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