Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => Ancients to Renaissance (3000BC - 1680) => Topic started by: FierceKitty on 19 April 2015, 06:45:38 AM

Title: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 April 2015, 06:45:38 AM
I find myself the Sultan of Turkey, with my wife fortunately controlling the Swedes. The King of Poland is a rabbit player, as is the Grande Hetman of the Cossacks; the Tsar is my most experienced rival. Expect updates as the war develops.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: fsn on 19 April 2015, 06:54:18 AM
Sorry, what is a rabbit player?

Is this a gamer of the cotton-tail persuasion? A person who has mastered the art of getting a tune out of bunny? Perhaps a female player who needs some discrete stimulation?

Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 April 2015, 07:33:24 AM
Spring 1600: Poles have an outbreak of disease in Krakow. Everyone frantically hiring Scots. Turks fail to capture Batoh, Poles fail to take Beograd.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 April 2015, 07:35:07 AM
Quote from: fsn on 19 April 2015, 06:54:18 AM
Sorry, what is a rabbit player?

Is this a gamer of the cotton-tail persuasion? A person who has mastered the art of getting a tune out of bunny? Perhaps a female player who needs some discrete stimulation?



A muggins.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Fenton on 19 April 2015, 08:16:12 AM
Quote from: fsn on 19 April 2015, 06:54:18 AM
Sorry, what is a rabbit player?

Is this a gamer of the cotton-tail persuasion? A person who has mastered the art of getting a tune out of bunny? Perhaps a female player who needs some discrete stimulation?



It is a term associated with a poor batsman at cricket usually in the  number 11 spot  and seen as an easy wicket for a top bowler. In footballing terms it would be Gary Sprake
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 April 2015, 08:28:15 AM
Autumn 1600. The Swedes have caught the Muscovites divided and are about to chew up the imperial army. There is a unit of Streltsi waiting in a wood, however, which I don't think my wife has noticed (it's pretty obvious to an experienced eye, but I think the Russkies are going to spring a nasty surprise).
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: fsn on 19 April 2015, 08:32:19 AM
Ah! Last time I watched football was 1973. Last time I watched cricket was ... um ... no, I've never watched cricket.

Thank you for the definition.

With FK, I feel it is wise to clarify.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 19 April 2015, 09:13:35 AM
Sounding fun FK
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 April 2015, 10:31:09 AM
It's winter, 1600. The Muscovites tried their best, but the Swedes carved them up seriously, and subsequently destroyed Novgorod in a brutal sack. Izmir has fallen to a Cossack raid (damn it!), so my Turks have lost half their territory in the first year's campaigning (matters have been worsened by two outbreaks of heresy, rather distracting the Sultan his military duties).
Four male players, and the token female is doing best of us all. Hmmm.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Hertsblue on 19 April 2015, 06:52:01 PM
Sounds as if you need allies, FK.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Subedai on 19 April 2015, 07:45:37 PM
Sounds interesting FK...monitoring.

Quote from: fsn on 19 April 2015, 08:32:19 AM
Ah! Last time I watched football was 1973. Last time I watched cricket was ... um ... no, I've never watched cricket.

Thank you for the definition.

With FK, I feel it is wise to clarify.

#fsn. Sprake was playing before then. He played in the notorious kick-each-other-about European Cup semi-final of 1970 against Celtic. Amazing match to watch even now. Today the match would have been abandoned soon after the kick off due to lack of players available. Heaven only knows how many red cards would have been seen!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: fsn on 19 April 2015, 07:59:51 PM
Sprake I  am aware of. Played for Leeds. notorious kick about  ... nope. Nothing.





Do you think they talk Aztecs and Pz Iv hatches on football fan sites?



Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 April 2015, 11:15:06 PM
Quote from: Hertsblue on 19 April 2015, 06:52:01 PM
Sounds as if you need allies, FK.

The rules don't allow alliances with the infidel. I can only hope I get mobilised before the whole empire is overrun.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 26 April 2015, 06:06:17 AM
Sunday again. It's the Cossack player's turn to move, so I hope he advances against Constantinople, where the Turks are waiting. If he chooses not to attack, the campaign won't be going much further today, since it's the Muscovite's turn next, and he's not here this fine, sunny day.
If he does attack, I'll start recovering from a dismal start to the campaign, intshallah. The Turks are more than a match for force that has the cheek to invade with no real cavalry support.
I think.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 26 April 2015, 07:21:35 AM
You need to issue these as a pamphlet with lots of woodcuts...

IanS
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 26 April 2015, 07:21:41 AM
They've opted to wait for the Poles to get closer. Well, we'll see if that was a wise decision....
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Hertsblue on 26 April 2015, 10:51:05 AM
The Cossacks have no cavalry support?  :o :o :o
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 26 April 2015, 10:53:22 AM
These are the Zaporozhian type. Mainly musketeers and axemen. Some light cavalry, but no match for the Ottomans in that regard. Don Cossacks would be a stronger LC force.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 26 April 2015, 12:11:05 PM
Most of the day was devoted to an unconnected Japanese battle, but the Cossacks drew taxes and subsidies, had a morale-boosting visit from the Kiev Kittens (Nothing Left to the Imagination!), and did not attack Istanboul. Muscovites are next to move this winter.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 26 April 2015, 12:21:22 PM
Hmmm....The girlfriend's something of an artist, and she's coming to visit soon. I wonder if we can get her on board.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Hertsblue on 26 April 2015, 12:29:17 PM
Er... whose girlfriend, FK? Or do I have to draw your attention to the old navy toast - wives and girlfriends, may they never meet!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 26 April 2015, 12:31:43 PM
This is the 21st century. My toast is "Wife and girlfriend - may they never decide they don't need me on the team!"
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 03 May 2015, 11:52:13 AM
Winter 1600. The Muscovites have remained in Lwow, drawing just enough tax to pay the army, raising three elements of streltsi musketeers to begin recovering their losses, and hiring another regiment of Scottish pike-and-shot infantry. The Turks have paid their army and been sent some auxiliary light cavalry and tribal swordsmen by the Shah of Afghanistan; they have marched to intercept the invading Cossack army at the ruins of Izmir, and the next campaign event will be the battle between the two armies. Watch this space.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: paulr on 04 May 2015, 05:17:55 AM
 :-SS
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Hertsblue on 04 May 2015, 10:09:43 AM
We are agog (i.e half a goggle).  :D
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Westmarcher on 04 May 2015, 12:02:47 PM
Wait. Wayyyyyt. 

Two of the players are rabbits?
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Ithoriel on 04 May 2015, 12:36:57 PM
Rabbits are seriously in to gaming :)

(http://quicklol.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/rabbit-playing-video-game-boss-fight.jpg)
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 17 May 2015, 07:13:19 AM
The Turkish counter-attack is under way; an intimidatingly large army, too. Field constricted by a river in spate down the middle, but I think we can handle it. Pix should follow later today. Both sides are advancing a bit impetuously already.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 17 May 2015, 10:00:29 AM
The battle is over and Izmir is back in Turkish hands, and the Cossacks won't be bothering anyone for a while. Biggest headache for the Sultan was treachery by his Bedouin auxilliaries; may not bother to replace them, having wiped them out during the battle. Qapukulu cavalry distinguished themselves in a charge which broke three Zaporozhian units. Mmmmm.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: toxicpixie on 17 May 2015, 10:43:26 AM
Whoops - so, was it numbers, tactical skill, bad deployment or plain old dice tht decided it?!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 17 May 2015, 11:02:51 AM
A picture, from behind the devoted Cossack right wing.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: toxicpixie on 17 May 2015, 12:29:53 PM
Ooo. Ouch. That looks like it's about to be very painful!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 17 May 2015, 12:34:41 PM
'twas. He's lost his paychests and 65% of his army. Next time, perhaps he'll deploy in time.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: toxicpixie on 17 May 2015, 01:02:29 PM
Whoops :D If you're tardy to the party got to expect repercussions! Exactly the sort of thing happens in real life but is very hard to replicate "fairly" on table. Unless it's te players own fault ;)
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Hertsblue on 18 May 2015, 09:25:01 AM
Do you allow people to deploy that close to the table's edge? We always have a 30cm "demilitarised zone" down each side to allow for extravagant turning movements.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: toxicpixie on 18 May 2015, 09:29:39 AM
I'm gathering that the Cossack player failed to get set up in any reasonable time, and paid the price by arriving at least partially in march column. With Turks already on his flank....
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 18 May 2015, 11:18:37 AM
If your troops have a recoil move in the flank zone, they rout. So it's permitted, but very inadvisable.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 24 May 2015, 01:41:05 PM
A year's campaigning today. The Polish army was destroyed to the last man by the Turks (a photograph or two should follow soon), and Belgrade is back in Turkish hands, though so badly damaged that it's not going to be contributing any taxes for a while. Pskov has fallen to the Swedes, who are now ready to march on Moscow, but their conquest of Riga lasted them six months before the Ruskies took it in turn.
Campaigns are quite fun! Especially if the Polish player won't learn to cover his flanks.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: toxicpixie on 24 May 2015, 02:09:17 PM
Whoops... Is your Turk player really good at finding an open flank or are his opponents just giving it away?!

Ouch :)
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 24 May 2015, 02:39:29 PM
It was an open field, a big army, and a dim Polish player. I was the Turk myself.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 27 May 2015, 04:18:32 PM
ttps://plus.google.com/photos/104084964744926294929/albums/6153579285136596353?gpinv=AMIXal90n20qJgTxN7e7yylvW7k2TslARP29KCgdvIF1bf8PEkbh2Wk9_HZgqC_oceMIX8JQG8Y5dJStKRcFangbEheBBvjlDg5-boQt8rVIcepXw7t_YIo&cfem=1&authkey=CNSapvSI9Yuv4QE

...if anyone wants to see the Tsar's helicopter shots of the discomfiture of the Polish army. Don't know what the ancients are doing there.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: OldenBUA on 27 May 2015, 08:03:59 PM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 27 May 2015, 04:18:32 PM
https://plus.google.com/photos/104084964744926294929/albums/6153579285136596353?gpinv=AMIXal90n20qJgTxN7e7yylvW7k2TslARP29KCgdvIF1bf8PEkbh2Wk9_HZgqC_oceMIX8JQG8Y5dJStKRcFangbEheBBvjlDg5-boQt8rVIcepXw7t_YIo&cfem=1&authkey=CNSapvSI9Yuv4QE

...if anyone wants to see the Tsar's helicopter shots of the discomfiture of the Polish army. Don't know what the ancients are doing there.

You're missing the first 'h' in that link.

Looks like a lot of troops on the field, which can otherwise be described as a vast and featureless desert!

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FxX3doklEP4/VWXnwdubLzI/AAAAAAAAH64/sy3tMgKgpEE/w408-h229-p-no/20150503_155707.jpg)
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 28 May 2015, 01:50:30 AM
That one, as the elephants hint, is NOT the Turks and Polacks hitting each other.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: toxicpixie on 28 May 2015, 08:41:22 AM
There not a lot of elephants in Warsaw then? Who'da thunked it!

Nice to see a lot of campaign games going :)
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 12 July 2015, 07:44:51 AM
We've resumed; Russkies are attempting to retake Pskov from the Swedes. Pix to follow.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 12 July 2015, 08:20:36 AM
Have fun all!
My money is on the undertakers making a profit!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: toxicpixie on 12 July 2015, 09:37:01 AM
The only people round here with a steady job,
Are the undertaker, bailiff and the heavy mob...
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 12 July 2015, 10:40:44 AM
Swedish  army walloped the Russians, who retreated, closely pursued, to Riga; next scheduled battle is Swedes and Russkies again.  Swedish player proposed an alliance against me (Ottomans), who are presently besieging Krakow; it would have been wiser to accept.
The Cossack player did take a few pictures; I'll try to post them asap.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 12 July 2015, 10:46:51 AM
Swedish  army walloped the Russians, who retreated, closely pursued, to Riga; next scheduled battle is Swedes and Russkies again.  Swedish player proposed an alliance against me (Ottomans), who are presently besieging Krakow; it would have been wiser to accept.
The Cossack player did take a few pictures, but with a low-quality camera.

Hire Scottish mercenaries, folks. Good value!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 12 July 2015, 11:25:39 AM
Yay the Scots!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 July 2015, 09:35:29 AM
Campaign has sort of wound down. There's no way the Poles can prevent total Turkish conquest within a round now, the Muscovites have only a future of steady retreats and a lost province each time, and the Cossacks are out of it. The situation reveals a weakness in campaigns: they're depressing for someone who's losing badly. Next time we'll fix a time limit. This time, joint Turkish and Swedish victory.
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: Last Hussar on 19 July 2015, 09:42:49 AM
Sorry, am I the only one less interested in the campaign and more in how a wargamer appears to have this hedonistic 2 woman lifestyle?

I mean, no wonder we have a reputation for no romance - FK's stealing them all!
Title: Re: Blood and Borscht Campaign has begun.
Post by: FierceKitty on 19 July 2015, 09:46:10 AM
What's the connexion? The Other Woman isn't involved in the campaign.