A timeline of Bordurian history - Part 1: From earliest times to the conquest of Syldavia

Prior to 2000 BCE: the region is populated by a Neolithic culture which creates geometric megalithic alignments and which inters its dead in conical stone tombs. This is known as the Beehive Tomb Culture.

2000-1000 BCE: Metal-working arrives with what is thought to be an early Indo-European culture. Pit graves and deeper shaft tombs have been found in the region of Peshod, Lake Poliszchov (Bordurian spelling) and along the valley of the River Prog.

After 800 BCE: Proto-Scythian tribes arrive, bringing advanced metal-working and iron tools.

6^th century BCE: A text attributed to Heraclitus of Ephesus lists the Borynidae and Sossanidae as being tribes who ally themselves with the Thracians to oppose the Persian invasion of Thrace.

480 BCE: The Borynidae and Sossonidae are recorded as supplying troops to Xerxes' invasion of Greece.

337 BCE: Alexander the Great defeats the Borynidae in a campaign to subdue the north.

82 BCE: The region becomes part of the Roman world when the Borynid chieftain Mognus submits to the Roman general Gnaeus Silenius Hippo.

80 BCE: The Borynidae rise up against the Romans and sack the Roman town of Colonia Borinium.

64 BCE: The Borynidae and Sossonidae are conquered by the Dacians.

101-2 CE: The lands of the Borynidae are incorporated into the Roman empire following the campaigns of Trajan. The Sossonids remain under independent Dacian rule in what gradually becomes known as Soxonia.

c. 270: Roman Borinia, after decades of barbarian incursions is evacuated. The region returns to the control of the Dacians.

271-290: Sarmatians and Bastarnae settle in Borinia. A warlord known as Peucus becomes “king” of Borinia.

306: Vandals and Goths invade Borinia, driving many of the inhabitants south and westwards.

336: Constantine the Great defeats an army of Goths, Gepids, Sossonids and Borinids. The region remains under Gothic control until around 430 when the region is devastated by the armies of Attila the Hun.

430-451: Borinia is part of the empire of Attila the Hun.

451-567: Borinia is ruled by Gothic and Gepid warlords. Slavic tribes arrive in the region.

567: The Avars invade and incorporate the whole region into the Avar Khaganate.

670: The Khazars invade Borinia and Soxonia, which is now becomes known as Borydia and a Khazar warlord, Abrukh builds a citadel on the site of what will become the city of Soxod, later called Szohôd.

722: The Khazars are defeated by the Bulgars. A Bulgar warlord, Onoga is proclaimed Khan of Borydia.

736: Borydia is invaded by a Byzantine army and is forced to become a vassal.

756: The Byzantines (Eastern Romans) are defeated by a Borydian army at the Battle of Pallimia. Constantinople recognises the Khanate as being an independent kingdom.

810: Borydia is incorporated into the Bulgar Empire.

880: Pechenegs invade Borydia and raze the city of Soxod to the ground.

951: A manuscript in Constantinople records that “the heathen Borydioi and Soxonioi are brought into the Peace of God with the conversion of the people by St Demetrios of Nikopopolis.”.

997: Khan Boris III marries Anna Genios, a Byzantine princess.

1012: A large contingent of Borydian troops is sent to Constantinople to aid the emperor in his wars. They are recorded in the annals as Kataphractoi Borinioi and Skutatoi Borinioi.

1071: Boryd mercenary troops form part of the Byzantine army that is defeated at Manzikert by the Seljuk Turks. They perform relatively well under their leader, Mikel, who is recorded in a manuscript attributed to Michael Psellos as Michael Bordorios.

1090-1140: Greek influence continues to grow in what is now increasingly known as Bordoria or Borduria. Tsar Osen III is granted the imperial title of Sebastocrator by the Emperor John II Komnenos.

1140: The Borynid kingdom is destroyed by steppe invaders. The country is riven by intercommunal warfare. The Slavic prince Boris becomes Voivode of Peshod and restores order.

1183: Dragomir, son of and successor to Boris marries Alicia, the eldest daughter of King Muskar II of Syldavia.

1195: Dragomir of Peshod, now Voivode of Szohôd and de facto heir to the Syldavian crown invades Syldavia and deposes Muskar II, who is imprisoned in the fortress of Poliszchov, across the Bordurian border. The two countries are united under Bordurian rule.

American Civil War forces for Sharp Practice - Pt 4

I realise that I meant to post the rest of my ACW Confederates, but forgot all about it, so here they belatedly are.

Once again they are Peter Pig 15mm figures.

First up here are the skirmishers and a group of Confederate Zouaves, wearing rather jaunty straw hats;

They are accompanied by a bugler and two NCOs and led by Lt Chauncey Beauregard.

Next are some more cavalry. These are equipped with shotguns and, as before, I've done them both as a group of mounted figures and dismounted with horse holders. They are led by Maj. Gaylord Ravenal. When these are grouped with the other Confederate cavalry they will form Ravenal's Reivers.

Finally, there is a group of leaders and another bugler;

The mounted ones are Capt Byron Beausoleil and, with a galloper, Col. Tom Parker. Dismounted we have Lieutenants Nahum G. Pierce and, on the base with the flag, Randolph "Randy" Vidrine. There are also three NCOs.

So, that is where I am with the two sets of ACW troops. Next up, I will be painting up artillery, a cannon, crew and limber for both sides, plus a couple of preachers, Holy Men in SP parlance, to put some iron in the souls of the troops.

I've also got a whole load of civilian figures to be painted up and I need to look at options for wagons and engineer figures.

First game of Sharp Practice - the Battle of Old Macdonald's Farm

So, today was the big day. The first game of Sharp Practice with my ACW forces. The battle was a straightforward Encounter Scenario between two early war forces and the location was an area of scrubby landscape similar to the Virginia Wilderness.

The battlefield was bisected by a fordable river and a road ran from north to south. South of the river the landscape was dominated by an area of trees and north of it was Old Macdonald's farm itself. Just to the north of the river was an area of scrub with the ruins of an old, abandoned farmstead, now reduced to a few lumps and bumps.

Neither side was particularly strong, with both sides being predominantly made up of volunteers and conscripts.

The Confederate force consisted of three groups of Virginia infantry with rifled muskets, led by Captain Gaylord Ravenal (status II), of whom we shall hear more in the future, and two groups led by Cpl Cooter Davenport (status I), one group of the local Hazzard County Militia with smoothbore muskets, led by Lt Nahum Pierce (status II) and a group of skirmishers, led by Cpl Rufus Breaux (status I). They were supported by an additional status I NCO, Sgt Elmore Huckleberry and a bugler, attached to Capt Ravenal.

The Union side was led by Capt. Gardiner Haskins (status III), commanding four groups of the Arkham Volunteers, with a fifth group led by Sgt Scotty Mackenzie (status I) and two groups of the Miskatonic Volunteer Zouaves. One was a group of skirmishers led by Sgt Patrick O'Malley (status I) and the other was a group with rifled muskets led by Lt Decimus Dewey (status II).

Union support came in the shape of a colour party and a secondary deployment point.

The Confederate deployment area was at the far end of the table, marked by an encampment. The primary Union deployment point was the red cabin at the bottom of the picture, with the secondary one where the picket fence leaves the table to the right.

The scrub land and remains of the old farmstead can be seen where the road crossed the river.

The first deployment came in the form of the Confederate skirmishers who quickly took up position in the thinly-forested area south of the river.

The Miskatonic Volunteer Zouaves were next, with their skirmishers screening the larger group.

The skirmishers took up position in the scrub while the others pushed on to the river. It was at this point where they were first fired upon by the Confederates, causing some shock.

The rest of the Rebels seemed unwilling to leave their camp, but the Union's main force began to deploy along the road, led by the single group under the leadership of Sgt Mackenzie.

As Mackenzie reached the ford, the Confederate main body finally got moving, led by the Hazzard County Militia.

There had been little more than some ineffectual firing between the Zouaves and the skirmishers at this point, but the Rebels finally started to deploy into a tightly bunched defensive posture as the Miskatonic Zouaves waded through the shallow sluggish stream

The leading elements of the Arkham regiment began to cross the river, but were fired upon the Hazzard Militia, causing casualties. However, they persevered and eventually forced the militia back, which caused a disruption in the main Confederate lines.

This allowed the Union infantry to cross the river and start to form up into a firing line which began to advance towards the trees. On the Union right, the firefight between Zouaves and the Rebel skirmishers was causing casualties and shock on both sides but eventually the Rebels were forced back in disarray.

The Union troops began a general push forwards across the river , but moving through the wooded area was a risk that Captain Gardiner Haskins seemed unwilling to take. Deployed into a firing line, he seemed happy to trade shots through the wooded land, with both sides taking few casualties.

Eventually, the militia took the almost insane decision to wheel left and cross the front of the main Confederate line in an attempt to hold back the Miskatonic Zouaves who had broken the skirmishers and were now threatening the Confederate left. One can only assume that Lt Pierce had been at the moonshine.

This didn't turn out well and the hapless militiamen took heavy casualties and, extremely shocked, broke and ran back in the direction in which they had just come, preventing the Confederate from shooting at the Arkham infantry, who were still unwilling to enter the woods.

Things began to stabilise and both lines exchanged bouts of uncontrolled fire, causing shock and casualties, which led to the main group of Miskatonic Zouaves fleeing the battle back across the river, taking Lt Dewey with them. However, the Miskatonic skirmishers were made of stronger stuff and began to take their toll of the Confederate left. The main Union line was less effective, though. Shooting through the trees meant that many of their bullets had no effect at all, but the group under Sgt Mackenzie worked itself around behind the fences along the road and opened fire up on the Confederate right flank. Unfortunately, a Make Way! random event occurred to Sgt Mackenzie, which I interpreted to mean that he had tripped over a stump and got a bit dazed. It meant that on his next activation he would be unable to do anything, which took the edge off of the flanking advantage the Union had managed to acquire. Both sides saw their force morale drop a bit, but it affected the Rebels more than it did the Union side.

But, as their casualties mounted, and their force morale plummeted due to the elimination of the militia and the skirmishers, things began to look bleak for the Confederacy.

At this point, Capt. Ravenal decided that the game was up and began to withdraw in good order. The Union commander, Captain Haskins, who had been cautious throughout decided not to press his advantage, no doubt thinking that his green troops wouldn't really want to risk any more dead and wounded by getting entangled in the forest in front of them.

So, there we have it. Game One over and done.

My impressions of the game was that neither side really imposed itself. This was hardly surprising, as neither side had any seasoned troops and the accumulation of quite high levels shock meant that the low status leaders were always struggling to remove it fast enough to stop their men from getting away from danger. Troops tended to get stuck in bouts of Uncontrolled Firing, and the dice rolls went against the leaders who tried to stop it happening.

The other thing that happened quite a bit was that the Tiffin card didn't get played until after most of the leaders had been activated. However, because the troops were accumulating quite a lot of shock, the command cards were often all used at that point boosting the command statuses of the leaders so that they could try and get the shock levels down and get their troops to do useful things.

Still, it was a fun game. I am already looking forward to the next one.

Sharp Practice characters - pt2

Following on from the pen portraits for the Union side, here are their Confederate equivalents.

First, the officers;

Colonel Tom Parker comes from an old established Virginian land-owning family, with wealth and influence. He is the embodiment of the honourable Southern gentleman and is an impressive horseman. Of average height and build, he is a fairly unprepossessing-looking sort and, to be honest is a dull chap without a great deal of personality.

Major Gaylord Ravenal is also from old established and land-owning family with wealth and influence but he could hardly be described as honourable. In fact, he is something of a cad, a self-confessed ladies man and not above resorting to bribery to get what he wants. Physically, he cuts a tall and impressive figure, with good looks and a pleasant manner.

Major Jefferson Davis Hogg is cut from different cloth. His family has transcended its humble origins, gone into trade, done well and is now well-off and bourgeois. Unfortunately, Hogg doesn't share in the general wealth, being a spendthrift and a drunk, which probably accounts for his sickly physique, although the drink has not taken any toll on his handsome features. He is, though, a thoroughly dislikeable character.

Captain Byron Beausoleil, although a gentleman, enlisted as a common soldier in the early days of the war, but has risen through the ranks to become an officer. Not a large man by any means, nor much of a looker, he is nevertheless reliable and affable.

Lieutenant Nahum G. Pierce is another gentleman officer who originally enlisted as a common soldier. Of average build and pretty ordinary-looking, he is honourable if dull.

Lieutenant Chauncey Beauregard has connections and money. His father is a powerful political operator, with the ear of President Davis. Beauregard knows that honour is the essential weapon of a gentleman and is personally charming, physically impressive and wields a suitably large and heavy  sword in combat. Unfortunately, his looks let him down. His face has been described, behind his back, as "looking like the wrong end of a hawg".

And now, the NCOs;

Sergeant Marcel Frottoir has little to recommend him to anyone. Dull in spirit, sickly in body and lacking any physical charms, it is hardly a surprise to discover that he is a complete and utter misanthrope, with his eyes constantly looking for the chance to line his pockets. 

Sergeant Roscoe P. Coltrane is a decent sort in many ways. He is reasonable-looking, physically strong, although of average build, and honourable, but there is something in his manner that makes him very difficult to like.

Sergeant Elmore Huckleberry is pretty anonymous really. Of average height, he is a pleasant sort, quite good looking and fairly decent.

Corporal Cooter Davenport is a decent, average good looking chap, but a bit dull.

Corporal Rufus Breaux is an affable, decent, fair-looking sort, but his poor sharecropper upbringing has left him with a sickly  constitution.

Corporal Henry Akeley is, by common consent a pretty vile and friendless person but, being a strapping chap, no one is likely to offend him to his undeniably fair face.

So, there we have it. A pretty mixed bunch, I'm sure you will agree.

The imagi-nations lead mountain

So, I've finished off all my ACW troops and there is now no excuse not to start on my Syldavians and Bordurians.

In the end, I went with Essex Miniatures Seven Years War figures and here they are, en masse;

The Bordurians are all Prussians, with the main infantry core troops in fusilier caps, plus jägers in tricorns, dragoons, hussars in mirlitons, artillery, and some Von Kleist musketeers who will be Bordurian Hajduks (basically Grenzer-type troops). There are also some Von Kleist lancers who I think will have a nice look on the table once painted up.

The Syldavians are mainly Austrians, the core troops are Austrian German fusiliers, plus one group of German grenadiers, jägers/chasseurs, pandurs and artillery. There are also some hussars in busbies and Trenk hussars for a more exotic look. For dragoons, I decided that I wanted a different look, so the Syldavian dragoons will be represented by French ones in bonnets, basically because I like their hats. 

There are also some separate mounted and foot command groups to provide leaders, musicians and colour parties for both sides. Both sides also have a wagon, to be used as necessary to complete the requirements of individual scenarios.

I want some non-standard figures too, to represent minor characters and suchlike, so I have ordered some figures from the Peter Pig Pirates range. I'll have to see how I can fit these in, but I dare say that I'll work something out.

Later on, I'll probably look at adding more groups, possibly some cuirassiers as impact cavalry and maybe some foot figures from somewhere to act as engineers, plus some irregular troops and militia. I am thinking about using Essex Renaissance Ottoman musketeers as Bordurian bashi-bazouks and I'll probably want some Syldavian militia types too. Not sure which figures to use, though, maybe something from the French in Canada range? Something that looks lacking in spit and polish, for sure.

Sharp Practice characters - pt1

I've been amusing myself by creating character profiles for my ACW Union and Confederate leaders, using the “Adding Characters” section (p58) in the Sharp Practice rules.

Of course, you don't need to do this to play the game, but if you go to the bother of giving your leaders names you might as well create an identity for them. These characteristics will also come into play once you start adding some narrative richness to any campaigns and scenarios you play. Also, it is fun.

As I am dealing with the USA, wherever the rules refer to Nobility or Minor Royalty, I have chosen to interpret this as meaning “old landed gentry”, “political families” (i.e ones with Congressmen or Senators) or some other relevant term, such as “can trace the family back to the Pilgrim Fathers”.

Anyway, without further ado, here are some pen portraits for the Union leaders.

Major Gardiner Haskins is a very wealthy member of a family that has made a pile from hard work and trade. He owes his position to his father's millions, made from investment in the railroads. He is a man of honour, if somewhat unbending in his attitudes, well-built and good-looking enough but despite, or maybe because of, his advantages in life is a thoroughly dislikeable sort. His family and business connections have given him the chance to gain a military rank and accompanying status that is possibly beyond his abilities. Only time will tell.

Major Randolph Carter, a scion of a well-established old New England family, the Carters of Arkham, Massachusetts. He is a pleasant, easy-going, good-looking and well-built chap of an honourable character. He is otherwise unremarkable. One can only hope he will perform well on the field of combat.

Captain Bradley Stoke attended West Point and comes from a family with a history of military service, which has recently fallen on hard times and ended up in a state of poverty. Although he considers himself to be an honourable man, he is a vile individual of a weak and sickly physical build. On the positive side, he is considered to be fair of face.

Captain Decimus Dewey was unhappily born out of wedlock, although his father is a well-connected Member of Congress. He is an affable and honourable chap, but his looks were unfortunately horribly disfigured in an accident in his youth.

Lieutenant Travis Perkins is an odd sort. Although his low-born family has done well and is now extremely well-off, Perkins himself is in huge amounts of debt and is always looking for opportunities to make a few dollars. To this end, he has a history of passing himself off as other people, something which he is rather good at. His personally charming and good-looking exterior hides a rather unpleasant internal character. In short, he is a bit of a ne'er-do-well and a chancer.

Lieutenant Jacob van Klomp is from an old New York Dutch military family, which was once wealthy but has since declined into genteel poverty. He is a fine horseman and an affable, honourable and handsome devil, despite his diminutive stature.

Lieutenant Wingate Peaslee is also from Arkham, but from humble origins. Upright and honourable and a decent enough soldier, he has risen from the ranks to become an officer, if not exactly a gentleman. Physically average and unremarkable-looking, Lt. Peaslee is, for unknown reasons a vile individual.

Lieutenant Hans Niersteiner's family are recent German immigrants who have done well through hard work and thriftiness. Unfortunately, Hans is neither hard-working nor thrifty, being something of a rotter. He is always looking for ways to make a fast buck, in which enterprise he helped by his decent looks and huge personal charm.

In addition to the commissioned officers, there are several NCOs.

These are;

Sergeant James “Scotty” Mackenzie, an athletic, physically-strong individual of average build, an honourable sort with goodish looks and a hot vile temper and all-round nasty streak.

Sergeant Nathan Jones is a reliable, average, unremarkable chap with an affable disposition.

Sergeant Patrick O'Malley is similarly average, unremarkable and pleasant.

Sergeant Sidney Horstmann is also of average build, unremarkable and of a pleasant disposition, but is physically strong and athletic.

Corporal Wilbur Watts probably doesn't really want to be a soldier, being a sickly, dull sort, although quite good-looking.

Corporal Thaddeus Filmore is a good-looking giant of a man, who whenever he has been on a horse has shown himself to be a good rider. Shame he is an infantryman, really. Unfortunately, his tough upbringing and hard life have turned him into thoroughly dislikeable person.

American Civil War forces for Sharp Practice - Pt 3

Well, I've posted the Union army, so here are some of the Confederates for my Sharp Practice games.

These are, once again Peter Pig 15mm figures mounted on Warbases bases and movement trays.

First off we have the core infantry, 40 figures plus a leader (Major J.D Hogg) with a galloper;

Next, there are  cavalry, both mounted and dismounted with horse holders (and two surplus dismounted men);

And finally some militia (a group of 10 figures, as specified in the rules) led by Sgt. Roscoe P. Coltrane;