GRIZAN FORCES ADVANCE ACROSS BORDER INTO KRUZOKAMPO (KREUZFELD) REGION OF NIGRAKRUZO
Another squabble between two FMS or Forgotten Minor States of old Mittel-Mittel Europe in the late 19th century.
The lone KruzoKampo (KK) sentry leans against the barrier post in the first light at a minor border crossing on the edge of the small town of KruzoKampo (KK), in this rural region of the state of NigraKruzo. The area was once called Kreuzfeld during past Teutonic occupation.
The KK sentry fails to spot an advance party of Grizan infantry hedinf south towards him along the road. Beside him on the wall, primed and ready, sits a signal cannon to alert the other guards and the Town Reserve / Militia in the town.
Border crossing terms and charges clearly stated on the Toll House Border Post wall.
The border post is manned by the blue-coated volunteer militia of the Hejma Gvardio (or LandSturm as their Teutonic neighbours would have it).
A reconnaissance sketch map is shown below, carried by Grizan forces who attack from Grizan territory south towards the bridge and this largely forgotten foot crossing on the rural NigraKruzo border.
The Grizan troops have one objective, to seize this neglected border crossing and hold it until further Grizan reinforcements arrive down the road to the North.
Initial dispositions – first light. Grizan forces attack south across the foot bridge and river, hoping to catch the sentry napping.
Turn 2 – The KK sentry rolls 5 (4,5,6 to spot movement, 1,2,3 did not notice) and so spots suspicious movement on the Grizan side in the dimsy early morning light. He rushes to bang on the border post / toll house door to rouse his fellow Hejma Gvardio militia. He then [completes his move to] fire the small signal cannon on the wall to alert the Reserve in the nearby town – it fails to fire first time!
[Signal Cannon – Fires 1,3,5, Fails 2,4,6]
Turn 3 – As the rest of the sleepy guards turn out of the Border hut, strapping on their equipment and readying their muskets and bayonets, they hear a small boom and echo. Success! The signal cannon fired.
The KK militia reserve troops from the town will take 5 turns to reach the border post (turn number decided by d6 throw)
The first Grizan troops take one move to dismantle the barrier. They are out of firing range. More Grizan troops follow from the Northwest field to the gap in the field wall, aiming for the bridge.
A wider view of the border post and the footbridge, which spans a fast and impassable river tributary of the Rivero Nigra that divides the FMS state of Griza from its southern neighbour.
An ancient artillery piece sits facing the Grizan side of the river and bridge. The usual traffic is foot travellers and livestock to the market of the town, the bridge being too narrow for most waggons.
The small and still sleepy group of border guards stumble out of the warmth of their border post to man the barricade. Their officer and artilleryman head behind the post to ready the ancient artillery piece.
The sleepy militiamen are soon overcome by the bullets and bayonets of the Grizan advanced guard.
It takes one turn to ready and prime the ancient cannon, and in their flustered state, they fire only one round which misses the Grizan troops on the road.
The surviving KK Officer and artilleryman are surrounded and quickly surrender.
Disarmed the two prisoners are marched north over the border into Griza by two Grizan riflemen.
The Grizan infantry now have two turns left to quickly fortify their position before the KK Town Militia will reach them on the outskirts of KruzoKampo. They hear the drum and calls of the KK militia in the distance.
The Grizan officer quickly directs his men to line the field walls and barricade, whilst one crackshot occupies the window position in the border post.
The sixteen surviving Grizan reserves and advanced guard, flag fluttering, line the KK border walls, ready to clash with the KK town reserve or militia as they arrive.
On the other southeast side of the bridge, bayonets clash in melee over the low field border walls. Eight of the KK Militia and five of the Grizan infantry are quickly killed in the clash along the walls.
In the next ragged volley from the Grizan troops, the KK militia officer and ensign are fatally wounded.
The two surviving KK troops, the drummer boy and a disarmed infantry man are rounded up and herded into the stores building out of the way.
The black cross of the NigraKruzo flag on the flagpole is symbolically toppled by the jubilant Grizan troops.
The surviving thin grey line of Grizan troops inside the hut and along the walls settle down to hold the border crossing until their reinforcements arrive from the North.
TO BE CONTINUED ….
This game was inspired by the recent flats games by Alan ‘Duchy of Tradgardland’ Gruber.
Troops are 30mm ‘Nuremberg scale’ flats from a random painted and bashed selection of troops that I bought online in the last ten years. They were freshly based on MDF penny bases.
Notes on Terrain
Building: Modern Chinese ‘Little Farm’ set copy of old Herald / Britain’s 54mm animal house and trough. The stores hut is an OO/HO railway building.
Barricade – tile spacers and matchstick barrier or old Airfix / Dapol OO/HO windmill sail spar. Flagpost cocktail stick and MDF tuppeny piece Warbases
Grass and roads / river – roll out coated A4 flocked paper – model railway shop, strips of felt (fabric shop)
Bridge – 1960s plastic by “F G T & Sons London England” – F.G. Taylor & Sons, Ltd. England Farm Series No. 539 Rustic Bridge,
Wooden ‘stone’ walls from German toy village. Plastic rock and various stone chippings.
Trees – old Britain’s / plastic dead tree and mini Christmas card wooden clip fir trees on Warbases MDF tuppeny bases.
Back of Postcard Rules for this game
Loosely based on Donald Featherstone
Needs 6″ ruler and handful of d6 dice, some coloured.
Movement rates on Foot – 3 inches, 6 inches on road
River impassable except by bridge – tree areas impassable.
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(Effective) Firing range – 6 inches, of which:
Long Range LR – 5 to 6 inches – requires 6 to hit (d6 dice)
Medium Range MR – 3 to 4 inches – requires 5,6 to hit (d6 dice)
Close Range CR – 1 to 2 inches – requires 4,5,6 to hit (d6 dice)
Savings Throws as you wish – roll one d6 for each casualty. 6 saves life, 5 or 6 if behind wall / barrier.
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IGO YUGO rules – Role 2 dice at start of each turn, one for each side. Highest score wins, those troops move first.
- Winner moves first [Melee?]
- Other side moves second [Melee?]
- Remove casualties as you go
- Winner fires first
- Other side fires second.
Turn ends. No morale checks etc.
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Melee system as you see fit
Melee happens when two troops touch base, cross rifles bayonets, swords etc.
Version A – 1d6 each for each man and his opponent, highest wins.
Version B – 3 life points each, Parry and Lunge rules
Version C – Kaptain Kobold reduction of B (Parry and Lunge) to single d6 dice rules
3 life points each man, decide who is attacker, who defender
1,2 – Hit on attacker, attacker loses one point
3 – Both Hit (lose one point each)
4 – Both Miss
5,6 – Hit on Defender (defender loses one point)
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Artillery Range – two crew minimum – nominate target / area
Close Range CR: 1″ up to 6″ – hit on 5,6 – roll 1 d6 for casualty numbers
Medium Range MR: 6″ up to 12″ – hit on 6 – roll 1 d6 for casualty numbers
Long Range LR: 6″ – 12″ up to 18″ – hit on 6 – roll 1 d6 for casualty numbers
- Adjust number of casualty dice as you wish for different ranges
Write d6 rule for any decision you need e.g. if low numbers / isolated, roll d6:
- 1,2 – retreat / head for safety or cover
- 3,4 – surrender (or 3 – freeze, 4 – surrender)
- 5,6 – attack, advance
- N.B. Surrendering troops are disarmed and escorted to rear by one guard to two prisoners
Write d6 or movement rules as needed e.g. 2 men to remove barricade one move. Crossing wall, half a move.
Write fire rules as needed e.g. for signal gun – Fire: Yes 1,3,5 or Misfire 2,4,6
Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN, 4/5 April 2021
My scratch / scrap Napoleonics and Tricorne figures in 15mm had no Forest Indian opponents and I had no great wish to buy even more 15mm figures during the Lockdown. Instead I looked through my hoard for some odd-looking plastic flat Indian and Redcoat figures that I had bought for Close Wars and put away unpainted for a rainy day.
US comic book artist Russ Heath’s illustration c. 1961 
Man of Tin blog 