Maurice "Not Entirely Lite"

For starters, I decided to conduct one battle in my Formaggian Succession Wars campaign, using the "Lite" version of Maurice.

As one side's army was almost entirely made up from fresh conscripts after a devastating defeat, I gave them a combat value of 4, whereas all units in the Lite verison have 6.

I used the morale rules from the Lite booklet, and did not include too much terrain or any Notables.

The scenario is this: two allied Houses advance on a weakened third. The defending side is really on the defensive this time, the enemy has overwhelming numbers.

Rules of Engagement for the FSW Solo Campaign

a.k.a. the Formaggian Succession Wars. 

Prelude: the ruling House of the Alliance of Quattro Formaggi has become extinct. The last surviving members have made a run for the New World, perhaps anticipating what is to come.

Four houses of the four corners of the Alliance rise with a claim to the throne. 

I've been looking for quick and easy rules...

Only to find out it's been sitting on my hard drive for a long time now. 

If you had not guessed already, it's the Lite version of Maurice, a free offer containing only the basics of the "big" rules. With some tweaking and still keeping it simple, a good number of 6mm battles could be fought with it, even in the nick of time and space. 

A further advantage is that I have the card set, so no need to print the identical "Lite" free cards. After two years of wear, however, they must be protected from the foul hands of players, using plastic sleeves.

I have received a smaller Baccus order recently, and three more units of foot (WSS infantry painted as Bavarians) are already complete, while three more (SYW Austrian grenadiers) await flocking. More Freikorps will also partake in these games, for which I'll be using the WSS dismounted dragoons in very bright uniforms. 

As a result of my earlier experiments with the rather small and crude Heroics and Ros figs, I dropped the basecoat-wash-highlight method entirely for painting 6mm figures, and have been using a sort of shaded basecoat, which is basically 

1. primer
2. paint the entire strip dark brown 
3. brown drybrush 
4. highlight with block colors.

This produces acceptable results (viewed from at least 1-2 feet) and reduces time required to paint figures - indeed, a Baccus pack of 96 infantry only takes two to three hours from priming to attaching the not yet varnished figures to bases.

Forte Prada redoubts, Day 1

The Count of Calvacasa oversaw the beginning of siege operations against the next obstacle in his way south: the loyalist stronghold, Forte Prada, The stone fort was built in the midst of a salty swamp, inside a river estuary. This meant that mining was not viable: the rebels had to use more traditional (and risky) methods.

The Glambrian engineer d'Arson has fallen ill with the gout, so Major Halmarson and the Count were in command on day one.

Project report

Things have been silent for a good while (over 3 months, actually). I have done a bunch of other things, R&C is a testimony to that. I'd like to revive (like so many times before) this blog, as a get-away from the Napoleonic and various other stuff. Here are the key points:

Formaggian Succession Wars, using Cossacks and a simple campaign resolution mechanism: in my free time when I'm not painting, I'm doing this. The official calendar might change as I'm working with weekly turns, perhaps I might just change it to months instead of weeks.

Smaller events/stories, I have enough painted 1/72 figures to play a few games.

6mm Albionic campaign in the Colonies or the Barbary coast, using good old Maurice or my fast play rules. 

The defense of the Lionsgoat Inn

In this third installment of the Bandits and Villains Flashing Steel mini-campaign, the stakes have never been higher. After the second game, the bandits took the initiative, and being on the defensive in the previous encounter, they began a small offensive against the weakened loyalist border troops. 

Victory conditions:

Bandits: (1) capture the intelligence from the chest (2) lose no men, leave no wounded behind

Loyalists: (1) prevent the capture of the intelligence (2) take at least one wounded bandit prisoner.

Representing armies in Maurice #1

Some guidelines based on the performances in the previous war, for use in future wars.

Plans and more plans

From time to time I feel the need to clarify a few things about the direction the Schultze-Bönstadt universe is heading.

Ring of Fire

This is the second installment of the Bandits and Villains mini-campaign. The loyalists have the lead after winning the previous game, and push forward into bandit territory. 

The battle takes place at a small village near the freshly established border. Colonel Furfante's men believe they could ambush the bandits, but are sadly mistaken: the enemy rallied their forces and somehow acquired a galloper gun, too. 

In the Stinking Goat Inn at the outskirts of the village, a Count's daughter is held captive by the bandits. They have also met with Luigi Trattore, the famous pirate and one of his sidekicks, plus the villagers really, really hate the redcoats... all is set for a good skirmish.

Victory point conditions:

Loyalists: set fire to at least three houses (1), reach the damsel in distress and secure her (1)

Bandits: kill Colonel Furfante (1), prevent the recapture of the lady (1)

The loyalists deploy in strict order and immediately set out to burn some houses down. This is a punitive action, as Ricco Furfante knows the inhabitants hid some outlaws a while back.

A Bridge Too Close

The Varangian Major Halmarson took command of the brigade attacking the western bridge near the village of Gallo. He had four infantry battalions and the heavy cannon from Civita Maria. The enemy did not fortify much, nor did they construct a bridgehead. The enemy Colonel was a rich citizen of one of the southern cities, with a volunteer provincial light infantry detachment of a hundred and twenty, and two standard strength provincial battalions under his command. He was smart enough to raise a redoubt, but on the wrong side of the bridge. 

The eastern bridgehead

Captain d'Arson and First Lieutenant Criceto of the Civita Maria militia were tasked with removing the defenses of the bridge between the city and Forte Prada. The enemy had a light infantry and a provincial battalion, supported by two heavy cannon. The rebel leaders commanded two battalions of foot, 240 men altogether, and two wings of cavalry, both 80 strong, the battle-hardened Calvacasa's Own Cavalry and the freshly raised and equipped Calvacasa Outriders.

Planning ahead

The current military situation of the rebellion on the Count's map. With the capture of Civita Maria, everything north of the river belongs to Calvacasa. The small garrison the rebels passed by to advance on the city had left and moved south towards the nearest stronghold across the river. The Count knows that the next logical step in the campaign is the capture of Forte Prada in the southern swamps with its extended series of fortifications and control of river trade.

Muster

The Count of Calvacasa reviews the troops supplied by the Civita Maria council. In one week, two more infantry companies were raised, along with a wing of 80 cavalry.

As the rebel army is still very small, there is not a formal higher command or higher formations. Battalion and company are also interchangeable most of the time as a battalion is usually 100-120 men strong.

The town officials will gain their respective military ranks from the Count after the ceremony, and the same time the reinforcements will be organized to an infantry and cavalry regiment (the three gun crews will merge with the rebels' existing artillery unit). Of course calling eighty men a regiment is far-fetched, but as the count pointed out earlier, the rebels are in dire need of any mounted men available. On the other hand, the three units of infantry (one Civita Maria household infantry and two volunteer militia) are a quite formidable 400-men force, The only problem is their training: no matter how enthusiastic the volunteers are if the provincials have the advantage over them by frequent practice. 

And while the Count rests and plans his next moves, the Parmigiano court receives news about his recent conquests...

The trap is sprung

Knight-Colonel Ricco Furfante was trusted by the Parmigiano government to bring peace to the freshly established frontier between Calvacasa's territory and that of the loyalists. The colonel was famed for his knowledge in the art of la petite guerre. And one thing was established about him: as a dragoon officer, he was fond of being in the middle of action. 

The northern bandits received intelligence about an army surgeon's medicine wagon being escorted through the border. They decided to capture the goods at the edge of cultivated land where an ambush is least expected. They did not know however that the intel was forged by Furfante himself, and he made sure two cavalry guards of the central army were in close support, but unseen by rebel spies.

The rebel group consisted of two swordsmen, two leaders, two riders and three men with muskets. There were two dragoons, two Cacciatori, a provincial sergeant and five footman in the loyalist detail (both parties are worth ~500 points in Flashing Steel).

Loyalist objectives: (1) Destroy more than half of the enemy force; (2) Escort the medicine supply across the field to the top of the hill.
Bandit objectives: (1) Destroy more than half of the original enemy force (the cavalry guard not counted); (2) Capture the medicine supply and retain the hold of it for three turns.

Bandits and Villains - a Flashing Steel mini-campaign

Flashing Steel is now my preferred skirmish game for the 17th and 18th centuries. With a bit of tinkering very unique attributes can be given to figures. The rulebook also has a mini-campaign system, but in this case not too useful. 

What I'd like to do is a series of clashes between the bandits now taking shelter in Calvacasa's land, and a ruthless loyalist officer sent to destroy them. The loyalist army is not ready for a direct engagement,  especially after their recent defeat, but a larger number of provincials can be sent against the hundred or so outlaws. Word also travels slowly and the Parmigiano court might not at all be aware of the loss of the Civita Maria garrison. 

So here are a few outlines for my own future references, and ideas which may help someone:

Spoils

The Civita Maria council greeted the victors with grace. Their friendliness seemed most advantageous to Pietro di Calvacasa - not to be perceived an oppressor in a new strip of acquired territory could be more than benevolent to his cause. 

Pitch

Pietro di Calvacasa arrived near a farmstead close to the walls of Civita Maria. His small army was visible from the towers of the old fort, and the garrison commander was eager to march against it. 

'Sire, I think the rebels have acquired siege guns', a scout reported as the battalions assembled near the gate. 'We have spotted them on a hill, overlooking the western walls.'

'But Christ, those are the weakest of all', the General said, 'we better hurry and chase these traitors back to their hovels!'

Calvacasa's attack force consisted of two 120-men household battalions after the Varangian fashion, and a group of 80 militia. The culverins seen by the scout were actually logs painted black and placed on fake carriages. The count ordered some peasants to act like tending to the cannon. He hoped this increased threat would entice the very large mouse to scurry out of the tunnel and measure its strength against the very small cat.