Thursday, April 10, 2008

Frankszonia on th e move again?

Battle of Ginnheim ... opening moves ....

Since I fully agree with Otto that the fun in the 18th century comes from the interplay of dances, balls, affairs, and intrigue, I’d planned a lovely scene in which L’ Intendant, while attending a low key dinner = dance honoring Granny Loomis, is whisked off by Madame Rosenschnauz “to be measured by Mistress Ewarp again for a fancy dress outfit (the Madame is VERY dedicated to her husbands career),” courtesy of Granny Loomis, of course.

Unfortunately, a minor health setback has resulted in me dumping two attempts at writing a nice baroque flirtation ... and one attempt at believable dialogue between officers. So, here’s to just the setting and plan .... fill in your own imaginary giggles, winks, sashaying, chamber music, and illicit cuddles ....

Once in the side chamber, however, Bastille is secretly met by the Hurtshog and some key advisors to request the loan of a few siege guns and engineers to compel Russleheim to behave. As Russelheim is but a small town that happens to be strongly posted, they doubt that Gallia will want to undertake a real siege .... but it has proven to be an irritating entre pot for Cheezers, Germanians, and opposition Frankfurters. So a few guns to smash a few warehouses and to start some other fires ought to be enough to get Russelheim to promise to be more circumspect in the future.

Bastille hears this, and promises to consider it, but he is also aware (thanks to Master Philippe) of some other factors:
A: the immediate threat from Stagonia is eliminated, and there has been a steady movement of Frankszonia forces to good semi-permanent barracks north of Frankfurt ... near the roads leading to the Gallian depot.
B: Frankszonian troops have been engaged in extensive drill work, in spite of the inclement weather (okay, cold, wind, sleet .... not the tornadoes, hail, and floods I’ve been dealing with lately!).
C: General Meyer has twice conducted “assembly drills” to train the natives to muster quickly (like most German states, Frankszonian native troops get extensive furloughs in winter and in peacetime to practice civilian crafts and business).
D: Discontented former Frankszonian officers have collected units in Hesse Homburg, in spite of their alleged opposition to Gallia .... but that these units have not been fielded during the recent Homburg / Fedora clash.
E: Thanks to his New Year’s clemency, the Frankfurter countryside is seething with intrigue again.

Now does he grant the Hurtshog’s polite request?
After all, a couple of 24 pounders and a few mortars with their crews and engineering officers would provide him with a good lodgement within the Frankszonian ranks to obtain more detailed intelligence and influence.
On the other hand, there’s rumors that the conflict in the north is heating up, and these units may be requested anytime by Broglie or Chevert ....
And ...
does Bastille really want to move heavy armaments out of their protected position into the Frankszonian forces???

If he refuses, what might the Frankszonian reaction be??

:)
* Francios l'Marquise de Hottatrot:

2 comments:

abdul666 said...

Very promising! Looking forward to discover the unfolding of events - may be with 'ripples' as far as other parts of the 'EvE' continent?

Off-topic now, but a convenient way for Monte-Cristp to answer a question from Frankzonia:
I’m unable to write good and pleasant personal background for ‘picaresque’ characters, such as you just posted on SocDaisy. The best I can do is to describe fictitious uniforms, such as these you refer to in 'Emperor vs Elector'– NOT real ‘creations’, just an impudent / shameless combination of sources. Koenig-Krieg clearly not being SocDaisy, nor OSW, I doubt such imaginary uniforms would be relevant to the group? Perhaps a short note describing the intent, with a link to the post, would be enough?

The link on my ‘EvE’ post leads to the 11 comments I attached to my own ‘Oversea’ post on the Monte-Cristan blog; as part of my – reader-unfriendly? – practice to use comments to add content to previous posts (« treating most of this blog as a 'directory' with several 'major' posts as so many 'folders', their content increasing by alterations to the main text but mainly by addition of new 'files' in the form of comments »).

By the way, you were too kind to post a direct link to this ‘Oversea’ post on Frankzonia!

Recently most of by ‘elucubrations’ were devoted to a possible journey even more extreme than to Antiglia or Cipango; then as the last ‘comments’ show, I endvisaged that the same ‘change of scenery’ can be obtained without having to travel ‘under other skies’, and without as many implied far-fetched hypotheses. The Imagi-Native Lace Wars World becomes smaller but more consistent.


Best wishes and regards,
Jean-Louis

Martin said...

Ahhh. The delicate kabuki dance of diplomacy continues. Always so polite and formal, until someone slips a stiletto between the ribs. Interesting stuff.

Yours,

Martin