Update

This past Christmas my father nearly died. My company brought me home as quick as they could. He is recovering but could possibly be headed for a nursing home. So now for family reasons I have left my semi-truck and fortunatley was able to return to the corporate world.

Which means I'm home everyday and off on weekends! Which means it's time to puruse such noble and honorable activities as the glorification of war in miniature! So diplomatic packages will be going out shortly and a resumption of hostilities between the Duchy of Saxe-Huack and it's heathen enemies shall commence immediately!

Anyway I am most glad to be back among you all again and I look forward to catching up on the latest news from 18th century fictional Europe.

Army Reorganization

HUACK, Fortinbras Palace (DP) Today the Duke presided over the retirement of Major General Paul von Vorbeck, Chief of the Royal General Staff. General Vorbeck retires after serving in the Royal Army for over 45 years. Foreign dignitaries in attendance were Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz of Prussia and Lt. Colonel Charles Cornwallis of Great Britain. The Duke has appointed Brigadier Wilhelm von Bach as the new Chief of the Royal General Staff.

As I mentioned in my last update I am expanding into 15mm models in addition to my 1/72 & 25mm models. The 15mm will be my "travel" army while the bigger scales I can still enjoy at home.

Also to more realistically reflect the armed forces of a small state I have decided to reorganize the force structure of the Royal Army. These reforms will be known as the Bach Reforms, since the new Royal Army Chief implemented his new vision for the Royal Army. Prior to this I was playing that one element (stand) of models represented one battalion, I've now decided that one element shall be equal to one company. The 1st Grenadier Guards re-designated to the Grenadier Guards. The Guards will be a "half-regiment" comprised of an over-sized battalion of 5 companies. The Lieb Grenadiers are restructured into one company that draws it's members from the best of the Grenadier Guards.

In 15mm I have based and primed the 1st Regiment and the Regiment of Grenadier Guards and organized the regiments as fols:

1st Infantry Regiment
2 Battalions of 3 infantry companies and 1 HQ/Support company each.

Regiment of Grenadier Guards
4 grenadier companies and 1 HQ/Support company.

I will be ordering 15mm artillery, command and cavalry blister packs shortly from Essex Miniatures via Wargames Inc. I'm wanting to get my models out and have a battle, maybe have the Duke order Bach to invade Bittburg and put paid on the incredulous peasants for daring to form a non-regal form of government, this is what happens when you let the masses learn to read! (heh, just kidding) After all the Duke has claim to the title Margrave of Bittburg. However, I know that once I have that battle it'll lead to another one and that will require changes to the regional map which requires the use of a pc, and since I don't have a laptop to take with me in the truck yet, I shall wait! I'm also working on a fantasy wargame-rpg campaign using a mod of HOTT-DBF-Great Hordes in a setting thats a mixture of high & dark fantasy. This will allow either the communists of Bittburg or that vile monarch in Ostenburg respite until All Hallows Eve to see their pleasure done, for on that night I shall visit my ruin upon them.

Please note that the fantasy campaign has nothing to do with my SYW project aside from delaying battles at the present.

Update

Finally finished training and my apprenticeship. Will have my own truck by the end of the week. I have determined that I can play 15mm in my truck during my off time and evening hours. I shall take a small foldup table and a 2x2 playing board to place on top of that and battle out and paint miniatures in my "home-away-from-home" truck. I'll post pictures to more clearly show what I'm talking about.

Hard to believe that after military, college and self-employment that I would now be a truck driver but hey, moneys good and it's actually quite fun.

Revolutionary Army of the Union of Bittburg

Just finished putting the figures through the dip. This will serve as the army for the city state of Bittburg an enemy of Saxe-Huack.

Army Composition

As I've mentioned before I'm campaigning using the DBx mod Vae Victis. All armies involved in my solo-wargaming are based elements of 2 to 4 figures per stand. Each element (stand) is a battalion. Each figure represents one company or troop. My SYW toy soldiers are 25mm metal miniatures and 1/72 scale plastic soldiers.

As a father's day gift my son has finished painting 7 stands of troops for me. I have dipped them all in wood varnish, which shades and adds the clear coat all in one dip.

So far the Royal General Staff has the following regiments on active service (based, painted, dipped) in the Royal Army.

-The 1st Grenadier Guards "First to Fight" (current strength: 3 battalions)

-The 1st Infantry Regiment "For Duke & Country" (current strength: 3 battalions)

-*The Lieb Grenadiers "The Duke's Own" (full strength: 1 battalion)

*The Lieb Grenadiers are fixed by royal decree at battalion strength. They are the household guards of the Duke. A company, on rotational status, is always on duty at Fortenbras Palace, however, if the Duke takes the field with the Royal Army, the entire Lieb Grenadier battalion will accompany him as his bodyguard. Historical Note: During the First Eschian War the Duke sent the battalion to serve as the bodyguard of, then, Colonel Wilhelm Bach. During the Battle of Drax, Colonel Bach sent the battalion into the fight to support the left flank of the 1st Grenadier Guards. The Lieb Grenadiers proved their elite status as one of the premier fighting units in the Reich.

Battle Standards

The Duke's Battle Standard

Colors & Battle Streamers of the 1st Grenadier Guards


Colors and Battle Streamers of the 1st Infantry Regiment

PEACE!

After the death of the man that signed their paychecks, the mercenary army of the League of Bittburg quickly disbanded and the men quickly left the region for other parts of the Empire and western Europe. With their army gone, the citizens of Bittburg rose up in revolt against their merchant rulers and took over the capital of Bittburg. The merchant leaders were hung and a new interim government installed. With Saxe-Huack's army securing the Barony of Pomerania before continuing their advance towards Bittburg, the new government quickly sent messengers to the Grand Duke of Burgundy asking him to serve as mediator and to Col. Bach to press him for peace.

Therefore the Congress of Bittburg was formed to bring an end to the war. Upon arriving at the congress, Duke Augustus greeted Col. Bach by saying "Hail, Wilhelm von Bach, Baron of Drax." The colonel smiled broadly, bowed then said "There are some who would say usurper." At this they both laughed then proceeded to the city hall.

The Revolutionary Committee lead by their Revolution Minister Ludwig Stauffenburg apologized for the aggression of the merchants, and asked that the Royal Army of Saxe-Huack depart their lands. It is the premise of the Revolutionary Committee to secure their borders and create a new republic from the ashes of the League. Duke Augustus concurred with the formation of a new state but refused to cede the baronies of Drax and Pomerania, claiming instead that they were his. After a heated debate, Min. Stauffenberg raised his voice in question to Duke Augustus demanding to know by what right were the baronies of Drax and Pomerania his? The duke calmly replied "Because my army is all over them." At this the representative of the Grand Duchy of Burgundy bowed his head to hide his smile and then stood and raised his hands to restore order to the council. So after several hours of negotiation peace was settled, a new nation born, and the Duchy of Saxe-Huack had grown larger.

Map of the Duchy of Saxe-Huack and the Revolutionary Union of Bittburg as outlined by the Congress of Bittburg after the end of the First Eschian War.

As a result of the heroic actions of the Royal Army several promotions were rewarded to those deserving. The following officers are noted for heroism and duty to the Duke.

1. Colonel Wilhelm Bach, promoted to Brigadier, granted the title of Baron of Drax and the legal privilege for his family of being known as "von" Bach.
2. Major Romulus Paul von Vorbeck, promoted to Colonel.
3. Captain Albrecht von Lettow, son of the Duke, promoted to Major and assigned as Adjutant Royal General Staff.
4. Lieutenant Manfred von Jagow, son of the Baron of Dinante, promoted to Captain.

Also the Barony of Pomerania is dissolved and those lands now invested with the Baron of Esch.

Royal Flag of the Duchy of Saxe-Huack

Battle of Pomerania - First Eschian War

Taking advantage of the initiative gained after the first battle of the war, Colonel Wilhelm Bach marched his troops into the Barony of Pomerania. The royal army met the mercenaries of the league and won a decisive victory over them.

For this battle I classed 4 elements of infantry as Grenadiers, 1 of which served as bodyguard to Col. Bach. The other 3 I deployed in line formation on my right flank. In the center stood Bach and the colors, the artillery and 2 elements of line infantry. On the left in line formation were the remaining 7 elements of line infanty.

The Tactical Engine deployed the mercenaries for the League of Bittburg, the bulk of their forces, 8 elements in the center with their command. One their left they had 3 elements of line infantry and on the right 3 elements of line infantry.

The Tactical Engine placed the mercs in an aggressive mood, however by having first turn my army marched within 24" of the enemy to negate their abiltiy to make any strategic moves. This coupled with the enemy's subsequent low rolls for PIPs put them at a great disadvantage. On a better note for the enemy, my artillery couldn't hit nothing but dirt the whole battle.

As you can see from the bottom picture by the end of the battle the mercs had regrouped their forces into the center while I was marching my Grenadiers into a flanking position to attack the enemy center. The flank attack never came after finishing the move, shooting began and a unit of my line infantry destroyed the enemy commander's element which was lined up directly to their front.

Battle of Drax - First Eschian War

This is the first battle in my SYW campaign! I played using the Vae Victis with my own rules mod and I used the Tactical Engine from De Bellis Solitarius for the enemy general. I used no terrain as this was a learning game for me. The artillery element is a ACW miniature but I needed it for learning purposes. I classed all troops as Line Infantry, the mercenary army had 14 elements, the royal army had 15.

The battle started out with the League Mercenary Army being very aggressive. I thought for a while that my army might lose the battle. However, right was on our side and Col. Bach led his men to victory over the heinous merchant troops of the League of Bittburg. Casulties on our side were 80 dead, 160 wounded. Estimates of enemy losses are over 160 dead and 400 wounded.

At the end of the battle the league troops abandoned the Barony of Drax and that night Col. Bach and his officers had supper at the baronial villa in the town of Drax. The royal army was welcomed as liberators by the common folk, oddly enough none of the ruling class of the barony could be found.