War for Europe and the Near East Campaign

[GDod]

A European and Near Eastern Gazette exclusive
An urgent dispatch of gazette scribes and sketch artists were sent to investigate the sudden appearance of foreign forces on Moroccan soil this month. They reported back that though Moroccan tribal elders were unpleasantly surprised by a hairy unwashed horde of Georgians bearing down on their unprepared villages they marshaled their whooping wild warriors and took to the field in justifiable indignation. Swooping down on the surprised Russia mafia they made a splendid show in their new hats, which they had been wearing non-stop since their arrival last month. Not only were they keen to show off their martial skills and majestic appearance but they eagerly vied for the sultan's favor so they could be the first to charge headlong into the Georgian arrow storm. Despite the black screaming sky, they couldn't wait for the signal, and broke ranks in a splendid show of flowing robes and magnificent hats. Disordered beyond any discernible organisation or logical formation they crashed into the Georgians in a crazed frenzy - [ed. more than likely from the mercury vapors used in curing the felt of their new hats.] Unfortunately, it seems that our novice sketch artist was also affected by the vapors as he filed this confused drawing of the battle.

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Luckily, a more experienced block print specialist did accompany the royal household, so this picture was filed courtesy of the Moroccan army propaganda corp

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While casualties were extremely high 55% to 65% and the battle was always in doubt, Europe will be pleased Morocco has stemmed the relentless migration of the Russian oligarch KiwiLordski and his hairy unwashed Georgians!

[KiwiWarlord]

The Georgians had their minds on the Moroccan Camp & all of G bin Dodaziz's Harem's hats......

Move 4 'Challenge for Morocco' posted by KiwiLordski. You will be advised of the invading army after I consult the seers at the O'Dilly Method of Engagement Shrine in Dilly McDilly, Ireland.

[awesum4]

A very very small fact finding mission dispatching to Malbrok to ascertain the financial and moral benefits of adding it to the benevolent Irish community has returned a rather negative report. The area is similar to Ireland with vast areas of swamp and forest which could lead to agricultural richness after extensive rehabilitation, but the locals are a backward and bigoted lot and the climate is cold wet and dreary. There would be no point in expending labour here as potatoes (once they are found in the new world) would merely rot in the ground unharvested by the feckless local peasants. So we will not pursue this any further.

[GDod]

In Malbork, Mc, O', von awsum die Schweizer led his peasant army on a fact finding mission in the order's lands in what's now being called by these Islamic knights as "Mc, O', von awsum die Schweizer's Potato Folly".

At great pace the masses of conscripted louts, boors, oafs, churls, yokels, bumpkins,village idiots, provincials, barbarians and more, with hastily assembled pike ran headlong into the solid German Order's line. Funneled as they were by difficult terrain on their left, they came under a blistering barrage of the order's heavy guns, arquebus fire and crossbow bolts. On the order of the recently returned komtur Thiele von Vererich "The Hammer of the English", the Order's Keils hurled themselves in a determined counter-attack. This broke already disordered blocks, and disordered several startled groups nearby. As the attack progressed more and more peasant groups downed pike and fled the unrelenting advance. A brave few mercenary landsknecht blocks under the overall command of Count Eydont Gitpydenuf, redoubled their efforts.

Fortunately for the Order, this determined attempt was held up by both the cream of the serving brethren knights and the crossbow militia in the spirit and traditions of this great military religious order. Both selflessly planted themselves firmly before the advancing bands of out of work artisans and criminals who cut them down where the stood after their well executed delaying tactic.

On the peasant army's left the pike attempted several abortive charges to dislodge a unit of crossbow militia from a patch of rough. Eventually, following the brethren knights example, they caved in to the relentless pressure and ran for their lives as the murderous landsknecht giving no quarter slaughtered everyone they could reach in their frustration. While the Landknechts facing both the brethren knights and militia had made some belated progress, they both failed to alter the course of the battle further. By then, the day was lost for the misguided peasant horde.

The Moroccan Sultan G bin Dodaziz in recognition of the active part which they took in defending the region and the valor of the newly converted Islamic Knechten, though it cost them dear, decreed that the grand master should always be considered a member of the sultan's court. Moreover, that whenever he visited he should be lodged at the Sultan's expense, and that two knights should always have quarters assigned them in the Sultan's household.

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[KiwiWarlord]

I challenge Austria (KiwiWarlord) with Italian 1494 - 1530 in Round 3.

Kiwilordski's Austrian Imperial Army of 12000 (20%) defeats the invading Italian Army of 13228 (54%)
Win for KiwiWarlord

[w_michael]

I challenge Austria (KiwiWarlord) with Italian 1494 - 1530 in Round 3.

Kiwilordski's Austrian Imperial Army of 12000 (20%) defeats the invading Italian Army of 13228 (54%)
Win for KiwiWarlord

Another fun game. Thanks Brian.

[GDod]

The sultan's Scottish military adviser, Duncan Disorderly has been replaced by Osama Bin Thinkin due to his appalling advice earlier this month to send our beloved Islamic Teutonic Knechten, Order militia and pikemen to the wastelands in the Caucasus region to collect khinkali and khachapuri for the sultan's table.
On hearing that the Order had already left, several urgent messages were dispatched to halt their advance and return to Malbork before winter set in. Unfortunately, these dispatches arrived just as the order had be set upon by a high spirited Georgian stag party. Drawing up in their battles to repel this unruly mob this caused the komtur some confusion. Combined with a sudden disappearance of the mob behind distant hills and scrub, he ordered the army to remain stationary until the continuing taunts of these drunken yobbo's led him to finally advance at a run. Eerily, further reports from the komtur since this unfortunate confusion has been non-exsistant. We fear the worse and have sent riders north. We await their return with trepidation.
Published with the permission of the Moroccan Ministry for Wartime Amusements

[GDod]

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[GDod]

We may have a winner

Sorry, edited this but can't get rid of this duplicate black cat emoji! Very similar to all my games with another pesky black cat come to think of it...!

[KiwiWarlord]

KiwiLordski's Georgians (1494-1619) challenge Lion Cub o the North for the Cossack Hetmanate.
Bring out your Cossacks & prove you are a 'Lion' .....Cub o the North

KiwiLordski's 6,740 Georgians (13%) Defeat the Cossack Hetmanate's 13,954 Cossacks (41%)

[GDod]

Even if the Mad King can retain Italy, with ten territories in his pocket including three preowned and named ones it looks like we have a winner who now has a new title.
I'll prepare a final update map and history before the end of the month when all remaining battles are concluded. However, as adjudicator I declare KiwiLordski "The Great Migrator" Europe's Holy Roman Emperor reborn"
P.S Sorry, I missed the challenge for the newly acquired Cossack's territory. The Swedish seem to have had little time steal all the borsch and cabbage soup in the region before they needed to retire North. Looks like salted fish for the foreseeable future!

This brings to a close this campaign. Thank you to the P&S players who showed consistent participation and a special thanks to Brian, Alan, Dave, William and Andre for your suggestions and assistance in correcting the oversights throughout the campaign. I hope you all enjoyed the journey and had fun with lists you wouldn't normally choose.
On reflection, apart from teething problems I think the system worked fairly well.
Suggested amendments for future campaigns could include:-

• Challenges and chosen lists should only be possible for owned territories bordering the challenged territories

• Campaigns should be restricted to more historical opponents and periods. Eg: War of the Roses, Italian wars, ECW, Thirty Years War, or Le Soliel.

Thoughts anyone?
If there is sufficient interest, I don't mind organizing another from mid-February.

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[w_michael]

Thanks for running this Gavin. The most enjoyable part for me was playing with cruel and unusual armies. Since you could attack anywhere, in any time period, I don't think that the campaign map contributed much. Tightening up the rules as you suggest would make the map relevant.

A 4 round tournament (one round with each of the following army sets: Age of Machiavelli, Tercio to Salvo, Thirty Years' War, and Le Roi Soleil) with medium-sized pot luck armies might be interesting. You would alternate playing Pro-Imperial and Anti-Imperial in each game. The winner would be based on points.

[ahuyton]

It was fun, Gavin and thanks for running it in such a pleasant and lively way.

I admit that I did not take too much notice of the victory conditions, which was probably obvious, but enjoyed the games and I think that makes for a good campaign. It is not a lot of fun if your campaign goes badly and then you get penalised in the battles for it.

As I mentioned to you by pm, I think a 30YW version would be fun with perhaps a counter showing the tally of protestant v catholic possessions. But that might make it over complex and difficult to manage. But in any case, I will be happy to join a new game.

[KiwiWarlord]

As I mentioned to you by pm, I think a 30YW version would be fun with perhaps a counter showing the tally of protestant v catholic possessions.

Definitely need a Protestant & Catholic theme in there somewhere, after all that's what it was all about.

[KiwiWarlord]

Challenge for Italy posted.
KiwiLordski's Georgian Mercenaries ( 1620-1698 ) are marching on Italy.
Does the Mad King William Felipe I accept ?

KiwiLordski's 8,391 Georgian Mercanaries (8%) capture Italy after defeating Mad King William Felipe's 9,118 Italian Army (45%)

[GDod]

KiwiLordski's 8,391 Georgian Mercanaries (8%) capture Italy after defeating Mad King William Felipe's 9,118 Italian Army (45%)

I expect his Italians will also now be eating KiwiLordski's cabbage, bosch and salted fish! Oh, we can hear the wailing from here in England. What has become of European cuisine?... No more Casu Marzu or kopvlees for us anymore. Oh, the tragedy !

[KiwiWarlord]

The Madder hatter of Morocco has ceded to the pleas of the Malbork Moslems, who recently welcomed their sun-drenched brothers from Morocco and are desperate for more salted fish. They suggest sending the Crusading Teutonic order from the Baltic mists to appropriate not only salted fish stocks but salt-cured roe of the Acipenseridae family for the now delicious staple Malbork dish of Caviar and smoked sturgeon Kebabs with Couscous
Hence, the Sultanate kicks off the new year with a challenge to the KiwiLordski, the Great Migrator, former Polish overlord, Usurper of the Ottomans and current Czar of the Russ for the territory of Russia using

G bin Dodaziz's Teutonic Knights 1494-1542 against KiwLordski's Russian's 1494-1549 pw=rushin medium size, pot luck terrain

The Crusading Teutonic Order of Malbork, all 11,276 of them, made a half-hearted attack on Russia at the beginning of the Campaigning Season lead in person by the Mad Hatter of Morocco, G bin Dodaziz. They floundered about for several months not quite knowing what to do as the 8,181 Georgian defenders sat around atop of steep hills covered in rough playing Georgian music and drinking vodka supplied by the Russians until a Teutonic heavy artillery battery appeared after a long flank march deep into their flank.
This was quickly dispatched to the scrap metal merchants and the drunken Georgians tried to get organised as the Teutonics were seen to be packing their tents and getting into battle formation even though the sun was beginning to set. After some initial skirmisher attacks were beaten off by the Georgians the Teuton heavies arrived and the drunken Georgians weaved into and around the great Tercios and shinny Knights whilst trying to dodge the fiery shot and crossbow bolts, without much, if any, plan of attack. Great slaughter ensued until nightfall when the remains of the Teutonic Horde withdrew the field under cover of darkness.

Russia held, Georgians 23% Teutonic Knights 47%

[awesum4]

I really like the current format, it leads to battles with unusual interesting armies and occasionally unusual terrain, but I never had a battle where the terrain killed the game.

The only change that is needed is a tightening up of the timing of challenges. I think all challenges must be made within the first week and if someone only receives one challenge then it must be accepted. At the end of the first week Gavin announces all challenges and disputed territories and battles are set up and fought. No challenges are possible after the first week, it gets too confusing for everyone.

After the current final competition round finishes I will run another competition based on different periods for each round....more about that in the thread I will set up after my return from campaigning in real life.

[KiwiWarlord]

I totally agree with A4.

[GDod]

The European, North African and Near Eastern Gazette

January News

Claims for unclaimed territories and homeland challenges have all been accepted and finalized. Most Kingdoms have submitted papers in triplicate to this newsroom for filing of their outrageous unjustified claims to owned and independent lands.
Hence, Local landowners throughout Europe, the Near East and Africa once more experienced widespread panic and astonishment as territories succumbed to the greed of despots with their mercenary armies trampling the rights of peaceable serfs. Madeline de Watsal d Fuss's neighbour Whinny M'Housesablaze residing in the village of Mon aéroglisseur est plein d'anguilles when interviewed, passionately stated, "J'espère que ces mercenaires ont leur propre crème solaire"

Highlights of the final month
Finally, the confused ownership of the sun drenched Italian peninsular and its copious quantities of sunscreen, and herbal remedies for sun stroke and sun burn [in high demand since the establishment of the Irish holiday resort in Portugal] has been settled with the sudden influx of Georgian mercenaries
Meanwhile, Alan-a-dale of all Angles decided quite unexpectedly to move his court to his sunny Spanish estates after the excitement of the Teutonic Order's arrival as a welcome addition to the defenses of the realm only to find they had adopted an Islamic overlord!
Moreover, with KiwiLordski's acquisition of not only Mouse-E-Tungovich’s homeland, the Cossack Hetmanate and Austria as yet more bases for his migratory conquests but most of Europe's prized lands will provide fanatic nationalists fodder for future forays for years to come!

Post-Script
Not able to withstand the migration of KiwiLordski's minions and Georgian brutes reluctantly the rulers of every principality and kingdom in a ceremony reminiscent of early dictators finally declared KiwiLordski "The Great Migrator" Europe's Holy Roman Emperor reborn" at Liege Cathedral, on this day being the 25th of January between 1492 and 1698, or thereabouts! LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR... (who's that muttering?)

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