some other Saxon cavalry squadrons, and we, along with some other Saxon and Reichsarmee troops, had joined the French and Bavarians in Bohemia to attack the Austrians. One day it was decided that our cavalry unit had to help take and occupy some town from the Austrians, to control some major crossroad or other. I can't recall what its name was, there was so much marching and countermarching. Anyway, our cavalry unit and some other German infantry regiments were detailed, along with 2 French Brigades, to take the town. I think the idea was the Germans would then occupy it. So we set off, but when we got near it we saw hare was a fairly large Austrian force in the vicinity. The French General set up in battle array, we were originally on the far left but then they spotted a huge force of Austrian cavalry on our right, so we were switched to the right, in the second line"

The French centre opens up on the Austrians in the village. If this looks a little blurred, you try drawing a sketch in a Montgolfier Mk.1 on a windy day...

Herr Graf smiled through his huge moustache.

"They thought we weren't very good, you see, a bit...risky. The front line were all Royal regiments - Burgundy, Roussillon, some of the Gendarmes, haughty as anything. It was just us and the Fleury in the 2nd Line"

"No sooner had we heard the first cannons fire, than the Austrian cavalry came cantering straight at us. Our first line charged at them, yelling all the way, and then next thing we knew they were all galloping back towards us, howling in panic. Our Rittermeister held us together, and as the scared Frenchies routed past we saw Austrians coming straight at us. So we spurred our horses and charged, and that surprised the Kaiserliks, and we bounced them back hard. Then another unit charged us, and we fought it off but had to retire to reform  And then all hell broke loose, as the whole Austrian cavalry force came at us, those haughty French nobles having run ..."

The Cavalry battle on the right is developing, French lines bottom of picture. Herr Graf's unit is in the French 2nd line, bottom right behind road. The cavalry in red are French Gendarmes, fighting Austrian cuirassiers. The Arquebusiers de Bergerac hold the woods bottom right corner.

The Graf spat in the road....

"...having all run away, leaving it to us to hold off hordes of Austrians. Next thing we see is some French popinjay in Gendarme red galloping past us, with some Austrians in hot pursuit, wailing for his life. My squadron wheeled, we saw off the Austrians, and then this lad - couldn't have been more than your age Werther - white and quaking with fear - squeaked - "take me to Headquarters, now! I command you!". We saw our lads were now beating a fighting retreat so we beat our own, smartly, delivering this cocky princeling to the headquarters tent."

The Graf smiled again, wryly

"It was pandemonium. The French general was spitting blood. Apparently our own German forces on the left had done nothing except despatch some Hussars and Dragoons round the far left flank, the French centre had refused to advance to take the town until "the cannons had softened up the Austrians in the town enough" and the Austrians, seeing their cavalry on our far right was triumphant on the field, had now launched a mass attack on our right wing. The general was yelling for his reserves, two battalions of grenadiers, to deploy against a hill and prevent the Austrian horse from arriving on their flank, while our right was soon in a massive firefight with the Austrians".

The Graf stopped his tale to bark an order at two orderlies, who shot off to do his bidding.

"Now then, where was I? Ah yes. Well, turns out one of the Grenadier battalions was German, and was not being as prompt as the General would have liked. As we arrived, the Red Popinjay had made a great histrionic show, but the General ignored him, and looked at me. "You" he barked. "In the Saxon uniform. You look halfway intelligent! Do you speak German?"

"Me? Ja! Er - Yes"

"Well, go and tell those !"£$% German grenadiers to "!£$5 up their £$%^& paces and !"£$%^ get up on the "£$%6 ridge and shoot the *&^%$ kaiserlik horse boys, and don't you come back until they are there and shooting. And tell their "£$%^& Colonel if he doesn't £$%^& shoot Austrians I'll "£$%^&  shoot him! Then come back here when he is there. Got that?"

"I galloped off to relay the message to the Herr Kolonel, who £$%^& off as fast as he ^&* could - just in time, as the Austrian horse swept over the hill and down, already sabred one French battalion, and was forming up for a charge into the rear of the French right, now furiously engaged to the front. Then we and the French Grenadiers marched out the smoke and hit them at point blank range with fresh musketry.  The Austrian front line fell in droves, and the rest ran like dogs. Their second line pulled back, they were not going to chance their luck against formed Grenadiers."

The Graf paused, a faraway look in his eye

"At that point, as I was picking my way through dead Austrian cavalry to get back to the French HQ,  this Austrian rides up over the rise with a white flag, bold as brass, and says to me to fetch the Marshal, he wants a word. I gallop back and fetch the Marshal. So there I am on the hilltop, as these two men meet, while our Grenadiers and the Austrian cuirassiers eye each other up and our right flank is still in a furious firefight to our front.

"You're not going to win this one, Marshal", says the Austrian. "And the cost to me of winning it will be too high. It’s getting late, why don't we cease fire now, you take your forces back and try again tomorrow, eh?, Or next week, at the speed you lot move".

The Marshal looks at the Austrian and says "Very well, we shall do that". and then they laughed, shook hands, and both rode away to their armies. They both stop shooting and start to pack up withdraw to their boxes camps"

"My God" says Werther" "I've never heard of that"

"And nor will you" said the Graf. "Only a few men witnessed it. I think de Saxe wrote it up as making a heroic effort against vastly superior forces and berating his sub geneerals"

Anyway, this Marshall looks at me and says "you - that was smartly done. I could use a smart German speaker on my staff to make the rest of these Germans move as sharply. Go and tell that useless old Hochduke of yours I want you to join my staff for a bit, and if he argues I'll have his hide for cowardice and disobeying orders"

"My heavens", said Werther, "Who was this Marshall"

"Haff you not guessed by now" chortled the old Graf. "Dot vos Diss Axe".

"And who was the young man you rescued"

"Ach, some Prinz of the Blood" said the Graf. "Odious fellow, but none more so on that day, he had sh*t his pants"

And at this, the Gruff Graf actually laughed. 

"And did you take the village then" said Werther?

"Verdamnt iff I can remember" said the Graf. "Propably nott, zeere were szo many battles like zat. I fing der Allies loszt a big battle und ve hadt to run back to Bavaria soon after".

(Black Powder rules, War of Austrian Succession, using last Argument of Kings army lists. French have to take 2 poor generals, and neither managed to make much happen all game, my entire strategy was ruined by my su generals, its in my report :). The French 1st line horse, despite all being Royal, had abysmal dice, all 3 regiments routing in first combat. The Graf's German cavalry regiment held its own for a few bounds and was then forced to retire off table by waves of Austrian horse. The Austrian horse was held back by the grenadiers, the firefight on the right wing was showing no advantage, French condede the field. We had c 16 infantry battalions and 6 cavalry regimenst apiece, on a 9x 6 table, we finished the game to a good conclusion in about 2 1/2 hours despite being new to the rules. Pretty impressed with them for this period.)

The Real French & Indian Wars

Haven't posted for a while, but that is because much has been happening on the gaming front - Sci Fi, WW! and WW2, and of course 18th Century warfare.

In the 18th century we have moved to playing "Real" French & Indian Wars, i.e The French & the British with the Rajputs and the Moghuls and anyone else we can rope in, using Black Powder for some big games. The variety of forces is huge (and we have been painting huge forces), and all the fast moving cavalry, various odd weapons, plus variable leadership and lots of inconsistent troops make the games unpredictable and exciting. Here are some pictures of some forces and games:

Moghul Cavalry, the man front left has clearly jast been shot off his horse!

One of our games - the French line (bottom) thought themselves safe from the Indian cavalry (top, centre) owing to their guns (centrre bottom), but did not count on the Hand of Fate (left) decreeing that there will be a dreaded Black Powder 3 move charge of lancers and wild horse into the raw French Sepoys (white turbans, bottom). Ouch! 

 

Real Indian Warfare also has wild tribesmen who will lop your head off, albeit with a wider variety of weapons than a tomahawk - but also has rockets, camel-guns, medieval cavalry, elephants, and a large assortment of colourful and motley infantry from trained European line to hordes fighting for loot. Above, left: Dare-to-die Rathor light horse prepare to charge rocket-men on a hill

Camel-Guns take aim (left, middle)) as the Rathors charge over the hill at the Thin Red Line in the distance while in the foreground Rajput horse moves up,

The Thin Red Line stands awaiting the onslaught

More Derring Do...

In Europe, the French Corps du Vin, along with the Saxe-Märchen contingent, are still trying to contact the Reluctant Prussians (my 7YW opponent has broken his leg, I'm still painting Perfidious Albion, so still no Tricorne action as yet - and my Trans-Syldavia 1848 co-conspirator has had work interfering with his gaming life, its a Freebooting life for me at the moment...).

Anyway, on the Spanish main, there have been more daring deeds aplenty. As you may know, the  Governeur was captured by the British. Ransomed off, he has now been restored and it is the job of the Compagnie Franche de la Marine de St Jacques to get him from the harbour to the Governors residence without incident - as word has it that various pirate groups have calculated that Governor-Kidnap is a more lucrative trade than actual Piracy.

The French party hurry the Governeur from Harbour to Fort through the dangerous streets of St Jacques. Fat Governeur in purple - surrounded by militia

Unknown to the French, there were 3 parties of Pirates lurking in St Jacques, plus a party of Royal Marines (the Governeur having made some unwise promises during his incarceration) AND a Spanish party (its all written up over here)

The French made the decision to move Le Governeur along sharpish like (Frog-marched in fact), so despite his gout and corpulence he was moved through Le Rue Grande as fast as he could move - just as well, as the pirates were in hot pursuit...

Pirates burst into the Tavern garden, disturbing the Mayor (seated) and the Governeur's daughter (seated on his lap) who were busy discussing the mayor's arising issue of the day

At any rate, the mission was a success. Except for the intervention of some British marines that Lieutenat Quesne, Sarjante B. Geste and two troopere were left to hold them off while the Capitaine hurried the Governeur to the Fort, it was just another day in St Jacques town.... 

(Legends of the High Seas rules, 6 player game)

The pirates of St Jacques

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.

Perfidious Albion on the march

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

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

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!

 

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......

Effort mit dis Axe inter Otter Vase!

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

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...

The Kreisregiment Mosel comes ashore

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

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

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 found fame 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....

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.....

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.....

A "Proper" German 18th century Imagi-Nation

It's funny how things twist and turn...I started the New Byzantium project as a way to get my Balkan/Turkic 18th/19th century models into games, but it turns out they are now all going to be employed in the Imagi-Nation Trans Syldavia 1848 project*. And then two friends donated a huge (unpainted) British/Hanoverian army to me, to oppose my WAS/7YW French...who are now looking distinctly weak compared to that mass of perfiidous Albionese.

Anyway, last post I looked at having an Imagi-Brigade for the French, but a bit of research on a typical small ReichsArmee force showed that what I need translates into a typical small Small Imagi-Nation, to whit:

- 1 Kurassier Regiment
- 1 Dragoon Regiment
- 3 Infantry Regiments
- 1 converged Grenadier Battalion
- 1 Battalion of Jaegers
- Artillery

I have all the figures, so next step is to find a name, a location, a uniform (dark blue, I think...) and a flag......and I think it will be Saxe-something as the figures being donated have such a profusion of the Scots Greys in cavalry mitres that some will be given to the Dragoon Regiment above - and the only unit I have seen that has a similar hat is the Saxon von Bruhl's Dragoons. 

( *a few will still appear as the Legion d'Orient in my 7YW French )

Yes, dear reader - the Brigade Imaginaire will join the Corps du Vin for the next camapaign season I think....

A Seven Years War Imagi-Brigade

The New Byzantium Project seems to have gone in a number of different directions, and here is yet another one...

First one, and now another friend has donated some 7YW British, with the result that the British army I now have is bigger than my original French, even with the Legion d'Orient (my specific New Byzantine units) attached! Even with the imaginary Chasseurs de Bergerac and the Swiss Batalion Valaison!.

Thus, I need to recruit another Brigade (4 battalions), a Heavy and Light Horse regiment, and could fit in some more guns and probably another Grenadier unit or even two.

My French are based on the well known wine producing areas, but I am running out of Regiments (I have even had to think about inserting cheese!) and have recruited my first Imaginary French battalion, the Batalion Valaise (My Swiss regiment, from the Valais wine area).

So, a new Brigade is required, maybe even time for a German ally (after 3 French brigades), and if so....well, why not an imaginary one of those too?

So far the only thing I have in mind is that the Heavy horse will be named after one of my army donors, and I fancy a Lorraine sourced Regiment Mosel, and I have another regiment of unpainted hussars I can use..

FYI it is currently at::

Brigade Champagne:
Champagne, Medoc, Beaujolais, Royal Italian

Brigade Touraine
Touraine, Provence, Perigord, Alsace

Brigade Imaginaire?:
Batalion Valais, Milices de Bordeaux* (or maybe Poictesme),  and 2 more (thinking of a Mosel regiment)

Chevaux Legere:
Royal Roussillon, Fleury, Bourgogne

Dragoons:
Languedoc, Schomberg, one more needed

Unattached Lights (foot are c 1/2 battalion strength, Horse are 2 squadrons)

- Fischers (both Hussars and Foot Chasseurs)
- Clermont Prince (Foot)
- Legion d'Orient (Foot Chasseurs and Uhlan Lancers)
- Chasseurs de Bergerac*

Reserve

Grenadiers Royaux de Chantilly
Gendarmes d'Anjou /Chevau Legeer d'Anjou (one Regiment)

(Probably need one more regiment of foot and heavy horse types now, if not two)

 *Existing Imaginary Units in paint

A very civil society

The post waggon brought the long awaited civilian contingent this week - the Old Glory "Fat Island Governor" set and Eureka's String Quartet with Fred n' Voltaire, and "Ooh ain't you awful".  Enough for some high and low society vignettes and characters for both the Corps du Vin and New Byzantium (the above picture from P.Joux's collection of the Marquis du Pinotage spying out the lie of the land suggests itself with the figures now arrived).

Wish I could find more in the Turquerie mode though. Sadly, the Basilea Phannae has banned the practice of Harem-keeping by the Byzantine nobility (she knows of what she speaks*), so this is out.

*Justinian had Theodora, and the tradition is mantained.....