Carniola, the skirmish battlea proxy game for Emperor vs. ElectorYou can read of the full scenario plans
here.
The tabletop layout looked like this:
Herein follows the account of Elmar Wilhelms, a member of the household of Lady Elisenda Folc de Cardona whom was riding on the tailboard and baggage of the Lady's carriage at the moment of the start of these events.
To our left was a great woods, a bare hilltop could be seen in the distance beyond. We were approaching a couple of farm buildings first one to our left, then further along one to the right. I had just agreed to prepare to watch the right when a call 'to arms' was raised by the Dragoon officer. I felt the coach shudder from some commotion inside the cabin and heard the report of a long arm musket. From the building to the left ... one of the draft team pulling the carriage was dead and now the coach drover was having to apply the brake and reign in the horses. My fellow on the top of the carriage now, Harman had taken a shot at the approaching riders and he vanished in a puff of the powder smoke from his pistol, I saw the Dragoon Officer fall from his saddle. Then I saw the wild riders approaching and fired my own pistol at them.
When my smoke had cleared, Miss Fiona was demanding a pistol from the baggage that we had been loading afresh each morning on her orders. She then fired her own shot at the mercenary riders now fully engaged with the dragoons.
From ahead I heard some strange shouting, the Dragoons had realized their officer was dead and they were attempting to setup a plan of action, one of them shouted a warning and I heard volley of shots come out from the building to the left, three of the forward dragoons were wounded and one was dropped from his horse, trapped.
Miss Fiona then grabbed another pistol and ran to the rear of the coach. I readied my second pistol and fired again into the mass of riders, there were fewer Dragoons and less of the strange red cloaked riders, but there were still more of them than Dragoons... Lady Elisenda then came out from the coach and she drew a pistol from our collection on the tailboard. She herself then fired into the red mercenary riders, hitting one square in the chest and felling him. Another loud volley from muskets came from ahead and more Dragoons fell, there were another group of mercenaries that had taken cover next to a tall rock wall and were firing from behind it into the ranks of the Dragoons.
I heard a wild shout and a tall man with a long coat and huge beard came charging out from the door of the house ... he swung the sword with all his might against the harnesses, seeking to separate the lead good horses from the dead and wounded ones near the coach, one coachman had jumped down to break the dead horse free from the harness and was now hiding behind the animals carcass as this wild madman rushed at him.
I jumped from the tailboard with my sword and a final pistol as Harman and our leader of the household staff Markus shouted for me to join him in a line between the Lady Elisenda and the backs of the hard pressed Dragoons. Miss Fiona had run to the deadly side of the coach to catch the Dragoon officers' horse, while the Marquis of Rubi had dashed some paces away to catch another of the Dragoon Horses. He mounted it while we watched the Dragoons now holding their own against these red devils...
The madman from the house now charged at the helpless drover and cut him down, just as the Count of Erill moved to his defense, now the Count was facing this madman! Markus rushed to the old man's aid and shouted for us to continue to cover the Lady.
Miss Fiona then rode into view on the Dragoon officers Horse while the Madman and the Count were fencing. Clearly the big man with the beard was not paying as much attention to the Count as he was the two ladies...
One of the red devils broke free from his attack on the Dragoons and rode into the river crossing it and making for the open ground beyond. The madman shouted something like,
"LUIJI! I will find you in hell!"
The big man then broke free from his attack on the Count and rushed to Miss Fiona, holding out his sword as though to cut her and pointing his pistol.
"Off your horse l'il lady!" he commanded. Miss Fiona glanced at Lady Elisenda, who was moving to mount the same horse, she smirked and nodded to the Marquis of Rubí, then she winked.
She made her horse gallop away from the great madman who instantly shot at her ... and missed! Now he was full of mad rage and rushed towards Lady Elisenda, who mounted the horse as the Marquis dismounted. I heard another volley from the rock wall musket men and watched the last of the Dragoons in the van of our party fall from his saddle.
Now I rushed to the aid of Markus and the Count of Erill, Harman was lagging behind me as we managed to parry one of the thrusts and swings towards this old Count. The Marquis seemed to be looking further down the road behind our battle, shouting something about more riders!
Now I was fully engaged against this great big bearded madman! His huge sword cut and thrust with a ferocity I have never before seen! Twice it seemed as though the Count was done for and each time either I or Markus managed to deflect the blade enough to keep the Count alive, though he was moving his own sword in some defense, we were certainly not able to make any advances against this skilled madman. Then from behind him a pistol shot rang out. Harman had shot him in the back, Markus thrust home and I joined him in ensuring that the big man would not rise again.
I looked about, in horror seeing another troop of mercenary riders chasing Miss Fiona who was well past any help we could possibly offer. Then I spied Lady Elisenda riding into the wooded orchard near this column of riders, they split and the front group moved to surround Miss Fiona, while Lady Elisenda changed direction and left the four horsemen chasing her on the wrong side of the orchard ... by the time the got around she was five lengths ahead and gaining ground.
The other riders turned out to be Hussars from Syldavia and after a tense few seconds while the red riders flew from the scene our wounded Dragoons stood back to let their troop officer come forward.
The other mercenaries began to flee into the woods now from the back of the building and behind the stone wall.
More shouts were heard from the distant riders, then they all seemed to dissipate.
It was a minute later that we discovered that Miss Fiona had been killed by the riders, her horse was cut down and without any weapon of her own to use she was likewise cut down.
Before we could catch up with Lady Elisenda we searched the houses and the area where the gunmen had come from. Within the hut there was a strange musket, such as I had never seen before, most certainly it was the weapon of that bearded madman. Scratched into the butt of the weapon in crude letters was "MARIO". Other than some scraps of food little else was found.
Lady Elisenda was last seen riding to the border post, she was to learn of the death of Miss Fiona sometime later ....
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