Dualing Shires - The War of the Dyes

[Paddy]

Fortress Gloucester - Winter 1830

From James, Lord of Wales
Commander of the Welsh Cavalry

To Lord Harold Jones, Master of Maitland
Artillery General, Commander in Chief Yorkshire Armed Forces

Greetings Harold

My lads have arrived via fast clipper. It is once again good to have my Cavalry Regiments close at hand.

I have enclosed a map of the area, and am looking to set out upon the path sketched in Blue, all be it with the permission of the Lords of Staffordshire.

Also find attached in this report a full list of units at full strength that are currently available at Fortress Gloucester.

At this time I can not confirm exactly how many units I will be taking with me, all be it, it will be quite a force.

The goal of this force will to be available should we need to hit Austria in the near future.

At your continued service,

James

[Paddy]

Fortress Gloucester - Winter 1830

A full list of units that are currently available at Fortress Gloucester.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Winter 1830

It had been a particulary harsh winter this year but now Spring was at last in the air and the streams were swollen with the fresh flow of meltwaters from the high mountains and steep sided valleys.

Word had arrived from York very soon after the Grand Council meeting held late last Summer, regarding Staffords proposal to seek a peace treaty with the Spanish. Sadly York had totally thrown the proposal out and poor old Sir Percival had had his ear badly chewed by none other than Lord Padraic himself.

As the new waters of Spring flowed down from the heights so too did the mood change between the two Counties of York and Stafford, once more the age old friendship had held fast in the face of adversity, Lord Padraic had mellowed back into his usual charming self and it was to be business as usual at todays Grand Council meeting of the house of Stafford.

"My Lord I can confirm that the Spanish have accepted and signed a formal peace treaty, My Lord the war is over for us!!" said Sir Charles Folwell, or penkridge as he was known in the diplomatic core.

"Well done Foreign Secretary!! well done indeed !!" lord Stafford congratulated Penkridge.

Colonel Michael Ratten fumbled with his notes and took out a sheet of paper passing it along the table to Dickie Peterson, Staffords Military Advisor to the Grand Council. " This document lists for your perusal gentlemen, an up to date itinerary of all troops and equipment currently stationed at Fortress Gloucester." said the young Colonel.

"A most impressive display of support Michael please pass on my regards to Lord Padraic for his unending loyalty Michael!"

"Of course my Lord, if I may," Michael turned towards Dickie, "I have been instructed to advise you that these forces are at your disposal should the Austrians decide to launch a sneak attack if and when your forces are overseas fighting the Turks!!"

"That is undoubtedly the best news my department has received for some time, please pass on my respects to your Lord Padraic too," said Dickie Peterson, " My lords this news means that our plans to take by force the Turkish Dyes plantations are feasible!! I was today about to deliver the verdict of the joints chiefs of staff of all the forces, suggesting that with the build up of Austrian troops on our borders, this undertaking would be pure folly at this time."

"If I may be permitted to speak my Lords!!" uttered Roger Phillips, Staffords Culture and Public advisor to the Council. He was responsible for both the education and welfare of the general populace and held great sway in the council with the power to influence greatly what production projects were undertaken throughout the Realm.

"Go on!" said Lord Stafford.

"Gentlemen, although it is a grand gesture from our esteemed allies, and indeed a sizable force at our disposal as it was so eloquently put Colonel Ratten, I feel much greater consideration must be given to the border crisis before any rash decisions are made here today!!"

"As you will all no doubt be aware, although many of our coastal cities are busily building up the fleet the vast majority of our cities are expending their productiveness on social projects! since the war with the Russians ended and we demobilized our economy most military spending has ceased, with the exception of the naval investments as my learned colleague just mentioned!!" interjected Lord Hollis, secretary of state for transport and logistics.

"Further Gentlemen we have some new intelligence charts showing in much more detail just how serious the Austrian build up is, and I forward these for your perusal!!" added Phillips.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

The above pic shows the southern half of our main border with Austria, this pic shows the Northern half

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Historical note:

The county of Stafford indeed faced several dilemmas at this time.

It was clear from the recent charts that Austria was preparing for an attack on her long time friend and ally Staffordshire!! or was it ??

Perhaps this was more the sign of a nervous nation rather than a potential aggressor !! indeed Stafford possessed perhaps the finest fighting forces in the world, her Household Cavalries and Lifeguard foot infantry were among the toughest soldiers to be found any where.

The people of Stafford had endured many many years of hardship during the long long years of fighting the Russians, in deed every time it was thought a peace had been reached war would rear its ugly head once more. It was it seemed impossible for the Russians and the Staffordians impossible to coexist with eachother, in fact each had hated the other with determination.

Surely now that the Russians were no longer a threat, surely now Stafford and Austria could settle down and live in peace togehter, surely they could could'nt they ???

[Paddy]

Summer 1831

Seville - Summer 1831

From Sir Hew Whitefoord, Baronet of Dalrymple
Major General of the 105th Cavalry Corp

To Lord Harold Jones, Master of Maitland
Artillery General, Commander in Chief Yorkshire Armed Forces


My Lord,

Spainish Cavalry Rgts have tried to cut off the liberation / supply routes into Seville. These Rgts have been removed totally. The Spainish masters will be searching long and hard for their return.

I have decided to pull the Cavalry Corp back towards Seville for a full regrouping.

At your continued service,

Major General Sir Hew Whitefoord Baronet of Dalrymple

[ChrisiusMaximus]

The long hot Summer of 1831 was beginning to fade away now and Autumn was arriving to take command over nature. Not much had changed throughout the realm these past months save for the relentless ship building all around the nations harbours.

There had been tense moments earlier in the season when the Austrian/Stafford ROP treaty had come up for renewal, although it was risky with the main force of the Army so far to the south of the county, Lord Staffords Grand Council had unanimously voted to cease the Ancient treaty.

Again at quite some risk the Austrians were then told to remove all their forces from Staffords soil, naturally the risk was that this would incite Austria to declare all out war on Stafford. Indeed it was a risk but one which the Grand Council had long debated and had decided was necessary to take.

Without an end to the dangerous state of affairs which saw vast numbers of Austrian troops well dug in on Staffords soil and even right outside a number of her cities there really was no real way to make future plans, so if it had to be war with Austria then the concensus was now rather than later when the Army was away on expedition to Turkey.

As luck would have the Austrians lacked the morale to carry the fight to the Staffords and reluctantly withdrew their forces from all along our common borders. In itself this was a great relief to Stafford, however it did not stop the incidents of several Austrian units then re-encroaching and blundering back into our lands.

The relief it seems may be shortlived!!!

[Paddy]

Winter 1831

all the way from Hill Top, another mid week edition of The Hooded Herald


MOBILIZATION SET TO CONTINUE

This week the Grand Council of York announced that the current Mobilization of our nation is set to continue. This announcement was accompanied with news from the front, and a further national spending in entertainment and public works.

It is true that this war with Spain has gone on now for quite a number years, and yes it is also true that the Spainish holdings are quite smaller than they were only 5 years ago.

Three Cavalry soldiers were killed and a further 24 wounded in a series of heavy clashes with Spainish fighters outside Seville this week.

Confirming two deaths reported on Monday, York Military Command spokesman Captain Russell McQuire said another York soldier also died in Monday's fighting which saw nine separate attacks on York and Ottoman forces in north and nor-eastern Spain.

He said 24 of our soldiers were injured in the fighting. Nine insurgents were killed, and one Ottoman soldier is missing.

"We have had an unfortunate day," McQuire told the Hooded Herald.

The attacks in the provinces of Seville and outer Madrid marked one of the bloodiest days for the York Cavalry in Spain since the York military campaign against Spain began.

"We report the deaths of these York soldiers, who died courageously, with deep sadness, and we offer our most heartfelt condolences and prayers to their families and loved ones," MacQuire said.

In a statement last week, the Spainish Government claimed responsibility for the attack on Seville and promised many more attacks against until all lands are returned and the aggressors of York and Istanbul retreat.

There are more than 13,000 Yorkshire troops hunting the Spanish militants and the ongoing march to Madrid.

"We will finalize this Spainish issue once and for all" were the captains final words.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

The Diplomatic State Winter 1831/2

A mess of wars treaties and pacts !!

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Espionage !!

The underhandedness of nations is well known to you all, and though publicly despised by the diplomatic core spying has its place in any nations tool box.

At great risk Stafford sent in an agent to learn as much as possible about the military of her neighbour Austria, agent 9 as he was codenamed was now working at the Austrian state ministry of defence as a junior clerk, and had successfully gathered intelligence on the current size of the Austrian armed forces.

It had been suggested in the closed corridors that agent 9 should now try to gather information on the wherabouts of Autrias forces, but a direct oreder from Lord Stafford himself had countermanded this action.

No instead agent 9 was to hold his brief and concentrate on infiltrating his way deeper into Austrian society, to be called upon at a later date when his country would once more require his services.

The following pics show Austrias current troop numbers.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Autrias Armed forces

Part two

[Paddy]

Summer 1832

Not much to report this season

My people and troops have taken this as a time of consolidation in preperation for, what we hope is that last push into the spanish holdings

[ChrisiusMaximus]

WAR!!!

WAR BREAKS OUT WITH THE OTTOMAN!!

Several years have passed by and now Staffordshire is finally ready to strike at the Ottomans, The Grand Council finally issued the decree to the armed forces this day 14 April 1839.



[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Chris Bennett\My Documents\My Pictures\Mad World the Dyes war\TDW 9.JPG[/IMG]



Initial fleet actions went well,




[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Chris Bennett\My Documents\My Pictures\Mad World the Dyes war\TDW 11.JPG[/IMG]




Our navy met theirs in a series of actions up and down the Median straits, and a pitched battle was valliantly won by our Invasion fleet escort group. Many of our sailors did perish this day but far fewer than the count of their enemy.

Our naval losses were 3 veteran Ship of the line,

Their losses were 5 Troop ships, 2 Frigates and 3 Ship of the line vessels.


We have landed a large force on the range of hills outside the ottoman capitol, we fully expect to sieze this city after a short siege.

[DarkCloud]

I can't believe that I missed this thread before. Quite well-written in a semi-olde-worlde style.

I also enjoy the written letters and "historical footnotes!"

...Glad to see that this has been resurrected!

[Paddy]

War


Unto the times of peace we deisre

Unto the times of old

Unto the lands that were

Unto the eternal fires of war we run



Thus spoke the great Prophet Bishop James in the year of our Lord 1610

Long have I read this passage and hoped that I would not have to again unleash my forces upon the foe

And yet again all diplomatic reason has broken down across our planet.

The orders have sat here long prepared

The troops have been trained, blooded, rested and trained again

Do these foe not remember the lessons my lads have dealt to the long gone French.

Are the memories of the recently dismissed Spainards so easily tossed to the side

Yet I send my most seasoned Warriors, along with my strongest and sharpest negotiators

All to no avail

Saddness is just one emotion that I face

I know the pain of watching my brother fall in battle

Yet I have not lost either of my children

How much more should the mothers of my people go through the pain of loss

How much more should the children be deprived of fathers and older brothers

Yet now the Order must be given

Peace comes at such a price

"Let them loose I say to my command staff"

then quoting the great bard...

"...AND LET LOOSE THE DOGS OF WAR..."




.