FSW Campaign Log, Year 1

You can follow events on the map above, and don't forget to check the campaign rules if something is not clear.
The log of Year 2 is here.

Turn1, March 1523

PR sues for help in Glambria; the Glambrian court does not want to risk drawing others to conflict; secret agreement (4)? : NO

CA sends envoy to Böhnstadt to be insured of no intervention (3): YES

GA attempts to sway rebel Guard Btn (5): NO; rebels cornered (5): YES

SC sends an envoy to the Porto Pescatore fleet to take GA-held southern isle with the promise of loot (7/2d6): NO

Turn2, April 1523

Porto Cancere fleet selects loyalty: GA

PR moves Cavalry Rgt to Tricia, arrives next turn; trying to bribe Glambrian army officials (5): NO

CA concentrates @ Forte Prada with full army, assembled next turn

GA checks for public scandal after cornering Guards & preparing to slaughter them (d10/6): NO, public outrage; guards let go? (4): YES

Rebel Guard Btn moves southward & will select loyalty next turn

SC asks Porto Pescatore fleet for non-interference (5): NO

Turn3, May 1523

Rebel Guard Btn chooses loyalty: NONE

PR sends Light Btn to scout Parmigiano

CA moves out to southern passage

GA spies notify court of CA movement, rebels & PR forces currently more important

SC sends a pair of fireships to Porto Pescatore harbor (11/2d6): succeeds in burning the fleet down; ultimatum sent and refused (3)

Turn4, June 1523

Rebel Guard Btn sacks the villages & is stationed south of Parmigiano

PR moves main army (with garrisons left in every fortress) to Tricia, 2nd Light Btn sent forward to harass GA-held territory

CA hesitant to move on Parmigiano

GA north-eastern loyalist Btns raised: 1 foot, 1 horse, concentrated near the river crossing; 2Rgt Horse sent against Guard Btn (4); rebels dug in & repel unprepared attack

SC messengers scour small harbors & purchase all sorts of sea-going craft

Turn5, July 1523

Rebel Guard Btn Commander proclaims himself King of All Southern Formaggia, executes GA captives

PR Light Btns approach the capitol & burn crops with main army still idle

CA hesitant to extend lines of communication, moves west on the highway to besiege western forts

GA moves full force against PR light troops; evade (6): YES

SC transport fleet will arrive in 2 turns

Turn6, August 1523

Rebel Guard Btn takes advantage of GA deployment, enters Parmigiano outskirts

PR generals worried about south-western estates, 1Btn and 1Rgt Horse sent to guard them, the rest of the army still idle; Light Btns return to Tricia

CA moves SW, encounters militia pickets; force crossing? (4): YES

                Number of crossings: 2

                Bridgehead (4): YES

                Battalion guns (5): NO

RESULT: ½ Rgt CA Horse VS. 1COY GA militia, ½ Rgt Horse destroyed; 2nd half escapes to enemy-held territory; the rest retreat in good order

GA sends one half of Parmigiano garrison to trap rebels (4): NO

SC transport fleet 1 turn; forces ready to embark

Turn7, September 1523

Rebel GD btn cornered&isolated (6): YES

PR army recruits 11COY: 3 foot BTN & 1 Cuirassier Rgt.; assembled on the river next turn

CA attempts to sway NE towns (4): NO; retreats on the highway

GA destroys rebel btn (3): YES, public executions held

SC embarks, arrives next turn, feint towards Crasso with 2 frigates, fleet’s aim is Pescatore: absolute success

Turn8, October 1523

PR army concentrates in Alba and Tricia, feint southwards, main thrust against Parmigiano

CA recruits: 12COY (4 horse, 8 foot), assembled in CivMaria

GA falls for feint? (5): YES, main army elements moving south

SC finds 1d4 btns in Pescatore: Marines put up resistance? (4): YES; 3 btn total defense force, the city must be taken by storm

BATTLE OF PORTO PESCATORE

marginal SC victory

remaining 2 ships quit port

10 guns taken

no quarter given

SC 400 foot and 50 horse lost (KIA, wounded)

Turn9, November 1523

PR army manages to take the capitol? (5): NO, GA armies redirected; garrison joins? (4): YES, 17COY Pretoriani: 9foot 8cav on GA side

CA reinforcements join up with main army, preparing to assault GA-held forts

GA attempts to link up with the praetorian corps (5): YES

BATTLE OF PARMIGIANO – marginal PR victory

GA army ceases to exist; 11COY Pretoriani (2 foot, 2,5 horse), 10 cannon incorporated to PR army

total PR losses: 1btn light, 2btn foot, 2rgt cavalry

SC levies in Pescatore, 17COY (4btn infantry, 50 cavalry)

Turn10, December 1523

PR holds a feast in Parmigiano, crowning prevented due to news of CA army moving south again

CA army sends pickets to the south to inquire after popular opinion, mistaken for advance guard

GA court escapes to the east & levies 15COY: 3 foot 1,5 horse, depot & picket units reattached, still no artillery

SC offers alliance to GA & links up with GA advance guards, checks for rebellion after levies (5): NO

  

Turn11, January 1524

PR marches on CA? (5): NO, city evacuated? (4): YES; Pretoriani willing to leave for campaign? (4): NO, forced to do so? (3): YES

CA army divided, commences sieges of two northern forts, surrendering (3),(4): NO

fortress A 7COY encircled, awaiting the results of the other siege

fortress B 5COY – 4COY lost, CA loses 40 men, fort surrenders

GA forces fortify eastern provinces

SC forces move on Porto Cancere to get hold of fleet

Turn12, Feb 1524

PR begins to establish defensive works along the river, 2nd army raised 

1) 5COY Alba 

2) 9COY Tricia 

3) 19COY Parmigiano (unruly, irregular): will concentrate on Parmigiano

CA full force under fortress A, surrenders? (3): NO, bombardment commences

GA levies & taxes heavily, 11COY recruited, people unsettled? (3): NO

SC forces on the move to PortoCancere, arrive next turn; island invasion with 2nd army raised in Schiavona 10COY (3btn foot)

~Campaign Notes~

During this first year of the conflict, the participants were not as committed to absolute domination; it was more about preliminary movements for an all-out campaign. Therefore the Prosciutto army seizing he capitol was a surprise for all participants, especially to those they bested.

Despite that, most army commanders were still trying to find their pace, therefore only smaller actions were fought, as you can see:

• Sieges: 3
• Pitched battles: 2
• of which decisive: 1

Fighting an army equal in strength took its toll on the attacking Prosciutto forces, fortunately they had the Pretoriano units to swell their ranks. This and similar experiences will teach inexperienced commaders the price they have to pay for a decisive victory, and the very same stands for garrisons taken by storm: the capture of Porto Pescatore was a most gruesome incident.

I would also like to point out that at this stage of the campaign, I had very little premonitions about each house's way of handling things, and left this to shape itself out as the log progresses. After the first year, however, we can already see some tendencies that become distinct to each House later on:

• Prosciutto is mildly competent, but very defensive of their territory.
• Calvacasa is very cautious and protective of their LOC leading north.
• Schiavona is aggressive and the least caring about their manpower.
• Gattopardo, originally in the best, therefore most threatened position, is becoming more and more marginalized by the other three Houses.