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Please Note: This blog contains poorly painted toy soldiers that may offend those of an aesthetically sensitive disposition.

Saturday 1 August 2020

Generic Army Red / Army Blue Mini Campaign





I'm not entirely sure what to call this project. Originally it was going to be called A Toy Soldier Campaign as it was in the style of my old games that mixed periods and types of toy soldiers without worrying about the feasibility of the thing (possibly this still happens). Then I was going to call it the Sham Campaign, mainly because I've pinched the map from the Sham Battle book.


Whatever it is, or isn't, here's a background to the action (which is actually already underway).

The King of Redina, suffering from acute paranoia, is increasingly suspecting that the folk of the Republic of Bluvia are plotting to overthrow him, and (horror!) allow Redina's people to choose their own leader. A build up of forces, and exchange of rhetoric have resulted in a general mobilization on both sides of the Boundary River, the border between the two countries. 

My Map alongside the original from Sham Battle (mine was made in Excel)

Note: The river can only be crossed by a bridge. I have made Red City and Blueburg two distinct places that are set back from the river (they appear to be merged on the original).

The two sides have three Divisions each. Each division is comprised of three Brigades. One Division on each side defends the Capital Cities (at least initially). The others were mobilized to near the border. Blue sent a division to guard the left hand crossing and, somewhat inexplicably (the dice fell as they would), the right hand crossing - presumably thinking that Red would try to move an entire division across a bog road..? Red chose the left hand and centre crossings.


So this is the position shortly before the Red King's delusions force him to press the metaphorical button and start hostilities. Quite where this Campaign will go is in the hands of the Wargames Gods.

The Sham Battle book is featured on the Tiny Tin Men blog (HERE) and is really worth a look if you've never seen it.

20 comments:

  1. This looks like an interesting campaign. When I first started wargaming, I bought a copy of Sham Battle and fought a battle using the rules. It was the first war-game I took photos of, along with writing a report on it.

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    1. Is it on your current blog John? I would be interested in seeing it.

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  2. Maudlin Jack Tar,

    What an interesting idea ... and one that I’m surprised hasn’t been done before. I like the way you have converted the original map so that it fits onto an 8 x 8 grid.

    I’ll follow this campaign with interest!

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. The original General's Map was I assume a complete battlefield but it looked like a nice map in itself.
      As the games are to be 8x8 gridded games I thought it fitting to make an 8x8 Map! I'm using original PW rules for the battles with very slight variations (eg Guards units are 5SP, Regular Line Infantry 4SP and Militia/Town Garrison 3SP).

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  3. Best of luck. There are some more illustrations from Shambattle at the late Thor Shiel's site - I like these colourful tin hat figures http://www.thortrains.net/shambattle/

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    1. Great site! Thanks for the link. I'm not actually doing Sham Battle - only in spirit!

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  4. I have a reprint copy of Shambattle, but had not really thought of using the map as a campaign setting - what a good idea! We are going to move house in a few months, but once settled in, I can see my own Red and Blue Imaginations pseudo-Napoleonic armies fighting this campaign too, in due course, with the appropriate PW rules! I have the wooden toy houses already, too.
    I shall follow the battles with great interest. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun.

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    1. Good luck moving house Arthur - a traumatic experience at the best of times.

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  5. This campaign looks very interesting!

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  6. Great work on the map, I am looking forward to seeing how this campaign goes.

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  7. Excellent sir, thank you for bringing this to us. I cannot wait to see what happens next ! Will the Bluvian general receive praise for the bridge demolition or censure for the abandonment of ' Our brave lads' to whatever fate the foul Redinians may devise?

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  8. Wonderfull source for a mini-campaign; I was hooked just with the title having the word "campaign" in it.
    Looking forward to what the dice gods have in store .

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  9. Thanks for mentioning my Shambattle page on Tiny Tin Men! :-)

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    1. Phil, you are most welcome! It's a great page.

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