The Akamar Herald Messages from the Participants

This issue should have been posted prior to the two battle reports.   The messages are from Mike and Ray respectively. 

THE AKAMAR HERALD

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE AKAMAR HERALD

Acquilians,

There has been much strife in this fine land since I was deposed by the Confederation.  The Alliance has given me an opportunity to regain the throne.  I and your Aquilian armies have fought well to defeat the Confederation forces and drive them from our land. Today, I offer you a chance to once again become as one.

Look before you.  The grand Aquilian Air Corps and the Veteran troops of SNISS are fresh from victory over the Confederation.  They are brave soldiers, fierce and efficient in the execution of War, but more than that, they are Aquilians.  We do not savor spilling Aquilian blood. 

I offer you this chance to lay down your arms and go home to your families.  Together we can make Aquila great again.  If you persist, make no mistake, you will end your time on this earth here today in the fields before you and your families will know for all time that you died not for your country, but against it, at the hands of your own Aquilian Brothers.    

Czar Ferdinand

THE PROGRESSIVE MANIFESTO BY T. R.  OTSKY (Theodore Roosevelt Otsky), Facilitator General (Morale, Recruiting and Supplies) of the Aquilan Citizens Freedom Army

Citizen Soldiers of Aquila,

The letter (titled One More Chance) from Ferdinand the technical ruler of Aquila, is but another example of how this good natured but naive man can be manipulated. Before the invasions, Ferdinand was really the puppet of a Consortium of Bankers, Merchants and Nobles. (Still, things were bearable then!) Then the so-called Confederation decided we needed "protection" because Aquila was disarmed and so they occupied us. Ferdinand collaborated with the Confederation. (He was never deposed!) Next the Alliance defeated the Confederation supposedly to liberate Aquila, but instead of waging a guerrilla war, Ferdianand caved in and became the Alliance's puppet. (Paper Proof of this is that he signed himself as Czar Ferdinand---as you know in Aquilan the title is Tsar and phonetically pronounced as "ts" not "z'') The Sniss are mostly foreigners and the Aquilan Air Corps puppets of the Alliance. (The Air Corps had been disbanded before and was reactivated by the Alliance which had many of them hiding in their lands before the takeover.)

So Colleagues, don't be fooled by the Puppet's propaganda paper. Stay loyal to the ideas of Virtue, Empowerment, Liberty and Actualization not only for Aquila but for all of VELA. Citizens of Aquila unite you have nothing to lose but your yokes! (Signed) T. R.  Otsky

The Akamar Herald Year Five The Rebellion in Musca

The other battle that was fought was in Musca.  Ray commanded the rebellion forces again against Mike.  The following images chronicle the turns.   Ray moved first.   Mike moved second and his part of the turn is noted by the letter a.  Neither player chose any magic users for this battle   Ray had two generals and a hero, while Mike had one general and three heroes.   Spent units have a box around them.   Units go from fresh to spent and then to shattered.  As can be seen Mike once again destroyed Ray's army with minimal casualties.   Mike also kept a couple of units in reserve that he committed on turn two.    Ray is blue and Mike is Orange.   Both sides decided the composition of their armies with some restrictions such as no generals of better than average quality.   Strategos was also used for this battle.

 

 turn one

turn two

 turn 2a

 turn 3

turn 4

turn 4a

turn 5

turn 6

turn 6a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vela Campaign Aquila Rebellion

The following are battle reports from the rebellion.   These were fought via email between mike and ray. With mike commanding the defenders and ray commanding the rebellion.    I would like to thank both of them for taking the time and effort to fight these battles.   Mike was also kind enough to provide graphic enhancement of the units for the battles.   The rules used for these battles were a modified version of “strategos”, which are available from the society of ancients  http://www.soa.org.uk/   for about $12.   Strategos can be fought face to face with miniatures or over the Internet via email.

THE REBELLION IN AQUILA.  THE FIRST IMAGE IS THE INITIAL DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH ARMIES. THE NEXT IS THE POSITIONS AFTER FIVE TURNS.  RAY’S UNITS ARE BLUE/GREEN AND MIKE’S ARE RED/BROWN.  THE MAGES LOBBED SPELLS AT EACH OTHER FOR SEVERAL TURNS WITH LITTLE EFFECT.   TWO OF RAYS MAGES DESTROYED THEMSELVES WHILE TAKING OUT MIKE’S SCYTHED CHARIOT UNIT. RAY DECIDED TO LAUNCH AN ATTACK AGAINST MIKE ON TURN 7.  THE NEXT THREE IMAGES SHOW RAY’S TURN, MIKE’S TURN, AND THE FINAL POSITIONS OF UNITS AFTER RESOLVING MIKES ATTACKS. THE FINAL IMAGE SHOWS THE POSITIONS OF UNITS AS OF TURN 8.  POSITIONS ON TURN NINE WERE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WHEN THE MORALE OF RAY’S ARMY COLLAPSED.  Ray‘s army consisted of levy light infantry, average heavy infantry, and average archers.  Mike’s army had veteran legionnaires, average and veteran light and heavy cavalry.  The units identified as UC were mages, AL were heroes, and AC were army commanders.

 

 

 

 

The Akamar Herald Year Five Rebellion Sweeps Through The Alliance

Following Mike's turn it was now Ray's.   He drew the Rebellion/Invasion event card.   Since The Alliance was the largest faction in the campaign the card was played against it.   At this point there was a pause in the campaign in order to resolve two battles.   Theses were played by email using Strategos, the earlier version of Lost Battles, as Mike was at the opposite end of the country from the rest of us.   Strategos is available from The Society of Ancients web store.   Ray agreed to command the rebellion forces for both battles.   Those battles will follow in the next blog post.

THE AKAMAR HERALD

SPECIAL EDITION

CARAVAN ARRIVES IN AKAMAR

THE CRANDAR CARAVAN ARRIVED IN THE GREAT CITY OF AKAMAR THIS MONTH.   THE LARGE AMOUNT OF TRADE GOODS HAS BROUGHT GREAT WEALTH TO ALL THE MERCHANTS WHO FREQUENT THE MARKETPLACE IN AKAMAR.

CRAWFORD CODRAGON LEAVES

THE ALLIANCE WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT CRAWFORD CODRAGON AND HIS FELLOW DRAGONS HAVE DECIDED TO SEVER ALL TIES TO THE ALLIANCE.   DESPITE THE GIFTS THE ALLIANCE HAD GIVEN HIM AND HIS FELLOWS,, IT WAS FELT THAT THE HARD FIGHTING THAT HAD BEEN REQUIRED OF THEM IN THE CONGUEST OF AQUILA HAD BEEN TOO MUCH.   THE HERALD HAS LEARNED THROUGH ITS CONTACTS THAT THE SORCEROR SILIDON MAY HAVE BEEN BEHIND THE SWITCH IN ALLEGIENCE.   APPARENTLY A LARGE SUM OF GOLD WAS OFFERED AS AN ENTICEMENT TO THE DRAGONS.

REBELLION SWEEPS THE ALLIANCE

THROUGHOUT THE ALLIANCE PEASANTS HAVE TAKEN UP ARMS AGAINST THEIR RULERS.   INWHAR III AND HIS NEW BRIDE HAVE BEEN DEPOSED IN HYDROS.  THE TROLLS OF THE MISTY ISLE WERE ALSO QUICKLY OVERTHROWN.    IN ARGOS A VALIANT DEFENCE BY THE ENGINEERS OF THE RAM SIEGE TRAIN WAS FOR NAUGHT AND KING FAELRUD WAS ALSO REMOVED FROM POWER.     THE MILITARY FORCES OF KETOS MADE SHORT WORK OF THE REBELLION THERE AND ORDER WAS QUICKLY RESTORED.   IN KAELUM THE GLORIOUS CITY OF AKAMAR WAS LAID SIEGE TO FOR ELEVEN WEEKS.   AFTER LOSING HALF THEIR NUMBER IN FUTILE ASSAULTS AGAINST THE GATE OF ODENDOG THE REBELS FINALLY DISPERSED.    THE REBELLION IS STILL CONTINUING IN MUSCA AND AQUILA.  

THE INFORMATION MINISTER FOR THE ALLIANCE HAS RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: THE ALLIANCE EXPECTS TO PUT AN END TO THE REBELLION SHORTLY.    ALLIANCE MILITARY FORCES ARE GATHERING AND THE REBELS WILL BE DEALT WITH.

UN-NAMED SOURCES WITHIN THE REBELLION ARE SAYING THAT FOLLOWERS OF THE SORCEROR SILIDON ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSTIGATING THE REBELLION.  CONSIDERING HOW WIDE SPREAD THE REBELLION IS AND HOW WELL CO-ORDINATED IT HAS BEEN IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT AN OUTSIDE AGENCY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

 

Akamar Herald Year five The Alliance expands.

This is actually the fourth issue for year five.   The second issue was included in the last post.  The conquest of Aquila was fought as a miniatures battle at a local convention.   John, his son Rob, Ken, and Hal commanded the forces.   The rules used were Scutarii.   The Alliance used the Dragon card as an army of lesser flying creatures along with its regular army forces against the defending Grusboatmen and Sniss Mercenaries.   The Sniss were elite troopswhich helped to offset part of the numerical advantage the attackers had.   The final outcome was a victory for the invaders and saw the Grusboatmen and Sniss destroyed.   Mike now had seven of the fourteen countries and had equaled Ken's initial confederation at the start of the campaign.  If he could maintain his conquest by the time the campaign would end he would achieve an outstanding victory.

THE AKAMAR HERALD

AQUILA CONQUERED

ALLIANCE FORCES DEFEATED THE CONFEDERATION FORCES DEFENDING AQUILA.   CZAR FERDINAND II SURRENDERED TO THE INVAIDING ARMY AND HAS AGREED TO JOIN THE ALLIANCE.

ALLIANCE NAVY LOST AT SEA

PART OF THE FORCES INVOLVED IN THE INVASION OF AQUILA WERE TO ARRIVE BY SEA.    THE ALLIANCE HAD HIRED MERCENARY WARSHIPS AND WAS USING THEM TO TRANSPORT THE ARMY RAISED IN HYDROS.   IN ADDITION, ARGO WAS SENDING ITS FLEET TO ATTACK.   OFF THE COAST OF AQUILA, JUST SOUTH OF MENKIB THERE WAS A SUDDEN STORM.   LOCAL FISHERMEN REPORTED THAT THE DAY HAD BEEN CALM AND THE WEATHER PERFECT FOR SAILING WHEN A GREAT FLEET OF SHIPS WAS SEEN ON THE HORIZEN.    SUDDENLY HUGE CLOUDS APPEARED OVER THE FLEET AND THE WATER BECAME ROUGH.   THE FISHERMEN SAID THAT THE WAVES WERE VERY UNUSUALL.   INSTEAD OF COMING TOWARDS THE SHORE FROM THE SEA THEY SEEMED TO CONVERGE ON THE FLEET FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.   ALL THIS WAS OCCURING ONLY WHERE THE FLEET WAS AND NOT WHERE THEY WERE.   NOT BEING SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THEY MADE FOR THE COAST TO AVOID THE STORM.   ONE OF THE FISHERMEN THOUGHT HE SAW SOME SORT OF MONSTEROUS CREATURE ATTACKING THE SHIPS, BUT COULD NOT BE CERTAIN AS THERE WAS A BRIGHT FLASH OF LIGHTNING THAT TEMPORARILY BLINDED HIM.   WHEN HIS VISION RETURNED THE STORM AND THE FLEET WERE GONE AND THE SEA WAS CALM AGAIN.  IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DEMON THAT ATTACKED THE ALLIANCE FLEET, COULD IT HAVE BEEN SUMMONED BY THE SORCEROR SILIDON?   ALTHOUGH HE WAS SUPPOSSEDLY SLAIN BY THE WIZARD OF THE MISTY ISLES, HIS BODY HAD MISTERIOUSLY DISSAPPEARED FROM WHERE IT HAD BEEN DISPOSED OF AND COULD NOT BE FOUND.

IMPERIAL WEDDING IN HYDROS

 EMPEROR INWHAR III HAS MADE ZELINA HIS EMPRESS.   THE CEREMONIES AND FESTIVITIES LASTED FOR OVER A WEEK.   NO EXPENSE WAS SPARED.    DELEGATIONS FROM ALL COUNTRIES OF THE ALLIANCE WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE CEREMONY.

PLAYER	KEN	RON
TREASURY	24 talents	39 talents
MELD	HOROLOGIUM 8/crown	SAIPH 1,FNEBISH ARMADA, KARL DOENUTZ
	SAD AL BARI	SYRMA 1,3,4
		WU
		PERSEUS 1,4 CONDOTTIERI VISCONTI/ns
HAND	8 cards	9 cards
MIKE			RAY	GARY	HAL		DISCARD
50 talents			9 talents	42 talents	14 talents		kaelum 4
HYDROS 1,2			CHI	PISCIS 3,4,7	CHU		PHOENICIAN
MUSCA 5,4				ERIDANUS. 1,8	MONOKEROS 1,4,6		ZORMESE
KAELUM 1,5,8, SALVATION ARMY							SHUFFLE THE DECK
KETOS 1,3,5,6,7							aquila 3
ARGOS 1,dragon/GREAT SWORD,ram							sniss
MISTY ISLES 6							hydros 6
AQUILA1,2,,4,6,							argos 6
7 cards			14 cards	13 cards	15 cards		sea demon

 

The Akamar Herald Year Four Ends and Year Five Begins

Although there are a couple of missing issues not much happened for the last two player turns of year four and the first two of year five.    Gary, Hal and John, Ken, and Ron added additional cards to their hands, but decided to bide their time before going after any of the other players.  There was one item that should have been mentioned in the previous posting and that was Ron taking control of Perseus with Black Dan.  One major event that did occur was the shuffle the deck card.   All the cards that had been discarded plus any remaining cards that were in the deck were combined and shuffled into a new deck.   This also added a special event card that would immediately end the campaign when a player drew it from the deck.   The player who drew the card would not be able to do anything for his turn and the winner of the campaign would be determined.

THE AKAMAR HERALD

MOLTAR TRADER ARRIVES

THE MOLTAR TRADER HAS ARRIVED ON THE SOUTH COAST OF VELA.   PORTS OF CALL WERE AT PERSEUS AND SAD-AL-BARI.  THE INFLUX OF TRADE GOODS ALSO BROUGHT PROFITS TO THE MARKETS OF KAELUM, PISCIS, AND AQUILA.

PLAYER		KEN			RON		MIKE
TREAS.		21 talents			31 talents		37 talents
MELD		HOROLO. 8, crown			SAIPH 1,		HYDROS 1,6
		SAD AL BARI			SYRMA 1,3,4		MUSCA 5,4
					WU		KAELUM 1,5, S.A.
		AQUILA1,2,3,4,SNIS			PERSEUS 1,4 c.v./ns		KETOS 1,5
							ARGOS 1,6,ram
							M.I. 1,6,7,11,dragon,g.s.
HAND		4 cards			8 cards		6 cards
	RAY		GARY	HAL		DISCARD
	13 talents		32 talents	12 talents		Kaelum 3
	CHI		PISCIS 3,4,7			MOLTAR
			ERIDAN. 1,8	MONOK 1,4,6		HYDROS 7
						TECKLAR
						KAELUM 8
						NESDE CARAVAN
				chu		CARRACK
	14 cards		13 cards	12 cards		HYDROS 2

THE AKAMAR HERALD

CRANDAR CARAVAN ARRIVES IN AKAMAR

AFTER TRAVELLING ACROSS THE ANCHA DESERT THE CRANDAR CARAVAN ARRIVED IN THE GREAT CITY OF AKAMAR.     MERCHANTS FROM AS FAR AWAY AS THE MISTY ISLES, IN ADDTITION TO THE USUAL MERCHANTS FROM PISCIS AND AQUILA, WERE IN THE CITY TO BARTER WITH THE CARAVAN’S TRADERS FOR THEIR GOODS.

DELPHINIAN LEAGUE INCREASES NAVY

THE MERCENARY COMMANDER, KARL DOENUTZ, HAS BEEN HIRED TO COMMAND THE FNEBISH ARMADA.   THE FLEET HAS BEEN STATIONED IN THE CITY OF SAIPH

 

FURTHER INCREASE IN PIRATE ACTIVITY

      
THE PIRATE FLEET OF CHU HAS BEEN SPOTTED IN THE GULF OF MIRFAK CAUSING EVEN MORE ALARM AMONGST THE MEERCHANT HOUSES.   IT WOULD APPEAR THAT LITTLE CAN BE DONE TO COUNTER THEIR DEPREDATIONS AS THEY ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY MORE THAN ONE FACTION.

PLAYER	KEN	RON	MIKE
TREAS.	18 talents	37 talents	63 talents
MELD	HOROLO. 8, crown	SAIPH 1,FNEB ARMADA, KD	HYDROS 1,6
	SAD AL BARI	SYRMA 1,3,4	MUSCA 5,4
		WU	KAELUM 1,5, S.A.
	AQUILA1,2,3,4,SNIS	PERSEUS 1,4 c.v./ns	KETOS 1,5
			ARGOS 1,6,ram
			M.I. 6,dragon,g.s.
HAND	8 cards	8 cards	8 cards

RAY	GARY	HAL	DISCARD
13 talents	38 talents	12 talents	KETOS 7
CHI	PISCIS 3,4,7		SHUFFLE THE DECK
	ERIDAN. 1,8	MONOK 1,4,6
		chu
14 cards	13 cards	15 cards