Basileus Manuel, the Hunting Expedition

The Tales of Quinci al-Dim – The Lion of  Lidl Hunts the Emperor

Scenario: Emperor Manuel is hunting in northern Syria when his huntsmen report the presence of Saracen warriors lurking amongst the scrub. Manuel suspects an ambush, but, being Manuel, plunges his hunting party—and the army accompanying it—straight into the fray.

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From The Tales of Quinci al-Dim, as faithfully recorded by the Scribe Al-di

When Sheikh Quinci al-Dim, Breaker of Tea Urns, the Lion of Lidl, rode forth, the earth trembled, the camels groaned, and merchants hastily concealed their discounted dates. No kettle was safe from his wrath, and his warriors could scent a Middle Aisle bargain from three days' ride across the desert. 

The battlefield is prepared.

And it came to pass that the Best Beloved of the Centre Aisle deployed two companies of steadfast foot amidst the scrub at the heart of the field. Many said it was bait. Others declared it a cunning snare. None could agree, save that it looked suspicious.

The Saracen infantry wait patiently amongst the scrub.

Then Basileus Manuel, Emperor of the Romans, demonstrated remarkable powers of deduction...

"It is an ambush!"

...and immediately charged straight towards it from the eastern margins.

The Byzantines advance.

The air hummed like an angry hive. Shafts fell in such number that Byzantine shields resembled particularly nervous hedgehogs. Horses reconsidered their career choices. Veterans muttered darkly that this was becoming excessively educational.

Thus did Basileus Manuel learn the First Lesson of Quinci al-Dim:

If the Lord of Discount appears to be inviting you forward... he has even more archers than you think.

Manuel had very few archers...

The Byzantine deployment was split by a great wood. Manuel's army was forced to advance on either side of it, unable to support itself properly.

Even the proud Varangians—men he believed he could rely upon in difficult terrain—moved with all the urgency of sleepy snails.

The Varangian Guard struggle through the woods.

To encourage the advance, one of Manuel's cavalry trumpeters sounded an inspirational, iconoclastic, ecumenical blues tune.

It did not help.

Meanwhile, Islamic foot and horse entered from both flanks, using the folds of the ground and scattered scrub to remain hidden from the Emperor's gaze..

Fresh Saracen troops arrive on both wings.

Manuel's columns were close-order formations of first-rate fighting men. Again and again he attempted to close with the enemy.

But, of course, some units refused.

These were, after all...

Byzantines.

The advance begins to stall.

With arrows falling relentlessly, Manuel's army began to die one unit at a time.

The great wood dominating the centre of the field robbed him of room to manoeuvre, but the lack of archers proved the decisive weakness..

The big wood in the centre of the Byzantine position stymies most of Manuels options, but the lack of archers is critical.

The Byzantine casualty pile tells the tale.

This was a battle already lost.

In one final attempt to snatch victory from the jaws of the Emir of Discounted Flatbread, the Emperor led his household cavalry in a desperate charge against Quinci al-Dim himself.

One last charge.

The Islamic army had paid dearly for its victory. Its formations were battered, its losses heavy, but its line still held.

Then everything came down to a single combat between the two commanders..

The Islamic forces have suffered for the victory, battered but recovered.

And losses high on both sides.

But it comes to this
A single combat between the commanders.

Emperor meets Emir.

And Manuel fell.

The Defender of the Middle Aisle stood triumphant over the fallen Emperor.

A glorious first victory for...

Sheikh Quinci al-Dim, Breaker of Tea Urns, Defender of the Middle Aisle, the Lion of Lidl, Sultan of Special Buys.

A Challenge to the Lion of Lidl!

News of the Emperor's death spread swiftly throughout the Empire.

His son, Prince Basil of Adli, known to history as "The Grand Replenisher" swore before the court that he would avenge his father's defeat.

Raising his sword towards the east, he proclaimed:

"Hear me, Quinci al-Dim, Breaker of Tea Urns, Defender of the Middle Aisle, Sultan of Special Buys! You have humbled my father with your endless arrows and your suspiciously well-priced flatbread.

I, Basil of Adli, Prince of the Romans, Warden of the Weekly Offers, Keeper of the Legendary Aisle of Wonders, do challenge you to meet me in honourable battle.

Let the bargain stores decide whose prices—and whose warriors—are truly supreme!"

Whereupon the Scribe Al-di records that Quinci laughed so heartily that his camel sneezed.

Thus began the legendary War of the Discount Dynasties, in which many brave men fought valiantly over the right to claim dominion of the Middle Aisle.

Raise the Black!

It seems that I've developed something of a tradition; come summer and it's time to get the pirates out for a spot of 'Blood and Plunder'. Previously, I've started a couple of solo campaigns, set in the buccaneering era, using the campaign system in the 'No Peace Beyond the Line' supplement. Whilst these have been great fun, I always seem to run out of steam after a few games. I also never get around to writing the games up.

Spanish under Don Lardo raid the Logwood Cutters camp

Logwood Cutters emerge from the jungle

Big punch up on the beach

Spanish flee back to the boats

Hence, this time, I've decided to come up with my own system that hopefully  allows me to maintain the momentum and drop in and out as needed. This campaign will be set in the 'Golden Age of Piracy' and use real events, with a nod to 'Black Sails', as a backdrop. This will be very much a freeform system and won't have any formalised campaign rules as such. Instead I will play as a single ship's captain and follow his adventures through the height of the Golden Age. The narrative will be guided by a sort of choose your own adventure system. I will come up with a series of decision points for our would be pirate captain and dice for which action is taken. The only book keeping will be to track the status of the ship and crew, the captain's popularity and how much booty has been amassed.

The actual games will be played using 'Blood and Plunder', 'Oak and Iron' or 'Port Royal', depending upon the scenario.

The campaign begins in 1715, in King's Town, Jamaica. The War of the Spanish Succession (or Queen Anne's War in that part of the world) has ended, putting a large number of privateers out of work. In an attempt to prevent them turning to piracy, the governor of Jamaica, Sir Archibald Hamilton, has issued a number of Letters of Marque to hunt down pirates.  

So we start with our Captain, Bartholomew Pea, in command of a privateer sloop funded by Fezziwig the merchant. The first step is to fit out the ship.

 Vessel - Bermuda sloop with reinforced bulkheads.

Equipment - 6  light cannon, 4 swivels, sweeps

Officers - Bartholomew Pea (Experienced Pirate Commander, Brawler); William Manderly (Bosun); Jack Brass (Scheming Quartermaster); Barnaby Bowles (Sailing Master); Chippy Woodes (Carpenter)

Crew - 8 Veteran Sea Dogs, 8 Jamaican Privateers (2 with blunderbusses and a grenadoe), 7 Jamaican Privateers, 7 Pirates (2 with blunderbusses)

Putting this through the Firelock Force Builder comes to 195 points. It's not the optimal crew as many of the unit abilities overlap with the officers but I wanted 'characters' for narrative campaign purposes.

The action starts in July 1715 - hurricane season. Probably not the best sailing conditions but this covers the hurricane that wrecked the Urca de Lima treasure ship and kickstarted the Golden Age (also a major plot point in Black Sails).

Weather Bahamas    Oct - April north-easterly, mild, dry

                                 May - Sept south-easterly, hot, wet

                                 June - November hurricane season

July 1715

King's Town

Jamaica

Dear Uncle Ebeneezer,

I have grave tidings to import. Father has been arrested as a Jacobite. Truly he has been outspoken concerning the Hanoverian king but I don't believe they have any actual evidence of Jacobiteism. Nevertheless, they have taken him to England and I am afeared he will swing. Our properties in Jamaica have all been seized and I am left destitute. A friend of father's, Captain Bartholomew Pea, has taken me in and I am to be his clerk. The Captain is an experienced privateer from the recent war but I suspect he is not a man of letters.

Pea is in possession of Letters of Marque and Reprisal, issued by Lord Archibald Hamilton, and is authorised to hunt down pyrates. I am to repair on board The Fancy, a 6 gun Bermuda sloop that Pea ahs outfitted for the voyage. He has reinforced the bulheads and added four swivels and sweeps.

The officers seem a friendly crowd and consist of the Quartermaster Jack Brass, Bosun William Manderly, Sailing Master Barnaby Bowles and Carpenter Chippy Woodes.

The crew number around 26 and are all sailors of various experience. About half are Jamaican Privateers trained in the last war. The next largest group are all experienced sailors from various sources but veteran Sea Dogs all. The final group are mostly Nassau men, an unruly bunch and usually to be found in their cups.

I am told that we will soon sail on our first cruise and I hope to make my fortune.

                                                                                                            Your Nephew, Jeremiah Quilp

A pilgrimage to Gaming Figures, Redcar

In the spirit of supporting, local gaming shops, and in a desperate quest to build my Carib faction for Blood & Plunder, I drove down the coast to Redcar.

I could have added a side excursion to Pendraken Mimiatures, but my mission was the Carib Faction so it was a run to Redcar and a walk along the beach before some games shopping. 

Right on the Sea Front

Turn left inside...

Wargames shop and hub

Overwhelming range.

The haul.

Firelock Games have gone expensive.  Gavin the owner is running lower on stock since the prices are daunting.

I picked up some "fatigue dice" two packs.

Three packs of Caribs to add to my Port Royal group, giving me 24 plus Caribs, easily enough for a 100 point force.

A casualty pack, for Port Royal more than anything else, but it colours a game nicely.

A blood and plunder activation deck.  Probably didn't need it but...

And a Blood and Crowns Activation Deck to replace my home made one.

And one last dishonourable mention.  The huge Seagull that stole my baguette sandwich.  I named him Steven Sea'Gull.   The other birds were terrified of him.  He swooped in, whipped my baguette, and made off with it.

A helpful passerby informed me, "Oh yeah he does that all the time!"

Visitors to the seafront beware!

Sharpsburg ACW

Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia fought Union Major General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek on September 17, 1862 

This was the first field army–level engagement in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War to take place on Union soil. It was the bloodiest day in American history, with 22,726 dead, wounded, or missing on both sides. 

The Union Army suffered heavier casualties than the Confederates, but the battle was a major turning point in the Union's favor.

Sharpsburg.  The Club President did an excellent job with this terrain.

The Union come on against a defensive Rebel position

And they march on the Antietam creek to our front.

A top down view 

The first Union assault on the improvised defensive line.

The Confederate reinforcements come on.

And Lee throws back the assault standing with Hill's Division.

The Rebels block the tord

An assault on the Dunker Church position.  Seen off.

The Yankee cavalry gets too close, and is routed.

A great card run for the Confederates sets up our defence.  The Union are rocked back.

And two rolls of double 6 in one game halves the Union morale.

The end shot, with the Union falling back on all sides.

And the Young Napoleon retreats   ole Bobby Lee has whupped them fine...

Great game, and what a fabulous look.  

Infamous, Infamy

Deep in the German Forests our Roman Infamy forces clash, first game a Roman Legionary force with a renegade Auxilia group.

 

That 6" square area is the Roman deployment zone...

We advance the legion into broken ground using the Auxilia in skirmish order to guard the flank.

The Renegade Auxilia group come on.

Loads of spear chucking.

And the big clash.  The Legion and Auxilia are pretty evenly matched.

Endgame at that point.

On to game two.

The Romans face a German Ambush.

The terrain.

That 6" square deployment zone again.  Difficult to plan with that much restriction.

We split right and left.  Trouble is my Auxilia have had to deploy in thick woods, as sitting ducks, and can't easily get out of it.

The Germans come at us.  This is the Ublique scenario
  We have to get an engineer party off table.

The Germans move an ambush point on top of us.

I double step the Auxilia out of the woods, but only get one move.

The Germans catch us in the rear.  Of course.

And a ragged battle ensues both sides.  To be honest it felt as though we were lucky to hold following the ambush, but couldn't continue to even up.

A win for the Germans, but it's a closer system than this battle gives an impression of...