 |
| Third battle of Zugdidi. Izumrud-Zeleniya on their start lines. |
Attentive readers of this campaign may recall the previous card driven move sequence that had terminated in a Joker being drawn (A Busy Week). A die roll (D6) indicated that the Special Event so signalled would apply to the Turcowaz. What was the Special Event, then? Another die roll (D6): a '1'. Turcowaz were barred from moving for 4 turns of the cards. This was pretty bad: two of the next four cards were red (Turcowaz), but it was what followed that really sent the ordure hurtling into the rotors.
 |
| TNS Hamidiye |
Observe:
16 June: Joker: Turcowaz don't move for four turns of the cards; and the deck reshuffled.
16 June: J♦: ignore
17 June: 9♣: Having disembarked, the Landing Force (Guards Legion and Matelot Regiment) march towards Zugdidi.
Leaving the merchant cruiser Yevgeny Onegin to guard the troop ships, the convoy escort continues due south to seek out a Turcowaz unit thought to in the offing. Henceforth called 'the flotilla', this force comprises Tsarina Elizaveta light cruiser and three torpedo boats, T1-3.
18 June:7♦: Ignore
19 June: 9♠: Under cover of lighted campfires, the Kavkaz column abandons Gakhomela position and marches to Zugdidi
Flotilla continues south patrol.
This ends the Special Event...
20 June: Q♣: Landing Force marches toward Zugdidi, where it joins and becomes part of the Coastal Column. This formation carries out a reconnaissance of Zugdidi, preparatory to an attack to recover the place. The recce is moderately successful
Flotilla continues patrol south.
21 June: 7♠: Kavkaz column carries out reconnaissance of Zugdidi preparatory to attack from the east. The recce is moderately successful.
Flotilla encounters TNS Hamidiye some 30 nautical miles due west of Poti. They immediately pursue.
22 June K♣: At this point, though separated by the Zugdidi hex, it seemed reasonable to place the separate Izumrud-Zeleniya forces under one command. The combined forces begin their assault at daybreak.
 |
| Izumrud-Zeleniya Euxine Sea Flotilla: I-ZNS Tsarina Elizaveta and torpedo boats. |
Also 22 June: At 2 Bells of the Forenoon Watch (0900 hours, the time was decided by die roll the hour after 6:00am. 2D6 - I rolled a 3) the opening salvos begin the sea battle of Poti...
Talk about leaving us on a cliffhanger! Your card system has really turned round the fortunes of the campaign. The third battle could well decide the campaign and it's going to be fascinating to see the torpedo boats in action.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it could possibly have panned out better for Izumrud-Zeleniya. Of course, if it hadn't, then they would either have had to fight a defensive action at Gakhomela or retreat past the Kars Command right flank to Ghori. How the Coastal Column - minus its Grenadier Division - would have got on trying to take Zugdidi would have been in the lap of Hexahedra, the Goddess of Chance.
DeleteCheers,
Ion
Ooh, it’s all kickin’ off!!!! What a change of fortune!! Sounds more and more like those campaign reports from history 🙂👍🏼👍🏼. Waiting, with bated breath…….
ReplyDeleteIzumrud-Zeleniya's very own 'Miracle of the Marne' that led to the biggest battle of the campaign so far: Third Zugdidi.
DeleteExciting stuff indeed. Your ships also look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI like my ships so much, I'm thinking of creating one each for Ruberia and Azuria. Those inshore gunboats Bob Cordery has been posting about look like fun, though scarcely line-of-battle ships...
DeleteVery cool to keep with the cards throughout. Tantalizing situation on the water.
ReplyDeleteThe naval action has been fought. I had no idea ahead of time how it would go. Overall, the whole campaign has taken a form I did not expect - at least, mostly didn't expect... For a while I was a little bit worried that Hamidiye might catch up with the troop convoy before they could land the troops, but, as you see, the Turcowaz captain must have anticipated that convoy to proceed south to Poti, and he anticipated intercepting them thereabouts...
Delete...Maybe.
Cheers
Ion
A sea battle...something new...very good...can't wait for the report....Regards.
ReplyDeleteTony -
DeleteAlthough I have begun the draft of 'Third Zugdidi' - pictures uploaded and the beginnings of a text, I think I might post the naval battle ahead of it. The two actions were fought on the same day, after all. But the latter was over fairly quickly - naval battles - at least the ones I do - are usually brief...
Cheers,
Ion
Exciting developments Ion. Your ships are lovely and very reminiscent of “big warships” albeit in a condensed (almost cartoon-y) style. They really look the business and importantly they are a nice convenient size for the tabletop. I look forward to reading how things turn out.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Geoff
Ps/ for some reason I’m having to post as “anonymous” as I can’t successfully sign in - yet when I look at my account it plainly knows “who” I am… 🤔
Geoff -
DeleteYes, I've occasionally been seeing odd things like that from time to time. Seems to be no rhyme or reason to it.
I like the 'cartoony' style of warship: fun (and simple) to make and convenient to use. Turns out that it is an established genre of naval model construction, quite apart from Bob Cordery's moves in that direction. The Japanese go in for 'Chibi-Maru' plastic kit versions of their WW2 battle fleet. I'm VERY tempted to get some.
Cheers,
Ion
Reading things in reverse on your postings, I can now see why events transpired as they did. The card activation is working a treat IMHO and produces these moments of inertia that can swing a campaign etc. Cracking stuff!
ReplyDeleteHi Steve -
DeleteEven running the thing is like reading a new story previously unread. One never knows what plot twists are in store.
Cheers,
Ion