Monday, June 15, 2026

War of the Imperial Succession - Theatre Map

Inspired - and, truth be known, prodded by a sense of having to get the thing done - I have finally completed a theatre map for my War of the Imperial Succession. Some activity leading to this war has already been reported, though rather a much longer time has elapsed since those postings. Perhaps these pictures might serve as a reminder...


Battle of Blenderheim

Battle of Hardbitten

A Chance Encounter

At any rate, here is the Theatre Map



War of the Imperial Succession 1740 - 

I have to admit that, even so far enlarged it is hard to read, but on an A4 sheet the thing is easy enough to decipher. Actually my original map, which I have kept on file, extends a few hexes north and south of the map edges.

Most of the reason for the years of delay producing this thing was that I couldn't think of a way to superpose a hex grid upon the map. Finally - and rather serendipitously - I discovered how it might be done. Actually, I superposed the map onto the hex grid. I've had to alter the roads more distinctly to travel through identifiable hexes; and national borders to follow hex sides.

I don't plan to canvass the economies and socio-political structures of this world, except to state that they are similar to that of mid-18th century north-central Europe. Feudalism is still very reluctantly giving way to capitalism, and then only as convenient; serfdom very gradually to other kinds of master-servant employment arrangements; industrialism and intensive agriculture still in their early phases, but aided by population expansion beyond feudal economies to support. Conflicts between nations are still as likely to be dynastic - such as this War of the Imperial Succession - as tending towards territorial aggrandisement, and/or resource or wealth acquisition.

The Imperial dynasty is rather inclined to stand upon its rights, but at the same time have an avuncular, if remote, regard for their subjects' well being - for a given value of 'regard' and of 'well being'. In contrast, the likes of King Draco of Altmark-Uberheim, feeling perhaps a sense of claustrophobia brought on by the constraints of immovable borders amid signs leading towards sociopolitical and economic change, certainly does harbour large ambitions, not limited to the Imperial diadem itself. The Grand Duke Constantine scarcely less driven, in particular having an eye to extending his domain to the Mare Sarmaticum - the Sarmatian Sea, occasionally called the Scandic. He would like his domain to include a coastline - possibly even a sea port.

To the West, a trade rivalry exists between the Landgravate of Hessen-Rohr, and the Herzogtum von Rechburg, but it is not - at least for the moment - leading to armed conflict. This is just as well for Hessen-Rohr, which had recently to fight off an attempt by Altmark-Uberheim to draw its teeth, lest the Landgravate throw in its lot with the Empire. That cost George-Frederick a large proportion of his army.

The armies are pretty much complete. 

Imperial Army

Led by such notables as the Archduke Piccolo, Graf Tympani, Baron Glockenspiel and Marshal-General Gyulai Sax, the Imperialist is the most powerful army in the region - or at least the most numerous.  They are cantoned throughout the Empire, notably at Glodno, Tubingen, Ostrova in the Banat of Samovar, Lobenstein and Schnitzel itself. That dispersion is likely to prove problematic when hostilities break out.

Imperial Army, led by the Archduke Piccolo, in action


Foot Units:

1st Kaiser Infantry 36 figures
8th Hildburghausen Infantry 36 figures
9th Los Rios Infantry 36 figures
20th Alt Colloredo Infantry 36 figures
21st Arenburg Infantry 36 figures
27th Baden-Durlach Infantry 36 figures
37th Esterhazy Infantry 36 figures
Wurzburg Rot Infantry 36 figures
Wurzburg Blau Infantry 36 figures
Wurzburg Gruen Grenadiers 24 figures
1st Feldjagerkorps 19 figures
2nd Feldjagerkorps 19 figures
Klemperer Freikorps 19 figures

Total foot: 348 line, 57 light = 405 foot
Imperial Infantry


Horse Units:

21st Trauttmannsdorf Cuirassiers 19 figures
23rd Birkenfeld Cuirassiers 19 figures
25th Anhalt-Zerbst Cuirassiers 19 figures


7th Khevenhuller Dragoons 19 figures
13th Battyany Dragoons 19 figures
34th St-Ignon Dragoons 15 figures (under establishment)

2nd Kaiser Hussars 19 figures
11th Nadasti Hussars 19 figures
17th Kalnoky Hussars 19 figures

Total horse: 57 Heavy, 53 Medium, 57 light = 167 horse


Ulrichstein Campaign: Imperial Cavalry and artillery 
 at the Battle of Zerbst


Artillery:

1st Company - 10 figures, 2 howitzers
2nd Company - 10 figures, 2 field guns
3rd Company - 10 figures, 2 field guns
4th Company - 10 figures, 2 field guns
5th (Light) Company - 10 figures, 2 light guns.

Total field artillery: 50 figures, 10 cannon
In addition there is a siege train, and I'll be adding a sapper unit with a bridging train. However, these are likely to be generic, especially the guns.

Total - less high command and staffs, of which more another time
405 foot, 167 horse, 50 artillery = 622 officers and men, and 10 cannon.

Electoral Army:

Led in person by King Draco of House Spitzensparken, seconded by 
Prinz Rupprecht von Uberheim (Draco's brother)
Graf von Muller und Thurgau
Graf Rheineck, and others

Foot:

1st Winterfeldt Infantry 36 figures
2nd Kanitz Infantry 36 figures
4th Kalkreuth Infantry 36 figures
10th Mosel Infantry 36 figures
15th La Garde 44 figures
18th Prinz von Uberheim Infantry 36 figures
22nd Schulenburg Infantry 36 figures
25th Ramin Infantry 36 figures
49th Diericke Fusiliers 32 figures
Jagerkorps zu Fuss 19 figures
Schleist Freikorps 28 figures

Total Foot: 324 line, 47 light = 371 foot.
Altmark-Uberheim: Schleist Freikorps

Horse:

2nd Prinz Heinrichs Cuirassiers 19 figures
4th Schmettau Cuirassiers 19 figures
10th Gens d'Arms Carabiniers 19 figures
3rd Meinicke Dragoons 19 figures
6th Schorlemer Dragoons 19 figures

2nd von Zieten (Red) Hussars 19 figures
4th Puttkamer (White) Hussars 19 figures
5th von Ruesch (Black) Hussars 19 figures

Total Horse: 57 Heavy, 38 Medium, 57 Light = 152 horse
Altmark-Uberheim: Meinecke Dragoons

Artillery: 

A Battery - 10 gunners, 2 howitzers
B Battery - 10 gunners, 2 field guns
C Battery - 10 gunners, 2 field guns
D Battery - 10 gunners, 2 field guns

Total artillery: 40 gunners, 8 cannon
This of course discounts garrison and siege artillery and sappers, as before.

Army totals: 371 foot, 152 horse, 40 gunners = 563 officers and men with 8 cannon

Altmark-Uberheim's latest acquistion: a rather 'anachronistic' unit
for the purported 18th century, the Gens d'Armes carabiniers.
(I ran out of useful tricorne hats)

Grand Duchy of M'yasma.

Of course, the Grand Duke has reserved for himself the rank of 'Generalissimus', but rarely takes the field himself. Already in service along the border with Ursaminor are the Generals Boroslav Boroslavitch Bychovski and Ivan Igorovitch Glupiev.

Foot: 

Tver Infantry 36 figures
Galicia Infantry 36 figures
Butyrski Infantry 36 figures
Podolia Infantry 36 figures
Apsheron Infantry 36 figures
Ekaterinburg Infantry 36 figures
HQ Fanagoria Grenadiers 3 figures
HQ Czartoryski Grenadiers 3 figures
Garde Jager 21 figures
To fill the ranks of the Grenadier units, grenadier companies are drawn from the line infantry.

Total foot: 216 line, 6 brigaded grenadier companies command, 21 light = 243 foot

Horse:

Chevalier Garde Cuirassiers 19 figures
Mitau Dragoons 19 figures
Pavlograd Hussars 19 figures
Malakhov Cossacks 19 figures

Total horse: 19 Heavy, 19 Medium, 38 Light = 76 horse.

Artillery:

1st Company - 10 gunners, 2 guns
2nd Company - 10 gunners, 2 guns
3rd Company - 10 gunners, 2 guns

Total artillery: 30 gunners, 6 cannon.

Army Totals: 243 foot, 76 horse, 30 gunners = 349 officers and men


The Grand Duke's Army, on the march



Landgravate of Hessen-Rohr ...

The Landgrave George-Frederick himself does not take the field...

Foot:

Leibgarde Infantry 38 figures + battalion gun
Erbprinz Grenadiers 38 figures + battalion gun
Ewige-Blumenkraft Infantry 38 figures + battalion gun
Zeitgeist Infantry 38 figures + battalion gun
Weltschmerz Infantry 38 + battalion gun
Gesundheit Light Infantry 19 figures

Total foot: 190 line, 19 light = 199 foot + 5 battalion guns

Horse:

Reichswacht zu Pferde, 19 figures
Uhlans Schadenfreude, 19 figures

Total: 38 horse

Artillery:

1st Company - 10 gunners + 2 field guns
2nd Company - 10 gunners + 2 field guns
3rd Comapany - 5 gunners + 1 howitzer

Total: 15 gunners + 5 cannon.

Army totals: 199 foot (includes 10 battalion gunners) , 38 horse, 25 gunners = 262 officers and men.



Army of Ursaminor

Commanded by Marshal-General Lars Slaggahand, seconded by (among others) General Ulf Eriksson. 
The Head of State, Princess Ursula Ursussdottir
 does not, as a rule, accompany the army into battle (though I do have a figure for her).

Foot:

GR1 Livgarden Infantry 28 figures
IR1 Ostergotland Infantry 28 figures
IR2 Sodermanland Infantry 28 figures
IR3 Vastmanland Infantry 28 figures
IR4 Norrbotten Infantry 28 figures
IR5 Jonkoping Infantry 28 figures
IR6 Skaraborg Infantry 31 figures (over establishment)
GB2 (HQ) Vaxholm Grenadiers 4 figures
GB3 (HQ) Norraskanska Grenadiers 4 figures
JR1 Jamtland Jager 21 figures
To fill the ranks 2nd and 3rd Grenadier battalions, the companies are drawn from the line infantry regiments.  


Total foot: 207 line, 21 light = 228 foot

Horse:

CR1 Rikswacht te Paard 15 figures
DR2 Kronoberg Dragoons 15 figures
UR3 Tevastehus Uhlan 15 figures
HR4 Kopparberg Hussars 15 figures

Total horse: 60 figures

Artillery:
Scandi Company 10 figures, 2 guns
Bothnia Company 10 figures, 2 guns

Total artillery: 20 figures, 4 cannon

Total Field Army: 228 foot, 60 horse, 20 gunners = 308 officers and men, plus 4 cannon.
In addition there exists a 19-figure battalion of volunteer citizenry, the Ursaminor Militia, that might be called upon in an emergency.


Rikswacht te Paard in the service of Ursaminor


Such are the belligerents: The Empire allied with the Principality on one side; the Elector and the Grand Duke on the other. It is very likely that the Landgrave of Hessen-Rohr will throw his lot in with the Empire. 

There exist a couple of other armies that, neutral for the time being, might fetch up entering the lists on one side or the other. One is the Markgravate of Jotun Erbsten, unsure whether to join the fray and, if so, upon which side. Rather more dormant is the army of the Herzogtum von Rechberg, though it is known that the Duke himself has inaugurated a recruiting drive... 

More anon, when I can get around to it.