Militia Skirmishers or Brigands ?

A few figs which can be used either as a company of militia skirmishing or to represent a band of brigands or even smugglers.

[Figs: from left to right - Irregular Miniatures SYW Jager, Converted Blue Moon Civilian, 4 Blue Moon Civilians 'out of the box']
[Note: picture updated 21/3/2009, original one was a bit fuzzy]

40mm - Boritzy Freikorps

The Boritzy Freikorps is to be deployed in the southern border regions to contain and confound cross border incursions by Saxe-Jarlsberg.

Below is Count Konrad Boritzy, whose freikorps is currently being raised (40mm Irregular Miniatures Hussar on a Creartec horse).

The uniforms of the Boritzy Freikorps:

There will be a battalion (~30figs) of each of the Chasseurs, Grenadiers and Jagers; the Uhlans will be a regiment of 2 squadrons (~20 figs). All units to be comprised of 40mm figures.

Fenwick - Wittenberg Legion, 1st Battalion

The first battalion of the Duchy of Fenwick's Wittenberg Legion is now fully equipped and has been turned out for inspection. First they do some marching in column ...

Then form into line; two senior officers from the staff inspect the line up ...

The two staff officers pass the 1st Battalion as ready for service, their next job is to check the newly arrived uniforms for the 2nd Battalion are fit for purpose before being issued to the men.

[figs: Infantry Battalion RSMs, staff officers Old Glory]

scene: the palace at Wittenberg. King Leopold IV, Count Hermann of Munster and Duke Maurice of Fenwick are discussing recent events ...

Duke: What are we going to do about this affront to your ambassador, and to my military attache, when they travelled through Stagonia ?
King: A most unfortunate incident, being robbed of their posessions and also their coach being taken. They should have waited for the flood waters to recede and proceeded on the safe route.
Count: It would have been a long wait your majesty, I think Count Hatzof took the right course of action.
King: Have we ensured that they have received extra money and funds from the royal bank to cover what they have lost ?
Count: Yes we have received confirmation the extra money has been received by them.
Duke: What are we going to do ?
King: Nothing, it's not worth letting this small incident start a war. Stagonia is a vile place and it's ruler is equally vile - its the sort of vile thing you would expect to happen. Hatzof new the risks anyway. Count Hermann were the false documents being carried by Hatzof confiscated ?
Count: Yes they took everything, Hatzof made such a fuss about his papers they took extra interest in them.
Duke: What false documents ?
Count: Just in case he had to go through Stagonia, we created some documents which in the event of them being confiscated would provide false information to the readers. It looks like that has happened, the contents may give us an edge or confound them.
Duke: what was in them ?
Count: In amongst the normal sort of papers an ambassador would carry we put some about army units positions and strengths; some of which were correct, some false and some wholly ficticious. Also included were documents about ficticious plots to overthrow King Ludwig of Stagonia, citing potential contacts in the army and the nobility - no actual names just initials. We hope the plot papers will distract King Ludwig he'd notoriously paranoid.
Duke: You are most cunning Count Hermann.
King: Yes indeed he is ..
Count: Your Majesty, how do we respond to the cross border raid on Oberstein ?
Duke: Teach them a lesson, invade Saxe-Jarslberg and burn their capital.
King: I think the Duke's idea is most delicious. However any attack on them would result in Monrovia declaring war, we are not ready yet. For now we'll take countermeasures; Count instruct the Field Marshal to send a converged garrison grenadier battalion and Freikorps Boritzy to the south to re-inforce General Waldebeck. Also compensate the people of OberStein for their troubles, use supplies from our magazines and give them money to replace any lost livestock.
Count: The extra troops and the river marines which will be based at Vanderhof should deter Saxe-Jarlsberg. I'll get onto that right way your majesty.
King: Maurice, thats enough of affairs of state for today lets go and find our dear wives and go for a ride.

Raid on Oberstein

A game using 40mm figures

Recently there has been a number of minor incidents on the southern broder of Wittenberg with Saxe-Jarslberg (an ally of Monrovia). The corp of observation has mounted extra patrols, garrisons are on the alert and the local militia have been called up.

A representative of the Wittenberg army paymaster is on his way to one of the southern garrison towns with the pay for the troops. The spies of Saxe-Jarlsberg have learnt of this and the command staff have decided to capture the coach and take the money. They decide to intercept the paymaster at Oberstein. Oberstein is a supply relay point for the southern garrison towns, so if they miss the coach they have been ordered to take all the supplies and livestock they can find.

The forces of Saxe-Jarlsberg crossed the River Oudear at Vanderhof with a regiment of infantry (5 companies), a company of jagers and dragoons. Two companies of infantry hold the main river crossing while the rest move on to Oberstein, some of the dragoons are despatched on flanking patrols to watch out for Uhlans.

--oxo--

The local woodsman spots the approaching column and runs to Oberstein to warn them, the women and children take refuge in the church while the men decide to defend the supplies held in the barn. Riders are sent to get help, the church bell is rung to attract the attention of any nearby patrols.

The Saxe-Jarlsberg troops enter Oberstein, the dragoons race ahead as they are tasked with capturing the paymasters coach. Jagers ford the small river...

The rest of the column arrives and starts to cross the bridge. The dragoons are on the move and the two jager companies move forward, one towards the road and the other in the direction of the barn.

Hearing gun fire and seeing the dragoons on the edge of Oberstein the paymasters coach turns and heads back up the road, while their Uhlan escort moves closer to investigate. A jager patrol in the woods approaches having heard the church bells.

Meanwhile in the village one of the infantry companies has been held up by fire from the house by the bridge, the local highwayman Black Jack Davy who was hiding out there with some of his henchman opened fire (he has an intense dislike of the Monrovians and their allies).

The Saxe-Jarlsberg dragoons try to catch-up with the coach.

However they are too late and end up in a standoff, a local militia company has also arrived. Their position on the road keeps the Wittenberg troops away from Oberstein allowing time for the infantry to secure the town.

The leading grenadier company takes up position blocking the road to the nearest garrison town. A Wittenberg jager patrol, which arrived to investigate the bells ringing, has taken refuge in the woods where it is pinned down with fire from the Saxe-Jarlsberg grenadiers and jagers.

A detachment of jagers enter the house by the bridge and after a some desperate fighting have control. Black Jack Davy, seeing no troops nearby makes a run for it to the tavern across the street.

A company of militia and regulars arrive but find they are outnumbered, two more companies of Saxe-Jarslberg infantry are just entering Oberstein..

The Saxe-Jarlsberg troops now have control of the town, and set about trying to get into the barn for the supplies; the barn is resolutely defended by the locals...

Wittenberg troops approach but hold back they have insufficent numbers to attack ..

After having held the barn for some time, the locals give up and run as they see a full company of infantry preparing to storm the barn ...

The Saxe-Jarlsberg troops start removing the supplies from the barns and get ready to round up any livestock.

The Wittenberg troops have no choice but to let the enemy do what they like. They have insufficient forces to mount an attack on the town, besides which the local militia are not keen on advancing against such a large number of enemy regulars.

Wittenberg - Mysterious Documents (4), Deciphered ?

Scene: the cottage in the palace gardens, the partially deciphered documents are being discussed; the King arrives wearing his favourite hat. Count Hermann of Munster, Brother James and Georg Cantor are present.


King: Good day gentlemen

Count: Your Majesty, Cantor of the Royal Society has made a breakthrough, thanks to the researches of Brother James. Perhaps Brother James can tell us you some background first ?

Brother James: Yes of course. I have confirmed that the first page shows the symbol of the Order or Sect of the Phoenix. They have been in existence at least since medieval times and possibly are older than that; they are supposed to have been suppressed by the inquisition. The sect's beliefs are somewhat odd and seem to be a blend of alchemy, gnosticism, hindoo tantra; their practices include some form of alchemical technique of sexual ecstacy. There motto loosely translated from the Latin is 'Happy the man who has been able to discover the causes of things'. It is this motto which was the key to unlock some of the text in the documents. Mr Cantor will you continue.

Cantor: I examined the text under the Phoenix device, I tried a reversal of the Alberti Cipher, out came the motto in latin. The next line cameout as 'three times the fool'. The next paragraph didn't translate at all, neither did the next. So I continued to examine the rest of the pages, these consist of a list and nine separate pages in the form of letters. The list page translated into a list of the major cities of Europa, some of these had been crossed out, there were 9 left uncrossed. The rest of the pages had the city on the top, but the reverse cipher did not translate the text of the letters, I assume they have different keys or methods of encryption. The obvious conclusion is that the man in the possession of these papers was a courier.

King: How fascinating, where had he been and what cities were not crossed out ?

Cantor: From the places he had crossed out on the list he had travelled through a numer of countries : Sweden, Germania, Duchy of Stollen, Russia, the Duchy of Grolstein, the Imperium, Saxe-Bearstein, Stagonia and the Duchy of Fenwick. Capitials not crossed out on the list were of: Wittenberg, Monrovia, Noverre, Gallia, Hanover, Holland, Denmark, Brittania and Ireland. There is more of interest, I thought about 'three times a fool', I skipped the first three paragraphs on the phoenix symbol page, the rest of the text translated as follows -

To Whom It may concern,

congratulations on translating the cipher; as you have achieved this we assume you are intelligent and blessed with the faculties of reason. We would like the papers returned as they contain private correspondence of a sensitive nature; if Count Revolvendors is dead then we would also like to obtain his personal belongings. Place an advert in your local paper 'Found - Manuscript titled 'Far Horizons' and contact information - we will respond in due course.

You will be suitably rewarded.

Count: That is not all, there were a set of travel diaries found in the coach. These were meticulaously numbered. There contents were rather indelicate, they read like the journals of a Don Juan. There was one diary missing from the set; diary no 15 finishes on his arrival in Saxe-Bearstein, diary 17 starts in the Duchy of Fenwick. Diary 16 is missing - the last but one place name crossed out in the list translated by Cantor is the capital of Stagonia; it is possible that he was killed for that diary - it probably contains details of some indisgression.

King: Do you think this sect is a front for spies ?

Count: Possibly, if so they have many contacts, and it may be worth being in favour with them; they probably already know we have the papers.

King: How so ?

Count: I've had some strange enquiries over the last week from some of the nobility, asking about rumours about papers and such, nothing direct though. I think we better return the papers don't you your majesty ?

King: Yes I agree. The secrets of secret societies are best left secret. Count, make the necessary arrangements .. Hmm time for afternoon tea, I must change my hat and join my lady wife ... Oh Brother James, walk with me and tell me more about the practices of this Sect of the Pheonix.

40mm - Civilians

I treated myself to a pack of Sash & Sabre FIW civilians (I've painted up these for a little gaming scenario).