Pelardon: Monrovia rebuilds their first parrallel...

The Monrovians have rebuilt their first parallel, they've brought up a large mortar and a large cannon to start closer fire on the defences of the city ....

The Monrovian mortar has started to get the range of the defences of Fausignac...

Pelardon: troops arriving at Moussignac ...

At Fausignac, the Monrovians have started work re-building the first parallel - they have extra troops in place protecting the sap and more in reserve...

Meanwhile at Moussignac to the north, where the Duke of Pelardon is mustering his army; some other contingents have been arriving; assistance in the form of Fenwick troops in the service of Zomverre and just arriving a small contingent from the Principality of Umathirmen led by the redoubtable Princess Michaela.

With these arrivals, the Duke of Pelardon  reckons another day will see sufficient troops being available to take the field against the Monrovian invaders.

Pelardon: Sortie (3) - objective achieved ...

The Pelardon troops are into the trenches of first parallel, the Volontaires de Noverre are still holding the head of the sap trench ...

Now in control of the first parallel half of the Pelardon troops start to demolish the field works, while the others defend ...

Monrovian re-inforcements are now starting to arrive to support the beleagured Volontaires de Noverre. The work to demolish the first parallel continues, the Pelardon cavalry comes up to secure the flank ...

With most of the works of the first parallel having been destroyed, and with advancing Monrovians coming up the Pelardon troops start to retire to safety....

The Pelardon troops run back as fast as they can to the safety of the covered way; their movement covered by the reserve battalion and the cavalry...the Monrovian infantry formed up and advancing to close the gap start to feel the effect of the fire from the fortress guns ....

The Monrovian troops retire out of range of the fortress guns, now they will have to start the work of making the first parallel again ...

 

The sortie has been a success - this will hopefully buy sufficient time for the relief force to arrive ....

Pelardon: Sortie(2) - over the top and into the attack...

This time I've tried to represent the gloom of early morning by darkening the pictures.....

 

The Pelardon troops are out of the covered way, down the glacis  and on  their way to their target

The Monrovian troops in the trenches see nothing, then one sharp-eyed man raises the alarm - they scramble to get men to the threatened area ...

The Pelardon folorn hope charge in, with their grenadiers working their way round the end of the trench

The defenders (the Volontaires de Noverre) recover themselves and make a stand, however as the sun rises they realise more Pelardon troops are on the way towards them ...

In come the additional Pelardon attackers, with supporting cavalry...the Volontaires de Noverre are holding their ground and fighting hard ...

The sound of gun fire and the din of battle has reached the Monrovian encampment - troops are dispatched to repell the sortie - word has been sent to nearby units to assist ...

An officer makes a desperate attempt to gather some men to face a regiment of Pelardon infantry ...

.... to be continued ....

Pelardon: Sortie (part 1) ....

Its about an hour before dawn ... (piccies shown in black & white to indicate darkness)

 

The monrovians are in the process of relieving the men in the trenches of the first parallel, companies of the Volontaire de Noverre are swapping their positions.

At Fausignac there is movement in the covered way....

The sentries see nothing unusual from their viewpoint.....

The troops to undertake a sortie to attempt to 'demolish' the first parallel are ready to go ...

Some cavalry stand ready by the main gate ....

 

to be continued ......

Pelardon: The first parallel is started ...

The defenders of Fausignac are busy; more troops have arrived at this section of the defences and most of the guns are in action ...

The Monrovian army have started on their first parallel in this part of the siegeworks ...

In the grounds of one of the large hosues in the centre of Fausignac the commander of the city and his officers are in discussion about the best time to undertake a sortie and where ....

A few men fire at the workers on the first parallel from the covered way ...

Some jagers have been brought up to return 'sniping' fire with an amusette ...

Project - an 18C coach from a 'Wild-West' stagecoach

A short intermission from the siege of Fausignac, for a little post on a recent project.

 

I was given a 'Wild-West' stagecoach - this had potential to be converted to a more 18C style one so I did a trial assembly of parts.

The coach body rode a little high so I squashed down the springs to lower it; I made a new roof from card. Assembled with revised baggage arrangement at the back ...

A couple of shots of the finished coach

 

 

back to the siege ....

Pelardon:Monrovians commence to sap forward ...

Spotting activity by the Monrovians, the defenders of Fausignac position some mortars, they hope the explosive power of their shells may slow down trenches and sap work...

The Monrovians commence sapping forward, starting on their first 'zig-zag', mortar shells miss, but shower the workers with dirt ...

undeterred by the shelling they keep going and are now on the 'zag'....

a good days progress for the Monrovians ...

Pelardon: asking Zomverre for assistance ...

The Duke of Pelardon's daughter has reached the capital of Zomverre - she has a meeting with the Duke to ask for help ...

The Duke assures her he will do what he can to help her father; he turns to his generals and asks when assistance can be given..

General von Messing responds that the troops from the Duchy of Fenwick in ducal pay, stationed in the south of the country, can be on the move in a few days time, the rest of the army could be mustered in a couple weeks - after discussion the Duke orders the general to send the Fenwick troops to Moussignac in Pelardon and do what they can to help - the rest of the army to muster to the south of Zomverre's capital in and around Dijkswold.

---oXo---

Meanwhile back at Fausignac, over the last few days the Monrovian infantry and engineers have been busy; most of the line of circumvalliation has been finished despite a small sorty from the east gate which was pushed back quickly by Monrovian cavalry.

The Volontaires De Noverre, stand ready ...

The large siege gun lets loose a few ranging shots against the defences of Fausignac ....

Pelardon: The Monrovians Arrive ...

Hearing of the approach of the Monrovian army, the Duke leaves by the north gate with his Garde Du Corps and heads for Moussignac to join his army which is mustering there ...

late in the morning a small party of Monrovian dragoons approaches the main gate of Fausignac - offering terms for surrender - the officer on the gate politely refuses ...

The defenders watch as Monrovian troops arrive and take up positions (out of range of the guns)..

taking position opposite is a brigade of infantry - the Volontaires de Noverre..

Pelardon: the defence strategy is decided ...

After much debate between the Duke and his general staff it has been decided that the army will mobilise and muster at Moussignac north of Fausignac near the border with Zomverre. The army is too small to face the whole of the Monrovian army but if the capital is laid siege to by the Monrovians the Duke is confident they will be able to deal with a screening force and disrupt the effectiveness of the siege, hopefully they will get some help from Zomverre.

 

The Duke watches as troops march past ....

Supplies and extra troops on their way into Fausignac ...