The 98: Marching Through Guinalea

Following on from the skirmish near Barney, the campaign entered a more mobile phase.

Here is a situation report covering days 9-11 or and interestingly enough, the days. May 26-28th as the campaign once again caught up to real time.

Maneuvers up to May 28

You may left mouse click on the picture of the map above to see a larger version of it. If you left click on that larger image you should see an image still larger again.

Here's the current disposition of forces roughly from west to east:

• Gen de Brigade Fefalas has 5 battalions of foot and one battery marching on Sluggo. An additional battalion has been split to garrison Naughty Rhyme and Illskilling as well as to guard POWs.
• Col. Ranacavallo has two squadrons of light hippos on the road from Sluggo to Dungslough
• Gen de Division Hochemont has 2 battalions of foot, one of lights, 3 squadrons of heavy horse, and a battery of guns and is marching south from Barney.
• 1 additional battalion of foot is garrisoning Barney.
• 1 squadron of light hoppos is enroute from Barney to Bubblin by the coast road.
• Gen. Moult has 1 battalion of primitive foot  2 battalions of light infantry, and a battery near Fort Chuck.
• Col. D'orcreilly has 3 squadrons of dragoons and 6 of wolf riders pursuing the 62nd foot and 26th Light Dragoons down the coast road to Bubblin.

After issuing a proclamation to the Guinaleans, I, in the role of Hochemont, detached the 54th to hold Barney, and headed south for the Sluggo - Bubblin road.  I have also dispatched a squadron of the Legion du Rospo hippos, the only force of light cavalry at my disposal, to demonstrate north of the Iffey  River at Bubblin. It is my intention to bring my force to the south of Bubblin to cut off any enemy troops that may be tasked with holding the bridge and prevent them from reaching Dunglsough where no doubt the final battle of the campaign will take place.

And this brings up my major failing in the campaign as a whole so far. Although I have regularly defeated enemy forces encountered I have not successfully pursued them. Well that is not quite correct. Dear Ranacavallo of the Legion du Rospo Hipps had done a splendid job of keeping the defeated enemy moving and providing me with information on the enemy and the country generally. What I have been unable to do is defeat the enemy in detail. 

With only two squadrons under him, Ranacavallo is too weak to actually attack any of the forces he has been chasing and it is my lack of light cavalry generally that has been the greatest problem so far.

Mind you the BGORA forces under Moult are well supplied with light troops. However their movements have been sluggish in the extreme to the point that I have issued a courier to Moult outlining my intentions and urging him to move down the coast from Ork as soon as possible. Outside of that I do not plan to include his forces in my calculations here after.

Sadly, General de Brigade Fefalas has proven a poor division commander. Perhaps it is an after effect of the wound he suffered at Naughty Rhyme?  I have been sore tempted to replace him with Wolfe Toon, but the thought of Ferach troops serving under Guinalean command is irksome.

In any event, Fefalas with 1st and 3rd brigade, minus one battalion committed to garrison duty has fallen way behind Ranacavallo and has not been much use in pressing Albion forces.

Indeed Sir Morcambe N. Wise has managed to bring the battered 21st, nearly intact Artists and Poets Yeomanry, 12th Light Dragoons and 5 guns into Dungslough to shore up whatever defenses are being prepared to receive us.

On the plus side both Illskilling and Sluggo have fallen without a fight and better yet are sympathetic to our cause. Ranacavallo tells me that reliable sources among the Guinaleans also report that Gallston is free of Orcs.

So much for what I/Hochemont knows. Here are some things Hochemont does not know and I shouldn't (although it is sadly unavoidable).

• BGORA cavalry has finally pinned down the retreating 62nd foot and 26th Light Dragoons just north of the Iffey River. Battle is certain.
• The Major Grifter of the now under-strength Connartist Ramblers had decided to take his command to Fort Chuck, unaware that the fort has already fallen. However, and rather embarrassingly, the Major has got the Ramblers lost up in the hills. 
• Col. Ranacavallo is chasing a detachment of light infantry and half a militia battalion which will also be able to add their strength to whatever awaits us in Dungslough. At this rate the defenses there will be quite strong.

That ought to bring you all up to date.

The end is in sight now, one way or the other : )

Thanks for stopping by!