It is true that in my world of the Chromatic Wars, the Settee Empire of Turcowaz (TURQUIOSE) already has an OPposing FORce, to wit, Ruberia (RED), especially the Imperium thereof bordering the Indic Ocean and the Settee Empire itself. Sometimes Ruberian Empire, especially the Subcontinental gem in the Imperial Crown, is called Sangria.
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| Izumrud-Zeleniya Army of the Kavkaz |
But beyond the nebulous and remote fringes of the Settee empire, far in Hyperborean regions to the northeast, lies another Imperium, the Czardom of Izumrud-Zeleniya (EMERALD-GREEN) as acquisitively ambitious as Ruberia, but whose role in the Great Game has so far been played in fields far removed from those of which the King and Sultan were more familiar.
Yet, approaching the mountains of Kavkaz, the Ossetian valleys and Abasgian coastal plains lies a tract of country that has attracted the interest of Czar, and, for that reason, the Sultan. Enfolded in the arms of the Kavkaz Mountains and the Ktsia Range, protected from the Hyperborean winter blasts, lie the fabled vineyards of Kakheti - a sufficient enticement to any Imperialist drive.
The local commanders in the region - Abdul Abulbul Ameer and Nicholai Pavlovitch Ignatiev - had already crossed swords in the affair of Hookah Chitlik, and were not indisposed to trying conclusions again. Of course, the covetous jealousy of imperialism would soon lead the two mighty realms into a deadly war.
Which all brings me to the purport of this posting: the army of Izumrud-Zeleniya. Somewhat inspired by another's blog, which not long ago featured 19th Century Russian adventures in Afghan regions, I have made some recent additions to its Army. In the following, the scales can vary very widely, each stand representing something as small as a platoon or troop, or as large as a regiment. This army will also feature in an upcoming Blacklands War, but in the service of Rhumbaba (Romania), of which more anon. But for the time being, lets call each horse and foot stand a regiment, each artillery stand a battalion.
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| Izumrud-Zeleniya Army of the Kavkaz |
The Army of Izumrud-Zeleniya comprises:
Army HQ: General-Major N. P. Ignatiev
1st (Grenadier) Division - HQ + 1st through 4th Regiments
2nd (Rifle) Division - HQ + 5th through 8th Regiments
3rd (Rifle) Division - HQ + 9th through 12th Regiments
1st Light Cavalry Division - 1st through 4th Light Horse (Hussars)
2nd Light Cavalry Division - 5th through 8th Light Horse (Cossacks)
1st Field Artillery Regiment - I and II (Field) Battalions
2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment - III and IV (Mountain) Battalions
Naval Artillery Detachment -
V (Naval) Artillery Battalion
VI (Naval) Machinegun Battalion (Nordenfelds).
It seems likely that the Czar might send assistance in the form of the following:
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| Guards Legion (yet to be based on stands) Grenadiers and Circassian auxiliaries. |
Legion of the Guard:
Commander: General Count Ivan Skavinski-Skavar
Guards Brigade - HQ + 1st and 2nd Guards Regiments
Circassian Brigade - HQ + 13th and 14th Circassian Regiments
Light Cavalry Regiment - 9th Light Horse (Uhlans)
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| 9th Light Horse (Uhlans) |
Strength Point allocations as follow:
Infantry stands (except Circassian) 4SP each. Guards and Grenadiers count as elite, others average
Circassian infantry stands 3SP each. Count as average (alternative: 4SP, count as 'poor')
Cavalry stands 3SP each (The Uhlans might rate as 4SP)
Artillery and machinegun stands, 2SP each.
Army HQ - 6SP
Divisional HQs - 1SP each.
The Kavkaz Campaign:
Of course Turcowaz has the capacity to develop a considerable naval presence at the eastern end of the Amicable (Euxine) Sea. Lacking a navy of its own, the Czar applied to the Hellenicans to provide something, especially the transport of the Legion of the Guard by sea, should that corps be called upon.. Always ready to wipe the Sultan's eye, the Hellenicans 'went the second mile', offering transport vessels, the warships to escort them, and the crews to sail them all. The plan was to sail through the sea strait past Ionople, flying Azurian flags. How they were to effect their return to Piraefs sea port was left to Providence to sort out...
To be continued...
The KavKaz Campaign in due course. Some decisions to be made on the metal figures of the Legion of the Guard.
Always enjoy seeing your armies, and I always try and guess the manufacturers.
ReplyDeleteYou have reminded me Peter, that I had intended to mention them - the plastics anyhow. The first two Infantry Divisions, the Hussars and the field artillery are Strelets-R; the 3rd infantry are ESCI, and the 1st Cavalry are HaT. The sailors and the Nordenfeld are also HaT (the latter modified). The 'mountain Guns' are actually 'Deport' guns made by HaT. Finally, the Naval piece is my own assembly from bits and pieces.
DeleteThe metal figures I don't really know. They are all Crimean war (and I have a few more), and I suspect they might be Hinton Hunt, but I really don't know. Your guess is probably at least as good as mine.
Cheers,
Ion
A bit late but I've only just started exploring your fabulous blog. The grenadiers of the Legion are definitely Minifigs S range (I have some) and almost certain the auxillaries are as well.
DeleteThanks, Brian -
DeleteI didn't know Minifigs did a Crimean War range. I have an old catalogue, but the Crimean war doesn't feature. It might be worth following up!
Cheers,
Ion
I have a scanned copy of the 1972-73 catalogue I could email you. Email for you?
DeleteHi Brian -
DeleteI'm certainly interested. My copy isn't dated, but I bought it from the Tin Soldier people in Sydney back in 1982.
I've just checked out the Miniature Figurines catalogue on line - and the only S-range seems to be Samurai. But Crimean War doesn't seem to get a mention. Do you know if they are available? A further search seems to indicate they are as 'recasts', but not through Minifigs, but through 'Vintage Wargaming Figures' fronted by one John Cunningham.
All very obscure! Yes, please send copy of catalogue - specifically Crimean War or Colonial - to
ionadowman@yahoo.com
Many thanks!
Cheers,
Ion
Some nice looking toys there Ion. It’s good to see the “older” figures back on the tabletop, where they belong. 👍 Perhaps the old-school figures should qualify as veteran status… Maybe. 🤣😂
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Geoff
Fair point, Geoff -
DeleteBut the 3rd Division has just recently come into existence, so will have to stay 'average'. On the Turcowaz side, the Bashi-Bazouks are - well - Bashi-Bazouks. But as 'poor' troops they performed above expectations in the First Blacklands War. You may very well have a point, come to that!
Cheers,
Ion
This sounds like a very promising start to a campaign. What about a bit of logistics support for this impressive army ???? Regards.
ReplyDeleteThe thought is not far from my mind, Tony. I can supply logistics on an ad hoc basis, as I did for the Blacklands war, and also for the Woodscrew Armies Campaign, but there is something to be said for the armies to have their own organic logistics elements.
DeleteI'll see what I can arrange, but it will fairly obviously be token. A couple of pack animal or transport elements for the army.
Cheers,
Ion
I think even a couple of pack animals would be better than nothing. Even if troops and horses can live off the land , which is not certain, they will still need a resupply of ammunition and new weapons to replace those lost on the battlefield. Both these issues could be covered by a dice throw..maybe ????...Regards.
DeleteTony -
DeleteYou have probably set me off onto a topic for a blog posting! My usual method is the have some sort of logistic element on-table (or otherwise close to the battlefield), but also to have lines of communication that have to be maintained, and possibly protected. One approach to that is to detach troops from your main army for LOC and garrison duties. That tends to limit one's range too much, I feel.
The approach I am considering it for each Army Corps to include a small formation of LOC troops, but these being notional rather than actual figures. A six-figure regiment might be enough to garrison a town being used as a ammo, fodder, rations and replacements depot. A corps might have a maximum of two or four such units. If, however more need to be provided, then they have to be drawn from the field army. That will, of course, lead to some wastage for an advance deep into enemy territory, say.
Yes, I will look into this more, and see what I come up with, with a view to posting later on. Suffice to say, the Kavkaz campaign will look quite a bit different from the Blacklands War.
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo,
ReplyDeleteI almost missed this blog post … and I’m glad that I didn’t! As usual, it’s inspiring, and has rekindled my recently flagging interest in working on my own Belle Époque project. For that alone, I owe you a great ‘Thank You’. I’m now off to do some work on the Army of the Commonwealth of Avalon.
All the best,
Bob
Bob -
DeleteYou are not ALLOWED to lose interest in your Belle Epoque project. It is that that has revivified my own Chromatic Chronicles. The Kavkaz Campaign, by the way, was somewhat inspired by a brief account of the 1877 War in Armenia. But I thought I would move it a little farther north - roughly Georgia, Ossetia and the Caucasus Mountains.
I don't think I've ever displayed the whole of my Turcowaz Army in this blog. That will have to be arranged soon! It is rather larger than the Izumrud-Zeleniya, the quantitative disparity narrowed a little by the qualitative differences.
Oh, yes, I still have to 'do' a second 'Relief of Hak-al-Kumara' battle to bring closure to the Mesofluvian Campaign. So many campaigns, so few of me... I think you know the feeling!
Cheers,
Ion
All very cool Ion, bot the figures and the background 'fluff'.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Steve J. Gotta have the background 'fluff' - the story's the thing!
DeleteAll the best,
Ion