The Iron Queen’s War, Part 2

After discovering the intentions of Nycenae to invade Asteria during the Winter solstice when all of its armies had been disbanded for the season, Asterian rangers operating in the wilds of Nycenae made their way to the Planetkore River, the border. There, opposite the keep of Demeter, the ranger Maeonia was chosen to swim the river and warn the troops at the keep.

Emerging naked from the icy river, Maeonia was taken into the keep where her news fell on the attentive ears of Baucis, Captain of the garrison. She immediately dispatched riders to surrounding villages and to Bremusa where Nemerte, Strategos of the army, called for the assembling of her troops. Captain Baucis placed Maeonia on a Liburnian and sent her downriver to warn the fleet at Gaithoe.

– The Chronicles of Melanippe of Asteria

Campaign Turn 8 – Dec. 16

The weather in Asteria and Latona remains fair, while the eastern coast of Nycenae experiences heavy rain.

• 1st Army confines all troops to quarters to wait out the rain.
• 1st Fleet moves all ships in to the docks and assigns its squadrons of Quadriremes to patrol the mouth of the bay.
• 2nd Army General Dorothea delays their march due to the weather.
• 2nd Fleet moves its transports to the docks.
• 3rd Army General Adeia, despite heavy rain, begins her march toward Ueadae.
• 3rd Fleet transports with their escorts arrive at Nica.
• 4th Army continues preparations to march.
• 4th Fleet encounters rough seas as it continues toward Ueadae.
• 5th Army continues it march and reaches Ogea at nightfall.
• 5th Fleet arrives at Ilthiaza.
• 6th Army reaches the coastal village of Psyclianta where it rests a few hours before turning north toward Nica.
• 7th Army welcomes the arrival of 5th Army.

In Latona, orders are dispatched by ravens to the fleet.

Asteria continues to be unaware of the Nycenaean preparations for war.

Campaign Turn 9 – Dec. 17

The weather remains fair in Asteria and Latona. The heavy rain in Nycenae has turned to snow.

• 1st Army move to the docks in Nica.
• 1st Fleet makes room at the docks for the transports from 3rd Fleet.
• 2nd Army begins its march to the Planetkore River.
• 2nd Fleet Admiral Melita sends a messenger to 4th Army General Pelopia urging the general to begin loading troops.
• 3rd Army continues its march and halts for the evening at the farmstead Ibrapeia.
• 3rd Fleet transports are moored at docks in Nica.
• 4th Army continues its preparations.
• 4th Fleet continues sailing toward Ueadae.
• 5th Army begins its march to the fork in the Planetkore River.
• 5th Fleet moves its transports to the docks in Ilthiaza.
• 6th Army continues its march along the coast to Nica.
• 7th Army begins its march to the vllage of Badenippe on the Planetkore River.

Meanwhile in Latona:

• Admiral Oreithyia in Sogoth prepares her flotilla to sail.
• Admiral Laodameia in Acliea receives her orders but does not immediately act on them.
• Admiral Amarhllis in Scykises receives orders and begins preparations to sail.

Asterian rangers discover the movement of troops toward the Planetkore River and rush to the river themselves.

Campaign Turn 10 – Dec. 18

Weather remains fair in Asteria, heavy rains begin in Latona, and it continues to snow in Nycenae.

Nycenae

• 1st Army boards 1st Fleet transports in Nica
• 2nd Army reaches the hamlet of Oukythippe, just a few miles from the Planetkore River.
• 2nd Fleet and 5th Fleet begin loading 4th Army onto transports.
• 3rd Army leaves Ibrapeia and continues its march to Ueadae.
• 3rd Fleet transports await the arrival of 6th Army.
• 4th Fleet arrives in Ueadae.
• 5th Army reaches the farmstead of Coupharera.
• 6th Army reaches Nica after dark.
• 7th Army continues its march toward Badenippe.

Latona

• The Latonan flotillas continue making preparations.

Asteria

Asterian ranger, Maeonia, swims across the Planetkore River and warns the troops at Demeter’s Keep.

Campaign Turn 11 – Dec. 19

The weather begins to work against the Nycenaeans as snow continues to fall across much of Nycenae. The rains have stopped in Latona, and the weather continues to be fair in Asteria.

Nycenae

• 3rd Fleet Transports with 1st Army aboard, sets sail for Estioneira.
• 1st Fleet begins boarding 6th Army.
• 2nd Army rests in Oukythippe and sends scouts to the Planetkore River.
• 2nd and 5th Fleets set sail for Jyalene with 4th Army aboard.
• 3rd Army reaches Ueadae late in the evening and meets 4th Fleet.
• 5th Army reaches the fork of the Planetkore River.
• 7th Army rests in Badenippe and send scouts to patrol the river.

Asteria

• The ranger, Maeonia, is placed on a River Liburnian and sets sail down river toward Gaithoe, headquarters of the Northern Fleet and the Epsilon Army Group.
• Captain Baucis, in command of Demeter’s Keep, sends riders to sound the alarm to Ciameia, Phoephoemache, Faolleia, Ciomomache, Castle Mremosyne, and, most importantly, headquarters of Army Group Delta in Bremusa.

Latona

• Admiral Oreithyia’s flotilla sets sail from Sogoth.

Campaign Turn 12 – Dec. 20th

The invasion plans of Queen Celeste are suffering delays as snow continues to fall throughout Nycenae. The weather in Asteria is fair despite cooler temperatures. Heavy rains have returned to Latona.

Nycenae

• 1st Fleet sets sail for Estioneira with 6th Army aboard.
• 2nd Army patrols gather any boats they can find on the river.
• 2nd and 5th Fleets with 4th Army reach Jyalene.
• 3rd Army begins loading troops on 4th Fleet ships at Ueadae.
• 3rd Fleet transports with 1st Army join the rest of 3rd Fleet at Estioneira.
• 5th Army begins constructing rafts for use in crossing the Planetkore River.
• 7th army sends patrols to search for boats to use in crossing the river.

Asteria

• The river liburnian carrying the ranger Maeonia reaches the mouth of the Planetkore River where it empties into the Kimean Sea.
• General Nemerte, commander of Army Group Delta, issues orders for the army to assemble in Bremusa in four days. She also sends messengers to Asteria and Gaithoe with news of an impending invasion.

Latona

• Admiral Oreithyia’s flotilla reaches Freya Keep.

Campaign Turn 13 – Dec. 21st

Election day all across Asteria. This is the planned day for the armies and fleets of Nycenae to attack, but only General Charis’ 5th Army crossed the Planetkore river into Asteria.

Central and Eastern Nycenae continue experiencing snow. Latona is blanketed with heavy rains and the temperatures in Asteria are cold, but the skies are clear.

Nycenae

• 1st Fleet transporting 6th Army and 3rd Fleet with 1st Army reach the village of Thodiliope on the Northern coast of Nycenae. They are two days behind schedule.
• 2nd and 5th Fleets transporting 4th Army reaches Ueadae, 4 days behind schedule.
• 4th Fleet finishes loading 3rd Army at Ueadae, also 4 days behind schedule.
• 2nd Army’s instructions are to wait for transports to arrive on the 22nd.
• 7th Army begins constructing rafts.
• With only 3 small boats and a half dozen rafts, 5th Army takes the entire day to cross the Planetkore.

Asteria

• The ranger, Maeonia, arrives in Gaithoe and alerts Army Group Epsilon and the 1st Flotilla of the Northern Fleet. General Jocasta issues orders for the Army Group Epsilon to assemble at Gaithoe immediately. Admiral Phaia sends a fast transport to Bliyme to alert the rest of the Northern Fleet. She then orders 12 squadrons of River Liburnians to the mouth of the Planetkore river.
• The messenger to Asteria reaches the Cliopteda Farmstead, 2 days away from Asteria.

Latona

• Admiral Oreithyia’s flotilla reaches the village of Diklyte.

Campaign Turn 14 – Dec. 22nd

All hail Queen Acte the First, Queen of Asteria and leader of the Asterian Alliance! The new queen is one of the youngest elected to the position at age forty-two. Today, the new queen begins her reign with a banquet given by the retiring queen, Queen Hippolyte XII. Neither queen is aware of the invasion launched by their rival, Queen Celeste of the Nycenaean League.

The weather in Asteria remains fair with cooler temperatures. In Latona, the heavy rains have become lighter with calmer seas. Nycenae, however, continues to struggle with ice and snow over much of its land and coastal waters.

Nycenae

• After another day of battling rough seas, Admiral Leto decides to anchor and rest rather than risking a night assault. 1st Fleet transporting 6th Army and 3rd Fleet with the crack 1st Army should be able to assault Gaithoe when the sun is fully risen the next day.
• 2nd, 4th, and 5th Fleets transporting 3rd and 4th Armies leave Ueadae on the same day.
• When the planned transports did not arrive at sunset on the 21st, General Dorothea ordered construction of rafts through the night and began crossing the Planetkore at sunrise.
• 5th Army General Charis sends her cavalry under Taxiarhos (Brigadier) Agathonica North to locate Demeter’s Keep followed by a Vanguard led by Taxiarhos Kleio.
• 7th Army under General Kore crosses the Planetkore with no opposition.

Asteria

• Commander Timandra arrives at the mouth of the Planetkore with two squadrons of Quinqueremes and two squadrons of Quadriremes joining the squadrons of Liburnians positioned there. She orders 6 squadrons of the Liburnians to sail upriver and find where the Nycenaean armies are crossing.
• The fast transport from Gaithoe reaches Bliyme where Admiral Nemerte immediately orders her flotilla to make ready and dispatches squadrons of Triremes to patrol approaches to the harbor. She then dispatches a patrol ship to alert the Western Fleet at Asteria.
• The messenger dispatched for Asteria reaches the Riascyra Framstead.

Latona

• Admiral Oreithyia’s flotilla rendezvoused with the flotilla under Admiral Laodameia at Youehon Keep.

Summary of the Second Campaign Week

The Nycenaean commanders who delayed acting on their orders in the first week have paid a price during the second week when bad weather arrived. Out of five fleets and seven armies, only the 5th Army was in position to launch its attack on the 21st.

While the Asterian army is unprepared to take to the field, the Northern Fleet has avoided being bottled up in its own harbors. Asteria, the capitol polis, and much of its armed forces are still unaware of the impending invasion of their lands.

Admiral Oreithyia of Latona is on a mission to take command of two additional flotillas to begin raiding the southern coast of Nycenae.

Though Nycenae has lost the element of surprise, can the Iron Queen’s forces defeat the Asterians before they can organize? And what about the Nycenaean coasts, can the remaining militias stave off Latonan raids?

What’s Next?

Though it has been interesting plotting the moves of armies on the map, I’m happy that the next campaign week will see some actual fighting – i.e., tabletop games. It looks as though the Nycenaean fleet will encounter Asterian ships waiting for them and there will be skirmishes as the Nyceanaen armies move further inland.

I know this campaign could move faster, but I still have a couple hundred Amazons to paint. I also have a lot of other projects to work on as well, but the primary focus for this year is Fantasy.

As always, your comments and thoughts are treasured. What are your thoughts on wargame campaigns?

Here are the previous episodes:

1	Making a Darn Good Game More Complicated
2	The Outline Map
3	Adding Terrain to the Map
4	Armies and Navies
5	Campaign Mobilization
6	The Iron Queen’s War, Part 1