Kleine Kreig - solo campaign ideas and thoughts...

Some of you may know I am a school teacher to trade. I am on my summer hols at present and my thoughts have turned to Kleine Kreig - the 18th century activity and the super rules written by Jim Purky. For that reason I have posted a picture of the Prussian Frei Korps unit led by Quintius Icilius , who I think started out as a school teacher before taking up his military work under Frederick the great.

My regular opponent is poised to raise his Prussians and I am reorganising Reicsarmee /Austrians in opposition. We will raise 30 fig batts and use BAR. This will be a late summer,autumn and winter project to work towards. I look forward to regular BAR games - it will be excellent fun.

I want a solo imagination project also and for this reason ( and because I really like the idea a great deal) I am looking at the possibility of fighting the struggle betwixt Tradgardland and Skogsmork at a local/lower level - skirmishing in the villages,woods and lakes ( maybe some limited naval stuff with galley borne troops rowed upon the lakes) around the border between the two Duchies.

With this in mind I need to draw a relatively detailed map of the border country, organise populations and troops, etc etc- gosh much to do and much fun to be had! In other words a sort of solo campaign at a skirmish level- company/grand division level rather than Brigade. All this sounds a heady mix of exciting and daunting but I shall give it a whirl - map first!

As ever your ideas and input would be gratefully received and I look forward to hearing your advice. I see,incidentally this is my 200th post - here's to the next!!

Alisona

Of late , Alisona has been in the woods around the border of Skogsmork. She has been watching and waiting for signs that Duke Wolgang's army was on the march. Her patience has been immense and her loneliness too. She has thought long and hard , during the long watches of the night, about her dead husband and the life they might have had together in Ny Tradgardland. She misses him greatly and for that reason has thrown herself into the murky world of espionage. Yet her heart soars that this mission might be at an end soon. She looks forward to returning to her parents and long nights discussing in the observatory. Her reverie is interrupted by a hooting owl 0r was it...

The day thou gavest

After an exhausting day Duke Karl and the Court dine in style. Course after course are laid before them . All are lost in the summer reverie and the evening ends with music upon the terrace as the twilight ends another day in Tradgardland.Across the Duchy the high and low take their evening ease - fine German wine or ale flows until the darkness descends and all wend their weary way into the arms of Morphus...

WRG 1925 - 1975 rules

Well I discovered these rules upon the shelf today. They were a favourite set of mine in the 1970's . Combined with Airfix figures and vehicles fighting upon Bellona vacum form battlefields a good time was had by all.

I had a read over of them today and I am tempted to have a game. Pity I sold/gave away my ww2 stuff including my favourite Italians and British Raventhorpe 20mm from 1940 in East Africa. Gosh I am tempted to buy a couple of Sections, maybe a platoon...

Do any of you remember using these fantastic rules? Come on and share your thoughts with us all...

The rules remind me of the Section Attacks we used to practice when I was in the Army Section of the School C.C.F. All ancient Lee enfields and Bren guns but great fun none the less...

AD 1758 and 2008

The Ducal Court are enjoying the summer sun. All talk is of the recent letter from Skogsmork . Karl Frederick, by public proclamation, shared its contents with the whole Duchy. In essence the new Duke of Skogsmork has declared his friendship for Duke Karl Frederick and a desire that the two Duchies might live in concord and felicity. Duke Wolfgang has pledged, upon the memory of his late father Otto , that he will not make any threatening maneuvers not at the moment or in perpetuity....

The Court cannot decide wether they are upon the verge of a golden age of peace with Skogsmork or not. Hawks and doves within the circle of advisers to Duke Karl Frederick attempt to gain his ear. As ever the Duke listens gracefully but keeps his own council.

My daughter's digital camera broke yesterday and I now lack the means to post photographs of figures painted and in process of being painted. I ask for your patience - normal service will be resumed soonish I hope !

Duchy happenings...

A rainy day in Fife today. Yesterday was Summer here. Coffee am with my wife Jan, collecting the children from their last day at school for the Summer hols, lunch in the garden and then off to the beach! Aberdour is about 15 mins drive away and has lovely beaches - we are indeed blessed! Home to drink German wine in the garden and have our evening meal out there too! Evening with topped off by the arrival of my brother in law on his new bike - kawasaki ninja - quite a warhorse if ever I saw one ! A good day...
Here as promised is my first Duchy of Skogsmork regiment, featuring an invaluable book from my library- one I have consulted often over the years.
We are now all off work and it is good to be less pressured. On Thursday my regular opponent came over and we fought Swiss v Burgundians. The game was a draw - first time the Swiss haven't won in absolute ages. Afterwards as Jan was at a colleagues retrial meal I watched tv and caught "Black hawk down " a film I have never seen . Quite a movie and utterly gripping.
I am deciding what to paint next - perhaps republican Romans having over indulged on " Rome" on dvd of late as well as reading " Ceaser" by Adrian Goldsworthy, perhaps 15th century french or maybe more Skogsmork . You , dear reader, will be kept up to date very soon...
P.S A happy Independence Day to Jim ,Stokes and all our readers!

Anyone for Tennis?

Karl Frederick has recovered sufficently to practice once more upon the tennis court.Watched by Duchess Liv and the Court, he manges a game or two. Midsommer passed quietly with the potentiality of Skogsmork not materialising - in fact it has been rather too quiet on that front of late...

Vonn Bergmann remains fully occupied in Scotland and will be shortly be joined there by the Duc de Padirac. Generaloffizer MacKay is currently giving his knowledge and expertise to the Duchy of Beerstein.

Summer continues in the Duchy in fits and starts - the sun an infrequent ,yet sought visitor. News is expected from Ny Tradgardland and other Duchy outposts any day now as the respective boats are overdue. Meanwhile the tennis comes to an end with the delivery of a sealed letter bearing the Skogsmork seal. Deja Vu observes the Duke as he opens the letter and begins to read its lenghty contents...