Over the Oudear at Ingelwitz...

A job for the special talents of the Kings Musketeers (and some of the Kings Dragoons). The musketeers : Von Messing, Scharfe, Fischer, Hofler, & their servant Limburger have travelled to Inglewitz, their orders to sieze the settlement of Werthaus on the opposite back of the river Oudear to facilitate the Wittenberg army crossing into Saxe-Jarlsberg territory using the ferry.

---oXo---

At Werthaus on the Saxe-Jarlsberg side of the river Oudear, there is a small army outpost supervising the ferry trade; performing mainly customs duties.

On the opposite side of the river is the town of Inglewitz.  A man in a cloak talking in hushed tones, confirms that the men he is in conversation with have understood their orders.

The cloaked man and four men with a servant (Von Messing, Scharfe, Fischer, Hofler & their servant Limburger), plus a wagon board the ferry to cross the river ...

They arrive on the other side, as they reach the customs post the ferry has already left and is heading back to the other side...

In Inglewitz a small body of dragoons, some dismounted, are heading towards the ferry....

Meanwhile at the customs post on the other side of the river ...Limburger throws the sack he is carrying at the musket armed custom guard putting him off balance; Scharfe draws his sword and makes to attack him; Von Messing draws his sword and confronts the customs officer; Limburger gets muskets out from under the cart and hands them to Fischer and Hofler...

The small detachment of Saxe-Jarlsberg infantry get into position to intervene. Fischer goes up to support Scharfe while Von Messing crosses swords with the customs officer; Hofler and Limburger take position in cover behind the cart.

Muskets are fired but nobody is hit; the Saxe-Jarlsberg officer goes down badly wounded as a result of von Messing's superior skill with a sword.....

On the other side of the river in Inglewitz some dragoons start to board the ferry....

With no time to reload, its into hand-to-hand combat with swords and muskets wielded...

Another Saxe-Jarlsberg soldier goes down as the cart is pulled out of the way....

Meanwhile the ferry starts across the river with the dragoons on board ....

The soldiers and the musketeers are busy fighting ....

Approaching down the road to Werthaus is a unit of commanded shot ..(which had been sent to reinforce the border guard after Wittenberg seized Hof). 

The musketeers have the edge in the fighting in Werthaus....

The remaining Saxe-Jarlsberg soldiers fall back down the road as the Wittenberg dragoons disembark form the ferry ....

As the Wittenberg dragoons move up the road into Werthaus, more are on their way over in the ferry.....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg commandes shot have arrived and hold the road into the town; The dragoons are in position; the musketeers have moved out of the way and have taken cover behind a cart ...

The firing starts, the Saxe-Jarlsberg commanded shot fair badly ...

Another volley form the dragoons thins them out some more ....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg troops have had enough and retreat down the road.....

The ferry has arrived with more dragoons ...

The dragoon officer congratulates von Messing and his men on a job well done , the rest of the musketeers head toward the local inn to find some refreshment ...

---oXo---

Wittenberg now has control of the ferry crossing, over the next couple of days more troops will be ferried across ......

Hoflandt Campaign Map...

 A map of the Hoflandt...

Wittenberg will be attempting to seize control of the area from Saxe-Jarlsberg, who will call on its allies (Monrovia and Hesse-Limburger) for assistance.

Wittenberg has already seized Hof on the opposite bank of the river from Vander, to provide access into the Hoflandt for their troops.  (see https://cavalierecw.blogspot.com/2022/05/square-dancing-in-hof.html)

The Saxe-Jarlsberg garrison of Hof has fallen back to Marienstadt and has sent word to the capital. It will take time for Saxe-Jarlsberg to muster their forces.

Ferry across the river Oudear...

 River ferry and crew completed, currently setting up for the solo game...

Basic River Ferry...(WIP)

For a small solo game scenario I'm working on I'll need a river ferry. Something like this one ....

sketchy design on a piece of thin card

As it is a game piece it has to be cheap to make so decided to make it from some spare cardboard. Marking out with some suitable figures (a couple of Hachette Pirates of the Caribbean) to get the basic measurements...

build completed - a simple base and sides with some cross pieces to give traction on the ramp ends

The two chaps with oars fixed to them - basic but it look as if they are doing something

loaded up with the coach...

It's a bit undersize for 40mm figures, but thats fine as it may get used in 28mm 18C games. 

Adding to the Library (2) ...

 Another superb addition to the library - Vol2 of Von Essen's Charles X wars

so far just dipped in but will get stuck in to it once I've finished reading  'Return of the king'': the restoration of Charles II' by Charles FitzRoy.

With all Vol 1 and the now Vol 2, getting more interested in the eastern wars - perhaps build a Cossack-Tatar army ? Doh ! Then perhaps an army for Muscovy as well.... 😜

Square Dancing in Hof ...

With an eye to controlling the trade on the River Oudear, Wittenberg has decided to take control of the Hoflandt from Saxe-Jarlsberg. Wittenberg, troops had been mustered in the south of the country in Vander ready to cross the river. Their first target was to seize the town of Hof, just across the river from Vander.

---oXo---

Wittenberg cavalry cross the river from Vander into Hof and move down Bridge Street...

forewarned of the attack by a merchant returning from Vander, the commander of the Hof garrison had quickly mustered his forces and was in the process of positioning his troops in the town square

The Wittenberg troops enter the town square ...

The town garrison is nearly finished deploying...

The Wittenberg cavalry charges quickly catching one Saxe-Jarslberg unit in the flank....

The Wittenberg cavalry fairs well but holds back ... not wanting to get too drawn in ..

The Witteberg cavalry in the centre of the square falls back, as a fresh unit arrives... the Saxe-Jarlsberg cavalry have reformed and are ready ..

to charge ......

it looks like they may be able to push the opposition back down Bridge Street...

The Wittenberg dragoons dodge out of the way of the cavalry and seek refuge in an alley way and into the buildings. The cavalry melee is in full swing ....

At the back of the square, the Wittenberg cavalry unit falls back, but a fresh unit has just arrived to support them; the Saxe-Jarlsberg cavalry lose the other two melee's and fall back ....

With casualties mounting and fresh cavalry arriving, leaving them outnumbered; the Saxe-Jarlsberg commander decides to withdraw ...

The Saxe-Jarlsberg musketeers fire an ineffective volley before they withdraw ....

The Wittenberg forces now command the square and more are on their way down Bridge Street...

Wittenberg forces take possession of the town of Hof, as the Saxe-Jarlsberg forces withdraw ...

Adding to the Library ...

I've been adding to  my library of suitable reference material, scenarios and rules ... I had the ECW siege scenario booklet and I got the other ones; lots of scenario ideas for planning future games.

A while back I obtained the Fire & Sword rule book and other publications..

very handy reference background material and information on army compositions. The rule book is handy, but my own rules seem to cover everything, so I'll stay with mine.

Also I've been perusing ...

a great read, lots of info on armies of the The Deluge and some nice illustrations.