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Post by silentbob27 on May 20, 2010 8:34:44 GMT -5
Each commander, before deployment, was given some documents with the tales of Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor. As legends and folk tales often go, they are different in many places.
Who knows, the enterprising commander might get hints of what the future holds by reading these...
Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor
During the reign of King Vladimir there lived in the village of Karacharov near the city of Murom a poor man called Ilya, who had been crippled from birth. He was the son of the peasants Ivan Timofejevich and Jefrosina Jakovlyevna. For 30 years he had been chained to his bed. All he did was pray to Christ to be cured, and that one day he might be able to serve the world with health and strength. One day, when the Timofejevich family were working on the land, three kaliki from the time of Sviatogor went past. They had the power of healing in their hands, and they said: "Ilya, get up. You have acquired great skills in 30 years of being ill. Now you are better. Go and be a hero." Ilya got up, and the kaliki continued: 'Never start a fight with the bogatyrs of ancient times: Sviatogor, Samson Samojlevich, Mikula Selyaninovich and Volga Svyatoslavovich. The first two are the basic forces of the earth itself, Mikula is protected by the earth, and Volga is too clever for you. Go to the field and wait for the first peasant who is taking a young and scrawny stallion into the town. Buy the animal, no matter how much it costs, feed it for three months on wheat and water, and then let it bathe in dew for three mornings. In this way the stallion will become the strongest horse on earth, and you will become the best bogatyr in the land'. When the kalika departed, he broke some bread and drank a beaker of wine with Ilya, who was cured. Ilya then hastened to the land, where his parents were taking a nap. With amazing speed he finished their work for the rest of the day. Then he acquired a scrawny stallion as he had been told, looked after the creature according to instructions and bade farewell to his parents. They gave him their blessing on condition that he always do the right thing everywhere. He went to the village priest and swore before God: "I am going to Kiev along the shortest route, even if it passes through a large and hostile army. If I am challenged, I will not draw my bow, shoot an arrow, draw my spear, nor sully my club with blood. Nevertheless, I will be in Kiev in an hour and a half, and I will present myself to King Vladimir, the Red Sun. I will partake of my first meal when I am with him, and not before." Ilya took a handful of earth, placed it in a linen bag, and tied it round his neck to remind him of the land of his birth. He threw a crust of rye bread into the River Oka, saying: "Than you, Mother Oka, for quenching the thirst of Ilya Muromets so often". He bowed in every direction, mounted his horse and went on his way.
Accompanying himself on the gusli, Dobrynya Nikitich sang to King Vladimir's bogatyrs about the ancient Sviatogor. How he lived on the Holy Mountains (the Carpathians) because the earth could no longer withstand his weight, and how one day he got up and met the peasant Mikula Selyaninovich with his bag full of gravity. He concluded: "It is said that in the end, Sviatogor disappeared completely into the ground and died." However, the well informed boyar Mermasta Vasilevich denied this and said: "No, he returned to the mountains and is still there." This version of the story gave Alyosha Popovich the idea of challenging Ilya Muromets. He asked him:"Isn't it just the thing for you to go and find out? In this way he thought that the newly arrived hero would disappear from sight for a while on a journey that was bound to be fruitless." Ilya was aware of the ambiguous nature of Alyosha's proposal, but he wanted nothing more than to learn about the world, and test his strength. He asked Dobrynya to accompany him on his travels. They saddled their horses, and the next day the pair travelled west and soon reached the Levanidov cross in the Levanidov meadow. They swore an oath that they would always remain brothers in spirit, and they exchanged crosses. Then they travelled in the direction of the Carpathians. They discovered traces on the ground, and Ilya asked Dobrynya to follow them while he climbed the Holy Mountains himself. He reached a plateau by means of a secret path, and just in front of him he saw the giant bogatyr asleep on a giant steed that was slowly walking along. He called the giant and challenged him to a duel, but the latter did not wake up. Even striking him with a club did not wake up the giant, let alone tip him out of his saddle. When he was struck for the third time, he merely mumbled: "Russian flies bite rather painfully." He opened his hand, seized Ilya, put him and his horse in his pocket, and rode on, still asleep. After walking for 48 hours, the giant's steed became tired. It stumbled and sank to its knees on the ground. As a result, the oversized knight woke up despite himself, cursing his stallion. He took Ilya and his horse out of his pocket, and asked: "Who are you?" Ilya told him who he was, how he had become bogatyr of Vladimir Red Sun, and that he was looking for Sviatogor. It appeared that the giant was Sviatogor himself. Ilya and Sviatogor made friends. They continued their journey together, and one day they found an enormous coffin lying across the road, inscribed with the words: "This coffin is intended for the person who fits it." The giant had a premonition that this referred to him, and hesitating, he wished to try the coffin for size. Ilya also had a premonition that it was intended for Sviatogor, and therefore he got in first, beating the giant to it. The peasant's son proved to be too small. Then the giant lay down in the coffin, which fitted him like a glove. Ilya did not wish to close the lid, so Sviatogor did so himself. Immediately the coffin and the lid fused together. Sviatogor called out with great regret: "Woe is me, I am buried alive. Ilya, rip the planks off, one by one." Ilya tried, but in vain. Then Sviatogor suggested: "Take my sword and smash the coffin to smithereens." Through a crack in the coffin, the old giant gave Ilya his breath, and thus his strength, to lift the sword of ancient days, but the sword was counter-productive. Every time Ilya struck a blow, it did not make a hole in the coffin, but produced an iron hoop. Sviatogor sighed: "I am suffocating. It is obviously God's will that you succeed me. Keep my sword, but bind my giant steed to the coffin." So died the giant bogatyr and his giant steed. Ilya, now the successor of Sviatogor, decided to return to Kiev.
Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor
Who would tell us of the things of old, Of the things of old, of the things that have been, Of that Ilya, of Ilya of Murom, Of Ilya Muromets, the son of Ivan? He sat, never stirring for three-and-thirty years; They of the begging brotherhood came unto him, Jesus the Christ himself, and His Apostles two. "Go thou, Ilya, and fetch us somewhat to drink!" "Begging brethren, I can stir neither hand nor foot!" "Get thee up, Ilya - do not us deceive!" Ilya heaved and rose, all unkempt and dazed; He brought back a bowl bigger than a pail – To the begging brethren he did offer it; But the begging men made him drink himself, And when he had drunk they did question him: "Dost thou feel, Ilya, much of strength in thee?" "If there were a pillar reared to the very sky, If a ring of gold were to that pillar fixed - I would seize that ring, all Holy Russia heave!" "Go you now, Ilya, another bowlful fetch!" Ilya offered them a second bowl with water filled, But the pilgrims made him drink thereof himself. Ilya drained it off without drawing breath - A big bowlful, bigger than a pail. They thereon began for to question him: "Dost thou feel, Ilya, much of strength in thee?" "Of my strength, I vow, I have but half now." So the sandaled pilgrims unto Ilya spake: "Thou, Ilya, shalt be a great man of might, In a fray to face death is not thy fate's scroll: Thou mayst fight, mayst smite, any man of might, And with any pagan horde mayst battle do; But never offer fight to one Svyatogor - "Tis all earth itself can do to bear his full weight; Go not forth to fight 'gainst Samson, that man of might - He hath upon his head seven hairs by angels blest. Contend not against the line of the Mikula - Our dank mother-earth hath great love for him; Likewise, wage no fight against Volga Sviatoslavovich own son; If he cannot lay thee low through main strength He will bring thee down by his wit and craft. Get thee, Ilya, a steed worthy of a man of might, Fare thee forth into the open field, wide as any sea, Buy thee there a first-foaled colt, Put him in a stall for all of three months; For three nights let that colt in an orchard loose, And let that colt roll in three morning dews. Lead him then to a high spiked fence: When the colt takes to leaping over that spiked fence, To that side of it, and then back again...
Not far, not far away in the open field A cloud of dust was swirling, Dust was swirling in a column, A good youth appeared in the field, Svyatogor, the mighty Russian bogatyr. Svyatogor had a steed like a fierce wild animal, The bogatyr's shoulders were more than two yards wide, He was riding in the field and was amusing himself, He was throwing his steel mace Higher than the towering forest, But lower than the moving clouds. His mace would fly away High up in the skies, When the mace would come down, He'd catch it with one hand. Svyatogor the bogatyr came across A skomorokh's* little bag in the open field. He didn't dismount his good steed, He wanted to lift the bag with his whip, But the little bag wouldn't be moved. Svyatogor dismounted his good steed, He took the little bag with one hand, But the little bag wouldn't be budged. He took it with both his hands, He strained with all his bogatyr's strength, He sank into the mother damp earth up to his knees, But the little bag wouldn't be budged, It wouldn't be budged and couldn't be lifted. Svyatogor said to himself: "I've ridden much around the world, But I've never seen such a wonder, The little bag won't be budged, It won't be budged and can't be lifted, It won't give way to my bogatyr's strength." Svyatogor spoke these words: "It's certain that death has come to me, Svyatogor." And he implored his steed: "Hail to you, my faithful bogatyr's steed! Now come save your master." He took ahold of the silver bridle, He took ahold of the gilded girth, He took ahold of the silver stirrup. His bogatyr's steed then strained itself, And it pulled Svyatogor out of the damp earth. Then Svyatogor mounted his good steed And rode through the open field Toward the Ararat Mountains. Svyatogor became tired and worn out From the skomorokh's little bag And he fell asleep on his good steed, He fell asleep with a bogatyr's deep sleep.
ILYA MUROMETS AND SVYATOGOR THE KNIGHT
FROM the famous city of Murom, out of the village of Karacharovo, the valiant, doughty youth Ilya Muromets, the son of Ivan, set out far into the open fields. The valiant champion met on his way the mighty knight Svyatogor ; and the good youth was afraid of him ; the old Cossack, Ilya Muromets, was afraid of Svyatogor the knight. So he set his horse to browse and hirmelf mounted a thick grey oak to avoid Svyatogor the knight. Svyatogor the knight arrived under that same stout oak, put up his white linen tent, and took his wife out of his pocket. She spread out the chequered table-cloths and put sugary food and honeyed drink for him to eat. Svyatogor ate until he was sated, and drank until he was satisfied, and lay down to repose. Then the wife of the knight observed Ilya up in the grey oak, and spoke to him in this wise: " Hail, valiant and brave youth; climb down from the grey oak. If you do not climb down from the grey oak, you will arouse Svyatogor the knight, and he will give you to a speedy death." So Ilya Muromets was afraid of Svyatogor, and slid down from the grey oak. And again she spoke in this wise: " Come and do fornication with me, good youth. If you do not, I will arouse Svyatogor the knight, and he will give you to a speedy death." So he did as he was bidden and went with her into the pocket of Svyatogor. Svyatogor arose from a sound sleep, saddled his horse, and went to the Holy Mountains. Then his horse began to sink fast into the earth, until the knight dug his spurs into his horse's fat haunches. Then the horse spoke with a human voice: " I have carried you Svyatogor the knight and your young wife, but I cannot carry two knights and your young wife as well." So then Svyatogor put his hand into the depths of his pocket, took his young wife out, and discovered Ilya Muromets. " How did you get into the depths of my pocket ? " " Your young wife forced me in there ; she threatened my life." And Ilya Muromets told Svyatogor the knight how he had fallen into the depths of the pocket. So Svyatogor took his young wife, cut off her unruly head, broke up her white body into four parts, and scattered them on the bare fields. Then Ilya and Svyatogor made themselves sworn brothers, and they set out to the Holy Mountains. They came to a deep tomb, and the tomb was decked with red-gold. Svyatogor the knight lay down in that tomb as if it had been built for him. " Cover me over with boards, my sworn brother," he said. And, as Ilya covered him over with boards, the boards by Divine grace grew as they were required. " Uncover me, my sworn brother ! " But Ilya Muromets had not the strength to uncover him ; so he began to break the boards with his sword, and wherever he brandished his sword, hoops arose in his way. " Take my sword, my sworn brother ! " And Ilya took the sword, but had not the strength to lift it up. " Come, my sworn brother, I will give you strength." Ilya then went into the pit and Svyatogor breathed on him with his knightly breath. Then Ilya took that sword, and wherever he made a stroke, iron hoops arose around. " Come to me a second time, my sworn brother ; I will give you more strength." Ilya Muromets said at once : " If I come down to you again, then our mother the grey earth will not be able to bear it: I have enough strength." But Svyatogor answered: "If you had come down again I should have breathed on you with a fatal breath, and you would have lain down to sleep beside me." So there Svyatogor the knight remains to this day.
1 Ilyi Muromets is one of the heroes of the Byllny: his great feat is the slaying of the Nightingale Robber. This tale may be eponymous of geography; Svyatogor (Svydty Gory, Sacred Mountains) Murom is on the river Oka, in the Province of Vladimir, one of the oldest cities in Russia ; the village of Karacharovo is not far off.
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Post by silentbob27 on Jun 15, 2010 10:41:33 GMT -5
So I have posted Scenario #2 for this weeks next meet. I also updated the Campaign Packet to include some winter battlefield conditions, rules for surrounded hexes, and an Unplanned scenario table. I made "Push the Line" unplanned and stole(but modified) a mission from AE-Bounty to bring up the number to 6 Unplanned, but since that isnt released yet, I wont post it here. Surrounded! The time may come when a hex or hexes will be surrounded by enemy held hexes. The troops that are surrounded are cut off from their fellows and their supply lines. When this happens, the following rules apply: 1) If NONE of the hex(es) being surrounded have an Objective Point, Archaeologist, or other campaign item (like a bunker), they are absorbed into the surrounding sides AO. 2) If ANY of the hex(es) being surrounded have an Objective Point, Archaeologist, or other campaign item (like a bunker), they are surrounded, but stay in the hands of the owning sides AO and may be defended as normal. In addition: a. Owning side may not launch attacks out of the surrounded hex(es). b. If the hex(es) containing an Objective Point, Archaeologist, or other campaign item falls into enemy hands, and there is not another one connected to the surrounded AO, then the whole surrounded hex(es) are absorbed into the surrounding sides AO. c. An Archaeologist that is forced to flee out of a surrounded hex, and has no more friendly adjacent hexes to flee to, is captured and counts as KIA. Example: The Axis forces cut off the Allies, surrounding 3 hexes. One of the hexes contains the Truck Factory, so all 3 stay in the hands of the Allies. The next battle, the Axis forces seize the Truck Factory hex. As none of the other 2 hexes contains an Objective Point, Archaeologist, or other campaign item, the other 2 hexes are claimed by the Axis side. A great victory indeed! Attachments:
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Post by silentbob27 on Jun 21, 2010 12:27:10 GMT -5
Scenario 2The initial assault took us by surprise, but we have pushed back and consolidated our forces to meet the invaders. Commanders are encouraged to fight where they can and press home any advantage to retake lost ground. We cannot allow them deeper into the city.
Oberst Cramer, Commander of Kiev Kiev: Friday, Dec 14, 1945 All through the night Oberst Cramer directed his reserves into position. The Allied attack had caught them flat footed, but Cramer was not going to allow the wounds caused to become fatal. All units were told to retake the ground lost the previous day. Intelligence reported that the Allies had started do dig in and fortify the areas they had taken, rather than keep hitting the Axis lines. Cramer smiled as he recognized the tactical blunder. The Axis had the luxury of both time and numbers. It would be much easier for his forces to resupply and call in reserves from outside the city. The Allies, on the other hand, would need to be resupplied by air, and the Luftwaffe was now on high alert. Cramer thought about the previous day’s meeting with the Wehrmacht archaeologists under his command. They told him more of the folk tales of this Svyatogor and what they believed it might be. Needless to say, the initial reports were much more conservative than what the archaeologists had to say. This is understandable, as he still had a hard time believing any of it. He was surprised most about one thing; there were other archaeologists in the city. Apparently, SS, SD, and ROA teams have been combing the ruins of the city. Cramer was livid and sent runners to each of those commanders demanding an audience. As the sun rose into a cloudless, cold winter day in Kiev, the sounds of explosions and gunfire began. Aftermath08:00, December 13, 1945:The first shots rang out 9 minutes after sunrise. Seizing the initiative, almost all the Axis forces hit the defending allies hard. In most places up and down the line, the allies were ready and immovable. First to pull back was the SS unit attacking the US Army forces containing an M20. Unfortunately, the SS had no answer for the armored car and its .50-caliber death-dealer. Faring a little better was their rivals in the SD during their battle with the US Army. While they were repulsed, the toughness of a Rohlingsoldat, and its inability to die when hit dead on with a grenade, allowed them to keep control of a bridge, denying the US its primary objective. In the eastern zone, the Soviet forces were taken by surprise by the thunderous noise from a charge by a large force of Cossack cavalry. The ROA forces took no pity on their hated brothers, driving them from the field. Finally, ARPA forces attempted to break the blockade surrounding the US forces that were cut off deep in the city. Despite their best efforts, the Wehrmacht unit in that area was prepared with minefields and determination. The ARPA units were forced to pull back, lest their valuable technology fall into enemy hands. 08:45, December 13, 1945:When the SS units pulled back, their US foes decided to give chase. They caught up to the scattered SS units directly north of the Truck Factory. When battle came, it was short and bloody. Unable to regain command and control, they once again quickly departed the field. Not wanting to be drawn into a trap, far from their supply lines and reinforcements, the US forces proceeded to consolidate their positions. 12:00, December 13, 1945:Bolstered by their victory in the east, another force of ROA hit out at the allied lines. Waiting for them was the ARPA force, angered by their earlier loss and ready to make amends. What the ROA forces found out too late was the hell that would be unleashed. The ROA forces attacked under the barrage of artillery. The ARPA troops, trusting their brother’s skills with artillery, weathered the assault and cheered as the ROA pulled back under heavy bombardment. Unbeknownst to them, the ROA did have another victory that day; one that was more important to them than the results on the battlefield. Wanting to regain their honor, and right the wrong that was the allied drive into the city the previous day, Wehrmacht forces coordinated with the SD to launch a simultaneous assault into the surrounded allied forces. Standing before the Wehrmacht was a small, veteran US detachment. As the Wehrmacht advanced cautiously, they met with a US Army force also scouting. Bullets began to fly and an escalating engagement brought more and more units into the fray. Meanwhile, the SD forces brought the fight to a determined US command group. Knowing their dire situation, the GI’s fought back like cornered beasts and managed to repel the attack. Unfortunately for them, as the last SD soldier left the field, Wehrmacht soldiers surrounded and took them captive. The Wehrmacht had beaten back their enemy with a clever ruse; making them believe they were a more powerful force than they actually were. As the US forces broke, word went out along the axis lines to advance. The allies were soon in a state of confusion and panic, which allowed the Wehrmacht to push in from all sides and capture or kill them all. A prize amongst the prisoners was a British archaeologist, whose value was known immediately and was to be brought to Oberst Cramer for interrogation. It was a dark day indeed for the Allied forces in Kiev. The Soviet lines were pushed back and a large force of US and British soldiers were captured. Shell shocked survivors that did make it back to friendly lines reported the savagery and glee of the German soldiers as they lead their brethren away to a fate most likely worse than death. It was a madhouse as the Allied commanders held an emergency meeting at the end of the day. Accusations flew and the hard reality of the tactical (or lack thereof) decisions came to light. In the end, it was agreed that they were not acting as a cohesive force and were letting the Axis forces dictate the battles. Something had to be done, and that something might even mean a new overall commander. As darkness fell on the second day, the allied soldiers could hear the mocking voices and laughter from the enemy lines. Attachments:
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Post by silentbob27 on Jul 16, 2010 10:39:29 GMT -5
Little change of plans for tomorrow. Our LGS needed the room we have each month, so we were homeless. However, as i have done in the past, I volunteered to host at my house... well, driveway and garage. Hey, we get to drink, grill, and i am even smoking a pork butt to make some pulled pork for dinner. Since I am a bit far for some of the members, i had to adjust the campaign battle for this month. It will be an add-on, this month only deal. Here is the Scenario, taken and adjusted from the Rockets of St. Michele sample campaign. Attachments:
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Post by silentbob27 on Aug 20, 2010 15:11:09 GMT -5
As the 2.5 event ended with a tie, nobody gets the +1 Drive Bonus. I slacked a little with the results write up and forgot to post them. Scenario #3 Winter Storm Saturday, Dec 15, 1945 The raids from last night did not go as well as planned. Now, we have reports of a strong winter storm sweeping across Ukraine. Regardless of the outcome, today will not be a good day. Oberst Cramer, Commander of Kiev Attachments:
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