The 98: Setting the Stage

The forces have gathered, the map is prepared, the time is nigh.

Campaign Background

This campaign was kicked off back in December with the Battle of the Harrowed. This was followed in February with BGORA: Rebellion it Is!

Both of those games were one-offs setting the stage for the landing of a Ferach Elf expeditionary force with the aim of liberating the Bog Orcs and Wee Folk of Guinalea. Well "liberating" is the goal the Emperor uses in public. Privately he realizes that any force sent to Guinalea will merely be a sacrifice aimed at causing His Majesty King Gorge and the army of Great Britorcn a great deal of mischief at relatively little cost.

Ferach involvement began covertly with agent provocateur extraordinaire Danial de Kless fomenting dissent and training Rebels in Wexforc. Simultaneously Mordred gathered Guinalean emigres under Wolfe Toon and raised the Regiment Guinalea.  

This regiment is the centerpiece, or perhaps show piece is a better term of the Army of Liberation assembled under General Louis Hochemont that is currently en route to Bantam on the north east coast of Guinalea.

Meanwhile following the successes of the rebellion in Wexforc, the Benevolent Guinalean Organized Republican Army (BGORA) under the inspired leadership of General Molt had taken Wexforc, Bantam, and Killcurry. 

It is now rumored that the Britorcn forces are regrouping on the line Naughty Rhyme, Barney, and Ork.

Initial positions: Ferach Elves to land at Bantam, General Moult in position at Killcurry.

The Scenario

This game will be played using Charles Grant's "Programmed War Games Scenarios", mini campaign "The Expeditionary Force".  As written that game deals with a force invading a peninsula shaped a bit like a mirror image Ireland.

With some quick computer work this was modified, making the peninsula an island, adding a town and a lake, and adding place names for the towns.

Each square on the map represents six feet on the tabletop.

I will be taking on the role of the invader/liberator, while the scenario will control the defending Britorcn forces.

Any battles that result will be gamed out using Muskets & Shakos.

The Forces

Ferach Army of Liberation

The Ferach Army of Liberation

The Ferach Army of Liberation consists of three brigades of infantry and one weak brigade of cavalry under the command of General Louis Hochemont.

General Hochemont and Wolfe Toon hold an O group.

First Infantry Brigade

 First brigade consists of three battalions of Elf infantry supported by a battery of Elven guns.

Second Infantry Brigade

Second brigade consists of one Elf infantry battalion, one Todoroni Republic infantry battalion, one Burrovian Republic infantry battalion, and a Burrovian artillery battery.

 Third brigade is under strength and consists of the two battalions of the Regiment Guinalea. Colonel Toon is hopeful of raising a third battalion as rebels flock to his banner.

The Cavalry Brigade

Rounding out the Army of Liberation is a brigade of cavalry. Due to the difficulty in transporting horses by sea this brigade consists of one regiment of Burrovian heavy cavalry on donkeys and one of Todoroni light cavalry on hippos. Rounding out the brigade is a unit of Todoroni light infantry.

This fairly mixed force represents the Emperor's commitment to maximum mayhem at minimum cost (to the Emperor). Barring a great Ferach naval victory, it can only be a matter of time before fresh troops from Albion arrive to take back any gains made by the Army of Liberation. At that time it is expected that General Hochemont will seek terms granting his forces the Honors of War complete with a return to Amorica. 

As such any cavalry must be considered expendable and the Ferach Empire is not so rich in horse flesh that it can throw good cavalry away. Using the expedition as a means of weakening client states however has a utility all its own.

Benevolent Guinalean Organized Republican Army

General Moult's Command

 With Ferach aid, General Moult has raised a largely guerrilla force, well suited to traditional Guinalean fighting methods. Daniel de Kless has managed to supply BGORA forces with some muskets and even arranged for a Ferach cavalry officer to raise a unit of more or less conventional cavalry trained in the Uropean style.

General Moult and de Kless stand before the only Uropean trained unit in the BGORA

The BGORA consists of one unit of sword, axe, and spear armed heavy infantry, two units of light infantry with a mixture of bows and muskets, two units of light wolf riders with bow and spear, and one unit of light dragoons mounted on lizards and equipped with carbines.

Oh they also have an ancient cannon Lead Belcher.

BGORA assembled for inspection

That's it for now. I hope to start the campaign properly on Sunday March 17th.

Hope you enjoy it.