Monday, 22 June 2020

Book Puchase - Ottoman Army ....

Obtained a copy of this excellent book from Helion ....Armies of the Ottoman Empire 1645-1719....
I have the two volume Italian edition which was fine for the uniform plates, looking forward to reading this english publication 😀

Monday, 15 June 2020

In defence of Ruttenhof ...

continued from the previous post ....

The corsairs try to fight their way past the barricades into the town ....
The Begovian galley turns, opening fire at the river marines who are landing ....
The corsairs fall back from the large barricade and concentrate their attack on the one by the crane ...
The Begovian galley slowly swings round and opens fire on the Leopold ....
The bow gun of the Leopold is put out of action .....
The Leopold swings round and brings its port guns into action .....
a second attempt by the corsairs on the main barricade fails and they fall back down the quay ...
The river marines reach the town quay...
The Leopold and the Begovian galley exchange fire .. the river marines row-boat bow gun fires at the galley too...
A broadside from the Leopold creates mayhem on the deck of the Begovian galley scything down the crew ....
The Begovian galley having suffered much damage & crew casualties turns slowly to start to head downstream....
The river marines have surrounded the corsairs on the quay, the corsairs on the wharf are dis-engaging, some are heading back to their boat..
The King and Captain Bidekker watch the Begovian galley as it makes to getaway...
The Begovian galley is now moving off downstream.  The Leopold stands off and continues to fire its port guns...

The Begovian attack has been thwarted. But much damage has been done to the warehouses on the wharf.

The Leopold starts to list slightly to port, having taken much hull damage it is now taking on water. Bidekker decides not to pursue and moves in closer to Ruttenhof to make repairs....

---oXo---
Summary of Damage & Losses

Wittenberg
- shore battery guns damaged and out of action
- wharf warehouses destroyed by fire
- customs house damaged by fire
- Militia casualties - 20% (3 figs)
- River Marine Casualties - 10% (2 figs)
- galley Leopold 
Bow gun damaged and out of action
Crew casualties - 10%
Hull damage - 45%
Rigging/Oars damage - 10%

Begovia
- one corsair boat captured
- corsairs captured/killed (8figs) - 50% 
- galley
Starboard gun damaged and out of action
Crew casualties - 60%
Hull damage - 25%
Rigging/Oars damage - 50%

Friday, 12 June 2020

Ruttenhof ... the Leopold arrives ....

As the Begovian galley continues its fire against the gun battery, the corsairs are landing ...
The corsairs set the warehouses afire .....
The galley fires its side cannon at the centre of the town, trying to damage the barricades ...
The gun battery is hit and out of action due to fire from the galley....
The corsairs move to attack the defenders of the town .....
The Wittenberg response force has arrived, the Leopold bow gun opens fire .....
The shot falls just short of bow of the Begovian galley....The commander of the Begovian galley sizes up the newly arrived opposition ....

to be continued...

Wednesday, 10 June 2020

Ruttenhof under attack ....

The Begovian galley rounds the bend in the river, accompanied by two small corsair boats...
 the galley takes up position as the corsair boats head to the wharves to disembark...
 The bow guns on the galley open fire on the small shore battery ....
 the shore battery returns fire ....

 ---oXo---

Meanwhile, the Leopold had moved slowly downstream,  being careful not to get grounded as the river was low. As they cleared the shallower section,  two river marine row-boats caught them up... the sound of distant cannon fire could be heard in the distance ....

to be continued .....
---oXo---

Keeping track of things for the game ...

The movement of the Leopold and river marine row-boats down-stream is tracked on paper.....
 a play sheet to keep a record of casualties and damage ...
game rules are a mix of my own ship-to-ship skirmish game rules and some bits from some simple naval rules I had - we'll see how it goes

Tuesday, 9 June 2020

On the way down river ....

Ready for action, the Leopold heads down the river Oudear towards Ruttenhof... gun crews prepare the cannon and its detachment of river marines are on deck....
 The small boat reached Vanderhof and raised the alarm - two small river marine row boats are heading down river as well....

Monday, 8 June 2020

At Ruttenhof ...

In the Braunlandt, on the shore of the river Oudear, at Ruttenhof the locals make preparations for some sort of defence against the Begovian corsairs known to be coming up-river. Nearly all ships at the wharves have left and sought saftey up-stream at Vanderhof ...
 A couple of the militia check the warehouses are secured as best they can be ....
 barricades have been placed across the exits from the wharves and manned by the militia and locals..

[getting setup for the encounter between river galleys; had fun setting up the wharves and town area]

Saturday, 6 June 2020

The Begovian corsair galley ...

The Begovian corsair galley, works it way slowly upstream on the river Oudear, heading for its next target....

Friday, 5 June 2020

Trouble down river ....

The galley Leopold is out on a short river patrol shake-down trip...
On board are King Leopold and his cousin Graf von Tiddenheim, making a surprise visit, come to see the new ship on the water, they are being shown around by Captain Bidekker.
 A small sailing boat is seen approaching from down river
 The boat pulls up by the Leopold - Bidekker talks to the crew...
   He finds out that they are on the way to Vanderhof to raise the alarm and ask for assistance - a Begovian corsair galley has bombarded the shore settlements and wharfs down stream in the Braunlandt.  Bidekker tells them to report the situation to the river flotilla HQ; the boat then left to sail on up river to get to Vanderhof.

Bidekker informs the King. He then makes to turn the galley round to take the King to safety Vanderhof, his orders are countermanded - "No time for that says the King, we must act fast - take us down river"....."We want to see this ship in action" ....