Monday, March 29, 2010

New recruits 4

Well the recruits are just flocking to the standards at the moment (which is funny, because flocking is the biggest holdup to them making it to the battlefield). The latest poor oppressed Skyrian peasants to be seduced by a silver penny reward, two regiments (4 battalions) of Hungarians:

The Gulyas Regiment

 
The Rakoczy Regiment


When playing BAR/Charge, these will neatly form a 4-company regiment of Hungarians, whcih works pretty well.

In addition to these, the exchequer has strained mightily and produced a few more artillery pieces - a pair of Kruppfalz howitzers (near), 2 Icenian 6pdrs, and a company of Skyrian 6pdrs, along with sundry civilian teams to mobilise them




Thursday, March 25, 2010

A new campaigning year

Inspired by the outburst of artistic inspiration by some of his betters and elders*, the proud Elector has revealed a new standard for his homeland, combining the proud Krupp eagle** and the Croix Raguly of Pfalz:


New Liebstandarten are to be issued as soon as funds can be spared from the purchase of hardtack, sausage and cheeses***




*with a particular bow to young Duke Kristjan
** The first whisper of the phrase Turgid Turkey shall be rewarded with a free trip around the Krupp dungeons, fully illustrated
*** That would be for the Electoral table

Monday, March 15, 2010

Rogues Gallery

In addition to the recent recruiting drive, I have also added a few less martial figures to the collection

Our Hero, the Elector, book in hand, about to retire to a sylvan glade to read to his (well, someone's) wife while the young Prinz Wilhelm frolics


King George Hermann Friedrich, his Britannic Majesty, enjoying an afternoons' shooting, while his son, the Butcher of Bakersfield studiously applies himself to the study of anatomy.

Louis the Nth disports himself bibulously, while his latest mistress, Madame de Pompadour, preens for the artiste


Princess Mitzi anxiously casts about for her pup

The Empress Maria Tonia of Skyria, the evil witch of the South-east, allegedly on a recruiting drive.

New recruits 3

Skyrian recruits: 4 battalions of grenadiers, staggering drunkenly out of Die Pferd Weiss

And the Nederlander Regiment, 2 battalions strong

Finally, some gallant Croats - the Traminer Grenzer battalion

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Altenhof: the Resolution

Young Marc now came galloping back through the pines, hat askew and red-faced. "Sir, Sir, Funck's brigade is engaging now! the Sobieski regiment has intruded a battalion through the wood, menacing the Skyrian flank, but one of the Livgarden battalions has taken a terrible caning from their musketry, and is in flight."

Otto grunted, "And their cavalry?" - "Oh, one regiment was destroyed by the Livgarden fire, the other has moved away towards the centre". With a handwave, Otto sent the ADC galloping back to his observation post, then trotted over to the reserve regiment of Butyrsky Fusiliers, to pass the order to be ready for an eruption of cavalry.

Livgarden regiment being pressed by the Austrians

Sure enough, right on queue, the Skyrian dragoons emerged, just as the Fusiliers faced towards them. They essayed a rapid charge, but the unbroken line of bayonets repelled them, and they halted, flank open to the remaining Krup artillery. Otto cheered, "Pour it in, lads, give them another volley!"  Satisfied that the menace to his flank was contained, he peered through the hills of smoke in front, trying to see how the Oldenburg regiment was faring face to face with the Austrian foot.

The O'Reilly Dragoons try conclusions with Sobieski Fusiliers

Hearing a tremendous hullabaloo to his right, he slewed around in the saddle, and peered through his telescope,. Migod! under pressure from the Garde zu Fuss to their front, the Skyrian grenadiers were crumbling from a charge of the Kalkreuth Dragoons into their flank  - it looked like they had broken through into one battalion, then swept on into the flanks of two more, tearing apart the grenadier reserve line.




Von Wesel and the Kalkreuth Dragoons destroying Muscat's Grenadier brigade

As Otto watched, in fascination, he saw the Dragoons drive on, pushing the last of the grenadiers before them, and scything into the Skyrian line brigade, already disordered by its' prolonged firefight with his own men.

The Kalkreuth Dragoons final charge, into the rear of the enemy line

Resuming his pipe, Otto puffed reflectively as the Skyrian remnants fled, and his men pushed forward trying to catch them. Marc came trotting back through the trees again, shaking his head as he saw the ruin of the enemy. "Well sir, Funck's lads put up a good fight, but got pushed back pretty thoroughly. They would have been in more trouble, but the enemy Brigadier obviously thought it better to save his own men, with the disaster happening over here.

The sole Skyrian success, breaking Funck's brigade