January 2011

1st month of the new year has come and gone. Hard time getting motivated to start the year, but I did manage to finish my planned painting.


72 militia figures for imagi-nation: 72 points

TOTAL: 72 points

Plan for Feb:

8 x 8 figure cavalry units

I set up the 1st game for my next imagi-nation campaign but have yet to play. I am planning on using the Carnage and Glory II computer moderated rules, but I have broken out my Field of Battle (Piquet) rules...I keep coming back to these as they seem like they will provide a great solo game. I swing back and forth between wanting lots of detail and wanting a faster moving game. I am also intrigued by Black Powder...need to relook those rules.

Played another Flying Lead game with my son...a few pictures below:

Colonial Militia

6 Regiments of militia led by their blue coated officers. Figures are a mix of colonials from Blue Moon.

One ifantry unit (Sappers and Miners) left on hand to paint. Plan on 3 more units (never ending!) to round me out to 60 infantry units. I am planning on these being 3 units of 7YW figures in white to represent either mercenaries or a semi-autonamous region of the kingdom.

Musings

I have not been very motivated to paint this month and my 6 battalions of colonial militia sit partially done. I am committed to finishing them this month. A recent article in The Classic Wargames Journal about staying focuses has given me new hope...need to buckle down and get these guys done.

Next up will be starting the remaining 12 cavalry units for my imagi-nation. Heavy cavalry are in short supply in the KoK. After that is a single infantry unit (sappers and miners) and then I am done with all on hand infantry and cavalry. Generals, baggage/trains, and civilians will follow.

Made my first purchase of 2011...buildings from Miniature Building Authority. I now have one of each of their 15mm buildings. Not cheap, but very nice. Great for skirmish gaming.

I set up the table for the opening battle of my 2nd imagi-nation campaign. I am trying the Carnage and Glory II computer moderated rules. A small affair of a dozen units a side, but the outcome will drive the direction of the campaign.

Played a skirmish game with my son this weekend...he set up a scenario in which my rag tag band had to defeat his SEAL teams and rescue a hostage (law of war was not in effect for this one!). I started out getting ambushed and suffered heavy losses, but one of the Rebel Mini female figures I pained last month ended up taking out four SEALs and gaining notoriety. I also ended up putting a RPG round into the back of a truck carying his reinforcements and we called the game with each of us in control of half the board. Did not take many pictures, but here are a few.

War in the North

9 September- Forces from the Barony of Schluppity-Schlupp crossed the border into the Grand Duchy of Hippo-Heimer proclaiming that the troops are needed to quell the civil war breaking out in the Grand Duchy. While the exact composition of the invading force is unknown, a large Legion of Peace consisting of disaffected Hippo-Heimer citizens is said to be in the van. The invading army quickly brushed aside the local border guard and is marching towards Merlichetic.




11 September- A second Schlupp force entered Grand Duchy territory to the South in the Yonder Hills. Moving swiftly, they have occupied several villages and are in a position threaten the Katzian-Heimer trade road through the Vavode Valley and are close to linking up with the rebels at Gwernhoff. There has been no word from the Kingdom of Katzenstein over these blatant attacks.



14 September- The Regency Council has been disbanded and Count Wilhelm appointed as Defender of the Realm. The Count has called on Katzenstein to send troops to repel the invaders. He has called up a force of his own troops from the County of Keck to come to the Grand Duchy’s aid. Reports out of the West indicate the Principality of Poo-Bochen has reinforced its troops on the Hippo-Heimer border and have sent a private note to the King of Katzenstein warning against interfering in the conflict.



15 September- In a surprise move, the Barony of Gluppity-Glupp landed a force East of Merlichetic and has declared the River Iller upstream from the border of the County of Keck to be under blockade. The Baron of Gluppity-Glupp published a statement in support of the Legion of Peace and their efforts to end the civil war in Hippo-Heimer. This force is now located on the lines between the main Hippo-Heimer army preparing to defend the border, and the capital at Oldschmidt.



16 September- Schlupp and Hippo-Heimer forces met in a brief skirmish near the village of Beatty today. Losses were light on both sides, and the Hippo-Heimer forces withdrew in good order.



19 September- The Kingdom of Katzenstein has occupied the border fortress in Hippo-Heimer at the request of Count Wilhelm.  The peaceful hand over of the fort may be a sign of a pending intervention by the Kingdom.



25 September- The Principality of Poo-Bochen declared the Katzian invasion of Hippo-Heimer as illegal and called on Count Wilhelm to have his forces reoccupy the fortress at Great Bluff.



29 September- In a reprisal for the Katzian intervention, Poo-Bochen forces attacked the two forts guarding their border with Hippo-Heimer. While one fort fell quickly to an assault, the second withstood two attacks causing heavy casualties to the attackers. The border fort at Curfu is now under siege.



03 October- WAR!

Building Tensions

21 July- Grand Duchy forces have encountered several armed groups crossing the frontier from Schluppity-Schlupp but have been prevented from pursuit by Schlupp forces.




26 July- A squadron of Hippo-Heimer cavalry was forced to surrender to Schlupp forces after straying across the border in pursuit of a rebel band calling itself the Legion of Peace. Count Wilhelm has called for the immediate release of his forces but there has been no reply.



3 August- The Regency Council issued a statement claiming that the disgraced former Marshal of the Grand Duchy, Baron Von Stinken, is the force behind the growing unrest. After having fled prosecution for tax evasion, horse thievery, and sodomy last year, the Baron Von Stinken has been residing with his cousin, the Baron of Schluppity-Schlupp. Von Stinken’s new wife, the daughter of the Baron of Gluppity-Glupp, is said to want Von Stinken to have lands of his own.



6 August- The town of Gwernhoff has taken up arms in open rebellion against the Regency. The local militia regiment has begun to fortify the town and has called on the Legion of Peace to save them from the machinations of Count Wilhelm and his Regency lackeys.



12 August- Hippo-Heimer forces surrounded the rebels in Gwernhoff, demanding unconditional surrender. There has been no reply from the besieged rebels.



19 August- The Baron of Schuppity-Sclupp stated that Schlupp forces will conduct a large scale training exercise next month.



23 August- The Katzian ambassador to the Barony of Schluppity-Schlupp has been recalled to Whoville for consultations.



28 August- The Regency Council has granted Katzenstein the rights to station a pair of gunboats at Merlichetic in support of the ongoing efforts to repair the Bunting Canal. The Kingdom of Didd is sure to be very displeased about the growing Katzian military presence along the River Iller.

Conflict on the horizon

26 May- In appreciate for the forces dispatched to assist in the recovery at Merlichetic, Count Wilhelm has given a gift of one thousand fine horses to the King of Katzenstein. The appreciate King is said to have directed that the horses will be used to remount several units that suffered from last year's devastating Equine Flu.




15 June- There have been over a dozen more attacks in Hippo-Heimer despite the reinforcement of the Army of Relief with three more battalions from Katzenstein and a Regiment of Dragoons from Kleck. In other news, the Kingdom of Katzenstein has signed a ten year lease to use a dock in the capital of the District of Doft. Two large gunboats and a pair of river barges will be based at Giftzwing to patrol the River Iller.



28 June- After a major raid on the small hamlet of Homlet was repulsed by the local militia, the Army of Relief launched a spirited pursuit of the attackers. Catching a group attempting to escape up a steep path, a squadron from the Boober Bay Uhlans killed two score of the enemy and took several prisoners. A second group is still being pursued by the volunteer Frei Korps provided by the County of Keck.



29 June- The Army of Relief, working in concert with the Katzian River Patrol has followed the fleeing enemy up the River Fromm (a tributary of the River Iller separating Didd and the Barony of Gluppity-Glupp).



30 June- There are reports of a minor clash between the Allied forces pursuing the bandits up the Fromm and forces of the Barony of Gluppity-Glupp defending a river fort at a bridge over the Fromm. While casualties are reportedly light, the pursuit has been halted and the force is now sailing back down the tributary.



1 July- A series of diplomatic notes have been exchanged by the ambassadors of
Katzenstein, Didd, Hippo-Heimer, Gluppity-Glupp, and Schluppity-Schlupp. While the exact contents are of course secret, the topic at hand can only be the cross border raids along the seemingly lawless frontier. A riot has also been reported in the town of Gwernhoff over the inability of the Regency to defend the local populace. There were repeated calls for Count Wilhelm to step down before a squadron of dragoons dispersed the crowd.



2 July- A patrol of Hippo-Heimer Jagers were ambushed along the riverbank and killed to a man. The casualties among the attackers are unknown.



16 July- The Regency Council has declared martial law in the Grand Duchy and closed the border in the West.

The Road to War

10 March- An early thaw has caused the Iller River to rise swiftly through the month. Boat traffic on the river has been treacherous and farmers are concerned about flooding of the newly planted field.




2 April- The levee along the Bunting Canal in the Grand Duchy of Hippo-Heimer broke and flooded the town of Merlichetic. Over one thousand perished in the flood including half a company of the Grand Duke's army when the local barracks collapsed.



5 April- Grand Duke Carl Gustov and Duchess Karina have died in a horrible accident. The Royals drown after their carriage overturned at night on a trip to inspect the flood damage in the North of the Grand Duchy. The carriage evidently slipped off the road into a flooded field killing all aboard. Reports indicate The Grand Duke's escorting squad of Dragoons also all died as they valiantly tried to rescue their liege.



7 April- Grand Duke Carl Gustov's heir, young Johann has been proclaimed the new Grand Duke with a regency council to organize affairs until the youngster reaches maturity. The dead Grand Duke's cousin, Wilhelm, the Count of Keck, has been invited to lead the council.



19 April- The Kingdom of Katzenstein has dispatched a small force of soldiers to assist the Grand Duchy in providing relief to the victims of the recent floods. In other news, the Grand Duke's army reported a border clash with a large group of bandits in the hills along the northwest frontier. Twenty dragoons were lost in driving the bandits from the area before returning to the makeshift camp outside Merlichetic. The remaining bandits were last seen taking small boats up the river towards the Barony of Schluppity-Schlupp.



5 May- The Katzian force consisting of several battalions (Sneeches Seminary Regiment, Poozers Pioneer Regiment, Vavoode Voltiguer Regiment, Hartuh Mawtch Musketeer Regiment, a battery of 6lb guns, and the Boober Bay Uhlans- all commanded by Colonel O’Dell) have arrived at the town of Merlichetic. They are joined by forces of the Grand Duchy and a battalion of volunteers from Keck. The Army of Relief, as they have been dubbed has begun to repair the Bunting Canal and the local levees.



20 May- The River has reached the high water mark and is slowing beginning to recede. The levee at Merlichetic has been repaired and work continues on repairing the defenses of the flooded town. Boat traffic on the river is still scarce, but with so many bridges still out from the flooding, it is expected to pick up shortly.



22 May- The Regency Council engaged in heated debate on the course of the nation's affairs. The rampant banditry along the border continues unchecked with daily clashes between the Grand Duchy's overstretched forces and local militia, and the roving bandits. There is much speculation about the source of the bandits and if they are in fact actually a rebel movement in the making. Many eyes turn to the Kingdom of Didd as the source of the trouble, but others suggest it may be a Katzian plot to take advantage of the Grand Duchy's misfortune to annex the land. In Katzenstein, the Countessa Genessa celebrated her twenty-ninth birthday again this year.

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I am ramping up for my second imagi-nation campaign. I will finish the last 6 infantry regiments (colonial militia) I have on hand and then need to get on with the cavalry (12 x 8 figure regiments). The first battle will be a small defensive affair using Carnage and Glory II computer moderated rules.