Shambattle: the Bluvian Invasion.

As one might expect, with three rather separated river crossing points available, the battle of the Purple River, took the aspect of three separated battles. So the narrative will proceed sector by sector: the Battle of Vermilion City on the west flank; the River Crossings in the centre, which we will call the Battle of Brookbank's Bridge, and, finally the action at Redville.  

Why the Red names?  It was Bluvia who jumped off first, forcing the crossings and invading Redina territory.  But first the deployments.

Redina's infantry were deployed as four 'brigades'.  The three 'sepoy' battalions were established in and around Vermilion City, with a Gatling gun company ensconced in the town itself. Two battalions formed 2nd Brigade, defending the centre crossings; two more formed 3rd Brigade, standing in reserve within the capital, Redton. Fourth Brigade garrisoned Redville.  Supporting 2nd Brigade stood the artillery and the second Gatling company, and the whole Division of cavalry in a column of 4 regiments.

The rear echelon Mobile Supply and Medical Columns ('hospitals' in Shambattle parlance) waited in readiness in rear of Vermilion City and Redville; and a more fixed medical establishment located itself in the Northwest quarter of the capital. 

Marshal Andre Azurena had divided his infantry into three brigades, 1er to 3me at Blueford, 4me to 6me at Cerulean City, and 7me to 9me at Blueburg.  Of the cavalry, 4me Lanciers covered the ford west of Blueburg, whilst 2me Hussards stood east of the town.  The other two cavalry regiments, 3me Lanciers and 1er Hussards  stood ready for action at the central river crossing, with the immediate support of both machinegun companies and the artillery.  

The rear echelon units were located in much the same manner as the Redina - the mobile close by the river towns, and the permanent facility in Cerulean City.
 

This region of the world was notorious for loyalties that did not comport with which side of the border one dwelt. Within the ranks of both armies lay the seeds of disaffection and sedition. The tale was to discover that at least one unit in each army - 4th Cavalry in Redina and 5me Infantry in Bluvia - was ready to cast off its dutiful allegiance.

It was the Bluvia Army that opened the ball on the fateful morning 1 April 1899. On all three fronts, the lead elements thrust across the river bridges to engage the Redina foes opposite. This narrative will follow the fates of the three sectors in turn: the attacks upon Vermilion City, the Brookbanks Bridge in the centre, and finally the isolated action at Redville.

The Battle of Vermilion City began with a combined thrust by 7me Infantry across the bridge directly against Vermilion City itself, with 4me Lanciers crossing the ford to meet the Redina 1st (Sepoy) Brigade. The Bluvian lancers met with immediate success, and, for several hours drove back the enemy infantry even beyond the 4011th MASH on the north road. This rather precipitate retreat rather saved 1st Brigade, maintaining its cohesion until the Bluvian horse was brought to a halt at about the point at which the road turned off towards Redton.

The assault on the town itself enjoyed rather less success. Throwing back the first assault, the machine gun garrison was then replaced by 2nd (Sepoy) Brigade, with the 3rd in support.  The machine gun company redeployed on the road facing westward between the town and 4011th MASH.  This placed the machine guns in the right rear of the 4me Lanciers. Apprehending their isolation, the Bluvian horse began to pull back, a retrograde that was halted only by the complete disintegration of the unit.

Following behind the initial attacks, 8me and 9me Regiments assaulted the town from across the bridge and upon the flank obligingly left open by the lancers' attack.  Undaunted, the defenders held, and even counterattacked when 3rd Sepoys struck the attackers at the bridge. Gradually, the Sepoy battalions restored the line of the river.  

Early appreciating the likelihood of strong resistance and the difficulty of forcing the border river, Marshal Azuréna had, the moment the action opened, set his Deuxième Brigade, excepting 4me Infantry in motion along the west road from Cerulean City, over the Woody Hill pass and into Blueburg. This march took some time, by which time, Troisième Brigade's attacks had been altogether repulsed. 

Pressing 5me Regiment into Blueburg itself, the Marshal placed himself at the head of the 4me, ready to cross over the west ford. He had the bad luck that across the river, standing somewhat back from the river bank, the 1st MG Company lay in wait. Sixième Regiment had hardly wet their ankles when the whiplash of Gatling fire shedded the entire unit. That the Marshal himself came away unscathed was a matter of luck; only his frock coat injured by two bullets (The above picture tells the tale: 3 hits upon the Bluvian infantry - enough to destroy the unit - and the sixes also hazarding the Marshal.  The 5 and 3 subsequent rolls leaves the Marshal uninjured).

Bluvian losses having been heavy among 3me Brigade, and this sharp rebuff to 4me infantry, the Redina defenders had not come off unscathed. The depleted 1st Sepoys had recourse to regroup at the nearest Mobile Supply and Medical Column to recover some of their strength. But for now a lull fell over this sector of the front. So matters stood at Vermilion City as events elsewhere brought the action decisively to a close. 

The Battle of Brookbank's Bridge 

The signal to attack no sooner sounded than the formidable Bluvian cavalry - 2me Lanciers leading 1er Hussards - hurled themselves across the bridge upon the waiting river guard, 4th and 5th Infantry Battalions.  The latter were supported by the Redina artillery and the 2nd MG Company, but the Bluvian Horse could count on both Nordenfeld gun batteries, and the artillery park as well. On the whole, the Bluvian artillery showed the better practice. 

Inconclusive opening action at Brookbank's Bridge

So did the machine gun company whose sole available target was the Gatling company opposite. Though losing half the battery itself, the Bluvians  totally destroyed the enemy machine guns. This was to prove disastrous for the Redina Army in this front.  They now faced two MG companies, for which they had no available reply.

Large scale cavalry fighting.

The battle stalled at the bridgehead, as the 2me Lanciers were thrown back, and the 1me Hussards took up the quarrel.  At the same time, 3me Hussards essayed the crossing at the fords. Nothing loth, the lead Redina horse, 1st and 2nd Lancers met the hussars in mid-stream. Report had it that in fact the Bluvian horse intercepted the Redina cavalry attempting to overrun the machine guns lining the bank covering the ford.

Covered by this intervention, the machine guns sidled off to the west. Soon afterwards, the 1me Hussards were also induced to retreat across the river, whereat the 2me Lanciers once more essayed the charge. So far, the activity of the Bluvian cavalry had failed to inflict mush loss (1SP only) upon the bridge defenders, much less to drive them back. 

The galling incoming fire from the unencumbered Bluvian MGs persuaded the Redina command to detach a battalion to cover the riverbank east of the bridge.  Perhaps he was persuaded by his success in hold the enemy horse at the bridge. No less an encouragement was the Redina victory at the ford. Although 1st Lancers were destroyed, the 2nd were there to keep up the pressure, and it was the hussars who scattered and fled. Rather than pursue across the river, this lancer unit faced front to the left, and threw themselves upon the flank of the embattled and depleted Lanciers, still engaged to their front.  

The dice rolls tell the story.  The cavalry score 3 infantry hits out of 3
placing the general ('6') in jeopardy. The '4' implies a retreat,
but the unit, already down to 2SP, has been destroyed. The two 'hits'
 scored by the infantry were both 'retreat' outcomes, which forced the lancers
 back 2 squares before the Redina lancers could get in their blow.

Perhaps this rude irruption raised Bluvian spirits to the heights of wrath. Laying about themselves with the abandon of who had nothing to lose, they rode down the infantry before them, drew blood against General Reddesley himself, before galloping off, across the bridge and behind the hussars on the south bank. So precipitate was the Bluvians' flight, the Redina lancers missed their prey.   

A lull falls over the central front. But sedition has
broken out in the 4th Dragoons! (The blue '6')

It was at this moment that sedition among 4th Dragoons finally broke out. This was beyond merely mutinous insubordination, yet did not yet quite extend at once to stabbing their former comrades in the back. The unit chose to defect, and, cautiously waiting, sought a way to cross the river and make contact with Bluvian forces. Then, and not before, would 4th Dragoons turn their coats.

(This was decided by a dice roll, as explained in a previous posting. One it was determined that an insurrection would break out, it remained to determine its nature: mutiny, defection, or outright and immediate rebellion.  Equal weight was given to the three options; the die roll ordained 'defection'.  That meant the unit had, one way or another, to make contact with the enemy before undertaking any aggressive action against their former allegiance.  Mutiny would have kept the unit inactive for the duration, except to move away from any approaching enemy. Rebellion would have led them at once to attack the nearest unit. Defection seemed hardest to pull off, and the unit had to wait until the ford was unexpectedly uncovered before the opportunity presented itself.)

'Hello friends...!' 

'...May we join your party?'

Somewhat serendipitously, such an opening revealed itself, when the other Bluvian horse drew back from the river bank. For, coming up from the long march from Cerulean city, 4me Infantry replaced 1er Hussards at the head of the bridge crossing, whilst the hussars sidled across to cover the ford. Rattling over the stones came the red dragoons, with all sots of display of friendship and accord. A brief colloquy between colonels, a statement of intent, assurances of replaced loyalty, and the dragoons turned about to re-cross the river. They would spearhead the attack.

'Faites comme bon vous, notr'amis!'

Such they did with dash and elan. Apparently their enthusiasm for the Bluvia cause outweighed any compunction brought upon by their perfidy. Although the general had attached himself to 3rd Dragoons, it did them no good. In a trice, without loss to themselves, the traitors scattered the 3rd to the four winds. The General afterwards himself counted himself lucky to have made his way back to Redton with no further injury.    

Loyalists 0, Turncoats 2 - disaster for Redina!

Had the 4me infantry equal success, the bridgehead would have been well established. But 5th Battalion moving across had closed off the Redina end. The Bluvian command about to exploit such success they had obtained in this sector of the front, they received a word that brought a term to the conflict.

Action at Redville

Owing to the apparent difficulties of the terrain - the marsh on the Redina riverside near Redville, the Bluvians tended rather to view this operation as a holding attack only. La Première Brigade's three regiments were all that were allocated to the assault - the machine guns, artillery and reserves of infantry were elsewhere employed.

Nor did early developments much exceed expectations. The initial probing attacks immediately stalled upon the causeway through the swamp. After a prolonged fire fight, 1me Régiment was flung back with loss, but  le 2me  enjoyed far more success.  

The hours of unremitting pressure - neither side able for so long to force a decisive result - it was the Redina garrison who first buckled. To be sure, they drove off the attacks by 1er and 2me Regiments, but the Bluvians had their 3me. Eighth Infantry pulled out of the line, but the 9th scarcely prolonged the struggle. A complete collapse, and suddenly the town of Redville was Bluvia's for the taking.

Take it they did.  Le Troisième drove through the town, and might have taken the 4022nd Mobile Supply and Medical Column, but disdained this easy prey to drive back the remnants of the defenders all the way back to Redton.  

This disaster, added to the imminent defeat of their centre - held for the moment by a single infantry battalion, decided the battle. In a complete state of collapse, the Redina army sued for an armistice, the which the Bluvian High Command felt generous enough in the light of events to believe they could afford to grant.

Very surprisingly this was indeed a decisive victory for the invaders. The defection and betrayal by 4th Dragoons - topped off with a resounding victory over their former comrades - did much to push the Redina army well beyond its exhaustion point, even, after a very careful count, to its 'rout' point. But what pushed Redina over the edge was the Bluvian victory at Redville, and the complete collapse on that front. So rapid was the collapse over two-thirds of the front that Redina's two reserve battalions never saw action, and would have been much too late to have restored their army's fortunes.

Not that the battle was any kind of pushover for Bluvia. Their losses (17SP) were such as to leave its army sufficiently exhausted not to pursue farther than they did. But Redina's collapse was decisive for the outcome. The defection of the dragoons (2SP) and the (slight) injury to the General (1SP) was enough to bring Redina's losses to more than 24SP - the army's 'rout' point.

A lancer unit replenishing at the mobile 'hospital' unit.
A Bluvian Infantry unit awaits its turn.

So ended the border war. In the negotiations that followed, Bluvia in effect held Redville as its main bargaining chip, demanding a swingeing ransom for its return. The plenipotentiaries reasoned that, isolated from the rest of Bluvia as Redville was, the ransom was worth more to Bluvia as an accumulation to the state treasury than the town would be as a territorial possession. The demand haggled down to an amount the Redina treasury could just about bear, the neighbouring States settled down to their usual uneasily truculent truce, until the next occasion that the comity of nations might be upset.

Close of the action. Bluvia has carried the town of Redville
and thrown the remnants of its garrison back upon Redton.