Shambattle - Square Grid Set-up

The Purple River valley, looking north from behind 
Cerulean City

In the year dotteen dotty-dot, the border tensions in the Purple River valley between Redina and Bluvia had reached breaking point. Both sides alleged border violations by the other side - some of those allegations true enough - and both sides flung charges of aggression, perfidy and all manner of undiplomatic epithets. Of course, both sides proved the veracity of such allegations by issuing threats and massing troops along the border. It was merely a matter of time before one side or the other would declare - by direct action if not by ambassadorial note of hand - that a state of war existed between the two countries. 


The casus belli has been lost to time, if ever there even was a credible excuse avowed, let alone reasons adduced. On Someday, the umpty-oddth  of Cantremember, dotteen dotty-dot, the President of Bluvia (this was decided by dice roll) gave the go-ahead for Marshal Azurena, commanding the troops already assembled, to cross the river, and to take, secure and hold the territories beyond in the name of la patrie. It was probably just the President's shorter temper that determined who would thus disturb the peace of nations.  History will aver that the Prime Minister, after a visit to the Palace, had in his hand the Royal go-ahead for an invasion of Bluvia at the time breathless aides-de-camp arrived to announce that border had been breached. 

Looking northwest.  The pebbly bits of river identify the fords.

I've finally made a start on my first Shambattle action using my square-grid game surface. We begin with the map table, and the troops deployed. Going a little 'outside' the system, I diced to see whether the river was fordable. On a six the river section in a given section defined by the square widths was fordable. The Bluvians found the river immediately to the left of the centre and the Blueburg bridges could be crossed by all troops (Had sixes been wanting, I was probably going to accept fives.  Had I accepted fives and sixes, the whole stretch of river from Blueburg to the centre bridge would have been fordable. To the right (east) of the centre bridge, the only crossing was the bridge at Blueford - not the aptest of names for that settlement! 

Looking southwest.  Redina hospital wagons wait behind the 
riverine towns to collect the casualties. Azurian 
Nordenfelt mirailleuses cover the centre bridge.

The wagons you see in the pictures are the mobile hospitals, placed fairly close behind the river towns to be on hand at need. The fixed hospitals are in the regional capitals, the Bluvian in the mosque-like edifice in Cerulean City; the Redina housed in the building close by the peach orchard.

For the composition of the respective armies, please refer to the previous posting on this topic.

Looking towards the south.  The house close by the peach
orchard has been commandeered as a hospital.

I have yet to determine where the treachery lies within the respective armies, and their nature. I think I'll wait until a move by both sides has been made, before using some random(ish) method of determining wherein perfidy lies.

To be continued...