THE DISMAL SWAMP - END OF THE FALL '24 CAMPAIGN

Repulsed at the Chickel River, the UPC and Von Mutts Allies sought another rout to Road Town. The only way left was to trek through the swamps southwest of the town. The area was far from ideal for a battlefield, but it was the only way remaining. Covered in soft ground, hidden quicksand, unfordable pools and beyond a slow stream with slippery banks, to choose to fight here was a sign of the desperation the Allies found themselves in. The only positive things where the cavalry had finally joined the rest of the army, and the sickness that had plagued them since day one, was finally showing signs of ending. Failure of the Allies today would see an end to the dream of revolutionary expansion and economic prosperity. 

Empire Forces Await the Allies Columns Behind the Muddy Creak. The Allies had Already Found Some Early Success in Their Opening Bombardment. 

Throwing Caution to the Wind UPC Columns Advance Rapidly. This Aggressive Action had Already Caused Losses as Troops Blundered into Unseen Quicksand. 

Along the Firm Ground to the East UPC Cavalry Charges Across the Muddy Stream. Their Dragoons have Already Taken Serious Casualties from Fire but Press On Courageously. The Light Cavalry Storms Across the Bridge in Support. Undaunted, the Empire Line Hold Their Ground.

To the West the Von Mutts Deploy Rapidly into Line Having Avoided most of the Terrors of the Swamp. Empire Line Awaiting to Give Them a Hot Reception. 

The Empire's Supporting Militia is Caught Trying to Maneuver by the Furious Rush of the UPC Hussars. On Their Flank the UPC Dragoons Bring Home Their Charge.  

Back to the West the Empire Awaits as the Von Mutts More Deliberately Sort Themselves Out into Their Attack Formation. 

In the Center the UPC makes a Slow Advance Letting Their Artillery Soften Up the Empire's Defenders.

In the East UPC's Softpad's Dragoons have been Routed, but Snifferbutt's have Driven Back the Empire's Line with Heavy Casualties. While of no Immediate Threat, the UPC's Hussars have Taken a Position to both Prevent the Militia from Effectively Forming Line, and Cutoff any Retreat of Lord Basset's Empire Line. 

While Suffering some Light Casualties the Empire's Line Continues to Hold the Von Mutt's at Bay. 

In the East the Empire Militia have Finally Gotten into Line, but in Doing so have Cutoff their Cavalry from Being Able to Intervein Against the UPC Horse. Meanwhile UPC Grenadiers are Positioned to Launch an Assault Across the Muddy Stream.  

In the Center Both Forces are Massed, but Neither is Making any Attempt at Anything Other Than Pinning Down Their Opponent. 

In the West the Empire Keeps the Von Mutts in Check as Well. 

Here in the East the Empire's Traffic Jam can be Seen. All Their Cavalry Has Been Stuck in Line Behind each Other Unable to Aid Their Comrades. 

Slowly and Deliberately the Von Mutts Advance as More Empire Troops Move to Halt Their Crossing. 

Finally, the Empire Cavalry gets Themselves into the Fight as UPC Infantry Attack Columns Cross the Bridge. 

As the Empire Militia Begins to Collapse Their Entire Left Flank is now Open. UPC Cavalry has Already Exited the Field to Begin the Attack on Road Town, and Their Infantry Line are now Pouring Fire into the Empire's Cavalry. 

The Von Mutts Continue to Tie-up More and More Empire Infantry that is Desperately Needed on Other Parts of the Battlefield.  

In the East the Empire Cavalry is All That Remains, and it is Beaten and Battered. They are Unable to do Much as UPC Infantry Steams Off to Assault Road Town.  

The Victorious UPC Infantry Begin Rolling Up the Entire Empire Defensive Line. 

The Empire forces find themselves pinned in place frontally and being devastatingly attack on their flank have no choice but to ask for terms. With the army soundly defeated Road Town is captured. The Allied forces of the Kingdom, Von Mutts and UPC have taken their first step at conquest of the Empire's Sugar Islands. What will the Spring hold for these worthy combatants? Can the tide be turned? Will the Empire send an expedition to retake the island, and what about the Fleet?

DOWN BY THE RIVER

The Chicle River

 Stimmed by Fort Flea the Allies switch their advance to a different route. The Empire waiting for a third assault on the fort is slow to follow. With contact broken the Empire reacts by covering the few remaining approaches to Road Town, placing garrisons at key bridges along the length of the winding Chicle River. The majority of the Empire forces remain in central garrisons where they are able to quickly advance to reinforce any threatened crossing.

The UPC and Von Mutts Allies have been trying to cover both the beachhead and get to the land side of Road Town. The Kingdom’s fleet has brought additional troops and the first of the UPC cavalry has finally caught up to the field army. Finally breaking out of the steaming, insect infested jungles and now marching along better roads in the plantation regions a suitable crossing point has been found near the small town of Millton. With two bridges in the area, it offers a wide backdoor into the lands beyond and the ultimate prize of Road Town.

UPC Forces Approaching the Western Bridge with Empire Forces Awaiting Them. 

Von Mutts Infantry and Artillery Taking Up Position Against the Empires Blocking Forces on the Eastern Bridge. 

Empire Light Infantry Cross to the Southern Side of the River to Harass the Von Mutts Forces. 

Empire Militia Holding the Central Bridge Supported by Their Artillery. 

Empire Infantry Opens the Road to Allow for the Approaching Cavalry to Take Up Position. 

Empire Hussars Maneuver to Form a Line to Deal with An Allied Breakthrough at the Eastern Bridge. 

UPC Light Infantry Supported by Their Artillery Begin Giving Fire to the Militia Defender. 

Allies Forces Massed for Their Assault on the Eastern Bridge. 

Von Mutts Grenadiers in Assault Column Advanced Against the Bridge Defender, While on Their Flank Line Infantry Pour Fire into Their Opposite Number. 

In the Center the UPC Light Infantry Opens the Bridge for the Follow-up Support Assault Forces. 

The Von Mutts Force the Empire's Light Infantry Back Across the River. 

Von Mutt's Assault Takes the Eastern Bridge. 

At the Western Bridge the UPC Also Begins to Cross. Empire Troops Steadily Wait for the Attackers to Come into Range. 

In the West UPC Infantry and Cavalry Pour Across to the Northern Side of the River in a Massive Assault. 

In the East the Von Mutts Grenadiers Have Been Repulsed, but the Rest of the Force Continues Forward. 

With Limited Success in the East, No Progress in the Center, and Being Decisively Stopped in the West, the Allies Call Off the Attack. 

The Empire's speed in responding to the crises on the Chickel River was the key to their victory. As strong as the Allies thrusts were, they were meet by equal or greater force at every point. The UPS and Von Mutts Allies again had to lick their wounds and hope to create a decisive victory before heat, sickness, and dwindling supplies forced a retreat from the Island. 

FLEA UNDER THE COLLAR

 

After a long work delay the campaign is finally back on schedule. With the last battle ending in a draw, it seemed given the importance of the location that a continuation was in order. After both sides withdraw to their camps for the night they began the combat on the following morning. Each side makes their plans and repositions their forces for the long days battle ahead. 

Behind the UPC Lines, Their Skirmishers Deployed Forward Screening Their Approach. The Militia Garrison of Fort Flea Hold to Their Posts, While the Regular Empire Forces Wait Further Back to Await Developments. The Von Mutts Hold a Defensive Posture on the Western Side of the Fort.  

The Empire Forces Seem Content to Await the Von Mutts Assault While Thier Cavalry Begins a Long Ride to Change Their Position from the Center of the Line to the Right Flank. 

Both Sides Hold and Engage in an Artillery Duel. Again, there was no Attempt to Breach the Walls of Fort Flea. 

The UPC Assault Begins Against the Fort and the Empire Troops Outside. 

Ignoring the Fort the Allies Forces Begin to Engage the Empire from Two Directions.

After a Long Delay the Empires Cavalry Finaly Takes up Position on the Empire Right Flank.

Empire Forces on the Left Flank Begin Taking Casualties from the UPC Batlle Line. 

With no Breach in Fort Flea's Walls the UPC Assault Breaks Against Them Like Waves Against the Shore. 

On the Empire Right Flank Their Cavalry Assembles Before Beginning Their Assault on the Von Mutts Line.  

Finaly Realizing Their Problem the UPC Starts to Bring Forward Their Artillery in Order to Create a Breach Before Nightfall. 

The Final Assaults Begin. 

Massed cavalry attacks by the Empire made little headway against the Von Mutt's Grenadiers, but further down the line fire and infantry assaults began to take their toll. Closer to the fort the UPC also attempted to break the enemy by close combat and fire. While having some success the failure to breach Fort Flea's walls left them no choice but to withdraw and look for a different way around to the coast. The Empire could breathe a sigh of relief having held off the Allies approach for at least a few more days. 

FLEA IN THE SUGAR BOWL

 

The second battle of the Fall '24 Campaign has the Allies assaulting Fort Flea which is blocking their line of advance to the capital of the Island of Dei Barba, Road Town. The fort needed to be taken to open the supply route from the landing beaches. 

Fort Flea sat in the middle of a major opening in the jungle along the main roads that connects the farms, villages and ports to the capital. Control of the fort meant control of the islands travels and economy. Without it no attempt could be made to capture Road Town from the landward side. Any attempt to take Road Town from the sea would require the assaulting force to deal with the town's formidable guns. 

Allied Forces Begin to Arrive at Fort Flea. The UPC Column Emerging from the Jungle, while to the West the Von Mutts Burst Out Ready to Assault the Infantry Redoubt. 

With Their Initial Assault Repulsed the Mutts Bring Up Their Artillery to Help Batter the Empire Militia in the Forward Redoubt.  

Empire Cavalry and Infantry Begin to Arrive to Reinforce the Small Garrison of the Fort. 

Empire Troops Massing Around Fort Flea.

The Allies (Von Mutts on left, UPC on right) Prepare Their Assault. 

The Elite UPC Converged Grenadier Begin Their Attack on the Empire Artillery Redoubt. 

The Full Weight of the Allies Forces Finaly Arriving. The Forward Elements have been Fighting for Over Half of the Day.

The Mass of Empire Cavalry Launching Their Charge Against the Von Mutts Line. 

Near Days End and More Troops Continue to Arrive. 

Battlelines Drawn, but the Stifling Heat, Troops Exhaustion and the and Setting Sun are Bringing a Close to the Days Battle.

Fort Flea Surrounded but Still Holding Firm. All Combatants have Fought to Equal Honors. Minor Skirmishing Continues Throughout the Night as Both Sides Rest and Recover for the Continuation of the Battle the Next Day. 

Originally, I had planned to continue the battle the following game from where this stood, but the long delay of three weeks made me rethink that plan. I have instead decided to restart the battle with both sides slightly separated in their respective positions and slightly recovered. All loses and honors gained will remain. Stay tuned for the Battle of Fort Flea day two.