Ruritanian Colonial Expedition to Zoohoo
Mat chose to be the Ruritanian invading force. It was outnumbered more than two to one by the Zoohoos. However, the modern firearms of the Ruritanian had twice the range of the Zoohoos ones The two Zoohoo cannons were, unlike the two Ruritanina ones, slow and fired only every second move. The Ruritanians also had a gun boat with a small force of marines and two large calibre guns.
THE REASON WHY: Ruritania might be a small European country but it maintained a fine army and navy. It was so far on good terms with Redia, Hermany and Blusia and also it had a strong relationship with the Confederate States of Ameriga. The latter had impressed Blusia with its victory over the U.S.A and its expansion into latin American countries. Its uniform colors had also influenced the Ruritanian army. Facing colors for the army branches were mostly the same, although Ruritanian units had additional official regimental color distinctions. Gerolstein was more of an issue as Ruritania had border disputes with it.
Ruritania had got caught up with the grab for Africa. Morally it felt obliged to do its civilising bit and also to grab a few resources on the way. Zoohoo had rich deposits of obtainium, a mineral of increasing value as it had emerging uses for energy.
Ruritania already had a small African enclave of Ruritrea. Ruritanian public opinion had been inflamed for war as it was exposed to the lurid details of the Zoohoo slave trade and its primitive treatment of women and dogs.
Zoohoo is a combination of sultanate and federation of tribes practising Islam and paganism. The tension between the monotheistic and polytheistic has several times threatened to destroy the federation but mutual fear of the Europeans has so far kept it together.
GAME SETUP DETAILS
Victory conditions were table quarters rather than damage to or destruction of units as otherwise the Ruritanians would have too big an advantage. We played table ends. Line of sight was required for shooting and the Ruritanian boat, due to dense patches of vegetation blocking the view, got off no shots.
Mat lost the dice roll for setup so had to setup his Ruritanian force first but he got first move. It was about three moves before casualties began, first blood achieved by Ruritania. My Zoohoos just advanced for the first moves and just sustained increasingly heavy casualties. Some of their units were very large and could soak up the horrendous butcher's bill.
Zoohoo forces push through gaps between the rocks.
Ruritanian forces assume firing lines.
Closing stages: The Zoohoo warriors turn towards the left flank of the Ruritanian infantry in the swamp.
Ruritanian general, guard and staff
Zoohoo advance
Ruritanian infantry in the edge of the swamp resist the assault.
Report to be concluded next post...
P.S, For those who have studied the history some may well be keen to point out moral inconsistency between Ruritianian close ties with the CSA and its disdain for Zoohoo. There are two or more reasons this is less conflicted than one would think. Although there were reasons to condemn slavery in both cases Zoohoo slavery reached particular levels of depravity. A large portion of Zoohoo male slaves especially those kept by the Muslim Arab part of Zoohoo, were castrated with only a small portion surviving the process. there were also some blood sacrifices by various black tribes and they relied heavily on slave sacrifices to the fire god. The method of dispatch was burning alive. It was during husband's funerals ceremonies that widows also threw themselves into the flames.
Ruritania was also highly influential in the CSA's decision, several years earlier to abolish chattel slavery. Slave owners received compensation funded from annexations in the Caribbean and Central America. Emperor Maximilian had also compensated the Confederacy for its military help against the Juaristas. The new system had some aspects of peonage and a pass system but with a graded system of rewards and greater freedom for blacks whohad in the military.
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