After the battle, the situation at the end of 1619

     Having won the battle the Proper Meal faction was in position to drive their foes into submission. The Freedonian generals suggested that the Proper-Mealers should chase the Ferndalian and Hollandaise troops eastwards and the Freedonian troops would see to the Small-Platers from the south and west. The weary but stalwart Tercios followed the retiring Ferndalains with determination but weather and hunger prevented them from overtaking the fleeing enemy. Along the way they took the nearly defenseless town of Veloute. From there they learned that Nantua had been captured by Ferndalain troops that had marched along the seacoast from Roquefort. To the universal dismay of the Proper-Meal faction the Freedonian "pursuit" of their enemy was so dissolute that not only did the enemy manage to return to their hometowns but a wandering band of troops from Buerre Noir captured Rouille almost by mistake. Having lost their prey the Freedonians retired to Buerre Noir to "remain in supply from home" (and certainly not because of the famous cooking school located in that town!). The following maps show the state of developments

 

the retreat of the defeated armies 

the advance of the victors

 the troops in winter quarters

      The end of the year finds the interior of the country entirely in Proper-Meal hands (except for the central part of the capital) while the Small-Platers are confined to coastal enclaves and the one Ferndalian intrusion into Hollandaise. The armies have settled down into winter quarters but there will certainly be smaller actions fought out in the frozen landscape.

Battle of Hamburg 23DEC1619, The Small-Platers are rebuked

a Tercio Viejo prepares to express its intentions

       It was the shortest day of the year when the two great armies met just east of the tiny farming village of Hamburg. For many it would seem the longest day of their lives. For others it was the last day of their lives. It undoubtedly was the smashing of the Small-Plater ambitions to take the capital by storm and install their claimant to the throne by force majuer. By sundown their army had been shattered and their Ferndalian allies were in full retreat.

          Marching in the misty gloom of the later December night both armies ended up slightly out of their planned positions when the sun finally peeked over the hills. The initial moves were spent getting the forces aligned for battle and sorting out some deployment mistakes. As the sun came fully into view the cannon began to roar and the troops steeled themselves for the chaos of battle.

The greatest Battle of the Year on the shortest day of the year

      Impatient to see some results of his efforts Peter the Famished demanded of his generals (and his Small-Plater allies) another attempt to emplace Hanz on the Gluttonian Throne. No impromptu effort this time, his generals carefully coordinated the gathering of the armies to the south of the capital to effect a storming of the fortress and link up with the Small Plater faction holding the citadel. Marches were organized, garrisons called into action, the border with Boozonia was sealed off to prevent any untoward surprises. Everything was in order except for one small factor, a spy in the copy-room was passing the information to the Proper-Meal faction.

           This allowed the Proper-Mealers to organize a timely response; Freedonian forces moved eastward with sudden urgency and the armies gathered to block the advance of the Small-Platers. By happy circumstance the garrison of Bourguignonne showed up having deduced that the sudden absence of the Small-Plater forces in the area meant that they were moving against the capital. They had undertaken a forced march that only such highly trained troops could endure to appear just in the nick of time.

          The circumstances are now set for the largest battle in living memory with the throne of Gluttonia as the prize.

And in the East......Ferndalia moves as well

       Having reorganized his forces, and not content to wait until next campaigning season to begin his moves, Peter II of Ferndalia has pushed his troops westward. Heartened by these reinforcements the Small-Platers in  Hollandaise have bestirred themselves. Seeking to avoid an "invasion" from the north they have sent a blocking force to close the road from Hollandaise to Laphroaig. The balance of the combined army has moved to Veloute where it is equally well positioned to either strike at the capitol, Vienee, or at the stronghold of the Proper-Mealers in Bourguignonne. A victory in either direction would greatly advance the Small-Plater cause; the symbolic siezure of the seat of government, or the conquest of the home of the Gluttonian Infantry School (a truly formidable task as it is also the home of four Tercio Viejo). Peter II would certainly prefer to knock Bourguignonne out of the war and secure the entire Nantuan valley to his rear before embarking on a further advance into Gluttonia (he also covets the Nantuan valley for his own. It remains to be seen as to which ambition is satisfied.

The situation as of 10DEC1619 Freedonia gets it's way......

       Louis the Ravenous' bold move of using his fleet to turn the position at Cape Canape has paid off handsomely. The Freedonian army was freed to advance into the Soubise valley and then into a blocking position where the road from Soubise to Bordelaise crosses the mountains. The Soubise garrison, now free of threat from the Small-Platers in Bordelaise, has moved toward Ravigotte by way of Espagnole. Meanwhile in the north the Freedonian army has moved forward at a casual pace, gathering in the garrison of  Marinara before before moving to Beurre. Despite the late season Louis' troops do not seem to be in any haste to get to Vienee. Far to the south the much-traveled garrison on Nantua has finally found a friendly port at Poivrade where they provide some very welcome reinforcements.

A Letter to Louis the Ravenous

       My Most Righteous and Wise Majesty,

                It is with the deepest respect and humble joy that I report that your Majesty's brilliant decision to confront the Pirates has borne wonderful fruit. Having endured the severe lashings of a storm the night before we, your simple servants, have met the brigands at sea off Cape Canape and sent them flying after sinking several of their ships. Following a thorough bombardment the Marines of the Fleet stormed the Pirates positions at the narrows and the path is now clear for the advance of the army.
        It was my great honor to lead your stalwart and heroic sailors into action; they all performed with bravery and skill. However, I would be remiss if I did not single out the crew of your Highness' ship L'Entree. Due to vagaries of the wind she became separated from her sisters and was beset by the swarming hordes of the Pirate fleet. The fierce pride and icy nerve of your bold crews did not fail even when confronted with the boarding parties of four of the enemy vessels at the same time. At tremendous loss to themselves they saved your ship from the indignity of bearing the footfall of the Godless heathens who sought to capture her, slaying hundreds of them in process. It humbles me to be privileged to lead such men.
         I have designed and had produced, at my own expense, a golden goblet bearing the words "Rex Victor Armis in Servitutem" to be given to each crewman and would also recommend that the ship be awarded the Silver Platter Of Bravery. I await your Gracious Majesty's permission to bestow the honors earned by these bold men while in your service.

                     Your Most Humble and Faithful Servant,

                                            Guillame Brioche, Duc de Sarenzac, Admiral of the Middle Sea

Freedonia Rules the Waves (for the moment at least)

 

led by the L'Apertif the Freedonian squadron comes into view of Cape Canape

only to be confronted with a swarm of Pirate ships  

      
6DEC1619
        In the frigid waters off Cape Canape the Freedonian fleet met and crushed the Pirate fleet. In a hard-fought battle against the vicious Pirate fleet the Freedonian Admiral, Duc de Sarenzac, has proven once again that the navy of Louis the Ravenous is a factor to be carefully considered. Shaking off the effects of a powerful storm that had lasted the whole night before the Freedonian navy engaged the Pirate fleet just off the rugged coast of Cape Canape. The majestic power of the Proper-Mealers bore the chaotic assault of the Pirates with complete aplomb before scattering the enemy to the four winds.

Battle off Cape Canape

       Having spent the last week battling an unusual storm from the north-east the Freedonian navy has come in sight of Cape Canape. Intending to bombard the flank of the Pirate position at the Epicurean Thermopylae they will have to deal with inclement weather, a dangerous coastline and the evil intentions of the Pirate Fleet. To their advantage they have three great galleons; La Apertif, La Entree and La Digestif, two smaller galleons went missing in the storm but should be arriving shortly. The Pirate fleet cannot hope to match the Freedonians gun-for-gun but they are teeming with boarders and far more maneuverable, a couple of quick raking shots and a boarding action may be what is in order. To add to the issues, there is clearly a storm brewing and the winds have been gusty and variable all day.

 

the Freedonian fleet

Naval Gazing.......

       Furious that his plans have been thwarted by the rascally mercenaries (i.e. the Pirates, hired by the Small Platers) Louis the Ravenous has mobilized his fleet to drive them away from the coast. His admirals have advised against such a move as the weather at this time of year is uniformly horrid, but Louis will not hear of it, "If my Army can march, the Navy can sail!" he has proclaimed. Only time will tell if the Pirates' light vessels are up to confronting the massed fury of the Freedonian Navy. Nature may be the Great Leveler in this matter as the coast is very rough and a dangerous place to be sailing in bad weather.

The Arms Race continues at breakneck speed UPDATED

       I had an hour or two waiting for stuff to dry on another project, to avoid boredom and keep myself busy I grabbed my artillery that had been tacked to temporary bases and based them properly. I also rummaged around in the remaining 15mm figures and found the rest of my cannon models. These were cleaned up, assembled and spray primed white. When I get those completed I will have more artillery than any rational game of Tercio could employ!

 

fifteen completed and a dozen more to go (along with about 48 gunners)

Generally Speaking

I finally got around to re-basing the generals
CinCs get a 40mm square, everyone else has to get by with 20mmx40mm

 

truth be told, most of them are just parted-out cavalry figures, 

I plan on getting some of Khurasan's figures once I get all the other re-basing completed

Betrayed from Within! Nantua Falls to the Proper Mealers

 

the keys to the citadel being surrendered to the P.M. commander

       November 9th, 1619
       In a surprise move the Proper Meal faction has stolen a march on the Small-Platers and seized Nantua. Guided by an agent inside the city the P.M. forces showed up before dawn (after having had a full breakfast) and caught the S.P. garrison as they dithered about their choice of snacks. The S.P. forces rallied back to the citadel that guards the bay but had little hope of holding out for very long. Negotiations were opened between the two sides and the Small-Platers were allowed to requisition sufficient shipping to leave the city with the Honors of War.
       It is currently not known where they were headed, sailing westward at this time of year is a difficult proposition but would the brave soldiers wish to end up interned in Ferndalia?

Ye Auld and Grande Great Barrel of Glenfiddich

            In the year 978, faced with what appeared to be insurmountable odds, the high King of Boozonia Malcom MacMorris (the Unlucky) promised his men a barrel of Scotch large enough to swim in if they would deliver a victory unto him. The following battle against the combined armies of Nordland and Frozonia was long and bitter but at its end the Boozonians stood victorious and the enemy armies were shattered to the four winds. True to his word the King produced a barrel of Scotch that stood three Ells tall and two wide. Since that time the Grand Great Barrel has been a talisman of Boozonian victory, a sort of Ark of the Covenant to the Boozonian people.
           In the following six centuries each new King has refilled the Great Barrel with the finest Scotch to be found in all the land. Over the centuries the Barrel has served as the meeting place for the summer Wapinshaw, a battlefield icon, a place of famous last stands, new recruits are sworn in with one hand on a Bible and the other on the bung. It has fallen into enemy hands but three times, and each time was recovered before the enemy could draw even a drop of the precious fluid contained therein. It has become the heart of the Boozonian martial tradition.
          Mounted on a hand-crafted wagon charged with golden trim and drawn by the finest, strongest horse in all of Boozonia and teamstered by the most ferocious warrior in the land (currently Angus Hardface of the Clan MacLoughlin) the Boozonian army knows that they must perform the utmost acts of valor to be worthy of drawing a dram from the sacred barrel. To have the Great Barrel accompany an army is both an honor and a weighty charge. No one wants to be known as a soldier in the army that would let the Great Barrel be captured and everyone is proud to boast later on in life that they were there when the Great Barrel inspired them to victory.

Go Tell the Small-Platers that, obedient to their command, we are here!

     As was discussed earlier the Small Plate faction was decidedly short of troops in the western half of Gluttonia, what they weren't short of was money. Having decided that they could spare the money easier than they could surrender their freedoms the Small-Platers hired  the pirates to hold the pass along the south coast against the advance of the Freedonian army. This is what the position looked like on the map;

 

       In reality it looked like this;

This message has not been approved by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban COMPLETED!

    Too lazy to run a game tonight I had spent the evening sipping bourbon and talking politics with the Trunkmonkey and was in a fine, softly buzzed, mood when he left. Not ready for bed, but not really fit for serious work, I began thinking that I needed an earthwork to go with my 15mm TYW figures. I flipped through a couple of books on the period and it occurred to me that they were prone to building some pretty fancy earthworks. Of course this caused me to get out Proxxie and some Styrofoam.........

 

Proxxie in all his low-tech glory!

An Epicurean Thermopylae

          Frantic in their search for allies the Small-Platers of Bordelaise and Poivrade have enlisted the Pirate Captains in their efforts to stop the forces of Louis the Ravenous from gobbling up the Soubise valley and, following that, their cities. The coast road from Pomerol to Soubise creeps along the narrow space betwixt mountain and ocean and the Small-Platers have paid handsomely for the Pirate Captains to block that route. With plenty of time to prepare the pirates have dug in and fortified the narrowest passage and mounted cannon to further deny the roadway. The Freedonian army has been slow to mobilize and move and it looks as if they may be using an inland route for most of their force, the pirates are confident that they can halt anything moving along the coast.

         The forces of Freedonia do not move blindly and have scouted the pirates position. The map below was provided by the Freedonian light troops, two redoubts armed with cannon and a line of earthworks closing the pass. Is it possible to force the position given the strength of the pirates and their fortifications? Would it be wise to defy the will of Louis the Ravenous and choose a different route? Will there be crepes with lunch?  Who knows, but we will soon find out (I hope there are crepes with lunch, I love crepes!)

Rex Mortuus Est, Vivat Rex

HORRIBLE NEWS FROM THE WILD BOOZONIAN COAST!

       The fifth of November 1619A.D. Terrible news has come to our attention; far away on the Boozonian coast in a tiny fishing village near Bowmore and brawl between bands of ruffians has caused the death of an entirely innocent man; Clauz IV de Flamboise. Local citizens having suffered at the hands of the ruffians throughout the night heard a series of armed clashes just after dawn. After the smoke had cleared and the rabble had dispersed the villagers crept out into the sunlight to find dozens of corpses scattered across the fertile countryside. Among those lifeless bodies was the distinguished person of Claus IV, struck dead from a musket shot to the face. Locals gathered his effects including a gold signet ring, fine clothing and a war-horse branded to the royal House of de Flamboise. The local sheriff has verified these facts.

       The identity of the ruffians remains unknown, some claim that it was rival bands of Nordlandzer and Frozonian pirates settling a score or searching for hidden loot, more truthfully others just shrug and say that they don't know.

       A second tragedy has struck the House of de Flamboise in the space of two months, what further sorrows will befall the tearful land of Gluttonia?

 

the once-quiet village of Brineyville, north is to the right

as a small action this game was played out using 28mm figures and Pikemans Lament rules

News on the Freedonian Front The situation as of November 4th, 1619

         After long delays it seems that things are beginning to happen in the West. Rumors are rife that His Most Caloric Majesty has ordered his troops mobilized to "assist" Franz de Flamboise in his journey to Vienee to claim his rightful inheritance.

          Reports that the garrison of Pomeral has begun moving along the coast toward Soubise and that of Malbec is moving toward Marinara. There have been claims that Franz has been seen in the company of the Commander of the Malbec garrison which confirms that the Freedonians are shifting from verbal support to direct military aid.

          Gluttonian Small Plate forces are thin on the ground facing Freedonia and they are frantically seeking a way to counter this threat.  Shocking stories abound that they are even in contact with the Pirate Captains in a bid to secure their help.

 

 Freedonia moves east!

Game this Tuesday 5NOV19

A small affair using Pikemans Lament rules.
Covert operations in the current campaign 7pm, my place

Playing with Proxie.....a 1/100 Starfort UPDATED

      Readers from my main blog will instantly realize that I have gone and done something foolish with blueboard........

 

....they are right, of course

The Scurvy Pirates and their Captains....

 

not a large force, but they are particularly vicious

 
      The godforsaken devils whose ships brought the invaders to Mindoro and started this whole terrible war. The Pirates rarely appear far from saltwater but they are open-minded about sacking a town or two, especially if there is rum or gold to had. They are nimble fighters, used as they are to climbing in rigging all day. They also are a glad-hand with heavy artillery (an aspect that the invaders particularly appreciate as they have no cannon of their own) and will happily blast in your city gates to get at the goods inside. The only good aspect about them is that they can often be bribed to either go away or switch sides.

Staff
            3 x Captains all rank 4

Crewmen
            9 x Shot Companies

Speed   Melee   Shoot   Discipline   Courage   Stamina         Infantry   Cavalry   Salvo   Artillery
     5          4           3             5               4                4                     4              4            4             5
 Weapons;  Musket, Halberds & Greatswords
Special Rules; Light

A Grand Review

 

that is a 6 x4 foot table

      In the process of rebasing my armies I had to take them out of their boxes and reorganize them. I thought that, as long as I had them all out of the boxes, I would snap a picture of the whole lot in one place. Frankly, I didn't think that I had as many as all of this. What really surprised me was that I had painted almost all of them myself, kudos are due to Trunkmonkey (who painted two full Pike & Shot units) Steve Polan (who executed about thirty very nice Horse) and Little John (who painted several dozen of the foot figures mixed into the Shot Companies). As you can see about half of the total still needs to be rebased......sigh.

The Army of the Warlords of Mindoro, Updated with Stats for the troops

     The invaders that were the spark that started the entire conflict. The Epicureans never saw them coming and certainly didn't anticipate the fury of the assault. There were interruptions in trade with the East and rumors drifted through of a vast army that conquered all before it with a savage fury. But, as soon as trade resumed, the Epicureans ignored the rumors and went back to business as usual.

         Even when word had been received that these mystery warriors had joined forces with the Pirate Captains to gain the ability to move by sea nothing was done. Then one sunny day the Dark Fleet sailed in from the East. They made short work of the sleepy garrisons on Mindoro and were soon scouring the Middle Sea for merchant vessels to prey upon.

         The Emperor of Gluttonia, in an effort to recover his lost province, invaded Mindoro and was winning the land campaign when he was struck down during an insignificant skirmish. The resulting succession crisis led to the hasty withdrawal of the Gluttonian troops and the expansion of the invaders realm to include the islands of Kassabalka and Khrotos. This respite has also allowed the invaders to reorganize and settle in as the new masters of Mindoro.

 

the council of four Warlords  and their army

More Troops Mobilized for the Service of the King!

      Of course the question is which King?

      I finally got around to re-basing a bunch of figures, most importantly I now have some bases of dragoons (which appear on more than one army list!).

 

a Tercio Viejo, two Pike & Shot units, a Musketeer Corps,

 a Shott Company, a Melee Company with Halbreds  and four Dragoon units

Special Message to the Count de Veloute

     Your Highness,

                 I hesitate to impose upon your time of grief at the loss of your father, a brave and bold man was he, but crucial bit of information has come to my attention in speaking with soldiers that survived the last battle. The Buorgiugnonner troops were in such a hurry to head on their way after the last fight that they neglected to carry away the cannons that your father had sent to aid in the battle. Reports are that they had only burned the carriages and left the barrels lying on the field.
                A small force of skilled and motivated men could easily enough recover the precious gun barrels and bring them back to the city, providing double service to your Highness; preserving the cannon bought by your father and depriving the enemy of the chance to capture and use them against us later. I would hasten to point out that the Bourgiugnonners are doubtless aware of the valuable items that they left behind as well and are without a doubt planning to recover them as soon as is feasible.
               Speed is of the essence. I would be happy to place myself, and my company of bold soldiers, at your service in the execution  of this vital mission.

                         Your Faithful and Honest Servant,

                                                           Jacques sans-Pantaloons, Captain

The situation in the East as of 26OCT19

      The day ended with the forces of the Proper-Mealers gathering their wounded and marching toward Bourgiugnonne, the grim-faced Hollandaise troops watched in frustration unable to stop their enemy's escape. The poor Veloutian militia (or at least those still left alive) lurked in the darkling forests before returning by night to the maudlin battlefield to recover their slain and wounded. For all three forces it had been a harsh and bloody day, fraught with opportunities and calamities. 

       In the end Fortune and Discipline had favored the Proper-Mealers and they continued on their way home. This marked a second-straight victory for the massive, clumsy but undeniably powerful Tercio formation and a further frustration for those who dreamed of placing Hanz on the throne of the Gluttonian Empire. No one doubted the valiant action of the scarcely-trained militia from Veloute, or commitment of the hard-marching troopers from Hollandaise, but there was no questioning the awesome power of the fearsome Bourgiugnonner infantry and their brilliant cavalry.

       Although victorious the Proper-meal faction needed to rest their troops and recoup their strength, they stood as an island in a sea of Small-Plate cities and now knew that the full weight of the forces of Ferndalia would soon be bearing down upon them. The enemy controlled all of the cities (and fortresses) that had bridges to the west. They were well and truly isolated.

       Opposed to them were the cities that yearned for Small-Plater supremacy, they were frustrated and bewildered; twice they had confronted the enemy with what seemed equal odds but Victory had proven beyond their grasp. But they found comfort in the thought that they had control of the rest of the eastern half of the country and had powerful allies on the way to lend assistance.

        Both sides had reason to doubt the Boozonian protestations of neutrality and both also wondered at what action the Freedonian king would take, and when.

A Funny Thing happened on the way back to Bourguignonne

     Fresh from their victory at Mozzerella the Gluttonian Proper Mealers were marching back to Bourguignonne, the lone P.M.'er city in the east of Gluttonia. Little did they know that forces gathered against them; behind them the Small Platers of Hollandaise marched with all haste to catch up while in front of them the nervous recruits of the S.P. city of Veloute gathered to block the highway. Sunrise would test the resolve of all the men as they struggled to enforce their will.

The Situation in the East as of 10/24/1619

      Having successfully thwarted Ferndalia's plan to rush Hanz onto the Gluttonian throne both Boozonia and the Gluttonian Proper Mealers needed to return to base. They parted company on the road west, the Boozonians slipping back across the border while the Proper Mealers began the arduous march back to Bourguignonne, the only P.M. city east of the capital.

      In his palace Peter II was furious about the failure of his army and the blocking of his plan. Furthermore he was appalled by the poor performance of the mercenaries that had come so highly recommended, he resolved to dismiss them from his service and draft new units of Foot to replace for the next campaign season. Shouldering the blame for the decision to hire mercenaries he declined to accept General Sullivan's resignation. He began a full mobilization of his forces and sent Sullivan back to Mozzerella to reorganize the mercenaries and prepare them for battle saying, "They will not serve me next year, but I shall certainly get my money's worth out of them this season!"

      Caught completely off guard by the bold action of the Proper Mealers the Small Platers in Hollandaise and Veloute rapidly gathered their forces and marched to block the return of the P.M. forces to Bourguignonne and destroy the only hold-out of P.M. forces in the east of Gluttonia.

Secret Communication

Henry the Red,

       Excellent,
       Regroup near our border

                         Gordon

Official Communication, High Constable of Boozonia to Peter II of Ferndalia

Your Most High and Gracious Majesty,

       It has come to my attention that there has been as spate of riotous drinking in the southern Highlands of my nation. These characters are given to wild affections for lost causes and foolish actions based upon those emotions. Rumor has it that they may have joined with the Gluttonian Proper Mealer faction to oppose the ascent of Hanz to the throne.

     We are taking steps to prevent these fools from leaving our lands. please be advised and take the necessary precautions for your security.

                Your Faithful Servant,

                                    Gordon Ramsey, Lord High Constable of Boozonia

A Message for The Lord High Constable

Below the Walls of Mozzerella,

Mission Accomplished

Awaiting Orders

A Letter to my King

Your Most Righteous and Mighty Highness,

      It is my sad duty to report that the sovereign territory of your great and sublime Kingdom has been violated by the forces of Boozonia and Gluttonia. To make matters worse they not only violated your territory they have foully and underhandedly attacked your soldiers as they lay encamped before the walls of Mozzerella.

       The army was encamped outside of the city walls as there was a disease running through the horses inside the city and it seemed unwise to bring the army's mounts into such a place. Adequate patrols had been set (mostly to ensure that none of the new draftees decided to return home) and spotted the advancing Boozonian forces  from the south. These troops fought valiantly to delay the advance of the invaders while the army mustered.

       As your troops deployed to face the invaders we spied in the distance a body of Gluttonian troops approaching. Our information services had caused us to believe that there was a mass of Gluttonian troops approaching to join with us and guide Hanz to the capital. To our shock and dismay the arriving troops were from the Proper Mealer faction. These troops fell upon our army with the utmost ferocity.

      While our cavalry fought heroically to stem the tide of invasion the Mercenary Foot only provided a pretense of fighting before shamefully quitting the field. Their scurrilous flight left our position untenable, only the surprising and undaunted courage of the two units of draftees stemmed the tide of invaders long enough to provide a controlled retreat.

      I have used the cavalry to chase the unworthy mercenaries into the city to prevent their further flight. The defense (I feign to count on the mercenaries for such) has been left in the hands of the sturdy burghers of the city as well as the gunners and draftees who served so well during the battle. The cavalry have been kept away to operate against the invaders supply lines and to avoid infection. The city is well supplied and can withstand a siege of considerable duration.

      During the battle the Heir Apparent, Franz of Flamboise,  fought well and bravely and he is with me and in good health.

       Having the shameful burden of this report thrust upon me by my own failings I humbly tender my resignation

                     Your Loyal If Unworthy Servant,

                                                      Patrick Sullivan

A House Divided, the followers of the Small Plate Heresy

 

the tortured land of Gluttonia

    The untimely demise of Ferdinand III has left a rift in the fabric of Gluttonian society.His jovial nature and the force of his personality kept the tension between the factions of Proper-Mealers and Small-Platers under control. Without his firm hand on matters of state things have come entirely unstuck. Even as the army was en-route home from Mindoro the tension had risen to a fever pitch, with the Small-Platers blaming the Proper-meal faction for the death of the King. The return of the troops to their respective cities and the discovery that all of the heirs to the throne were in the hands of the surrounding kingdoms have left the nation an armed camp on the brink of civil war.

     The more progressive soldiers gravitated to the Small-Plate faction, these troops joined together and and sought to employ the latest fashions in combat. These opinions tended to be grouped by area and thus the various cities declared for Proper-Meal of Small-Plate, not to imagine that there was complete unanimity within any community, just that there was a prevailing mood.

Gluttonia; A House Divided The Proper Meal faction

Gluttonia divided

    The untimely demise of Ferdinand III has left a rift in the fabric of Gluttonian society.His jovial nature and the force of his personality kept the tension between the factions of Proper-Mealers and Small-Platers under control. Without his firm hand on matters of state things have come entirely unstuck. Even as the army was en-route home from Mindoro the tension had risen to a fever pitch, with the Small-Platers blaming the Proper-meal faction for the death of the King. The return of the troops to their respective cities and the discovery that all of the heirs to the throne were in the hands of the surrounding kingdoms have left the nation an armed camp on the brink of civil war.

     The more conservative soldiers gravitated to the Proper-Meal faction, bringing with them the traditional methods of fighting while the more progressive types joined the together and employed the latest fashions in combat. These opinions tended to be grouped by area and thus the various cities declared for Proper-Meal of Small-Plate, not to imagine that there was complete unanimity within any community, just that there was a prevailing mood.

Ferndalia Thwarted!

it all looked so peaceful as the sun went down,

the Ferndalian army camped below the walls of Mozzerella
north is at the top of the picture in this view

     As the Gluttonian Succession Crisis blended with the civil strife caused by the Small Platers vs Proper Meal Unrest, Peter the Famished put forward Hanz Flamboise as his candidate for the Gluttonian throne. this quickly ruffled feathers among the Boozonian Parliament not to mention the Gluttonian advocates of either Franz or Clauz. Undeterred Peter sent Franz to the border city of Mozzerella along with a portion of the Ferndalian army. By doing this he had hoped to act as a magnet for the Gluttonian supporters of Hanz and to place his man on the throne without undue conflict. Of course this was not meant to be.....

The Royal Army of Ferndalia, The Iron Fist of Peter II

     Peter II has spent much time and considerable wealth on his army. He has need of these efforts as the provinces of the north have a habit of deciding that they are independent and then fighting like the devil to stay that way.  This is further compounded by the depredations of the Eastern Horse Tribes who find it convenient to raid into the lands of Ferndalia from time to time. On the positive side of this there is the fact that the Ferndalian army has a considerable depth of actual combat experience, something that is at a real premium among the other empires of Epicurea.


His Royal Highness, Peter II "The Famished"   rank 5

The five Dukes of the Kingdom,  rank 4
      Bertram "The Hard", Ivan "The Bitter", Oswald "The Cunning", Nathan "The Drunk",
       and Stephen "The Jovial"

Five Generals of the common blood, rank 3

The Royal Guards
      Lifgard til Hest
          Modern Horse, Elite, Determined, Veterans
      Lifgard til Fonds
           Modern Squadron, Elite, Veterans , Reinforced

The Army of the People
   The Foot
       Line troops, 6 x Modern Squadron, Veterans
       New Line troops, 4 x Modern Squadron
       Draftee Line troops, 4 x Modern Squadron, Raw
       Uitlanders, 4 x Modern Squadron, Mercenaries
       Fusiliers of the Line,  8x Shot Companies, Musket
       Grenadiers of the Line, 6x Melee Company, Veteran, Brave, Mob
   The Horse
       Horse Arquebusiers, 6x Mounted Arquebusiers, Pistol 
       Line Horse, 8x Modern Horse, Determined, Veterans
       Light Horse, 4x Light Horse, Fearless, Veteran,  Arquebus
       Dragoons, 8x Dragoons, Veterans
   The Train of Artillery
      6x Light Batteries, Veteran, Regimental guns, Leather
      4x Heavy Batteries, Veteran, Large, Mortar, Horses 

The Army of Freedonia

 

the "Ancient Five" on maneuvers with some of the cavalry

      Louis The Ravenous is proud of his army and navy and lavishes them with attention and funding. Perhaps the best equipped troops on the continent the army of Freedonia lacks for nothing. Pride of place is taken by the Royal Guards but the Ancient Regiments are just behind in honor and reputation. Even the lowly freshly-recruited battalions are fully accoutered. This vast and powerful force has many tasks; guarding the frontiers, suppressing the perennially rebellious northwestern provinces and manning the colonies as well as internal security.

His Most Caloric Majesty, Louis XIII "The Ravenous" of the House of Bon-Bon, King of Freedonia
        (rank 5)
The Royal Heir Apparent, Louis XIV
         (rank 4)
The Comte du Vendage, Marshall and Vintner in Chief to the Army, Francois Sauvignion
         (rank 4)
The Comte du Fromage,  Marshall and Victualler in Chief to the Army, Bernard Gouda
         (rank 4)
The Comte du Pain, Marshall and Quartermaster to the Army, Etienne Cuillere
         (rank 4)
Eight Generals of the third rank

The Thirty Course War, The nations align for war

     Apologies to all for not posting recently, I was out of town for a bit. The characters have been posted but not the models for the armies they are about to lead (aside from Boozonia, that is). All of the forces will be built upon my collection of 30YW/ECW figures that I collected and painted MANY years ago. This force is almost exclusively Minifigs, back in the day when a 15mm figure WAS 15mm and Minifigs was cutting edge (yes, I'm really that old). It is a rather large collection and allows me to field a fairly huge force without too many compromises.

     All that aside I have decided that each of the four major powers in Epicurea will be modeled after an historical army. The Boozonians, as already explained, are based on the Scots. The Ferndalians will be based on the Swedes of Gustavus Adolphus and the Freedonians on the army of a very young Louis XIV. The splintered realm of Gluttonia will be split between the Proper Meal faction who will be represented by Spanish and the Small Platers will have the Hapsburg Imperialists carrying their banners.

       The Mindorans were Japanese Samurai in the first iteration of the campaign but I loaned some of the figures out and never got them back so some amendments will have to be made. The Nylians are new; I'm thinking that Ottomans would be a good fit and a nice difference from the Western style armies that have been included so far, I will have to see. The Frozonians (if they fail to stay loyal to Ferndalia) will be Petrine Russians while the Nordlanders will be ECW era British

Meet the Army of Boozonia

     The force is built upon the idea of a combined Lowland and highland force from about 1650AD. Using the army lists provided in Tercio rules and the Kingdoms supplement I constructed a force that blends the different nature of both forces into a (hopefully) coherent whole. The Lowlanders provide the fire base of artillery and steady musketry while the Highland forces are the shock element.

recruiting is still under way

Meet the Rulers; Clauz IV of Framboise, "The Unfortunate"

     The fifth child and third son of Ferdinand II de Flamboise, Clauz was an unattractive baby and grew uglier with age. Oddly his personality is the exact inverse of his visage; he was quiet, thoughtful, industrious, polite, kind, intelligent, perceptive, strong-minded, ethical, honest, decent, energetic, obedient, tidy, generous, healthy, wise and overall a rather nice fellow. As a fifth child among eight he was sometimes overlooked by his mother and his nannies. Of Ferdinand's four sons he is the only clearly sane one (the youngest, Mikail XII, being but three it is too early to guess) and it has been whispered in hallways that the Emperor wished to have his two oldest sons declared unfit so that he could elevate Clauz to the Imperial Throne only to be dissuaded by his wife at the last moment before he went off to war.

Meet the Rulers (almost) Hanz and Franz of the House Flamboise

     The Troublesome Twins, it is an unusual thing that the king of a land having three sons could cause a crisis in the line of succession but the presence of Franz and Hanz de Flamboise has brought about just that situation. Truth be told Ferdinand had doubts about his two oldest sons from early in their lives. The constant lying and deception that they practiced, paired with their very unusual view of how the world works, caused poor Ferdinand many a sleepless night. At his wife's insistence he refrained from having their names tattooed onto to them to prevent their endless shenanigans. 

Hanz de Flamboise

 

Franz de Flamboise (I think)

      Hanz always displayed a casual disdain for the thoughts and feeling of others that seemed to have no limits, while Franz was slavishly deferential to the opinions and feelings of everyone about him. Hanz would break a glass to see it shatter and Franz would buy a set to replace it.

Meet the Ruler; Gordon Ramsey, Lord High Constable of Boozonia

 

the right honorable Lord High Constable of Boozonia, Gordon Ramsey

      Alone among the leaders of nations in Epicurea Gordon Ramsey did not inherit his position. Boozonia developed a national consciousness six centuries ago. Four hundred years of intermittent conflict continued until the House of Flamboise finally gave up and granted Boozonia its independence. The lengthy struggle against the Imperial power sharpened the already intense feeling of individual freedoms and God-given rights. The Boozonians have enshrined these rights in The Covenant which forms the basis for their form of government.

Meet the Ruler; Peter II "The Famished" of King of Ferndalia

 

His Most Esteemed Royal Majesty Peter II

      The Whey dynasty has ruled Ferndalia off and on (mostly on) since time immemorial. It is only since shedding their pagan ways that they began to enumerate their kings, whom they name in strict alphabetical order. Peter has ruled for the past fifteen years succeeding his very long-lived grandfather Nathan II. Widely respected, if little loved, Peter holds sway over the largest kingdom in Epicurea running the realm with the attention to detail normally found only in the finest of chefs. His cold demeanor and excessive devotion to his cause have not engendered any love from his citizens but they do appreciate the order that he has brought to the realm following the chaos of Nathan's too-lengthy rule.

Meet the Ruler; His Most Caloric Majesty, Louis XIII "The Ravenous"

 

tell me, honestly now, does this wig make my head look fat?

       The House of Bon-Bon has ruled Freedonia for the past five hundred years; compared to the House of Flamboise they are like a rambunctious child with all the inferiority issues that come with being a younger sibling. The Bon-Bon dynasty has always felt the need to exceed all the other royal houses in every definable way; more extravagant clothing, food, palaces, uniforms, navies, entertainments....the list goes on and on. In large part they have succeeded in this ambition due to the discovery of vast silver deposits in their colonies which have lifted the burden of the monarch's vision off of the long-suffering peasants. 

Meet the Ruler, The recently deceased Ferdinand de Flamboise III

 

his Most Exalted Majesty riding off to battle

       For the past two decades Gluttonia had flourished under the careful management of Ferdinand the III. It is only recently that the Small Plate heresy has been upsetting the peace and calm of the prosperous countryside that is blessed with a fertile landscape and a diligent, hardworking populous. Ferdinand, known affectionately as "Fat Ferddy" to his subjects, saw to the maintenance of peace within and without his lands.