Count Boyarisov makes his move

Count of the House of Boyar

"You are certain that the messengers were intercepted?"
Count Viacheslev Boyarisov demanded.

"Yes, Excellency."
Came the answer just over a whisper from the shadowy figure at the far end of the room, where no light would fall from the candles.

"Good." Turning to gather his hat, the Count continued, "And the replacement couriers?  With their messages?"

"Also completed, Excellency."
Again the answer just above a whisper.

"Bring the response from the Court in St. Petersberg to me the moment you have it.  I shall be in Borisov within a fortnight and plan to co-ordinate from there until the first actions make clear where I may need to travel." 
The Count put his hat on and slapped his gloves as he collected them from the table.  Turning back to the dark end of the room as though to speak again, Count Boyarisov did not see the shadowy figure any more.  Scanning to be sure he was gone, the count then left his Moscou residence, with the plan to only return in triumph.

Not acceptable

"Simply put, this situation is not acceptable."  Said the western region Minister for Munitions.

"The forces were deployed so as to obtain victory for the Tsarina, and not the personal ambitions of this Boyar lordling."  The Minister was most displeased, though he did not want to place this out into the hands of the Imperial courier.

"I shall draft a letter regarding this to the Tsarina this evening, for now you may stay here with us.   Have the steward see to the Prince's needs and we will dine together tonight."  The last part for his own secretary to carry to the Steward.

"I retire now to contemplate how to properly phrase this note for her majesty."  as he turned and left the salon.

Report from the front ...

Russian Court minister of interior reads his son's letter

Anton read slowly again the report from the front line, written by his middle son:

"We have been pushed back from crossing the river.  Losses were heavy with many battalions now at less than one-quarter effective.  There are no hospitals and no succor for the wounded.  This situation is even worse that uncle Boris told me.  The Boyars are intent on killing us all for their own gain here in Mieczyslaw.  They will not be satisfied until every one of us is dead and the general does not hear any entreaties to use our force more effectively.  It is as if he will only hear Count Borisov and no others."

The letter was stained with mud.

The Boyars appear to have put personal ambition ahead of the plans that were presented at court to the Tsarina ...

Bitva Pultusk

The combined Russian-Boyar force pressed towards the Pultusk bridge and ford of the River Narew.

In defense Mieczyslaw battalions had been assembled with light guns to hold the bridge and ford region.

These battalions were set to cover the ford, as this area was the only one large enough to permit large troop formations to cross.

The artillery was set up to make crossing the bridge, a narrow space, impossible for infantry formations.  One battalion was deployed into skirmish, while the other was in line, well back from artillery range at the river.

Boyar and Russian brigades arrived, Boyar troops were tasked to cross the bridge, while the Russian columns pressed into the ford gap in the marshy ground.

The Boyardvina brigade pressed into the bridge right away, the leading brigade failed to charge home.  They were promptly blasted by the Mieczyslaw light gun battery. 

This column stayed on the bridge and pushed for charging again, again they failed to proceed into the target.  Now the skirmish line had begun firing, the column had taken on 25% casualties at this point and they were finally routed off of the bridge.

 Meanwhile at the ford, the Russian brigade had set up their guns and had infantry columns moving up ...

These guns continue to fire towards the Line and skirmish deployed Mieczyslaw battalions, the woods covering protected the dense lines, the skirmish deployment was enough to also lower the effectiveness of the light gun that was able to fire toward them.

No further delay could be accepted by the Russian commander, watching that the Boyars were thrown off the bridge by the Mieczyslaw artillery, the time for the crossing was now.

It was the rush across the river that saw the death of the Russian Brigadier, his loss was enough to cause a loss of confidence in the zeal of the columns.

That loss of zeal, ended the charge.  The columns were pushed out into ragged lines, while a fresh column was prepared to move forward.  Through all of this the Mieczyslaw lines (now the skirmishers had been reformed into line), were delivering volley after volley into the Russians.

The whole Russian-Boyar army now was fast approaching the 25% casualty rate. These ragged lines now began to lay down volleys of their own.  Now the Mieczyslaw army was taking casualties, pushing them close to the 25% level.  The Russians had one fresh column - this was to be the victory trump card. A gap was made in the Russian firing lines, they charged just as the two firing lines collapsed.

The column charged, the Mieczyslaw battalion fled from the woods (right to the edge of the table!), the remaining Mieczyslaw battalion, seeing that the Russian column which had just run off the other battalion, was now in some confusion and disarray (they had just come out from the river) with their FLANK exposed at their front!

The Mieczyslaw charge was successful, the Russians did not stick around to fight it out and fled back across the river in a total rout. 

This now put the Russian-Boyar forces at 25% (morale check level), and the Russian commander was hard pressed to keep the battalions from fleeing...

Just following the CHARGE! moment for Mieczyslaw ...

The Boyar brigade (seen in the background, distance to the left) was all that the Russo-Boyar army had left to get across the river.

One more push at the Pultusk bridge is the order for the Boyar battalions.  At nearly 50% casualties for the first battalion, the prospects for the second assault are not good...

Never-the-less the order is given, the forward line of infantry forms into column to advance on the bridge.

 While the Boyardvina troops moved into column, the Russian commander was hard pressed to keep his troops present, while at the end of every turn the whole army was checking against retreat as now the casualties had reached 30%.  Meanwhile the Mieczyslaw battalion had been rallied (only just on the 2nd - final! - attempt) and was now moving back into position.

The other battalion was strung back out into skirmish order as the Russian artillery resumed firing.

Without surprise, the Boyar attack across the bridge was repulsed.  The initial charge failed, pummeled by artillery the column again remained to 'try' a charge again.  The second attempt also failed.  That battalion took 50% casualties driving the Boyar force to 50% casualties and the total army to 40% casualties.

This was too much for losses, the army failed the morale check after that rout from the bridge.

Pultusk bridge was held against odds of 2:1.

Game was played 6 May 2012; rules set used Warfare in the Age of Reason.

Further Pressure into Mieczyslaw

With the Cossack breakthrough the defenders of the Duchy had to respond.

Moving the horse to overcome the Cossacks, then filling in the lines along the river.

Just in time as the Boyars have moved to press on both flanks ...

Tabletop battles to come ...

Cossack Breakthrough!

Amazingly the Cossack attempt at the river line managed to force a crossing.



The Allied light companies covered the known and suspected river fords in the Drohizyn region.



They had no artillery and chose to use an 'opening ruse' to lure some of the Cossacks across the river, then defeat them in detail after they were forced to face a rapidly formed square.




The cossacks chose to take the bait, expecting to be repulsed yet pressing home for a chance at success all the same ...


To their utter horror the light infantry companies watched as one-third of their number was literally ridden down like grass. The hasty square exercise was a total failure and the cossacks rode like madmen among them, cutting apart the company and sending less than half of the survivors scattering to the winds.



Seeing an opportunity like no other to completely envelop the defenders the Cossack command chose to press home on the center company of the Allied contingent of light infantry. Fully both sides of this line was covered by the wild riding light horsemen of the Russian steppes.



This time the company of infantry chose to make better use of their shot and powder. They delivered a devastating volley into the Cossacks, then stood tall to take on their charge from both front and rear!

Amazingly they defeated the Cossacks this time ... however one half of the Cossacks retreated away from the river pressing on deeper south into Mieczyslaw, the line of defense was broken. The strategic situation was a loss, what the infantry needed now was to hold the line by day long enough to break off from contact and retreat by night fall.



The Cossack commander was willing to stay cautious now as the remaining parts of his command were bloodied and shaken, he reverted to a defensive posture until he could learn what had become of the squadron that had penetrated the line so well!



By midnight it was clear that the light infantry had retreated to the west along the river. Now a path across the river line was open, could this be the flank attack line?

Battle Awaits

The Boyar Cossacks have pressed the river line.

Unable to keep the Cossacks in check, they have pushed ahead to the flank of the Mieczyslaw lines along the river.

Tabletop battle awaits!

Count Boyarisov

Considering his options ...

Count Vladimir Boyarisov now must decide, shall he depart Moscou to personally oversee the troop dispositions or could he count on the generals to take on the critical tasks in Mieczyslaw?

Boyar Second Move

The Boyars continue their advance on Mieczyslaw

Now that the Tzarina has started the invasion of the East Altmorania territories, the flank riding cavalry has moved to break out and cover the right (north) flank of the advancing columns. Meanwhile to the south (left flank) the cossacks continue to raid, now into the town of Bielsk Podlaski.

News of the Cossack attack came well in advance of their approach and only the feeble and the infirm were left behind. The Cossacks were left with little in treasures to capture, though many stores were taken.

The main body of Boyars has now entered Pajewo on the main road through Mieczyslaw.

Setting up a campaign

Here we see the opening Position for the troops in a cyberboard view.

For the Cyberboard system, I have put together many of the parts and pieces that I have been working on over the past few years.

Now I have a game box that includes parts of the imagi-nations that we have been using on the Emperor vs. Elector concept.

So I have begun a Seven Years War and shall game it out via tabletop, board games and a mass combat system for use in Role Playing Games.

Time to see how well (or not) it will all work.

Count Vladimir Boyarisov

The Count Vladimir Boyarisov had risen to lead the Hetman of Boyardvina in only five short years.

His combination of vision, energy and drive worked well with his natural charisma and charming outward dispositions.

He had made his friendship with Tzarina Elizabeth and her new Field Marshal, now they had made him principle leader of their south columns.

There was no delay in his preparations ... though in his haste he may have overlooked the character and nature of the leaders of the military formations...

Miecek Duda Located

One Time ADC Miecek Duda has been found in the service of the Duke of Tragardland as part of his Lifeguard of Horse.

Now the critical message must be got through to the Duke of Tragardland via Miecek Duda that Mieczyslaw is in need of assistance....

Cossacks in Bialystock

The local Hetman chose to stand with his farmers and militia rather than flee.

The great relics of their parish had been collected and other treasures secreted in a farm outside of the town.

While the main force of Cossacks did not face any resistance in Bialystock directly, this column to the south did.

The militia and defenders learned that the Cossacks were on their way with three troops, numbering more then their meager forces. There was no way that they could run away, so they set up to defend the farmhouses and the little bridge.

The waves of pony riders swarmed over the nearby hills and across the stream.

This caused the bridge to become a worthless defense.

Seeing that the fields would become the critical battleground the Hetman Viktor rode out to personally hold back a half a dozen riders and give time for his militia to form firing lines.

Even the evacuation of the bridge was not simple and a few militia managed to shoot a couple of Cossacks out of their saddles. Not enough to stop them from swarming half of the buildings of the farm. This half did not have the critical treasures that had now been dragged up into the attic of the other major building.

The fields were swarmed by the Cossacks ... some shot as they crossed the underbrush at the edge of the fields, others cut down by the heroic efforts of the Hetman Viktor!


Hetman Viktor was wounded first by the volleys of the militia as he fought bravely against four to one odds. The wound was not enough to throw him from the saddle, it was enough to slow him down. Thankfully he was only facing one more Cossack. Sadly he was not fast enough to parry this last Cossack that felled the Hetman.

The militia began to fall apart ... half of them fleeing in the face of the Cossacks, the other half halt, nervous, yet held. Enough to break the cossacks will to fight in the field.

Unfortunately for the defenders, more Cossacks had swarmed behind the critical building, they entered and a confused series of battles raged room to room.

Enough losses came to the Cossacks, they broke off their attack, literally just in time for the remaining militia for they were also close to fleeing. They had save the treasures, lost more than half their numbers to death, many others were wounded. There was just enough left to flee the town with the holy relics and some of the valuables.