Again, the difficulty is that adding three infantry units would basically mean that our Army Drill goes down to, "We're going to lose every single battle and get every negative event."
It depends how many army action we get, but not really? Assuming we have 2 weeks as an operational pause, this is doable. Under the old system, we would get 6 actions (more if we acquire quartering in some way). We spend 2 actions on harsh drilling (+4), 3 on raising more units, 1 on recruitment, giving us a net gain of +1 drill. Or if we recruit both weeks, we would get 2 recruitment actions, dropping our drill by one. It's not ideally and we would need to spend influence to fill up our reserves, but we could get there. One can win a battle with 4 or 6 drill, even if I would like to be higher. And if the enemy armies need a week to actually do something after arriving, I could see this being possible.
Of course, this is without any knowledge of the balancing changes, army actions might have increased given the added requirements of keeping the drill up.
Though frankly with how the system is set up with how easy it is to lose Army Drill and how hard it is to gain it, Harsh Drill 24/7 is kinda the only way an army can exist and expand outside of having a bunch of "peacetime" actions.
E: To clarify, it's not unrealistic in a way that it's hard to keep Drill up and everything going, it's just that that will necessitate pretty frequent hard-drilling if we're going to do more than tread water.
Yeah, building an army on the fly isn't easy. If we had a few months of peace and quiet, a nice camp and an established training/recruiting pipeline we could probably put together a very fine army without much trouble, but as it stands we've got weeks here and there to gather up recruits and get them to understand the basics. It makes sense that we have to push them pretty hard just to maintain an average level of quality.
Blame Clotaire for being a treacherous weasel, and the Norns/Herculians for throwing a fit when he actually has to face the consequences of being caught.
Yeah, building an army on the fly isn't easy. If we had a few months of peace and quiet, a nice camp and an established training/recruiting pipeline we could probably put together a very fine army without much trouble, but as it stands we've got weeks here and there to gather up recruits and get them to understand the basics. It makes sense that we have to push them pretty hard just to maintain an average level of quality.
It's probably why Arne prefers focusing on Morale and just goes with, "Keep it at average I guess" for Drill, because keeping it higher than that is very difficult while Morale seems a lot more "easy come" to go with the "easy go." Also obviously Drill works best with Dwarfs and Morale with Humans.
As the last dregs of von Trotha's army disappear beyond the horizon, quiet falls once more on the field at Daurstein. Oh, to be sure, focus a little and you will hear any number of things - cries of wounded, dull and distant cracks of muskets murdering enemy fallen or simply celebrating victory, laughter and cheers, the growing songs of carrion birds descending for their feast - but compared to the relentless din of near three hours of fighting, it's blessedly silent.
A great many dead litter the breadth of the valley. Von Trotha is running, and though much of his army remains alive and well, it is no longer a functional fighting force. You doubt the Norns will try to smash it against your steel again anytime soon, but that gives you less comfort than you'd like. They have other armies, and those are ones with blood on their fangs and vengeance in their hearts.
+100 Influence gained from Victory.
+25 Influence from enemy Units forced to surrender (+25 from Professional).
The Convention should be pleased. Another solid victory, another inch of room in which the Revolution can grow and flourish.
x1 Field Artillery captured. x2 spiked Field Artillery captured (can be repaired).
All Units receive +2 XP.
V. Army Morale increased by +1 (+2 from Victory, -1 from CO Killed), Morale cap reached (10).
Army of the Centre Morale decreased by -3 (-2 from Defeat, -1 from Standard Lost), now 1.
It takes the rest of the day to organize the Fifth into anything resembling a military body, and until noon of the next day to have them in reasonable marching shape. At least it gives you time to tally up your losses and organize replacements for the fallen.
A delegation from Daurstein also arrives, asking for permission to gather and bury their dead. It is a request that you'd normally be inclined to agree to - one in line with the old traditions and laws of war - but there is every possibility that the townsfolk would use the opportunity to smuggle resurrecting elves past your pickets and away on top of moving the permanently dead.
[] Allow the burials. It is the done thing. It's not a matter of debate. Army of the Centre may recover more elven Casualties. [] Handle it yourself. The Fifth killed them, so the Fifth can clean them up, too. The men might grumble, but there's no risk of more elves escaping your pickets. Army of the Centre may recover fewer elven Casualties. Army Morale falls by 1. Opinion of Arné and Raka Durand in the local region may improve. [] Disallow the burials. Let them rot until you've rounded up the enemy's elves. You're not taking the risk of having to face some of these cadavers again in a future engagement. Army of the Centre may recover fewer elven Casualties. Opinion of Arné and Raka Durand in the local region falls.
***
The Fifth has taken a beating, though it could be far worse. You have enough reserve manpower to replace all your fallen; indeed, some of the influxes of veteran soldiers serve well to stiffen the spine of weakened regiments.
251st Hob recovers 48 Casualties. 251st Hob improves to Regular from XP (3/10, Regular). 251st Hob takes on 70 Professional Replacements (+7 XP gain). 251st Hob improves to Professional from Replacements (0/20, Professional).
200th Hob recovers 19 Casualties. 200th Hob takes on 18 Professional Replacements (+1 XP gain).
72nd Hum improves to Experienced (1/20, Experienced).
148th Hum recovers 33 Casualties. 148th Hum improves to Professional (0/10, Professional). 148th Hum takes on 59 Trained Replacements (-5 XP). 148th Hum degrades to Regular (0/5, Regular).
45th Elv recovers 21 Casualties. 45th Elv takes on 6 Trained Replacements (0 XP loss).
19th Half Pfd recovers 27 Casualties. 19th Half Pfd takes on 24 Professional Replacements (+2 XP gain).
28th Half Pfd recovers 41 Casualties. 28th Half Pfd takes on 40 Professional Replacements (+4 XP gain). 28th Half Pfd improves to Professional from Replacements (0/20, Professional).
55th Elv Hsr recovers 129 Casualties. 55th Elv Hsr takes on 29 Professional Replacements (+2 XP gain).
108th Elv Hsr recovers 95 Casualties. 108th Elv Hsr takes on 20 Professional Replacements (0 XP loss).
13th Hob Lan recovers 78 Casualties. 13th Hob Lan takes on 115 Regular Replacements (0 XP loss).
10th Hum Art recovers 12 Casualties. 10th Hum Art takes on 20 Green Replacements (-2 XP loss).
***
Augustin de Goyon Resurrection?: [💀]
The 108th's Colonel is expected to return with many of his men, but as the hours pass and there is no sign of him, you are forced to conclude that he has either gone to his True Death, or deserted his post after his resurrection. The former seems more likely to you. In his absence, you appoint one of his officers, an elven chevalier by the name of Guillaume de Mayerne, to replace him. His post then needs to be filled in turn, and the posts of those moving up in his wake. It'll take time for them to get settled in properly, and you expect there may be some organizational confusion until they do.
New CO for 108th Elv Hsr: Guillaume de Mayerne. Army Drill has decreased by 1 (now 4).
***
Fifth Army
Morale
Drill
Munitions
Supplies
Influence
Current
10 (ever victorious army)
4 (subpar)
137
102
300
Projected
81
Supplies are expended every March equal to the amount of Units under your command (double for Hobgoblin Units). Each 1000 of Reserve Manpower counts as an additional Unit.
Reserve Manpower:
-Elven:
--329 Trained Infantry
--53 Trained Cavalry, 51 Professional Cavalry
--10 Trained Artillery
-Human:
--336 Trained Infantry, 219 Green Infantry
--20 Trained Cavalry
--125 Green Artillery
-Hobgoblin:
--29 Trained Infantry, 112 Professional Infantry
--85 Regular Cavalry
-Halflings:
--89 Professional Infantry Casualties: (no bonus to casualty recovery)
-Humans: 0
-Elves: 0
-Hobgoblins: 0
-Halflings: 0
Spare Equipment:
-3 Cabot Muskets (Wounding +0, Range 100m/200m/400m)
-8 Erlkönig Muskets (Wounding +0, Range 100m/200m/400m)
-1 Sabres (Wounding +0)
-3 Field Artillery (Wounding +3, Range 200m/700m/1400m), 2 spiked Field Artillery waiting
Our Units
Unit
XP
Str.
AP
Morale Mod.
Stress
Combat
Mun.
Spl.
Con.
Spt.
Mov.
Equipment
Traits
CO
251st Hob
0/20
Professional
1000/1000
3
-
0
+20
10/10
5/5
0
7
2
Cabot Musket
Bayonets
Hobgoblin
Veka Bonheur
Watchful
200th Hob
6/20
Professional
1000/1000
3
-
0
+20
10/10
5/5
0
5
2
Cabot Musket
Bayonets
Hobgoblin
Alho Kléber
Offensive Genius
72nd Hum
1/20
Experienced
1000/1000
3
-
0
+30
10/10
5/5
0
5
2
Cabot Musket
Bayonets
Human
Gereon Oberlin
Teacher
148th Hum
0/5
Regular
1000/1000
3
-
0
+10
10/10
5/5
0
5
2
Cabot Musket
Bayonets
Human
Liberté Chastain
Inspiring
42nd Elv
3/20
Regular
1000/1000
3
-
0
+10
10/10
5/5
0
7
2
Cabot Musket
Bayonets
Elven
M. de Montmorency
Unsteady
45th Elv
6/20
Regular
1000/1000
3
-
0
+10
9/10
5/5
0
7
2
Cabot Musket
Bayonets
Elven
Jean de Sangeaux
Maverick
16th Half Pfd
4/10
Regular
1000/1000
3
-
0
+10
10/10
5/5
2
5
2
Falke Rifle
Bayonets
Halfling
Maiwen Firmin
Butcher
19th Half Pfd
9/10
Regular
1000/1000
3
-
0
+10
10/10
5/5
2
5
4
Canard Rifle
Bayonets
Halfling
Sophie Tasse
Rapid
28th Half Pfd
0/20
Professional
1000/1000
3
-
0
+20
10/10
5/5
2
5
2
Canard Rifle
Bayonets
Halfling
Georges Villiers
Unsteady
55th Elv Hsr
10/20
Regular
500/500
3
-
0
+10
-
5/5
0
7
7
Sabres
Elven
Berenice de Toucy
Defensive Genius
108th Elv Hsr
14/40
Professional
500/500
2
-
0
+20
-
5/5
0
7
7
Sabres
Elven
Guillaume de Mayerne
???
13th Hob Lan
4/10
Regular
500/500
3
-
0
+10
-
5/5
-1
5
5
Lances
Hobgoblin
Karo Bonnaire
Optimist
10th Hum Art
4/20
Experienced
50/50
3
-
0
+30
10/10
5/5
0
5
1
Field Artillery
Human
David Granger
Offensive Genius
84th Elv Art
14/20
Regular
50/50
3
-
0
+10
10/10
5/5
0
9
1
Field Artillery
Elven
Jules de Maistre
Watchful
31st Elv Art
15/20
Regular
50/50
3
-
0
+10
12/12
7/7
0
7
1
Field Artillery
Elven
Marie de Lamartine
Logistician
5th Hob H Art
31/40
Experienced
50/50
3
-
0
+30
8/8
3/3
0
5
4
Horse Artillery
Hobgoblin
Arka Faucher
Careless
HQ
-
-
-
-
-
-
137
102
1
*Affected by Casualties Bayonets, Sabres: Wounding +0 Lances: Wounding +1, Concealment -1, Movement -2, additional Charge Advantage Cabot Musket: Wounding +2, Range 100m/200m/400m Field Artillery: Wounding +5, Range 200m/700m/1400m Canard Rifle: Wounding +2, Range 200m/300m/500m Falke Rifle: Wounding +3, Range 100m/300m/500m Horse Artillery: Wounding +4, Movement +3, Range 200m/600m/1200m, may Set Up for free
***
After all of that is said and done, and the dust has settled, you are faced with a choice. Your scouts report that von Trotha has double-timed it back north and seems intent on crossing the Raoille posthaste, presumably headed for the safety of Engelsburg's fortifications. Guillory's Sixth Army has just barely made it to Martelnac, which should put it at Daurstein in a day, at most two.
The weather seems set to stay cloudy, but the storms are clearly past. It is the 24th of Beltiale. Sooner or later, Norn will bring its veteran forces to bear... unless their ruling classes decide that a quick peace is preferable instead. There's plenty of good campaign season remaining. With the VI. Army soon at your back, you have the advantage in numbers in this theatre... at least, for now.
[] Dig in at Daurstein. Daurstein offers a perfectly solid defensive position, and you need time to catch your breath. 14~ days. 5 Army Actions allowed.
[] March for the Raoille. Daurstein was only the first step of your grand plan. Norn is wide open for the taking. You'll march north, seize the bridge over the Raoille, and... -[] And hold the south bank. You'll establish a position on the south bank of the river, daring the Nornish Army to come and try it. It's a good position to hold back any potential Nornish attack, and keeps the Convention happy with you. 4-5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed. -[] And hold the north bank. You'll establish a position on the north bank of the river, seizing perhaps the most important strategic crossing of the front. You can make it hell for the Nornish Army to try and reclaim their beloved natural barrier. The Convention's orders were not to operate north of the Raoille, but they'll have to understand the strategic necessity of a position on the far side. 5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed. -[] And march for Engelsburg. You're not stopping until Engelsburg has fallen to Arné. This goes explicitly against the Convention's orders and will almost certainly cost you politically. 7 days. 1 Army Action allowed.
[] March for the Raoille. Daurstein was only the first step of your grand plan. Norn is wide open for the taking. You'll march north, seize the bridge over the Raoille, and... -[] And hold the south bank. You'll establish a position on the south bank of the river, daring the Nornish Army to come and try it. It's a good position to hold back any potential Nornish attack, and keeps the Convention happy with you. 4-5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed. -[] And hold the north bank. You'll establish a position on the north bank of the river, seizing perhaps the most important strategic crossing of the front. You can make it hell for the Nornish Army to try and reclaim their beloved natural barrier. The Convention's orders were not to operate north of the Raoille, but they'll have to understand the strategic necessity of a position on the far side. 5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed.
The 108th's Colonel is expected to return with many of his men, but as the hours pass and there is no sign of him, you are forced to conclude that he has either gone to his True Death, or deserted his post after his resurrection. The former seems more likely to you. In his absence, you appoint one of his officers, an elven chevalier by the name of Guillaume de Mayerne, to replace him. His post then needs to be filled in turn, and the posts of those moving up in his wake. It'll take time for them to get settled in properly, and you expect there may be some organizational confusion until they do.
New CO for 108th Elv Hsr: Guillaume de Mayerne. Army Drill has decreased by 1 (now 4).
Ugh, the dice really hate us having any sort of drill. This is the third time our drill has been lowered, and we had a very good chance of getting the officer back.
[] Dig in at Daurstein. Daurstein offers a perfectly solid defensive position, and you need time to catch your breath. 14~ days. 5 Army Actions allowed.
@Photomajig , just to check for March actions, since knowing their value is pretty important, are there any hidden Morale costs to Heavy Drill? Just checking, because if we get only two Army actions from the march, we'll have to be sparing in what we spend and what it costs.
@Photomajig , just to check for March actions, since knowing their value is pretty important, are there any hidden Morale costs to Heavy Drill? Just checking, because if we get only two Army actions from the march, we'll have to be sparing in what we spend and what it costs.
Another question. How much, if anything, does Raka Durand know about the defensive positions on the north bank? Is it stronger than on the south bank, equivalent, or what?
[] March for the Raoille. Daurstein was only the first step of your grand plan. Norn is wide open for the taking. You'll march north, seize the bridge over the Raoille, and... -[] And hold the south bank. You'll establish a position on the south bank of the river, daring the Nornish Army to come and try it. It's a good position to hold back any potential Nornish attack, and keeps the Convention happy with you. 4-5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed. -[] And hold the north bank. You'll establish a position on the north bank of the river, seizing perhaps the most important strategic crossing of the front. You can make it hell for the Nornish Army to try and reclaim their beloved natural barrier. The Convention's orders were not to operate north of the Raoille, but they'll have to understand the strategic necessity of a position on the far side. 5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed.
Wouldn't it also make operational sense to stay in place for 1 week, than move north during the coming week? I don't understand why this option forces us to commit to a 2 week wait.
And we are back with the campaign, fellow officers!
Ugh, the dice really hate us having any sort of drill. This is the third time our drill has been lowered, and we had a very good chance of getting the officer back.
So, a clarification: What do the 14 days mean? The other options commit to a travel times under a week, and we are right at Daurstein.
So my thought is, we do the burial ourselves (Morale -1 to 9), march to either the North or South bank, and with our two March actions we do Heavy Drill (Drill +2 to 6) and Extra Supplies (Morale +1 to 10).
So my thought is, we do the burial ourselves (Morale -1 to 9), march to either the North or South bank, and with our two March actions we do Heavy Drill (Drill to 6) and Extra Supplies (Morale +1 to 10).
Eh, I would skip the extra supplies, morale is decent enough as it is. The extra morale adds a +1 to morale modifiers (+2 for humans), and our biggest problem is more the size of our army. Either raise a new infantry regiment, or start a second round of harsh drills, which helps more with the immediate battle while also preparing us for army expansion which we will need. If we are committing to a move north, the 6th should be able to actually get there in 2 weeks.
Eh, I would skip the extra supplies, morale is decent enough as it is. The extra morale adds a +1 to morale modifiers (+2 for humans), and our biggest problem is more the size of our army. Either raise a new infantry regiment, or start a second round of harsh drills, which helps more with the immediate battle while also preparing us for army expansion which we will need. If we are committing to a move north, the 6th should be able to actually get there in 2 weeks.
Double drills seem kind of silly, and I don't want to raise a new infantry regiment when we finally have a chance to get to Drill 6. Rather than assuming that nothing will unexpectedly knock us down to Drill in the middle of the march, I'd rather actually have a buffer this time because we are, undeniably, cursed.
Another question. How much, if anything, does Raka Durand know about the defensive positions on the north bank? Is it stronger than on the south bank, equivalent, or what?
It's not a matter of fortifications or anything like that. They are not super different in terms of terrain, either. You just generally want to hold a bridgehead, as it allows you greater operational freedom.
Wouldn't it also make operational sense to stay in place for 1 week, than move north during the coming week? I don't understand why this option forces us to commit to a 2 week wait.
-[] And hold the south bank. You'll establish a position on the south bank of the river, daring the Nornish Army to come and try it. It's a good position to hold back any potential Nornish attack, and keeps the Convention happy with you. 4-5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed.
Look at those XP ranks - not a unit below Regular, and many above that! Amazing how a string of victories can turn a pretty ragged bunch into a war machine.
Re: burials I'm tempted by the 'do it ourselves' option. The morale cost would sting but it'd be nice to ingratiate ourselves to the locals and develop a positive rep, considering we're 1. on the South Bank of the Raoille and thus within our Natural Borders ( ) and 2. ultimately all citizens of the Universal Republic of Kin ( )
As for movement, advancing on Engelsburg definitely feels like an overreach with enemy reinforcements on the way. Despite all the damage he's taken holding a city with relief coming is probably well within von Trotha's capabilities, and it doesn't seem like a great place to face Norn's reinforcements. They can threaten to move between us and the river, for example. And giving the army some rest by staying at Daurstein is tempting, but it'd leave us a little out of the way to respond to Norn's next moves.
So I'm thinking we march to the Raoille, yeah, and I'm leaning towards a position on the north bank. It's pretty bold, but I like the idea of throwing down the gauntlet and forcing Norn's reinforcements to attack us in a pre-prepared position if they want to regain any kind of initiative. It's the same sort of 'operationally aggressive, tactically defensive' mindset that's worked well so far. Selling it to the Convention as an ultimately defensive maneuver (tying the enemy down at one point and preventing any incursions elsewhere) shouldn't be too hard, and just imagine how many newspapers "DURAND CROSSES RAOILLE IN OPENING MONTH OF WAR" will sell.
[X] March for the Raoille. Daurstein was only the first step of your grand plan. Norn is wide open for the taking. You'll march north, seize the bridge over the Raoille, and... -[X] And hold the north bank. You'll establish a position on the north bank of the river, seizing perhaps the most important strategic crossing of the front. You can make it hell for the Nornish Army to try and reclaim their beloved natural barrier. The Convention's orders were not to operate north of the Raoille, but they'll have to understand the strategic necessity of a position on the far side. 5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed.
I'm convinced.
[X] Handle it yourself. The Fifth killed them, so the Fifth can clean them up, too. The men might grumble, but there's no risk of more elves escaping your pickets. Army of the Centre may recover fewer elven Casualties. Army Morale falls by 1. Opinion of Arné and Raka Durand in the local region may improve.
[X] March for the Raoille. Daurstein was only the first step of your grand plan. Norn is wide open for the taking. You'll march north, seize the bridge over the Raoille, and... -[X] And hold the north bank. You'll establish a position on the north bank of the river, seizing perhaps the most important strategic crossing of the front. You can make it hell for the Nornish Army to try and reclaim their beloved natural barrier. The Convention's orders were not to operate north of the Raoille, but they'll have to understand the strategic necessity of a position on the far side. 5 days. 2 Army Actions allowed.
Nah, I'll just change my vote if I'm convinced otherwise. There's no moratorium, and I was already simply deciding between the South Bank and the North Bank.
) and 2. ultimately all citizens of the Universal Republic of Kin (