Continuing War with the 4th Coalition: Eylau

 Having defeated the Prussians in our last Dominion of Napoleon Bonaparte game, the Emperor is disappointed to find that the Imperial Russian Army is still loitering in East Prussia...

For this game you'll have to imagine that the bare pine board is the snowy fields around Eylau. The town is now to the rear of the attacking French Army.

The Armies face each other on Day 2 of the battle

The fight starts off fairly evenly - the Russians
commit some unreliable infantry on their right

The French appear to get the upper hand, quickly
defeating the unreliables

The Russians' hold on: the Emperor unleashes Murat
and the cavalry

The Russian centre collapses!

but the frost-bitten French can't yet take advantage

Finally the day is won!

Like the real battle, this was a costly affair for both sides, and the cold weather doesn't help. Glory to the Emperor! On to the Battle of Friedland, and thank the Lord it'll be fought in June; Vive l'ete!

Collaborative Campaign Year 5: Part 2

 For the second part of the action during the Year of the Fox, attention turns South again.

Martin Smith has kindly played and reported on the latest invasion of Pylonia by the Ziguran Empire... 

Battle on the Plain east of Raphan

In the High Temple of Zigura in Issisha, the High Priest of Taran has read the entrails and declared that the War God demands more territory should be taken for the empire. To that end the Ziguran Lord Balshezbu, Zatrab of the Magreeb, has been despatched westwards, and has invaded the province of Raphan, which contains the current capital city of Pylonia (after the recent loss of Nyos).

Balshezbu  leads a moderately sized army, and is content that his expeditionary force emphasises quality over quantity. At its heart is a body of Zigura’s finest heavy chariots, every man an expert archer, supported by Ziguran infantry archers from the regular army, and a body of mercenary armoured spearmen, these being Cyraenians from the nearer parts of the Pentapolis, under one Kratonas of Heralion. 

Additionally, to boost numbers, the Zatrab commands a number of Ziguran peasant bowmen and has also, against his better judgement, enlisted the aid of a rabble of fanatical camel-riding desert tribesmen from the interior, with a reputation for being ferocious but fickle, valuing pillage over prowess in battle.

To meet this existential threat to his homeland, God-King Hipohap XXXVI has hurriedly assembled all available Pylonian males at a muster outside of the city of Raphan, trusting command to General Hepu, Governor of that city and province.

Hepu leads the chariot-borne archer nobles of the Pylonian Standing Army, one unit of mercenaries, (Cyraenian armoured spearmen based at Raphan, under Mercenary Captain-General Imbrios), regular bowmen from the Raphan garrison, and four bodies of spearmen, provincial Pylonian levies.

Advancing eastwards along the shoreline before dawn, Governor Hepu arrays his forces with the regular archers covering the coast road, noble charioteers to their right and with the inland flank held by Pylonian levy spearmen, between his chariots and sand dunes. He holds in reserve the highly valued Cyraenian armoured spearmen, renowned throughout Pylonia for their stoutness in battle. These he plans will plug any gaps that appear, should the frontline units show signs of weakness. Also available to the general are three more bodies of levied troops, which he also keeps back in reserve, mostly from concern over their willingness to fight.

As the Sacred Sun breaks through the dust on the horizon, with hand-shielded eyes Hepu’s gaze falls upon a quickly advancing Ziguran force: Inland, somewhat behind the front, unmistakable with their glinting brazen shields, march slow moving Cyraenian spearmen in tight formation. Nearer still are a milling swarm of camel-riders, filling the centre of the enemy array, while to either side of the coast road trot the horses of the feared Ziguran heavy chariotry, massed into a dense and deadly block of horseflesh and archers.

From behind his own front line, Lord Balshezbu gives the order, and the Ziguran charioteers whip their horses forward, directly at the Pylonian regular bowmen covering the shoreward flank. As this animated mass of death and destruction rumbles towards them from out of the sunrise, despite years of training the archers’ resolve rapidly fails, and they break and run from their frightening opponents. Seeing the bowmen break, Hepu now calls upon his Cyraenian mercenaries to earn their pay, sending them left to block the jubilant advance of Zigura’s finest. The spears of the bronze-clad men lower, and a long, drawn out contest for the beachward flanks of both armies begins in earnest, from the surf to the coast-road, advantage going from one side to the other in a closely matched tussle between the best in their sphere.

Now the Zatrab takes a gamble. Having deployed the camel-mounted desert tribesmen in the centre, to preclude any escape south into the dunes, he commands them to attack. His hopes are raised as with wild cries the nomads immediately lurch forwards to attack those Pylonian charioteers opposite them……only to be dashed as the camel-riders are instantly scattered by the stinging volleys of arrows which meet them at close range. Racing past Balshezbu in flight, the desert dwellers head east. Their formless throng parts to skirt the more resolute Ziguran peasant archers, who move up to take their place before beginning an archery exchange with the Pylonian charioteers opposite, who fall back under pressure.

But where are Kratonas and the Heralionic spearmen of the King of Kings? Will these foreign mercenaries not earn their pay and prove their worth? Can Kratonas be trusted?

The southern flank has yet to be contested, when a climax is reached in the struggle between Pylonia’s  Cyraenians and the Ziguran nobility on the shore. Ordered for one more attack by Captain Imbrios, Pylonia’s battered and bruised men of bronze can take no more and begin to fall back in disorder. The Ziguran charioteers, opposite, are also spent and are unable to resist the advance of spear-wielding Pylonian levies who march up the coast road to face them.

Finally, Kratonas and his mercenaries reach the southern part of the battle line, engaging and driving off the Pylonians before them…but too late. With the retreat of the Ziguran chariotry and the flight of the desert tribes, the weakened Ziguran line begins to falter and break, first on the shoreward flank and then in the centre, where Pylonian levies press forward, scattering Ziguran archers before them.

Kratonas thus finds his right flank badly exposed, and with the last remaining viable force under his command, begins a slow and measured retreat, maintaining order and praying for nightfall. It will be a long march back to Zigura, harried all the way by exultant Pylonians.

***

What an Epic! The shifting sands of Pylonia have once again produced a battle fit to include Charlton Heston and Kirk Douglas! Thank you, Martin for the wonderful report and visuals. 

Ziguran expansion has been halted, at least temporarily, and the God King Hipohap can put his feet up on a eunuch and rest easily.

Collaborative Campaign Year 5: Part 1

 Game Year 5 (Year of the Fox): Notes from the Campaign Diary

War continues in Luss between the invading army of Picenia and the Luss tribes and their new found allies, the Wend.

Zigura has invaded Pylonia with a view to grabbing more territory from the weakened King Hipohap.

We start Year 5 with the further fighting in Luss. Mark Cordone has once again taken up the story...

The Battle of Bibracte

Prologue:  Multiflavus was under a great deal of pressure to bring the war to an end.   To date years of conflict had not yielded a decisive result.  For each two steps forward there seemed to be one step back, and a number of Picenian armies had been destroyed.  To many in the Senate, and increasing numbers of the public it seemed the cost was way too high.  With each passing day the peace party was gaining ground, and Senator Galenus and General Multiflavus knew that without a decisive result this year they would lose power.

I have been using One Hour Wargames to generate battlefields and influence my scenarios, for this game I rolled #17.  This is an encounter battle and I thought it would be interesting to try it out with the Dominion of the Spear rules.  I rolled for initiative each turn, with each side having the number rolled for the units arriving each turn.  For turn one both sides had their cavalry present.

Determined to achieve final victory, Multiflavus marched north in the spring of the year of the Fox with his victorious army from the year before.  (1+3 legions, disciplined, 5+6 legions and his cavalry, all regulars.). Opposing him the allied army was essentially the same as the one that was victorious at the battle of Marmar (2 Luss infantry and one cavalry and one each Wend infantry and cavalry all regulars.  In addition a unit of Wend war dogs, ferocious but unreliable melee cavalry, were present.)   This time King Hadwyn of the Angrivari was present and in overall command.

Multiflavus began his campaign with a methodical advance, laying waste to the countryside as he went, seeking to force a decisive battle.  The allies assembled their united host and took the field to stop him.  On the 13th day of the Sixth month of the year of the Fox the cavalry van guards of the two armies met near the town of Bibracte. It was a windy day with occasional light showers when the opposing cavalry forces spotted each other.  The Picenians won the race to the high ground which dominated the field and held it against a furious assault by the allied horsemen who outnumbered them 2:1.

Multiflavus's better disciplined troops arrived first.  3rd legion quickly came up on the right and took the Wend cavalry trying to out flank the Picenian horse on the hill in the flank and routed them.  The rest of the Allied army then arrived, except the dogs and Rionach and her escort who lagged slightly behind.  An indecisive infantry combat then broke out on the left.

Multiflavus then unleashed his cavalry who routed the Luss horse in the center.  As Rionach and the rest of his army arrived Hadwyn sent his Wend infantry to attack 3rd legion on the right then left the field in an unsuccessful attempt to rally his Wend cavalry.  His foot fared no better and were routed in turn by the veterans of the third legion.

Augwys, temporarily in command, ordered the Luss foot on the left to advance, but no decisive result was achieved as he moved the last allied reserve, the war dogs, forward to shore up the right sector.

3rd legion made short work of them as Hadwyn returned to the field and ordered a renewed attack on the left in a desperate attempt to stave off defeat.  However, after heavy fighting the 1st legion prevailed and the allied army disintegrated.
No quarter was given during the pursuit as Multiflavus was determined to end all resistance once and for all.

Aftermath:  Hadwyn, and his bodyguard managed to escape the carnage and return to hid strongholds in the mountains.  In the process he also 'rescued' Rionach and took her with him.  Her uncle, Augwys, was conveniently killed in the rout.
Multiflavus had yet another triumph, and to the great surprise of many relinquished his powers of imperium and dictatorship immediately afterwards and retired to his seaside estates to resume the family tradition of producing very high quality blended wines.

***

Thanks to Mark for another cracking battle report - the Luss appear to have collapsed completely. Will they emerge in a rebellion against their new overlords? Will Picenia seek new territory for its growing empire? Time (and further gaming) will tell.

We interrupt this Campaign....

 ...for a quick playtest

Having submitted my very simple SciFi Skirmish rules to Bob Cordery for the 4th Portable Wargame Compendium, I thought I'd better give them another go. (I came across some old 20mm SciFi figures while looking for something else and decided I needed a simple ruleset for them. The figures were (possibly) from Wargames Supply Dump).

Two opposing squads are fighting for dominance in the ruins of a city. The majority of troopers are veterans and treated as unarmoured in this playtest. The two figures with purple markers are Elite and armed with Heavy Weapons (roll two dice when firing).

Green Squad (furthest from camera) moved first
The foliage is impassable

Turn 1 Green are already a man down

Turn 2 Blue Squad have taken out another of Green's force
The white die indicates that a figure is wounded

Turn 3 One of the Blue Squad has run across the open
space. The wounded man has moved back

Turn 4 Green's Heavy Weapon falls back, Blue's
is wounded

Turn 5 Green takes down the Blue trooper nearest 
his position

Turn 6 Green's Commander falls to Blue's Heavy Weapon
The rest of the squad withdraw

My next step with this project is to make more grid squares to allow more movement. Perhaps I'll have to consider bl**dy drones as well...

The opposing General was unimpressed and really just
wanted to sit on the battlefield. C'est la guerre.

Collaborative Campaign Year 4: Part 4

 Today's post sees the last action in Campaign Year 4, and the introduction of a new people (Germanic in appearance), the Wend. The following text and photos are the work of Mark Cordone.

Prologue:   Concerning the Wend

The Wend, are a people who dwell in the valleys of the great northern mountain range (the Mihstaz mountains).  They are divided into three loose tribal Confederations.  In the east, from the shores of the Frozen Sea and into the mountains bordering the eastern part of the Kingdom of the Northern Luss are the Kurgan.  The central part of the range is home to the Angrivari who's lands border Luss and eastern Picenia.  The western portion is home to the Glommani.
The Wend have no towns, living in fortified villages none of which is home to more than 1000 people.  They are known for their ferocity, physical size (the men average a towering six feet in height), blood thirsty customs and their use of huge dogs in hunting and war.  They are head hunters and also sacrifice prisoners to their dark god know as the Wendingo.
Most of the time they pose no great threat to their more civilized neighbors, engaging mostly in small scale raids, as often as not against each other.  However, once a generation or so there will arise a powerful and charismatic Warlord who will succeed in uniting a significant number of the tribes under his banner.  When this happens it means war for the Picenians or the Luss or sometimes both.

The year of the Mountain Lion, Autumn.

With the death of Catacius the Northern Luss were left without a high king.  The sub kings met to choose a new leader, but after weeks of debate and single combats were unable to reach a consensus.  In desperation, Catacius' widow Rionach stepped forward and made an impassioned speech about how they must stand united of face complete destruction at the hands of the Picenians and also the Wend, who had long coveted their more temperature and fertile lands.  All were moved by her speech, her passion and charisma, but still they could not agree.  Then her uncle, king Augwys put forward her name as queen.  This was not without precedent, but had only happened twice before in the long history of the Luss.  To the surprise of all however, when the ballots were counted she was chosen queen.
The task before her was seemingly hopeless, but with clarity and intelligence she pointed out to the Kings they had three basic problems.
1) the Picenians and their intent to subjugate all the Luss.
2) the Wend, sensing weakness were already launching large scale raids.
3)  lack of resources.  The war and the Picenian occupation had left large parts of the Kingdom depopulated.  There simply were not enough men to oppose either of their two foes, let alone both of them.
She proposed a novel solution.  Invite the Wend to settle in the now vacant land in exchange for their aid in defending it.  Reluctantly, the sub kings agreed and an embassy was sent to the Angrivari.
Within the month a conference was held between Rionach and her sub kings on the one side and the young and ambitious high king of the Angrivari, Hadwyn on the other.  In the end, a hard bargain was reached which saw the Angrivari recognized as full members of the realm and their king as the equal of any of the Luss kings.  This ment that Hadwyn was now eligible to become high king of the Luss, either by marriage to Rionach or election in his own right.  Accordingly, he began the formal process of wooing her.  Deftly, she put off having to make A decision by pointing out she was in mourning, and by custom couldn't entertain suitors for a year.
Meanwhile, general Ciaus Sulpicius, who had been given command of the northern army while Multiflavus invaded the south, launched his own assault.  As they advanced they ruthlessly pillaged and burned, seeking to bring the Luss to battle quickly, before any Wend allies could intervene.  However the Luss, in actuality commanded by Augwys, did not take the bait, but continued to slowly withdraw until a Wend force caught up to them at a place called Marmar.

The Battle of Marmar, or Marble Rock.  11th day of the 10th month of the year of the Mountain Lion.

The battle took place between two large hills that straddled the road heading east near a large red marble rocky out cropping said to be the home of A local god called Marmar.  The night before the battle, in a cold, slushy rain Rionach made lavish sacrifices to the god as her army prepared to give battle.
Dawn saw the rain give way to a cold drizzle as the armies deployed.

The Luss and Wend, henceforth called the allies, deployed their packs of war dogs in the left sector (fierce but unreliable melee cavalry).  The Wend foot on the hill in the center and half of the Luss infantry on the right.  In reserve were the rest of the Luss foot and the Wend and Luss horse.  The rest of the army were rated as regular.

Sulpicius had a very large army of his own ( All considered regular).  On the left he placed a large body of Limitarri archers.  By law, the Limitarri could not be made to serve outside of Picenia, however Sulpicius had convinced a large number of his men from the spring campaign to volunteer.  On the hill in the center he had the 5th legion and to the right the 6th.  In reserve he had the 10th and 11th legions and his cavalry.

The battle opened when the 5th legion advanced in the center and attacked the Wend on the hill opposite them.  In very heavy fighting both units were spent, their places taken by the Luss foot and 10th Legion, respectively.  As this was happening the Picenian limitarri advanced and began shooting at the war dogs on the left.  The Wend handlers attempted to charge, but heavy and accurate archery all but wiped them out.
The Wend cavalry then charged on the left and met the same fate as the dogs.

As this was playing out heavy fighting was taking place on the right, when it was over both units were all but wiped out.  Sulpicius tried but failed to rally his legions and was forced to commit his cavalry on the left.  Meanwhile Rionach rode among the defeated Wend, and shamed them into following her back into the front line where the Luss foot had been destroyed by the 10th Legion after they had routed the Limitarri archers.  This stabilized the situation on the left.  

On the right the bloody combat continued, in the end the Luss cavalry emerged the victors and then proceeded to roll up the Picenian line.

General Sulpicius, along with many of his men, met their ends nailed to trees, their heads taken as trophies by the Wend.

The allies had won a great victory, the union having proven very successful.  Multiflavus postponed his triumph, instead spending the winter in Dubrovium planning and preparing for a spring campaign in the north.

***

Thus ended the Year of the Mountain Lion. I think we can look forward to more conflict in this part of the imaginary world as Picenia looks to be avenged. Thanks again to Mark for a fantastic report and for introducing his bloodthirsty creation!