Marnon Campaign Part I: The Early Campaign

Marnon Campaign

The Early Campaign

by Al Karasa

The Early Campaign

This running account is of a crusade period campaign against the Christian Dutchy of Marnia by the Tatar army of Toghrul Khan. Played by 3 and occasionally 4 participants, this hypothetical medieval conflict was conducted using strategic map rules outlined in a previous article (Marnon Campaign, A Map to Tabletop System) and home-spun tactical miniatures rules loosely based on TSR's "Chainmail", with major differences only in the area of morale and class distinction of Christian troops. Avalon Hill's mapboard of Marnon (Wizard's Quest) was the basis of all strategic moves and is represented here in sketch form as a reference.

Historical characteristics and organization of Frankish and Tatar forces are based on WRG's "Armies & Enemies" series and other sources from libraries of the participants involved (a bibliography follows). Armies involved are small and more typical of Teutonic military forces of the Eastern Baltic Coast, which brought the crusades to Lithuania, Livonia and Estonia; than of those in the Holy Land. Figures used were 40mm Hausser Elastolin. Table size varied from 4' x 6', for small engagements, to 6' x 10' for major confrontations.

Mobilization

Mobilization mechanics for Marnon were based on presumed peacetime conditions in the pre-invasion period which had only half the castles (chosen by dice) permanently garrisoned; size and type of units determined by card draw. It was up to the first alerted castle to inform others by courier. Mobilization could originate only from those castles and only a day or more after the information was received. Each castle was not to exceed the maximum garrison it could support or field army it could supply; these limitations having been established in advance. Time for training the mobilized troops was dispensed with-Marnon being a major supplier of mercenaries (see below).

Banners representing troops on the map without disclosing unit type or size (described in the previous article referred to above), introduced the "fog of war" into strategic aspects of the campaign.

One "what-if" experiment, included in the game, was the fielding of fully armored pike infantry with a short, one-handed, foot-supported pike (long spear?) and carrying kite shields; an admittedly far departure from historic use of the weapon (first appearing at Courtrai in 1302) with which only light or medium infantry were equipped and used both hands to wield it!

Although the author was one of the Frankish commanders and this account is largely viewed from the Christian side; in the interests of accurate reporting (and on threats of bodily harm otherwise); it will in no way be biased against the Tatar side.

THE REGIONS OF MARNON

(6 regions of 6 shires each)

GOLDEN DUNES
1. Lair of the Lizard-Lizard's Bay *
2. Dewbury
3. Hidden Hollow
4. Melting Sands **
5. Britton **
6. Red Dune **
WHISPERY MEADOW
1. Heatherlawn **
2. Portston Moor
3. Sheep Meade
4. Gaudy Green
5. Oxleaf
6. Orc Hill - Ox Harbour *
MISTY FOREST
1. Moss Glen
2. Marls Gate (south entrance to the Great Tunnel)
3. Maplevale
4. Pembroke
5. North Hemp
6. South Hemp
FIELD OF THE FALLEN
1. Cattle Meade
2. Dread Moor
3. Dragonhead
4. Radner Fen
5. Sadbury
6. Fernham
ANCIENT FOREST
1. Spruceton
2. Fingel
3. Sunken Dale
4. Bentwood
5. Castleton
6. Earthen Pass - Ancient Harbour (North entrance to the Great Tunnel)
CRYSTAL MOUNTAINS
1. Blood Rock
2. Haven **
3. Kilgarren
4. Flintshire
5. Windfor
6. Brecknock

*Harbour bordering on a castle
**Independently owned demesne

CASTLE OF DUNES on Lizard's Bay (Sir Henry, Prince of Dunes)
OXLEAF CASTLE at Ox Harbour (Sir John deMarl & Lord Oxleaf)
GAUDY CASTLE (Teutonic Order of Knights)
CASTLE KILGARREN Hospitaller Castle (Knights of St. John)
FLINT CASTLE (Falcon deBlac, Earl of Windfor)
HEMPEN ROOK (Knights Templar)
BENTWOOD CASTLE on the island sea (the Duke of Bentwood)
FERNHAM CASTLE at Ancient Harbor (Sir George Radner)

* Entrance to the Great Tunnel which passes through Castles Flint and Bentwood along the Sea of Marnon.

Eve of Invasion

Among the people (peasants?), as well as the ruling class in the Duchy of Marnia, it was always believed invasion of the island was difficult at best and probably impossible, if defended in any strength. High banks nearly all around and a population heavy with well trained professional fighters who made their fortunes elsewhere as mercenaries, discouraged all who would consider such an undertaking. It is therefore not surprising that rumors of a Tatar invasion were taken lightly, although not altogether ignored, as the sovereign Duke (of Bentwood) did indeed send out periodic coast patrols around the island-an unprecedented move in Marnon. Unless one considers the fearful coast watchers for Viking raids, back in the nineeighties, to alert their shires with smoke and give people time to hide in one of the 2 great forests until it was over, no enemy threat ever bore watching.

It was this action on the part of Bentwood which concerned the Lord Oxleaf of South Marnon. His feudal holdings were along the coast most likely chosen for invasion and Sir John de Marl, his co-holder and military chief was away, fighting with their army abroad as mercenaries-a major source of revenue for most Marnian nobility.

Oxleaf recalled him, but Sir John was slow in responding. Perhaps influenced by Prince Henry of Dunes, also abroad, deMarl eventually returned; although not anxious to give up a lucrative income for what appeared to be an unlikely rumor anyway. The Prince, on the other hand, would have to return to defend his holdings-the remote desert region of Marnon to which his family were banished generations before for allegedly disclosing the secret tunnel to rebel forces that subsequently overthrew King Marn at Flintcastle and set the Bentwoods on his throne who have ruled Marnia ever since.

The deBlac clans (earls of Windfor) took over Flintcastle and Sir Henry's ancestors were enfeoffed with the northern half of Golden Dunes where they built a magnificent castle and harbor, which still stand as the envy of all Marnia. Although The Great Tunnel is no longer secret and is used in times of need to travel between Flintcastle and Bentwood, its entrances in the great forests are known only to Sir Henry-a familv secret guarded by the Princes of Dunes ever since their banishment. They considered themselves rightful rulers of Marnon, and Flintcastle and Bentwood as their own, but were never allowed to become strong enough to claim them.

The rest of Marnia's nobility were rather less embroiled in such domestic squabbles. Sir George Radner at Farnham was an independent sort and although close to Bentwood, kept to his own affairs. Montreil de Gascon was the undisputed master of military leadership, with the ability to turn into elite units any body of troops he chose to lead. His mercenary exploits were legend, but his land holdings were confined abroad (Gascony). Montreil had no interest in Marnian internal affairs unless they effected his own well-being. Religious Military Orders occasionally took refuge in Marnon when their crusades on the mainland took a downward turn, but they were not to be trusted.

The four castles marginally garrisoned along a line SW to the NE corner of the island could hardly be expected to hold off a major invasion without the support of other strongholds or full scale mobilization, or both. With deMarl away, Oxleaf was weak. Flintcastle (Falcon deBlac) seemed disinterested. Only Bentwood Castle and Fernham had substantial garrisons on the eve of the Tatar invasion and NE Marnon was secure.

Marnon continued...

Marnon: Introduction

Marnon: The First Invasion

Marnon: Battle of Portston Moor

Marnon Campaign Part IV

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