Sunday, October 26, 2014

Campaign Concept

The small European "imagi-nations" of Saxe-Bearstein and Stagonia were once part of a larger kingdom in east-central Europe.  The aged rulers of both Duchies died during the fall of 1720 . . . and power passed to younger, energetic monarchs.

Each spied their neighbor on the other side of the Azkyk mountain range as a likely target for expansion . . . and so each made plans over the winter to open a campaign of conquest.

Saxe-Bearstein (capitol is Zienna) to the west; and Stagonia (Werlin is capitol) to the east

I hope to get a number of "online" players for the roles of the two monarchs and the various field generals.  These will direct their actions and I will plot them on the map (sending them updates).  All battles will be fought by me as "solo games" using my house rules but I will be carrying out the battle plans of the online generals.

I did something similar with my "Alpian Wars" Campaign while I battled cancer a few years back.  Unfortunately I am now facing a re-occurrence so I will probably not have the endurance to play many face-to-face games while undergoing chemotherapy but being able to play solo has worked well before because I can take a break anytime I need it.

Initially the heavy work load will fall on the two monarchs who will have to decide how to assign troops to each of four "field armies" and which General is to command each army and what Brigadiers to assign to each.

I am necessarily limited to the troops I have.  Each army is a mirror image of the other.  Saxe-Bearstein's uniforms are mainly red; Stagonia's are mainly blue.  Each of my armies has the following:

Commanders:
  • 1 General with 2 Aides de Camp (i.e., messengers)
  • 5 Brigadiers -- 3 Infantry and 2 Cavalry
Mounted Troops:
  • 4 Cuirassier units -- 1 superior, 2 veteran, 1 ordinary
  • 4 Dragoon units -- 1 superior, 2 veteran, 1 ordinary
  • 2 "Hussar" units-- 1 veteran, 1 ordinary
 Infantry:
  • 8 Regular -- 2 superior, 3 veteran, 3 ordinary
  • 2 Irregular -- 1 veteran, 1 ordinary
  • 3 Skirmishing Foot -- 1 superior, 1 veteran, 1 ordinary
Artillery:
  • 6 Light Guns -- 2 superior, 2 veteran, 2 ordinary
  • 4 Medium Guns -- 1 superior, 2 veteran, 1 ordinary
  • 2 Heavy Guns -- 1 veteran, 1 ordinary

So no "Field Army" can have more than the above troops (and armies will not be able to join each other because I don't have the troops for it) . . . and indeed most will have less.   Monarchs will have the following to distribute (with some minimums and maximums per field army):

Commanders:
  • 4 Generals each with 2 AdCs -- each with a different "Personality"
  • 16 Brigadiers -- four each with the four personality types
Mounted Troops:
  • 12 Cuirassier units -- 4 superior, 4 veteran, 4 ordinary
  • 12 Dragoon units -- 3 superior, 6 veteran, 3 ordinary
  • 6 "Hussar" units-- 3 veteran, 3 ordinary
 Infantry:
  • 27 Regular -- 8 superior, 10 veteran, 9 ordinary
  • 6 Irregular -- 3 veteran, 3 ordinary
  • 9 Skirmishing Foot -- 3 superior, 3 veteran, 3 ordinary
Artillery:
  • 6 Light Guns -- 2 superior, 2 veteran, 2 ordinary * (max of 1 each rating per army)
  • 4 Medium Guns -- 1 superior, 2 veteran, 1 ordinary *
  • 2 Heavy Guns -- 1 veteran, 1 ordinary *
 * (max of 1 each rating per army)

Militia:  

      Each Monarch will also have a large number of "militia" units to distribute amongst his Capitol, Cities and Fortresses.  These (quite poor) units may only be used in defense of their homes and cannot be drafted into any army.  They represent the local populous and may be armed only with pikes, etc. . . . they are not very good troops . . . but they might soak up some damage.

 Monarchs will not only have to assign Commanders and Troops to each army but must decide the task of each.  They must attack their opponent with either one or two "field armies" and keep two or three for defense.  They also need to establish the cities (including their capitols) in which the various armies will have been at their "winter quarters".

But once that is established, the Field Generals pretty much by necessity must take over because of communication "time lag".  They are of course expected to keep the monarchs apprised of what is happening but they are pretty much on their own.

They may keep their army in one piece or disperse some of their units or brigades.  They may opt to use individual Dragoon or Hussar (but not Cuirassier) stands as scouts and send them off.  As long as they act within their overall responsibilities they are pretty independent . . . of course their monarchs might well send them new orders or even sack them if they become too displeased.

Monarchs will have the option of being the Field General defending their Capitol but otherwise I would like all other Generals to be of the "online" type.

-- Jeff

Saturday, October 25, 2014