The Grand Duchy of Stollen

C hecking unit morale is a process that we try to keep fairly fluid and simple in A Tangled Mass .  For us, it involves two steps, but readers are invited to streamline or change anything that does not quite mesh with their particular understanding of horse and musket warfare during the mid-18th century.   Here is how the Young Master and I do it at present. Once a unit receives orders and is set into action, it gets a green bingo chip, which signifies that the unit is 'Following Orders, Steady, and Holding' (or 'Holding Steady and Following Orders' if you prefer).  It may proceed and/or continue acting in accordance with player instructions, issued in our tabletop general guise.   Players check unit morale at their discretion.  At the very least, we suggest doing so after approximately 25-30% casualties have been suffered; before or after close combat; when surprised or shocked; attacked in flank or rear, etc.  Use or modify this list as you see fit of course, depend

  At the start of Turn Seven General Phillipe de Latte seized his one remaining chance to save the day and declared a charge.  He intended to drive off the enemy jagers and Bosniaken with his remaining Batthyanyi Dragoons.  "Biscotti?" he shouted to his aide, "Sound the trumpets to signal Captain Gulyás that his opportunity is nigh!" Von Stollen's squadron of Bosniaken immediately counter-charged as his jaegers covered them with whithering skirmish fire into the approaching dragoons.  A brief period of close combat followed, in which few casualties were suffered, before the respective cavalry each retreated in disorder two full charge moves to the rear where they required two subsequent turns for remaining officers and NCOs to steady their respective lancers and troopers and restore order. At the start of Turn Eight, General Phillipe de Latte held a desperate consultation with his sidekick Major di Biscotti and staff.  With an expression that looked as though

During Turn Four, General Paul von Stollen effectively set the stage for an eventual flanking movement.  The speed with which this occurred took the underhanded General Phillipe de Latte by surprise.  None of his troops had yet managed to reach their planned positions on the field or deploy into formation with the notable exception of his battalion of combined grenadiers just southwest of Maddening.  With an almost undetectable twitch at the left corner of his mouth, de Latte fumbled in a waistcoat pocket for his snuffbox. By Turn Five, both commanders had managed to form the bulk of their infantry into lines that more or less ran parallel along either side of the road bisecting the battlefield from southwest to northeast.  De Latte's Batthyanyi Dragoons emerged from the village of Maddening where they were immediately enfiladed by wicked skirmish and artillery fire at close range from von Stollens cannon and corps of jaegers.  Numerous horses and men fell in the ensuing carnage an

The capable young Herr General Paul von Stollen issued orders to his troops at midday when it became clear that the invading Zichenauers were not going away. Meanwhile across the field in another clearing, the nefarious General Phillipe de Latte and his sidekick Major di Biscotti boast, backslap, and connive through flared nostrils.  Yet, as history books will tell us, artificially applied beauty marks and annoying alliteration do not a battle win! At approximately two o'clock on Sunday 24. July 1762, Paul von Stollen sent his small force toward the village of Maddening just to the south of where they had bivouacked for the previous few days.  The young and vigorous Von Stollen had previously met his aging enemy Phillipe de Latte on the field of Mars and well knew the old man's tricks.  It was a fine sunny afternoon, and von Stollen confidently expected the coming battle to be a walk in the park.  He spurred his horse and leapt into action.  To the southeast, the dastardl