The Siege of Branneş, a Village on the Danube - A Table Top Game In 28mm.

                            The Siege of Branneş

Branneş is a small fortified village close to the Danube on the Wallachian side, Ottoman raids are a constant worry for the inhabitants.

One such raid was seen coming in and the women and children were evacuated, only the farmers and monks, now turned warriors, remained to defend their small piece of Earth.

The Ottoman force approached the town with an arrogance bordering on the suicidal, Wallachian arrows found their mark time after time.

 

The Ottomans soon beat a tactical retreat into the woods, out of range of the deadly Wallachian arrows. The Sepahi split their contingent and a party of them rode around the village to cut off any escape from the north gate, they had to keep a good distance to be out of arrow shot, but the message was clear, the Wallachians were trapped.

The men in the village are exchanging worried glances, the bowmen are conserving their arrows and only losing off now and then, the Ottomans on the other hand have their trump weapon rolling in, a bombard......

The siege weapon is soon in position and spits forth destruction, unfortunately the gunners are not that great and the shot falls short. Added to their discomfort they have positioned their bombard within range of the Wallachian archers, a rescue mission is undertaken. Even with the repositioning of the bombard in the woods, their aim is still much to be desired.

Finally the range is worked out and the bombard works its devastating magic, the wall crumbles and the Wallachians prepare for hand to hand combat.

Combatants clash and blood is spilt, the Wallachians fight hard but experience pays off, the Sipahi at the north gate gallop around the village to support the attack on the south.

The Ottomans smell victory, the Sipahi gather and the bombard loads up for the last time and the final assault rolls in.

The attack is a complete success, but the cost has been heavy, the Ottomans celebrate a pyrrhic victory and the prisoners are dragged away, apart from the monks, who were executed. 

Vlad will have his revenge............

Hobbs End Gazette - Blockhouse Attacked, local man prisoner of the Boers! - A table Top Game In 28mm.

             

                                SPECIAL EDITION:                          12th September 1901

                        Royal Fusiliers in action, local man wounded.

Our South Africa correspondent Tarquine Squears reports;  

An isolated blockhouse of the "Rice" variety was attacked by a party of Boers last week in what has been described as a serious setback for the operations of the Royal Fusiliers in that area. The Boers approached very stealthily and rushed the position with reckless abandon.

The blockhouse crew fought back bravely, preferring to fight outside at first and causing several Boers to fall, the superior numbers of the Boers was beginning to be felt and the mauser fire soon began to take its toll.

The survivors gave a good account of themselves from within the blockhouse, but the assault was too much for them. Following threats to blow them to kingdom come the last of the small garrison surrendered to the Boers, they were stripped of everything useful and the blockhouse was destroyed.

Local soldier Private Thompson is reported wounded and a prisoner of the Boers, we wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery and repatriation.

The Village Must Burn! - Wallachia 1462. A table Top Game In 28mm.

                                       The Village Must Burn! - Wallachia 1462.

A detachment of the Ottoman army is given the task of protecting the main army's flank, in their way is a small Wallachian village, the name of which is of no importance to the Turks and lost in the mists of time.

Most of the civilian population has already fled, those left are the local militia and some fighting monks, brave and unswervingly loyal to Prince Vlad, their chances are not good.

There is no negotiation with the Ottomans, the attack is pressed home with ruthless efficiency, arrows fly and men die.

The village is soon taken, the Sipahi and Janissaries were too much for the local militia who are put to flight.

One of the fighting monks has been taken prisoner, his fate is sealed and his end will be grisly. The village is put to the torch and the Ottomans lick their wounds, the Wallachians fought hard and they too took many casualties.

The survivors are hunted by the Sipahi but they slip away, looking for the Voivode's army, determined to fight another day and exact righteous vengeance on their sworn enemies.