A Retraction Demanded - His Majesty de St. Maurice has, in the past, been willing to accept the frequent diatribes of that primer of modern literary journalism, The Ardoberg Inquirer. One reading of this incipient rag, with it's articles often written in crayon and paint-by-numbers illustrations, is usually enough to relegate such writings to the bottom of the bird cage as it was designed. The current edition, however, is more than even a benevolent soul such as His Majesty can sustain.
To suggest that a simple cooperative military exercise between two such staunch and lasting friends as the St. Maurician monarchy and the Ducky of Ardoberg and Holstein might in fact be a successful invasion attempt is simply outrageous. An inquiry into the history of such invasions in the past will show just how absurd this declaration might be. No previous military incursion into our happy little kingdom has succeeded past the first outbreak of French cuisine on German digestive tracts, at which point the Ardobergers make tracks for the first tutonic privy.

In an unrelated story; the sale of filthy French postcards in the province of Cezanne over the past week. Store owners are unable to explain the increase in demand.

Adieu Boys - His Majesty de St. Maurice and entourage review "les Anciens" as they march

off toward the Ardoberg frontier. This is the St. Maurice 1st Brigade and is composed of the regiments Navarre and Languedoc. To date, the brigade remains understrength, being composed of only the first battalion for each of the regiments. Recruitment is underway however, which simply means that drinking to excess anywhere in the kingdom may result in not only a hangover but a ten year enlistment.

His Majesty's expeditionary force for this campaign season include:

1st battalion Navarre

1st battalion Languedoc

1st battalion Clare

2nd battalion Clare

1st battalion St. Germain

2nd battalion St. Germain

light battalion Arquebusiers de Bergerac

"B" battery Royal Artillery Regiment

"A" battery Royal Horse Artillery

Rohan-Soubisse Cavalry

Fitz Andrew's Horse

Kilbasa Lancers

Next - The Campaign Begins

Household Infantry Completed (after only 20 years) - Finally, after two decades of wars both foreign and domestic, His Majesty can proudly announce the completion of the infantry arm of the Royal Household Legion. This is the one, and only, battalion of the converged grenadiers de St. Maurice. The variety of uniforms is simply because they are, indeed, converged, with six troops from each of the eight line regiments of the army. They carry the colors of the king as well as the drapeau blanche, relegating them to the position of second battalion of the household infantry behind Maison du Roi. Indeed their officers all come from the ranks of the "senior battalion." This has not been without it's problems. In a most recent altercation with a Grand Duck (sic) who shall remain nameless, the grenadiers covered themselves in glory when they drove two enemy battalions from the field and were poised to visit mayhem on yet a third. They were left unsupported by the senior battalion however, and His Majesty's forces were obliged to withdraw due to severe losses elsewhere. Investigations are currently in progress. Meanwhile, the boisterous boys with the funny hats have been venting their collective spleen with a quaint little tactic involving their sycophantic officer corps that Vietnam era American soldiers will refer to as "fragging."

next - War comes to St. Maurice - Who'd have thought...

What's In A Name - For years, His Benevolent Majesty has allowed the villages and towns along the frontier to operate according to their own whims providing of course, that approximately a third of their annual income manage to find it's way into the St. Maurice national treasury (in other words, his royal back pocket). The village of Vichyssoise was one of these. The villagers (largely Germanic, but otherwise good practicing Catholics) would enthusiastically celebrate His Majesty's birthday with a lovely little ceremony they referred to as a "roast," culminating in the burning of a dressed pig in effigy.


Imagine His Highness' severe disappointment when, upon reports that the army of Ardoberg-Holstein had been sighted, the village to a man changed the name to Lesser Horkheimer, donned leiterhossen, and began boiling sauerkraut. Within hours, His Majesty's forces were in full struggle with those of the Grand Duck (sic) and before the sunset what villagers remained who could still consume food were happily eating snails.


This little battle included something around 1400 miniatures, including a massive (by our standards) cavalry battle with 11 cavalry regiments (6 for the good guys and 5 for ...that German person). Enjoy the photos.

Next - The Household Infantry Completed - after only 20 years...

A Return at Last - I realize that I have become delinquent in promptly posting to this site. Sorry. I have no good excuse except rampant complacency. The arrival within these blog pages of my arch nemesis, that black prince of Ardoberg-Holstein has propted me to action however, and I mean to spend more time here correcting the vicious lies, mis-spellings and inaccurate punctuation which passes for truth within the Holstein. More toward this anon.
Firstly, I need to display the most recent unit addition to les hommes de St. Maurice. Presenting (ta da!!) His Majesty's Engineers, Sappers and Miners.

This may not be the best of pictures, but will do until I can take a more formal shot. Of course maybe seeing them from the back would be the best way to display all the St. Maurice units. I've wanted a unit of engineers for some time although currently our rules have no place for them. I'm envisioning a unit that combats as militia, can detach it's companies to operate independently on such projects as sapping, intrenchments and earthworks with tasks agreed-upon before the battle begins. They can augment regular combat units to throw up make-shift defenses over a fixed period of time (3 turns say) as long as the unit doesn't come under fire or melee. More on this as we begin to solidify a rule. The figures are all Surens and the wagon is from Blue Moon Miniatures. By the way, for those of you interested in seeing what passes for an opponent to St. Maurice, please refer to http://ardoberg.blogspot.com (although why you would want to is anyone's guess.

coming soon: The Real Battle of Lesser Horkheimer (or Vichyssoise as it is now called)

A New Regiment and a Milestone turned - I have been delinquent from these pages for too much time. Long story short, the needs of the "real world" have superceded those of this imaginary one. While we are on this subject I would like to wish you all well. Our world is changing rapidly, and little for the better. I hope you are all safe and well. Enough!

His majesty announces the muster of the fourth regiment under the new two-battalion organization. This is the regiment La Marne and if the eagle-eyed viewer notices a slight difference in the coat color between the first and second battalion please understand that indigo is a damned difficult color to match in St. Maurice. In truth it is the result of painting the two battalions almost twenty years apart.
The only line regiment currently serving in the blue coat, the

regiment was originally to be a naval combat unit until someone

let it slip to His Majesty that St. Maurice was a land-locked country. Almost immediately the regimental name was changed

from La Marine to La Marne, and the troops were sent on their first 50 mile march.

The regiment serves with the Dauphin regiment, forming the St. Maurice Brigade III "Les Paysans," a title seldom used by the officers and men of the brigade themselves. The completion of

this regiment and brigade is a milestone in the development of the

St. Maurice might of arms as this is essentially the halfway mark for painting and mounting the

troops of the army. I currently have some 5 cavalry regiments (about 145 men all ranks) 4 infantry regiments (524 men all ranks) and 4 artillery batteries. Add to that 2 household battalions, abattalion of light infantry and a half-battalion of engineers, the total number of fighting men is approximately 800. The majority of these remain Suren and Stadden.

(coming soon - Maison du Roi........finally! )

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boys - One of the really great things about being royalty in a petty monarchy is the opportunities for self-aggrandizement. His Majesty has always been concerned that his subjects, as well as anyone else who might care, should know of his coming well in advance of his arrival. With that in mind, he has seen fit to create a detachment of herald trumpets to announce his movements and location. Clearly this little unit will last only until one of His Majesty's "loyal subjects" takes a pot-shot at him while on parade.

I've had these Suren trumpeters around for a while and couldn't think of anything better to do with them. Observant as you are, you will have noticed no banner attachment to the bugles at this point. Sheer neglegance on my part that will be corrected in the not too distant future.