Battle of Sharp (Cheese) burg

Battle of Sharpcheeseberg

Forces involved:
(note, battle used 25 mm figures ... no pictures, wife was asleep with a cold)
Frankszonia:
* Brigadier Chicken
* I/R Sanders/Chicken: 1 battalions x 12 figs @ (5) (rebuilt after Siefriedsburg)
Blue / red; Yellow / yellow black black/white
* I R Footlongs: 1 battalions x12 figs @ (5)
Blue/Yellow white/white black/white black/white
*Bangers Jaegers 1 Battalion x 8 figures @ (6)
Blue / buff white / black black / na

Cheezers:
* Michael O’Mouse
* Bitischerwurst composite Grenadiers x 10 figures @ (6)
** I/R Gruenkaze 2 bats x 10 figures @ (5)
Dark green / light green Light green / black bronze helment
(actually, used figures for a jaeger unit)

No artillery nor cavalry involved in this skirmish.
Notice that the more flexible basing of 25 mm permitted the use of “10 figure battalions”.

Battlefield Terrain.

in the north, a road runs from Hesse Fedora (to the west) east to west across the board ... Sharpcheeseberg is in the middle.
From Sharpcheeseberg, another road runs south, but takes a sharp turn east towards the bottom o f the board, swinging behind a hill, and exits in the southeast.
Squeezed in between the road and the board edge in the northwest beyond Sharpcheeseberg is another hill.
An hedgerow runs from Sharpcheeseberg southwest to the board’s edge. In the southwest quadrant is also a small woods.

Opening Dispositions and Missions:
* Frankszonia:
Bangers Jaegers start in Sharpcheeseberg, their orders are to advance to the woods in the southwest to fire on any approaching Cheezers.
The Foot Longs and the Chicken/Sanders battalions are to concentrate in the fields south of Sharpcheeseberg to act as a blocking force to any columns trying to reach the Hesse Seewald forces or trying to strike Gen. Broglie or Gen. Chevert from behind.
* Cheezers:
March into Sharpcheeseberg and probe for less defended route to link with either Hesse Seewald or Hesse Fedora.

The Action:

As the Bangers barge down the road, they suddenly observe a column of Britscherwurst grenadiers headed their way! Horrors! A messenger dashes back to Brig. Chicken who exclaims “Boiled Sausages! Burn them! Quickly, deploy into a skirmish line and delay them!”

Seeing the Frankszonian activity up the road, Gen O’Maus proclaims in his squeaky tenor: “Okay, Men! by the numbers at my signal, Deploy into line of battle.... Deploy!”
“B... b... but of course,” Major Goofey chuckles. “We’ll soon show THEM, eh Mickey?”
“Watch your posture, Major,” the General warned. “This could be serious.”

Even as Brig. Chicken fires up Col. Sanders Original battalion to line up in support of the Jaegers, they observe battalions of the Gruen Kaze regiment hurrying up behind the Britscherwurst. “Brats!” Gen. Chicken exclaimed, “With Green Cheese!” Seeing that one of the G.K. battalions is heading for the hedgerow which obliquely flanks the road south, he orders the FootLong battalion to seize the hedgerow itself also. Colonel Nathan hurried up to Chicken and asked whether the enemy was heading for the Hesse Seewald or Hesse Fedora encampment. The General angrily replied, “the only place those Hussies are going is back home!”

As the Britischerwurst line advanced, the Jaegers cut loose with wild and inaccurate fire. Seeing a line of regulars forming behind the skirmishers, however, the Britischerwurst line halted and responded with an equally futile volley. Gen. Chicken, observing the close advance of the grenadiers decided to spare his Jaegers and ordered them to retire behind the flank of the Sanders battalion, between them and the FootLongs. On the other side, however, O’Maus decided to spare his grenadiers for a more opportune moment and advanced the 2nd battalion of the Gruen Kazes beyond the grenadiers. These G.K. troops had hardly moved into position when the Col. Sanders Chicken Battalion hit them with a close volley.

Meanwhile, along the hedgerow, the 2nd G.K. battalion was engaged in a firefight from one end of the obstacle against the Footlongs advancing from the other end. The Footlongs were at a disadvantage as they were still in an attack column formation. Brig. Chicken drifted over towards the Footlongs to observe their condition. Seeing Chicken seem to leg it aside, O’Maus ordered the1st Battalion GK> to charge, but battered in the Footlong’s fire, they hesitated.
Chicken squawked, “at them!” when he observed this. On the side, he ordered the Bangers Jaegers to move onto the G.K. flank and fire and afterwards Sanders to charge them. “Chew the breading off of them!” he encouraged the men.

Under the combination order, the 1st G.K. reeled back past the Britscherwurst grenadiers. In their turn, the grenadiers grilled the Frankfurters with a deadly close volley. Chicken, however, had joined the Footlongs and urged them to charge into the 2nd G.K. which was disrupted by its clambering through the brush and bank of the hedgrow. The Footlongs slammed into the highly nettled 2nd G.K. and stung them badly.

Suddenly, O’Maus found that his Britscherwurst veterans were the only still viable unit left to him. Since Col. Sanders seemed still to be cooling down from its exchange, O’Mause had the grenadiers about face and confront the Footlongs as they emerged froms the hedgerow’s stinging nettles. The Footlongs, with their brigadier still with them, rapidly formed line and began a lively firefight.
Without the brigadier’s influence, however, Col. Sanders had difficulty blowing up the coals in his men to advance. The Bangers Jaegers advanced to harry the rear of the grenadiers. which prevented them from driving back the Footlongs. On the other hand, one of the Green Cheese battalions had clumped enough together to open an enfilade fire on the Footlongs as well.

Smoked by this combined fire, Brig. Chicken did not observe Gen. O’Maus quickly turning his grenadiers and retiring among the G.K. remnants. Together, the Cheezy force managed to string off the field though fully battered and fried.

Parrse in Rear View Mirror ...

These K.K. 12 man battalions are assembled from approximately three or four boxes of Revell Prussians. In spite of the quite different figures in each battalion, their placement provides the illusion of an active battle line.
The formation is pictured twice.
This top picture reveals the immance of the Cat-atstrophe, Tweety Pie ...

Grenadiers of the Sage Guard being blessed ... a demi battalion that I'd hoped to use in Texas.

The figures are Mindend Minatures Prussians.

Grenadiers of the Sage Guard ... a break down showing how they can be based for a Koenig's Krieg battalion.

Blessing of the guns: I believe this is the correct size for 25 mm artillery bases.

The Artillery Park:

Still too small a collection in 25mm, and the Revell Austrian Artillery on the left are on bases which I think are too small.

The Light Infantry:

Pioneers in front, Officials on the Right, notice that at 25mm one can use individual bases ... given that these are light troops, there are also double bases. Basically one regular 15mm base easily accomodates the 25 mm figures ... so one 25mm figure would take exactly the basing for 4 15mm figures.

Blessing of the Lights:

The first short line behind the officers are Revell Austrian pioneers, several of the officers are modified artillerymen. The parson is in black and white.

Some officious officials: (also Revell figures)

Breaking the sequence, the Limburger Brigade of the Cheezers.

15 mm Minifigs, French figures w/out turnbacks. The disordered appearance to give several views, but by family custom, some figure(s) are always based aimed in the wrong direction! LOL

When I began, I was woefully short on 25 mm artillery. So whipped these babies up in Chenile craft with those ugle Giant of Hong Kong figures. The gunners are about 20 mm, the dice is about an inch high for scale. The basing is correct for 25 mm artillery.

I've mentioned on occasion the special command vehicle used by Frankszonia ... here is an example with a 25mm figure (exact same vehicles used in 15 mm are more impressive at that scale).

:)

And, of course, the 15mm; 2nd squadron of the One Fifth Light Dragoons ...

(Since the Anglerican denomination dominates the Britischerwurst, and whereever you find four, you'll find a fifth ...)

Some more Bad LImericks ...

As the armies approach each other at Ginnheim, a dragoon suddenly gallops into No Man's Land with a megaphone and shouts:

This Resistance defends our Autonomy
Though all that they have is a monotony
Of Adulterous beggars
And soldiers with staggers
From indulging their officer's $#!@%y!

and

Poor Mary of the Rose and her Parseleigh
Are heroes, I'm sure, but just partially;
For their friends are so horrible
With habits incoorrigible
That even Stagonia treats them harsly!

He quickly darts back towards the approaching Black Kilts before any marksman can catch him ....

progress report

For the forthcoming battle of Ginnheim, I've wrapped up some of the project I started back before I got slapped into the horse pistol ...
in 15's, 48 "militia" being Minifig French without turnbacks)and 8 more mounted British 5th lights (to go with my Britscherwurst 1/5 lights)

Unfortunately, during one of my enforced absences, the cats got into a turf dispute ... and a few of them decided to debate possession of my green / grass cloth. So I'll need to wait till it dries out to complete the game (the manuever phase is over, the Cheezers can hit first, but if Gen Woad (my wife) outlasts their assault, he'll soon be able to crush them into the Nidda river ....
:)\
A

Ein Appeal zu der Volksrad

A personal message from the Hurtshog Stanken Fahrtz v. Frankfurter to the Deutsche Adelborn (German nobility):

My dear Cousins:

It has come to our attention that some consider Frankszonia to be an imperialist, aggressor state. This seems to have arisen due to our campaign to create a Super Sized Fry Stadt.
Ironically, this mis apprehension devolves from our desire to create a less plastic situation in which the dignity and freshness of our Folk is swallowed up by some six million strong ogre. Indeed, even though we in Frankszonia are ourselves perforce occupied by the Gallian hordes, one may notice that our struggles are often with our soi distant allies therein who have been caught undermining the autonomy of a local franchise.
Indeed, unlike other self proclaimed defenders of the Deutsche Mark, almost before the furor of conflict has fallen silent, the leaders of our neighbors have found themselves in the Frankfurter Bun, with the flavor of their office and authority enhanced rather than reduced.
Come, the Kreis are sounding for the defense of the Empress and our Graftsen. We are one Folk. Let us all go together in one Folk’s Wagon!

Sincerely,
Hzg. F v Frankfurter

Eventual Events

First, on the Frankszonia blog, I've updated the lists and profiles of folks who are supporting the Elector versus Gallia inside Frankszonia.

About this time,Baron Wiffen Fhartz von Inkblot zu Grossen and General Braunschweiger should show up in the Germanian headquarters seeking an audience with the Elector and the duke of Hesse Seewald.

Also, while Gen. Broglie and the Intendant Bastille are in conference, they are interrrupted by a commotion. An officer barges into the room with a sergeant and an old Moustache. The enlisted men's uniforms are spattered with blood.

"Report!" barks Broglie.
"Sire" the officer salutes clumsily, "there's been an poison attempt. These clods killed the poisoner before we could question him."
"Pour Certament!" exlaims Bastille.
"No! No!" the Moustache pleads.
"Sire!" the sergeant complains, "we caught him in the act of dosing the officer's mess kettle. We took him alive in spite of his struggles, but as we were forcing him into the hall, his blood suddenly spurted all over us. None of my men had so much as drawn a bayonet!"
"This note was found upon the assasin, my Lords," the officer contiued.
Gen. Broglie takes the scrap and reads, "Die Reine geffallen am der Main."

Bastille chokes for a moment as he wonders, is this the hand of the infamous Stille Fhartz or another nefarious bit of Frankszonian politics?

Meanwhile, the Hurtshog with his main forces is almost a day's march to the northwest, approaching Ginnheim. They hope to disperse the concentration of Resistance, Cheezers, and Hang Overians who are in an entrenched camp in the woods near Russelheim.

Known Friends of Germania and Hesse Seewald in Frankszonian Circles

Given the approach of the Hesse Seewald forces to within a good day's march of Frankfurter, the list of leaders of the anti-Gallian faction becomes more important.
The first part of the list are the relatives who have been assigned by the family to represent and to defend the family interests in the camp of the other side ...

* Cousins:

ReichsHerr Stille Fhartz ... a Germanian sympathizer and political intriguer who employs silent but deadly assasins.

Baron Wiffen Fhartz von Inkblot zu grossen: an elderly cousin who has been selected to become the position holder in case of Germanian victory at Frankfurt.

Hauptman Eyewassher Fhartz von Inkblot zu Grossen: son of the Baron. Nimble and a good ballroom dancer whose coup de oeil seems to apply more to the boudoir than to the battlefield.

Graf Ick Fhartz von Putterin: A scholar and horse breeder whose specialty is not causing trouble for anybody stronger than himself.

Baron Keine Fhartz von Baumb Middle aged, exitable and irrascible. His fortune derived from being a silent partner in several breweries.

* Pro - Germanian Military defectors:

* Lt. Gen. Pepperoni (an immigrant Italian family, very fussy ... Not from Salamis, which I think
is a Grecian town, but has family connections with Bologna ... ); Just promoted to command the
Wiener Front. (Now deserted to “Elector” forces)
* General Braunsweiger (1) (a Deli-ight of the Brand Name Burgers Alliance, considered an
expert in combined arms operations, but often is kept in fixed fortifications where - tho highly
successful - his units often get sliced quite thinly). (now deserted to Germania, as he is a fan of all things from Bar Line. He may have good knowledge of Frankfurter’s fortifications ).

** leaders of the anti-Gallian nobles ...
which may be of interest to neighbors as they're seeking to hire mercs:
* Hans Muckiethaler: evil banker who is generating instability hoping to be able to control the stadt bundt if the Duchy falls.
* Sagehunde Thyme, Graf von Eischerheim: elderly but vigorous veteran, will be the C.O. of the noble resistance.
* Oberst Weis Parsliegh: brave, honorable, smart ... the white knight of the noble resistance.
* Lady Rosen Mariah: the fiery young beauty who seems to be the unacknowledged princess of the resistance.
* Oberst Von Trollop: commander of the various companies of cuirassiers who have gathered in the nobles’ resistance.
* Graf V, Pfalz: has raised an infantry regiment, publically to be a Freikorps, actually as part of resistance.
* V, Fisch: Leads the Fisch Freircorps. Relatives to the well traveled Lord and Lady Fischer from Britischerwrust.
* V. Graphk: Leads the Graphk Cuirassiers, composed primarily of retired and semi retired gentry, widely known for their colorful outfit and language.