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Usually ships are equipped with one or more cannons. In this case, a very big cannon is equipped with a hull and a couple of masts. The Tartarus is not an elegant ship, if "ship" is the correct term… basically it is a sturdy barge, masted as a ketch and designed to carry a large siege mortar. Floating batteries are not very seaworthy and, although they can sail in open waters, their maneuverability is very low, so they are usually towed by other ships to their destinations. Moreover, due to their backward sail configuration and to their sturdy hull, they can't reach a great speed even with wind in favour. These ships, however, are far from being a deadweight for a fleet, since their several weaknesses are well compensated by a huge firepower. Mortars are very heavy, compared to naval cannons, and have a terrible recoil… however, they can also throw an explosive shell at a distance of almost two miles! Differently from most artillery pieces, a mortar is fired at a very high angle; therefore, the shot will follow an elegant arch and will fall almost vertically on its target, easily surpassing walls or ramparts. For this reason, mortar ships are usually employed in naval sieges, to shell the fortifications from a safe distance. However, they can be very effective against enemy ships too: with a short fuse, the shell will explode above the deck, in a deadly rain of fire and splinters; with a long fuse, the shell would easily pierce the planks and explode inside the ship, for instance in a crowded gundeck. The Tartarus is manned by sailor and artillerymen of the Mardierian Legion, an Oleander unit of volunteers and expatriates. Here you can see two of them loading the mortar, that uses two large bags of gunpowder... ...to send the enemy a "candy", that is almost fifty kilograms of iron, gunpowder and bad intensions! For obvious reasons, the Tartarus carries a considerable amount of explosives, so it should remain prudently far from enemy cannons… sane people don't enter a battle with a floating powder magazine! Spare masts or heavy logs are sometimes used to build improvised barricades at about half ship: this should better balance the recoil of the mortar and protect the ammunitions, or at least this is the hope of the sailors.. being on a floating battery, in case of an enemy attack, would be as dangerous as being in front of its cannons! The signalling flags, used to communicate with the rest of the fleet… "Oleon expects every man to do his duty!" (semi-quote) The captain, or chief gunner… it depends if you consider te Tartarus a ship or a battery! Well, I hope you enjoyed this ship! The sails are intentionally primitive, but I hope I didn't go too far in that direction! This project started with a hull I built and discarded for its awkward shape and a mortar I built with no good reason… putting them together was quite fun, even if the mast look somehow wrong. Historically, floating batteries were usually old, sturdy ships or robust rafts, towed near to the enemy harbour and loaded with guns too big to fit on a conventional ship. They had a very low maneuverability, and were extremely vulnerable to enemy counterattacks. However, they were quite cheap and could literally send a hell of iron and fire on the enemy fortifications. After some successes and some failures, floating batteries were gradually substituted by purpose-built ships, fully rigged and equipped with "normal" cannons too. At the very end of sail age, armoured floating battery appeared on the battlefield once again, before being made obsolete by steam-propelled monitors and ironclads. BTW, probably you can easily how I'm employing my spare time due to the "stay at home, stay safe" policy!
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New Haven Sea, May 620 The Warship Scamandre, a Sixth Rate Ship of the Line, has just arrived in the New Haven Sea region. Built in the Royal Shipyards of Breshaun, this ship was sent to secure the interests of Oleon in this remote area of the world. A few months ago, this ship reached El Oleonda itself, one of the hottest areas of the New World: in a semi-clandestine operation, avoiding all the main routes, a small contingent of soldiers founded a little outpost on the island, Fort Arltrees. This ship takes her name from a minor fluvial deity, represented by the figurehead: an intimidating warrior god, flanked by two even more intimidating 12-pounders. This ship carries a total of 26 "good arguments" to enforce Oleander diplomacy: even if the Scamandre is not a large battleship, her firepower is more than enough for the small naval battles typical of the New World. As usual for ships stationed in the colonies, however, patrolling the naval routes and hunting enemy vessels represent only two of the many tasks: exploring, safely transporting soldiers and colonists, delivering supplies and even providing additional space in trade convoys are by far the most common activities! Today, for example, the Scamadre is mapping the coasts of El Oleonda. Two sailors calculate longitude, comparing the height of the sun over the horizon with the time in Granoleon: curiously, according to that clock, it should still be late night! Other sailors are evaluating the depth of the water using a rope and a lead weight, a simple but effective way to know if a bay is a suitable port for large ships. The Scamandre also carries a scientific officer, members of the Oleander Royal Society of Science (far less famed than its Corrish counterpart) and a chaplain, usually a priest of Poseidon… who probably are thinking completely different things about the wonders of the nature! A flag code allows communication with distant ships or, in this case, with Fort Arltrees Lighthouse: orders, warnings, news or simple greeting can be exchanged easily using a few dozens of coloured flags. Since exploration missions may last several months, a ship like the Scamandre always carries large amount of supplies: fresh meat and vegetables for the first week, then more durable stuff, like hardtack, salted beef, pork or cod, cheese, potatoes and onions. A few recent innovations, such as barrels of apples, sauerkrauts and bottles of lemon juice, further improved mariners' diet and prevent, in most cases, the insurgence of scurvy. There is a little of disappointment, however, about the canned food of a well known Corrish trade company: the horse stew contained is almost inedible, with pieces of bone, cartilage and, concerningly, small drops of lead. However, it may represent a fundamental emergency ration, resistant to water infiltrations and even to the most stubborn worms! With the tropical weather and serious troubles in food preservation, the ship doctor has always several things to do. Well, it seems that those inviting red berries growing in the jungle are actually a little poisonous, too bad! On the lower gun-deck, a soldier is cleaning his musket. He's quite far from home, but it's not unusual seeing soldiers from Guelph Peninsula in Oleander Army. Despite their weird clothes, they are usually very good soldiers, brave and disciplined. Additional pics of the ship: A trap door, connecting upper deck and gundeck An additional view of the gundeck A bird's eye view The helm wheel and some of the sailors The bow... ...and the stern. A complete view. Very bad angle, by the way… it seems a lot shorter! You have just visited the Scamandre, a Sixth Rate Ship of the Line (that is, a small frigate, considered strong enough to fight in a battle line even if as a minor unit). I will license it as a class 6. As usual, C&C are welcome!
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Somewhere in the jungle, March 620, El Oleonda Heading towards these ruins was almost a shot in the dark. During one of the first explorations of the interior, following a little river with no name (by the way, River Rimbaud sounded quite well), Tristan and his men found something quite surprising: a complex system of little canals, clogged by vegetation but still functioning, that brought water towards the inland. That luxuriant jungle, somewhere in time, must have taken over fields and gardens, swallowing any trace of an advanced civilization: no known tribe of the archipelago, not even the Myzec of Cascadia, could have built something similar. The canals, now feeding only bushes and undergrowth, were by sure a sophisticated artefact: they were built with bricks and stones, and their slope had probably been carefully calculated… proof of that, they were still functioning despite the abandonment. Even though that discovery was completely unexpected, Tristan was more interested in something different: far inside the jungle, above the treetops, there was a wisp of smoke… the only trace of human presence they could find. With no other clue, Tristan and his men moved in that direction, following the remains of a paved road… another strange thing to find in the New World, but that made the men save a lot of time and fatigue. Now they were almost there. The scouts had told Tristan that the bivouac was only fifty meters onward, among some ancient ruins, but he couldn't see anything yet… damned jungle! Tristan's only hope was that the men in front of them were Carnite and not Lotii: the orders he had received included exploring the island and trying to discover what the two nations were fighting for, something by far easier if you can understand a word of what the others say. Tristan murmured a short prayer to Poseidon and moved forward… he was going to do something very, very stupid. "You are entering a military site of the Empire of Carno! Don't make a step forward or we'll open fire!" Bingo! They weren't Lotii and they didn't shoot on sight… it was already something. Tristan stopped, trying to appear as calm and relaxed as possible. Entering from the front door was by sure the best way to get quickly a lot of information, but it was also quite risky... now he had to play his cards well if he didn't want a bullet from a nervous Carnite sentinel. "I am Tristan Rimbaud, Regiment General of the Oleander army." -He replied in an acceptable Carnite- "You have at least two good reasons to lower your guns and let me pass. The first, and the best one, is that I come in peace: I don't have any hostility against you. The second one is that I ordered my men to take position in the bushes right behind me... touch the trigger, and you'll receive enough bullets to turn that ruins into a lead mine." Tristan knew very well the rule of thumb of diplomacy: raising a white flag can be a good start a negotiate, but it works by far better if the counterpart knows that you have twice his guns. A moment of tense silence followed, immediately covered by the deafening rumors of the jungle: the chatter of parrots, the rustling of leaves, the sounds of the little streams of water... and the buzzing of bugs, that disgusting horde of tiny vampires. Three more Carnite soldiers emerged from the bushes. They were in a good position, but Tristan was almost sure that his man would have taken them down before they could shoot, if things had gone in the wrong way. "Calm down, Gustav! They are clearly not Lotii cutthroats!" Tristan had barely noticed that man before… a civilian, unarmed, who now seemed to be the leader of the Carnite garrison. "And welcome, Herr Rimbaud, on behalf of myself and of the inhabitants of this place, dust since centuries. I am Hans Schneider, archaeologist, and this is Gustav Weber, head of my guards… forgive him, but we all are a little on edge, given the situation! By the way, aren't you Oleanders a little far from home?" Tristan, relieved, walked into what seemed an ancient city, similar to several ones scattered in the archipelago… also in this case, everything seemed abandoned for decades. "Nice to meet you, Monsieur Schneider" replied Tristan. "You are right, we are quite far from home! The war between your nation and the Lotii has raised some anxiety in our colonial authorities… and has also raised a lot of questions. This island is quite large and rich, but it's not the only one in the archipelago. Why the hell didn't the Lotii colonize another of the large islands? What do they think it's worth dying for?" Tristan didn't really expect an answer: if there actually was something precious enough to start a war, the Carnites wouldn't have revealed it so simply. The archaeologist, however, surprised him again. "Well, Herr Rimbaud, I can be completely frank about that: my nation is here for what always makes the empires move: lands, gold, commercial routes, valuable crops… we were a little late in the run towards East, but now we have our piece of land under the sun. For the Lotii, however, the situation is different: they arrived on El Oleonda without any warning, and they attacked our forces on the Eastern tip of the island. The incredible thing, however, is that probably they don't care at all about conquering the island… they are looking for something." "And... do you know what are looking for?" "I'll tell you a story, Herr Rimbaud. I don't know if it's true or not, but it's all I know. A story that began thirty years ago, in the Lotus Kingdom. You know that after the discovery of the first islands in the Sea of Storms, half a century ago, voices of rich lands East of Terraversa started to spread… rumors about paradise-like islands, possibly even continents, where spices grew everywhere, and gold could be found below any single rock. So, after a lot of hesitation, the Emperor decided to roll the dices and send his ships to the North: also the Lotii had their Armond Basker and their three caravels, actually a fleet of twenty ships and almost two thousand mariners. They left the capital, cheered by the population, and nobody has ever seen them again: two thousand men swallowed by the sea, the whole fleet destroyed… and a considerable amount of gold, silver, and precious gifts for the sovereigns of the mysterious new continent lost with them. It was a real disaster, and somebody says that the old emperor was killed by the sorrow. Here ends what we know for sure, but a few years ago a new trace was discovered by some Lotii fishermen…" "How was it possible? What did they find after so much time?" "A man… even if I'm not sure he still could be defined so. They found him on a little atoll, where apparently he had lived alone for decades. He was completely mad, and could barely mutter a few words. However, before losing his mind, he had carved his memories on a piece of wood. I had a chance to read a copy of it, after our fleet captured a Lotii junk, and I can assure you that I didn't sleep for days. The only reason why that poor soul didn't commit suicide was that he knew something vital for the Kingdom, something he wrote down when he was still sane: the fleet was destroyed by a storm, as everybody supposed, but several ships survived and were stranded on a large island. The admiral decided to try the return voyage with the only ship that could still set sail, promising to the survivors that he would have returned with help. He left on the island hundreds of men, all the treasures and, even more importantly, most of the maps he had drawn up to that moment… maps of this archipelago, and of all the other lands which could exist between the Lowers and the Lotus Empire." "But he wasn't lucky enough." Concluded Tristan. "Indeed. The ship sank, and the only survivor was driven mad by the sun and the loneliness. But his sketches seem to show that the ships were stranded on El Oleonda, and so the Lotii are here. For the treasure of the lost fleet and those old maps, even if I don't know whether the streams of gold and pearls or the blessed lands described did ever exist outside the mind of that unfortunate sailor…" "And so the Lotii are here for some maps that could even not exist at all and for treasures lost decades ago, possibly on this island?" "Exactly. They are convinced that their predecessors may have hidden their gold before hunger, diseases, attacks of the natives or time took them all. Maybe in these very ruins, or in some abandoned temple in the forest, who knows. In that case, it will probably decorate forever the homes of scorpions, spiders, and bats." "And you? Are you hunting the Lotii gold too?" Asked Tristan. "I thought you considered the treasure lost forever, but still you are digging among these ruins..." "We are archaeologists, not treasure hunters!" Replied Herr Schneider, apparently a little offended. "We were studying these ancient ruins, abandoned at least a century ago by a mysterious civilization… but now we are trapped in a damned war theatre!" The archaeologist continued: "I don't know if the treasure exists, or if the survivors decided to throw it in the sea when they realized that nobody would have ever come. What I know for sure is that only their maps and documents, if they still exist, could reveal to us the complete story of the unfortunate expedition and the lands they visited. More probably, however, they will remain forever in some forgotten temple, no matter how much the Lotii will search." An overall view: Without colour adjustment This is my entry for cat B. It required a lot of text, pictures, and time, and I hope you like it. As usual, C&C are welcome. PS Everything I depicted is part of the build: the treasures and the skeleton are in little niches in the two buildings -
A Napoleonic inspired Ship of the Line for glorious Oleon. Heavily inspired by Wellesly's HMS Persephone and Invicta's hull/tumblhome technique on YouTube. She has 84 guns and three decks. 36-pounder guns on the lowest deck, 24-pounder everywhere else. The galley and chimney.
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El Oleonda, March 620, Fort Arltrees Fort Arltrees is a small military outpost, nothing more than a rudimentary palisade surrounding some tents and a couple of large huts… this is how all the settlements begin: it strange to think, but even Breshaun, during its first days, was nothing more than that. Any real possibility of development, however, is delayed until the end of the hostilities, when the arrival of civilians, regular shipping of supplies and, in general, the construction of more permanent builds will be possible. Living in Fort Arltrees in fact, is something very, very dangerous: an attacker wouldn't do any distinction between soldiers and civilians. However, a place where soldiers have no way to spend their wages offers a lot of opportunities to merchants who are brave enough. Sutlers are civilian sellers who follow soldiers almost to the battlefield. Sometimes they are hated and considered profiteers, but they also represent the only ones who can provide anything beyond rations, uniforms and weapons: tobacco, paper and writing implements, candles, a good knife or a whetstone, a linchpin or a mug, even some liquors… these little commodities are not cheap, up to five times their real value, but they can make far more comfortable the permanence in such a desolate place. In Fort Arltrees the sutler's shop, actually a large stall with a few improvised tables, represents the only place where soldiers can spend their free time: it soon has become a sort of little tavern, a meeting point that the soldiers simply call "the store"... there is no possibility of mistake about which store, since it is the only one! Soon a little kitchen was established too: soldiers have to pay, but food is by far better than ordinary rations. Even if this little commercial activity drains money from the soldiers' pockets, it represents a fundamental step for the growth of Fort Arltrees: taxation on little activities like this one provides to the commander of the fort some extra funds for the development of further projects, such as attracting settlers and starting some little farms. This, however, will be only possible after the end of the Carno-Lotii war… provided that the settlement will survive that long! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the first economically relevant build in Fort Arltrees. I wanted it to be a very simple, provisory build, and I think I achieved the result… now I think that the next step is starting building something a little more sophisticated, maybe a blacksmith or a real canteen! Any idea? What would you like to see next?
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Somewhere in the Great Northern Ocean, Summer 620 The wind blew wild, as it probably did since the beginning of time at that latitude. Despite this, the sails were still more or less intact, waving in the cold air as if they were still pushing the ship towards the horizon, something very sad to see for a sailor. In the temples, the preachers always described Tartarus as a desert of fire and flames… probably because they had never been so far in the North! It had probably been an Oleander ship, a small but elegant schooner: "Le Terreur", according to the copper plate on the stern. Surprisingly, it didn't seem fit for fishing or whaling, the only two things that people could do in those waters. "Nobody on sight, Captain!" Yelled a sailor, trying to overcome the continuous whistle of the wind. It was midsummer, but that only meant that freezing to death was a little less likely. "This ship must be here since the last winter, or they wouldn't have abandoned it yet." Sometimes it happened that imprudent whalers didn't leave the northern waters soon enough, and they remained trapped in the pack. When this happened, their only chance of survival was remaining on their ship, trying not to starve and hoping not to be crushed by the sheer force of drifting ice. Most often, ship and crew simply disappeared, and some whisky was poured on tavern floors in their memory. "Probably even longer. No big thaw has occurred since the 617, probably it was trapped that year, when the long night came back again. And only Zeus knows where it happened... those blocks of ice are alive, and when they grow southward they can carry anything with them." Probably they were just high tales, but the captain remember well the stories about polar bears or whole native families that drifted on icebergs as South as Pontilla. "But don't get distracted again, Tom! If the natives stole our boat we would be in a real mess!" The captain continued: "They must have left the ship when the food started running low, but I wouldn't bet a coin on their survival. Even if they were near to the Northern Coast, they could have been at least five hundred miles far from the nearest civilized settlement. But, if they were lucky, they could still have found a native village." "If natives didn't slit throat to them all first when the ship was trapped. Like rats in a barrel" Unsurprisingly, this comment came from Arana, the tattooed harpooner from the Unconquered Islands… probably not a nice place to visit, considering how lightly he talked about killings and violence. "Maybe there are no corpses because the natives ate them." Nobody really wanted to know why, now and then, Arana talked about cannibalism, but probably it was a reason more to avoid his motherland. "Mmm, I don't think so… we have found some supplies, down in the hold, and everything seemed in quite good order. No, the ship wasn't sacked! Wait… I think I've found something!" A little envelope of oilcloth emerged from the snow covering the deck. On the wax seal, a little crown and a Fleur de Lys flanked two crossed anchors. Every sailor in Halos would have recognized that little symbol: that unfortunate crew was on a mission for His Majesty the King himself, and for sure not for some fishing! "Guys, the whales will be safe for a while! We must return to the motherland as soon as possible!" The sailors replied with some grunts… losing a whaling season could mean hunger, but the captain usually knew what he did. For sure, that little envelope jingled as if it contained some shiny, glittering doubloons... handling it intact to a crown officer, however, could be even more remunerative! This is a little anticipation of my AMRCA, which will probably be frozen (sorry for the bad pun) until the end of the challenge! It will start with the search for a lost expedition, somewhere in the icy North!
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Somewhere in the jungle, April 620, El Oleonda The Carnites didn't tell them all the truth, that was clear. Probably the archaeologists were actually studying the ancient ruins, but this was only a part of the story: their report on the Lotii expedition was surely too detailed for someone who considered the treasure a little more than a legend, and they said too many times that it was impossible to find. However, those idiots had neglected the most obvious thing to do: ask the ones who could know something... but the people of Carno were new to the New World, and considering the savages as something more than a part of the local fauna hadn't probably even come to their minds! Finding a Tyree'De on such a large island wasn't so easy but, once again, the remains of the ancient civilization helped Tristan and his men: if the ancient inhabitants of El Oleonda had built their cities in the best locations, probably the Tyree'De had chosen the same places for their villages… and the Oleander expedition had literally a comfortable road to reach them! After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, therefore, they found what they were looking for: a place where the inhabitants weren't only snakes and scorpions. What Tristan and his men found surprised everyone: probably the Carnites wouldn't have even noticed that, but the "natives" themselves were a clear answer to the mystery of the lost expedition. Most of the Tyree'De had the same somatic tracts of the indigenous people of archipelago, this was true, but others were clearly born in a different part of the World; moreover, their straw hats and the peculiar rice fields, similar to the ones seen in Mooreton Bay, were definitely something unusual among the native tribes. Tristan asked to meet the leader of the little community. Fortunately, the Tyree'De language was quite similar to the one of Astrapi natives, so communicating with them wasn't too difficult. He was brought into a ruined stone building, another trace of the ancient inhabitants; inside, the Tyree'De had built a little wooden hut. The old man waiting for them, despite all the amulets and the paintings on his body, was clearly a Lotii. All the pieces of the puzzle were now in the right position: the mysterious motherland of the Tyree'De, located "southwards"; their interest for tools and weapons, the things that they couldn't repair or replace without a smith and a real forge; their riches, probably a part of the fabled Lotii treasure. Against all the odds, some of the Lotii sailors had survived: the old man, once the helmsman of the junk Nan Feng, confirmed Tristan's reconstruction. When it became clear that no help would have come from the motherland, the survivors realized that remaining in the camp meant certain death: the supplies were running low, and so many people couldn't survive by hunting in a little area. Therefore, they formed small groups, split the treasure, and went in different directions. Some of these small bands were unlucky, and all the men were killed by hunger, diseases, or in fights for the scarce food remaining. Others built rafts or small junks, and were never seen again. Most of the surviving Lotii, however, peacefully lived their lives with the natives, becoming the Tyree'De ("new tribe", in the language of the natives). The newcomers repaired some of the ancient canals and taught the natives the art of rice farming… hard work, but also a source of food by far more abundant and reliable than hunting and gathering. Many married local women and had children with them: most of the living Tyree'De knew the Kingdom of the Lotus only from the tales of their fathers, and some of them already considered it a sort of myth. When El Oleonda was "discovered" by Lotii and Carnites, the survivors of the old expedition had already lived there for almost thirty years… they had settled on the smaller islands of the New Haven Sea, grown their crops, and formed their families. In the motherland there was nothing left for them: everyone considered them dead, and they had been forgotten. So, the old Lotii decided to remain forever the Tyree'De, the mysterious tribe from the South. They visited the Halosian settlements and bought agricultural tools with gold and silver, shiny souvenirs of their past. Tristan asked the old man if he knew something about the nautical maps but, unfortunately, the answer was negative: the chest with the maps was lost decades ago, disappeared in the jungle with large treasures and with the lives of several men. "I've been completely sincere with you, Rimbaud San." a word that Tristan didn't know, but that sounded very respectful - "Here we have found a new home, here we have found peace. Now I want a promise from you. If somebody asks you about our unfortunate expedition if they ask you about us… tell them that we are all gone!" ---------------------------------------------------------- An overall view
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Pagoda by the Lake Previously: All in good Order - Prelude Next: -- Dramatis Personae: To Halosians, the Kingdom of the Lotus was still largely an enigma. That far to the South, few travellers had ever made it there - and fewer even managed their way back to tell the tale. Rumour had it Lotii tended to sudden extreme outbursts of violence when offended. Others claimed there was a quota of foreigners that were eaten alive. He was relaxed though, bathing in the peaceful atmosphere here around the capital city's lake district, knowing that in fact His own agents were responsible for the spread of misleading information about the Lotii back home. And looking at the tall structure in front of Him the faint idea of a smile appeared on His face - as in Oleon decisions of importance were taken in temples. Common ground was established, everything was going as planned... My entry for category A; finished way to close to the deadline - some things just never change About: As usual, all can be built. Besides that... not that much to say here, except fortunately, there were no height restrictions. Not sure though what the Lotii seem to compensate for ---------- Thanks for watching, C&C welcome. Vive le Roi! -
Hello there, fellow BoBS'ers, after a long time some content again from my side. All in good Order! - Prelude Previously: -- Next: Pagoda by the Lake Dramatis Personae: Having His eyes and ears in virtually all parts of the world provide Him with information and reports on all matters fathomable, it's needless to say the increasing hostilities in the East haven't gone unnoticed by His Excellence the Lord Chancellor himself. Usually, the conflict between Carno and the Kingdom of the Lotus would be of very little interest to Calida as it didn't bother His interests or that of Oleon - of course in that order. However, some new development seems to have gotten His attention: 'So you are sure it has been found on that island?' 'Yes, Your Excellence.' 'Has it been opened yet?' 'Not according to my sources, no, Your Excellence.' 'It must be destroyed with no trace of its existence left behind!' 'Yes, Your Excellence. Undoubtedly, the Follower of Hades would dominate the Order if they learnt that we have discovered the Gate to the...' 'Not one word more! Even this place here has ears. You have your orders - make sure to see them through!' 'Yes, Your Excellence.' 'In the meantime, I will make sure you will have a war to cover your tracks.' ----- Just a little scene to kick-off a Calida focused story-line that will hopefully continue throughout my Challenge III entries. What's to say about it? I reused an older MOC I made in LDD, and put some of stud.io's brick handling and rendering capabilities to use - cannot say I'm all a fan of stud.io, but it has it some advantages over LDD... Thanks for watching, C&C welcome Vive le Roi!
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île de Zeus, Astrapi Royal Arsenal, January 620 Name: Rimbaud's Raiders Unit size: Company Type: Light infantry / Chasseurs Motto: On the frontline and beyond A month had barely passed after the end of Infero Pordejon campaign, but winds of war were blowing again on the Brick Seas: two foreign nations were sharpening their claws in the East, ready to jump at each other's throat, and the interests of Oleon could be in danger. Under a cloudy winter sky, the First Light Infantry Company of Astrapi left its barracks and started loading the supplies for the next months on rowboats: weapons, ammunitions, artillery, cannonballs and, even more importantly, preserved food supplies… any good commander should always remember that an army, first of all, marches on his stomach. When a military unit leaves, infinite details must be taken into account: little things, such as a field kitchen (and so edible food rations) or a few bottles of liquors may drastically raise the moral of soldiers during the difficult days of a military expedition. For the same reason hardtacks, bought from civilian suppliers, are carefully checked by the company clerk… in many cases they can be infested by weevils, especially if the cheapest providers are chosen. In Rimbaud's Raiders, however, things are very different: everyone, from the private to the commander, eats exactly the same food, like in pirate crews. Only one of the many peculiarity of this company. The First Light Infantry Company of Astrapi, in fact, is a very peculiar unit. Rimbaud's Raiders were trained and equipped in early 618 at the expense of Tristan Rimbaud, at the time only a retired captain, and only recently they were integrated in regular Oleander Army. These soldiers have been deployed in all the last crises in Fatu Hiva and Infero Pordejon, achieving successes that would have been impossible for a regular unit: tight infantry formations and ordered lines of soldiers are useless in colonial scenarios, where irregular tactics, guerrilla and cooperation with local militias are far more effective. The Raiders have fought hard for Oleon wherever they were needed, becoming an elite unit: in the jungle or on the shore, in the wasteland outside Charlatan Bay or in its alleys, those men were always on the frontline during the most dangerous campaigns, loyal to their commander even when all the odds seemed against them. This was possible only due to a peculiar choice of the commander: the First Company represented in fact a second chance, sometimes the last possible one, for brave and though men without a place in society… the scum of the nation, the undesired, received a second possibility, at the price of a great danger. There were veterans who couldn't return to civil life, trying to drown in alcool their past... ...but also men with a turbulent life, smugglers or even pirates. Once a problem for the nation, the type of problems usually solved with a squalid cell or a canvas rope. Now, part of one of the arrowheads of the Royal Army. With flexible discipline, acceptable food and distribution of loot, the Rimbaud's Raiders are not so different from a pirate crew… their recruitment was quite a gamble, but they are exactly what is needed for the wars in the New World: not ordered lines of toy soldiers to face the enemy, but daring scoundrels to flank him and hit him hard. Tristan and another officer inspecting new muskets A mysterious officer, met by Tristan few weeks before. He gave him new orders from the High Command, determining the departure of the Raiders. Native scouts, a constant element of the campaigns in the New World. Overall view of the scene. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Something I wanted to build long time ago! I used the Rimbaud's Raiders in all my operations, from Fatu Hiva to Charlatan Bay, but they didn't actually exist in EGS terms. I'll license them (better: I'll integrate them in the regular army) as a company, even if I still don't have any idea about where they will go. Not in Charlatan Bay, at least up to now; more probably in the East, to face the Lotii, or in an AMRCA. Anyways, I felt I needed them to exist to continue using them!
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La Phénix, belonging to Tristan Rimbaud since its very arrival in the archipelago, is a fast and versatile ship that played a role in some of the most relevant happenings of the last years: Tristan used it to move to different islands, to send emissaries or dispatches and to reach important social events, but also to bring a new platoon of soldiers to Astrapi, to reach Fatu Hiva and to support his secret campaign in Charlatan Bay. It is not a very elegant ship, but it's robust and has a capacious hold, useful both to host soldiers or to load goods. Armed with ten 12lbs cannons, Le Phénix can also face enemies at sea, even if it gives its best as a support ship. The ship owes its name to the wooden figurehead, depicting the mythical phoenix, phénix in Oleander. The glorious Oleander flag waves on the stern, near to the ship bell. Every man on board, from the captain to the last of the sailors, would give his life rather than furl the flag in surrender. The Captain, Tristan Rimbaud: recently appointed Count of Astrapi, re-integrated in the army with the rank of Major, he is quite an unusual officer. Not so concerned about uniforms or strict discipline, he refuses most of the privileges of the rank, such as the better food. He has personally chosen all the crew members, and his men would follow him blindfolded to Hades' Reign. "Captain on deck!" Captain Rimbaud is not so concerned about being saluted, but La Royale has it's conventions. The navigator defines the best route, while a sailor calculates latitude and longitude with sextant and chronometer. When your ship completely depends on sails, a storm or a long period of dead calm could kill the whole crew. The so-called "stormglass" could be used to forecast storms, rain, fog or good weather, with an accuracy of about 3/4. The mechanism of functioning is unknown, but a long list of captains that trusted flakes or "clouds" in the liquid and survived to the worst storm seasons is a very strong argument for the stormglass. "Keep the deck clean, make it shine!". This is not only aesthetics, this is a paramount: a dirty deck becomes slippery, and you don't want a slippery deck during a storm or a battle. Below the deck a sailor takes rest, eating a part of his daily rations. Most sailors don't like sauerkrauts a lot but, after this food was introduced by doctor Marcel Laurent, nobody has developed scurvy. A sailor peeling potatoes, during one of the daily corves. Kitchen is a simple brick structure, with fire lit in a sandbox, as far as possible from the ammunition store. The pot is suspended to prevent dangerous spills of boiling water: a capsized pot could cause horrible wounds to the cook. Doctor Laurent medicates the survivor of a shipwreck, while Master Sergeant Dubois, the officer commanding the embarked soldiers, listens his story: an Eslandolan trade ship was sank by a storm in Eastern Prio Sea, with no other survivors. The surgeon's chest, containing medicines and tools that every sailor prays never to see in his hands. The ship kitchen The cook and some sailors in fatigue uniform. Soldiers and sailors in battle uniform. Captain and officers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I built this ship even before entering BoBS, but for some reason I never published it… I continuously changed details and minifigs, waiting for the right occasion. I'm quite satisfied by the result, even if sails and masts are quite rudimentary and helm wheel is in a weird position… probably I could do something about that, but since it is my very first "creature" I prefer to let it in this way.
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One may remember that Oleon has sent a squad of legionnaires to attend the P.A.Cup, they've proven their sailing skills in the race and our green ninja, green legionnaire, blue legionnaire! got a well deserved rest, now it's time to train one's combat skill again. The Legionnaires usually wear the same uniform as other soldiers but they have certain liberty in the choice of weapons. This is to license a company of legionnaires (light infantry) in Eltina. Vive le Roi!
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Lavalette, the young postman woke at the early hours as usual, when other inhabitants of the city were still sleeping. He took a simple meal composed of plain bread and coffee, put his uniform on and shut the door behind him. But today, he looked in a hurry, because in his parcel there was an urgent letter to the RNTC office, stating that a sistership is ready to sail to replace the Licorne they lost a few months ago. This post is intended to sistership the Licorne of RNTC.
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My dear Emile, Since you've been in Terraversa with the trading company, our business has been flourishing. While we have not expanded much recently, we've been gaining good capital. As a celebration for your return home (which I do pray is imminent), I've used some of our money to purchase a new ship, Le Fleur, for you and your crew to use. She has twenty cannons and is ready to sail the seas and bring prosperity to our great nation. All my love, Elise
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December 619, Infero Pordejon, Charlatan Bay More than two months had passed since the victorious assault on Fort Saint Millar. The local militia, that only a year before was nothing but a small group of tattered and hopeless highwaymen, controlled firmly the whole island: despite the fierce resistance of the last rebels and sporadic tumults in the streets, the inhabitants of Charlatan Bay could finally have some peace. The final victory had also brought back part of the previous wealth: after years of starvation and food rationing, supplies filled again stores and warehouses, while the plantations outside Charlatan Bay, abandoned for years, were now being planted again. In the bright morning, under the tropical sun, the Oleander volunteers started their return trip. The contingent, during the civil war increased to three full companies, started loading supplies and equipment on rowboats; the veterans of Fatu Hiva and the crew of Le Phénix helped them with chests and crates: nobody wanted to remain in the pirate settlement any more time than necessary. Fifteen soldiers, sadly, would have never left Charlatan Bay… each victory has its terrible price to pay. That day it was also time to part for two old friends. Tristan had definitely been away from his motherland for too long, and the situation was getting more and more dangerous every day: he had friends and allies in the Colonial Administration, but his fast rise from low nobility also created envies and discontent… remaining for too long on that damned island could mean a charge of treason, maybe even facing an execution squad. About one third of the Oleander expeditionary force, however, would have remained in the settlement for some more months: twenty-five soldiers with two six-pounders, led by the loyal Captain Charles De Maure. Stationed in Fort Saint Millar, they had to be deployed only in case of absolute need… a little precaution against further troubles with the gangs. Despite the success of the campaign, the undoubted victories, the limited losses among his soldiers, Tristan was very uneasy. Had he done the right choices? Had he saved civilians or offered a helping hand to the scourge of the sea? Had he saved Acropolis from a flood of pirates with nothing left to lose or had he only made them stronger? Only the Gods could know the answer. By sure, he had saved his friend, and a number of innocent people along with him. He had also accepted to repatriate without clamour the few survivors of the unfortunate Marderian Marine Corps, even if he couldn't find out anything about Admiral Cadiz… probably better in this way, considering his hateful treason and his cruelty. Another thought tormented Tristan during his last days on the island: the enemies had been defeated and the city was growing rich again, this was true… But the defences were still a paper tiger, clearly insufficient against an organized assault. The forts had been heavily bombed, and the city could barely afford the repairs; the militia was motivated and decently equipped, but discipline and training were extremely superficial: still far from the old Ashen Guard, or from the soldiers of the colonial Empires. And, by sure, Tristan had not saved Charlatan Bay just to let it be invaded by the rivals of Oleon… He was leaving the island, not abandoning it to it's fate. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The owner of the Honest Bob's Warehousing, an Altonian merchant named Robert (nobody knows where the "honest" part came from) is quite enthusiast for the new government. He doesn't care at all about who rules the settlement, but during the previous anarchy he was racketed by the gangs and his warehouses were empty, while now is business was going well again. Captains started appearing again in his office, making deals about their cargo, selling information about prices in different settlement or looking for escorting ships. In the bigger room, common goods are bought or sold: fresh or salted fish, fruit or vegetables, sea biscuits and meat, ale and rum, wood and carpenter tools… whatever is needed to keep a ship or a city alive. The upper floor accommodates expensive goods, such as refined wines, gold or exotic spices. These wares, always source of a huge profit, had almost disappeared from Charlatan Bay… another reason to celebrate the recovery of sea trades. Upstairs, as usual, negotiations were ongoing: in front of a lawyer, a Lotii captain is trying to exchange a cargo of Carnovian goods with two chests of gems. The Lotii and the Garvian smugglers don't trust each other at all, but the neutral mediator usually allows smooth transactions. In the shelf, navigation instruments are kept too: for a mariner, a good compass, a chronometer or a book with the coordinates of the main settlements may make the difference between reaching the destination or dying lost in the ocean… therefore they are more valuable than gold! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With this build, I officially conclude the permanence of my main character in Charlatan Bay. It was a nice storyline, surely my best one since my inscription to BoBS. I have to thank again the ones who made it possible: Roadmonkeytj, the major of the city and the other main "player"; Kwatchi and Gulagurag, who created Charlatan Bay and its atmosphere; and all the people who commented and brought the storyline into BoBS world, for example with the KPA or the WTCM... Thank you all, guys! This build changes very little in Charlatan Bay storyline: the war is won, but the peace is still far. Oleander soldiers will remain there unofficially for a while, ready to help if the situation will require. Tristan leaves the island, but will keep an eye on the situation; a new secondary character, Charles De Maure, is the new leader of the Oleander contingent. The Lotii and Garvians are just a little addition I did after the KPA... with this I'm not involving Charlatan Bay, Garvey or Sea Rats in anything, I only liked the idea of answering somehow to the last news! Notes: Licensed as medium commerce in Charlatan Bay Lowtown
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28 September 619, Infero Pordejon, Fort San Millar The black flag of the rebels was still waving in the wind, but it was not going to last: the tides had turned. The tides had turned. After a long shelling with the few cannons available, the strong walls of Fort San Millar were finally breached, and the final assault began. The fort, once the pride of the Ashen Guard, had been occupied since the first days of disorders by a cruel group of smugglers: they made huge profits closing the port and profiting on the provisions, even if this caused a terrible famine and made violence explode in the streets. But finally the tides had turned, and the fort represented the last stronghold of the rebel pirates. By sure, the fort was intimidating, with 32 pounders towards the bay, sturdy walls and two of the sides right above vertical cliffs. However, as Tristan had realised studying the maps, the fort had not been projected to withstand a strong assault by land: some of the walls were too low and too exposed to artillery. He doubted that it was an error in the project: since a land attack could start only from Charlatan Bay itself, more probably, the Dark Bishop didn't want to transform the fort in an impregnable fortress for a rebel garrison… whatever the cause, Tristan was more than grateful for that. In that moment, Tristan heard the first musket salvos and the screams of the wounded men. It was time to move. He incited his men, an heterogeneous group of Oleander volunteers and local militiamen, and jumped on his boat. The battle plan was simple but, hopefully, effective: a frontal assault against the lowest wall, followed by a flanking attack from the cliffs, with boats and grappling hooks, to neutralize the cannons before they could be turned towards the parade ground. The hooks were thrown towards the parapet. There was no more time to think now: thirty minutes of fire and blood and everything would have been over, in a way or in the other. Tristan unsheathed the sword and shouted a war cry, followed by his men. That day, if Ares was with them, they would have seen the end of battle for Charlatan Bay. The battle for the external walls: To the breach! A barrel of gunpowder thrown by the defenders: In the parade ground: Counterattack of the defenders: A cannon and ammunitions: A bird's eye view: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fort San Millar was finally assaulted. This is probably my last build for this storyline, but the future of Charlatan Bay is still uncertain, and peace will be frail for a long time, so... who knows? Probably Tristan will leave for the North, the Great Alliance States, the ice and the steppes, for the desert of New Oleon, the woods of Varcoast or the Southern Seas. I hope you enjoyed my builds in this storyline, and the story itself. I did. Again, I have to thank @Kwatchi and @Gulagurag, even if probably they won't read this, for the great storyline of the Dark Bishop and Charlatan Bay. In many cases, my builds retrace theirs (Fort San Millar itself, for example), or things they wrote about the settlement.
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August 619, Infero Pordejon, a plantation house in Charlatan Bay outskirts "I think we have reached an agreement. Now my soldiers are at your orders, Sir. Let's write down the conditions." Said Ezekiel Keegan, dipping the pen in the ink. "I'm glad that you find our conditions reasonable. With your collaboration, I'm sure that this useless civil war will see its end." Replied Tristan Rimbaud. Despite his mildly satisfied expression and his measured words (diplomacy has is code, even when the negotiation is over), he felt incredibly relieved: these words, probably, represented the end of the battle for Lowtown. Just in time, considering that the involvement of Oleander forces had finally become public, and the risk to get unwanted attention from other empires or, even worse, to be considered a traitor from Oleander police secrète, was becoming higher and higher every day. Ezekiel Keegan… a rich plantation owner, who, at the beginning of the civil war, had raised a small but well trained militia, armed with the muskets of the defeated Ashen Guard. An astute man, according to many a former Corrish officer: his soldiers occupied several key areas of Charlatan Bay during the first weeks of disorders, outgunning even the Marderian garrisons. In those days, he was almost controlling Charlatan Bay, but his assault against Fort Saint Millar was a disaster: he lost twenty men and, even worse, he lost the control over the gangs he had subdued. The Oleander volunteers and Gustav's militiamen had to fight only a couple of times against Keegan's soldiers, and remembered very well those fierce battles. Now, with the Sugar plantation treaty, Keegan had just moved on their side, bringing along forty expert riflemen. "So, let's recapitulate the terms: 100 doubloons in silver ingots, private trade agreements with the Rimbaud family, and special consideration for a rank in Charlatan Bay forces after the war. I also keep the plantations I control in this moment. In exchange, I recognize Gustav von Bricktin as rightful ruler of Charlatan Bay, now and in the future, and I put my men at your orders." "Correct , monsieur Keegàn" replied Tristan, intentionally stressing his Oleander accent. "But don't forget that all the trade agreements are subordinated to your relations with my mother country. And, obviously, to the capture of Fort Saint Millar and the re-opening of the harbour, whenever it will be!" "It seems reasonable, obviously I have to wait until you capture the fort..." Keegan seemed a little confused… good sign: he had just smelled gold, but now the profit was stepping away, delayed to whenever it will be. It was time for the final jab. "You will do something better, monsieur Keegan. You will come with us against that damned fort!" Tristan left the plantations, followed by his guards. The agreement he had obtained with that greedy and ambitious man, with a bit of luck, would have represented the end of the Battle for Lowtown. That, notably, was nothing like a battle: no real uniforms, no ranks of soldiers, no artillery or cavalry charges, no trumpets or drums; on the contrary, an endless row of ambushes, skirmishes and raids, alternating with alliances, treasons, bribing and intimidation, distribution of food and propaganda among the common people. From the muddy alleys of the city to the most malfamate taverns, from the nearby jungle to the lairs of the gangs, Tristan and Gustav had lead their men again and again, fight after fight. Now, at last, this bloody war was going to end: a final assault against the intimidating bastions of Fort Saint Millar, then Charlatan Bay would be back in control… Soon Gustav would re-establish peace and order, as much as possible in a pirate settlement, and the Oleander contingent could finally make his way home; they had lost seven soldiers, and many others, including Tristan, had been wounded, but the campaign was almost over. The reconstruction would have been long and difficult, no doubt about that, and violence could rise again, but keeping foreign troops in a Sea Rat settlement for too much time would have done more harm than good… what was going to happen next was in his friend's hands, their roads had to part again. Another part of the Charlatan Bay storyline, nearing to its end. I apologize with all the Sea Rats for the permanence of Tristan and his men, by far too long, but real life issues complicated a little the original plan of a blitz campaign. Anyways, my soldiers will leave soon; as usual, I want to underline that I'm not trying to occupy Charlatan Bay, and the presence of my volunteers is only a part of a joined storyline. I hope nobody feels offended by the presence of my soldiers or by the storyline itself, but PM me if you want me to change something.
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Fort Arltrees, February 620, El Oleonda "Now you are a lieutenant, Marcel, and you are the new governor of this metropolis… you are climbing the ranks, my friend!" "You too, Monsieur Regiment General. Before the end of this story we'll probably have a new Maréchal." Or they all would have been dead, thought Tristan. With the crisis between Carno and the Lotus Kingdom turning into an open war, the plans of the Etat majeur required a foothold on El Oleonda, nothing more than a little fort to secure the landing point for the contingent. A clever move, Tristan had to admit, but with the risk of losing the whole contingent sent forward… an hypothesis that Tristan didn't like at all. "Coming back to the plans… tomorrow I will leave with twenty men and our native scout for a long range recognition. We must be sure that we are far enough from both Lotii and Carnite forces. I don't know how far our diplomacy has gone up to now, and our presence could be… a little unwelcome. As I was saying, Lieutenant, you have the command of the fort until my return. You should provide for the needs of the garrison, and prepare for the arrival of more soldiers from Lavalette. A little pier could be useful, but avoid being noticed." "Yes, sir! The mouth of the nearby river could be a good place for a sheltered landing point, at least according to our native scouts." "I agree with you, it could also be a good starting point for our expedition in the inlands. According to the map drawn by the scientific officer, we could go upstream it for several miles, going faster than crawling in the jungle. Probably it's also the best option to find out something about the presence of other troops in the area." "Another thing sir… What about the other empires? Do you expect hostile activities?" Tristan feared that question. He decided to be sincere, also because everyone in the contingent knew the answer. "As far as we know, we are the only ones on the island, apart from the Lotii and the Carnites. We should avoid any hostile activity but, if we are attacked, we will defend with all our strength… that currently isn't that much. However, the high command intentionally leaked some secret information about massive troop raising in the West, and that should be enough to deter any attack against us." Otherwise, their bones would have remained on El Oleonda. The Oleander Army would have avenged them, but in case of large scale attack everybody in Fort Arltrees would have been killed. They all knew that, and they all were ready to give the life for Oleon, but nobody liked the idea of being sacrificed as a pawn in a game of chess between empires. Currently, however, the moral was quite high: after weeks at sea, the cook was finally preparing a real soup with some fresh meat… the ship rations were acceptable, but both hunting and sauces were completely absent from the mariners’ diet. Better not to waste too much time: waiting in the jungle, knowing how precarious their position was, would have worn down the soldiers. The expedition in the interior was also a mean to keep them active and, who knows, possibly to discover something about the Tyree'De, the mysterious natives of the New Haven Sea. Before his return the building of the fort would have been completed: the soldiers were cutting down the bushes along the outer palisade... …while the inner structures, currently just skeletons of poles and beams, would have soon be completed. Fort Arltrees was rising, currently nothing more than a small outpost in the jungle. May the Gods help him and his men, or it would soon have become also their tomb! An overview of the building: This is an official action, even if I still have to figure out exactly how to complete the paperworks. With this Tristan Rimbaud is starting a squatter settlement on El Oleonda, in a position still to be defined (I though somewhere near to the Eastern Coast, let me know if it is possible). Tristan is officially doing this as a personal initiative, but as you can understand he has a certain level of endorsement and backing from the faction Edit: I accidentally published the post before it was complete… sorry!
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île de Zeus, Astrapi Hotel de Ville, January 620 "For the will of our blessed King, under the eyes of the Almighty Gods and of our whole Nation; for your service to the Homeland in peace and in war and for the ancient name of your family; for your bravery, virtue and devotion; you, Tristan of the House of Rimbaud, are awarded the title of Count of Astrapi. You receive all the honours and the duties of your new rank alongside, with all the presents as witnesses. May you bring glory to our Nation, and may the Gods enlighten your path!" Tristan remained unmoved and impassive, as required by the protocol. Anyways, he could almost see the faces of the few noblemen attending the ceremony. He had received the title months before, via letter, for his actions during the dark happenings on Fatu Hiva… a little, but scorching victory against the members of the old aristocracy who always despised him for his low social standing: men with more titles than merits, useless cowards with brave ancestors, who never moved an inch in their life. Tristan knew that many of those men wanted him to be hanged as a traitor for his long permanence in Charlatan Bay: those idiots would have preferred the complete massacre of the Oleander contingent to a victory of a man coming from the ranks of low nobility. Now they would have been forced to greet him with respect, a bitter pill to swallow… Tristan wouldn't have let them forget about that too easily! Fortunately, however, most of Oleander noblemen, and almost all the ones in a relevant position, were different from the inflated balloons behind him. So, instead of facing a firing squad, Tristan was receiving a high decoration in front of the garrison and of a couple of people consumed by rage. "Moreover, for your acts of valour in our colonies and in foreign land, you are awarded the Medal of the Two Swords of class 1 for bravery on the fields of battle and you are promoted to the rank of Regiment General of Oleander army. Bring glory to our Nation, and lead our soldiers to victory!" In foreign land… nobody openly admitted that Tristan had fought for almost two years in a pirate settlement, to restore a pirate government on a pirate island! Tristan sometimes had doubts about his campaign in Charlatan Bay, but he was quite sure that any alternative would have been worse. At least, Acropolis and Astrapi were still standing, and his friend firmly ruled Infero Pordejon. After the ceremony, Tristan was approached by a man in a black uniform, who had remained on the sidelines up to that moment. "Monsieur Rimbaud, strongly felt congratulations for your promotion. Titles, however, are just a mere facade… the real congratulations are for the way you ran a military campaign in hostile territory, against superior forces and with very little support. You could turn foes into friends, destroy the support of the population for the rebels, take the strategic points… my superiors want to talk you about this. We foresee winds of war in the East, with the increased hostility between Corlanders and Lotii. We fear that things will be dirty and irregular, and we think that you and your men could be useful." Tristan followed the man towards the garrison headquarters. So soon… he had arrived in Astrapi only two weeks before, and he already had to leave. It was time to unsheathe the sword again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My character had received the promotion to Count months ago, but I could never build a proper response. With this build, I want to make that (and the new promotion to Regiment General) official.
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Robert Perrault, II, Duke of Vitoria His grandfather Bernard had three children, Robert, Sophie, and Camille. Being the first child, and male, of his family, Robert, I, went on great expeditions and acquired a great amount of wealth. His sister Sophie died in childbirth, but his youngest sister Camille had a child, Emile, who now is married to Elise and runs a successful alcohol business. Robert, I, after one expedition led to him needing to amputate a leg, retired from the life of the sea and turned his sights on moving up in the world. Robert, I became the leader of a trading company, getting friends in high circles. Unfortunately, Robert I died before he reached his dream of being granted a duchy. His only child Robert Perrault, II completed that goal. He continued his trading through the homeland of Oleon, expanding it as he could. But his true test of valor came on the field of battle, by wiping out a small uprising with only himself, a maid, and the gods he prayed too. It was the two (or three, depending on the stories if you believe in the gods) of them against ten. Here, you can see Robert, II, in his library, just before he gets his duchy granted. The build
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Infero Pordejon, Headquarters of Charlatan Bay Militia, July 619 Tristan watched again the map, with the ink of the last notes still drying… each one, just a little more than a date and a couple of words, represented a little step between the current situation, with most of the town under control and a partial restoration of the order, and what he had seen almost a year before: a starving city, the port closed; unprejudiced pirates making a huge profit over the scarce food supplies, the same scums still holding Fort Saint Millar; dozens of street gangs, pirate leagues, syndicates, self organized militias and private armies, controlling small areas of Charlatan Bay and battling for warehouses, food, weapons and supremacy; the helpless civilians, trapped in a nightmare of violence, abuses, extortions and retaliations; hundreds of disperate people, with nothing left to lose, ready to board on anything with a hull, hoping to plunder the nearest ship or colony. Those people, who admired and hated, worshipped and feared their Dark Bishop, had remained without a guide and, after the catastrophic eruption, had started a brutal fight to survive. Tristan read some of the older notes. He found the first one: "September 618, landing point" -and, written a little below -"May the Gods help us all!". Then, moving South, the location of the first camp, were he met Gustav and his militiamen; the first skirmishes, the first plantations and cottages they occupied, the bands that joined their cause, surrendered or were defeated. He found the note about the hidden battery, their first, true victory: "December 618, battery conquered without losses, enemies routed". These few words summarized the first turning point of the campaign: that very day, with new weapons and food supplies for the population, Tristan and Gustav entered Hightown after a violent skirmish against the Red Scorpions and the Hook Gang. Common people and wealthy citizens welcomed them as liberators… what a great day! Peace seemed only a step forward, even if they all knew that it was just the beginning. Volunteers from Oleon and Gustav's men marched together under the Sea Rats banner, following the newly appointed mayor… and giving a lot more authority to his title! That day, Tristan saw for the first time the famous cranes, connecting the two halves of Charlatan Bay. Nobody, even during the worst days of fights and violence, had ever damaged that vital infrastructure. Tristan couldn't avoid to feel a certain admiration for the man who had made them possible: Emil Meloche, the Dark Bishop… a pirate and a heretic, a cruel man who lived in violence and died accordingly but, in a certain way, a great man, who founded a city in the middle of nowhere, making it great and independent, despite the open war against the whole world. Those cranes represented one of the greatest example of the old grandeur of Charlatan Bay. The platform can be lifted using robust chains and, in this case, slides along wooden tracks, allowing the movement of people and goods up and down the cliffs. A few days later, Tristan himself used the crane to reach Lowtown for the first time… as reported by the next note: "December 618. First food distribution in Lowtown. Strong resistance of a local gang. The battle for Lowtown has begun." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another view off the build: Overall view: This is one of the last parts of this storyline, I hope you like that. The Dark Bishop is, obviously, Emil Meloche, @Kwatchi's great character and the founder of Charlatan Bay. Thank you for watching!
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Ice, probably the weirdest good ever traded after the discovery of the New World: worthless for the ones who own it, but impossible to buy, no matter how rich they are, for the ones who don't have it. Nevertheless, frozen water is a quite useful commodity: ice and snow, stored in dedicated cellars during winter, have been used for centuries by the Halosians for the most different purposes, from preserving perishable foods to preparing slush and ice creams, from providing relief to the feverish people to cooling the drinks of the wealthiest nobles. Storing clean snow in a ice house. This is a common winter activity in the Old World, especially in Northern regions. All the ones who moved in the New World, however, had to reconcile themselves with a simple fact: the temperate weather of their motherlands is one thousand miles away, and here in the archipelago you can't collect snow and keep it for the summer, since there is no snow to collect. And, in the scorching summer of Breshaun, under the sun of Mesabi Landing or in the sultriness of Pontelli, you have no way to keep fish or meat eatable for more than a couple of days, unless you cover them with salt, or to drink something cold, unless you have the stomach to add some saltpetre to your grog. Starting from this problem, Charles Lautrec, an Oleander merchant, decided to start a new business, something never seen before: collect ice in Altonia, during winter, store it in insulated warehouses and then ship it to the archipelago. Charles Lautrec, the Ice King The first voyage was a complete failure, the cargo melted and monsieur Lautrec almost bankrupted. His enterprise, considered by most a complete insanity, was noticed by the René Duchamp, the financial administrator of Rimbaud family, who decided to finance the ambitious project: delivering ice to tropical islands. Huge profits are ahead for Charles Lautrec (the Ice King as people nickname him), for his supporters, and for anyone crazy enough to follow their business. (placeholder => ice cutting in Altonia) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Category A: Icehouses and warehouses Before ice can be delivered to a settlement, a dedicated infrastructure must be built: otherwise, ice would melt in less than a day. If you want to see ice in your settlement and keep it for more than a few hours, a storing place, owned by Rimbaud Family, must be present. Aim: build an icehouse, an insulated warehouse or something similar in your settlement. Requirements: it must be licensable as a small or medium build. Rimbaud Family (me) will buy it for twice its licensing cost and license the property. Gain for the participants: Twice the licensing cost of the build you submit. Opening a settlement for Cat B builds. Deadline: TBD, according to the participation. Prize for the winners: 1st 50Db+ 25% of the revenues for Cat A properties (for 4 MRCA turns); 2nd 25Db+ 15% of revenues (4 MRCA turns); 3rd 20Db+ 10% of revenues (4 MRCA turns). Winners decided with public voting; I will build something in Cat A but I will not enter the challenge (my builds will open settlements to Cat B, but will not enter the competition). Category B: Fresh fish and cold wine Now your settlement receives its monthly supply of ice. What to do with it, is completely up to you: build a super expensive ice statue to impress your guests, drink something cold, sell ice cream or slush (in Italy it was done since the Middle Age, using snow from Alps and Mount Etna), preserve fish or even try to send tropical fruit back to the motherland. Aim: use your fantasy and build something (more or less historically accurate/possible). It can be a commercial activity, a private use of ice or something different. Requirements: you don't have necessarily to build something in category A, but you can build only in settlements hosting a category A build or in Eltina (see later). The property can be licensed or not; if you don't want to license it, Rimbaud family will gladly buy it at 1.5 the licensing cost. EDIT: You can also build something not licensable in EGS terms. EDIT: You can also participate building in Altonia, provided that you build appropriate steps of the trade (ice cutting, the loading in ships, the transport to the port… or something similar) Gain for the participants: in this case, nothing but the possibility to build something unusual. Your faction or individual players, however, may decide to offer incentives for builds in specific settlements. Deadline: TBD, according to the participation. Prize for the winners: 1st 100Db; 2nd 50Db; 3rd 40Db. Winners decided with public voting; I will build something in Cat A but I will not enter the challenge (my builds will open settlements to Cat B, but will not enter the competition). Category C: Eltina Royal Project While ice trade is moving its first steps in the archipelago, the aristocrats and merchants of Eltina decided to finance something bigger, both for prestige and for economical reason. Eltina Ice House will provide all the ice needed by the elites, but will also allow the storage and preservation of valuable goods, in particular tropical fruit, imported cheese and fresh meat. Ice will also allow a more efficient brewing process for beverages usually requiring cold winter months for their production. Aim: building a Royal Commercial Property in Eltina, starting from the unloading and the transport of the ice, continuing with its storage, and ending with its uses, in particular to preserve goods. Requirements: The quality needed for Royal Builds, and some coordination with the others to reduce overlapping (for example, two ice houses would be useful, but showing storage of fruit in all the builds would be a little boring) Gain for the participants: Honor and glory: you are contributing to the glory of Oleon, our homeland won't forget your dedication. Each participant, moreover, will receive a flat of 50Db for each entry exceeding 1000 square studs (consider about 32x32 as reference, but also 950 studs will be fine; the cut-off is only to have an easier calculation of the overall size). Deadline: The completion of the project Prize for the winners: No winners for this category. If the build is completed and approved, each participant will receive an extra prize of 25Db. EDIT: Post your entries directly in this thread. Please specify the settlement and the EGS class. This mini-challenge is funded and organized by the Rimbaud family (that means with my personal funds), so I can't offer super high prizes, but I hope you will enjoy it anyways. If you have any question, feel free to PM me. Multiple entries are allowed (and encouraged), but you can win only 1 prize in Cat A and 1 in Cat B (your builds take the first and third places => you get the first prize, the third prize goes to the fourth classified). If you need inspiration you can look at wikipedia pages about ice trade and Frederic Tudor, the real Ice King. Voting will be opened at the end of the challenge.
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Hi all, I have a new creation! Baron Nicolas visiting his close friend, madame Josephine at her orange plantation. P.S. Idea for this creation comes to me after watching "Stealing Beauty" with Liv Tyler, and beautiful Tuscany. Orange Plantation by Nikola Đurić, on Flickr Orange Plantation by Nikola Đurić, on Flickr Orange Plantation by Nikola Đurić, on Flickr Orange Plantation by Nikola Đurić, on Flickr Orange Plantation by Nikola Đurić, on Flickr
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After the first wave of brave troops took the beaches, they were soon followed by supplies. Shot, rum, food, money. Everything was needed. A cart had already taken off to bring more ammunition to the men pushing past the beach. A watch tower had been erected, and a captain was looking at his map to see where they would be going next.
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Landing Point Charlotte, Terraversa, 17 August 620 (T-DAY) "Hell is waiting where the ocean meets the sand" The soldiers of the first wave got onto the small rowboats, that were immediately lowered into the water. Somebody whispered a short prayer to Poseidon, others hummed a popular tavern song, most remained silent... only the platoon of legionnaires assigned to the ship continued chatting and laughing till the last moment, as if their assault was nothing more serious than a pleasant walk. The cliffs in front of them started appearing from the morning fog. It was almost the hour. In a few minutes, they would have started rowing as madmen towards Plage Charlotte, one of the designated landing points... not thehardest target, but still well under the crossfire of forts and batteries! Everybody knew that a lot of things could go very, very, wrong: according to the plan, they would have reached the shoreline immediately after the first artillery barrage, overwhelming the shoreline fortifications and opening a safe passage for the second -and more consistent- wave; meanwhile, their artillery would have hammered the remaining forts, turning them into ruins. Suddenly, the capital ship shot the first volley, immediately followed by hundreds of other cannons. On the shore, a battery exploded, immediately followed by another one. With a savage yell, the soldiers started rowing, while dozens and dozens of cannonballs flew over their heads. Small clouds of smoke announced the first return volleys. A few seconds later, jets of water exploded from the sea, and a nearby ship received two blows. As the artillery duel continued, the small boats reached the shore. The bigger coastal batteries continued their barrage against the fleet, but the mortars and the small culverins were waiting for them. One of the boats was annihilated, directly hit by a grenade. After what seemed an eternity, the keels of the boats hit the sand and the soldiers jumped forward. The rain of iron and fire began immediately, as the soldiers arrived in the range of Terraversan blockhouses. Organ guns and wall muskets started firing, giving rise to a hellish concert of bangs and rattlings. In just a matter of seconds, dozens of bullets were flying in every direction. Some soldiers fell after a few steps, mowed by mortar fire and organ guns, but most charged forward, taking shelter and starting a strong cover fire with their muskets. One of the organ guns fired again, but those damned weapons were inaccurate and slow to reload... with the soldiers moving and scattering along the beach, this time most of the bullets hit only the sand. An officer of the Zouaves, the tirailleurs from New Oleon, started yelling orders, reorganizing the soldiers for the charge: if they took the fortifications before the Terraversans could reorganize, the first bridgehead would have been taken! Only a few dozen meters and they would have reached the blockhouses... a run through the Tartarus, towards the guns of their enemies, but also the road towards King's Port and the victory! A few more pics of the battle: The Terraversan organ gun: Obvious credit to @Khorne for the foreign legion and the zouaves, something I never had the chance to depict. Ps So it begins... as soon as possible I’ll add a link in the AMRCA thread!
