The Diplomat

The Red

The Pfalz of Das Röt,  or Cinnabaria to its residents, the Rötters, is ruled by the Elector, Crown Prince Rudolph.  The Prince considers himself an Artisté, regularly painting his mistress, the stick thin Madame Bouvier in varying states of undress.   To be clear he paints on the mistress rather than on a canvas, and it is he who is undressed.

Madame Bouvier
Pfwoar!!!

The Principality is in reality ruled by the veteran Margrave Flatulenz, who also enjoys the favours of Madame Bouvier.  The Margrave constantly plots revenge against his neighbours in the Grand Duchy, and his schemes have lead to incessant warfare on the borders.  Unfortunately a Peace Party lead by the Baron Von Hippě is beginning to gain ground and has forced the Margrave to send a diplomat.  he has selected none other than the Baron von Hippě himself!

Leading the military escort will be the most active of the Red's Officers, Colonel von Schoup.  Rumoured to be an illegitimate son of Madame Bouvier herself.  Von Schoup is the darling of the Coffee shop culture in Das Röt.  He is a Regular monocle wearing Officer, with a dislike of "amateurs," and a loathing, or deep fear, of cats.

The Blue

Over in the Grand Duchy of the Blau Sepulchrave Stöhnen, Seventh Groan of The Blau, is an eccentric ruler, whose time is spent drilling his company of giant Grenadier Guardsmen.

Security of The Grand Duchy devolves upon the Baron Pumphosen, a immense presence of military obesity.  The hugely fat Baron spends little time campaigning, having won glory years ago with his famous defeat of the invasion of the Margrave Flatulenz.  (Twice)  His victory has been called into question in certain Red pamphlets on the subject.

The Baron's eldest (illegitimate and quite frankly terrifying) son, the Oberst Joachim von Pumphosen, commands a mixed force of the Duchy's regulars at the border, but the Duchy also relies on its Militia.  Joachim will command the Blau forces in this campaign.

The Map

  

Cultivated Land	Village	Woods
Hills + river	Cultivated Land+ river	Mountains +river
Swamp + River	Heath + River	Lake + River
Significant Building	Cultivated land	Hills +Woods
Hills + woods	Heath	Village +River
Hills + Forest + River	Village + river	Significant building +river
Cultivated Land	Woods	Cultivated Land
Cultivated Land	Small Town	Woods

Red Leading Player

Blue Secondary Player

The Diplomat

LEADING PLAYER

With talk of a peace movement in our enemy’s government, you have orders to escort a diplomatic

agent to a position in enemy territory where he can meet with a contact who can escort him on

further.  Your mission will take you deep into enemy territory and you must then retire southwards to leave via your friendly map edge. 

SECONDARY PLAYER

Your mission is to protect your territory from any enemy incursion.    You have received word that an

enemy force has crossed the border and is at large in your territory.  You must oblige them to withdraw

across the border as soon as possible. 

VICTORY CONDITIONS

The Leading Player must cross the map to deliver the agent to Area 1, 2 or 3.  He will not know which Area until he reaches an Area adjacent to one of them when a message from the contact will reach them and reveal his location (roll a D6).  The Secondary Player will not be aware of the enemy’s objective, but must repel any enemy invasion.

SPECIFIC TERRAIN REQUIREMENTS

None. 

FORCES

Both sides should field an equal size Main Force.  The Secondary Player may place one Outpost of two Groups of Militia quality troops in any inhabited Area on the map. The Leading Player’s force begins the game in Area 19.  The secondary Player’s force begins the game at the start of Turn 1 in Area 2.

SUPPLIES

Both sides begin the campaign with 14 sacks of supplies. The population is considered friendly to the

Secondary Player.  

INITIATIVE

The Leading Player begins the campaign with the Initiative and retains it until the Secondary Player

wins it from him.  Initiative will then be held by whichever player won it in the last battle fought. 

Blue Forces

His Military Obesity the Fat Baron Pumphosen

Jocachim

Oberst Joachim von Pumphosen (Der Junger Pumper)

Hauptmann Frederick Schlag

Leutnant Hans Hämorrhoiden

Titt-Meister Cosmo Kleinesstück

Korporal Gerd Üppig

Blue Core Force
Leader, Status III Three Groups of 8 Regulars, Muskets
Leader, Status II,  Three Groups of Militia with 10 figures, Muskets
Leader Status I.
Leader I One Group of 6 Jäger Skirmishers, Muskets
Add ons
1 gun with 4 crew
2 groups of six Militia skirmishers, Wildhüter.

Characters
Physic Dr Bogenbroom, the Royal Physician.
Minister Alexei Luther, Holy man
Mr Roderick Stuart, Engineer and Jacobite.

Red Forces

His Fragrence, the Margrave Flatulenz

von Schoup

Oberstleutnant Heinz von Schoup

Hauptmann  Braune Schmutz

Fahnenjunker Maximillian von Maus

Korporal Sigmund Süße

Red Core Force
Leader, Status III Three Groups of 8 Regulars, Muskets
Leader, Status II Two Groups of 8 Grenadiers, Muskets
Leader I One Group of 6 Light Infantry Skirmishers, Muskets
Point Value:  58

Add ons
The Diplomat's Coach

Options
1 gun with 4 crew
Extra group Grenadiers
Extra group of 8 musketeers
Extra group of 6 Light Infantry

The game gets under way...
The Red main body advances on the Apricot Guesthouse...

Patrols in the right flank area encounter Blue skirmishers near St Erwin's Church

Red patrols drive off a small blue detachment at St Erwin's Church.

The Blues retreat past the bridge at Arschende. 

With Blue Forces on either flank Oberstleutnant von Schoup decides to push ahead.  Not a cautious man...

Patrols report that the Knopfbruck  Bridge is  held by blue forces.  Heinz von Schoup is in trouble.  He attacks anyway.
Madame Bouvier once named him the most vigorous officer serving Red...  That wit the Fahnenjunker Maximillian von Maus opined that it has been the Madame who had enjoyed his service...

The Battle of the Knopfbruck Bridge

On table the river transects left to right.  It may have a passable Ford on the left.  Blue has guns deployed covering the bridge. 
It seems that Von Schoup must order an assault by the mighty Red Grenadiers and hope that it will see him safely across and into Mittledorf.  The Blau have detachments threatening his flanks and it has come down to bayonets over the bridge!

But that is tomorrow's game...

The Knopfbruck Bridge.   Blue create a killing zone.

The Red Dragoons come on table but hold position.  The Colonel wishes to attack with his Grenadiers in column.

Von Schoup leads the Grenadiers off the deployment point.

But Blue shooting is poor.  Two hits two shock.  

The Grenadiers charge forward in march attack... They lose a man against  three hits three killed.  The Blue musketeers are thrown back.  Von Schoup narrowly survives. (Rolled a two!)

Meanwhile Hauptmann Frederick Schlag leads the remaining Blue Musketeers  to the left flank and discovers the Rumoured ford. 

Bad things happen for Blue as they flee to the deployment point.  Red Grenadiers are on the deployment point and Blue has lost this one.  Perhaps the Red can be held in Mittledorf, but for now they retain the initiative.

To say that Red were lucky doesn't even come close.  They survived only one round of Blue fire, since ineptitude meant that the blues did not form a formation.  His chip came our first three times in a row, and Tiffin followed that almost immediately for two of those, with no blue flags available to do anything else.

Lastly, since he was on a road, the Grenadiers stormed along, rolling high movement.  Blue could have fought on, but it seemed prudence to withdraw up the map.  If young Pumphosen can't sort this out I shall have to rummage among my "notables" cards and try to hire a foreign expert.

Catch up with Heinz von Schoup next time as he faces the Blues again at the Battle of Mittledorf.